2014 TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo to Bring 7,000 English Language Educators to Portland, Oregon

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TESOL Convention, Portland

Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) March 19, 2014

The 2014 TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo will bring together educators from more than 75 counties in Portland, Oregon USA, for this industry event, which is the largest of its kind. The annual convention is organized by TESOL International Association, the professional association for more than 13,000 teachers of English to speakers of other languages from across the globe.

Considered the premier event in English language teaching worldwide, the TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo features educational sessions and experts on a broad variety of topics, including language testing and assessment, technology in language learning, bilingual education, and standards.

In support of the convention theme, “Explore, Sustain, Renew: ELT for the Next Generation,” attendees will have the opportunity to participate in more than 1000 educational sessions presented by their colleagues and important leaders from both inside and outside the field. A major highlight of the convention is the English Language Expo, featuring more than 130 companies with the latest in products and services for English language educators and their classrooms.

International keynote speakers, presenting on topics that will lead TESOL into its 50th anniversary year in 2016, include Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, noted scholar and political leader from Thailand, speaking on “English as a Powerful Instrument of Community Building in East Asia”; David Graddol, Director of The English Company (UK) Ltd, whose topic is “Five Megatrends Shaping the Future of TESOL”; Dr. Deena Boraie, President of TESOL and dean of the School of Continuing Education at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, addressing the convention on “Next Generation ELT: Voices of TESOLers”; and Dr. Diane Larsen-Freeman, Professor Emerita of Education, Professor Emerita of Linguistics, and Research Scientist Emerita at the English Language Institute at the University of Michigan, USA. Dr. Larsen-Freeman will be speaking on “Complexity Theory: Renewing Our Understanding of Language, Learning, and Teaching.”

Convention highlights include:

• K–12 Dream Day, a special 1-day event for teachers and administrators in elementary and secondary education that provides interactive, practice-oriented sessions focusing on concrete ways to increase student engagement and achievement from preschool to high school. College Board has provided support for this program.
• TESOL Classroom of the Future, a dedicated space in the English Language Expo that focuses on technology, design, and pedagogy of the ELT classroom in the next 5 to 20 years. The Classroom includes technology demonstrations, sample classroom furniture, and presentations highlighting the future for English learners. The Classroom is presented by lead sponsor Virco, the United States’ leading manufacturer and supplier of furniture and equipment for K–12 schools, and supported by technology sponsor TutorGroup, the world’s premier online education platform.
• 2014 TESOL Teacher of the Year Award presented by National Geographic Learning to Ann Fontanella, EFL instructor at the City College of San Francisco in California, USA
• 2014 TESOL Award for Distinguished Research presented by ETS/TOEFL to Dr. Stephen Bax, Professor of Applied Linguistics at the Center for English Language Research and Assessment, University of Bedfordshire, UK
• Outstanding U.S. Advocate Honor presented to David Bautista, Office of Learning—Education Equity, Oregon Department of Education
• TESOL Presidents’ Award presented to the British Council
• Electronic Village and Technology Showcase, a special venue to explore technological resources for language teaching and learning in the classroom and online, highlights the latest in multimedia learning, access to Internet-based resources, and presentations on handheld hardware devices
• Installation of Yilin Sun, a native of China and member of the ESL faculty at South Seattle Community College, USA, as 2014–2015 President of TESOL International Association
• Special events and forums for graduate students, doctoral candidates, and researchers

TESOL gratefully acknowledges its strategic partners, National Geographic Learning and ETS/TOEFL, and all its other partners for their support of the 2014 convention.

Visit the TESOL convention website for complete information.

About TESOL International Association

Founded in 1966, TESOL International Association is a professional community of educators, researchers, administrators and students committed to advancing excellence in English language teaching for speakers of other languages worldwide. With more than 13,000 members representing over 163 countries, TESOL fosters the exchange of ideas, research, and peer-to-peer knowledge, and provides expertise, resources, and a powerful voice on issues affecting the profession. Through professional development programs, its international conference, special interest groups, and publications, TESOL engages tens of thousands of professionals to collaborate globally and create a world of opportunity for millions of people of all ages who want to learn English. http://www.tesol.org.

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