July 2005
Webheads in Paradise
ESL/SPED Vignette
Voices By the Sea
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The "Wow" Effect
Carolina Conference Planners Show Imagination and Vision
There is a very exciting TESOL opportunity
in South Carolina this coming September 22-25,
"Voices By the Sea," the Southeast Regional
TESOL Conference. There is a star-studded
line-up of special invited speakers, but
perhaps readers will also be interested in
this poetic message from the online brochure:
tumbling azure waves
gently foam and lap
onto shining sands
as the keen of gulls
sharpens the salt air.
Overlooking the surf,
dunes capped with sea oats
are shaped by warm breezes.
Within the landscaped grounds
of the resort, we gather together
to hear the voices of some greats
of the ESL field. Here by the sea
we have planned for you a time
of peace and growth and energy.
Please join us.
James Asher to Speak on TPR!
Just this one presenter would make any conference a great success and well worth the travel and time expended. The name of his plenary is going to be: "How to Be a Prize-Winning Language Instructor." And he is also leading a workshop, "How to Apply Total Physical Response for the Best Results." According to the information posted on the Carolina TESOL Web site (www.carolinatesol.org), participants will learn:
Elsa Roberts Auerbach, Former Auto and Electronics Factory Assembler!
Dr. Elsa Auerbach, of the University of Massachusetts at Boston, is interested in "participatory curriculum development, family literacy, and English for immigrant workers," according to her bio at the Carolina TESOL Web site (www.carolinatesol.org). Her plenary is titled "English in a Globalizing World: Sharing Experiences, Constructing Knowledge, and Joining Voices."
Judy Gilbert, Bilingual Educator and Author of "Clear Speech" (Cambridge University Press)!
Judy Gilbert, of the University of California-Davis, will give a plenary, "Teaching Spoken English: Seven Essential Concepts," as well as a pre-conference workshop, "Simplicity is the Key: Priorities for Teaching Pronunciation at All Levels." Professor Gilbert is interested in kinesthic and visual approaches to teaching pronuncation, according to her bio, posted at the Carolina TESOL Web site (www.carolinatesol.org).
Dave Sperling, Creator of Dave's ESL Cafe!
Wow! Dave Sperling very nearly eclipses in popularity even stellar ESL/EFL figures such as James Asher, Betty Azar, and Stephen Krashen! Sperling's "Dave's ESL Cafe" is absolutely the most interesting place on the Web for teachers and students to find relevant lessons, ideas, and activities to use for English learning. He has written three books, including "The Internet Guide for English Language Teachers." Web-meister Sperling's plenary is titled "The Power of Using the Internet in English Language Teaching," and he will also be running a workshop, "Elements of a Successful Internet EFL Activity." Wow. Wow. Wow.
Walt Wolfram, Pioneering Research in Sociolinguistics of Diverse Communities!
Dr. Walt Wolfram, according to the Carolina TESOL Web site (www.carolinatesol.org), "is particularly interested in the effective dissemination of information on language variation to the American public," and he worked on "the award-winning documentary American Tongues....[and]also served as the linguistic consultant for the Children's Television Company." His plenary is titled "Southern-Bred TESOL: The Significance of Dialects in TESOL," and he is also giving a pre-conference workshop, "Dialects of the Carolinas."
The Visionary Leaders of Southeast Regional TESOL 2005!
The conference chair for this imaginatively conceived event is Larry Savage. Program chair is Kathy Powell. Registration chair is Meriam Brown. And publishers' liaison is Rosemary Schmid.
Again, there is a lot more information about what promises to be a stupendous conference at: www.carolinatesol.org/regional/index3.htm.
I think that out of this event will likely come an enhanced awareness of the contributions being made to the TESOL profession nationally and globally from educators in the Carolinas. It is an extremely well-envisioned event and anyone within flying, training, busing, driving, or bicycling of the 2005 Southeast Regional TESOL Conference ought to make it a point to go!
You are also welcome to write letters or short articles from your Myrtle Beach learning experiences to be published on the ESL MiniConference for October and November. Please send these to: Editor@ESLminiconf.net, and share your accounts, impressions, and insights with the 10,000 monthly visitors to ESL MiniConference Online.
Article by Robb Scott
Robb@ESLminiconf.net
2005 ESL MiniConference Online