World of English Language Teaching Comes Together at the 2013 TESOL International Convention

TESOL International Association, the global association for English language educators, will convene its international convention at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, Texas USA, from 20 to 23 March 2013.

Considered the premier event on 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.

Under the banner "Harmonizing Language, Heritage, & Cultures," the 2013 convention will showcase more than 1,000 educational sessions presented by speakers from more than 75 countries. In addition, the English Language Expo will feature one of the largest exhibitions of its kind in the world, with more than 130 exhibitors offering the leading products and services for English language educators and their classrooms.

The international array of keynote speakers for the convention includes John Hunter, teacher, musician, and inventor of the World Peace Game; Thomas Nakayama, professor of communication studies at Northeastern University, USA, and founding editor of the Journal of International and Intercultural Communication; Suzanne Panferov, president of TESOL International Association, director of the Center for ESL at the University of Arizona, USA, and a faculty member in the MA ESL Program and PhD Program in SLA and Teaching; Aram deKoven, associate professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA; and Bonny Norton, professor and Distinguished University Scholar, Department of Language and Literacy Education, University of British Columbia, Canada.

Highlights of the 2013 TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo include

• K-12 Dream Day, a special 1-day event for teachers and administrators in elementary and secondary education that will provide interactive, practice-oriented sessions focusing on concrete ways to increase student engagement and achievement from preschool to high school.

• 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.

• 2013 TESOL Teacher of the Year Award, presented by National Geographic Learning, to Anne Marie Foerster Luu of Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, USA.

• 2013 TESOL Award for Distinguished Research, presented by ETS/TOEFL, to Dr. Andreea Cervatiuc of the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

• TESOL Presidents' Award, presented to the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program.

• Outstanding U.S. Advocate Honor, presented to Texas State Rep. Roberto Alonzo in recognition of his support of ESL and bilingual education.

• Installation of Egyptian-born Dr. Deena Boraie, Associate Dean for Instructional Affairs, School of Continuing Education, The American University in Cairo, as the 2013-2014 President of TESOL International Association.

• Special events and forums for graduate students, doctoral candidates, and researchers.

TESOL gratefully acknowledges its strategic partner, National Geographic Learning, and its event partners, ETS/TOEFL, and the College Board, and all its other partners for their support of the 2013 TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo.

Members of the news media may register on site at the Solutions Desk in the registration area of the Dallas Convention Center. More details on the 2013 TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo, including a pdf of the program, are available online at http://www.tesolconvention.org.

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 12,500 members representing over 156 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.