Unexpected events at TESOL Convention

Pleasant surprises at TESOL Convention

“Expect the unexpected.” 

-ProverbI kept an open schedule, previewed some workshop titles, and conducted more research than usual before going to the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages convention in New York. I expected crowds, chaos, and constant choice. Still, the stark reality of 7,000 teachers descending on a few floors of three nearby midtown Manhattan hotels eluded me.

Somehow, I forgot the enticing nature of free teaching materials, friendly professional staff, and the vast collection of new software programs in the exhibit area. All three floors of the exhibiting area!

An impressive workshop for adult educators remains the “Online Applications, Psychometric Tests, and Adult ELLs” lead by Amber Gallup. This practical presentation focused on preparing immigrants for online job applications that use psychological testing for hourly positions. Several teachers shared their experiences, frustrations, and satisfactions with the standardized testing used by Home Depot, Sears, Target, Albertsons, CVS, and Toys R Us. Their current experiences echoed mine ten years ago teaching in Santa Monica-Malibu Adult Education Center and Santa Monica Community College.

More later on workshops for improving academic writing and speaking skills. I will also quickly review the pitches for various software programs and my initial impressions.

What TESOL presentations were your favorite? What new ideas are you bringing?

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