From the Editors

Michael Lessard-Clouston, [email protected],
and Meredith Bricker, [email protected]

Greetings and welcome to another issue of the CETC Newsletter! We are delighted to share this issue with you and to update you on what is happening in the Christian Educators in TESOL Caucus. Over the summer and fall we have worked with various writers, and we are happy to present you with this issue, hopeful that it will provide useful information, lots of food for thought, and some ideas and insights for your work.

In This Issue

We begin the issue with updates from CETC leaders, including letters from the past chair, Karen Asenavage, and current chair, Eleanor Pease. As a caucus we mourn the loss of Dr. Jean Zukowski/Faust this past summer, and we are pleased to celebrate her life and work in a tribute written by former CETC Chair Wes Eby. You will also find guidelines for contributions to this newsletter, prepared especially for those of you who would like to put your fingers to the keyboard and send us something that could be considered for a future issue. This newsletter will only be as good as the contributions we receive, so we have provided those guidelines, but another indication of what we are interested in may be found in the contents of this issue. We have tried to balance articles we solicited from various people and others that interested CETC members have sent our way. We plan to have another issue in your inbox in February, before the TESOL convention in Seattle, so feel free to let us know if there are articles you have enjoyed or appreciated. [Please note: The deadline for us to receive draft articles for possible inclusion in the upcoming issue is January 2, 2007.] In conjunction with the convention, the CELT 2007 Conference will be held at Seattle Pacific University, and we are pleased to publish a notice about it from conference chair Kathryn Bartholomew. Finally, in this section we also have some news and updates from CETC.

In our articles section we have a strong and varied range of short and longer pieces, starting with an article by Tom Scovel on the honoring of an influential caucus member. Former CETC Newsletter editor Jim Mischler reports on the joint AAAL/CAAL 2006 conference in Montreal, and Rich Robison shares his reflections on truthfulness in English teaching, derived from his presentation during the CETC Colloquium at TESOL 2006 in Tampa. Also in this issue, Anna Vaughan reviews topics in the current SLA literature and presents a Christian perspective on second language learning, while David Bartsch outlines his reflections on two metaphors for language learning and teaching. Dayle Burkhart describes the development and revision of her HIS English curriculum, and Eleanor Pease writes about affect and motivation among Japanese ESL learners in her doctoral research. Finally, Leifur Sigurdsson reviews a new book on teaching academic vocabulary that will be of interest to both ESL and EFL teachers.

We are grateful to each of these authors for their contributions and thank them for sharing their work with us and you through this forum. We hope you will be encouraged and find something helpful for your life and work in TESOL. We would like this benefit of your TESOL membership to be a welcome addition to your professional reading. If you agree, please consider joining the conversation by letting us know what you think, by suggesting a topic or idea, or even by writing an article for us to consider publishing in a future issue.

Blessings,
Michael and Meredith

Letter From the Past Chair: Of the Past, the Present, and the Future

Karen Asenavage, [email protected]

The past…it is an interesting verb tense to teach and to live. It never ceases to amaze me that this seemingly easy verb tense can present so many difficulties for our students. Whether it's remembering irregular and regular, how to pronounce the three different endings, or whether one should use a simple past or a perfect tense, the past tense is difficult for non-native English speakers to use. Maybe it's cultural. It could be because some cultures acknowledge the past but are more focused upon the present while others live in the past and acknowledge the future. In any case, for this native English speaker whose life has spanned several cultures, living the past now is a learning experience.

I'm thinking about living the past because many aspects of my life have moved into the past tense over the last six months. After 12 wonderful years in the United Arab Emirates, I have returned to take up a position at the University of Pennsylvania, where my father was an alumnus and the city is my hometown. I'm reconnecting with old childhood friends and relatives I haven't seen in years, while daily receiving e-mails from friends and colleagues who are still working overseas. It's wonderful and yet slightly disorienting. Now, after two years, first as Incoming Chair, then Chair of the Christian Educators in TESOL caucus, I am the CETC Past Chair. Again, it's encouraging to have new strong leadership take over but also slightly disorienting. As a past leader, it means stepping back, allowing others to take over, and trying to gauge when, how, or if to offer help. As a past leader, it also means being a bridge between what was before and what is to come.

What has gone before for CETC is a remarkable legacy that spans decades under the able leadership of Wes Eby, Rita LaNell Stahl, Kitty Purgason, Cheri Pierson, Adelaide Parsons, Mary Wong, Nancy Zumwalt, and others. It was hundreds of Christian TESOLers becoming nearly 1000 members of an official TESOL caucus. It was the dream of a focused CETC mini-conference prior to TESOL in Long Beach becoming an international conference at Payap University in Chiang Mai under Brad Baurain and his team this past year. It is honoring Christian scholars, men and women of faith, like Earl Stevick, Tom Scovel, and Jean Zukowski/Faust. It is seeking out and developing leaders from among our ranks. It was and remains standing strong and responding with wisdom and love in the face of criticism about what we as Christian TESOLers believe and live.

Ahead, there is a strong leadership team with Eleanor Pease, Gena Bennett, Meredith Bricker, Michael Lessard-Clouston, Frank Tuzi and Andy Bowdler. Led by Kathryn Bartholomew, Seattle Pacific University will host a mini conference prior to TESOL 2007. We'll have opportunities to honor those who have gone before us and to mentor and encourage others to take up the leadership roles within CETC and TESOL. We look forward to more publications about what we believe and how we as Christian educators impact our classrooms and places of work. There is an exciting future ahead for the Christian Educators in TESOL Caucus.

Jesus tells to remember the past with a great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12) and all that He has done for us on the cross (1 John 1:7), but we are also encouraged to look to the future straining towards what is ahead  (Philippians 3). Living between the past and the present, while looking towards the future can be challenging to us as Christians, educators, and leaders but this is as it must be and what makes our lives worth living. I would like to encourage you to be active in the CET caucus, learning today from those who have gone before and stepping up to take us ahead into the future.

Note From the 2006-2007 Chair

Eleanor Pease, [email protected]

One ongoing goal for the CETC is to develop leadership. I've been pleased with your responses and participation on the e-list and I'm sure that among you interested members, there must be several who would enjoy serving in some capacity.

In January we will have an online election for incoming chair. Karen Asenavage will complete her role as outgoing or past chair, I will move into that position, and Gena Bennett (incoming chair, 2006-2007) will become CETC chair for 2007-2008.

If you are interested in serving as incoming chair, please contact me as soon as possible at [email protected]. Thanks!

Tribute to Dr. Jean Zukowski/Faust: 1941-2006

Wes Eby, [email protected]

Jean Zukowski/Faust, a longtime member of CETC, succumbed to a lengthy and valiant battle with cancer on July 17, 2006. Her impact on the TESOL field as well as TESOL, Inc. is undeniable. While she is greatly missed, her influence will continue in the lives of the countless students and colleagues she has touched.

Jean was a rock-solid supporter of the Christian Educators in TESOL Caucus (CETC). When I served as chair of our fledgling group, she advised us as we petitioned to become a caucus. With her help, we succeeded, and part of that success was Jean's. Later, when she served on the Board of Directors for TESOL, she was liaison to the caucuses. As our champion, she encouraged CETC with attendance and words of affirmation.

I first met Jean in the mid-1970s when she was elected to the Arizona TESOL (AZ-TESOL) Board of Directors. Early on I realized that Jean was an ESOL educator with extensive knowledge, rich experiences, and a caring heart. Her insightful contributions to the board were well-received and greatly appreciated. Her ongoing involvement with AZ-TESOL spanned three decades, most notably as newsletter editor.

Jean received a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Wisconsin in 1966. She earned a master's in ESL from the University of Arizona in 1973 and a doctorate in applied linguistics and English education from the same institution in 1978.

Dr. Zukowski/Faust's distinguished 42-year career began in Turkey, where she taught English at three institutions from 1964-1971. Going to the University of Arizona in 1972, she taught in the English Department for 12 years before moving to Northern Arizona University (NAU) in 1984, where she was professor in the English Department. Although she taught a variety of courses, her special interest was teaching ESL and bilingual education. From 1990-92 while on leave from NAU, Jean was associate director of the U.S. Peace Corps in Poland, for which she was awarded the Medal of Honor from Poland's Ministry of National Education.

Jean was a skilled communicator. Her presentations at conferences and workshops attracted large audiences. I remember rooms overflowing and attendees disappointed they could not get inside to see Jean in action. She was known for practical ideas that were research-based. Her sense of timing, her knowledge of the audience, and her charming wit engaged the listeners. Her ability in public speaking, which so captivated people, really reflected her gift of teaching. Jean, of all educators I've known, was a teacher par excellence.

I will also remember Jean for her perseverance, especially when her illness sapped her strength. Her resolve, however, never waned. Attending TESOL 2006 in Tampa was a physical strain on Jean, yet she attended. She participated. She networked. She shared. And, above all, she taught.

Jean, for me, epitomizes everything TESOL represents—a passionate advocate for those learning English as an additional language. Whether teaching and sharing, writing and editing, administering and advising, Jean excelled. Dr. Zukowski/Faust is a wonderful model for anyone desiring to devote his or her life to the TESOL profession.

Founding chair of the CETC, Wes Eby recently retired and now lives in Lake Alfred, Florida. A member of TESOL for 39 years, Wes has actively participated at all levels, including as TESOL's parliamentarian for the past 15 years and as associate chair of the TESOL 2001 convention in St. Louis. In 2001 TESOL honored Wes with the James B. Alatis Award for outstanding and extended service to the organization.

Guidelines for Contributions to the CETC Newsletter

Michael Lessard-Clouston, [email protected],
and Meredith Bricker, [email protected]

As relatively new editors, we would like to offer readers some guidelines for what we would like to receive as submissions for possible publication in the newsletter.

Background
The CETC Newsletter is the caucus publication, and we drafted the Christian Educators in TESOL Caucus (CETC) E-Newsletter Mission Statement in order to provide information about its purpose, audience, and vision (Note: that mission statement appeared in Vol. 10, No. 2 of the newsletter and is available for reference online at: http://www.tesol.org//s_tesol/article.asp?vid=172&DID=6490&sid=1&cid=740&iid=6487&nid=3124.) As we noted there, we view the newsletter as a forum where Christian educators in TESOL can exchange ideas, communicate about and evaluate relevant resources, and discuss topics and issues that are pertinent to us and our work as teachers, researchers, administrators, or students in TESOL and related fields.

Guidelines
Perhaps the first point to make concerns some things that the newsletter cannot publish. Following TESOL guidelines, we do not include advertising and we do not publish job announcements. TESOL has several outlets for advertising in its various serial and other publications, and the TESOL Placement Bulletin publishes notices of job opportunities. Also, some types of information and media (such as photographs) are more amenable to other formats, and may be published by the caucus at our website (http://www.cetesol.org/).

Usually announcements and news should be timely (yet still relevant for some time after publication) and appeal to a range of caucus members. Generally, the CETC leadership will provide articles for our 'Leadership Updates' section, but members are welcome to suggest ideas or to offer information and updates to be included in the regular 'News from CETC' feature. We are particularly interested in receiving submissions or ideas for our 'Articles' section, and welcome the following types of submissions (and are open to suggestions for others):

Articles: These may be short (about 800-1200 words) or longer (up to about 2500 words) and describe a favorite classroom activity or teaching technique, reflect on experiences or interests you have had or are developing, or report on classroom or other research, etc.

Book, Software, or Other Reviews: Reports on and evaluations of new student (texts, CD-ROMs, audio materials, websites, etc.) or teacher resources of interest to CETC members. [Please note: CETC members who have published such materials are welcome to contact the editors to alert us to such resources or to provide a review copy of your material(s) that a CETC member could use (and keep) in order to write such a review.]

Responses: These may be short or longer responses to articles published in the newsletter or elsewhere, or to relevant presentations you have attended or talks you have heard, etc. You might offer another perspective, raise some questions, or present new practical, philosophical, or theoretical points of view on topics of interest to CETC members.

Suggestions    

As you will see in this issue, submissions may be drawn from relevant conference presentations you make, report on readings you are familiar with or research you have carried out, describe materials or activities that are relevant to caucus members, or evaluate new resources. As you may have noticed, some articles will include a more obvious or detailed Christian perspective, while others may appear less so. Yet our audience is clearly CETC members and other people interested in relevant topics and issues with a Christian point of view.

If you have an idea and are considering submitting an article, we would be happy to for you to correspond with us about it. If it does not seem appropriate here we might be able to suggest other options. If you have written or would like to write something for us to consider, please first review articles in this and recent issues of the newsletter for models or examples, observing the style and format (e.g., web-oriented, APA, etc.). Prepare your submission as a Word document, and be careful to quote sources appropriately, include all references you mention, and respect the copyright of any authors you cite. Then contact us to let us know that you have something for us to consider, and we'll work with you on it from there. We look forward to hearing from you, and possibly to working with you on your submission.

The CELT 2007 Conference in Seattle, Washington, USA

Kathryn Bartholomew, [email protected]

Introduction

Based on the model of the very successful conference in Long Beach, CA just before TESOL 2004, a one-day conference of Christians in English Language Teaching (CELT) will be held on Tuesday March 20, 2007, the day before TESOL 2007, on the campus of Seattle Pacific University (www.spu.edu).

The theme of the conference is "Spirituality and Professionalism." Featured speakers include Suresh Canagarajah of Baruch College, CUNY, USA, and David Smith, Calvin College, USA. The schedule will include refereed presentations and workshops, a mid-day poster session (also refereed), and a morning resource room for sharing classroom activities and other practical ideas. The day will begin at 8:30 with concurrent sessions and end with a 4:30 pm worship service (see schedule details below). The registration fee for the conference is $25.00 U.S.; registration forms and other information are posted on the SPU and CETC websites. A range of options for lunch and dinner will be provided. Public transportation and taxis from the Seattle Convention Center and downtown hotels are available; parking is also available on the SPU campus for those who choose to drive.

Conference Topics

Here are some of the topics we hope to address at the conference from a specifically Christian point of view:

• cultural and intercultural issues, including the importance of learning students' languages whenever possible
• mutual help and support for monolingual English and bilingual English teachers (a new way of framing the tired and sometimes unhelpful distinction between native and non-native speakers)
• professional integrity and faith-related academic controversy
• teacher training and development
• practical skills for teaching 
• English for special purposes, including teaching and learning in seminaries 
• images of Christianity in the media
• living out core values in the classroom
• stories of what called us into the profession and what keeps us there
• and many more . . .

Proposals

Your proposals are welcomed and encouraged; please send them as Word or PDF files to Kathryn Bartholomew, Seattle Pacific University, [email protected]. Proposals must show a clear Christian perspective and must include the following information:

• Name(s), school and/or organization, mailing address, phone, e-mail, and a short bio
• An indication of whether this is a Presentation, Workshop, Resource Room, or Poster Session
• An indication of whether audiovisual equipment other than an OHP and/or computer with projector will be needed
• The title and a 50-word abstract (for the conference program)
• Proposal abstract of no more than 250 words

Proposals may link to any TESOL-related topic; refer to the conference topics list above for possible ideas. Deadline: all proposals must be received by e-mail (as above) no later than January 1, 2007. 

Exhibits and Questions

An exhibition area will be available for organizations, schools, and book sales. Please contact Kevin Gibbons, [email protected], for additional information.

Questions? In addition to the e-mail addresses above, we are available by telephone at 206-281-2670 (Kevin Gibbons) or fax at 206-281-2335.

Proposed Conference Schedule: March 20, 2007

8:30-9:15 Concurrent sessions; publishers' exhibits open
9:15-9:30 Break – refreshments, Resource Room, exhibits
9:30-10:30 Plenary address – David Smith
10:30-11:00 Break - refreshments, Resource Room, Poster Sessions, exhibits
11:00-12:30 Concurrent 45- or 90-minute sessions
12:30-1:30 Lunch – also Poster Sessions and publishers' exhibits
1:30-3:00 Concurrent 45- or 90-minute sessions
3:00-3:30 Break – refreshments, Poster Sessions
3:30-4:30 Keynote address – Suresh Canagarajah
4:30-5:30 Worship service
5:30  Adjournment

Partial List of Proposal Referees

The following CETC members have agreed to review proposals for the conference: Karen Asenavage, Kathryn Bartholomew, Brad Baurain, Gena Bennett, Tim Noble, Adelaide Heyde Parsons, Eleanor Pease, Cheri Pierson, Kitty Purgason, and Mary Wong.

Please note that the Call for Participation may also be found on the CETC website, and is located at http://www.cetesol.org/news/celt2007-call.html. Please inform others who might be interested in presenting at or attending the conference. We look forward to welcoming you at CELT 2007 in Seattle before the upcoming TESOL convention.

News From CETC

CELT 2007 at Seattle Pacific University
As noted in the article in this issue by Kathryn Bartholomew, CETC's Christians in English Language Teaching 2007 (CELT 2007) conference will be held Tuesday March 20, 2007, the day before the TESOL 2007 Convention begins in Seattle, Washington, USA. The conference theme is "Spirituality and Professionalism" and featured speakers include Suresh Canagarajah and David Smith. We hope you will attend and, if possible, consider giving a presentation. Please read Kathryn's article for more information on how and where to submit proposals (deadline: January 1, 2007), and be sure to let others who might be interested know about this exciting conference. The call for papers appears on the CETC Web site, at http://www.cetesol.org/news/celt2007-call.html.

CETC Has a New E-list Moderator!
Thanks go to Andy Bowdler, who answered our call for a volunteer in the last newsletter and has agreed to be CETC's new e-list moderator. As he has held this position before, Andy brings experience to this role, and we thank him for overseeing our e-list postings. Please feel free to contact him with suggestions or ideas for monthly or other topics. As with all CETC leadership, his contact information may be found at the end of the newsletter, on the "About the CETC Community" page.

Web Site Updates
Thanks also go to Frank Tuzi, the caucus Web manager, who recently updated the CETC Web site at www.cetesol.org once again. Please remember to check out what is on the site occasionally, and consider contributing a notice or article, or adding to the bulletin board discussion. Frank is also looking for CETC Web site content, and would like your ideas or contributions.

CELT Scholarships Available for NNESTs
Please remind nonnative English-speaking teacher professionals that CELT scholarships are available for presenters at the CELT 2007 conference or the 2007 TESOL Convention. Further details are available on the CETC Web site, at www.cetesol.org/scholarship.html.

An Honorary Doctorate in Honor of a Great Christian Educator

Tom Scovel, [email protected]  

On October 23, 2006, Trinity Western University (TWU), located near Vancouver, Canada, conferred an honorary Doctorate of Christian Ministries on Earl Stevick, a prolific and greatly respected scholar and teacher in the TESOL profession for many decades. Because of Earl's current physical limitations, I was asked to participate in this ceremony on his behalf, and it was an enormous honor and pleasure for me to play a small role in this important celebration.

The conferral was part of TWU's annual commencement exercises for their School of Graduate Studies, and among the graduates from various programs receiving their master's degrees were seven students getting their MA's in TESOL. Earl wrote a moving address for this convocation, where he reflected back on some of the transitions that have taken place (and in which he has played a vital role) in foreign language pedagogy during the some fifty years of his professional career. Because my only task was to read the text which Earl had artfully prepared, I somewhat jokingly told Earl that I was happy to play "Aaron" to his "Moses"!

Bill Acton and Carolyn Kristjansson, two very active faculty members of TWU's MATESOL program, were instrumental in developing a special relationship between their program and Earl. They were able to arrange for Earl to visit TWU a few years back, and they have given him continual support over the years. Earl was also generous in donating his collection of books and professional papers to the university. Immediately after the TWU convocation, Carolyn flew to Virginia, where Earl currently resides at an assisted living center, to join Earl's friends and family in a splendid celebration of his 83rd birthday. During this party, Earl was presented with the honorary degree and hood and was able to watch a video of the TWU convocation which had been held only a few days before.

Earl concluded his commencement address with a verse from the famous seventeenth century hymn "If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee", by Georg Neumark, and I think this is also a fitting way to conclude this brief report about the events honoring a Christian scholar and teacher who has been so influential in our profession and has served as a symbol of discipleship.

If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He'll give thee strength whate'er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the rock that naught can move¹ .

Note
¹ Translated from German by Catherine Winkworth in 1855. Visit http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/f/ifyouwil.htm for the complete English lyrics and a contemporary English version of this and two other verses of the hymn.

Tom Scovel is a professor in the Department of English at San Francisco State University in California, where he teaches courses in the MATESOL program.

The 2006 AAAL Conference: International Scope, Regional Atmosphere

Jim Mischler, [email protected]

Professional meetings are usually defined in terms of their scope-that is, their topical range and the size of the geographic area that the conference serves. International conferences tend to have the broadest scope, but as a result they can be logistically complex and mentally tiring. Regional meetings, on the other hand, are smaller and thus less hectic: There is more time to enjoy the conference experience and the city in which it is held. The effect is both stimulating and relaxing at the same time. This was my experience at the 2006 American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) conference, which was held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, June 17-20. (Note: For more information on AAAL, see their official Web site at http://www.aaal.org.) In spirit and in implementation, the meeting was regional in size with the topical range of an international conference. As a result, I experienced the best of both.

This interregional conference was held in the Hyatt Hotel downtown, about a 15-minute walk from the St. Lawrence River. The meeting was hosted jointly by AAAL and the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics (CAAL). Their combined efforts were seen everywhere, from the flags of the two countries flying in the hotel to the English and French transcripts of the organizers' welcome messages. The international flavor was also used to advantage in the plenary sessions; two of the talks focused on pedagogy for French as a second language (Claude Germain and Joan Netten) and issues concerning bilingualism in Canada (Monica Heller). In fact, over 4 days, seven speakers from around the world spoke on topics as diverse as defining proficiency in a language (Jan Hulstijn), discourse analysis in the classroom (Gordon Wells), and using computers to teach language and culture (John Sinclair; Dorothy Chun). In its topical breadth, the conference offered the advantages of a major international convention.

The subject scope was also evident in the individual presentation sessions. The conference was organized into 16 threads in applied linguistics, ranging from assessment and evaluation to language acquisition, from literacy to text analysis. Sessions were scheduled so that one thread continued for several hours in one room. For example, in the language acquisition thread, I saw a doctoral student's session (Youjin Kim, Northern Arizona U., USA) on "The Effect of Learner-Learner Interaction on L2 Vocabulary Acquisition," then immediately after heard Scott Jarvis (Ohio U., USA) and Laura Sanchez (U. of Barcelona, Spain) present the idea of conceptual transfer. Both sessions were interesting and the thread structure allowed for comparisons of specific ideas within a broader topic. Presentations often included both practical and theoretical issues, allowing participants to discuss both the details of a method and its wider implications. By the way, I also had the opportunity, with my colleague Rebecca Damron (Oklahoma State U., USA), to present our ongoing research study on "Conceptual Blending and Personal Oral Narrative." We noted that the audience was attentive and their questions and feedback were helpful for improving our research design and methods. In the end, I was able to see many sessions in my areas of interest, participate in wide-ranging discussions, and switch threads easily when I chose to do so.

There were also sessions on issues that impact Christian educators. For example, I attended the presentation by Michael Lessard-Clouston (Biola U., USA) on "Definitions in Theology Lectures: Implications for Technical Vocabulary Learning." Michael's presentation typified the conference format: a research study on a topic that both researchers and language teachers can appreciate and find useful, with practical and theoretical implications that led to interesting discussions. There were other sessions on similar topics, including the talk by Carolyn Kristjansson and Phil Goertzen (Trinity Western U., Canada) on perceptions of identity in an online MA TESOL program; the presentation included a discussion concerning the impact of the students' spiritual values on their social identities. In short, AAAL/CAAL 2006 offered sessions that contributed useful information to the work of CETC members.

Though broad in scope, the conference had the atmosphere of a much smaller professional meeting. The ability to house the entire event in one hotel put all of the conference's offerings (including poster sessions and the publisher's exhibition) within easy reach–a real time, energy, and leg saver. Running into old friends also seemed easier with a smaller crowd! During breaks in the schedule, taking a walk down to the river offered a change of scene. Finally, almost every day social events were held, including the Opening Reception, the Graduate Student Breakfast, the Presidents Reception, and the CAAL-hosted social. I had the privilege of attending all four. I made new friends at the breakfast and had good discussions about graduate school life. In the evenings, the two receptions and the social were held on the hotel's outdoor terrace. The social events were the place to discuss the day's sessions with friends old and new, eat some good food, and watch the sun set behind the trees (yes, there are trees in downtown Montreal). It was a good way to wind down and "unpack" the conference.

Overall, I personally felt that the 2006 AAAL/CAAL conference was productive and useful, and surprisingly energizing. I think the CETC membership would find interesting topics, stimulating discussion, and a small-group atmosphere at this interregional meeting. I recommend AAAL as a destination for CETC members interested in a research-oriented professional meeting with an international membership, sessions that discuss both theory and practice, a meeting schedule organized according to threads, and the ability to slow down and reflect on the whole experience. Consider attending the 2007 AAAL conference, which will be held in Costa Mesa, California, April 21-24. For more information on the upcoming conference, visit http://www.aaal.org/aaal2007/index.htm.

You may already know that AAAL used to be held in conjunction with the annual TESOL convention; for the past few years, however, the two organizations have met separately. In 2008 the AAAL conference will be March 29-April 1 in Washington, DC. The following year, in 2009, AAAL and TESOL will once again hold their meetings during the same week, in Denver, Colorado. If you cannot in the next 2 years, 2009 will be a great opportunity to spend some time at AAAL–in conjunction with TESOL.

Jim Mischler, a former CETC Newsletter editor, is pursuing doctoral studies in TESL/linguistics at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma.