Call for Proposals
TESL Canada 2012 Conference
TESL Interiors: Landscapes of Literacies and Language
Call for Papers, Presentations and Performances
Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC
October 11 – 13, 2012
Preamble
TESL Canada and BC TEAL welcome proposals for presentations at the TESL Canada 2012 conference. As a major national forum with international reach, TESL Canada conferences are held on an 18-month cycle and offer an important opportunity for professionals to share their work with peers. The TESL Canada 2012 conference will be hosted at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC, Canada. Nestled in beautiful grassland valleys, Kamloops is a welcoming, easily accessible city and close to many renowned destinations such as Sun Peaks Resort, the Adams River salmon run, and the Thompson-Okanagan wine country.
Call for Papers, Presentations, and Performances
TESL Canada is a unique professional organization in Canada and, as the federation for the network of provincial associations across the country, we convene for an internationally recognized conference. Thus, we invite participation by students and professionals at all stages of study and career to join us at Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada in October 2012.
The conference theme, "TESL Interiors: Landscapes of Literacies and Language," speaks across a spectrum of specializations in our profession and has a clear reflective element. For the TESL Canada 2012 conference, we call for presentations that address the broad themes of language and teacher education. Conference proposals will be vetted through a peer-review process. Presentations can cover any of the diverse areas of inquiry related to ESL/TESL including:
- Methodology
- Teacher Education
- Curriculum
- Assessment
- Applied Linguistics
- Adult Education
- English for Specific Purposes
- Computer Assisted Language Learning (Educational Technology)
- English for Academic Purposes
- Reading
- Writing
- Vocabulary
- Intensive Language Programs
- Intercultural Communication
- Speaking, Listening and Pronunciation
- ESL in elementary and secondary school (k-12)
- Generation 1.5
- Immigrant, Refugee and Settlement Language Education and Issues
- Leadership and Administration
- Bilingual Education
- Policy
General Guidelines (please read carefully)
1. Proposals may be submitted by any individual, group or association interested in the goals and purposes of TESL Canada.
2. TESL Canada is unable to reimburse presenters for expenses associated with the conference, including registration, travel, living expenses and the cost of producing visual aids and handouts (please bring enough handouts for your session).
3. Submitters will be notified of their proposal status as per the published timeline.
4. If a proposal involves more than one presenter, please include a biographical statement for each presenter on the form. The presenter designated in the correspondence section of this form is responsible for notifying the other presenters of the proposal's status (e.g. receipt, acceptance or rejection, and, if accepted, scheduled time of presentation).
5. As we try to ensure professionalism in our workshops and presentations, if applying to present, please keep in mind that this should not be seen as an opportunity focused on promoting and selling personal ESL materials. We gladly encourage you to use your materials; however, keep in mind that sessions are a chance for others to learn from your knowledge and experience in teaching and education.
6. All presenters must register for the conference and pay the conference registration fee. Failure to do so will result in the presentation being removed from the conference program. We will provide pre-registration required dates and other relevant information to all accepted presenters.
7. Please follow carefully the submission rules on the following page. You are also advised to save your proposal on your own computer as a backup.
Types of Sessions
Demonstration / Performance (45 minutes)
A demonstration or performance is used for showing rather than telling about a technique. The presenter’s statement of theory should take no longer than five minutes. The summary should include a brief statement of the central purpose and description of the demonstration.
Panel (60 or 90 minutes)
A panel provides both formal presentation and participant discussion. Panels generally have 3 or 4 presentations by panel members under the guidance of a chairperson who moderates the discussion period and summarizes the session at its conclusion. The organizer should submit a summary outlining the topic and objectives.
Interactive Workshop (60 or 90 minutes)
The workshop is a session in which the presenter(s) develop(s) teaching methods or materials, or design(s) research studies and data analysis methods. The purpose is to confront and solve actual teaching or research problems. The workshops must provide participants with the opportunity to participate actively. The emphasis is on providing hands-on experience rather than lecturing.
Paper / Report (45 minutes)
Papers or study reports should be based on current research and theory and deal with issues relevant to TESL. They should also provide a practical benefit to the audience. It is anticipated that we may need to change the requested presentation format of some papers (from spoken to interactive). Therefore, in comments, please indicate whether you would be willing to be considered for an interactive poster in the event that the committee considers it to be a more appropriate format for delivery of your research report.
Mini Session (20 minutes)
If you have a great teaching idea you wish to share, but you do not need 45 minutes to do so, we encourage you to submit a proposal for a 20-minute mini session. These sessions are designed to offer participants a brief description of an idea or activity and the resources needed to implement the idea in their own classrooms. Mini sessions will be grouped thematically in groups of 2-4 and moderated by a session chair.
Discussion Session (45 minutes)
A discussion session is an opportunity to discuss a hot topic in TESL with colleagues in a structured round-table format. The discussion leader(s) should have a strong knowledge of the designated topic and should include the audience in the discussion. Handouts are expected.
Interactive Poster Session (75 minutes)
A poster session display allows for real, in-depth and stimulating discussions between the participants and the presenter(s) during the time the exhibit is on display. The exhibit is presented on a large display board, which includes a title, the name(s)/affiliation(s) of the presenter(s), and a brief text with clearly labelled photos, drawings, graphs or charts. (4’ x 8’ max)
Please carefully complete the online proposal form. If accepted, the summary submitted will appear in the conference program exactly as it is written on this proposal form. Please proofread for accuracy. Proposals will only be accepted online.
In your proposal, you are encouraged to link to the theme "TESL Interiors: Landscapes of Literacies and Language." Proposals must include a title (maximum 10 words), summary (maximum 50 words to appear in the program), and abstract (maximum 250 words excluding references).
Technology and Equipment
All classrooms for conference and workshop presentations at Thompson Rivers University are equipped with an Internet-enabled computer with speakers, a projector and a whiteboard. To avoid connection and other technology-related issues, presenters are asked to bring their presentation on a CD or USB stick, or to access it on a public computer on the Internet for use on the classroom computer. All presenters and participants will be provided with wireless Internet access for laptops. For sessions requiring participants to have access to computers, there are some computer labs that will be available, so make a note in your proposal submission.
Important Dates
The deadline for proposal submission is 11:59pm, May 13th, 2012 , Pacific Standard Time.
Notification of acceptance will be made via e-mail by June 18th, 2012.
Publication in SHARE
A number of presenters will be invited to submit an article for inclusion in SHARE, a TESL Canada publication (please refer to the TESL Canada website for further information on SHARE).
Graduate Students Symposium
The call for proposals for the Graduate Student Symposium on October 11th, 2012 will be separate from the general call for proposals for the conference. Please check back to the conference website http://www.tru.ca/tc2012 for details on Graduate Students Symposium call for proposals.
Click here to go to the Online Proposal Submission Site