"In our quest for quality English language teaching worldwide, research must come first."

James Alatis, TIRF Trustee

The International Research
Foundation
for English Language Education

Why I Give to TIRF > H. Douglas Brown

Why I Give to TIRF

H. Douglas Brown

TIRF held its first breakfast meeting to honor its donors at the 2004 TESOL Convention in Long Beach. Marge Campbell, the wife of Russ Campbell, one of TIRF's founders -- was the guest of honor. Our speaker, Dr. H. Douglas Brown (a former student of Russ Campbell) shared these remarks about why he supports TIRF.

We language professionals, along with teachers, social workers, and a few other professionals at the bottom of the pay scales of the world, are accustomed to clipping coupons, shopping wisely, balancing our checkbooks, and regularly asking the old question, “Why is there so much of the month left at the end of the money?”

We’re also an exemplary assortment of forward looking, socially responsible, caring people who for a number of intrinsic motives, have a conviction that the world will be a better place if we give liberally to causes which might otherwise get swept under political budgetary rugs. And so, somehow our paltry budgetary pies manage to have a significant wedge devoted to “charitable contributions.” It’s this latter streak of altruism that brings daily heaps of mail to our front doors asking us to give, give, and give some more to save the whales, stop deforestation, plug the ozone layer, alleviate hunger, cure incurable diseases, promote tolerance, end racial discrimination, educate the poor, support saintly politicians in their quests for power, and on and on.

The trouble with this barrage of noble pleas from far and wide is that once you make the studied decision to give once to your charities of choice, an endless inflow of “now that you’ve given once, won’t you give even more” correspondence is launched. And the pile of requests gets higher and higher.

Here is where TIRF comes in. TIRF is unique among all these suitors for your money. It is the only organization that transcends national affiliations and identifies English language teaching research as its sole purpose. TIRF is focused, it’s within your own profession, it’s global, it’s already making a difference, and your contribution, however great or small, will make significant changes worldwide. TIRF is the kind of cause that can help citizens of the world to seize the power of language from whatever socioeconomic cards have been dealt to them. It can help ministries of education to address policy and pedagogical issues in the face of low national budgets and resources. Children, teens and young adults will be offered opportunities to “be all that they can be” in a global society.

And what’s more, give once a year to TIRF and they won’t keep pestering you with a torrent of requests . . . . once you make a donation to TIRF you won't be contacted again until the next year!

Why do I give to TIRF? Why does TIRF surface to the top of the zillions of missives asking me for money? Because contributing to TIRF provides a worthy chance personally to make a big difference in a world of need, and to see immediate tangible results in the research it supports. If you haven’t already done so, may I entreat you to do likewise?