The English Teachers Association Switzerland (ETAS) is a non-profit organization mainly run by unpaid volunteers. Its aims are to promote the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), primarily in Switzerland. The ETAS organization is designed to cover Switzerland as a whole. There are regional groups in all parts of Switzerland, and each language area has at least one regional group. The groups are led by Regional Coordinators (RCs). ETAS has a number of SIGs to cover more specialist areas such as drama, research, ESP, and young learners. There is also a National Committee which coordinates activities on a national level. All these bodies are supported by a paid part-time administrator at the ETAS office in Yverdon. ETAS is a member of IATEFL and attends IATEFL Conferences regularly. From the beginning, a primary focus has been on providing training for teachers of English. Regular workshops and other events are organized on a local level, and national events take place twice a year. Collaboration with English as a Foreign Language (EFL) publishers began early, and now ETAS events attract world-class speakers in the EFL field such as Penny Ur, Scott Thornbury, Michael Swan, and David Crystal.
