It is with great delight that we share with TIRF supporters the following exciting news: Our very own TIRF Trustee Dr. Joyce Kling has been voted as President-Elect of the International TESOL Association!
Starting next year, Joyce will officially commence her tenure in TESOL’s presidential line, which is a three-year process. Joyce will first serve as President-Elect, then as President, and finally as Past President. For further information on TESOL’s governance structure, please click here.
As part of the campaign process, individuals running for TESOL’s presidential line were asked the following questions: What do you believe is a burning issue in TESOL today? What would you as a leader of the largest international association in the field plan to do about it?
In response to this question, Joyce replied, “I am motivated to serve as TESOL president to forward the association in two areas: support of professionalism and increased dissemination of research and good practice. These two areas are of particular importance as we face our current challenges during this unprecedented period.”
She continued, “First, TESOL must continue to support our members at all stages of their careers and provide leadership and guidance related to career and continuing professional development (CPD). The ramifications of our global community have resulted in sweeping changes, e.g., the immediate reaction to COVID-19 and the shift from classroom teaching to online instruction. The scope of such changes highlights the need for this association to support and empower language teaching professionals and advance the mission of TESOL.”
Joyce also noted, “Second, the full impact of the global spread of the use of English as a lingua franca for both education and work has yet to reveal itself. Globalization touches all aspects of the ELT profession. Increasingly, education around the world is being conducted through the medium of English in an attempt to increase internationalization. With this rise in power of the English language, governments, ministries of education, teachers, and students are looking for guidance. As the largest professional community of English language teachers and researchers, TESOL is situated best to serve as the authoritative agency.”
Please join us in congratulating Joyce on this amazing achievement!
