Advertorial
21ST INTERNATIONAL TESOL ARABIA
CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION
T
ESOL Arabia hosts the largest
education conference in the
Middle East annually in
March, offering more than
400 concurrent sessions along with an
exhibition including over 30 of the most
prestigious publishers and innovators in
the field of education. Over 1500 delegates
from 50 countries attended last year’s
conference. This year, the conference
received a record number of 609 proposals.
The theme of the 21st International TESOL
Arabia Conference and Exhibition, to
be held March 12-14, 2015 in Dubai, is
“Theory, Practice, Innovation. Teaching
and Learning in a Digital World.” TESOL
Arabia encourages the use of available
educational technologies and the adoption
of instructional methods that best suit
the needs of students in the region. The
conference offers delegates the opportunity
to interact with world-renowned scholars
in the field of education. This year the
conference hosts 12 plenary and featured
speakers from around the globe including
Deena Boraie, the immediate past
President of TESOL International, Lindsey
Clandfield, author of the Global series of
course books, and Ken Hyland, from the
University of Hong Kong, an expert in the
field of academic writing.
TESOL stands for “Teachers of English
to Speakers of Other Languages.” TESOL
Arabia is an international affiliate of
TESOL International (USA) and an
associate of IATEFL (UK). Founded in
1994 by a group of teachers at the United
Arab Emirates University, TESOL Arabia is
a professional development association for
everyone who teaches through the medium
of English at all levels, K-12 to tertiary,
in both private and public educational
institutions, to students who speak other
languages at home. This fits the student
profile of just about every student in the
UAE, where diversity is celebrated and all
are welcome. TESOL Arabia encourages
both practical and theoretical scholarship.
Members of TESOL Arabia receive the
benefits of greatly reduced conference
fees and free admission to all regular
workshops and conferences hosted by
area Chapters and Special Interest Groups
(SIGs). Over 40 events are held every
year throughout the UAE. Members also
receive Perspectives, a peer-reviewed
educational journal, three times per year,
and have access to a variety of professional
development grants for travel, courses,
and research. They may also apply for
complimentary memberships from TESOL
International and conference fee waivers
for TESOL Arabia affiliate organizations,
such as Cambodia TESOL, Qatar TESOL,
and the Middle East Extensive Reading
Foundation.
TESOL Arabia has an area Chapter located
in each of the 7 emirates as well as 10 SIGs.
SIGs include: Educational Technology;
English for Young Learners; Leadership
and Management; English for Special
Purposes; READ; Independent Learning;
and Testing, Assessment and Evaluation.
TESOL Arabia Chapters promote events
and activities in coordination with the SIGs
and facilitate discussion and the exchange
of ideas between members. SIGs encourage
research and professional development in
their specialist areas.
TESOL Arabia helps teachers to develop
professionally by providing opportunities
for attending workshops and presentations;
giving presentations; writing for, reviewing,
and editing book and journal publications;
sharing knowledge and concerns with
others; taking on leadership roles; inspiring
other teachers; and achieving success as an
educational professional. TESOL Arabia
enables teachers to connect with educators
teaching in other venues, other levels,
other specialties, and in other parts of the
world, so teachers can take charge of their
own professional development.
A not-for-profit organization, TESOL
Arabia is run by volunteers elected from
its membership to the TESOL Arabia
Executive Council. The organization
also hosts an annual book drive at the
conference to provide textbooks for
schools and educational institutions in
the region in need. To find out more
about TESOL Arabia or register to attend
the 21st TESOL Arabia International
Conference and Exhibition, which will
be held at the Hyatt Regency in Dubai,
from March 12-14, 2015, please visit our
website at www.tesolarabia.org or contact
[email protected]. To have
a look at some of the highlights from this
year’s conference and its significance
to educators, please visit https://vimeo.
com/92605129.