Williams 2009

New appointments able to attend in person.
This year we managed to film and

At this year’s Annual Conference in Cardiff I stepped down make available about ten per cent of the talks online to
as President of IATEFL and handed the reins to Herbert participants from over 165 different countries, no small feat.
Puchta, who takes over as President for the next two years. We have already reached a staggering 20,000 teachers
At the same time Les Kirkham stepped in as Associates’ worldwide. We at IATEFL are delighted with this initiative.
Representative, and Colin Mackenzie as SIG representative.
I would like to leave the last words with two of our online
These people join the Board of Trustees of IATEFL.
Downloaded from http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/ at Lakehead University on March 18, 2015

participants. Pilar Martinez from Argentina explains what
this initiative means to her:
IATE FL Associates
One of the major ways in which IATEFL carries out its Are you really aware of what this on-line forum means to
mission of linking, developing and supporting ELTprofessionals people like me, people who have devoted their life to
worldwide is through its network of Associates. These are teaching a language that is foreign to them? People who
teachers’ associations in different parts of the world who are are teachers of English and have never been to England.
affiliated to IATE FL ; we currently have 71. Over the past year Many times when I am with my students I tell them about
we welcomed new associations from Russia, Sudan, those days when the possibility of meaningful learning
Albania, Namibia, Montenegro, Venezuela, and the Czech had to do with going to the cinema and listening to the
Republic; however we are still keen to extend our reach, in BBC. It is thanks to people like you, the IATEFL team,
particular into less economically developed areas. that we teachers have access to what is going on. The
online conference has made the difference. When I was
Wider Membership and Wider Membership a kid my mother told me: ‘Learning English will give
Individual Scheme you the possibility of travelling’. I have never travelled
The notion of Wider Membership has now become central abroad, yet now I travel every day. My computer and
to IAT EF L’s thinking; our organization should be open to the IATEFL crew have done this. My mother was
ELT professionals wherever they are from. Wider absolutely right.
Membership moves us towards a fairer worldwide Finally, Marcela Varela from Chile writes:
association where people can share their professional
interests irrespective of their economic circumstances. The I want to share with you this incredible unique experience.
scheme now supports around 600 members from It’s the first time I have participated in the conference and
Associates who could not have otherwise afforded to join I enjoyed it very much. I have read so many comments
our organization. about different issues relating to teaching English in the
world that I think it will be material to discuss during the
In 2007 we announced the launch of a new initiative, the whole year. I had the spectacular chance to communicate
Wider Membership Individual Scheme. This depends on with colleagues around the world; many of them have the
donations from members to fund individual memberships same points of view and some have different ones.
for teachers who could not otherwise afford to join IATEFL. I reflected on them according to my practice as a teacher. I
We have now awarded 31 two-year memberships and have see the richness of the conference in its diversity and free
plans to grow this scheme. As Shimeless from Ethiopia expression of thoughts, specialized knowledge and of
says: ‘I’ve been blessed with all the great ideas and course experience. I hope next year I can be on-line with
innovative approaches that have been shared by fellow you again.
teachers and researchers from around the world’.
Marion Williams, Vice President
Cardiff Online IATEFL, Darwin College, University of Kent,
Continuing the theme of reaching out, Cardiff Online Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NY, UK.
(http://iatefl.britishcouncil.org/2009) is a major Tel: + 44 (0)1227 824430.
innovation carried out jointly by IAT EF L and the British Fax: + 44 (0)1227 824431.
Council to bring a flavour of the Annual IAT EF L Conference Email: [email protected]
to teachers worldwide who are not fortunate enough to be Website: www.iatefl.org
302 E LT Journal Volume 63/3 July 2009; doi:10.1093/elt/ccp037

ª The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press; all rights reserved.

Williams 2009

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Williams 2009

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Williams 2009

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

New appointments able to attend in person.

This year we managed to film and

Downloaded from http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/ at Lakehead University on March 18, 2015

302 E LT Journal Volume 63/3 July 2009; doi:10.1093/elt/ccp037

You might also like