The document provides guidelines for writing effective proposals for the TESOL conference, detailing important submission points, evaluation criteria, and tips for crafting proposals. Key components include a 10-word title, a 50-word abstract, and a 300-word session description, emphasizing clarity, relevance, and participant outcomes. Factors affecting selection and disqualification of proposals are also outlined to assist in the proposal writing process.

1. Writing Good Proposals for the TESOL Conference Davi S. Reis [email_address] Duquesne University May 16, 2011

2. Agenda Quick introduction (5’) Important points to keep in mind (5’) Tips on writing the session description Proposal title (10’) Purpose and session type (10’) Relevance to TESOL field and IS (10’) Focus and organization (10’) Clarity and participant outcomes (10’) Contribution to theory, practice, or research (10’) Final thoughts and Q&A (5’) Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

3. Quick Bio Davi S. Reis Assistant Professor of Education ESL Program, Dept. of Instruction and Leadership Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA Submitted proposals to TESOL in 2009, 2010, and 2011 conventions Still working on proposal for 2012 convention!! Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

4. Important Points to Keep in Mind Submission: ONLINE ONLY Deadline: June 1, 2011 (a Wednesday) by 5:00pm EDT/EST Use the “TESOL 2012 Proposal Worksheet” to guide your proposal writing (on Wiki and a part of “Call for Proposals 2012” document) If you have any questions, call TESOL at 1-703-836-0774 or send an e-mail message to [email_address] Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

5. Important Points to Keep in Mind Factors Affecting Selection Range of topics Levels of expertise Interests covered Professional and geographic distribution of participants Relevance of the proposal to the needs of English language teaching professionals theme How well the session description is written Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

6. Important Points to Keep in Mind Factors Disqualifying a Proposal The presentation promotes commercial interests The proposal contains clear reference to the name(s) of any of the presenters The proposal was not received by deadline The same (or very similar) proposal is submitted to more than one interest section The proposal was faxed or mailed. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

7. Important Points to Keep in Mind Evaluation and Scoring Total Score on Proposal Evaluation Rubric: 30 points (6 criteria x 5 ‘points’ each) The higher the proposal score, the higher its chances of being accepted. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

8. Important Points to Keep in Mind Helpful Websites TESOL Convention 2012 http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/convention2012/index.html Call for Proposals http ://www.tesolmedia.com/convention2011/docs/2012TESOLCall.pdf Submitting the proposal http ://precis.preciscentral.com/User/UserLogin.asp?EventID=e836d813&bhcp=1 WIKI page for this presentation http://nnestwebinar2011.pbworks.com/w/page/39911102/Writing_Proposals_DaviS Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

9. Important Points to Keep in Mind Parts of the Proposal 10-word title: will be ‘graded’ and will appear in program book if proposal is accepted 50 word abstract: will be ‘graded’ and will appear in program book if proposal is accepted 300-word session description: will NOT appear in program book, but definitely the most critical piece of the proposal Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

10. TIPS for Writing the Description 1. Proposal title 2. Purpose and Session Type 3. Relevance 4. Focus and Organization 5. Clarity of Outcomes 6. Contribution Last but not least, the 50-word abstract Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

11. 1. Proposal Title THE TITLE SHOULD: Gain the reader’s interest and describe the session Accurately reflect the content Be clear to the intended audience (especially IS) Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

12. 1. Proposal Title THE TITLE SHOULD: Contain no more than 10 words (avoid hyphens and slashes to circumvent the word count) NOT use exclamation or quotation marks around it Capitalize: all verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns the first word after a colon both words in hyphenated compounds NOT capitalize conjunctions, articles, or short prepositions of fewer than four letters Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

13. 1. Proposal Title TIP : Try a few different versions and then choose your best! EXAMPLE: Deconstructing the Native Speaker Myth: Calling on NESTs and NNESTs The Native Speaker Myth: What NESTs and NNESTs Can Do Debunking the Native Speaker: A Goal for NESTs and NNESTs How NESTs and NNESTs Can Deconstruct the Native Speaker Myth A Study on the Deconstruction of the Native Speaker Myth Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

14. 2. Purpose & Session Type EVALUATION CRITERIA: The proposal matches the session type. The objective is clear (stated or implied) and there are specifics that make the reader want to learn m ore Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

15. 2. Purpose & Session Type TIP : Identify your “Session Type” (refer to Call for Proposals) Examples: Discussion Group (45 minutes) Hot Topic (20 minutes) Poster Session (1 hour, 15 minutes) Research-Oriented Presentation (45 minutes) Video and Digital Media Theater (45 minutes) Workshop (1 hour, 45 minutes) Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

16. 2. Purpose & Session Type TIP : Stick to “specific requirements” for your session type Examples: Poster Session: main ideas and description of the visual display. Practice-Oriented Presentations : synopsis, including demonstration of teaching strategies. Research-Oriented Presentations: synopsis, including central idea and supporting evidence. Teaching Tips : synopsis, including brief description of teaching practice. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

17. 2. Purpose & Session Type TIPS : Have a clearly stated purpose and point of view State HOW your presentation format supports your stated purpose Include the supporting DETAILS of your paper, practice, or study, as well as examples. Consider… Participants Data Collection Data Analysis Preliminary findings/etc. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

18. 3. Relevance EVALUATION CRITERIA: The topic is current, immediately relevant, or important to the field and the Interest Section. I would definitely attend of recommend this session. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

19. 3. Relevance Remember: All proposals are evaluated and refereed by the various Interest Sections (IS), so it is imperative that you submit your proposal to the appropriate IS. To help you decide which IS best suits your proposal, peruse the interest sections on TESOL’s Web site The Nonnative English Speakers in TESOL strengthens effective teaching and learning of English around the world while respecting individuals' language rights Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

20. 3. Relevance TIPS : Consider these two questions as your write your session description How does your proposal connect to your chosen IS? How does it connect to the TESOL field in a broader sense? Capitalize on the answers to these questions as your write your session description. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

21. 3. Relevance TIP : Relate your description to the convention theme for 2012: A TESOL Declaration of Excellence How does your proposal “ declare [your] vision of excellence in all aspects of the profession ” ? (…) “ This year participants are invited to reflect on their practices, voice their opinions, and declare their pursuit of excellence in the ELT profession . ” Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

22. 4. Focus & Organization EVALUATION CRITERIA: The proposal is well-focused. It previews the topic, presents the material in an interesting way, and shows how it will be concluded. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

23. 4. Focus & Organization TIPS : Show appropriate amount of material for the allotted time Avoid “beating around the bush” and redundancy (NOT the time to be verbose due to limited space) Consider a couple of different options for how to best organize your ideas in a logical sequence and later choose your best option Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

24. 4. Focus & Organization TIPS : One way to sequence ideas: Introduce the topic (problem, question, etc.) Explain the nature of your intended session and how it fits with the topic Provide details about your session (key points and numbers) “ Entice” the reader with one or two main ideas to be discussed during your presentation Explain what audience members will take away from your presentation (What’s in it for them?) Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

25. 5. Clarity & Outcomes EVALUATION CRITERIA: The proposal abstract (“summary”) is well written and provides an explicit statement of participant outcomes where appropriate and how they will be achieved. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

26. 5. Clarity & Outcomes TIPS : demonstrate careful editing and proofreading state what the audience can expect to gain from attending your presentation state how your presentation will be structured (e.g., activities) and how it will be delivered (e.g., visuals such as video clips) Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

27. 6. Contribution EVALUATION CRITERIA: The abstract refers to the theory, practice, and/or research on which the presentation is based and clearly shows how it is connected to the presentation in a relevant and useful way. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

28. 6. Contribution TIPS : Tie your session description to current practices and/or research State HOW your presentation can add to current practices and/or research (the “so-what” factor!) Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

29. 50-word Abstract THE ABSTRACT SHOULD: be carefully edited and proofread be written to draw the most appropriate audience to the presentation spell out any acronym(s) used in the title except for L1, L2, CBI, EAP, EFL, ELT, ESL, ESP, IEP, SLA, TESOL, TESL, and TEFL THE ABSTRACT SHOULD NOT : exceed 50 words contain references to published works Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

30. 50-word Abstract CONSIDER: What is the session about? Who is the intended audience? What are the main features of your session? How will the audience benefit from attending? (Implications, real-life applications, resources, etc.) Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

31. 50-word Abstract TIP : Wait to write the abstract until AFTER the session description has been written. You can then identify the main points of your proposal in 50 words. Remember that most convention participants will decide on whether or not to attend your session based on this information. Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu

32. Q&A Thank you for your participation! Davi S. Reis | reisd@duq.edu