April 2013

Volume 1, Issue 3 TESOL Kuwait News

TESOL Kuwait Attends TESOL International
On March 20, 2013, Expo. This workshop realize areas in which our
Executive board members: provided the Board new organization could
Highlights: Yvonne Johnson Members a chance to meet improve, including definition
First Annual
(President), Camille Bondi with and get advice from of roles, communication, and
Conference 2 (Membership), and Jeffrey the other 108 Affiliates from sustainability.
McDevitt (Assistant around the world. This pre-
On Friday, March 22, 2013,
Board Elections in Newsletter Editor) attended conference workshop was
November 3 Johnson and McDevitt
the Affiliate Leadership directed toward the
attended the Affiliate
Workshop at the TESOL effective running of and
ELS Grand Re- Assembly and received the
International Conference Executive Board and
opening 4 official Certificate of Affiliation
and English Language helped the attendees to
from TESOL International
Members’ Forum 5 (pictured left). In addition, the
th affiliates were asked to
4 Quarter Open
Meeting 6 provide insight as to how
TESOL International
governance could best
support its affiliate
organizations in reaching
their goals.

Board Members Jeff McDevitt and Yvonne Johnson with Certificate of Affiliation

Member Spotlight: Jeanette Al Sabah

NEXT OPEN “A nation's growth and profound effect on the evening. She earned her
MEETING development is contingent educational practices of B.A. in Elementary
on a highly educated and devoted educators.” Education at Atlantic Union
Mark your calendar for motivated workforce. –Jeanette Al Sabah College (South Lancaster,
the next open meeting: Communication skills are a Middle School Asst. Principle MA). She also has a M.S.
valuable resource in today's American International School in Management and
May 4, 2013.
global economy. It is (AIS) Administration of
important that educators Educational Programs from
Read more about it on Jeanette Al Sabah has been
continue to implement Continued on page 4
page 6. a member of the
effective instructional
educational community in
practices that support
Kuwait for 18 years. She
English language learners
began her career in Early
to enhance their
Childhood Education as a
communication skills. The
preschool teacher then went
collaborative efforts of
on to teach at the
educators around the world
Elementary School level as
through learning
well as providing ESL
organizations such as
support classes in the
TESOL can have a
TESOL Kuwait News Page 2 of 7
Page 3 of 7 TESOL Kuwait News

Letter from the Editor

Dear Readers, rest of our community. If responses to be able to get
you are interested in being a feel of the different ideas
It is great to see the growing
in this section please feel and perspectives we have of
interest in TESOL Kuwait
free to contact us through teachers around the
and the rapidly increasing
our provided emails and we country. We will be having
number of members. We
would love to add you to a booth in our next open
are extremely excited about
our next newsletter. meeting so be prepared to
our affiliation certificate that
answer our question that is
was received during the What we urge you as avid
included in this issue.
TESOL International readers of our newsletter
conference in Dallas. Many and anxious members of We look forward to seeing
of our board members our organization is to you in our next open
attended in order to develop participate in the Members’ meeting and please do not
our organization. As for our Forum. We pose a forget to visit our booth to
newsletter, we have added question in every issue to share your answers.
a new section to be answered in the next
demonstrate our diversity. issue. This is a way for -Rasha Fahim
We have added a Member teachers to connect and Newsletter Editor
Spotlight section to share ideas. We would
introduce members to the love to receive more

Help steer the future of

TESOL Kuwait! TESOL Kuwait Elections: November 2013
At the First Annual If you would like to nominate academic year. The
Run for an Executive Conference of TESOL someone (or self-nominate) newly-elected board will
Board position this fall! Kuwait, we will be holding please contact our decide the dates and
elections for the following Members-at-Large times of meetings that
board positions: Representative: best meet their schedules.
 President Mohammad Etadali
 President Elect [email protected]
 Secretary
In addition, we will need to
 Treasurer
form a Nominating
 Membership Officer
Committee. If you are willing
For information regarding to serve on this committee,
roles and responsibilities, please notify Mohammed
please see our Constitution Etadali.
and Bylaws located on the
The Executive Board of
website
TESOL Kuwait meets on a
(www.tesolkuwait.org)
monthly basis throughout the

TESOL Kuwait Interest Sections

A great way to get involved and Currently, TESOL Kuwait has one
connect with other teachers in the active interest section for Teacher
same area of interest in TESOL is Development and is helping to
through an interest section. provide the workshops for the open
meetings. If you wish to join this
Active interest sections may host
interest section or you are interested
an event, facilitate networking and
in forming a new interest section,
discussion (in person and on the
contact the co-chairs via email:
net), maintain a web area on the
TESOL website, advise on issues Susan Hamade
relating to their field, publish [email protected]
periodicals, or referee relevant or Ilene Winokour
conference proposals for the [email protected]
annual conference,.
 TESOL Kuwait News Page 4 of 7
ELS Reopens in Kuwait
On April 10, three TESOL part of a wide network of Advocacy Rep. and
Kuwait board members, language schools in the Webmaster, Margaret
Margaret Combs, Jeff USA and abroad, stretching Combs, who was
McDevitt, and Yvonne as far as Australia, and has previously employed by
Johnson attended the been operating for over 50 ELS as Director from 1996
grand reopening of ELS years. The President and to 2002. President, First Annual
Language Centers in CEO of ELS International, Yvonne Johnson, also
Mark Harris, visited Kuwait worked for ELS as an
TESOL Kuwait
Salmiya. The new
language school is located for the opening and spoke instructor at the Military Conference to
above the Géant about the importance of School of Languages and be held at GUST
supermarket in Salmiya, learning languages for the Kuwait Joint Command
and offers modern vibrant cross-cultural and Staff College as well
next November.
classrooms, a variety of understanding. as teaching occasional
courses and excellent classes at the language Register online, or
The event was especially
learning facilities for memorable for TESOL
center itself. They submit a proposal
students of English. ELS is reminisced with ELS to present at the
Kuwait International Affiliate
Academic Director, conference by
Melissa Woods, who
visiting our website
attended our last open
meeting in March and clicking on the
alongside colleague, tab for
Magda Rogala. “Conference”

www.tesolkuwait.org
Caption describing picture
or graphic.
Back row (left to right): Magda Rogala
(ELS teacher), Melissa Wood (Academic
Director), Mark Harris (President & CEO
of ELS Language Centers), Margaret
Combs, and Jeffrey McDevitt.
Front Row (left to right): Yvonne
Johnson, and Anne Tyoan (ELS teacher)

Jeanette Al Sabah (continued from pg. 1)

Nova Southeastern certification options for in Kuwait comes from a desire

University. individuals living in Kuwait to have a positive impact on
and the implementation of the community. As a member
This is her third and final
professional learning of TESOL, she hopes to A nation's growth and
year as the Chair for the
community protocols. promote the information development is
International
exchange that occurs with contingent on a highly
Administrators Network She is currently working on
quality professional
(IAN) – an organization her doctorate in educated and motivated
development opportunities for
that organizes and Organizational Leadership workforce.
educators.
promotes professional with a minor in Human
development, including Resource Development. Her
the PEAK conference, for goal is to continue to work
If you have a suggestion for
teachers in Kuwait. with educators to promote
someone to include in our next
Jeanette has presented at professional development for
member spotlight, please
the PEAK conference the educational community in
contact the newsletter editors:
several times. Themes of Kuwait and the greater Gulf
her presentations included Cooperation Council (GCC). Rasha Fahim and Jeff McDevitt
distance
Her commitment to the [email protected]
education/teacher
quality educational programs
 Page 5 of 7 TESOL Kuwait News

Members’ Forum
TESOL Kuwait seeks to be anything related to teaching. Please limit longer submissions
driven by its members. We to 500 words.
We hope to get submissions
want the newsletter to
related to assessment, If you have any questions,
become an extension of this.
classroom management, please do not hesitate to
Therefore, we invite you to
teaching in the Gulf, and contact the newsletter staff.
submit items for future
learning strategies and
newsletter content. Rasha Fahim: Editor
resources, but we are open to [email protected]
The Members’ Forum is a what members can provide.
place for current members of Jeffrey McDevitt: Assistant
The newsletter is published Editor
TESOL Kuwait to ask and
quarterly with issues in [email protected]
answer questions, provide
January, April, July, and
commentary, essays, poetry
October
and helpful stories concerning

“Corrections need to be part of the students’ grades, but the way we look at is that they
This issue’s question:
are in the learning process. They are learning how to revise so we give them specific
assignments with error corrections: 1. with some standard texts; 2. with authentic student
How do you grade writing as peer evaluators, which is more difficult. The initial focus should be on good
correctness in student’s content before going into revision and corrections. The most important thing, though, is
writing? that teachers must be consistent with their correction and revision techniques. You need
to teach the students how to revise before they get into their own writing. If you value it as
an Instructor and a department, then the students will do it.” -Sandy Stein
(Reading/Writing Coordinator, AUK)

“A Rubric should be created with corrections a percentage of the grade. However,

corrections should not be a significant part of the grade. The main focus of the rubric
should be on content development. Content should definitely be the main focus when
instructing English Language Learners.” -Debra M. Hoffer (Oral Communications
Coordinator, AUK)

“Corrections should affect students positively. Even if I don’t have a positive comment I
need to give something positive before I give them the negative comment. Writing is a
process so the whole process should be taken into account when grading not just the
mistakes. The emphasis should be put on the final product.” –Maaly K. Jarrah (Oral
Communications Instructor, AUK)

Next Forum’s Topic:

For the next forum, we If you have a suggestion
would like to know how for the next forum or wish
much of the students’ to contribute other short
native language are you teaching related articles,
allowing them to use with contact the newsletter
each other and why? staff:
Email your response to the Rasha Fahim & Jeffrey
newsletter staff. McDevitt
 TESOL Kuwait News Page 6 of 7

Invitation to 4th Quarter Open Meeting

The next open meeting will be Kuwait members.
held at Box Hill College Kuwait on
Please email your RSVP to
Saturday, May 4, 2013 from
[email protected] with
10:00am to 12:00 noon. The
your preferred workshop or with
College is located in Abu Halifa.
questions by May 2, 2013, to help
Click on the map for directions.
us plan the event.
The day will begin with a short 20
Note that in order to have
minute meeting to update
certificates printed on the day, you
members on various activities.
will need to check in by 9:45 for
Then, participants will attend one
the workshop you wish to attend.
of ten workshops offered.
Following the workshops, we will This is a free event for TESOL
have refreshments and a chance Kuwait members; membership
to mingle with other TESOL signup is available at the venue.

Invitation to TESOL Kuwait’s 4th Quarter Open Meeting

Where: Box Hill College Kuwait
When: Saturday, May 4, 2013
10:00 am – 12:00 noon
Cost: Members – Free
Non-Members – 5KD
Participants can join TESOL Kuwait on the day of the meeting or online: Please RSVP for this open
http://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/QH8r0297MA4bY8L9R9g2iS
meeting by May 2, 2013 via
RSVP: Send email to [email protected] by May 2,
2013 email:
[email protected]

Workshops Offered at Next Open Meeting

Choose ONE of the following
Writing Difficulties and How to Assess Them Mohamed El Sheikh Saeed Bin Al Aas Intermediate
(MS/HS/University) School
Activities to Promote Reading Development Dr. Mirna Safi Bright Minds Creative Learning
(Those with students in early stages of Center
Language acquisition)
Critical Thinking for all Subjects Tahira Muhammad International Academy of Kuwait
(Elementary/Primary Ed.)
An Exercise in Understanding Preferences in Jeanette Al Sabah International Administrators
Group Work-PLC Protocol (All) Network
Project-Based Learning in an Engineering Tony Geara Australian College of Kuwait
Higher Education Environment for ESL
Students
(High School/University & Academic Admin.)
Writing Objectives and Assessment Herman Daniels Australian College of Kuwait
Questions Using Blooms Taxonomy (All)
Toastmasters Demo Meeting for TESOL Don Prades American University of Kuwait
Members (All) Camille Bondi Australian College of Kuwait
NO FUSS GRAMMAR (All) Susie Lennox Gulf University for Science and
Technology
Helping Adult ESL-Learners Efficiently Sosil Simokian Box Hill College-Kuwait
Decode a Reading Text Bassem Al Kassem
(MS/HS/University)
Examining Errors in Reasoning Jon Pils Specialized Solutions - Workplace
(HS/University) Training and Development
 Conferences and Professional Opportunities

Ankara, Turkey
“Teachers Exploring Bilkent University School of
June 17-18, 2013
Practice for Professional Learning” English Language
http://www.bilkent.edu.tr/~tresearch/

TESOL Job Opportunities in Kuwait

Global LT, a language training company, is in need of an ESL tutor in Kuwait City, Kuwait. The student is an adult
female whose native language is Spanish and she would like lessons twice per week on weekday mornings for 1-
1.5 hours a lesson. The student would like to meet at her home in Salwa. Some books and materials are
provided. If interested please submit your resume and hourly rate to [email protected]

TESOL Kuwait in the News

Photos from last open meeting at ACK (9 March. 2013): If you see articles written
about our organization in any
https://twitter.com/ACK_Live/status/310326598324858880
publications, please feel free
TESOL: Kuwait on the International Teaching Map (1 Dec. 2012): to forward the information to
https://www.gust.edu.kw/content/tesol_kuwait_international_teaching_map the newsletter staff. This will
help ensure that all our
“Kuwait on the International Teaching Map” Arab Times (5 Dec. 2012)
members are able to read it.
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/Portals/0/PDF_Files/pdf12/dec/05/30.pdf

About Our Organization…

TESOL Kuwait is a professional have more involvement from subject Beginning in November 2013, TESOL
organization for anyone involved area teachers in order to provide Kuwait will be collecting membership
in teaching non-native speakers focused professional development dues for all members. Dues will help
of English in an English medium opportunities. us to provide better professional
environment. Although many of development opportunities to our
Our membership consists of
our members teach English, members.
professionals from in and around
membership is not limited to
Kuwait. Contact current members to see how
English teachers. We hope to
you can become involved or become
a member.
Visit our website: www.tesolkuwait.org

TESOL Kuwait
Contact Your Board Members:

President: Yvonne Johnson Interest Sections Co-Chairs: Historian: Ibtissam Othman

[email protected] Susan Hamade [email protected]
[email protected]
Membership: Camille Bondi Scholarship: Lisa Waite-Trago
[email protected] Ilene Winokour [email protected]
[email protected]
Newsletter: Treasurer: Claire Hamilton
Editor: Rasha Fahim Advocacy: Margaret Combs [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
Advertising: Reena Mathew
Assistant Editor: Jeffrey McDevitt Members-At-Large: [email protected]
[email protected] Mohammad Etadali
[email protected]