Hotel/Motel Accommodations

The Skyline Motel is offering a large discount for rooms on
Friday, May 6th, & Saturday, May 7th.
Accommodations:
Skyline Motor Inn
1919 17th St.
Cody, WY 82414
(307) 587-4201
http://www.skylinemotorinn.com/

Tell them you are with Eleutian or Glacierbay for the Discount!

Courses Offered at 2011 WyoTESOL Conference

The course descriptions are now available

For May 7, 2011 Conference!!!
9am-5pm

Email candace@wyotesol if

you would like a schedule

and instructor

information.

“Cultural Awareness”
This lesson will introduce the multiple layers of teaching English in America to non-native speakers. It will cover practical methods and appropriate circumstances of when to highlight cultural differences and when to reduce or diffuse cultural differences for multinational classrooms. The incorporation of cultural awareness in teaching styles and learning styles will also be discussed.

“ESL Opportunities at MSUB”
This lesson will introduce emerging opportunities for non-native English speakers seeking a degree from Montana State University Billings. It will describe the structure and goals of the Intensive English Language Program. It will also highlight how the campus has incorporated international students into the university setting through various programs.

Implementing Service Learning Into the ESOL Curriculum”
Combining community service with TESOL is done for two purposes: to fulfill the language-learning needs of the students and help students overcome some common problems they face as learners. This lesson will explain why and how to conduct a service learning course for ESOL learners.

“Making ELL Accommodations in the Classroom”
There will be an overview of types of accommodations. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to add accommodations to a lesson. Bring a lesson you may be teaching in the near future or that you want to make adjustments to? No lesson?-That’s ok the instructor will provide some as well.

"Reading and Writing Through Play”
Learning to Read and Write through Play is an over view of the Big Horn Co. School Dist #1 Pre-K program developed for 4 year olds to bolster school readiness and social skills for children who have no other preschool options. Developmentally Appropriate Practices help children learn to use language, sounds, letters and numbers in meaningful ways during play.

“Yellowstone Language Institute’s New On-Line TESOL Certificate Course”
The presenters will introduce Wyoming certified school, Yellowstone Language Institute, and the new on-line TESOL Certificate Course which has successfully been in business for a year. The seminar will include a live demo of the course along with a discussion of the challenges of translating face-to-face content into on-line content.

“You Can Use Anything To Teach a Lesson”
This workshop will introduce how a teacher can create a fun learning environment/lesson from anything. You will get creative ideas for lesson units. You will learn how to create short lessons from objects in your classroom, newspaper clippings, or just a picture. Whether you want ideas for a quick fun game or a long activity this workshop will provide motivation for either type.

2011 WyoTESOL CONFERENCE

~~2011 WYOTESOL CONFERENCE IS SCHEDULED~~

SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2011

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

We are excited to announce that the conference date is set. We hope that everyone will be able to attend. The conference will be in Cody, WY at the Park County Complex, 1501 Stampede Avenue. Please check back often as the schedule and brochure will be out soon!!!

.5 PTSB Credits, great professional development opportunities, and inspirational motivating speakers!!

We are in need of a few more presenters! Please send an email to candace@wyotesol.org if you would like to be one of our speakers!

It's Official!! The Ballots Are In!! New WyoTESOL Board Members Have Been Elected!!!!

Yes, it's official. The ballots have all been tallied and the results are official!! By a unanimous vote, the 1st WyoTESOL Board is as follows:

George Miller: President

Susan Watkins: Vice-President & Newsletter Editor

Mary Anderson: 2nd Vice-President

Elizabeth Parker: Secretary/Treasurer & Liason Officer

Misty Rios: Member-at-Large & Advocacy Representative

Congratulations to our new Board Members!! Let's support them as we move forward to make WyoTESOL the best Professional Development organization in Wyoming!!

1st Annual WyoTESOL Conference a Huge Success!!!

Nearly 50 conference attendees, presenters, and vendors came together at the Park County Complex in Cody, Wyoming on Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24th for the 1st Annual WyoTESOL Conference.

Attendees were greeted Friday evening by WyoTESOL's Secretary/Treasurer/Liason Officer, Elizabeth Parker. Attendees received a welcome packet which included information on the conference schedule, presenters, and workshop topics before being escorted to Northwest College's main Conference Room where a sit-down dinner was served and the Keynote Speech was delivered by WyoTESOL President, George Miller (below).

After the Keynote Speech, WyoTESOL's 1st General Membership meeting was held. The WyoTESOL Consitution and By-Laws were reviewed, discussed, and approved by the membership. The Treasurer gave her report, and Board Nominees were introduced. WyoTESOL Board Nominees included: George Miller, President (pictured above); Susan Watkins, 1st Vice-President/Newsletter editor (below left); 2nd Vice-President, Mary Anderson (below middle); Elizabeth Parker, Secretary/Treasurer/Liason Officer (below right); and Misty Rios, Member-at-Large/Advocacy Representative (not pictured).

Workshops were held on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Below are brief descriptions of each presentation along with presenter bios (so you can see what you missed out on if you weren't able to attend...)

Ashlee Clark, ELL District Coordinator, Big Horn School District #1 presented her workshop entitled "Providing Classroom Support for ELL Learners." In her workshop, she discussed various methods for providing classroom support to ELL learners including: accomodations, suggestions for ELL students with disabilities, developing learning strategies, adapting lessons, and methods for incorporating accomodations. She ended her workshop with an interactive Q & A session.

Cyndie Turner, Director, ELS Language Center on the campus of UW in Laramie, flew all the way to Cody to tell us about the ELS Centers and the variety of services they offer. She also presented a sample "World Cup" lesson to demonstrate the teaching methods used at the ELS Centers.

Danel La Rose, Public Speaker and Trainer, led a dynamic workshop entitled "That's Entertainment!" The purpose of this course was to coach on-line educators in techniques that would make their presentations & interactions with students more exciting and memorable.

Joyce Brill, Eleutian Technology, gave an informative lecture entitled "TPR, the Left/Right, Left/Right...RIGHT-Brain Method to Second Language Acquisition." Her workshop introduced James Asher's TPR method along with many practical ways to incorporate it into one's teaching practice.

Mary Jane Keffer, Writers' Workshop Teacher, Cody Middle School, conducted a highly-interactive workshop entitled "Picture Books and Struggling Middle-Level Writers: Strategies for Improving At-Risk and ELL Student Writing." Mary's class showed attendees how to integrate picture books into writing remediation through a hands-on mini-lesson. The course wrapped up with a Q & A session and some exciting door prizes!

Milo Asay, Professor of ESL, Northwest College, Powell, Wyoming, led "A Discussion on Curriculum Design." Attendees discussed and summarized the principles of ESL curriculum with an emphasis on how different forms & facets of curriculum can be applied to benefit and assist ESL students.

Susan Watkins, Director of Program Development, Glacier Bay Training, Cody, Wyoming discussed Global Cyber Technology/Yellowstone Language Institute's new on-line TESOL Certificate Course which will be launching in the USA on September 1, 2010.

Taten Sheridan MFA, Professor, Northwest College, Powell, WY, led a Panel Discussion entitled "Challenges and Solutions in TESOL." All Conference attendees came together and brainstormed a list of challenges faced by TESOL instructors. Then, in smaller break-out groups, solutions were discussed. Finally, everyone re-convened for sharing, idea exchange, and further discussion.

The Conference wrapped up at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday as everyone headed for home. All attendees (who were interested and who attended all seven hours of the event) also recieved .5 CEU's from PTSB. All in all, our Conference was a fantastic bargain: two meals (a sit-down dinner on Friday evening & all the sandwich, chips and fruit you could eat on Saturday), .5 CEU's, and lots and lots of great, practical ESL teaching tips. If you couldn't make it this year...there's always next year! We hope to see you then!!

Big News!! New WyoTESOL Organization Now Forming!!!

Dear Educators,

We are pleased to inform you that a new TESOL affiliate is now being formed, and you are being invited to join us! WyoTESOL will be centrally located in Cody, Wyoming and will offer professional development for educators of all levels.

TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) is a Global Education Association headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia which was founded in 1964. Since its inception 45 years ago, TESOL’s mission has been to develop and maintain professional expertise in English language teaching and learning for speakers of other languages worldwide.

Our WyoTESOL affiliate will offer local and accessible professional development for all educators who work with students whose native language is other than English. WyoTESOL will provide a venue for educators to meet, discuss, and exchange solutions to various issues related to English-language teaching. Our affiliate will have three different Interest Sections designed to address the unique demands of language teaching in various settings: Adult Education (for university and community college instructors; K-12 Bilingual Education (for K-12 educators), and On-Line ESL Education (for on-line ESL instructors).

WyoTESOL will hold its first annual 2-day conference in Cody this April 23-24, 2010 and will publish a quarterly on-line newsletter with information and ideas designed to enhance and promote professionalism and student achievement. Membership at all levels is only $10.00 per year: a small investment which promises to yield great benefits for your students.

Please consider joining WyoTESOL today. Joining is easy! There are two simple options: either email elizabeth@wyotesol.org to receive an application form -OR- Plan to attend our April WyoTESOL conference and join then.

You will receive all WyoTESOL correspondence (including confirmation of your membership, the quarterly newsletter, conference information, balloting information, etc.) via the internet. Check this blog often for updates and information about WyoTESOL.

Thank you, The WyoTESOL (provisional) Board

1st Annual WyoTESOL Conference

The 1st Annual WyoTESOL Conference will be Friday, April 23 to Saturday April 24, 2010 in Cody, Wyoming

Cost is only $25.00!! This price includes dinner Friday night, keynote speech, Saturday workshops, lunch on Saturday, and .5 units of continuing ed units through PTSB (if you complete all 7 hours of the conference).

Make plans to attend NOW!!!

If you would like to attend the WyoTESOL Conference this April, please send your name and email address to: elizabeth@wyotesol.org to receive a complete information packet. Deadline for resgistration is: March 30, 2009.

Accomodations: Skyline Motor Inn (complimentary breakfast is included)

***Call for special Conference Rates*****
1919 17th St.
Cody, WY 82414
(307) 587-4201
http://www.skylinemotorinn.com/

If you are staying at the Skyline Motor Inn, complimentary shuttle service will be provided between the hotel and the conference venue.

Venue: Park County Complex
1501 Stampede Ave.
Cody, WY 82414

Conference Program:

Friday, April 23, 2010

6:00 p.m. Park County Complex NWC Conference Room
Dinner and Keynote Speech by George Miller, President, Glacier Bay Training and Global Cyber Technology/WyoTESOL President (nominee)

7:30 p.m. Park County Complex NWC Conference Room
Annual WyoTESOL general membership/business meeting
Meet the WyoTESOL Board nominees

Saturday, April 24, 2010

9 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Seminars I (one hour each: 9-10 & 10-11)--see below for topics & speakers

11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Panel Discussion: "Challenges and Solutions in TESOL" Taten Sheridan/NWC, Chair

12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Lunch Break/Vendors (complimentary--provided by WyoTESOL)

1:30 pm.-3:30 p.m. Seminars II (one hour each: 1:30-2:30 & 2:30-3:30)

3:30 p.m. Conference Concludes

Speakers/Topics (as of March 15, 2010) **More speakers being added daily

Adult/Higher Ed

Milo Asay, ESL Instructor, NWC, Topic TBA

Cynthia Turner, The ELS Program on the campus of UW

On-Line Education

Danel La Rose: "That's Entertainment!" (What made Katharine Hepburn such an incredible actress? Why does Jim Carrey get paid the big bucks? How can Johnny Depp help me to teach English? Come to this seminar & find out!!)

George Miller, M.Ed., President, Glacier Bay Training & Susan Watkins, M.A./ESL, Director of Program Development, Glacier Bay Training: "Global Cyber Technology's New On-Line TESOL Certification Course"

High School

Ashlee Clark, ELL Coordinator, Big Horn School District #1: "Providing Classroom Support for ELL Students"

Middle School

Mary Jane Keffer, Writing Teacher, Park County School District #6: Picture Books and Struggling Middle-Level Writers: Strategies for Improving At-Risk and ELL Student Writing"

Grades 3-5

Speakers and Topics TBA

Grades K-2

Speakers and Topics TBA

Panel Discussion

Taten Sheridan, MFA, CELTA: "Challenges and Solutions in TESOL"

Vendors

Eleutian Technology and Back to Basics School Supply

**Attendees will receive .5 continuing ed credits from PTSB (if they attend all 7 hours of the conference i.e. Keynote Speech, Panel Discussion and 4 seminars--credit is given for presenting as well as attending seminar sessions).