The 2024 TESL Ontario Conference is fast approaching, and this year’s in-person event, TESL Ontario Connect: Networking, Awards & Fireside Chats, on November 12 promises to be an exciting opportunity for attendees to connect, engage, and celebrate the achievements of the language education community. 
Features of our In-Person Event
This year’s in-person event includes a variety of exciting features designed to maximize engagement:
- Networking Opportunities: Engage with fellow educators, build connections, and foster professional relationships.
- Exhibitor Tables: Explore booths from our sponsors and exhibitors.
- Awards Ceremony: presentation of our annual TESL Ontario Recognition Awards, including the Sparks of Excellence and Distinguished Contribution awards.
- Special Fireside Chat: Join the discussion on Technology-Mediated Learning: Technology Friend or Foe, with panelists Samantha Banks (OCELT), Vinuthini Vinothan (OCELT), and Jacqueline Ng (PhD).
Inspiration from an Award-Winning Educator
One of the highlights of the in-person event will be the TESL Ontario Awards Ceremony, where outstanding educators and contributors in the field of language teaching are recognized for their achievements. Last year’s Sparks of Excellence Award winner, Joan Reynolds, reflects on how receiving the award impacted her both personally and professionally:
“It is deeply gratifying to be acknowledged by one’s professional community. It serves to affirm that my engagement as an instructor, administrator, and volunteer has been significant as well as rewarding. An award brings that work into focus and unites us with others carrying out similar pedagogical endeavors to form a community of practitioners. This, in turn, brings added meaning to one’s professional life.”
Even in retirement, Joan Reynolds continues to stay connected with TESL Ontario and its members through volunteer work. She shared some advice for aspiring educators and members of the TESL community:
“I urge those working in the field of ESL to become engaged in TESL Ontario through conference attendance, as presenters, and to strive to be a continuous learner, particularly at a time of great change and innovation in the field. Don’t work in isolation; keep the TESL community strong. Your impact on newcomers to Canada, whatever your role, cannot be overstated. You serve as a lifeline to those forging a new future for themselves.”
Her dedication to serving newcomers and staying involved in the TESL community serves as an inspiring reminder of the powerful role educators play in shaping the futures of their students.
Join Us on November 12
We hope to see many of you live and in-person on Tuesday, November 12 (5:00 – 9:00 pm) for TESL Ontario Connect: Networking, Awards & Fireside Chats, at the MaRS Centre in Toronto (101 College St., Toronto)
Tickets for TESL Ontario Connect will be available when registration opens as an add-on purchase. Conference registration is not required to attend TESL Ontario Connect. To register and for more information, please visit the TESL Ontario conference website.
