News

Read the Summer Issue of The English Connection

Your summer reading material is on its way with the publication of the Summer issue of The English Connection (TEC). This issue contains six ELT articles and our three regular columns in addition to the Editorial and the President's Message. 

Members can access the Summer issue of TEC very soon by clicking/tapping HERE. (Remember to log in first!)

This issue contains...

4 Editorial
The Thousand-Hour Journey to…?
By Dr. Andrew White

5 President’s Message
Spring Surfeit, Summer Solace: Reflections on a Packed Semester
By Dr. Lindsay N....

New Article at Scribes Square -- What? What?

Scribes Square has yet another blog article to offer you. Chris Miller introduces the "What, So What, Now What" reflective framework along with an account of his personal reflective practice experiences using the framework. 

Walk over to this corner of Scribes Square now. To use the crosswalk, press this BUTTON.

Also very recently published at Scribes Square is an article by Nguyen Thanh Huyen entitled "Vietnam’s English Fever and the Teachers Who Never Planned to Teach," which discusses second-career EFL teachers. Read it HERE.

Consider contributing your own article...

Jeonju North Jeolla April Workshop Recap and Upcoming Events

On April 4th at a workshop at JBNU,  Dr. Natalie Thibault, one of our own, presented on "Learning with Diagrams". She spoke about how students' creating has positive impacts on learning. She showed us different ways to do that in class using things like Venn diagrams and flow charts, and how expansive it can be.
Nicole Cyr explained about social emotional learning. Then we discussed things like practical applications and using SEL competencies in your class. Self reflection is also an important part of teaching using SEL.
We had an executive meeting before the workshop to...

KOTESOL Proceedings 2025 Vol. 1 Now Online

This compilation of selected papers based on the authors' presentations at the 2025 Korea TESOL International Conference (May 10-11) includes 7 invited speaker papers and 28 research papers contributed by conference presenters, 448 pages covering a wide array of the various aspects of TEFL. We hope you find within these pages an abundance of information of relevance to your research, your work situation, and your professional development.

Volume 2 of KOTESOL Proceedings 2025 is coming soon. It will include two dozen workshop reports, poster session reports, and panel discussion...

New Article Published on Scribes Square

Scribes Square has a new article for you. One that provides a reimagined perspective on teaching. One that espouses the principles of coaching. Maiah Hollander explains in "Human Education: Teaching and Coaching" how coaching concepts have been transformational in her teaching. 

Read Maiah's article here.

Read any back issues on Scribes Square that you might have missed here. 

TEC - The Spring 2026 Issue Now Online

The Spring issue of The English Connection (TEC) is now available for your reading pleasure. This is the pre-conference issue -- a preview to the 2026 Korea TESOL International Conference. Within its pages you will find seven interviews of our plenary and featured speakers as well as two articles written by two additional featured speakers. 

In addition, our conference chair, Meerbek Kudaibergenov, provides a preview to the upcoming IC, our editor-in-chief offers a conference-related Editorial, and our KOTESOL president presents her quarterly President's Message. Also included in...

Membership Perk: Discount on Membership in TESOL International Association

Through March 31, 2026, KOTESOL members can receive 30% off their first year of membership in TESOL International Association!

To receive the discount code, just make sure your KOTESOL membership is currently valid (you can check this on your online profile page under "Expiring Roles") and then click here. (Must have a current membership and be logged in on the KOTESOL website to access the discount code page.)

HAN - The Winter 2025 Issue Now Online

The Winter Edition of the Korea TESOL Happenings and News (HAN) is now online for your reading enjoyment! See what our National Council has been doing, read about the exciting workshops and activities our chapters have been conducting throughout the season, and check out what latest news our SIGs have to share. Don't forget to catch the Member Spotlight, the IOC Travel Report, the annual Service Awards, and more!.

See the contents of HAN Winter 2025 and access the PDF HERE. No need to log in first; HAN is open access. Enjoy, everyone!

Editorial Team
• Editor-in-...

Daegu Chapter Closes

Announcement: Dissolving Daegu Chapter 

After considerable reflection, I am sharing some bittersweet news: Daegu Chapter is officially 
closing. 

Like so many organizations, we were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as life 
slowly returned to normal, our chapter never fully recovered without a stable home base. What 
hasn’t changed at all is how proud we should all feel about what Daegu Chapter has 
accomplished over the years. 

For many, many years, this chapter thrived thanks to dedicated leaders, passionate volunteers, ...

High Engagement, High Motivation: A Look Back at the JNJ November Workshop

On November 1, Jeonju North Jeolla KOTESOL had our second workshop of the fall. Courtney McLaren introduced us to K-pop Fandom in the Classroom. People who share fandom of any sort can also share lived experiences, age, nationality, gender, ethnicity, among others. They are invested intellectually and emotionally. With other fans they can share comfort, enjoyment, community, identity and positive experiences. Why does this matter in the English classroom? It provides a unique opportunity for high engagement and motivation to encourage English conversation.
Our second presenter was...

National Treasurer Sought for 2026

KOTESOL is currently seeking a treasurer for the coming year! Members are encouraged to apply. 

Duties (per the KOTESOL Bylaws):

The Treasurer shall act as a fiduciary for the financial affairs of KOTESOL, keep appropriate bank accounts in the name of KOTESOL, maintain accurate records of the finances of the organization, maintain a list of KOTESOL members, prepare the annual operating budget, and manage all funds belonging to KOTESOL in an open and accountable manner.

In brief, the treasurer manages the KOTESOL national budget, ensures transparency and accuracy in...

2025 Election Results Announced

The results of the 2025 Korea TESOL election for elected officers were announced at the 2025 Annual Business Meeting (ABM) on November 1. Those results are as follows:

President
 — Lindsay Herron
First Vice-President
 — Mike Peacock
Second Vice-President
 — Gabriela Villafradez
Secretary
 — Heidi Vande Voort Nam
Treasurer 
 — Position Vacant*
International Conference Committee Co-Chair
 — Position Vacant*
Nominations and Elections Committee Chair
 — Position Vacant*

*Due to no candidate running for...

Committee Chairs Appointed for 2025-2026

Please welcome our committee chairs for 2025-2026!

The committee chairs were appointed by the KOTESOL National Council at a brief meeting on November 1, 2025, following the 2025 Annual Business Meeting.

Membership Perk: Discount on 2025 IATEFL Themes Online Conference

KOTESOL members can get a discount on the IATEFL Themes online conference! "Themes," according to IATEFL, "celebrates some of the most significant and popular sessions from the IATEFL International Conference earlier in the year, and brings them a whole new audience online." The conference will be held online on November 1 and 2, 2025. Learn more here: https://www.iatefl.org/iatefl-themes-2025/

Since KOTESOL is an IATEFL Associate, our members get a £5 discount on this event, so registration is just £10 instead of £15. Click HERE to access the members-only discount code. (You must...