AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF TESOL ASSOCIATIONS (ACTA)

What is ACTA?

The Australian Council of TESOL Associations Inc, ACTA, is the national coordinating body representing all teachers of English to speakers of other languages; teachers in schools, tertiary institutions, private colleges, TAFE colleges and those who teach adults in the community.

ACTA represents state and territory professional associations involved in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and keeps state/territory associations informed of the latest educational developments which may impact on the profession.

ACTA lobbies for improved educational opportunities for ESL students of all ages, for improved status and recognition for the TESOL profession and for related issues, such as the need for research in the TESOL area, for representation of the ESL perspective on national education and training groups and for consistency of national funding for TESOL.

ACTA also provides comments on national policies on a range of TESOL issues and coordinates TESOL representation at a national level, and participates on advisory committees for national projects.

CONFERENCES

www.tesol.org.au/conference

Every year ACTA co-hosts an Annual Conference with one of its state/territory associations held in one of the capital cities of Australia. Information about Conference dates and locations are available from the state/territory associations or the ACTA Home Page:  www.tesol.org.au

PUBLICATIONS

TESOL in Context is ACTA's professional journal and acts as a forum for ideas on all matters related to TESOL, contributing to the scholarship and pedagogy of TESOL. It is published twice a year. Members receive copies of TESOL in Context as part of their membership. For individual Subscriptions contact:

The Executive Editor

TESOL in Context

at the address listed on the ACTA Website.

Information about ACTA is distributed through the ACTA Home Page and state/territory association newsletters.

OBJECTIVES

1. TO REPRESENT AND SUPPORT THE INTERESTS OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES

ACTA is committed to quality teacher training and professional development in TESOL, working conditions and career paths, which enable teachers to have the stability and continuity of employment to develop, maintain and deliver quality programs.

2. TO ENSURE ACCESS TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES

ACTA is committed to ensuring that all students with ESL needs have access to programs that acknoledge and meet their diverse specific needs. These students may be Aborigines or Torres Strait Islanders, permanent residents with LOTE backgrounds, refugees, fee-paying overseas students or students in Australian-sponsored programs overseas.

3. TO ENCOURAGE THE IMPLEMENTATION AND DELIVERY OF QUALITY PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

ACTA is committed to the development and maintenance of the highest quality programs, for students, at pre-primary, primary, secondary or tertiary level that are appropriately funded, resourced and staffed, and articulated in clear pathways.

4. TO PROMOTE THE STUDY, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF TESOL AT STATE, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS

ACTA is committed to ensuring that TESOL and TESOL-related issues are debated and accorded due recognition in state and national policy initiatives, as well as in the international community.

MISSION STATEMENT

ACTA is the national coordinating body representing all teachers of English to speakers of other languages. It aims to promote and strengthen English whilst supporting and respecting people's linguistic and cultural heritage.

English is the language of public communicationg and lingua franca for the many different sociocultural groups in Australia, as well as major language of international communication. For full and effective participation in education, society and in the international arena, competence in English is necessary

TESOL is the teaching of English by specialist teachers to students of language backgrounds other than English in order to develop their skills in spoken and written English communication.

At the same time, TESOL teachers strive to be sensitive to the diverse linguistic, cultural and learning needs of individuals.

TESOL draws on a knowledge of the nature of the English language, first and second language acquisition, crosscultural communication and appropriate curriculum, materials and methodology for multicultural contexts. It is an integral part of the broader social, educational and political context. It can inform and be informed by this context.

As a program, profession and field of study and research, TESOL shares certain understandings and practices with the subject English as a mother tongue, child and adult literacy, languages other than English (LOTE) and bilingual and multicultural education, but also has distinctive characteristics.

STATE/TERRITORY TESOL ASSOCIATIONS

For further information visit the ACTA Home Page on: http://www.tesol.org.au or contact the secretary of the appropriate association below.

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

ATESOL (ACT)

Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ACT)

PO Box 3302

MANUKA ACT 2603

 

 

NEW SOUTH WALES

ATESOL (NSW)

Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (NSW)

PO Box 223

LEICHHARDT NSW 2040

 

 

NORTHERN TERRITORY

ATESOL (NT)

Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (NT)

PO Box 41153

CASUARINA NT 0811

 

QUEENSLAND

QATESOL

Queensland Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

c/- The Language People

245 Boundary Street

WEST END QLD 4101

 

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

ESL EDUCATORS

163 Greenhill Road

PARKSIDE SA 5063

 

TASMANIA

TASTESOL

Tasmanian Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

PO Box 45

FRANKLIN TAS 7113

 

VICTORIA

VATME

Victorian Association of TESOL and Multicultural Education
420 Victoria St (PO Box 298)
Brunswick Vic 3056
Tel: 03 9940 1507
Fax: 03 9940 1464

 

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

WATESOL

Western Australian Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

PO Box 6995

EAST PERTH WA 6892