Sessions

KOTESOL Connections: Diversity Panel

KOTESOL members come from diverse backgrounds and identities with varied concerns and interests. This panel is meant to explore the successes and challenges our members experience based on that diversity, as well as how KOTESOL hopes to improve in the future. In turn, KOTESOL Special Interest Groups [SIGs] under the social justice umbrella will offer insights, followed by discussions of related questions in breakout rooms, to which all participants are invited. Representation and Diversity in KOTESOL Membership [KOTESOL Social Justice SIG] Jocelyn Wright: Being ‘researching associations’ is becoming a bit of a trend these days among language teaching associations. From the social justice perspective, an interesting theme to explore within an organization is the issue of representation and diversity of membership. What is it we actually know about our members? What might we guess based on available data? What do we not know? To understand representation and diversity within KOTESOL, answering these questions is a good starting point for further reflection and action. Bolstering Women and Gender Equity [KOTESOL Women and Gender Equality SIG] Rhea Metituk & Anika Casem: Gender equity issues affect our students, and teachers in Korea, as well as the society we are immersed in. As global citizens and as teachers in Korea, what strategies can be applied to address these issues? This presentation will review steps taken by the group initiatives, as well as shed light on areas needing attention and a call to action. Increasing Diverse Voices Within KOTESOL [KOTESOL People of Color SIG] Kara Waggoner & Anika Casem: While we might not know the exact numbers, the number of diverse members within KOTESOL seems to be decreasing in recent years. This is at a disservice to us as an organization because we are missing out on their unique perspectives and the experiences they bring. This part of the panel discussion will look at ways we can make teachers of color feel welcome and invited into KOTESOL. Covid and the Climate: Unequal effects, similar opportunities [KOTESOL Environmental Justice SIG] Julian Warmington & Rhea Metituk: We will review what the Environmental Justice group has achieved so far, preview current plans going forward, and discuss how the Covid 19 era has altered both. We will also discuss why the pandemic era is crucially important for us all as citizens of the global village. We will end with a talk about roles and openness to change and input from all.