Letter from the Past Chair
Svetlana Koltovskaia, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, USA
Dear SLWIS members,
It has been an exciting and productive year for the Second Language Writing Interest Section (SLWIS)! Following the release of our first newsletter issue in November 2024, our Steering Committee has worked hard to continue offering engaging events, fostering professional connections, and supporting our community.
On February 21, 2025, we hosted our second successful webinar titled “AI-powered Multimodal Writing for ESL Learners: Navigating the New Era,” presented by Dr. Xiao Tan from Utah State University. This event was organized by Katie Hibner, Stefan Vogel, and Bakheet Almatrafi, and we are grateful for their efforts in making it a success.
On April 18, 2025, we held our second Book Club event: “Simulations for Critical Discussion in Higher Education: A Transdisciplinary OER for Second Language Writers,” featuring authors Dr. Stephanie Link (Oklahoma State University), Dr. Fran Junnier (Oklahoma State University), Dr. Eunhye Hess (Indiana University), and Dr. Hann Bingham (Landmark College). Special thanks to Bakheet Almatrafi and Katie Hibner for organizing this rich and insightful discussion.
At the TESOL 2025 International Convention & Expo in Long Beach, California, we proudly hosted two major sessions:
- The Academic Session “Emotions in Teaching Writing: Conflicts, Strategies, and Perspectives,” organized by Andy Jiahao Liu, was held on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Regency Ballroom A at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach Hotel.
- The Intersession “Global Perspectives: AI-Powered Innovations in Higher Ed Second Language Writing,” co-organized by Namsook Kim (HEIS Chair), Mary Elizabeth Wilson-Patton (HEIS Associate Chair), and myself (Svetlana Koltovskaia), took place on Friday, March 21, 2025, in Seaview Ballroom C.
Both sessions featured dynamic discussions and valuable insights, and we thank all the speakers, organizers, and attendees for making them a success.
In early April, we conducted volunteer recruitment and elections for open Steering Committee positions. We are thrilled to welcome the newly elected members and look forward to their contributions in the coming year.
We also held a virtual open business meeting on May 3, 2025. During this meeting, we reflected on our accomplishments for the 2024–2025 term and discussed opportunities for growth. I was pleased to introduce the new leadership team of the 2025-2026 term and connect with several of its members during the meeting. We also explored strategies to improve submissions to SLWIS News and emphasized the importance of increased engagement and promotion on our MyTESOL community page, as well as on Facebook and Instagram. Several current Steering Committee members shared their experiences: what worked well, challenges they encountered, and ideas for future improvements. It was a productive and inspiring conversation that underscored our shared commitment to the SLWIS community.
It is now my pleasure to introduce the dedicated team of the 2025–2026 SLWIS Steering Committee:
- Chair: Andy Jiahao Liu
- Chair-Elect: Ali Yaylali
- Members-at-Large: Katie Hibner, Stefan Vogel, Bakheet Almatrafi, Fatemeh Bordbajavidi, and James Joseph Riley
- Newsletter Managing Editor: Stefan Vogel
- Community Managers: Ryan Good
Together, this talented group is committed to continuing the tradition of excellence in our interest section while introducing fresh energy and ideas. I would also like to sincerely thank our rotating-off Steering Committee member, Madhukar K C, for his invaluable service and dedication to SLWIS.
Our newsletter team, led by Managing Editor Ali Yaylali and supported by Stefan Vogel and Bakheet Almatrafi, has also been hard at work. I am delighted to share that the spring issue of SLWIS News is now available! Thank you to our editors for their continued efforts in promoting, reviewing, and compiling content that keeps our community informed and connected.
I would also like to recognize our Community Manager, Moti Ram Sijapati, for his dedication to promoting SLWIS events and expanding our presence on MyTESOL-SLWIS, Facebook, and Instagram.
As I transition into the role of Past Chair, I am confident that under Andy Jiahao Liu’s leadership, SLWIS will continue to grow and thrive. Thank you all for your participation, support, and commitment to building such a vibrant professional community.
We look forward to staying connected and seeing you at our future events!
Sincerely,
Svetlana Koltovskaia
Chair, Second Language Writing Interest Section
Svetlana Koltovskaia is an Assistant Professor of English and Director of the ESL Academy at Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Her research centers around L2 writing, computer-assisted language learning, and L2 assessment. She had her works published in journals like Assessing Writing, ReCall, JALT CALL, and TESL-EJ.