A Message from the President

Dr. Naomi Vega Nieves

PRTESOL Metro Chapter has worked very hard to organize activities for its members and use

communication technology to keep you informed. We created a new website,

http://metro.prtesol.angelfire.com, with the invaluable help of Dr Eric Otero. And a new email

address was also established, metroprtesol@gmail.com. If you have not received emails from us

then we probably do not have your current email address. Please email us with your new address.

We are very proud of the two very successful activities that we held last semester: the Symposium

on the Integration of Technology in the ESL Classroom and the Storytelling Contest. We had

excellent participation and attendance. The Storytelling Contest was especially a new exciting and

rewarding experience for the participant teachers, students and their parents.

Our last activity for the year is our annual conference on Saturday, October 18, 2008. I hope you

are making plans to attend because it promises to be an exciting professional development

experience. Please send in your pre-registration before October 10 so that you can be eligible to

participate in a raffle to get the PRTESOL November convention free (worth $150). Everyone will

receive certificates with contact hours. Some highlights of the Metro conference are, a Research

Roundtable, and four intensive two-hour interactive workshops on researched-based strategies and

the latest technology for more effective teaching. The Research Roundtable will be led by a panel

of distinguished colleagues who will present a variety of research paradigms and projects. Then all

the participants will share their research or ask questions and network in small groups. All the

details and the registration forms are in this newsletter. We look forward to greeting you on that

day.

Lastly, I want to remind you to renew your PRTESOL membership since most Metro Chapter

memberships have expired recently or will expire in October 2008. As you all know PRTESOL is

carrying out a membership campaign and if you recruit 10 members your membership is free.

Please recruit those ten English educators. PRTESOL is your professional organization.

The Metro Board and myself have tried our very best to serve our members and we hope that our

chapter continues to strengthen and grow; it depends on your participation.

Many Blessings throughout this academic year.

Bayamón, Carolina, Cataño, Corozal, Dorado, Guaynabo, Naranjito, Río Piedras, San Juan, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto,

Vega Alta, Vega Baja

Meet the 2008 Board Members

(Not shown in picture: Prof. Milagros Rodríguez, Dr. Josué Alejandro)

PRTESOL’s M etro

ID

METRO

September 2008

Inside this issue:

Message from

the president

Meet the Board

members

Metro Update

Storytelling

Contest

13th Annual

Conference

Join TESOL!

Membership

application

Naomi Vega Nieves President

Mark Wekander Vice-President

Brenda Cámara Past Pres./Secretary

Elsie de Jesús Treasurer

Josué Alejandro University Rep.

Wanda Billoch Private School Rep.

Emma Rosa Mejias Elem. School Rep./Membership Sec.

Wanda Ramírez Member at Large

Milagros Rodríguez Member at Large

Mark your Calendars!

35th PRTESOL Annual

Convention and

Exhibit

Gran Meliá PR Resort

Nov. 21—22, 2008

METRO UPDATE A brief overview of this year’s events

3rd

Symposium on the Integration of Technology in the ESL Classroom PRTESOL Metro

Chapterhad the opportunity to co-sponsor together with Sacred Heart University a fine symposium on

the integration of technology. In this event, which was held on April 16, 2008, participants shared the

activities and research that are taking place in Puerto Rico ESL classrooms.

Mark your calendars to attend this conference that will be held at Sacred Heart University in Santurce, “Sala de la

Facultad” (located on Barat Building). The schedule will be as follows:

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration, Breakfast, Exhibitors

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. First Concurrent Sessions and Research Roundtable

11:00 a.m. – 12 m. Lunch and Raffle

12:00 m. - 2:00 p.m. Second Concurrent Sessions

2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Farewell and Raffle

ESL Research Round Table Panelists: Dr. Loretta Collins (UPR- Río Piedras), Dr. María Antonia

Irizarri (UPR- Río Piedras), Dr. Evelyn Lugo, (UNE), Dr. Maritza Sostre (UPR-Bayamón), and Dr. Milagros

Martínez (UPR- Bayamón). The panelists will explain their research project and research method. Then they will

join the round tables for an exchange of ideas. Participants will be able to hear about the experience of researchers

and talk to them personally in small groups to ask questions and receive answers from each panelist or each other.

A great opportunity for master’s level and doctoral level students to participate in a round table on research that will

go beyond institutional boundaries.

Concurrent Sessions Plan on attending two of the following workshops to be held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.

Title: "iLearning": Use of iPod as a tool in the ESL classroom. Presenter: Amarilys González This workshop is an introduction to podcasting. Participants will learn the basics for developing podcasts to be

used in the teaching learning process. Teachers will receive a step by step guide to create podcasts.

Title: Differentiated Instruction- One size doesn’t fit all Presenter: Elsie De Jesus In most classrooms we have a diversity of students with different academic abilities and learning styles. We can

meet their needs by differentiating instruction. In this workshop you will be provided with the knowledge and

skills to implement effective strategies to meet the needs of your students and improve student achievement.

Title: Digital Storytelling Presenter: Eileen Hernández Digital storytelling is the modern and technological expression of the ancient art of storytelling. Participants of this

workshop will learn how create a digital story using the program moviemaker. The presenter will show how you can use it

in the classroom as a powerful instructional tool to have your students retell and create stories.

Title: Fun Writing Activities: Presenter: Crucita Orama

Presentation of activities that will engage your students in talking, listening, reading and writing English. The

students will have fun while learning, and therefore be more interested in their English class.

Storytelling Contest On April 18, 2008 PRTESOL Metro Chapter held its 1st Storytelling Contest at the

Sacred Heart University. The event was an amazing success. Participants (students and teachers) came

from Robinson School, Colegio Congregación Mita, Colegio Puertorriqueño de Niñas, and Luis Muñoz

Rivera, Julián Blanco, S. U. Adolfo García, John F. Kennedy schools. Kudos for great coordination and

team work! We are looking forward to seeing more members and schools participating next year.

PRTESOL METRO CHAPTER’s 13th Annual Conference

Research and Innovative Practices in ESL

Naomi Vega Nieves President

Mark Wekander Vice-President

Brenda Cámara Past Pres./Secretary

Elsie de Jesús Treasurer

Josué Alejandro University Rep.

Wanda Billoch Private School Rep.

Emma Rosa Mejías Elem. School Rep.

Membership Secretary

Wanda Ramírez Member at Large

Milagros Rodríguez Member at Large

Puerto Rico TESOLTeachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

MEMBERSHIP FORM ? NEW ? RENEWAL

NAME: ________________________________________ Member ID # _____________Last (Names) First Middle Initial

MAILING _____________________________ HOME PHONE: ____________

ADDRESS _____________________________ CELL PHONE: _____________ _____________________________ E-MAIL: _______________@________

Town Country Zip Code

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PLACE: _______________________________ ____ Elementary

_______________________________ ____ Secondary _______________________________ ____ Higher Education

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TELEPHONE(S): _______________________ ________________FAX: _________________

CHAPTER:MEMBERSHIP FEES (Please check the ratethat applies to you.) ONE YEAR ____ CAGUAS

____ EASTERN? REGULAR $25 ____ METRO

____ NORTHERN? FULL TIME STUDENT * $20 ____ SOUTHERN

____ WESTERN? RETIRED $20

PAYMENT :

? INSTITUTION** $30 _____ CHECK _____ MONEY ORDER

_____ CASH (No cash through

* Rate for full-time student only, undergraduate 12 credits or the mail, please)

more, graduate 6 credits or more. A copy of the present class

program is required with membership form.

** This fee entitles institutions to mailings only. Referred by ___________________________

MAIL TO:PLEASE DO NOT FILL OUT

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARYPUERTO RICO TESOL Membership List: ________________

P. O. BOX 366828 Membership Card Sent Date: _______

SAN JUAN, PR 00936-6828 Check No. _____________

Date: _______________

Banking Institution: ______________

* A $10.00 fee will be charged for each returned check.

Revised form 2008/mr