Toronto: 1983
- The TESOL Convention was held in Toronto, Ontario in that year. There was a pre-conference symposium which gathered together the “who’s who” in the use of computers in language learning. One result of the seminar was the decision that we should henceforth call this endeavor. “Computer-Assisted Language Learning”, or CALL. Another was that we should found an interest section within TESOL. There were quite a number of CALL-related sessions, almost all along the same hallway, which came to be known as the “CALL-Hall”. What was exciting was that for the first time, many of these sessions were not directed at newcomers, but at colleagues.
- The unofficial “officers” elected at the open, founding meeting were:
Chair David Sanders Co-chair Vance Stevens Secretary Roger Kenner Newsletter Editor Ingrid Berjawsky Steering Committee Paul Hardin
Roger Kenner
Don Loritz
Karen Price
David Wyatt - Others’ Observations: (More can be added!) Vance Steven’s recollections
- CALL-IS missed all the deadlines outlined in TESOL’s constitution for acceptance in 1983. Nevertheless, TESOL was very interested in us. We operated that first year as an independent organization, based at Concordia University. TESOL supported us financially. We were unofficially given some of the status and privileges of an Interest Section. We had a wide range of members involved in teaching languages other than English, who were not members of TESOL.
We managed a couple of mail-outs to all our members, but never managed to put out a newsletter.
The Symposium that started it all
Houston: 1984 …to New York, 1985
- The TESOL Convention was held in Houston, Texas in that year. We accomplished all the requirements to become an Interest Section and were accepted as such that year. Houston saw our first Software Fare, organized by Vance Stevens. Again, the number of crowded CALL sessions was inspiring.
- The TESOL Constitution of the day called for the first officers of the Interest Section to be appointed. Nevertheless, we held an unofficial business meeting under the guise of a “rap session” (as discussion sessions were called in those days.). TESOL recognized the results of our elections in their appointments:
Chair Vance Stevens Co-chair Roger Kenner Newsletter Editor Joel Bloch Steering Committee Joel Bloch
Cecelia Dressia
Ronald Komer
Don Loritz
Kathryn Hall-Allamyari
Charlie Lewis
Juan Perez
Karen Price
Emily Thrush(Note that new officers are only installed on the last day of the current Convention
and serve through to the end of the next Convention - It took a year or so for CALL-IS’s original independent mailing list to be integrated into TESOL’s. TESOL agreed to support our non-English teaching members, non-TESOL members, at a reduced rate. Joel Bloch produced our first newsletter, 1(1), in December of 1984. We continued for several years to send both newsletters, containing articles, and mail-outs, containing administrative information and ballots. We were among the first Interest Sections to elect our officers by mail-in ballot, allowing all members to have a say.
New York: 1985 …to Anaheim, 1986
- The TESOL Convention was held in New York City in that year. We held our first Academic Session and our Second Annual Software Fare.
- At our first “official” business meeting, the results of our first election were announced:
Chair Roger Kenner Co-chair Macey Taylor Newsletter Editor Joel Bloch Steering Committee (More research is needed to find this information.) (Note that new officers are only installed on the last day of the current Convention
and serve through to the end of the next Convention - We prevailed upon TESOL to change the way in which papers were accepted for the Convention. Starting with the 1986 Convention, all papers were submitted to and judged by the Interest Sections. We were called upon to suggest a keynote speaker for the 1986 Convention. We suggested John Higgins, who was accepted.
The plan was put forward that each Interest Section should have a “Hospitality Table” at the 1986 Convention. We successfully argued that we, CALL-IS, needed a room rather than just a table. - Other Events:
- CALL Digest 1(2), May 1985, Norm Johnson, 8 pages
Anaheim: 1986 …to Miami, 1987
- The TESOL Convention was held in Anaheim, California in that year. CALL-IS had its first “Hospitality Room” and hosted the Third Annual Software Fare, which was becoming an institution.
- The following were elected:
Chair Macey Taylor Co-chair Peter Lee Newsletter Editor Joel Bloch Steering Committee (More research is needed to find this information.) (Note that new officers are only installed on the last day of the current Convention
and serve through to the end of the next Convention - Roger Kenner’s Observations: I was, unfortunately, unable to attend the Anaheim Convention, even though I was chair. Macey took over very effectively and Daniel Horowitz, who was understudy to the Software Fare, pulled it off admirably.
- Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
- Events during the year: (To be filled in.)
- Other Events: (To be filled in.)
Miami: 1987 …to Chicago, 1988
- The TESOL Convention was held in Miami, Florida in that year.
- The following were elected:
Chair Peter Lee Co-chair Katherine Muhlhausen Newsletter Editor Joel Bloch & Pat Dunkel Steering Committee (More research is needed to find this information.) - Roger Kenner’s Observations: I was, unfortunately, unable to attend the Miami Convention.
- Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
- Events during the year: The December, 1987 issue of the CALL-IS Newsletter (Vol 4) is edited by Joel Bloch and Pat Dunkel and contains paid advertising.
- Other Events: (To be filled in.)
Chicago: 1988 …to San Antonio, 1989
- The TESOL Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois in that year.
- The following were elected:
Chair Katherine Muhlhausen Co-chair Gerald Dalgish Newsletter Editor Macey Taylor(?) Steering Committee (More research is needed to find this information.)
But would have included:
Michael Carrier
Phillip Hubbard
Geoff Jordan(Note that new officers are only installed on the last day of the current Convention
and serve through to the end of the next Convention - Roger Kenner’s Observations: I remember the tiny Hospitality Room, full of Apple II’s brought by Peter Lee. I remember having to sneak these out to Peter’s car disguised as luggage, with the collusion of well-tipped bell hops, as union regulations forbade our carrying goods into or our of the hotel. I remember the seminal session on concordancers hosted by Tim Johns. I remember some candidates for president dropped into the hotel for a press conference and all traces of TESOL literally vanished for a short while. I remember the guitars and the impromptu CALL-IS jam session. I remember meeting this lady named Sheryl Beller, and even passing her some software.
- Claire Bradin’s Observations: Claire, on the other hand, does not remember the 1988 Hospitality Room as being “tiny”: “That was the first year that TESOL allowed us to borrow computers from companies, and we had an enormous room. There were problems, such as the fact that the computers had 3 1/2″ drives and most of us still had 5 1/4 ” drives, but so it goes…”
- Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
- Events during the year: (To be filled in.)
- Other Events: (To be filled in.)
San Antonio: 1989 …to San Francisco, 1990
- The TESOL Convention was held in San Antonio, Texas in that year. We had a very nice Hospitality Room, right at the entrance to the Convention Center. Laura Perez was in charge. Norm Johnson hosted the Software Fare and Jeff Magoto the “CALL Author’s Showcase”
- The following were elected:
Chair Gerald Dalgish Co-chair Claire Bradin Newsletter Editor Macey Taylor Steering Committee (More research is needed to find this information.) But would have included:
Michael Carrier
Phillip Hubbard
Geoff Jordan
Peter Lee
Elizabeth Hanson-Smith
Macey Taylor(Note that new officers are only installed on the last day of the current Convention
and serve through to the end of the next Convention - Roger Kenner’s Observations: We were quite a community by then. I fondly remember the evenings out with the crowd, along the Riverwalk.
- Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
- Events during the year:
- The first CALL-IS Software List, 89-90, put together by Deborah Healey, Norman Johnson, and Claire Bradin. It was 21 pages long and sported sections on IBM, Apple II, Mac, Commodore 64-128, and Amiga software.
- Other Events: (To be filled in.)
- CALL Digest changes to CAELL Journal, edited by Norman Johnson
- Daniel Horowitz dies in Tokyo Japan: Oct 22, 1989