The CALL Interest Section
Community History

Roger Kenner
Concordia University
Montreal, Qc, Canada
1998, 2000, 2003

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Foreword

We feel naturally proud of the work we have put into creating and maintaining this Interest Section, one which has had its impact both on the TESOL organization and within our field of CALL. Each year, as we move forward, new hands take up the reins from the old and fresh ideas come into our community. Yet we should never lose sight of the work that has gone before.

It is for this reason that I have begun this project. I call it the Community History for I intend that the observations and anecdotes of all who have participated will be featured here. I will be contacting, for example, all of the former chairs of CALL-IS, to get their stories.

To start things off, what follows below are my personal observations, to lend flesh to some key facts that I have garnered from past IS Newsletters. It is organized around the Convention Year, which is the key milestone event in our Interest Section’s history.

A few years ago, I produced a document which traced my involvement in the founding of CALL-IS. I urge you to have a look at that story, as I will not repeat below the same detail. (Included there are the results of a members survey taken in 1984.)

Skip Ahead?
[1984] [1985] [1986] [1987] [1988] [1989] [1990] [1991]
[1992] [1993] [1994] [1995] [1996] [1997] [1998]
[1999] [2000] [2001] [2002] [2003] 

See also: Vance Steven’s Recollections on the begining of Call-IS

 

The Years of CALL-IS

• 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

  • Roger Kenner’s further observations on this year are contained in The Founding of CALL-IS.
  • 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.

• 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

  • Roger Kenner’s further observations on this year are contained in The Founding of CALL-IS.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • 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

  • Roger Kenner’s further observations on this year are contained in The Founding of CALL-IS.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • 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

• San Francisco: 1990
  …to New York, 1991

  • The TESOL Convention was held in San Francisco, California in that year.
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Claire Bradin
    Co-chair	Deborah Healey
    Past-Chair	Gerald Dalgish
    Newsletter Editor	Macey Taylor
    Steering Committee	To 1991: Michael Carrier Phillip Hubbard Geoff Jordan To 1992 Peter Lee Elizabeth Hanson-Smith Macey Taylor To 1993 Norman Johnson Laura Perez Vance Stevens
    Librarians	Amiga: Macey Taylor Apple: Elizabeth Stone Mac: Deborah Healey Dos: Nancy Jones C-64/128 Vacant
    (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 unable to attend the San Francisco Convention.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • The Newsletter was now coming out three time a year, the third issue being fully paid for by an advertiser. We were up to volume 7
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

• New York: 1991
  …to Vancouver, 1992

  • The TESOL Convention was held in New York City 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 our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Deborah Healey
    Associate Chair>	Douglas Coleman
    Past-Chair	Claire Bradin
    Newsletter Editor	Macey Taylor
    Steering Committee	To 1992 Peter Lee Elizabeth Hanson-Smith Macey Taylor To 1993 Norman Johnson Laura Perez Vance Stevens To 1994 Geoff Jordan Nancy Jones Evelyn Fella
    Librarians	Amiga: Macey Taylor Apple: Gerald Dalgish Mac: Deborah Healey Dos: Nancy Jones
    (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: New York was far too busy. None of us had any fun! In the Hospitality Room, we were selling diskettes of programs from the libraries, and they had to be copied. After dinner, we returned to copy diskettes until the wee hours of the morning.
    I remember we had one nice jam session. Vance and Deborah brought their guitars. Norm brought his recorder. Someone brought whiskey. We let ourselves into the Hospitality Room with our own key.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • “…as of Dec 5, 1991, CALL-IS had 419 primary members” (Newsletter 9(1))
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

• Vancouver: 1992
  …to Atlanta, 1993

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Vancouver, British Colombia in that year. The Call Author’s Showcase was hosted by John McVicker & Alicia Russel. The Software Applications Fare was hosted by John Lackstrom & Gerald Dalgish.
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Douglas Coleman
    Associate Chair>	Marianne Phinney
    Past-Chair	Deborah Healey
    Newsletter Editor	Macey Taylor
    Steering Committee	To 1993 Norman Johnson Laura Perez Vance Stevens To 1994 Geoff Jordan Nancy Jones Evelyn Fella To 1995 Jeff Magoto John McVicker Sheryl Beller
    Librarians	Amiga: Macey Taylor Apple: Gerald Dalgish Mac: Deborah Healey Dos: Roger Kenner
    User’s Groups	Mac: Deborah Healey Dos: Vance Stevens Amiga: Michael Hanish Apple II: Elizabeth Hanson-Smith
    (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: Vancouver was a beautiful setting. The CALL community would venture out after hours to enjoy dinner together in nearby Gastown.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • (To be filled in.)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

• Atlanta: 1993
  …to Baltimore, 1994

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Atlanta, Georgia in that year.
  • The following were our officers, after elections
    

    Chair	Marianne Phinney
    Associate Chair	Elizabeth Hanson-Smith
    Past-Chair	Douglas Coleman
    Newsletter Editor	Macey Taylor
    Steering Committee	To 1994 Geoff Jordan Nancy Jones Evelyn Fella To 1995 Jeff Magoto John McVicker Sheryl Beller To 1996 Debra Hoven Carla Meskill Karen Price
    Librarians	Amiga: Macey Taylor Apple: Gerald Dalgish Mac: Deborah Healey Dos: Roger Kenner
    (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 Newcomer’s Pre-Conference workshop, which I co-hosted with Deborah Healey. Her Macs were there all day, but my PC’s only showed up an hour before!
    I took great notice of this colleague whom I had basically ignored all the years, Sheryl Beller.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • Spring issue of the Newsletter, 11(1), is the last with Macey Taylor as editor. It will still contain a mail-in ballot.
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

• Baltimore: 1994
  …to Long Beach, 1995

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Baltimore, Maryland in that year.
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Elizabeth Hanson-Smith
    Associate Chair	Susan Dever
    Past-Chair	Marianne Phinney
    Newsletter Editor	Linda Foley
    Steering Committee	Jeff Magoto John McVicker Sheryl Beller Carla Meskill Karen Price Debra Hoven Lisa Eret Ronald Long Lee Thompson
    Librarians	Mac: Deborah Healey Dos: Roger Kenner
    (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 unable to attend the Baltimore Convention.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • We were 713 primary members, according to the July 1994 Newsletter 12(1)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

• Long Beach: 1995
  …to Chicago, 1996

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Long Beach, California in that year.
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Susan Dever
    Associate Chair	Jeff Magoto
    Past-Chair	Elizabeth Hanson-Smith
    Newsletter Editor	Linda Foley (?)
    Steering Committee	(More research is needed to find this information.)
    Librarians	Mac: Deborah Healey Dos: Roger Kenner
    (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 had a vast space in Long Beach, but it was clean across the hall from the main convention area. Still, lots of people came by.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • Work began on the TESOL/CELIA CD-Rom
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

• Chicago: 1996
  …to Orlando, 1997

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois in that year. Our CD-ROM was out, which heralded the end of diskette sales in the Hospitality Room and the virtual end of the post of software librarian.
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Jeff Magoto
    Associate Chair	Carolyn Heacock
    Past-Chair	Susan Dever
    Newsletter Editor	Linda Foley
    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 co-hosted the Software Fare again, after many years. I was understudy to Mark Algren.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • (To be filled in!)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

• Orlando: 1997
  …to Seattle, 1998

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Orlando, Florida in that year. We had a very nice room, now called the “Electronic Village”. The Convention Center was so vast the TESOL was simply lost within it.
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Carolyn Heacock
    Associate Chair	Ron Corio
    Past-Chair	Jeff Magoto
    Newsletter Editor	Joy Egbert
    Read.me Column Editor	Sheryl Beller-Kenner
    Steering Committee	To 1998: Mark Algren To 1999: Susan Gaer Peter Lee Tom Robb Jim Buell to 2000: Phil Hubbard Leslie Opp-Beckman Colin Sachs Greg Younger
    (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 hosted the Software Fare with Scott Rule as understudy.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • (To be filled in!)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

• Seattle: 1998
  …to New York, 1999

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Seattle, Washington in that year
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Ron Corio
    Chair-Elect	Leslie Opp-Beckman
    Past-Chair	Carolyn Heacock
    Newsletter Editor	Joy Egbert
    Steering Committee	Susan Gaer Tom Robb Jim Buell Peter Lee Phil Hubbard Colin Sachs Greg Younger Doug Mills Suzan Moody
    (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: Beautiful City, very nice convention, great Electronic Village!
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • (To be filled in!)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

   

• New York: 1999
  …to Vancouver, 2000

  • The TESOL Convention was held in New York City that year
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Leslie Opp-Beckman
    Chair-Elect	Tom Robb
    Past-Chair	Ron Corio
    Newsletter Editor
    Steering Committee	Peter Lee Phil Hubbard Colin Sachs Greg Younger Doug Mills Suzan Moody Leslie Hammersmith Joy Egbert Steve McGuire
    (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: Back, again, to the New York Hilton!
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • (To be filled in!)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

   

• Vancouver: 2000
  …to St. Louis, 2001

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Vancouver, British Colombia in that year
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Tom Robb
    Chair-Elect	Colin Sachs
    Past-Chair	Leslie Opp-Beckman
    Newsletter Editor
    Steering Committee	Doug Mills Suzan Moody Leslie Hammersmith Joy Egbert Steve Mcguire Greg Kessler Susanne McLaughlin Jeff Nelson+ one other (?)
    (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: A marvelous setting: Sun and harbour and mountains! We had a very nice Electronic Village!
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • (To be filled in!)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

   

• St. Louis: 2001
  …to Salt Lake City, 2002

  • The TESOL Convention was held in St. Louis, Missouri in that year
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Tom Robb
    Chair-Elect	Suzan Stamper (Moody)
    Past-Chair	Tom Robb
    Newsletter Editor
    Steering Committee	Joy Egbert Steve Mcguire Susanne McLaughlin Greg Kessler Jeff Nelson John Skinner John Avery Ron Long Christine Bauer-Ramazani
    (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 unable to attend, so I count on others to forward their impressions to me.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • (To be filled in!)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

   

• Salt Lake City: 2002
  …to Baltimore, 2003

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Salt Lake City, Utah in that year
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Suzan Stamper (Moody)
    Chair-Elect	Greg Kessler
    Past-Chair	Tom Robb
    Newsletter Editor	Chris Sauer
    Steering Committee	Steve Sharp Susanne McLaughlin Jeff Nelson John Avery Ron Long Christine Bauer-Ramazani Malika Lyon Douglas Coleman Dawn Bikowski
    (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 unable to attend, so I count on others to forward their impressions to me.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • (To be filled in!)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

   

• Baltimore: 2003
  …to Long Beach, 2004

  • The TESOL Convention was held in Baltimore, Maryland in that year
  • The following were our officers, after elections:
    

    Chair	Greg Kessler
    Chair-Elect	Susanne McLaughlin (?)
    Past-Chair	Suzan Stamper (Moody)
    Newsletter Editor
    Steering Committee	John Avery Ron Long Christine Bauer-Ramazani Malika Lyon Douglas Coleman Dawn Bikowski Randall Davis Steven Sharp Diana (Yu-fang) Yang
    (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 am likely to be unable to attend, so I count on others to forward their impressions to me.
  • Others’ Observations to be filled in here!
  • Events during the year:
    • (To be filled in!)
  • Other Events:
    • (To be filled in.)

  ---

  Prepared by Roger Kenner
  May, 1998; July 2000; May, June, November,2003