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  • TESOL International Association

    Lead author and organizer of letter nominating Dr. Veronica Sardegna who was selected for the D. Scott Enright Service Award for Interest Sections

    Past Chair of TESOL's Speech-Pronunciation-Listening Interest Section (SPLIS) (April 2020-21)

    Chair of TESOL's SPLIS (2019-March 2020)

    Chair-Elect of TESOL's SPLIS (2018-19)

    Community Manager for TESOL's SPLIS and member of the SPLIS Board (2016-20)

    Team Lead for reviewing programs submitted to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for national TESOL recognition (2017-19)

    Reviewer of programs submitted to CAEP for national TESOL recognition (2014-15)

    Volunteer: TESOL International Association Convention: Affiliate Booth (2017), SPLIS Interest Section (2015, 2018-19)

    Reviewer of presentation proposals for TESOL: Teacher Education IS (2012-13) and SPLIS (2018-19)

    Coordinator of volunteers at the K-12 Dream Day, pre-conference institute at the 46th annual TESOL International Association Convention, Philadelphia, PA (March 2012)

    Team leader on the committee for organizing and implementing the 45th annual TESOL International Association Convention. New Orleans, LA (March 2011)

    Member of organizing committee for the K-12 Dream Day, pre-conference institute of the 45th annual TESOL International Association Convention. New Orleans, LA (March 2011)

    Affiliate representative on TESOL's International Affiliate Council:

    2008-09 in representation of the Alabama-Mississippi affiliate

    1995 in representation of the Paraguay affiliate

  • Other Entities at the National/International Level

    Served as reviewer of applications for English Teaching Awards. Fulbright (2019-21)

    Provided access to UAB subjects for doctoral student's research from The Ohio State University (2017-18): Ms. Hyoseon Lee

    External Reviewer for Tenure and Promotion: University of Arizona (2016)

    Member of the organizing committee for the first International Symposium of Languages for Specific Purposes, Birmingham, AL (April 2012)

    Guest speaker for professional development: Individual and social dimensions in language learning and use, American School of Asunción (2012)

    Session moderator at conferences:

    American Association of Applied Linguistics, Atlanta, GA (March 2010)

    AERA Research on Women and Education, Birmingham, AL (October 2009)

    American Association of Applied Linguistics, Salt Lake City, UT (April 2002)

    External reviewer for faculty promotion: Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY (2010)

    Reviewer of presentation proposals:

    TESOL: Teacher Education IS (2004-13)

    AERA: Mentoring SIG (2009)

    SoTL: Commons (2011)

    Reviewer for Episode #506 "First Day of School" of Dora, the Explorer for the Nickelodeon (Nick Jr.) Broadcasting Company (May 2009)

    Guest speaker for professional development:

    Individual and social dimensions in language learning and use. American School of Asunción, Paraguay (2012)

    Strategies for teaching ELLs. Asunción Christian Academy, Paraguay (March 2008)

    Oral interactive techniques (in Spanish). American School of Asunción, Paraguay (March 2008)

    Strategies for helping ELLs reach success. Alliance Academy, Quito, Ecuador (May 2006)

    Strategies for helping ELLs reach success. Escuela Americana, Quito, Ecuador (May 2006)

    Keep talking. The British School, Montevideo, Uruguay (March 1995)

    Board member for the Paraguayan-American Cultural Center (1995-96 and 2001-02)

    Member of the Academic Committee for the Paraguayan-American Cultural Center (1997-2002)

    Board member for the Paraguay TESOL Affiliate:

    President (1994-95)

    Newsletter editor (1989-95)

    Inaugural member of the Paraguay TESOL Affiliate (1989)

    Chair of the Women in Development Committee and co-chair of the Youth Development Committee, Paraguay-Kansas Partners (1982-88):

    Visited counterparts at Kansas State University and The University of Kansas (1982 and 1986)

    Represented Paraguay at Partners of the Americas education conference in Cali, Colombia (1983)

    Wrote 35 travel grants (95% funded) for professional exchanges between Kansas and Paraguay

    Wrote $500,000 grant awarded by W.K Kellogg Foundation to Paraguay's 4-C Clubs

    Received American Express outstanding program award

  • Regional Southeast TESOL (SETESOL)

    Mentor for Virginia TESOL representative on planning and implementing SETESOL Conference (2020)

    Affiliate representative for Alabama-Mississippi on the Regional SETESOL Council (2013-present)

    Chair, SETESOL Conference (October 4-7, 2017), hosted by Alabama-Missisippi TESOL:

    212 presentations, of which 72 were by UAB faculty, instructors, staff, students, and alumni

    301 presenters, of which 101 were UAB faculty, instructors, staff, students, and alumni

    944 attendees: 622 from Alabama and 322 from 23 other states and 6 countries (This conference is planned/implemented by volunteers; it usually averages 400-500 attendees.)

    Chair of the Regional Council of Southeast TESOL Affiliates (2016-17)

    Secretary for the Regional Council of Southeast TESOL Affiliates (2013-16)

    Alternate affiliate representative on the Southeast TESOL Council (2004-12)

    Associate chair and program chair, Southeast TESOL Regional Conference (2008): 970 attendees from 25 states [organized and implemented entirely by volunteers]

    Secretary for the Regional Council of Southeast TESOL Affiliates (2007-08)

  • Other Entities at the Regional Level

    Member of Founders' Council for Southeastern Colloquy for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (2010)

    Session Presider at the MidSouth Education Research Association, Birmingham, AL (November 2006)

  • Alabama-Mississippi TESOL (AMTESOL)

    Board member (2005-present)

    Immediate Past-President (2017)

    President (2016): AMTESOL membership rose from 377 in 2015 to 905 in 2017

    Chair, Annual Conference of the AMTESOL Affiliate (2016, Orange Beach, AL)

    Vice-President for membership on Executive Board (2014)

    Presentation review subcommittee for annual AMTESOL Conferences (2012-14)

    Member-at-large on the Executive Board for AMTESOL Affiliate (2005-13)

  • Other Entities at the State Level

    Invited Participant, Stakeholder Work Group for developing the Alabama State Department of Education's (ALSDE) English Learner Framework for improving English language learner student academic achievement (2020-21)

    Guest presenter, multicultural issues, Judson College (March 2020)

    Board member, Alabama Literacy Alliance (2017-Fall 2019)

    Guest speaker Interactive peer-to-peer oral techniques at the English Language Center, Auburn University Montgomery (2016)

    Dissertation committee member at other universities:

    University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (Holly Hubbard, 2017-present)

    Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL (Stephanie Reynolds, 2015-present)

    Organized and chaired the Session "HB 56 and Public Education" at the Immigration Forum hosted by the Birmingham Area Council on Higher Education-BACHE (2012)

    Invited member on committees and task forces with ALSDE:

    Revising standards for ESL teacher certification (December 1, 2008)

    Identifying solutions for closing ELL achievement gap, Task Force (May 25-27, 2006)

    Assessing ESL comprehensive needs (Sept. 2005, Nov. 2005, Dec. 2005, Jan. 2006, Feb. 2006)

    Invited participant for working with Praxis II #0360 English to Speakers of Other Languages:

    Determining ESOL knowledge of test takers (Spring and Fall 2009)

    Setting standards in seminars offered by Educational Testing Service (2/06/06, 12/12/06)

  • Local/Community Level

    Guest speaker for Professional Development:

    Challenges of being a language learner presented to each grade level team at Bumpus Middle School, Hoover (February 18, 2014)

    Interactive peer-to-peer oral techniques (IPOTs) presented as a professional development workshop for foreign language teachers in Jefferson County (August 2013)

    Panel member for the symposium Raising your child to be multilingual at the Birmingham International Center (2012)

    Guest speaker at The Literacy Council in Birmingham:

    Participated in a presentation to the United Way's Visiting Allocation Team (October 27, 2010)

    Explained UAB's collaboration for literacy development of adult ELLs

    Provided training to volunteer ESL instructors at St. Francis Xavier Church *July 10, 2010)

    Presented Promoting oral interaction among language learners

    Attended Board of Directors meeting (June 30, 2010)

    Presented The power of reciprocal support

    Established partnership between UAB and Literacy Council

    Member of ESL Advisory Councils:

    Homewood City Schools (2007-present)

    Birmingham City Schools (2006-14)

    Jefferson County Schools (2007-14)

    Shelby County Schools (2005-13)

    Volunteer for the Paraguay booth (setting up and staffing) in the Cultural Village FIESTA Latina (2004-07)

    Support for the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (HICA!) by providing letters for grant proposals

    Link to potential teacher applicants for ESL summer program at Indian Springs School (2010)

  • University Level: UAB

    School of Education and Human Sciences representative on campus-wide Curriculum Committee (2019-20)

    Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (2017-August 2019)

    Co-Chair of the Signature Core Curriculum Team (2018)

    Member of the Faculty Senate Executive Council (2015-16 and 2017-19)

    Member of the Faculty Senate:

    Senator (2013-19) and Alternate Senator (2011-13)

    Faculty Senate interviews and Provost candidates (2017)

    Faculty Senate's Curriculum Committee (2011-18)

    Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (2015-17)

    Member of Search Committees:

    Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Spanish (2018-19)

    Executive Director of the INTO-UAB Center (2016)

    Director of the English Language Institute (2014, 2015, and 2016)

    Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (2015)

    Dean of the Graduate School (2015)

    Inaugural Dean of the Honors College (2014)

    Inaugural member of Vice Provost's Academic Council for International Student Success (2016-20)

    Member of the Community Engagement Task Force (2016-17)

    Participant in Kick-off visit by worldwide INTO representatives (2016)

    Member of the Blaze Leadership Academy (2013-14)

    Campus Tour Project: Designed and prepared Walking Tour for New Employees

    Member of the organization committee for the Immigration Forum hosted by BACHE (February 2012)

    Collegial supporter for UAB's English Language Institute (ELI):

    Teacher preparation section in the ELI's accreditation application to the Commission on Educational Accreditation of English language centers (2012-13)

    Letter of support for the ELI's proposal to ACHE for becoming a center (2011)

    Committee member:

    Retention and Graduation Committee (2014-20)

    Technology Use in Classes (2016)

    Academic Programs Review Committee-APRC (2012-15)

    Academic Advisory Council of the Center for Teaching and Learning (2011-13)

    Undergraduate Program Council (2009-11)

    Instructional Environment Committee (2009-11)

    Collaborator with the Foreign Language Department:

    Evaluating the teaching of communicative lessons by two instructors (Fall 2011)

    Serving as guest speaker for the FLL 210 class (almost every semester since 2011)

    Proposing draft for a merged Foreign Language/ESL teacher certification checklist (2010)

    Providing contact for a guest speaker from Paraguay (2006)

    Faculty marshal, UAB Commencement (Spring 2006, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2014, Spring 2016, Fall 2017, 2018)

    Guest speaker:

    Journeying with new languages and cultures: Faculty development on teaching internationals

    UAB Center for Teaching and Learning (August 3, 2017)

    Tips for writing grant proposals

    Writing Retreat for Faculty members (May 18, 2011)

    English Department's Writing Retreat for CAS faculty members (May 17, 2012)

    Tips for raising bilingual children

    UAB's Childcare Center (January 21, 2010)

    Visual analogies in college courses: Bridging from the known to the unknown

    GRD 705 Teaching at the College Level and Beyond (February 11, 2008; March 16, 2009)

    Yes, you can! Effective teaching practices to help English language learners

    English Department's articulation conference for high school teachers

    32nd Annual John J. Haggerty Articulattion Conference (March 3, 2006)

    Faculty host for meeting with visitors:

    Brazilian ESL teacher from the Rotary Club's International Exchange (May 2009)

    High school students for job shadowing hosted by Junior Achievement (Spring 2009)

    Seminar presenter on teaching international students (September 13 and 27, 2010)

    Faculty participants from Art History, Biology, English, Foreign Languages, and Government

  • Unit Level: School of Education and Human Sciences

    Coordinator for all initiatives in partnership with the Peace Corps (2013-present): Coverdell Fellows and formerly the Master's International

    Chair of PhD dissertation committees:

    Matthias Maunsell, ESDP Pedagogical Studies-TESOL (2019-present)

    Melissa Hawkins, ESDP Pedagogical Studies-TESOL (2019-present)

    James Nunez, ESDP Pedagogical Studies-Social Science (2020-present)

    Melinda Harrison, ESDP Pedagogical Studies-TESOL (2020-present)

    Member on PhD dissertation committees:

    Carl Floyd, ESDP Pedagogical Studies-TESOL (2021-present)

    Jennifer Gilbert, ESDP Pedagogical Studies-Mathematics (2021-present)

    Erica Littleton, ESDP Pedagogical Studies (2021-present)

    Rebecca Bidwell, ESDP Pedagogical Studies-Social Science (2019-present)

    Nefertari Yancie, ESDP Pedagogical Studies-Social Science (2020)

    Paulette Evans, ESDP Pedagogical Studies-Science (2019)

    Allison Newton, Early Childhood Education (2016)

    Kellie Carter, Educational Leadership (2012)

    Committee Chair:

    Curriculum and Programs Committee-CPC (2010-11 and 2014-present)

    Nominating Committee for Excellence in Teaching Award (2014, 2015, 2019, 2020)

    ESL program's 20-year Celebration (2019)

    Program Review Subcommittee (2015-17)

    Committee Member:

    Professional Development Advisory Council (2019-20)

    Faculty Issues and Concerns (FIC) Committee, renamed Faculty Affairs (2018-20)

    Program Review Subcommittee: inaugural member (2014) and until it became inactive (2017)

    Nominating Committee for Excellence in Teaching Award (2012-14 and 2018)

    National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Assessment Committee (2013-14)

    NCATE Steering Committee (2011-13)

    Curriculum and Programs Committee (2015): Secretary (2008-10)

    Teacher Leader EdS Subcommittee (2010)

    Recent Experiences Subcommittee (2009)

    Mentoring/Advising Subcommittee (2010)

    Redesign Committee (2008-10)

    Diversity Committee (2006-09)

    Secondary Advisors Committee (2005-06)

    Member of school-wide Search Committee: Associate Dean (2016)

    Member on Task Force:

    Designing proposal to create a PhD program: Educational Studies in Diverse Populations (2014-16)

    Designing EdS Teacher Leader program and its implementation plan (2011-12)

    Presenter at faculty professional development sessions:

    What's it all about? Seminar on preparing educators to teach ELs (Aug. & Sept. 2017, Oct. 2014)

    Linguistic diversity in Alabama (November 2007)

    Providing support to ELLs for school success (November 2006)

    Guest speaker:

    Undergraduate and graduate courses (approximately twice per year, e.g., UAB Teach (since 2015)

    Visits by Future Teachers of America from local high schools (2009 and 2010)

    Search committees:

    Research Assistant Professor (2010)

    Director of Student Teaching (2006)

  • Department Level: Curriculum and Instruction

    Conceptualization and launching of the Julia S. Austin Endowed Scholarship (2019)

    Faculty search committee:

    IDT Assistant Professor - tenure-track, Chair (2020)

    ELL Assistant Professor - tenure-track, Chair (2016)

    ELL Assistant Professor - two non-tenure positions, Chair (2013)

    ELL Assistant Professor - tenure-track (unsuccessful), Chair (2012)

    ELL Assistant Professor - non-tenure position shared with Graduate School (unsuccessful), Chair (2010)

    EdS thesis committee member:

    Susan Goggins, Secondary ELA (2015)

    Stephanie Dillard-McClain, Secondary Mathematics (2014)

    DeAnna Buhl, Elementary Education (2013)

    Cindy Hunt, Secondary Science (2012)

    Mary Earley, Secondary English (2011)

    Program Director for Single Subjects, P-12 (art, music, Spanish, French, and ESL) (2018-present):

    Provide leadership (e.g., program meetings, new courses, information packets)

    Design course schedule, approximately 20 courses per term (fall, spring, summer)

    Oversee adjunct instructors, average of 5 per term

    Promote and maintain outreach to the art, music, and foreign language departments

    Advise graduate students in music and world languages (about 8 per year)

    Coordinate all aspects of ESL teacher education and represent program internally and externally

    Advise and mentor EdS-TESOL students: both tracks (15 per year)

    Advise and mentor MAEd/ESL students: Alternative Track (15 per year)

    Arrange ESL student teacher placements (average: 5 per year)

    Arrange adult ESL apprenticeship internships (average 5 per year)

    Maintain contact with MAEd/ESL alumni

    Program Director for Secondary Education, grades 6-12 (English language arts, math, science, and social science) andd Single Subjects, grades P-12 (art, music, Spanish, French, and ESL) (2012-2018):

    Provide leadership (e.g., program meetings, new courses, information packets)

    Design course schedule, approximately 30 courses per term (fall, spring, summer)

    Oversee adjunct instructors, average of 10 per term

    Promote and maintain outreach to the art, music, and foreign language departments

    Coordinate all aspects of ESL teacher education and represent program internally and externally

    Advise and mentor MAEd/ESL students: Alternative Track (15 per year)

    Arrange ESL student teacher placements (average: 10 per year)

    Arrange adult ESL apprenticeship internships (average: 10 per year)

    Maintain contact with MAEd/ESL alumni

    Program Coordinator for ESL Teacher Education (2005-11):

    Represent program internally and externally

    Provide leadership (e.g., program meetings, syllabi, new courses)

    Create and lead ESL Advisory Council with representatives from 20 entities

    Conceptualize, design, and promote new track for teaching ESL to adult language learners

    Monitor courses (about 10 per term) and oversee adjunct instructors (about 7 per term)

    Arrange and monitor student teaching placements (average: 10 per year)

    Arrange summer internship placements (average: 30 per summer)

    Organize and oversee comprehensive exams (average: 40 per year)

    Plan and implement annual alumni reunions (2009-11)

    Advise and mentor all students pursuing MAEd/ESL (average: 100 per year)

    Oversee comprehensive exams (average: 35 per year, 2005-2011)

    Author of ESL Teacher Education website uab.edu/esl:

    Provide oversight and expansion of website (2012-present)

    Authored early phase of ESL Teacher Education website (2007-11)



2016 02 AMTESOL Conference SpezziniGreet cropped

Dr. Susan Spezzini, 2016 AMTESOL Vice President and Conference Chair, greets attendees as they arrive at the 2016 AMTESOL Conference in Orange Beach, Alabama.