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In:Professional Development in Applied Linguistics: A guide to success for graduate students and early career faculty
Edited by Luke Plonsky
[Not in series 229] 2020
► pp. 139–152

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Chapter 10
Engaging with professional organizations

 | Georgetown University
Published online: 30 July 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/z.229.10byr
Abstract
In this article I argue that contributing to professional organizations is a particularly beneficial way of finding personal and professional enrichment and opportunities for creative and meaningful engagement toward addressing language-related societal issues. Such an engagement can continue to shape, often in unexpected but deeply rewarding ways, one’s identity in applied linguistics over an entire professional career. I exemplify this position by tracing my own involvement with five professional organizations, in each case asking three interwoven questions: What were the language-focused societal – the ‘real world’ – issues as I perceived them at the time when I was most deeply involved with them? What focused projects and opportunities for enlarging my understanding of the field presented themselves? And what were the long-term lessons that I took away from the experience?
Article outline
  • Making the case
  • Charting the course
  • The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG)
    • What were the real world issues?
    • ACTFL, AATG, and the proficiency and Standards movements
    • What did I learn?
  • The Northeast Conference On The Teaching Of Foreign Languages (NECTFL)
    • What were the real-world issues?
    • What did I learn?
  • The Modern Language Association (MLA)
    • What were – and are – the real-world issues?
    • What did I learn?
  • The College Board
  • The American Association For Applied Linguistics (AAAL) – and concluding reflections
    • What were the real-world issues?
    • What might we yet learn?
  • References
References (7)
References
ACTFL. (2014). ACTFL global competence position statement. Retrieved from <[URL]> (22 July, 2017).Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2012. (2012). Retrieved from <[URL]> (22 July, 2017).
Halliday, M. A. K. (2002). Applied linguistics as an evolving theme. In J. J. Webster (Ed.), Language and education (pp. 1–19). London: Continuum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
MLA Ad Hoc Committee on Foreign Languages. (2007). Foreign languages and higher education: New structures for a changed world. Profession 2007, 234–245. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ortega, L. (2005). For what and for whom is our research? The ethical as transformative lens in instructed SLA. Modern Language Journal, 89, 427–443. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Standards. (2006). Standards for foreign language learning in the 21st century. National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project. Lawrence, KS: Allen Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (1)

Cited by one other publication

Liu, Andy Jiahao
2024. Demystifying the Process of Attending, Presenting at, and Reviewing for Academic Conferences. In Preparing Students From the Academic World to Career Paths [Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development, ], ► pp. 12 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 24 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

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