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Higher Education SIG

Platform for 2- and 4-year college professors and language instructors to share methodology and pedagogy with members of the WATESOL community.
These professionals draw on personal experiences with students and in the classroom to provide material for workshops and presentations at the Fall Convention and spring SIG events as well as through the monthly WATESOL newsletter.
As a member, you can request workshops of interest or volunteer to lead one.
We are eager to learn from you and your achievements in the field.

Contact Higher Education SIG: higheredsig@watesol.org

Empowering Teachers and Learners

Best Distance Learning Practices

(Video demo link/screenshot/blurb)

Learning Practice Tip 1:

Accessibility and Inclusion with Mercury Reader + Rewordify + Announcify/Speechify

video demo:

How do the learners in your course read texts? What is the reading process like? With the help of these 3-4 tools, this learning process will become accessible, and fun! Yes, fun... for all your learners!
Click here for Additional material

Learning Practice Tip 2:

Flipping on the Fly Parts I-II

video demo:

To access more video demos, click here:
WATESOL Flipgrid
Email pd@watesol.org if you want to submit a video demo.

Best In-Class Practices

(Video demo link/screenshot/blurb)

HAVE A BEST PRACTICE TO SHARE??

Email pd@watesol.org to submit a video, screenshot, or quick summary.

WATESOL Professional Learning Circle

Monthly Discussions and Reflections

From the FALL 2021 WATESOL Conference Higher Ed SIG Session

The 7 Terms and Conditions of a Robust Learning-Centered Community

TOPIC: Instructors as Leaders and Collaborators: Advocating for community building, equitable access and diverse student needs.

Meeting recording
Slides

TOPIC: Instructors as Facilitators: Facilitating Class discussions and supporting student achievement.

WATESOL Higher Ed Slack chat:https://join.slack.com/t/watesolhigheredsig/shared_invite/zt-m61plgsm-IupOHbpW61zmMNCJtP5nCA

Would you like to run an online discussion about a new book? New research? A new podcast? An inspirational TED talk or Ignite talk? Would you like to chat about teaching with other Higher Ed SIG members? - Suggest a topic!

Email pd@watesol.org if you want to submit an informal detailed proposal for an online discussion.

RESOURCES

Web Articles

Journal Articles

Bauler, C. V., & Cushing, I. (2026). Dialogue Across Borders: Dismantling Deficit Thinking in TESOL Teacher Education. TESOL Journal.
Woffinden, K., Baker, M. J., Eckstein, G., & Hartshorn, K. J. (2026). Varying Perceptions of TESOL Instruction from Experts, Peers, and Learners. TESOL Quarterly.
A GUIDE TO THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM
Relevant AERA Journal Articles
Wendt, J., & Courduff, J. (2018). The relationship between teacher immediacy, perceptions of learning, and computer-mediated graduate course outcomes among primarily Asian international students enrolled in an U.S. university. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 15(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-018-0115-0
Yakunina, E., Weigold, I., Weigold, A., Hercegovac, S., & Elsayed, N. (2013). International Students’ Personal and Multicultural Strengths: Reducing Acculturative Stress and Promoting Adjustment. Journal of Counseling & Development, 91(2), 216–223. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2013.00088.x
Hsu, C., & Huang, I. (2017). Are International Students Quiet in Class? The Influence of Teacher Confirmation on Classroom Apprehension and Willingness to Talk in Class. Journal of International Students, 7(1), 38–52. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v7i1.244
Macgregor, A., & Folinazzo, G. (2018). Best Practices in Teaching International Students in Higher Education: Issues and Strategies. TESOL Journal, 9(2), 299–329.
Teaching Tolerance. Let’s Talk: A Guide to Facilitating Critical Conversations With Students. Montgomery: The Southern Poverty Law Center. (2019). Retrieved 3 March 2020.
How to Hold a Better Class Discussion. (2019). Retrieved 3 March 2020.

Books

Staehr-Fenner, D., & Snyder, S. (2017). Unlocking English learners’ Potential: Strategies for making content comprehensible. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Calderon, M., et al. (2019). Breaking down the wall: Essential shifts for English learners’ success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Talks/Videos

Podcasts/Blogs

Conference Presentation Material

WATESOL 2019 Slides

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