Alexandria, VA (27 March 2012)  – TESOL International Association, the professional association for English language educators worldwide, announces the winners of its 2012 awards. These award winners were selected for their service and scholarship to the field of English language teaching and the association. 

The association’s highest honor – the James Alatis Award for Service to TESOL – is presented to Mary Ann Christison of Salt Lake City, Utah. Named after the founder of TESOL International Association, the award is in recognition of Dr. Christison’s many years of service to the association and to the field. Dr. Christison serves on the faculty of the University of Utah, and served as president of TESOL International Association in 1999–2000. The TESOL Presidents’ Award is presented to BRAC (http://www.brac.net) in recognition of their work in development and education, specifically their Post-primary Basic and Continuing Education (PACE) program and support of English language teaching. The Presidents’ Award is presented to an individual or organization outside of the field that has demonstrated a commitment to education. 

Len Rieser of the Education Law Center in Philadelphia, PA will  receive  the 2012 Outstanding U.S. Advocate Honor. The  honor is presented annually to an individual outside the TESOL field who has advocated for English language learners and the field of English language teaching, and is selected by the host affiliate for the annual convention. Len is being recognized for this work supporting the civil rights of English language learners in public schools, and for his efforts to advance English language teaching in Pennsylvania.

The full list of 2012 award recipients is as follows:

• James Alatis Award for Service to TESOL  – presented to Mary Ann Christison of the University of Utah
• TESOL Presidents’ Award  – presented to BRAC (http://www.brac.net/) in recognition of their Post-primary Basic and Continuing Education (PACE) program
• Outstanding U.S. Advocate Honor – presented to Len Rieser of the Education Law Center
• Excellence in Teaching Award  – presented to Lia Kamhi-Stein of the Charter College of Education, California State University, Los Angeles
• Dedication to Community College ESL Teaching Award – presented to Rosemary Zhang of Portland Community College
• Distinguished Research Award – presented to Paula Winke of Michigan State University
• Teacher as Classroom Action Researcher Award  – presented  to Deborah  Robiglio of Glendale Community College
• D. Scott Enright TESOL Interest Section Service Award – presented to Christine BauerRamazani of Saint Michael's College
• Virginia French Allen Award for Scholarship and Service – presented to Jodi Ruback of the College of Southern Nevada
• Mary Finocchiaro Award for Excellence in Nonpublished Pedagogical Material – presented to Sara Okello, Wendy Wang, and Allison Piippo of Eastern Michigan University
• Outstanding Paper on NNEST Issues Award - presented to Slobodanka Dimova of Eastern Carolina University
• Ruth Crymes TESOL Fellowship for Graduate Study – presented to Cui Zhang of Northern Arizona University

The award winners will be recognized and presented their awards at the 2012 TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo, 28-31 March in Philadelphia, PA.
TESOL  thanks the College Board for their  generous  sponsorship of the Teacher as Classroom Action Researcher Award, Eastern Carolina University for their sponsorship of the Outstanding Paper on NNEST Issues Award, and  National Geographic Learning for  their sponsorship of the Excellence in Teaching Award, the Dedication to Community College ESL Teaching Award, and the Distinguished Research 
Award.