Hot Topic Panels are discussions on particular topics and include panels of 3-5 experts, a facilitator, and the audience. The facilitator may ask each panel member to be prepared to speak about his or her experiences with the topic, followed by questions from the facilitator and then questions from the audience. Hot Topic Panels are designed to be a great exchange of information on a particular emerging topic in the profession. The panels will use the following format: 20 minutes for introductions, 55 minutes for facilitator questions, and 30 minutes for audience questions and discussion. The following are the Hot Topics for 2005:
- The Teaching and Learning of Grammar
- The Teaching and Learning of Reading
- The Teaching and Learning of Writing
- The Teaching and Learning of Pronunciation
- Corpus Studies in the TESOL Profession
- Responses to Standards-Based Education
- Teaching Content to ESL Learners
- Action Research in TESOL
- Curricula in MA TESOL Programs
- Sociocultural Contexts and Teaching EFL
- Conflict Resolution in the TESOL Profession
- Defining the "Highly Qualified" Teacher
- Raising the Status of the ESL Profession
- TESOL and the Assessment Movement
More information on Hot Topics will be available in the online TESOL 2005 Program Planner, which will open to the public in late January 2005.