Uncategorized | The Fair List https://thefairlist.org Encouraging gender balance among speakers at ELT events in the UK Tue, 31 Dec 2024 16:26:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 The Future https://thefairlist.org/the-future/ Tue, 31 Dec 2024 16:26:41 +0000 https://thefairlist.org/?p=8245 I started The Fair List, UK award in 2013. It ran, apart from a break  in 2020 due to the global pandemic, for ten years or so. As I had finished most of my own TEFL/TESOL work by the end of 2020, it felt more and more far fetched each year to be giving awards to organisers […]

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]]> I started The Fair List, UK award in 2013. It ran, apart from a break  in 2020 due to the global pandemic, for ten years or so. As I had finished most of my own TEFL/TESOL work by the end of 2020, it felt more and more far fetched each year to be giving awards to organisers of events that I no longer attended. So, in the winter of 2024/25 I decided to discontinue the scheme.

Our most important future action had been planned to be the mentoring of women speakers at plenary, keynote or panel level. To this end, we  produced the mentoring pages you can still find on this web site.

But by now another organisation had grown and flourished, EVE or Equal Voices in ELT. EVE’s current main focus is working with Teachers’ Associations around the world to mentor women, encouraging them to speak at ELT/TESOL conferences.  I couldn’t be happier that the work goes on!

I will keep this website live for as long as I am able. It has its place in the history of women in TEFL and may have useful resources for you. I wish you all success too in improving the representation of women at a high level at ELT conferences.   

Tessa Woodward*

(Founder of The Fair List, UK)

*If you would like to know what has been distracting me from TEFL/TESOL, please visit www.tessaswriting.co.uk.

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]]> The Fair List, UK and the year 2023  https://thefairlist.org/the-fair-list-uk-and-the-year-2023/ Mon, 01 Jan 2024 16:37:53 +0000 https://thefairlist.org/?p=8226 The pandemic and the associated lockdowns are feeling far away in time now and so there were plenty of interesting ELT events based in the UK in 2023, both face to face, via cyberspace and in hybrid form. We were back up into the twenties again for the number of event organisers making it onto The […]

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]]> The pandemic and the associated lockdowns are feeling far away in time now and so there were plenty of interesting ELT events based in the UK in 2023, both face to face, via cyberspace and in hybrid form. We were back up into the twenties again for the number of event organisers making it onto The Fair List, UK awards list for great representation of women at plenary, keynote and panel speaker level. Wonderful! Check out the list on the History/Events page under 2023. Everyone on the list will get a playful certificate as a support for their work. If you are a recipient of one and you wish to add a photo of your committee or to print the certificate out several times for different committee members or print it out on nice thick paper (most printers will take classy 150 gsm linen effect paper), then please go ahead!

Well done to all of the event organisers!

All good wishes

Tessa Woodward
Founder
The Fair List, UK

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]]> UK ELT events are happening again! https://thefairlist.org/uk-elt-events-are-happening-again/ Sun, 01 Jan 2023 17:59:21 +0000 https://thefairlist.org/?p=4515 Oh! My goodness what a funny two years! But 2022 and UK ELT events are happening again and so, yippee, The Fair List, UK is back! Feeling superstitious though, after all our lock downs and hiccoughs, and just in case I couldn’t get to IATEFL Harrogate conference in 2023, I plumped for sending out certificates by email […]

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]]> Oh! My goodness what a funny two years! But 2022 and UK ELT events are happening again and so, yippee, The Fair List, UK is back!

Feeling superstitious though, after all our lock downs and hiccoughs, and just in case I couldn’t get to IATEFL Harrogate conference in 2023, I plumped for sending out certificates by email this year instead of organising our usual event cum party at the IATEFL conference in the following year. Well, ‘baby steps’ as people say!

If those on the list wish to add a photo of their committee or to print the certificate out several times for different committee members or print it out on nice thick paper (most printers will take 150 gsm linen effect paper), then they can!

Well done to all of them!

To see the list of organisers who put on events with plenty of women in plenary or keynote speaker or panellist roles, please click here.

And I hope we will all be able to organise and enjoy all the ELT events we would like to from now on. And may they all be gender balanced!

All good wishes

Tessa Woodward
Founder
The Fair List, UK

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]]> The Fair List, UK and the years 2020 and onwards https://thefairlist.org/the-fair-list-uk-and-the-years-2020-and-onwards/ Sun, 01 Mar 2020 18:13:22 +0000 https://thefairlist.org/?p=4551 In 2020, the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ELT world enjoyed one gender-balanced event in the UK in January, the English UK Academic conference. By mid-March everything had closed down and since then there have been no big face to face events here. Organisations in the UK have done their absolute best to […]

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]]> In 2020, the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ELT world enjoyed one gender-balanced event in the UK in January, the English UK Academic conference.
By mid-March everything had closed down and since then there have been no big face to face events here.
Organisations in the UK have done their absolute best to offer interesting events for professional development on current e-learning platforms, such as Zoom, which allow us to see, hear and read each other, often for free, and from the comfort of our own homes, no travelling necessary.
These events throw up a conundrum for The Fair List, UK however. This is usually the time of year when I draw up a list for our annual awards event. But a succession of presenters at a zoom event means that, in effect, every speaker is a plenary speaker since we can experience only one at a time. There are no simultaneous parallel presentations. And with social distancing requirements, having a panel discussion is very difficult, if not impossible.
So, until such time that the majority of our professional community can reconvene, The Fair List, UK is on pause. There were no awards events in 2020 or 2021. We hope for better in 2022 onwards.’.
Meanwhile, as people say nowadays…
Stay safe!
Tessa Woodward
(Founder of The Fair List, UK)

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]]> Annual Awards https://thefairlist.org/annual-awards/ Wed, 22 Jan 2020 16:33:44 +0000 http://thefairlist.org/?p=4437 Most years I organise an awards event on the evening programme of the IATEFL conference in March/April of the year following. Occasionally, when I do not plan to attend the conference, (as this year’s Manchester conference) I send an e-certificate to celebrate the event organisers on the list. So those on the list for January […]

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]]> Most years I organise an awards event on the evening programme of the IATEFL conference in March/April of the year following. Occasionally, when I do not plan to attend the conference, (as this year’s Manchester conference) I send an e-certificate to celebrate the event organisers on the list.

So those on the list for January to December 2019 (click here to see the list!) were sent an e-certificate this time! If they wish to add a photo of their committee or to print the certificate out several times for different committee members or print it out on nice thick paper (most printers will take 150 gsm linen effect paper), then they can!

Well done to all of them!

Tessa Woodward
Founder
The Fair List, UK

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]]> Annual awards event https://thefairlist.org/annual-awards-event-2/ Thu, 25 Apr 2019 08:25:05 +0000 http://thefairlist.org/?p=4367 The Fair List, UK held its annual awards event at the IATEFL conference in Liverpool, UK on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019 from 7-8 pm. What happened We had a micro introduction to who and why we are. This was followed by expressions of gratitude to Greenall and Florent Books Ltd, for providing lavish drinks and […]

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]]> The Fair List, UK held its annual awards event at the IATEFL conference in Liverpool, UK on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019 from 7-8 pm.

What happened
We had a micro introduction to who and why we are. This was followed by expressions of gratitude to Greenall and Florent Books Ltd, for providing lavish drinks and nibbles and for paying for the room hire. Thanks also went to Chris Barker for setting up and managing our Facebook page and to Susan Barduhn for her talk on International Women’s Day about The Fair List for the EFL Talks ‘Women in ELT’ conference. 

Who is on the list for events in 2018?
Next, the ELT event organisers on the list for January to December 2018 were announced. These people were responsible for managing a good gender balance of plenary/keynote speakers or speaker panels and electronic sources at the following events January-December 2018:

Single events:
NATECLA, July event
English UK Academic Conference January
The Hands Up Project April event
UCLAN May mini-conference
Trinity/Regent ‘The Future of ELT’ conference June
The ELTONS Innovations Awards event June
Canterbury Christ Church University ‘Cutting Edges’ conference June

IATEFL Brighton conference plenary speakers
IATEFL Brighton Associates Day
IATEFL Brighton Special Interest Group (SIG) Pre-conference events (PCEs) for the following SIGs:

– Business English/ESP world cafe
– Testing, Evaluation and Assessment
– Global Issues
– Inclusive Practices and SEN
– LAMSIG /TD
– Learning Technologies
– Literature
– Materials Writing
– Research/Learner Autonomy
– Young Learners and Teenagers
– Teacher Training and Education/Pronunciation

Event Series:
British Council Teaching English webinars and English Agenda webinars
IATEFL webinar series and web conferences
IATEFL Brighton ‘How to…….’ Sessions

The list of balanced events has grown from year to year and this is the longest list we have ever had. So, congratulations to all the event organisers!
We finished the event with an awareness-raising activity entitled ‘Women doing interesting things’.

And a jolly good time was had by all!
Tessa Woodward

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]]> Annual awards event https://thefairlist.org/annual-awards-event/ Tue, 15 May 2018 07:05:16 +0000 http://thefairlist.org/?p=4353 The Fair List, UK held its annual awards event at the IATEFL conference in Brighton, UK on Wednesday, April 11th, 2018 from 7-9 pm. What happened We had a micro introduction to who and why we are. This was followed by expressions of gratitude to Greenall and Florent Books Ltd, for providing lavish drinks and […]

The post Annual awards event first appeared on The Fair List.

]]> The Fair List, UK held its annual awards event at the IATEFL conference in Brighton, UK on Wednesday, April 11th, 2018 from 7-9 pm.

What happened
We had a micro introduction to who and why we are. This was followed by expressions of gratitude to Greenall and Florent Books Ltd, for providing lavish drinks and nibbles. Thank you, Simon and Jill! Thanks also went to Chris Barker for setting up and managing our Facebook page and to Susan Barduhn for her talk on International Women’s Day about The Fair List for the EFL Talks ‘Women in ELT’ conference.

Who is on the list for events in 2017?
Next, the ELT event organisers on the list for January to December 2017 were announced. These people were responsible for managing a good gender balance of plenary/keynote speakers or speaker panels at the following events:

ETp Live!
British Council Teaching English webinars and English Agenda webinars
International House Academic Managers and Trainers (AMT) conference
NATECLA Nottingham conference
English UK Management conference
IATEFL webinar series
IATEFL Glasgow conference plenary speakers
IATEFL Glasgow Associates Day
IATEFL Glasgow ‘How to…….’ Sessions
IATEFL Glasgow Special Interest Group (SIG) Pre-conference events (PCEs) for the following SIGs:
– Business English
– English for Special Purposes and Testing, Evaluation and Assessment
– Global Issues
– Inclusive Practices and SEN
– Learner Autonomy
– Materials Writing
– Research
– Young Learners and Teenagers
– Teacher Training and Education

As those on the list collected their playful certificates, there was applause, photos were taken and there were streamers, balloons and associated (positive) mayhem!

After that…
As usual, I offered an awareness-raising event for all, one designed to find the most gender aware person in the room!

I also gave space to those who wished to talk about connected initiatives and so we heard from Sue Leather and Fiona Mauchline about EVE:
https://evecalendar.wordpress.com

from Varinder Unlu about ELT too:
https://elttoo.wordpress.com

and from Nina Loback about an initiative in Brazil TESOL Voices SIG BT which we hope she will blog about soon.
voicessig@gmail.com

We finished off with general chat and laughter plus thoughts of maybe putting together a panel for IATEFL Liverpool, 2019!

Tessa Woodward
The Founder
The Fair List, UK

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]]> Upcoming awards event https://thefairlist.org/upcoming-awards-event/ Mon, 05 Feb 2018 05:50:50 +0000 http://thefairlist.org/?p=4344 The Fair List, UK is holding its annual awards event at the IATEFL conference in Brighton, UK. The date is Wednesday, April 11th 2018 and the time is 7-9 pm. (Please check the conference programme for the room number) Thanks to Greenall and Florent Books Ltd, there will be drinks and nibbles. Thank you, Simon […]

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]]> The Fair List, UK is holding its annual awards event at the IATEFL conference in Brighton, UK. The date is Wednesday, April 11th 2018 and the time is 7-9 pm. (Please check the conference programme for the room number) Thanks to Greenall and Florent Books Ltd, there will be drinks and nibbles. Thank you, Simon and Jill!

Please come along to the get-together of the friends of the list. There will be a micro introduction to who and why we are and an update on our mentoring scheme, our new Facebook page and other news. You can find out who is on the list for 2017 and what they did to get on it. There’ll be playful certificates, applause and photos of those on The Fair List for events held in 2017
As usual, I’ll offer an interesting awareness-raising event for all. We can also discuss plans for the future.
The zeitgeist is with us this year. And I hope you will be too!

Tessa Woodward
The Founder
The Fair List, UK

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]]> Book Review and Facebook News https://thefairlist.org/book-review-and-facebook-news/ Mon, 18 Sep 2017 10:37:19 +0000 http://thefairlist.org/?p=4328 Over the summer I read a book called ‘Lab Girl’ and would highly recommend it. It is written by Hope Jahren. She is an American geochemist and geobiologist at the University of Oslo, known for her work using stable isotope analysis to analyse fossil forests dating to the Eocene. She has won many prestigious awards […]

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]]> Over the summer I read a book called ‘Lab Girl’ and would highly recommend it. It is written by Hope Jahren. She is an American geochemist and geobiologist at the University of Oslo, known for her work using stable isotope analysis to analyse fossil forests dating to the Eocene. She has won many prestigious awards in the field, including the James B. Macelwane Medal of the American Geophysical Union. Her book Lab Girl (2016) has been applauded as both “a personal memoir and a paean to the natural world” and a literary fusion of memoir and science writing. She has a blog at: https://hopejahrensurecanwrite.com/ where she comments on relations between women and men in the scientific community.

Also over the summer there has been co-operation with the ‘Women in ELT’ Facebook group and a new group of mentors have been added to the ones already with us. Please see their details on the Mentoring pages here.

Which brings me to the big news in terms of social media. Christine Barker, a long-term supporter of The Fair List, UK has set up a Facebook page for us. You can reach it via this link: https://www.facebook.com/The-Fair-List-UK-322813101464441/
Chris will be managing the page for us, acknowledging and commenting and so on…… much to my relief. Thank you, Chris!

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]]> Body Language https://thefairlist.org/body-language/ Mon, 27 Feb 2017 12:14:07 +0000 http://thefairlist.org/?p=4309 Got a job interview coming up? About to give a plenary talk? According to Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk ‘Your body language shapes who you are’. Just two minutes in private just before the event can help your outcome. Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social […]

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]]> Got a job interview coming up? About to give a plenary talk? According to Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk ‘Your body language shapes who you are’. Just two minutes in private just before the event can help your outcome.

Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success. (Note: Some of the findings presented in her talk have been referenced in an ongoing debate among social scientists about robustness and reproducibility. So be sure to read Amy Cuddy’s response under “Learn more” in this link.)

Don’t forget, if you are planning a UK ELT event and thinking about plenary speakers for it, we do now have an offer of mentoring. (See the Mentoring Pages on this web site.)

All good wishes
Tessa Woodward
(Founder of The Fair List, UK)

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