After attending the University of Oregon for a year, Kristin Kinkel won a full scholarship for cheerleading to attend Hawaii Pacific University, where she studied English language teaching. From there, Kristin Kinkel applied her TESOL certification to positions as a bilingual educational assistant in Hillsboro, Oregon, and as an English teacher working with Japanese students in Honolulu, Hawaii.
TESOL is an international association that focuses on excellence in English language teaching through publications, online resources, and events like the 2017 TESOL International Convention and English Language Expo, held this past March in Seattle, Washington.
The convention focused on improving English teaching techniques with modern technology, interconnection, and innovation. Over 6,100 participants attended the conference, representing more than 100 countries all over the world. The conference provided approximately 1,000 different sessions the participants could attend on topics like language assessment, public policy, and technology. Writer Sherman Alexie opened the event with a keynote speech on his experiences living on an Indian reservation and the idea of English identity. The 2018 TESOL convention will be held in Chicago, Illinois.
