BALTIMORE Going without a script, TESOL President Andy Curtis spoke from the heart to attendees Wednesday morning at TESOL 2016. As president of TESOL in the same year as its celebration of 50 years, Curtis spoke with enthusiasm and excitement.

He began the morning keynote discussing his background and how he gave up a clinical biochemistry profession for language education.

"Teachers change the world," he said, as he shared a thank-you card he received 20 years ago. Curtis expressed how we talk a lot about how the education industry is changing, but it's more than just change.

"Change is not the same as innovation: The more things change, the more they stay the same," he said. "All innovation is change, but not all change is innovation. For it to be innovation, it must be planned and purposeful and positive. Change can be random, accidental and negative."

On that note, Curtis began sharing with attendees what has changed in the world of education in the last 50 years of TESOL.

Global spread of technology

There's a great digital divide across the world on how students are educated and the tools they have. Investing heavily in school computers and classroom technology does not improve students' performance, according to a global study from the OECD.

Not only is there a divide regarding access to technology, but students are able to learn through the Internet, which Curtis said hasn't proven to be the best: "17 U.S. states with online charter schools found 'significantly weaker academic performance' in math and reading in these virtual schools compared with the conventional school system."

TESOL President Andy Curtis

The evolution of language

From trendy words to the social norm, language is now changing on a daily basis. For example, the popularity of emoticons is creating "an emerging language that could soon compete with English in global usage."

Language is so easily manipulated that an 8-year-old Italian boy invented the word "petaloso," meaning full of petals. His teacher loved it, and they started a social media campaign to spread the word in order for it to be placed in the next Italian-English dictionary. Their campaign worked, and "petaloso" will be in the next edition.

It's been said the nature of the English language itself is also changing, and there are far more non-native users of it than native. No matter how much the language actually changes, individuals will adapt to it as one of the main languages spoken throughout the world. For example, it's been said "even the Queen no longer speaks the 'Queen’s English.'"

Language teaching and the centrality of context

We've been going through a phase where educators think they're post methods in their teaching, but Curtis has found from his knowledge and experience that we're actually not.

Educators have specific plans and theories on how they teach their students — thus becoming methods. Context is everything when it comes to education; it's just a matter of how it's taught.

"We make the context central to everything," Curtis said.

The history of TESOL

TESOL has created a timeline of their history in order to share these moments with others. TESOL has accomplished many great things throughout its 50 years, like "taking TESOL to the world." As the association continues its remarkable tradition through the world, it plans to make an impact on not only educators, but students as well.

With all of the change and innovation going on throughout the industry, Curtis wanted to end the morning with his top three culminating statements. Because not only does the industry change, but so do industry leaders and educators.

Teachers have the power of education and language, which is exactly what he described to attendees. Language is powerful, and many have used it to make enemies while some have used it for peace.

"An educated person is dangerous because they then have the capacity to challenge and question you and become a future enemy," Curtis said.

Take these words from world leaders, for example:

  • "Education is dangerous. Every educated person is a future enemy." — Hermann Wilhelm Göring, a German politician, military leader and top member of the Nazi Party
  • "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." — Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa
  • "I know words, I have the best words. I have the best, but there is no better word than stupid. I love the poorly educated!" — Donald Trump, leading presidential candidate for the Republican Party

TESOL professionals can and do change the world, and change it for the better. TESOL professionals not only change lives, but also save lives.

These two statements connect in such ways that Curtis feels that he's saved more lives as an educator than he had as a medic. To put it in perspective, he gave a little history on his life.

His parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on, were captured and enslaved. Curtis is the first of his and many generations that isn't a slave. But why isn't Curtis a slave?

"Education," he said.

You may not see the difference in the lives of the students each day, week, months or years. It may even take generations, but Curtis promises, "We are changing the world for the better, and we are saving lives."