2027 Professional Development Conference: Call for Proposals

Conference Date: February 26, 2027

The EnglishUSA Virtual Professional Development Conference (PDC) brings together English language program (ELP) professionals for a day of learning, idea-sharing, and connection.

EnglishUSA invites administrators, faculty, staff, and other professionals to share practical strategies, emerging practices, lessons learned, and new perspectives that support the people and programs that make up the U.S. English language field.

We welcome proposals that address current needs and challenges, encourage meaningful exchange, and provide ideas or approaches participants can take back to their programs and professional roles.

You do not need to be an EnglishUSA member to submit a proposal. New and first-time presenters are encouraged to participate.

Call For Proposals

Topic Areas

Proposals are welcomed across the range of areas important to English language programs and the professionals who work in them, including:

Curriculum development
Innovative programming
Student services, success & support
Leadership & management
Marketing & student recruitment
Professional development for faculty & staff
Student assessment
Standards, regulations & compliance
Teaching & learning practices
Workplace well-being
AI in teaching, learning & administration
Partnerships & collaboration
Other emerging issues affecting English language programs and professionals

Session Types

Proposals may be submitted in one of four formats:

1) Presentation

Presentations feature one or two presenters sharing effective practices, research, lessons learned, new approaches, or professional insights.

Sessions should include opportunities for questions and participant engagement and emphasize ideas and takeaways that are relevant beyond a single institution or program.

2) Panel Discussion

Panels bring together 2-4 speakers to offer different perspectives on a shared issue or topic.

Panels should be designed as a conversation rather than a series of individual presentations, with sufficient time for discussion among panelists and interaction with attendees.

3) Interactive Workshop

Workshops are highly participatory sessions designed to help attendees develop a skill, explore an issue, work through a challenge, or apply an approach to their own professional context.

Workshops may incorporate Zoom breakout rooms, collaborative activities, guided exercises, or other forms of interaction. Activities should directly support the session's objectives and provide participants with useful takeaways.

4) Open Forum

Open Forums are facilitated discussions centered on a timely issue, shared challenge, or area of professional interest.

Rather than delivering a formal presentation, facilitators briefly frame the topic and use guiding questions to encourage conversation, peer exchange, and the sharing of experiences, ideas, and approaches.

Proposal Selection Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed by the EnglishUSA conference planning team and evaluated with the following criteria in mind:

Relevance to English Language Professionals
The proposal addresses a topic, challenge, opportunity, or emerging issue relevant to professionals working in English language programs.
Clear Objectives & Takeaways
The proposal clearly identifies what participants will learn, explore, or be able to apply in their programs or professional practice.
Quality & Substance
The session offers meaningful content, useful insights, effective practices, new perspectives, or opportunities for substantive professional discussion.
Applicability Beyond a Single Program
Examples and case studies are welcome, but sessions should draw out lessons, approaches, or implications useful across a variety of programs and professional contexts.
Audience Engagement
The session provides appropriate opportunities for questions, discussion, reflection, collaboration, or other meaningful participant engagement.
Presenter Expertise & Perspective
Presenters demonstrate relevant knowledge, experience, or perspective related to the proposed topic. Previous conference presentation experience is not required.
Format Alignment
The proposed content and approach are well suited to the selected session format.

Additional Considerations

Diverse Perspectives: Proposals that bring together perspectives from different programs, institutions, professional roles, or experiences are encouraged when appropriate to the topic.
New Voices Welcome: EnglishUSA welcomes both experienced presenters and those presenting at an EnglishUSA—or professional—conference for the first time.
Noncommercial Content: Sessions should focus on professional learning and the exchange of knowledge, practices, perspectives, and resources. Sessions may not be used primarily to promote a particular product, service, program, organization, or commercial interest.
Balanced Program: In addition to individual proposal evaluations, the conference planning team will consider the overall balance of topics, audiences, professional roles, perspectives, and session formats.
Potential for Collaboration: Submitters may be invited to combine or adapt proposals when similar or complementary topics are submitted. EnglishUSA may also suggest an alternative session format when a proposal is particularly well suited to presentation, workshop, panel, or peer discussion.

Presenter Participation

You do not need to be an EnglishUSA member to submit a proposal.

EnglishUSA conference presenters participate on a voluntary basis and are not compensated for their participation. Presenters whose proposals are accepted will be expected to register for the 2027 Professional Development Conference.

Presenter registration information, virtual presentation requirements, and additional session guidelines will be provided with acceptance notifications.

Key Dates

Call for Proposals Opens: Early October
Proposal Submission Deadline: December 3, 2026
Presenter Notifications: Mid-January 2027
2027 Virtual Professional Development Conference: February 26, 2027