About

Welcome to our website. Our Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ATESOL NSW) is NSW’s only professional association concerned with the teaching of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) across primary, secondary and tertiary contexts.


ATESOL NSW Inc. is a non-profit professional association that was formed in 1971 and was known as ATEFL. It assumed its current name in March 2002. ATESOL NSW is an affiliate of the Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA), which is the peak body for all state and territory TESOL associations in Australia.

Please visit the ACTA website to access resources, read about current research in the field and support important advocacy initiatives:

ACTA Website

ACTA publishes the journal TESOL in Context. The journal is peer reviewed and attracts high quality articles from experts in the TESOL field. For more information, please visit:

TESOL in Context - Current Edition

TESOL in Context - Archives

ATESOL NSW's members come from all education systems and sectors: early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, ELICOS, adult and community education. Our mission is to advocate on behalf of and improve educational outcomes for learners of English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D), including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who speak traditional Indigenous languages, creoles and varieties of Aboriginal English.

The objectives of the association are:
▪  to promote intercultural harmony within the Australian community by supporting educators and all those with an interest in the teaching and learning of English as an additional language or dialect;
▪  to assist in maintaining and improving the standards of instruction in TESOL to young people and adults in NSW schools, TAFE colleges and other public and private educational institutions;
▪  to promote fellowship, mutual co-operation and understanding between members of the association, and with other individuals or associations with similar objectives.

To achieve its objectives, our association:
▪  conducts professional learning workshops for ESL, ESOL and EAL/D teachers in NSW;
▪  consults with and advises educational policy-makers in NSW;
▪  speaks out about matters that affect our learners and their families;
▪  promotes academic research in the field;
▪  publishes digital newsletters and assists with research reports;
▪  organises symposia and action research opportunities;
▪  works with other organisations to improve the educational achievement of learners of English as an additional language or dialect.

Acknowledgement of Country
ATESOL NSW acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples, the First Australians, as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders past and present, and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

ATESOL NSW Inc. © 2018-2022
ABN 45 769 925 602

Professional Teachers' Council:
PO Box 699
Lidcombe NSW 1825
P (02) 9716 0378
F (02) 9564 2342