Host LESLLA in Your City
LESLLA Symposium Host City Requirements and Guidelines
Thank you for thinking about hosting a LESLLA Symposium!
Since 2005, LESLLA has organized annual symposia. In this text you will find host city requirements and guidelines.
What we offer symposium hosts:
In 2018, LESLLA elected its first leadership, and we now have a Board of Directors, non-profit status and banking established, as well as a membership list. We are ready to support the host city in their work to host the LESLLA Symposium. We recognize that hosting our symposium is a big undertaking and requires many volunteer hours from the symposium organizers, but we are here to assist and support this work! LESLLA will provide seed money to get started, previous symposium chairs’ planning documents, regular meeting time to answer your questions and, and 20+ years of experience in making this symposium a reality. We also will assist with the publishing of the proceedings volume following the symposium.
What do you get for putting on the LESLLA symposium?
By bringing LESLLA to you, you are offering your local LESLLA educators a chance to go to an international teaching and research symposium they may never otherwise be able to attend! People who are fortunate enough to attend LESLLA come away with not only great ideas to improve their teaching and research, but extraordinary networking opportunities, new resources, and the chance to be a part of an international community working toward a common vision: serving LESLLA learners more effectively worldwide. In addition, by hosting this symposium you can shine a light on the excellent LESLLA education happening in your area, lift up the students and teachers involved in this complex work, and bring much needed attention to immigrants and refugees in your area and the policies that affect them.
We hope you will consider becoming our host for one of the years ahead! Please review the basic and desired requirements below, and fill out the Google Form indicating your interest. The form is not a promise to host, nor is it binding in any way, it simply indicates you would like to talk more about this opportunity.
Thank you! We look forward to talking with you more and possibly bringing LESLLA to YOU!
Best wishes,
LESLLA Board of Directors
June 2026
Basic requirements:
1. Travel
Nearby airport
Reliable transportation from airport to symposium venue
2. Symposium venue
University, symposium center, or other venue with numerous meeting rooms, both small and large
Chairs, tables, easels, etc. available
Wifi access
Computers, screens, smartboards, etc
Risk mitigation for airborne viruses, such as air filters, ventilation standards, etc.
3. Capacity to plan an integrated hybrid symposium
4. Lodging
A range of accommodations ($, $$, $$$)
5. Symposium committee
A core symposium committee committed to serving for at least one year
Head symposium committee member must commit to serving for two years
Year 1: Plan and host
Year 2: Help with subsequent symposium (e.g. write a report on symposium planning and results; be available to meet with upcoming symposium host up to two to three times as needed)
Student or volunteer workers to assist with pre-symposium preparation
6. Public transportation
Safe, reliable, inexpensive with easy access to symposium venue, lodging, and restaurants
7. Services
Copy and/or printing services
International banking options
Desired, but not required:
1 Travel
International airport nearby
Public transportation from airport to symposium venue
2. Symposium venue
Within easy walking distance to lodging, restaurants, interesting activities
3. Lodging
Easy walking distance to the symposium venue and to restaurants
4. Travel draw
Desirable location for out-of-towners to travel to
5. Entertainment
Available cultural or outdoors activities for the evenings or days before/after symposium
6. Interpretation
Host country language
Sign language, if requested
7. Local work
Local schools or education centers for LESLLA learners that can be toured possibly as pre-symposium visits
Other considerations for symposiums:
1 Social, economic, or political factors that might prevent robust participation
2. Language policy: in non-English speaking countries, encourage the use of local languages.
3. Symposium planning
Maintain website content for the symposium
Use the LESLLA logo
Advertise the symposium at the international level (use the LESLLA mailing list, Linguist List, TESOL, AAAL, BAAL, etc.)
Ensure proposal submissions undergo an anonymous peer-review process
Contact LESLLA board for recommendations for keynote speakers
Reserve space for workshops, posters, and talks
Combine academic program with cultural/social activities
Consider pre-symposium visits to educational institutes working with LESLLA learners
4. Request diet requirements before ordering meals/coffee breaks
5. Organize symposium dinner (participants pay extra fee)
6. Reserve time for hybrid LESLLA business meeting
7. Take photos during the symposium and post on the LESLLA website or social media
8. Be prepared to issue proof of attendance certificates
9. Be prepared to offer invitations for folks needing to get visas to attend
10. Upload participant data to the LESLLA database
11. Contribute relevant planning information to the Google Drive
12. Connect with the LESLLA Publication editors about the symposium proceedings, especially if you have a particular vision about how you’d like the Proceedings to reflect the scope and focus of your Symposium.
Questions? Please contact us: president@leslla.org