Dr. Rai Farrelly Highlights Learner Agency in Keynote at Michigan TESOL Conference

On November 8, 2025, Dr. Raichle (Rai) Farrelly, Associate Teaching Professor in CU Linguistics and Director of the TESOL Program, gave a keynote address at the Michigan TESOL Conference, hosted this year by Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

The 2025 conference centered on the theme Elevate, Motivate, Unite, foregrounding the role of English language educators as advocates, collaborators, and community leaders. Dr. Farrelly’s keynote, titled “Mapping Knowledge and Language for a Change Agent Mindset,” aligned closely with this theme by examining how TESOL educators can support learner agency and position students as active participants in social change.

Drawing on social-emotional, inquiry-based, and experiential pedagogical frameworks, Dr. Farrelly emphasized classroom practices that foster curiosity, deepen knowledge-building, and encourage meaningful action. Her address highlighted the potential of English language classrooms to function not only as sites of language development, but also as spaces for equity, connection, and global engagement.