Demystifying proposal writing for VATESOL 2025: Advocating for Excellence in Multilingual Education

VATESOL is thrilled to host our annual conference, Advocating for Excellence in Multilingual Education, in Richmond on November 13–14, 2025. Whether you are a classroom teacher, researcher, or community advocate, we invite you to participate — as both attendees and presenters! As a member of the VATESOL Board of Directors, I am excited to share practical tips to support your proposal writing and encourage you to submit your session idea by June 30.

1. Access the Proposal Submission Link

To access the proposal submission link, go to the VATESOL website at https://vatesol.org/conferences and locate the “Submit a Presentation Proposal” embedded link. Then fill out your demographic information and choose your preferred presentation format: 20-minute session, 45-minute session, or 90-minute workshop.

1. Review the Proposal Rubric 

Once you opened a presentation proposal form, you will be able to see the link for the rubric. We use the rubric to review proposals and provide ratings and feedback. As you write your session proposal, ask yourself the following questions:

• Does the proposal title clearly describe the session?

• Is the proposed topic timely and/or appropriate?

• Is the session based on best practices within the TESOL field?

• Is the proposal abstract clearly written?

• Will this session positively contribute to the conference and the TESOL field?

• Does this proposed session align with the theme of the conference? 

1. Key Proposal Components

The following elements are required for each proposal submission. 

• Title (11 words) – Having a clear title connected to the world of multilingual education makes it easier for attendees to choose the sessions they are interested in.  Capitalize the first letter of the title, and all major words with four or more letters, including words after a hyphen, slash, or colon. Do NOT include presenters’ names, the names of institutions, or the names of your publications or published works.

• Abstract (50 words) - The abstract should describe the content of your session as clearly and succinctly as possible and highlight what attendees should expect to take away from the session. This will be printed in the conference program, so please proofread carefully. Do NOT include presenters’ names, the names of institutions, or the names of your publications.

• Description (200 words) - The description should include a clearly stated purpose and point of view with supporting details and examples, and evidence of knowledge of current theory, practices, research and/or policy.  Be sure to outline the session with an appropriate amount of content for the allotted time and indicate the target audience and student population(s).  Do NOT include presenters’ names, the names of institutions, or the names of-your publications.

1. In sum, focus on three important elements

To ensure your proposal is accepted, we encourage you to pay attention to the theme of the conference, rubric, and anticipated audience. Remember that no identifiable information can be stated in the title, abstract, and description. 

Ready to share your work and advocate for multilingual learners? Submit your proposal today and join us in Richmond on November 13-14 this year!

Katya Koubek

Communications Chair 

VATESOL