Jessie Kapper, an Assistant Professor of Professional Writing and Rhetoric, currently is serving as Chair for the Second Language Writing Interest Section (SLW-IS) of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Inc., a global education association.
Kapper worked with other TESOL, Inc., members to found the interest section, which was officially recognized by the organization in June 2005. Previously teachers, scholars and researchers in the field of second language writing did not have an international organization that actively involved members from all educational levels and contexts.
Within its first year, the interest section has recruited 332 members who teach and research second language writing in elementary, secondary, post-secondary and community settings around the globe.