Discussion+Forums

= = Discussion forums give members the opportunity to talk about issues in ELT that are important to them. You can create free discussion forums, open or closed (available only to TA members). They will increase member engagement throughout the TA year, but are especially active before, during and after special TA events and conferences. IATEFL discussion forums are still going strong a few months after the conference, and also help to increase anticipation ahead of next year’s event. You can create forums on Google and Yahoo, but there are now many other similar free forums to choose from.

=** Yahoo Groups ** = Perhaps the most familiar to everyone groups are those you can create on Yahoo.com. They are based on a simple interface but you can choose from a range of themes, and you can also upload the logo of your association. Visit the links below to see how Yahoo groups are organised to see if this option suits your organisation. Here is a short tutorial on how to sign up for a Yahoo Group media type="youtube" key="h7ciG-u0Ifc?fs=1" height="344" width="425"
 * TESOL Greece
 * Carolina TESOL
 * TESOL France

Here is an image of the very active and vibrant IATEFL Young Learners and Teenagers SIG

Google Groups
Google groups are discussion forums which you can set up just as easily as you can set up a Yahoo Group. They are easy to use and navigate and they can complement a website, blog or wiki, they can be public or private and they are free. If you click here, you can view a tour of Google groups and learn how to use them.