-Barb Sample, 1st CoTESOL President, Sept. 9, 1977

Colorado Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages was formed in 1977, 10 years after the TESOL International Association, at a time when there was a surge of Intensive English Programs (IEPs) in Colorado.  The early years of the CoTESOL organization were influenced by returned Peace Corps volunteers, who brought back a culture of volunteerism, diversity, internationalism, tolerance, and inclusiveness.  The membership consisted largely of higher ed and IEPs (DU, UCB, CSU, Spring International, UCD, UNC, ALA), with a heavy focus on linguistics.  ESL was in a transition from behaviorist mim-mem, aural-oral structuralism to a search for something new (SILENT WAY, ECLECTIC, COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT, COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE).  CoTESOL had around 150 members for the first 5 years and retained a strong connection with TESOL.