10 Things to Do to Make the Most of your AAAL Conference

Much, and by that, I mean within our field of applied linguistics in general and the AAAL conference in particular, has changed since I wrote my book chapter, “Making the most of your applied linguistics conference experience” (De Costa, 2020). That chapter seemed almost out of sync with the (precarious) times – the book was published in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic – when it came out. For one, and as you may recall, none of us was conferencing much that year. Specifically, our 2020 AAAL conference in Denver was cancelled altogether because of health risks. Thankfully, we were able to reunite as a community virtually the following year. But it was not until 2022 that we were able to see each other in person at Pittsburgh 2022. Even then, our much-awaited reunion was marred with some trepidation, with many of us wearing masks and practicing some degree of social distancing.

Fast forward to 2026, and AAAL’s conference scene is very much alive and kicking. For the very first time, we’ll have two conferences in the same year: the in-person conference will take place in Chicago (March 21-24) and the virtual conference on April 24. Indeed, for the former conference, the countdown has begun – we’re less than a month from reconnecting with each other face-to-face in the Windy City!

Rather than repeat what I recommended in De Costa (2020) – here’s a link to my chapter, which incidentally has a few old pieces of advice that are still relevant today – I’d like suggest 10 things you can do in the coming weeks.

1. Sign up for the pre-conference workshops if you have not already done so. This year, we are fortunate to have not two but three workshops.
2. Do your homework and use the conference searchable schedule that was published online on 1/29/2026.  And customize your schedule on the conference app.
3. Make sure you turn up to as many plenaries and invited colloquia sessions as possible. The speakers for both session types are leaders (established and emerging) in our field. You’ll develop major insights from them even if some of the topics might not coincide with your research interests. In other words, keep an open mind.
4. Make a TikTok video of your time at the conference.
5. Work with members of the OEOC (The Committee for Online Education and Outreach), the very same folks who are responsible for this inaugural blog. OEOC has an amazing Social Media subcommittee who can help you get your work out there. As you know, having an online presence today matters.
6. Network extensively at the free coffee events held in the book exhibition area. Chat up the publishers or sit down with an applied linguist whom you admire. Most importantly, remember to make a good and favorable impression
7. If you signed up for Conference Connections (CC), do take full advantage of this opportunity  that has matched you with a colleague who is further along in their career. Come prepared to ask your CC mentor colleague burning questions about the field and the profession.
8. Join an affinity group that focuses on a specific topic of interest. You need to find allies, so start at Chicago 2026.
9. Don’t feel like you have to make a choice between the in-person or virtual conference. If your budget permits, register for both! Reach out to the AAAL Business Office to find out about a discount when you sign up for both conferences.
10. If you want to know more about how AAAL works, and if you see yourself as stepping up as a volunteer in the (near) future, attend the Business Meeting during the March 23 lunch hour.

These are 10 things that popped up at the top of my head. I’m sure there are many more strategic and meaningful things you could do to get the most of AAAL 2026 as you seek to build community.

Finally, I want to end by reiterating that our field is constantly evolving. Whether it is through the shift in focus to all things AI or to strong push toward open scholarship, this is an exciting time to be a conference participant. So take full advantage of what AAAL conferences have to offer. And do remember to renew your membership.  Just in case you forgot, here is a list of our member benefits.

See you in a few weeks in Chicago. And please don’t feel shy to say ‘hi’ to me when you pass me at the Sheraton, our conference hotel.

Reference
De Costa, P.I. (2020). Making the most of your applied linguistics conference experience. In L. Plonsky (Ed.), Professional development in applied linguistics: A guide to success for graduate students and early career faculty (pp. 41-48). John Benjamins. 

Bio
Peter I. De Costa is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics, Languages & Cultures and the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. He is also the English as a Second Language (ESL) graduate director in the College of Education.  As a critical applied linguist, his research areas include emotions, identity, ideology and ethics in language learning, language teaching, and language policy. He is the co-editor of TESOL Quarterly, the Associate Editor of The Modern Language Journal, and the Immediate Past President of the American Association for Applied Linguistics.