The International Listening Association (ILA) is the only organization dedicated to advance the practice,
teaching, and research of listening throughout the world.
36th Annual Convention
March 26-28, 2015
(Special Pre-Convention programs and activities will be held on Wednesday, March 25th. The
Convention will be in session Thursday, March 26th – Saturday, March 28th)
Virginia Beach Resort & Conference Center
2800 Shore Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
"The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to
understand people is to listen to them." - Dr. Ralph G. Nichols
Much has happened in our lives, communities, and world in the 35 years since Dr. Nichols spoke of “The
Struggle to Be Human.” His words speak to the essential role that listening plays in our lives. The 2015
convention theme, Listening, The Key to Life! is a showcase the power of listening through dialogue,
interaction, reflection, and application. Innovative approaches including visual and performing arts,
exhibitions, and workshops join with traditional conference formats so don’t feel boxed in, don’t be shy;
your ideas and active participation will contributed to a diverse, enlightening, invigorating, and powerful
program.
Paper/Panel Sessions - Speakers present their salient contributions followed by a question & answer
period.
Symposia/Critical Conversations - Designed to examine specific policy, research or practice issues and
stimulate informal, lively discussions through provocative questions or vignettes.
*New*: Key to Life Challenges - These sessions are designed to challenge conventional assumptions
and approaches in the study, research, and application of listening theory, principle, and practice.
Conducted in a panel format sessions are designed to encourage robust discussion and dialogue
between participants and audience.
Works in Progress Roundtable – These informal, facilitated small group discussions will share works in
progress and encourage robust interaction.
Workshops - Hands-on practical application through discussion, reflection, interaction, and skills-building
from diverse perspectives.
Visual and Performing Arts - Refresh, renew, and reconnect to develop a deeper appreciation of
listening through creative arts including film, music, drama, story-telling, presentation, song, dance, etc.
Exhibits - Participate in the display of artifacts and symbols related to listening during the convention
including drawings, paintings, sculpture, photographs, fashion, quilts, etc.
After-Action Review
we made.
- Sharing our experiences of what we learned, the questions we raised, the plans
You are invited to submit your proposals that explore listening skills, research, pedagogy, training, and
application within various contexts. The ILA defines the listening process as receiving, constructing
meaning from and responding to spoken and/or nonverbal messages within a variety of contexts,
including, but not limited to, health, education, spiritual, intercultural, interpersonal, environmental,
spiritual, organizational, media, political and second language acquisition. The theme of the Convention,
Listening: The Key to Life! encourages cross and multidisciplinary approaches and collaboration,
creativity, and innovation. All proposals that relate to any aspect of listening are welcomed and will be
reviewed. Follow the guidelines of the proposal forms and submit them electronically to the Convention
Planner, Philip C. Tirpak. Proposals, attachments, and additional information must be received by the
deadline, 11:59 pm Eastern Time, January 15, 2015. Email proposals to: ListenUSA@gmail.com.
Any hard copy submissions must be received by the deadline, 11:59 pm Eastern Time on January 15,
2015 to:
Philip C. Tirpak
1st Vice President and 2015 Convention Planner
4522 Lantern Place
Alexandria, VA 22306
Please indicate your first, second, and third presentation day preferences; while not guaranteed we
will try to accommodate them as reasonably as possible.
PROPOSALSUBMISSION FORM FOR INDIVIDUAL PAPERS
Submitter:
Affiliation:
Title:
Preferred mailing address:
Phone:
Cell Phone:
E-mail:
Technology Requirements:
Presentation Preferences (Please indicate your first, second, and third choices: Thu 3/26, Fri,
3/27, Sat, 3/28:)
Title of Paper:
Description (not to exceed 250 words):
The attached paper will not exceed 25 double-spaced, 12 point font pages of text, (not including
tables, figures, cover page, and references.) Papers outside of this requirement may not be
accepted and/or even reviewed. To ensure blind review, submitters should remove their names
from the cover page before uploading and attaching the document; no identifying information on
the author may appear in the paper
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM FOR PANEL DISCUSSION/SYMPOSIA/CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS
Submitter:
Affiliation:
Title:
Preferred mailing address:
Phone:
Cell Phone:
E-mail:
Technology Requirements:
Presentation Preferences (Please indicate your first, second, and third choices:- Thur3/26, Fri,
3/27, Sat, 3/28:)
Title of Proposal:
Description of, rationale of the content, and format of the session/panel, (not to exceed 750
words):
Presenters/Affiliations:
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM KEY TO LIFE CHALLENGES SESSIONS
Submitter:
Affiliation:
Title:
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Phone:
Cell Phone:
E-mail:
Technology Requirements:
Presentation Preferences (Please indicate your first, second, and third choices: Thu 3/26, Fri,
3/27, Sat, 3/28:)
Title of Proposal:
Description of the Challenge Question, rationale, and objective, (not to exceed 750 words):
Panelists/Affiliations:
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM FOR WORKS IN PROGRESS ROUNDTABLE
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Title:
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Presentation Preferences (Please indicate your first, second, and third choices: Thu 3/26, Fri,
3/27, Sat, 3/28:)
Works Title:
Summary of Work to be presented, (not to exceed 750 words):
Presenters/Affiliations:
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM FOR WORKSHOPS
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Title:
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Presentation Preferences (Please indicate your first, second, and third choices: Thu 3/26, Fri,
3/27, Sat, 3/28:)
Title of Workshop:
Summary of Workshop Methodology and Desired Outcomes, (not to exceed 750 words):
Presenters/Affiliations:
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS SESSIONS
Submitter:
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Title:
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Presentation Preferences (Please indicate your first, second, and third choices: Thu 3/26, Fri,
3/27, Sat, 3/28:)
Title of Session:
Summary of Session and Desired Outcomes, (not to exceed 750 words):
Participants/Affiliations:
Audio/Visual/Technology Requirements:
Length of Session, (maximum 90 minutes):
Can this session be repeated or filmed?
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM FOR EXHIBITS
Submitter:
Affiliation:
Title:
Preferred mailing address:
Phone:
Cell Phone:
Title of Exhibit:
Description of Exhibit, (not to exceed 750 words):
Additional Participants/Affiliations:
Special Exhibit Requirements:
E-mail: