Université Antonine

TESOL Conference at San Antonio- Texas : wonderful experience and good accomplishments

I would like eagerly to share with you the wonderful experience I have enjoyed while being in Texas, San Antonio.

In fact, the embassy of the United States of America, Public Affairs Section, Amman (Jordan) gave me, as a Pole Responsable for the Languages Studies and Resources Center at Antonine University, a grant for the purpose of attending TESOL conference in San Antonio, Texas, USA from March 29 till April 3, 2005.

Here after is a summary of the most important accomplishments and workshops attributable to this grant, in terms not only of their overwiew but their applicability at the University.

The motivation of our young University “Antonine University” to be updated on the innovations of English Language Teaching and along with the awarness of the shortage of Modern Language Centre and autonomy applied to language learning in Lebanon, attending TESOL conference was an extraordinary place where Teaching English is a reference.

To create a Resources Centre,
To create a writing lab,
To generalize English Language Courses in our Universities for all Faculties,
To introduce American Culture and American Values in our teaching,
To introduce IT in our classes,
To meet different teachers from various nationalities and to share experiences,
To develop projects in English Language, which would bring together practical strategies and tools to develop the Learner’s autonomy in English Language Learning.

Main Objective (s)

- Become familiarized with the challenges of EFL administration. Suggestions were given on how to overcome these challenges from the presenter’s previous experiences.

Overview

-There are four main categories of tasks in EFL administration: controlling chaos; creating curriculum and connections; communicating; hiring, coaching and delegating.

-Preparing for the position involves: meeting with the upper administration, previous colleagues.

- Starting the position involves creating timelines for events, joining or forming peer groups, continues building contact lists and initiating a self study or accreditation process.

-Continuing in position involves learning to accept ambiguity, learning to develop a thicker skin than you thought you’d need, maintaining touch with students and regarding communication as the number one priority. -When one transition from peer to supervisor the main objective is to establish a role of authority first and then assume the responsibility of being the teacher’s representative, make positive changes and establish a relationship of trust.

-When supervising and observing it is important to give genuine feedback and clear guideless on how to improve performance through an instructor comment sheet.

-Teachers and administrators are held accountable for student’s success upon performance-based accountability or holistic accountability which includes information on curriculum, teaching and leadership practices besides the academic achievement scores.

-There are five essential processes of an effective accountability system: establishing formal standards, providing adequate resources, evaluating employee performance, applying effective consequences and evaluating the accountability system.

This workshop offers the general guidelines that are necessary to follow in an administrative position. Many of the things that are stated are activities that fill up my daily schedule and that have gradually been implemented in Antonine University. A team-work environment is what I as a coordinator have tried to enhance. These guidelines give me a more accurate overview of my responsibilities and how to proceed in certain situations. Most of the strategies that were pinpointed in the workshop have been applied to Antonine University marketing strategies (newspaper ads, flyers, web pages, TV and radio advertisement, brochures, etc.) However, I do feel that a marketing specialist for this part of the region is necessary to help us design publicity that works and that will attract more students. Before 2005 ends we plan to have the whole marketing program laid out for the 2006 year, enhancing more promotions of our programs on the dates where we know that student enrollments are low.

This discussion group addresses the demographic and pedagogical profile of ESL/EFL in the Arab world. Participants focus on the status of nonnative-English-speaking teachers and the economic and political implications of current English language teaching practices and policies.

A technophobe and a technophile share their experience implementing a language lab from scratch. Presenters introduce a framework considering divergent attitudes toward CALL in response to changes in student demographics, administrative pressures, and pedagogical trends.

-I’ve met Dr. Myra SHULMAN, the writer of different books, who was invited by the US Department and my home University to Lebanon from May 8 th till May 12 th to conduct workshop on English for specific Purposes and Critical Thinking for 11 Lebanese Universities and to give a lecture on how to create an effective PowerPoint text ¿

-I’ve worked on an articulation agreement between Antonine University & the English Department and the Writing Lab of CSU (California States University) in order to exchange faculties, to exchange teachers and to exchange students (Master and Ph.D Levels).

-Briefly, it was a great and terrific experience. I will certainely share all what I’ve learned with all teachers I’m working with and I’ll definitely renew my way of Teaching English using the new technology in order to motivate the students and to let English be a Worldwide Language of Communication.

Finally, I would like to deeply thank the United States of America, the cultural department as well as my home University “Antonine University” to give me the chance to participate at TESOL event.

Pr. EID Cynthia
Pole Responsable for Languages Studies & Resources Centre