University of Macau English Language Centre Newsletter Issue II … · Julie Hanks, Katrina Larsen, Susanne Rizzo and Eve Smith. Other Macao participants included Tom Wilhelm from

University of Macau English Language Centre Newsletter Issue II (May 2009) 1

Message from the Director, Kim Hughes Wilhelm

Greetings and welcome to our second issue of the ELC newsletter! We have had a very busy semester, as you will see from the photos and articles which follow. Highlights of the semester include the external programme review conducted by Professors Angelis and Crandall in April. They not only reviewed an enormous notebook of information about the ELC but also observed classes and met with university administrators, faculty and staff of the ELC, and UM graduate and undergraduate students. We are very thankful for the time and effort everyone contributed to the review and hope to put recommendations into operation as soon as possible. Professors Angelis and Crandall also contributed to our second English Festival by giving academic lectures which were well-attended by teachers from secondary and tertiary institutions throughout Macao. Thank you to everyone who came to festival events and the book fair which featured 9 publishing houses. We plan to make the book fair a yearly event, focusing not only on language but on other university content areas, as well. We are very pleased to announce that over 650 people participated in English Festival events this semester. Special thanks to our Fulbright ETAs who organized and conducted the festival in cooperation with ELC teachers, CREW, and administrative staff. The latest issue of CREWzine arrived just in time for the festival – many thanks to the students who contributed stories, poems, and visuals for that publication!

Another highlight of the semester was the successful expansion of our testing centre which is now equipped with computers for self-access study and testing purposes, as well as a new multi-media centre. We are committed to providing independent

learning opportunities for UM students and are exploring ways to encourage extracurricular use of English so that students can better learn English on their own through reading high interest books, using language learning software, and participating in English immersion activities. The testing centre continues to be quite active with either the SAT or the internet-based TOEFL exam held nearly ever weekend. We will soon be able to offer the TOEIC exam, as well (Test of English for International Communication).

We were pleased to receive university approval for our own ELC course codes and have revamped course offerings to focus on both academic and specialized English courses for the various Faculties. Textbook and curricular changes will be implemented next year and we are eager to see the reactions of students. The 2009-2010 academic year will see quite a number of changes, so please stay tuned….

… and thank you, as always, for your support of our university’s English Language Centre!

Table of Contents

2009 ELC Events 2 Programme Review 8 Department News 9 Fulbright ETAs 11 Upcoming Events 12 Students Section 12 Distinguished Visitors 13

Many thanks to our Newsletter Editor: Fulbright ETA Jessica Kahn!


U.S.A. Consulate and Macao Panelists speak on President Obama

On Thursday, February 26, 2009 over 120 students, teachers and guests flooded into the American Corner to attend “A Change Has Come: The Historic Presidential Election of Barack Obama,” a presentation and panel discussion co-sponsored by the ELC and the U.S.A. Consulate. Panelists included Dr. Anthony Hutchinson, Consulate Director of Public Affairs; Adrian Dorman, Consulate Economic and Political Office; Victor Marsh II, Consulate Vice Consul; Dr. Kim Johnson, Assistant Professor of Journalism at Beijing Normal/Hong Kong Baptist University; and Reggie Martin, First Vice Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce, Macao. A Powerpoint presentation gave an overview to civil rights in the United States from an historical perspective and challenged panelists to consider and discuss a number of “hot topics” surrounding President Obama’s election as well as issues he is now facing in the White House. A question and answer session found students actively engaged and interacting by asking panelists thought-provoking questions. In anticipation of the Consulate event, students also attended screenings of President Obama’s Inauguration earlier in the week, with those events also organized by the ELC and held in the American Corner.

Valentine's Day Party This past February 17, 2009 UM students piled into the American Corner to celebrate the holiday of love with the Fulbright ETAs. A total of 48 students munched on candy and created their own valentines while watching the American romantic comedy, "Made of Honor" starring Patrick Dempsey. Like the Christmas Party held in December 2008, students had the chance to celebrate the holiday in true American fashion.

From left: Solomon Wong, ELC Director Kim Hughes Wilhelm, Reggie Martin, Victor Marsh II,

Adrian Dorman, Dr. Kim Johnson, and Dr. Anthony Hutchinson

Students listening attentively to Adrian Dorman during the Civil Rights presentation in the

American Corner

Students showing off their crafts at the Valentine’s Day party


Students and ETAs in front of the Taipa House Museum

TOEFL/TOEIC Seminar

On Saturday, February 21st over 100 participants attended a TOEFL/TOEIC seminar sponsored by the ELC. The seminar was given by Ms. Alice Lee (testing supervisor and instructor, ELC) and Ms. Winnie Wong (Operations/Business Development Manager of Hong Kong’s Institute for International Education) with assistance by Ms. Teresa Lam who is working with CCE to provide TOEFL prep classes. The turn-out showed that there is a great deal of interest. This free seminar provided important and useful information for test-takers. TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language and TOEIC stands for Test of English for International Communication.

Field Trips

On Sunday, March 1st, the Fulbright ETAs and 30 UM students set out on an “English Adventure” all around Taipa. After an educational visit to the three Taipa House Museums, the group strolled around the bustling Saturday afternoon market in Taipa Village and later ate lunch together. The highlight of the afternoon was a large game of charades in English that got everyone speaking and on their feet.

The second field trip of the semester took place on Sunday, March 26th with a visit to the Macao Museum of Art. An English-speaking guide led 25 students and the 4 ETAs through “Divergence,” an exhibit that featured the talents of 12 local artists. The students enjoyed hearing the story behind each of the pieces, many of which included social commentary on the recent growth of casinos and gambling in Macao. Look out for more English adventures next semester!

UM students at the TOEFL-TOEIC seminar

Above: An English game of charades during March 1st field trip in Taipa Village

Right: Students listening to the English guide at the Macao Museum of Art


AFI Project 20/20 Comes to UM

The American Film Institute (AFI) Project 20/20 came to the University of Macau on March 5-6, 2009 to share and discuss two critically-acclaimed films, Skin and Iron Ladies of Liberia. Over 100 people viewed the film screenings. In addition to screenings of both films, two discussion sessions were held with AFI Project Producer Stacey Marbrey, Skin director Anthony Fabian, and Iron Ladies of Liberia co-director Siatta Scott Johnson. Students and faculty alike had the opportunity to delve into the minds of the filmmakers and get at the heart of the messages behind these powerful films. We appreciate the efforts of the U.S.A. Consulate General of Hong Kong in bringing these events to our campus. We also applaud the involvement of UM university students and faculty as well as teachers and secondary school students from Macao’s Anglican College.

Asian-American Identity Series On March 16-18, 2009 UM held its first Asian-American Identity Series in the American Corner. The series began with film screenings of American Pastime and The Namesake, two films that closely examine the immigrant experience and lifestyles of two Asian-American families. The highlight of the series was a panel discussion and presentation by five Asian-Americans currently living and working in Macao. Panelists included Sara Atienza, ETA at UM; Denny Chan, ETA at UM; Anna Chu, English instructor at MUST; Erica Hashiba, ETA at MPI; and Julianne Yee, ETA at MPI. The panel was moderated by ELC instructor and Taiwanese-American, Alice Lee. Roughly 90 students from three different Macao universities attended the events and came away with a new perspective on Asian-American life both at home and abroad.

Above: Panelists Stacey Marbrey and Anthony Fabian listen to Siatta Scott Johnson speak on “Iron Ladies of

Liberia”

Panelists Sara Atienza, Denny Chan, Anna Chu, Erica Hashiba, and Julianne Yee

UM student asking questions of the panel

Anthony Fabian, Kim Hughes Wilhelm, Siatta Scott Johnson, Stacey Marbrey, and Dale Kreisher


TESOL Conference 2009 The University of Macau was well represented at TESOL’s 43rd Annual Convention and Exhibit held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, USA on March 26-28, 2009. Those from the English Language Centre included ELC Director Kim Hughes Wilhelm and ELC Instructors Julie Hanks, Katrina Larsen, Susanne Rizzo and Eve Smith. Other Macao participants included Tom Wilhelm from the Institute for Tourism Studies.

This year’s theme was "Uncharted Mountains – Forging New Pathways.” In connection with the theme, Julie Hanks and Susanne Rizzo presented a demonstration entitled “Simplifying Vocabulary: Easy Steps Toward Classroom Integration.” This demonstration combined the functional and content-based approaches to language teaching with the stages of language acquisition: noticing, recognition and production. The handout provided gave attendees a concise list of vocabulary activities for each stage and approach, to be used both in and outside the classroom. The session was very well attended and received much positive feedback.

Eve Smith presented a paper with her former colleague, Jiang Min of Hefei University of Technology in China, called “Adapting Western Teaching

Styles to Chinese Learners from Rural Settings.” Their paper, which provides guidance on effective communication as well as maintaining positive cross-cultural relations at a university level, was based on research that explored three components: Western teachers, University administration, and Chinese students. The session was extremely active, encouraging personalized interaction and collaboration between attendees and presenters.

While the weather in Denver at the beginning of the week started beautifully--balmy and sunny with temperatures around 20C -- it ended in the worst blizzard of the season. However, this did not stop the convention and the enthusiasm of its participants. TESOL is a wonderful way to stay connected with what is happening in the field and to build networks around the world. TESOL has over 60,000 members worldwide, made up of 14,000 individual members and over 45,000 educators within its more than 100 affiliate associations. The ELC is interested in starting a TESOL affiliate here in Macao, so please let us know if you would like more information about memberships.

Macao teachers at TESOL: Tom Wilhelm, Kim Hughes Wilhelm, Julie Hanks, Susanne Rizzo, and Katrina Larsen (and big bear!)

Eve Smith and Jiang Min


Vice-Rector Rui Martins, ELC Director Kim Hughes Wilhelm, and Vice-Rector Simon Ho cutting the

ribbon at the Opening Ceremony

English Festival, April 21-23, 2009 The English Language Centre put on its second English Festival of the school year in April 2009 with enormous success. The program of events was orientated towards getting students excited about English and benefited from faculty participants from many different UM departments. The Opening Ceremony featured speeches by the head of the English Department Professor Glen Timmermans and Vice-Rector Professor Simon Ho. The highlight of the evening was two presentations by visiting Academic Consultants Professors JoAnn Crandell and Paul Angelis. Among the events for students was a session on pursuing graduates studies in the U.S.A., a panel featuring students recently returned from an exchange at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), and an Asians in North America panel. Other popular events included a heated debate by the UM English Debate Team, a Singing Competition, and an English Quiz Show (see next page for results) The Closing Ceremony included performances by the winners of the Singing Competition and a closing speech by FSH Associate Dean Professor Timothy Simpson. The next English Festival will take place in October 2009 so keep your eye out for details!

The Asians in North American panelists from left: Carlos Pang, UM second-year student; Teresa

Lacuna, ELC instructor; and Professor TJ Cheng, Sociology Department

UM students Mandy Lo, Anna Chan, and Joseph Cheang share their experiences studying and

traveling in the U.S.A. at the SIUC Panel

Michelle Mak talking to students about pursuing graduate studies in the United States

Academic Consultant Professor Paul Angelis speaks about the importance of reading in language

learning at the Opening Ceremony


People browsing the selection of texts with publishing representatives at the ELC Book Fair

English Festival Singing Competition & Quiz Show The English Singing Competition of the English Festival was by far the most popular event, featuring 24 brave participants and over 100 cheering fans. Students had their pick of 150 well-loved classic songs from artists ranging from the Beatles to the Bee Gees to John Denver. The top four winners were awarded cash prizes and also performed again at the Closing Ceremony. All participants received a gift certificate to the Library Café. The English Quiz Show also drew a large number of student participants. Created by the CREW Graduate Assistants, the show challenged the six student teams with trivia questions about Macao, entertainment, and the world. The winning team was awarded a cash prize and all participants received a gift certificate to the Library Café. Singing Competition Winners:

1) Kiwi Xiao 2) Vanda Chan 3) Henry Lok 4) Terry Zhu

English Quiz Show Winners:

1) Lawrence Lou 2) Wiexian Song 3) Angie Zhang

Book Fair On April 22, 2009 the ELC sponsored an English Book Fair in conjunction with the English Festival. Nine publishing houses, including Cambridge University Press, Cengage Learning, and Oxford University Press, were represented at the fair and offered a variety of new texts and course materials focusing on secondary and university English. Teachers from all around Macao came to check out the newest in English teaching materials.

Students eagerly buzzing in at the English Quiz Show

Winner Kiwi Xiao singing at the Closing Ceremony

Students cheering on their friends during the Singing Competition


ELC Conducts Formal Programme Review

The English Language Centre has been preparing this academic year for a formal programme review which was successfully completed in April. Faculty and staff compiled all documents required for the review, including an internal review of ELC strengths and needs, all of which were delivered to external reviewers Professors Jodi Crandall and Paul Angelis at the American Association for Applied Linguists Conference held in Denver, Colorado in March. Crandall and Angelis were on campus the week of April 20 to conduct the review. They met with Vice-Rectors Professors Ho and Martins, with former Rector Professor Iu, and with former ELC Director Dr. Keith Pharis. They observed ELC teachers and students in 16 classes, met with teachers in small groups or individually, and met with the Fulbright ETAs as well as undergraduate and graduate students to discuss their views of the ELC and its offerings. They also met with administrative staff and toured facilities, including the newly expanded language lab and testing centre. Their report was largely quite positive, with main recommendations summarized below:

1. The ELC needs to remain an independent Centre serving all faculties and students throughout the University of Macau with primary responsibility for developing, implementing, and supervising English skill courses, including any new courses that may emerge from the proposed General Education curriculum or other initiatives…;

2. The Centre needs to ensure that its mission statement, goals and objectives are reflected in course offerings and other related activities through periodic review and revision;

3. A full-time testing and IT coordinator should be added…

4. The university should select an internationally recognized, standardized English language instrument… to be used for placement of entering students;

5. A comprehensive scheme for annual teacher evaluation needs to be designed…

6. Current efforts to provide professional development for the teaching faculty should be continued and expanded;

7. Teaching faculty with additional responsibilities for supervision, course development, or teacher training should be provided with course reductions. These responsibilities and… reductions should be rotated…;

8. … additional space should be provided [for]… a teacher resource centre, space for collaborative work among students, and student conferences with teachers. Better classroom configuration and furniture, to encourage … interaction.

Jodi and Paul on their last evening in Macao


New Initiatives for UM Students and Professors

Self-access, anyone? The ELC is working with the UM Library to explore how to set up an extensive reading program for UM students. The idea is that students can be helped to select high interest books in English that are at their personal reading level, moving up to more difficult novels as they improve their reading skills and build vocabulary. This will take some time to put into operation, but we are excited about this initiative and hope it is successful. At the same time, a volunteer self-access (independent learning center) “team” of teachers has begun work to identify useful language learning software and other materials to be included as part of our newly-created language lab. Sometime next year, we hope students will begin to use the language lab and our new multi-media station to improve English on their own time while also creating interesting multi-media projects in English. A workshop by Dr. Ben Hodges will be held in early June and again in August to orient ELC teachers to video shooting techniques and video editing.

Another initiative proposed by Prof. Wilhelm is to offer assistance to UM professors who are preparing scholarly articles for publication in English. A survey has been sent to UM faculty to see if they would like to work individually with CREW GAs over the summer and/or sign up for a class offered through CCE (Centre for Continuing Education) to improve academic writing skills while working with Prof. Wilhelm on research articles in progress. If you are interested but haven’t responded to the survey, please do respond as soon as possible so that summer plans can be made. You may also contact us through the ELC email at [email protected] THANKS!

ELC Director Visits Schools in Hunan Province as an ETC-M Exchange

Over Easter weekend, Professor Kim Hughes Wilhelm traveled 3 hours north of Guilin to conduct an academic teacher exchange, hosted by the Jiang Yong Education Department and the Jiang Yong Primary Studies Sponsorship Center. She gave an English teaching lesson to approximately 150 teachers and students at Jiang Yong 2nd Secondary school and an academic lecture “Teaching in the 21st Century” with 25-30 teachers at the same school. At Jiang Yong 1st Secondary School, she gave an English lesson to approximately 125 junior students and enjoyed a tour of the campus. The English Teachers’ Club of Macao (ETC-M) was invited to be part of this exchange by social charity organizations in Macao. Travel expenses were covered in part by a grant from the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong approved by Mr. Damon Anderson, Regional English Language Officer in Beijing.

ELC Podcast

New interviewees this semester: Alice Lee, Kelvin Costa U, Lawrence Lou Chi Kit, Sara Atienza, Fulbright ETAs

Check it out at: www.umacelc.podcast.com


Busy Teachers…

The week of May 11 proved to any in doubt that ELC teachers go above and beyond the call of duty. The ELC was responsible for scoring nearly 4,000 UM multiple choice English admission exams as well as double-scoring the same number of compositions (yes, nearly 8000 reads/scores!). The same week, a number of teachers also volunteered to be judges in the Macau-wide Recitation Contest. All of this on top of regular classes and preparation for final projects and exams. Thank you, amazing teachers!

English Debate News The University of Macau English Debate Team, coached by Fulbright ETA Paige Borelli, started off the semester with a first place win at the 13th FLTRP Debating Competition in Beijing – making them the best team in China! They are now fully funded to go to the World Championship in 2010 at Koc University in Turkey. In March of this year the English Debating team also sent eight students to a tournament in Malaysia, and won an inter-Macau debate tournament at the Kiang Wu Nursing College in Macau. The debaters will finish off this exciting semester by attending the Australian Intervarsity Debating Championships at Monash University in Melbourne in early July. The students who will be attending are President Fiona Leung, Vice-President Mia Sun, Secretary Michelle Kwan, Officers Rex Wan and Nicole Ng, and Segun Emmanuel. Way to go debaters!

CREW News More than 480 UM students have used CREW’s services in the spring '09 semester. During the semester, CREW tutors offered more than 10 writing and academic study skills workshops, with "Literature Essay Structure" and "Vocabulary Building" workshops being the most popular. The tutors assisted more than 100 students with their English writing through individual consultations, and many students gained confidence with their writing after the consultation. One student remarked in the evaluation that the consultation is "a good chance to improve writing skills," and many found CREW "very helpful." Another popular CREW service is its daily Chatroom hour where students come and practice English by chatting in a relaxed atmosphere. Students are also welcome to bring their own topics to Chatroom for discussion. This semester, CREW also assisted at the ELC's English Festival by organizing and hosting the English Quiz Show. Students who feel trapped in the writing process find CREW services helpful. If you encounter any writing problems, or if you have any kind of writing "blockage," don't hesitate— bring your writing assignment and visit CREW on the ground floor of the UM Library. CREW tutors are ready to help Monday to Friday from10:30 - 13:30, and 14:30-17:30. If you are interested in CREW workshops, please look out for workshop schedule flyers around campus, or visit their site http://www.umac.mo/elccrew/crew.html for more information.

The UM English Debate Team in Malaysia


Fulbright ETAs It’s hard to believe that ten months have passed since we stepped off the ferry in the August heat and took our first look at Macao. Little did we know then how quickly we would become absorbed into the customs of our new home and, ultimately, how difficult it would be to leave.

As the first batch of ETAs sent to Macao on the Fulbright program, we were immediately set in motion creating new initiatives for the ELC and, most importantly, getting to know the students who were understandably skeptical of the four new teachers who looked like students and were eager to talk outside of class– in English, no less! We are now lucky to call many of those first wary students our friends and proudly look at the enormous strides they have made in their appreciation and understanding of English.

The highlight of the year was certainly our Maytrip to teach English at Panyu Shi Bei High School outside of Guangzhou. After volunteering for many months at local Macau schools, we were ready for a new challenge and we definitely found one with the Panyu students. Although exhausting, the trip was an incredible experience and we walked away certain we had made a difference.

We are eternally grateful to the kindnesses of the UM students and staff who took us under their wings those first few weeks. We can only hope that the Fulbright ETA program continues to grow in years to come and the four new Americans arriving in August will be as touched by the people and experiences in the UM community as we have.

Senado Square, September 2008

Lunch at McDonald’s after a field trip with ELC students

Sara and Denny on the way to school in Panyu

Sara and Zoe enjoying marshmallows at a class barbeque


Students Section Miranda Ma in Carbondale – and Macao!

Miranda graduated from UM last year and is now pursuing a Master’s degree at Southern Illinois University in

Carbondale, where she also spent one semester in the fall of 2007 as a UM-SIUC exchange student. She has been working as a teaching assistant in the Department of Linguistics. Last semester she supervised two discussion sections but, this semester, she is teaching her own class (LING 102, a writing class for international students). She says she is thinking about pursuing a double degree in TESL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and Rhetoric & Composition. She sends her best regards to everyone at UM and looks forward to an internship at the ELC this July. Welcome back, Miranda!

Students Speak

“It is my happiness and pleasure to give a big thank you to all the staff who take part in the English Festival. It is a good chance to learn something from it. The singing competition, quiz show and the wonderful book fair, which inspire me a lot… I believe that these academic activities can make students enjoy in English Learning…I would like to thank all the ELC teachers, ETA and Crew's teachers, they really contribute a lot of effort in running the programs, in which we benefit a lot” – Florence, second-year student

“Since I have thought about going abroad to get further study, especially in the U.S., I want to say thank you to ELC and English teachers. You do help me a lot!” – Yuni, year-one student re: English Festival events

“English Table and ELC events have prepared me for my exchange to the U.S.A. next year. My English is now a lot better” – Frank, second-year student

Coming Up!

May 27, 2009 ELC Director meets with teachers at Mateus Ricci secondary school for an informal workshop

June 15-17, 2009 ETAs present at Pearl River Delta Conference at Hong Kong Institute of Education

July 6-31, 2009 ELC Summer Intensive English Program held 6 hours a day Monday through Friday for 4 weeks.

July 10, 2009 P6 Graduation at Macao Anglican College with ELC Director as invited speaker

August 1-7, 2009 Intensive Teaching Methods Course for the Department of Foreign Languages, Phuong Dong University, Vietnam by ELC Director

August 15-18, 2009 New Fulbright ETA Arrival and Orientation (UM and MPI)

August 19-20 and August 31, 2009 ELC Placement Test for Incoming UM Students

October 20-22, 200 English Festival


Distinguished Visitors February 21, 2009

Winnie Wong, Institute of International Education, Hong Kong February 29, 2009

Dr. Anthony Hutchinson, Public Affairs Director, U.S. Consulate General, Hong Kong

Adrian Dorman, Management Specialist, Economic and Political Office, U.S. Consulate General, Hong Kong

Victor Marsh II, Consulate Vice Consul, U.S. Consulate General, Hong Kong Dr. Kim Johnson, Assistant Professor of Journalism at Beijing Normal/Hong Kong

Baptist University Reggie Martin, First Vice Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce, Macao Solomon Wong, Information Resource Director, U.S. Consulate General, Hong

Kong Brian DaRin, Consular Officer, U.S. Consulate General, Hong Kong Dale Kreisher, Spokesman, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Consulate General, Hong

Kong March 5 – 6, 2009

Stacey Marbrey, American Film Institute (AFI) Project Producer Anthony Fabian, director of Skin Siatta Scott Johnson, co-director of Iron Ladies of Liberia Dale Kreisher, Spokesman, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Consulate General, Hong

Kong April 20 - 24, 2009

Michelle Mak, Institute of International Education, Hong KongProfessor Paul Angelis Paul Angelis is an Emeritus Professor at Southern Illinois

University Carbondale where he was a member of the Linguistics department and also served for a number of years as Chair of the department and Director of the Center for English as a Second Language. He holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Georgetown University and has worked in universities and governmental agencies in Washington, D C, Texas, Canada, and Italy. He served as Chair of the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation and as Secretary-Treasurer of the American Association for Applied Linguistics. His research and teaching specializations are in language testing, English for Specific Purposes, and second language teacher and program development.

Professor JoAnn (Jodi) Crandell, Professor of Education and Co-Director of the MA Program in ESOL/Bilingual Education; Director of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Language, Literacy, and Culture at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Prior to joining the faculty at UMBC in 1992, she was Vice President of the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, D.C. She is a past president of TESOL and AAL (American Association for Applied Linguistics)

May 14, 2009

Glenn Shive, Executive Director, Hong Kong – America Centre

Documents

University of Macau English Language Centre Newsletter Issue II … · Julie Hanks, Katrina Larsen, Susanne Rizzo and Eve Smith. Other Macao participants included Tom Wilhelm from