Events
- Annual Convention
- Great Teaching Round-up
- Leading from the middle
- fall conference for faculty leaders
- Webinars
"I think there is something more important than believing: Action! The world is full of dreamers, there aren't enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision."
Events: 2010 Foreign Language Schedule
Foreign Language Summary
Friday, 11:15 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
"Student Learning Outcomes-Measuring success in the Language Classroom"
Panel: Margaret Eomurian, Professor of Spanish and English as a Second Language, Houston Community College; David Ross, Professor of English as a Second Language, Houston Community College; and Lisa Volle, Professor and Online Language Program Coordinator, Central Texas College
Saturday, 9:00 - 10:15 a.m.
"Cultural Contexts: Infusing Lesson Plans with 'Big C' & 'Little C' Culture"
Speaker: Glynis Cowell, Director of the Spanish Language Program, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Friday, March 5th, 11:14 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
"Student Learning Outcomes-Measuring success in the Language Classroom"
Panel: Margaret Eomurian, Professor of Spanish and English as a Second Language, Houston Community College; David Ross, Professor of English as a Second Language, Houston Community College; and Lisa Volle, Professor and Online Language Program Coordinator, Central Texas College
In order to assess Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) more and more institutions are adhering to identifiable guidelines for the design and development of a systematic learning plan. This session will discuss different strategies and provide recommendations on how to develop the process that will review and document specific measures for educational effectiveness for languages and other disciplines. There will be specific examples taken from language courses taught at Central Texas College that measure student learning outcomes for different skills developed in language courses.
Biographies:
Margaret Eomurian is a full-time Spanish professor and Associate Chair of the Intensive English/AESL Program at Houston Community College-Central. She has taught first- and second-year Spanish courses at Houston Community College since 1996, and both Intensive English and AESL classes since 1973, both in the U.S. and in Venezuela. Dr. Eomurian received her M.A. in Applied Linguistics through the Foreign Language Education Center at the University of Texas at Austin in 1973. She completed an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in English and Spanish Linguistics at the University of Houston in 1998. She will serve as a Curriculum Specialist in the summer of 2010, writing student learning outcomes for the World Languages.
David Ross is a professor in the Intensive English Program at the Houston Community College, Southwest, and he is currently serving as Department Chair. He holds a MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Houston.
He has served as a curriculum specialist for the Intensive English Program, writing student learning outcomes for that program.
Lisa Volle is the Coordinator for the Online Language Program in the Communications Department at Central Texas College. She has taught Spanish, cultural anthropology and ESL at CTC since 1987. She has been an invited guest speaker to discuss language learning and technology for foreign language teacher education courses at The University of Houston and The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. She has publications in Language Learning & Technology and IALLT Task-Based III. She has provided many workshops about various aspects of course content creation with Web 2.0, course development in Distance Learning, and Online Language development and assessment. She is a regular speaker at ACTFL, CALICO and TCCTA. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Juniata College, a Master’s degree in Foreign Languages from West Virginia University and is a Doctoral Candidate in Foreign Language Education at the University of Texas at Austin.
Saturday, March 6th, 9:00 - 10:15 a.m.
"Cultural Contexts: Infusing Lesson Plans with 'Big C' & 'Little C' Culture"
Speaker: Glynis Cowell, Director of the Spanish Language Program, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Culture supplies rich contexts for teaching and learning in the foreign language classroom, from the most simple mechanical exercises to the most complex communicative activities. The presenter will share a broad range of examples of how to incorporate both "high" culture (art, music, architecture, monuments, etc.) and "everyday" culture (the way we live: eating, dating, shopping, transportation, etc.) at the elementary and intermediate levels.
Biography:
Glynis Cowell is the Director of the Spanish Language Program in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures and an Assistant Dean in Academic Advising, General College and Arts and Sciences, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has taught first-year seminars, honors courses, numerous Spanish language courses, and team teaches a graduate course on the theories and techniques of teaching foreign languages. Dr. Cowell received her M.A. in Spanish Literature and her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, with a concentration in Foreign Language Education, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to joining the faculty at UNC-CH in August 1994, she coordinated the Spanish Language Program in the Department of Romance Studies at Duke University. At UNC-CH she has received the university Students’ Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching as well as the Graduate Student Mentor Award for the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures.
Dr. Cowell has directed teacher workshops on Spanish language and cultures and has presented papers and written articles on the teaching of language and literature, the incorporation of information technology in language teaching, and teaching across the curriculum. She is the co-author of two other college textbooks.
Foreign Language Section Chair:
Janett Hillar, Houston Community College-Southwest