News From CETC
CETC Member Featured on TESOL’s Web Site
CETC member Ayanna Cooper was recently featured in the TESOL Stories section of TESOL’s Web site. You can read her story online at http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/sec_document.asp?CID=20&DID=10308. She has also been selected to participate in the TESOL leadership mentoring program at the TESOL 2008 convention in New York city. Congratulations Ayanna!
CETC Colloquium at TESOL 2008 in New York: “The Interface of Language and Faith”
Colloquium abstract: The investigation of salient language features in specific genres has become a prominent and productive area of SLA research. This panel explores the interface of language and faith, including the language of worship and liturgy and the development of a “Christianese” vocabulary. Presentations and their abstracts are as follows:
Michael Pasquale: The Interface of Language and Faith in “Christian” Bilingualism: A Response to Pennycook & Makoni (2005)
Abstract: Pennycook & Makoni (2005) defined bilingualism that is “Christian” as between an indigenous language and a metropolitan language, such as English. My brief talk will challenge their argument that Christianity is at the foundation of these cases of bilingualism. The example of bilingualism in Peru between Quechua and Spanish will be shown to counter their claim that all cases of “Christian” bilingualism are “part of a conservative missionary agenda in which converting to Christianity was the inevitable process of being bilingual” (Pennycook & Makoni, 2005, p. 137).
Daniel Gingrich: English for Biblical and Theological Purposes (EBTP)
Abstract: A wealth of biblical and theological resources exist in English that are not found in many other languages of the world. As a subgroup of English for special purposes, EBTP can equip Christians from around the world to access these valuable resources. This presentation addresses the specialty of ESP that equips nonnative speakers to access theological resources found predominantly in English and to communicate in English as an international medium of exchange.
William Acton: ePISL: (Enthusiastic) Prayer in a Second Language
Abstract: This preliminary report reviews “data” from a brief, open-ended questionnaire first motivated by a comment about two decades ago by a recent convert, a nonnative English speaker, to the effect that she could communicate much better with Jesus in English than in Japanese, her native language.
Michael Lessard-Clouston: Language and Faith: The Influence of Christianity on English
Abstract: Drawing on the literature and a survey of English teachers, this presentation reports on views of the influence of Christianity on the English language. Relevant resources will be noted.
Yukako Yamamoto: Language for Sharing Faith
Abstract: This presentation raises the importance of learning words for sharing faith and prayer for EFL learners. I explain various difficult phrases according to my own experience in learning and teaching, and describe several teaching ideas concerning these practices.
CELT 2008 Conference at Nyack College
As previously noted, the 2008 Christians in English Language Teaching (CELT) Conference will take place on Wednesday April 2 and is being hosted by Nyack College at its Manhattan campus, just before TESOL 2008 in New York City. The theme is “Education With Vision.” If you would like to volunteer for the conference, please email conference chair Eleanor Pease at eleanor.pease@nyack.edu.
ESL Ministry Conference at Cornerstone University
Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will hold its 7th annual ESL Ministry Conference on Saturday, April 19, 2008, offering workshops and sessions for church-based ESL work. Dr. David Livermore, author of Serving With Eyes Wide Open, will be the main speaker. For further information and registration, please visit http://www.cornerstone.edu/academics/tesl/esl_conf.
Visit and Contribute to CETC’s Web Site
Web manager Frank Tuzi continues to welcome submissions for and visitors to the CETC Web site (http://www.cetesol.org). If you would like to contribute to or help with the site, please email Dr. Tuzi at webmaster@cetesol.org. We expect that the Web site will become even more important for communication and information as the caucus moves to forum status this summer.
