Spotlight on CETC Members
Ayanna Cooper, rarb4@msn.com, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How are you connected with the world of TESOL?
My career in TESOL began as a mainstream teacher. With the increase of nonnative English speakers in my classroom each year, I was pressed to learn instructional practices to best teach my students. Basically, I became an ESL teacher unintentionally but wholeheartedly. I was introduced to the TESOL community as part of one of my courses. Being connected to the TESOL community has been one of the most valuable resources a teacher can have. Currently, I work as an English language learner (ELL) instructional coach in a public school district outside of Atlanta. I support ESOL and mainstream teachers (and administrators) with their ELL populations.
2. What do you specially appreciate about TESOL and/or CETC?
I appreciate the collaboration and sense of community TESOL has established within the field. By working with people across the United States and abroad, I can tap into TESOL on various levels. For example, for me as a doctoral student, the scholarly journals have been instrumental to my research; for me as a teacher, the networking at conferences has been very valuable. It has even influenced me to take a leadership role within my local affiliate organization, GATESOL. I am serving as the 2009 Southeast TESOL conference chair. That conference will be held in Atlanta.
3. Is there a relevant joy or challenge you experience which you could share with CETC Newsletter readers?
Patience. I’ve never had enough of it. I face a very long commute to work every day, about 100 miles round trip. With the skyrocketing gas prices I often question God’s purpose for sending me on this assignment. I have to remind myself that if I am to do His will and not my own, then I am not to rely on my own understanding. So, if you are faced with an unanswered prayer, continue to pray but keep your eyes open so you don’t miss an opportunity to be blessed or be a blessing to someone else. I know He is with me every mile, every day.
4. What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
I have Phillippians 4:13 taped above my computer screen: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” With the daily pressures of work, school, and family life, I try to maintain a sense of balance. I can do all things through Christ, but I believe He wants us to rely on Him to prioritize, delegate, and pace ourselves so we can have something left to give and be in a position to receive.
5. Is there a book, article, or individual related to TESOL that has influenced you and/or your teaching? If so, could you explain how?
Several people in the field have been influential to me in some capacity, but I would have to say Dr. Ester de Jong and Dr. Candace Harper’s work on confirming that ESL teaching is not just “good” teaching has most influenced me. I like to refer to it as “intention teaching.” If we can support mainstream teachers to “intentionally” target the domains of language acquisition, speaking, writing, reading, and listening in their daily instructional practices, then I believe we can begin to create mainstream classrooms more conducive to language and content-area learning.
Michael Medley, medley@emu.edu, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How are you connected with the world of TESOL?
For the past 9 years I have been director of the intensive English program at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU). EMU is a Christian university that “challenges students to pursue their life calling through scholarly inquiry, artistic creation, guided practice, and life-changing cross-cultural encounter . . . invit[ing] each person to experience Christ and follow His call to witness faithfully, serve compassionately, and walk boldly in the way of nonviolence and peace.” I also teach most of the courses leading to EMU’s undergraduate minor in TESL. I have been a member of TESOL since completing my doctorate in English language at Indiana University. During 11 years of mission service in Pakistan in the 80s and 90s, I became active in the TESOL affiliate there, the Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers (SPELT). For the past 6 years I have served as the e-list manager for the Intensive English Program Interest Section of TESOL, and I’ve made numerous presentations at TESOL conventions, SPELT conferences, and WATESOL (our local affiliate) conferences.
2. What do you specially appreciate about TESOL and/or CETC?
I think I have appreciated most of all the “connections” provided by TESOL. It has been a privilege to make connections with TESOLers of all kinds of faith backgrounds and no faith backgrounds at all through participation in TESOL conferences and CETC. These connections have led to wonderful learning experiences and great times of fellowship.
3. Is there a relevant joy or challenge you experience which you could share with CETC Newsletter readers?
I was recently challenged by a visit that I made to the newly independent country of Kosovo, where I was invited by the U.S. Embassy in Prishtina to conduct workshops for English teachers. Kosovo is a needy country in many ways, not least of which is the need for healing the traumas of harassment, war, and ethnic cleansing that the people have suffered over the past two decades. In my workshops, I was challenged to think of how forgiveness, reconciliation, and peacebuilding could be incorporated into inservice teacher-training programs. That challenge is ongoing as I work on a proposal to the U.S. Embassy to return to Kosovo for follow-up workshops next year.
4. What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
I think it’s theologically not wise to have a favorite Bible verse; I enjoy daily Bible study and exploring both familiar and unfamiliar parts of the Bible in depth, especially in the adult Bible study class at my church. However, if I have to single out a verse that provides a direction for my work it would be Micah 6:8, “What has the Lord required of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” My colleagues here at EMU have enriched my life as we all use these themes to guide our work together.
5. Is there a book, article, or individual related to TESOL that has influenced you and/or your teaching? If so, could you explain how?
The most influential person in my professional life as a linguist and TESL specialist has been Dr. Tom Scovel. He began mentoring me not long after he returned from Thailand and I have been greatly blessed by his kindness, his affirmations, and his collaboration with some of my teaching over the years since I returned from Pakistan.
Mylinh Nguyen, mylinh.d.nguyen@gmail.com, La Mirada, California, USA
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How are you connected with the world of TESOL?
I am a very eccentric person who loves life. My sparkling personality likes to connect with people on a deeper level and understand the matters of their hearts. I am Vietnamese American. I speak Vietnamese and can cook killer Vietnamese dishes. I have grown to appreciate my ethnicity and its culture through the experiences I had while living and teaching English in Vietnam for 2 years. As a TESOL graduate student at Biola University, I am actively involved with the world of TESOL. This past convention, I was a part of the TESOL volunteer group and helped run the registration booth with other TESOL members. I am a proud member of the organization. I make sure to read my newsletters, TESOL Quarterly, and attend conferences that help keep my TESOL knowledge current and up-to-date.
2. What do you specially appreciate about TESOL and/or CETC?
I appreciate the professionalism and the support that the TESOL organization offers to its members and potential members. CETC has been a valuable group for me to be a part of because it allows me to understand the depths of my teaching as a Christian English teacher and it encourages me to strengthen my faith while being a professional in the ESL/EFL field. I also appreciate the camaraderie TESOL/CETC promotes within the organization in order to keep the TESOL community growing professionally and intellectually.
3. Is there a relevant joy or challenge you experience which you could share with CETC Newsletter readers?
This past semester, I took a practicum class and had a teaching assignment at a community college. With a few years of experience—overseas and stateside—under my belt, I thought I was capable of teaching; therefore, I relied on my own strength to teach. In the beginning of the semester, I could not overcome the mental challenges of getting up early and attending the observation classes three times a week while taking classes at Biola, plus making lesson plans for my observation class. I was emotionally drained and physically exhausted. On top of the exhaustion, I felt critical of my mentor teacher and his methods. Our teaching philosophies were very different, which caused me to question my mentor’s credibility. However, midway through the semester, God revealed to me some different thinking. He showed me that He could use my mentor teacher’s qualities; in fact He can use anyone to further His kingdom. All we need to do is give Him the glory. I was stripped of my critical mindset and humbled by this experience. I was in awe of God’s will and power over my life.
4. What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Mt 11:28-30). I came across this verse last fall and it came up again this past spring in my practicum class. I marvel at God’s gentleness and kindness, even when I put school or life events before Him, yet He is constantly drawing me back to Him and asking me to surrender my will and worries over to Him because He loves me. I wouldn’t have made it through my first year of graduate school without the Lord’s grace, wisdom, and strength.
5. Is there a book, article, or individual related to TESOL that has influenced you and/or your teaching? If so, could you explain how?
This is a tough question, but Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms by Jack Richards and Charles Lockhart and Understanding Language Teaching: Reasoning in Action by Karen Johnson have given me tremendous insight into teaching and different ways that I can approach it in a positive and applicable light. The first book helped me reflect on my past and present experiences, which allowed me to refine my teaching philosophy and methodology, especially if I hit a roadblock in making lesson plans. Johnson’s book gave me different, yet practical, case studies that helped me sympathize with and understand the students’ perspective on learning English. She also addressed many challenges that teachers have encountered and described solutions that help them overcome those difficulties. I am also indebted to my TESOL professors because they have made an impact on my education. Though they may not know it, their dedication to their students has influenced me and makes me want to strive to be a better teacher. They have challenged me in many ways, intellectually and spiritually, and they contribute a lot to their students and colleagues. Their love and dedication is beyond phenomenal, and their passion for the TESOL field is contagious.
Alan Seaman, Alan.Seaman@wheaton.edu, Wheaton, Illinois, USA
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How are you connected with the world of TESOL?
I have been working in the field of TESOL since 1980. Currently, I serve as a professor of TESOL at Wheaton College, where I teach applied linguistics and second language education courses in the MA program. I’ve been doing this for the past 15 years, and I love what I do. Our program has hundreds of graduates who are serving as Christian English teachers in every corner of the world. I also work as the senior editor of a new K-12 EFL textbook series, and I travel abroad to conduct training for teachers in international and national schools. Before coming to Wheaton, I had a variety of teaching experiences. I was an ESL teacher and administrator for a public school district in Virginia, and I worked as an English language teacher in Egypt and China. I also taught ESL for the University of Virginia, and have worked with adult ESL students in Virginia, California, and Illinois. Because most of my work has been concentrated in three areas—overseas universities, U. S. public schools, and teacher education—I have always had full-time jobs, which is rare in this profession.
2. What do you specially appreciate about TESOL and/or CETC?
TESOL has been a wonderful professional organization for me over the years. I’ve attended and made presentations at a number of conventions. I was attending Christian educators meetings at the conventions long before there was a caucus, back when they were organized each year by Wes Eby. In comparison with other professional organizations I have belonged to, I have found that TESOL is quite open to the overt discussion of faith issues by Christians and others. I have also enjoyed being active in TESOL affiliates, including Illinois TESOL-BE, where I was an executive board member for a number of years and chaired the state’s TESOL convention. The affiliates are very teacher-focused and are a great place for grassroots advocacy on issues facing our profession.
3. Is there a relevant joy or challenge you experience which you could share with CETC Newsletter readers?
I have been thinking about English as a global language quite a bit lately as I travel to teach and conduct workshops in various parts of the world. My understanding of the “native speaker/nonnative speaker” distinction has changed quite a bit over the years. Last year when I was leading materials development workshops in the Philippines, many of the Filipino teachers felt that English was as integral to their everyday lives as it is to mine. They viewed themselves as native speakers of English and were frustrated that people in other countries didn’t seem to value them because they weren’t from the United States, Australia, or the United Kingdom. The global Christian church faces similar issues. Increasingly, the church is non-Western, but many people continue to think of it in terms of outdated stereotypes that privilege the West. Through my work on the K-12 EFL textbook series, I have been dealing directly with both global English in all of its forms and the global Church, and this has been a humbling experience for me as an American. I feel I still have much to learn from Christians (and from fellow English teachers) in non-Western countries.
4. What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
I have always loved John 13, where we see Jesus washing the feet of the disciples—an astounding, radical act of service. In verses 13-15, he says, “You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you should do as I did to you.” In this passage Jesus identifies himself as a teacher while subverting the usual expectations for this role. He then calls his disciples to follow his example of humility and servanthood. I try to live out this verse through my teaching. When I stand in front of a class or enter another culture, I go not as a prophet but as a servant.
5. Is there a book, article, or individual related to TESOL that has influenced you and/or your teaching? If so, could you explain how?
A number of years ago I read Earl Stevick’s Success With Foreign Languages and was fascinated by his portraits of exceptional language learners. He profiled a variety of people, ranging from some who had extremely structured, formal approaches to others who were purely social learners. This book caused me to recognize my own preferences for foreign language learning and to become more flexible as a teacher. It actually changed the way I viewed the students in my classes. Later, I had a fascinating conversation with Stevick about the book and met one of the language learners that he had profiled. Stevick’s books about language learning and teaching were wonderfully offbeat, written with great humor and compassion. I still recommend them to people who are entering the profession of TESOL.
Joni M. Strohm, jstrohm@elic.org, Qufu Normal University, People’s Republic of China
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How are you connected with the world of TESOL?
I grew up in a farming family in Modesto, California. I had wonderful teachers throughout my schooling. Several of them encouraged and supported me through personal crises as well as academics and ultimately led me to faith. I started my teaching career with a clear vision of impacting students’ and colleagues’ lives in significant ways. My first years were teaching high school English, then migrant education English and adult education. I was challenged in the early 80s to use my love for students and teaching in places needing salt and light. I came to mainland China in 1985 and loved Chinese students. I went back to California for a couple years and earned my Education MA in curriculum and instruction. I returned to China in 1988 and have been here ever since. While in China, I have been studying Chinese and working on my MA in intercultural studies from Wheaton College. I love the Chinese classroom and the natural bridge there is between classroom teaching and investing holistically in students’ lives beyond academics. I’m now starting to have some of my first students’ children enter the university. It is a joy to have long-term friendships. I have been a member of TESOL since the early 80s.
2. What do you specially appreciate about TESOL and/or CETC?
I thoroughly enjoy networking with other colleagues. It is good to hear what others are doing in the classroom and in research. The journals and e-mail postings allow for individualized and independent professional development while in the field. I especially enjoy staying connected with CETC to look at EFL from the eyes of a group of folks with the compassion, integrity, and professionalism that reflect Christ. It is difficult for me to get to conferences but the online connections help me stay a part of the professional community.
3. Is there a relevant joy or challenge you experience which you could share with CETC Newsletter readers?
Being in a teachers’ university has given me the privilege of helping to prepare future teachers as well as provide professional development for those continuing in their career. It is a joy to see my students go out as equipped teachers. It is especially fulfilling to see the few who are both equipped professionally and spiritually.
4. What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
My favorite passage changes every few years. One that has been especially full of hope to me is 2 Corinthians 2:14-17. The promises of His leading, of His triumph, and of our lives manifesting the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place all are extremely important. I know that my life, whether in the states or in China, in the classroom, on the street, or in my home, will be directed and victorious and manifest His sweet knowledge.
5. Is there a book, article, or individual related to TESOL that has influenced you and/or your teaching? If so, could you explain how?
Two books that have both influenced me and impacted what I teach my students are Beyond Training (Jack C. Richards, Cambridge University Press, 1998) and Professional Development for Language Teachers, Strategies for Teacher Learning (Jack C. Richards and Thomas S. C. Farrell, Cambridge University Press, 2005). I have used Beyond Training as a textbook for helping postgraduate students gain practical skills in reflective teaching, textbook selection, syllabus design, and lesson planning. I am currently using ideas from Professional Development for Language Teachers in a teacher support group within our college.
