Tidbits, Education in America---A Nation of C Students

Despite a national push to improve student performance, American teens remain average in science and reading proficiency and below average in math compared with the rest of the world.

This, according to new results released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development which has tested 15 year olds in 65 nations since 2000. Students in Shanghai scored highest; Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong followed. US students fell in the middle, with Peru, Indonesia and Qatar coming in last.

While dozens of countries have improved over the past decade, the US hasn’t. US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan called the results a “picture of education stagnation”

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Source: A Nation of C Students, by Maya Rhodan, in TIME, December 16, 2013.

Some tips for presenters to fight their fright before any presentation

One of the major concerns of any presenters in making presentations is stage fright. As Stephen E. Lucas states that, “Stage fright is anxiety over the prospect of giving a presentation in front of the audience”. Actually, most people tend to be anxious before doing something important in public. This is perfectly normal. Steve Mandel writes in the book Effective presentation skills: A practical guide to better speaking (2000, p. 7) that, “anxiety is a natural state that exists any time people are placed under stress. Giving a presentation will normally cause some stress”.

Normally, in terms of students, there are several reasons causing stage fright to students before giving a presentation. Students may fear of being stared at, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of the unknown or even lack of practice. From these reasons, it is understandable that most students experience tension when they have to speak to a group. Many students cannot overcome the stage fright while delivering a presentation. They cannot use both energy and composure to effectively convey their message. According to Steve Mandel, “many people become frightened at the idea of standing up before a group of to make a speech”. Many students says that they usually have symptoms such as a nervous stomach, sweating, tremors in the hands and legs, accelerated breathing, and/or increased heart rate before going to present in class.

Although presenters may not like the way they feel when they are nervous, stage fright can have an advantage. If presenters can turn the nervous energy caused by stage fright into speaking energy, they can make their presentation better. Presenters can force the nervousness to work for them rather than against them. As Stephen E. Lucas has the same idea, “Rather than trying to eliminate every trace of stage fright, presenters should aim at transforming it from a negative force into positive nervousness. It is still nervousness, but it feels different. Presenters are no longer victimized by it; instead, they are vitalized by it. They are in control of it”.

In order to deal with nervousness and turn it from a negative force into a positive one, presenters need to acquire speaking experience, have a careful preparation, think positively, focus on relaxing, know that most nervousness is not visible, not expect perfection, and use the power of visualization. Some students say that they can turn the nervous energy caused by stage fright into speaking energy and make the presentation better, they can make their nervousness work for them rather than against them. In order to deal with nervousness, students need to do their best to act cool and confident on the outside. It is reassuring to know that when presenters are experiencing stage fright they feel much worse than they look and often, the audience cannot tell just by looking at them that they are very nervous. Knowing this should make it easier for students to face their listeners with confidence. Confidence is mostly the well-known power of positive thinking. If the students think they can do it, they usually can. On the other hand, if they predict disaster and doom that is almost always what they will get.

The followings are some helpful tips so that students will be able to overcome their shyness, deal with nervousness, and gain their confidence: students should be prepared because preparation is the key to giving an effective presentation and controlling nervousness; only once students prepared carefully, they must be confident to stand in front of many people to present a particular topic. Students should be relaxed because relaxation can help anxiety, students can choose to take a deep breathe or smile at the audience and this increases their confidence. Students should be interactive because interactive exercises will help to create a positive dialogue with participants where they have opportunities to share their own knowledge.

Once students can deal with anxiety and overcome stage fright, they can communicate ideas with enthusiasm. In fact, dealing with nervousness is not the only reason to make students enthusiastic to present something; it is just the condition that makes students more comfortable when delivering a presentation.

Research abstract & findings: The effects of The Community English Club’s Activities on English competence and professional skills of students at SFL, TNU

The objective of the research entitled “The effects of The Community English Club’s Activities on English competence and professional skills of students at The School of Foreign Languages (SFL), Thai Nguyen University (TNU)” was to find out whether or not CEC activities had positive effects on students’ English competence and students’ professional oriented skills.

The research used mixed methods; finding the effects by collecting, analyzing data, and “mixing” both quantitative and qualitative research. Concretely, the real effects of CEC activities on students’ English competence and professional oriented skills were found and assessed through comparing academic documents of two groups (the students who participated in CEC activities and those who did not), analyzing the data collected from different types of instruments such as observation, questionnaires and interviews for lecturers and students at the SFL.

The subjects of this research were the students who are in course K34. Fifteen students at the course K34 who joined CEC, fifteen students at the course K34 who did not join it, 30 current CEC members, 10 graduate students who used to be CEC members and 10 lecturers were chosen randomly as the sample.

The collected data were analyzed through Pair Sample T- Test, data interpretation and description by tables, bar and pie charts. The result of English Written and Oral Proficiency – Advanced 1 showed that the CEC members’ score was lower than non-CEC members’ score. In contrast, the result of English Written and Oral Proficiency – Advanced 2 indicated that the CEC members’ score was higher than non-CEC members’ score.

Combining with the data collected from questionnaires and interviews, it can be seen that CEC members studied in the research made a better progress in academic achievements than those who did not participate in CEC activities; and it is concluded that CEC activities had positive effects which could promote students’ English competence and professional oriented skills

General effects of CEC on students’ development

It can be shown in the research that Community English Club – a student organization and a model of extracurricular activity which is led by students under the control and advised of Department of English at School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University has been creating a lot of weekly, quarterly and annually online and offline activities such as: “Meet up”, “Talk show”, “Language Camps”, “CEC Bi-Zine”, “Teaching English for disadvantaged students”, etc for both students who are members of CEC and other students at SFL to participate freely besides their studying in academic classrooms at SFL.

All CEC activities, especially five activities studied in the research (“Meet up”, “Talk show”, “Language Camps”, “CEC Bi-Zine”, “Teaching English for disadvantaged students”) have been proved to connect and support training programs at SFL and these activities have created friendly and active practical environment with the targets of promoting students’ English competence and professional oriented skills.

And 100% of students who are current members of CEC answered that they were keen on participating CEC activities a lot and their participation in CEC activities has been a big motivation for them in studying and cultivating English competence and professional oriented skills. Lecturers who directly taught those who are CEC members also commented that CEC members are more motivate and enthusiastic in learning than those who are not.

Effects of CEC activities on students’ English competence

The research has indicated that CEC activities have created a practical environment for students to practice and cultivate their English competence at all English skills such as: listening, speaking, reading and writing through activities such as: weekly meeting to communicate to other students and foreigners in 59 English, talk show in which both lecturers and students have chance to do presentation about their interests, CEC Bi Zine in which students can practise their English reading, writing and translating skills, “Teaching English for disadvantaged students” in which they can combine using all English skills, and “Language Camps” in which they have conditions to use English directly.

And students’ participating in CEC activities has led to a better progress in learning and achieving academic results at subjects of English Competence such as English Oral and Written Proficiency.

The research also shows that students who participate in CEC activities are ready to use their English to communicate English with others, especially foreigners (current CEC members) and then actively use their English in their job (graduate students who used to be CEC members).

Effects of CEC activities on students’ professional oriented skills

Besides English competence, it is also indicated in the research findings that CEC activities have effective impacts on students’ professional oriented skills.

The biggest impact on students here is the self-confidence CEC members can get for themselves through participating in CEC activities. The self-confidence encourages students who are CEC members to be brave to express themselves and study new knowledge and professional skills.

Besides self-confidence, CEC members can learn other necessary professional skills such as: convincing and negotiating skills, Ms Office and I.T skills, time management, flexibility, public relation, public speaking, communication, self-expression, doing presentation, problem solving, writing memos/ letter/ proposal/reports/speeches/ lesson plans/ etc, Supervision & management, designing, organizing events, planning, team building, leadership, innovation, creativity, development, authentic learning (learning through reality), translating skill, critical thinking and project management.

And assessments from SFL lecturers attending this research show that CEC members are more confident, creative, active, enthusiastic and motivate in learning and social activities than those who are not CEC members.

Significantly, the professional skills CEC members get from attending CEC activities are proved to contribute to orient future career for CEC members. Especially, students who are CEC members can understand their strength, weakness and real passions so that they can determine their target of occupation after graduating. Professional skills CEC members get from attending CEC activities are also proved to strengthen students’ dream.

Moreover, those professional skills are useful in their jobs (for graduate students who used to be CEC members) because those skills support their jobs and help them complete their jobs better.

The factors of CEC activities that impacted effectively students’ language competence and professional skills

It can be concluded from the data collected from questionnaires for current CEC members and interviews for graduate students who used to be CEC members and lecturers at SFL that CEC activities had itself these following factors hat help students reinforce their English competence and professional skills.

Firstly, CEC activities studied in this research (“Meet up”, “Talk show”, “CEC Bi-Zine”, “Teaching English for disadvantaged students”, “Language camps”) helped students develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing through activities such as: weekly meeting to communicate to other students and foreigners in English, talk show in which both lecturers and students have chance to do presentation about their interests, CEC Bi Zine in which students can practise their English reading, writing and translating skills, “Teaching English for disadvantaged students” in which they can combine using all English skills, and “Language Camps” in which they have conditions to use English directly.

Secondly, besides developing those English skills, the content and operation of CEC activities also gave students opportunities to develop their professional skills. For instance, by attending “Meet up”, students were able to reinforce their communication skills. By joining in “CEC Bi-Zine”, students could practise their 61 team-work skills. The descriptions of these skills were performed clearly in the Table 1, 2, 3 at Chapter 4 of this thesis.

Thirdly, it can be concluded that the real factors that CEC activities brought for students were its creating practical environment for students to practice their English competence and professional skills and encouraging students to attend in those activities actively and enthusiastically. Concretely, 96.7% of students who are current CEC members answered that they enjoyed attending CEC activities.

Moreover, the real factor that led to students’ development in English competence and professional skills was the self-confidence students could get from participating in CEC activities. 100% of students who are current CEC members attending this research mentioned that attending CEC activities made them more confident in themselves because they could understand their strength and weakness.

Furthermore, the close connection between the content of CEC activities and curriculum at SFL, TNU proved at the table 2 and 3 in Chapter 4 was also another factor leading to students’ development in English competence and professional skills. For instance, 93.3% of students who are current CEC members attending this research claimed that participating in CEC activities helped them learn and complete their English Courses at SFL, TNU with higher academic results. And these results were proved at the previous chapter in this thesis.

In general, it can be analyzed that the factors impacting effectively students’ English competence and professional skills included these factors:

- CEC activities created practical environment for students to practice English competence and professional skills in reality.

- Attending CEC activities made students more confident in themselves and helped them understand their strength and weakness.

- The content of CEC activities had a close relationship with curriculum at SFL, TNU.

Bui Thanh Huong (author of this paper)

Source: The effects of The Community English Club’s Activities on English competence and professional skills of students at The School of Foreign Languages (SFL), Thai Nguyen University (TNU) – The School of Foreign Languages (SFL), Thai Nguyen University (TNU)

The factors affecting teachers’ applications of Information Technology in teaching and learning foreign languages in Vietnam

Based on the perspective of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the analyzed result of a case study at Hanoi University showed that the application of Information Technology (IT) of foreign language can be influenced by four main factors: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and advantaged conditions. This article both presents more deeply about these factors and proposes training using IT. It is also emphasized in this article that the support of leaders is considered to be the key leading to successful IT integration in foreign languages teaching and learning in the future.

1. Problem

Probably it is not necessary  to convince foreign language teachers in Vietnam about the value of IT such as: providing teachers with a huge source of documents on the Internet; supporting learner-centered and self-study methods (TT Dang, 2010); enhancing collaboration with other teachers; making lessons more interesting, etc (Ng & Nicholas, 2013). With so many potentials listed above, many people may think that all teachers use IT immediately in their teaching. Although the percentage of teachers applying IT in their teaching is high, there are still many teachers never integrate IT into teaching (XT Dang, Nicholas, & Lewis, 2012; Ng & Nicholas, 2013). This shows that there is the gap between awareness of the benefits of IT and practical IT applications in teaching in the classroom. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the key factors affecting teachers’ IT application in foreign languages teaching in Vietnam.

2. Content

This article uses the Unified theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) (Venkatesh, Morris, & Davis, 2003) as the basis for a systematic analysis of the main factors affecting IT applications of teachers of foreign languages in Vietnam. Through a combination of theory and models related to the adoption and application of IT, UTAUT theory (see Figure 1 below) is said to be able to explain "about 70% intention of using technology (Venkatesh et al., 2003, p. 471)

Four major factors in this framework are analyzed and illustrated by the results of some recent studies on the application of IT in Vietnam as well as other studies worldwide.

2.1. Performance expectancy

Benefits when applying IT can lead to teachers’ belief of the benefits that can be brought by IT. Teachers tend to use IT when they believe that IT brings significant value for both teachers and students (Ertmer, Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Sadik, Sendurur, & Sendurur, 2012; Ng & Nicholas, 2013). But the problem here is teachers’ perspective in the benefits of IT. Teachers gives priority to applying IT in case they see the positive benefits of IT; in contrast, it is very rare for those who see only the negative impacts of IT to apply IT (Carr, 2011; Hill, 2012; Ng & Nicholas, 2013). It seems that the majority of teachers in Vietnam have a positive attitude towards the use of ICT (Hue & Ab Jalil, 2013; Ng & Nicholas, 2013; J. Peeraer, 2013).

2.2. Effort expectancy

Effort expectancy generally refers to the awareness of teachers to the use of IT. Applications which are considered to be easy to use will be used more often. In a recent study, the author Xuan Thu Dang (2013) reported a portfolio of IT applications considered to be easy to use and are frequently used such as: email, word processing, searching information on the Internet (eg: Google), downloading from the Internet (eg: Internet Download Manager program), doing presentations with Powerpoint, and Web browser (eg: Internet Explorer, Firefox).

The awareness of teachers about effort expectancy of IT is associated with their confidence and IT capacity, which are related to IT training workshop (Buabeng-Andoh, 2012). Research shows that those who are trained to use IT are less anxious when using computers and IT; and they generally consider IT as a useful tool which is easy to use (Becta, 2004; Ng & Nicholas, 2013; Teo, 2011; Trucano, 2005). The contrary inference may be acceptable.

2.3. The social influence

Teachers have their own rights to decide to use IT or not, but their decisions can be affected by the surrounding environment (Grainger & Tolhurst, 2005). There are three main pressures on IT application of teachers of foreign languages in Vietnam (ranked in order of importance): i) the pressure from the current generation of students who grew up with IT (Dang , 2013); ii) pressure from thinking to keep up with colleagues (Dang, 2013); and iii) the request of the Ministry of Education and Training for teachers about the use of IT in the classroom (MOET, 2008a, 2008b). The influence of society apparently creates a positive motivation for teachers to make use of IT in teaching process.

2.4. Facilitating conditions

Teachers’ IT application is also based on the favorable conditions including their beliefs and attitudes, IT training and leaders’ support. The research shows that teachers who have belief and positive attitude integrate IT into teaching more often; in contrast, teachers lacking belief and having negative attitudes often avoid IT applications (Drent & Meelissen, 2008; Ertmer et al., 2012; Fu, 2013; Mama-Timotheou & Hennessy, 2013; Ng & Nicholas, 2013; Sánchez, Marcos González, & Guanlin, 2012).

Author Xuan Thu Dang (2013) argues that the support of leaders is an important condition for the integration of IT in Vietnam where there is high power distance due to the influence of Confucianism (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010).

The support of leaders is often expressed through several forms such as: i) policies, vision and guiding teachers to apply IT, helping teachers recognize purposes of using IT (Ng & Nicholas, 2013; Jef Peeraer Van Petegem & 2011); ii) a system of recognition, encouragement and reward for the application of IT in teaching (Ng & Nicholas, 2013; Wastiau et al., 2013); iii) adequate investment in IT equipments to ensure that teachers have enough IT equipments to use (Ng & Nicholas, 2013; Son, Robb, & Charismiadji, 2011).

The shortage of favorable conditions (such as the lack of positive attitude, leaders’ support, equipments and incentives) may be the factor leading to teachers’ not applying IT (Ng & Nicholas, 2013).

2.5. Regulatory factors (age, gender, experience and voluntariness to use)

Age, gender and teaching experience have important influence on teachers’ participation in using IT (Buabeng-Andoh, 2012; Scrimshaw, 2004). When age, gender and experience are analyzed separately in relation to the use of IT, the result shows that young male teachers with less experience use IT more often than older female teachers who have more experience.

However, when age, gender and experience of teaching are considered at the same time in relation to factors such as IT capacity, training teachers to use IT and teachers’ belief, there exists a more complicated difference than the direct relation as mentioned above. In Vietnam, IT application remains itself voluntariness; therefore, the application of IT depends on the decisions of teachers (Ng & Nicholas, 2013).

That teachers do not apply IT is caused by many factors such as the lack of favorable conditions (lack of necessary equipments and incentives) and the effort expectancy (poor IT skills). However, perhaps the biggest challenge is teachers’ not believing in the benefits of IT (eg the Internet makes students analyze information superficially) (Carr, 2011; Hill, 2012).

3. Conclusion

The article focuses on analyzing the key factors affecting IT application of foreign language teachers in Vietnam. It can be seen from the above analysis, besides teachers’ awareness of the benefits of IT as well as the influence of society, to successfully apply IT in teaching foreign languages in Vietnam, two following factors should probably be focused:

• IT training, focusing on how to effectively use some appropriate IT tools with the direction of concentrating on learners.
• The support of leaders focusing on disseminating IT policies, rewarding adequately for those who apply IT successfully, and equipping IT equipments in the classroom.

Understanding thoroughly  all the factors mentioned above is significant for two main subjects: i) the IT policy makers, to invest suitably and effectively; and ii) foreign language teachers, to help them maximize using IT equipments to improve teaching quality.

We also propose that it is necessary to have further study with the participation of a greater number of teachers throughout the country to draw a general picture of the factors affecting IT application of foreign language teachers in Vietnam. Moreover, the effective methods to train IT application for foreign language teachers in Vietnam should also be studied more comprehensively so that teachers can access to training materials at anytime and anywhere (materials of video, audio and paper) to review and revise.

Translated by Huong Hoang

This article is translated from the source: http://dean2020.edu.vn/news/Hoc-lieu/Nhung-nhan-to-tac-dong-toi-viec-giao-vien-ung-dung-cntt-vao-day-hoc-ngoai-ngu-o-viet-nam-229/

The usage of information sources on the Internet in languages teaching and learning activities

This article stresses the importance of the information technology application in general and the Internet in particular in teaching and learning foreign languages. On this basis, this article introduces how to use the Internet and proposes some useful software for both teachers and learners of foreign languages.

1. Introduction

About the importance of the information technology application in teaching, the Instruction 29/2001 / CT-MOET Minister of Education and Training stressed: "Information technology has a strong impact, which changes the content, methods, teaching and learning methods. Information technology is a mean towards a learning society ". According to this spiritual instruction, the application of information technology in teaching and learning is more and more common and happens widely at both schools and universities nationwide with lectures conducted in the classroom with the support of computers.

2. The current situation of the application of information technology and solutions

The rapid development of information technology sector has created significant changes in the ways and methods of teaching and learning foreign languages, which brings positive results. According to the authors Beauvois (1992), Peck & Domcott (1994), Murphy (1995), Kallick & Wilson (2001) and Warschauer & Shetzer (2003), the application of information technology in teaching and learning activities has many positive effects:

-Technology provides both teachers and learners with a friendly learning environment; which allows teachers to guide and support every learner and similarly encourages learners’ self-study based on their own ability.

-Technology helps promote learners’ thought, which is an advantageous condition for learners’ self-organization, analysis, development and evaluation of learning activities.

-It is also technology that creates fresh and inspiring experiences for learners.

- Technology also creates favorable conditions for learners to pursue lifelong learning goal, which is regarded as the key to success;

- Technology makes learners more confident and proactive in learning. Moreover, technology also provides a huge multimedia resource with learning content in the forms of text, audio files, photos, video for learners

Technology give learners of foreign language chances to access to a diversified, plentiful and practical language learning environment, which allows learners to practice all basic language skills including listening, speaking, reading and writing skills besides learning vocabulary, grammar and phonetics.

However, there is a reality existing at many schools that computer has been only used to assist teachers in implementing the simple presentations in the form of text with the purpose of limiting the use of chalk or markers to write on the board.

Therefore, the lessons seem to be dry and boring, as a result, the target of education in developing students’ positivity, self-reliance and creativity has not been promoted.

That teachers know how to mine data system via the Internet will lead to more effective lectures in classrooms.

Those materials are mainly text, sound, image, animation, experimental film, video illustrations, graphics and animation, with technology of nonlinear interactive hyperlinks through the interactive simulation. The intuition of these materials can stimulate learning interest and inspiration, and simultaneously support the cognitive activity and self-cultivation of learners.

Internet is a multimedia interactive environment, a huge information library and extremely plentiful teaching resources. Internet is also an effective communication tool with a variety of interactive methods such as email, instant messages, conversations, forums and message boards. Teachers can incorporate teaching sites into the lectures through the direct links or downloading materials to support the teaching activities. Consequently, the exploitation and efficient use of Internet in teaching activities to improve the quality of teaching is very important.

In order to exploit the Internet for the purpose of supporting foreign language teaching and learning activities effectively, it is necessary to apply these requirements:

For information on the Internet

- There must be a coherent relation between the information on the Internet with the objectives and basic content of the lesson, in accordance with the level of learners in order to  support learners’ enhancing knowledge, practice skills and meet the requirements of the innovation of teaching and learning methods;

- Internet information used in each lesson must be directly or indirectly related to the content of the lecture to orient the thinking for learners;

- Internet information used in each lesson must be in various forms (information, photos, audio, video, etc) and should be selected carefully and reasonably to ensure learners’ concentration.

For teachers,

- Teachers must be proficient in accessing the Internet; using search tools, such as Google search, Yahoo, Altavista ; or selecting suitable keyword for material searching purposes;

- It is necessary for teachers to learn the way of creating an electronic library to store necessary information.

3. Some applications on the Internet to support foreign languages teaching and learning activities

To conduct the group and classroom management, teachers can use Edmodo – a completely free software which is widely used in many countries all over the world. Teachers can easily access, register and join Edmodo as a teacher, then create the group classes and directly assign tasks for students and manage their process of learning, as well as participating in the discussion. This software has a very high security and also reminds learners of learning and handing exercises when deadline is close. Simultaneously, Edmodo can mark multiple tests, which help save teachers’ time.

The software Voicethread allows users, mainly teachers and students of foreign languages in the world to interact, share knowledge of language. Moreover, Voicethread is especially useful for the activities of teaching English Speaking skills. With this software, learners can share their speeches on the web by recording and posting them on "thread" of their group or class, which more confident, flexible in communication activities.

There are some simple but highly applicable types of software like Crossword Forge, which helps teachers easily create crosswords for students; and Audacity, which is especially useful for teachers to edit audio, adjust speed of sound, cut sound into small pieces, or create music background for a more interesting story.

There are some other utilities of software such as MySchool Network (MySN) - a social networking site in education which can help students improve their ability of using English through projects, online events; Wikipaces which helps create learning resources and student profile; Testmoz whish helps online checking; or Socrative and Blackboard which help teachers interact with students.

4.Conclusion

Teachers and students of foreign languages should prioritize mining the features of versatility and communication of the Internet as a tool for effective language learning to create an ideal learning environment. The Internet allows students to create their own community and encourages them to use language to communicate with real purposes and meet the different study methods and interests of every student.

Translated by Huong Hoang

Proofread by ELTiCenter

This is a post translated from the Source: http://dean2020.edu.vn/news/Hoc-lieu/Su-dung-nguon-thong-tin-tren-Internet-phuc-vu-hoat-dong-giang-day-ngoai-ngu-253/

Major Trends in the Global ELT Field by Dr. Yilin Sun President of TESOL International Association

• This is a post summarized by Mr. Huy Phung from the article at the source: http://blog.tesol.org/8-major-trends-in-the-global-elt-field/#more-4730
• 1. Major Trends in the Global ELT Field Dr. Yilin Sun President of TESOL International Association
• 2. Changing perspectives on English teaching and learning 1
• 3. “World Englishes English as a lingua franca TESL TESOL TENOR TESR
• 4. Changes in goals of English teaching and learning 2
• 5. …not to imitate native English speakers. Be competent language users, critical thinkers, constructive social change agents
• 6. Changes in approaches to teaching 3
• 7. eclecticism “Postmethods Era”
• 8. Changes in teaching content, curriculum design, and assessment 4
• 9. both the content and English multiple perspectives and cultural understandings. more content based and theme based
• 10. Expanding the dimension of communicative competence 5
• 11. “multi-competence” intercultural communicative competence local and international cultures
• 12. Changing views of an 6 effective English educator
• 13. linguistic instructional Intercultural competence nonnative-English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) Not just linguistic identity Not just native speakers
• 14. Rapid development and integration 7 of information technology in ELT
• 15. cell phones and multimedia devices Internet, YouTube, Web.2.0, e-books
• 16. Changing roles and increasing responsibilities of teachers 8
• 17. 21st-Century Classroom Teachers collaborative, content-based, project-based curriculum co-teach, team-teach, and collaborate facilitators, creators, entertainers, motivators,..
• 18. Major Trends in the Global ELT Field What Do You
• Thinkhttp://www.slideshare.net/phunghuyedu/8-major-changes-i

Travel Stories, A cool meeting of ELT icenter staff with researchers from Shimane University

The woman in the picture is Ms. Lieske. The man is Mr. Scott-Associate Professor. They are researchers from Shimane University in Japan and they have been doing their research about languages.

Ms. Lieske accidently read some posts on ELT icenter website and based on the information about the team that was running the ELT icenter, she tried to contact Mr. Phung Huy by emails to have him contact with Mrs. Nhi. Ms. Lieske had Mrs. Nhi collect 200 questionnaires from Vietnamese students. Then Mrs. Nhi called me and guided me to collect 200 questionnaires. Mrs. Nhi gave me an opportunity to exchange with Mrs. Lieske via emails and after some emails, Ms. Lieske sent me the pdf file of questionnaire for Vietnamese students. Then, I printed them into 200 questionnaires in paper and contacted with some lecturers in training units of Thai Nguyen University (TNU) to ask for their help. And thanks to their help, 200 questionnaires surveying students' opinions in many languages in the world have been completed strictly by 200 students in Thai Nguyen.

During the process that we exchanged via emails, there were some troubles in the links or something related to the internet lines, so we lost contact for more than 10 days. We tried to contact each other; however, it did not work.

At last, when Ms. Lieske and her colleague – Mr. Scott arrived in Vietnam on October 25th, she could contact me and answer my emails. We tried to arrange a schedule for our meeting so that I would give her 200 questionnaires; however, she was busy with her interviews at PFT and VNU while I was busy with my tests at school.

Finally, after 70 exchange emails, and many delay and delay about the time and place to meet, we did meet each other at a Vina Coffee Shop in front of Ho Chi Minh Museum and share many interesting things about Vietnam History, students’ life in Japan and Vietnam and about the research Ms. Carmella and Mr. Scott had been doing.

The best memory we shared together might be in Ho Chi Minh Museum! We all appreciated the structure and the system of the museum at fields of art and historical values! They did ask me many questions about the pictures or some symbols in the Museum and I was so happy to share with them my limited knowledge!

They've been in Vietnam for just 4 days and will come back Japan tomorrow! Any way, we believe we will see each other again and again! It is such a cool day for me today to meet and spend my time with friendly researchers like Ms. Lieske and Mr. Scott! I did have “One day going - one day learning”

***

Many thanks to Mrs. Tam in SFL, Mr. Vu Duong from IS, Ms. Van in TUEBA, my sister called Dung from ICTU, my dear neighbors, my best friend Hoang Huong and 2 hundred students in Thai Nguyen for helping us complete 200 questionnaires! And special thanks to Mr.Dung - a staff at TNU for giving us two brochures of TNU and Ms. Lieske and Mr. Scott really appreciate those brochures!

It is a pity sis Yen – also a staff at ELT icenter and Hoang Huong could not attend the meeting because of their busy schedule! But we have further meetings, I do think so!

***

I am lucky to be a staff of ETL icenter because ELT icenter has been very meaningful in its own way!

(Thanh Huong)