aucenglish

In recent months, I have been speaking to people who are helping residents of Massachusetts learn to be more proficient in English. These are people who are connected with the local government and businesses in an effort to increase study opportunities for English language learners.

One of the things that they have told me is that people have less and less time to do classes. Yet, the need for them is greater and greater. Thus, classes that are intensive are the best, rather than classes that continue on and on for months and semesters.

Another point that I gathered in my research was the fact that people's hurried lives make them more dependent on technology, particularly communication technology. The rise of Facebook and other social media demonstrate that even in the midst of the constant rush, people can use technology to improve their lives.

What we have tried to do with aucenglish is to combine the intensivity of a short burst of study with the power and appeal of technology in language education that makes it all come together for our students.

Welcome to aucenglish!

2010 ACTFL Convention in Boston

I attended this convention in Boston two weeks ago. It was awesome to learn more that I can share and use with my students!

Language Instruction Video Conferencing

This is a video of a new friend I met last week at the ACTFL Convention in Boston. Dr. Tim Cook teaching Japanese through videoconferencing. Although, I don't understand much Japanese at all, it is still pretty cool and funny!

Videoconferencing with a Japanese class from Tim Cook on Vimeo.

Dr. Sung and I - Lab Techs

This school year is getting off to a great start. One of the reasons is that I have a new friend, Dr. Backil Sung. He is a medical doctor and a Ph.D. He has joined my other good friend, Dr. Richard Brown, in the Natural Sciences Department.

Dr. Sung has a special interest, and that is helping grow the English Language Institute with students. He is Korean and has many contacts in that country, where there is a great passion for English language study.

This is a photo of us working on the ELI Language Lab, which had been defunct for about 5 years. Once Dr. Sung came around, miraculously, the lab began working again! Hallelujah! Now we are trying to work the bugs out so that this machine can once again help students learn language.

God bless you, Dr. Sung!

Students v. Faculty at La Sierra?

The following videos are very insightful into the dynamic between some students and some faculty members at La Sierra University since their evolution/creation controversy began.

The Last Generation (Preview) from The Last Generation Directors on Vimeo.

Biblical Interpretation; Deleted Scene from The Last Generation Directors on Vimeo.

A Polyglot's Daily Linguistic Routine

This is an inspiration to me. I just wish I had developed the habits this gentleman uses much earlier in life. I do believe in his methods of acquiring languages - multiple and varied! Everyone can learn language is they have the desire and practice daily. It is a lot like music. Enjoy this video!

Second Life in Education

Second Life can be a great tool in Education. Learn more in these videos:






ESL IN SECOND LIFE

Jennifer ESL Teacher at TESOL Boston 2010

Meeting Jennifer today was awesome. Check out her ESL youtube videos here.

This week I have been attending the TESOL Convention in Boston. TESOL is the largest convention for English language teachers in the world. There are hundreds of teachers learning and teaching together.

I will try to include some photos later...

Second Life

We are using Second Life again!

Second Life is a great language learning tool, and if you are patient enough to learn the technology involved (it is not difficult), you will experience great benefits.

If you are using SL already, please let me know how you are enjoying the experience.

My Favorite Poem

by Rudyard Kipling

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Happy New Year!

I hate blogs and websites that are old and stale. I think mine has gotten that way since my last post was October 24, 2009!

Anyway, here is my New Year's greeting on video. I am looking forward to a great 2010, which will include many changes!!! God bless you in 2010...

New Year's Eve 2010


New Year's Day 2010

The Plot

At Atlantic Union College, on December 3, 2009, there will be a fascinating panel discussion on the origin and demise of dinosaurs. The topic is based a new book written by Wellington Aguiar called The Plot.

The Plot's book launching will be held at Atlantic Union College on December 13, 2009

All are invited. Don't miss it!

Washington vs. Westinghouse

I spent some time at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter School in Hyde Park, Massachusetts just on the outskirts of Boston.

There was a big college fair there, and I went to cover for a colleague. My directions gave an address of One Washington Plaza. I spent about an hour searching, asking, and guessing where it might be. Finally, I ran into a couple of APR graduates who hopped in my car and guided me there. The address was One Westinghouse Plaza! What a difference one word can make... A good lesson for a teacher!

The school was very nice, as schools go. It was located in a refitted Westinghouse factory. The people were friendly and gave me a great spot to join the fun. I also met some quality young people. They were impressive in their seriousness and maturity.

New Books

This semester we are using some new books call Quest

Reading & Writing


Listening & Speaking

A New Semester

What a wonderful summer it was! I did a lot of local traveling and spent a lot of time with my family. We went camping several times, and did a lot of swimming, but I never took my sailboat out! It is all just a memory now...

I found this student waiting outside the first day of class.



We have a nice group of students this semester, and I think we are going to enjoy studying English together!



Here is what it looked like yesterday about 5:00 in the afternoon at the English Language Institute. I guess our crab apple tree needs to be pruned!

ADP is Underway

AUC Skype English

One of the things that I enjoy doing is spending time on the internet. There is so much to learn and discover there. I have recently begun to understand the idea of harnessing the power of new technologies to improve language learning.

In doing that I have also discovered that it is possible to deliver good, solid language instruction through a variety of web 2.0 technology. Some of the stuff you can use is listed below.

Play around with these technologies and you will see what is possible! If you would like me to show you how to do it, just email me and we can schedule something.

Tears No More

This has become my favorite song. It is called Nunca mais as lagrimas and it is in Portuguese. It literally means, tears no more.

The harmonies are absolutely phenomenal and the arrangement is just stunning. I hope you enjoy this blessing, too!

My Language Learning Re-Education Continues

When I was in college, we had videos and some language laboratories to practice our German and French, but there is just no comparison to what is out there today regarding language learning and technology.



Over the last year or so, I have been learning more about teaching languages with technology. I had heard about Second Life from a colleague, so in April 2008 at the TESOL Convention in New York City, I attended a few presentations on SL. Just a few weeks later, my quest led me to St. Petersburg, Florida for the CIBER Business Language Conference there. That was an absolutely fantastic one. So, I kept learning more and more.



I continued playing and researching on the web. I attended the SLanguages 2008 teaching conference within Second Life and got hooked. I have since attended SLanguages 2009 in May, and just a few weeks ago the NCFLRC Language Teacher Education Conference in Washington, D.C.

So, I am developing a group of tools to use in my teaching as well as some ESL Teacher mentors that are doing some of the things I would like to do with my students.

Here are some cool tools...
secondlife.com
talkshoe.com
skrbl.com
yugma.com

Here are some cool teachers...
Nik Peachey
Jennifer Lebedev

This is what the future looks like...

June 2009 Open House

All Open Houses at AUC are fun, but this past Sunday's was really great. I got to debut my new song "The AUC Admissions Song", and I met some really neat people. Several decided that they want to study with us. That is a blessing.

Here are a couple of shots...

Dr. Saturne's Welcome


Some Professors

(left to right) Natural Sciences Department Chair, Dr. Richard Brown; Art Professor Master, Wayne Hazen; Adult Degree Program Director, Dorothy Page

One of AUC's Finest


Everybody together, now!