NSYSU organizes English Medium Instruction Environment Workshop to improve teachers’ ability to deliver lectures in English
(Provided by Teaching and Learning Development Center) To develop Taiwanese students' capability to absorb knowledge conveyed in English and to create an even more friendly environment for foreign students, National Sun Yat-sen University invited professors from various departments to attend the English Medium Instruction (EMI) Environment Workshop at the University and take part in promoting English Medium Learning (EML). The Workshop was divided into 10 sessions: 6 of them were theoretical lectures and group discussions, while the rest were practical sessions that required each participant to take part in a 20-minute micro-teaching practice. During the 35 hour Workshop, participants developed a greater understanding of EML- and EMI-related challenges, along with numerous strategies to solve them and improved their ability to deliver lectures in English.
The Workshop emphasized two methods to promote effective learning and teaching. The first was the flipped classroom method with group work. According to the Workshop instructor Mrs. Jenna Cody, peer teaching is even more effective than learning from teachers. Hence, instead of merely providing information already printed out in textbooks, a more efficient way of teaching would be asking students to do pre-reading before each class and divide them into groups to discuss questions related to the topic. What teachers should do is to monitor the groups’ progress. This method not only makes the students absorb knowledge more effectively but also fosters their participation in class and building rapport by collaborating with their peers.
The second method was to trigger students’ motivation – the decisive determiner of student’s success. If the student’s motivation for learning is aroused (whether intrinsically, extrinsically, integratively, or instrumentally), it is more likely for him/her to attain brilliant academic performance. Thus, numerous motivational strategies were suggested in the Workshop, including providing a clear pathway for improvement, scaffold learning, making lessons more fun and engaging, etc.
Regarding micro-teaching practice, every participant had to deliver a 20-minute introductory lecture in English in their discipline and implement techniques taught in class, such as group discussion. This gave the professors a chance to take on the perspective of both the student and the lecturer. After each micro-teaching session, listeners had to give feedback on the lecture by using the praise sandwich method: be diplomatic, honest, and helpful at the same time.
During the English Medium Instruction (EMI) Environment Workshop, the participants got the opportunity to enhance their teaching skills in EML/EMI environment. By putting the ideas into practice, NSYSU will become a more avant-garde university with a broader global vision and students with stronger learning abilities.
(Edited by Public Affairs Division)
The Workshop emphasized two methods to promote effective learning and teaching. The first was the flipped classroom method with group work. According to the Workshop instructor Mrs. Jenna Cody, peer teaching is even more effective than learning from teachers. Hence, instead of merely providing information already printed out in textbooks, a more efficient way of teaching would be asking students to do pre-reading before each class and divide them into groups to discuss questions related to the topic. What teachers should do is to monitor the groups’ progress. This method not only makes the students absorb knowledge more effectively but also fosters their participation in class and building rapport by collaborating with their peers.
The second method was to trigger students’ motivation – the decisive determiner of student’s success. If the student’s motivation for learning is aroused (whether intrinsically, extrinsically, integratively, or instrumentally), it is more likely for him/her to attain brilliant academic performance. Thus, numerous motivational strategies were suggested in the Workshop, including providing a clear pathway for improvement, scaffold learning, making lessons more fun and engaging, etc.
Regarding micro-teaching practice, every participant had to deliver a 20-minute introductory lecture in English in their discipline and implement techniques taught in class, such as group discussion. This gave the professors a chance to take on the perspective of both the student and the lecturer. After each micro-teaching session, listeners had to give feedback on the lecture by using the praise sandwich method: be diplomatic, honest, and helpful at the same time.
During the English Medium Instruction (EMI) Environment Workshop, the participants got the opportunity to enhance their teaching skills in EML/EMI environment. By putting the ideas into practice, NSYSU will become a more avant-garde university with a broader global vision and students with stronger learning abilities.
(Edited by Public Affairs Division)
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