(HONOLULU – Oct. 14, 2009) Hawai‘i Pacific University has been awarded a renewal grant of $749,862 from the U.S. Department of State, announced Dr. Carlos Juárez, chair of the Department of International Studies and the grant’s Principal Investigator. The award represents a 59 percent increase from year-one of the grant when HPU was awarded $472,000.

 

In June 2009, English language teachers from around the world took part in the English Language Teaching Summer Institute. HPU’s Dr. Hanh Nguyen, Jean Kirschenmann, Dr. Sandra McKay, Barbara Hannum, Dr. John Hart, Catherine Sajna, Dr. Carlos Juarez, and Dr. Ed Klein, coordinated and developed the language teaching materials utilized at the Institute.

 

The award will be used to develop English language teaching (ELT) materials for use overseas and to host a Summer Institute in June 2010 for 26 English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) teachers selected from various regions of the world. The project will be under the management of Dr. Sandra McKay, professor of applied linguistics at HPU, and distinguished scholar in the field of ESL/EFL. McKay has been a Fulbright Scholar to Chile, Hong Kong, the UK and Uruguay, and also taught in Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, South Africa and Thailand.

The goals of the ELT materials development project are to design original classroom materials that illustrate the diversity of American life and promote English language learning and cross-cultural awareness. Objectives include revising and expanding ELT materials that have already been developed by the State Department’s Office of English Language Programs (OELP).

HPU faculty in Applied Linguistics will continue to develop these materials during the 2009-2010 academic year. Teaching materials will include videotaped lesson plans produced with support from faculty and graduate students in the HPU Department of Communication, and Dr. John Hart, professor of Communication, serves as production manager.

In June 2009, 26 teachers came to HPU from 10 countries in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Russian Federation. The summer institute is an important form of cultural diplomacy as the teachers improve mutual understanding of people of the U.S. with people of the world.

The purpose of the June 2010 Summer Institute is to familiarize in-service English teachers from various countries with the newly developed OELP teaching materials. The Institute intends to foster the development of best practices when teaching English by examining how the materials can be adapted for a particular context.

The project also will be a valuable professional development experience for students enrolled in HPU’s Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) programs.

“Our Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in TESL students, who themselves represent many parts of the world, will be able to help test out the new teaching materials,” Juárez said.

“They will also have an integral role in planning and facilitating the Summer Institute for visiting teachers. It’s a win-win situation for all.”

In addition to attending academic classes, the teachers will spend three weeks in Hawai‘i becoming familiar with Hawaiian culture and traditions. Participants will visit various sites on O‘ahu, including local schools and government offices. Their stay in the United States ends with a trip to Washington, DC, culminating with 4th of July celebrations.

“The grant project brings together a solid team of HPU faculty with teaching and teacher training experience around the world,” Juárez said. “We are so fortunate to have a group of colleagues who bring considerable expertise and experience to the table.”

Juárez has been a Fulbright Scholar to Mexico and Czech Republic and serves as HPU’s Fulbright Program Advisor.

HPU faculty working on the grant project includes Jean Kirschenmann, who taught English in Micronesia with the U.S. Peace Corps, and has taught in Romania, China, and Japan; Dr. Ed Klein, Fulbright Scholar and Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea; Catherine Sajna, Fulbright Scholar to Indonesia and Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana; and Dr. Hanh Nguyen, published widely in the field of applied linguistics.

The Department of International Studies at HPU is a global learning community that houses academic programs in Applied Linguistics, including a BA, MA, Certificate and special group programs in TESL; BA programs in Anthropology, International Relations, International Studies, and Political Science; and a Modern Language program in Arabic, French, Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish. The department also offers courses for a BS and MA in Diplomacy and Military Studies, and graduate certificate programs in International Disaster and Emergency Management, and National Security and Strategic Studies.

For additional information on HPU’s U.S. Department of State grant, contact Dr. Carlos Juárez at 566-2493 or at cjuarez@hpu.edu. Information about the Department of State’s Office of English Language Programs can be found at http://exchanges.state.gov/englishteaching/index.html.