Featured Session - International Conference 2016
The Role of the U.S. Department of State in Enhancing English Language Teaching and Learning in the East Asia Pacific Region
English has become a unifying language throughout the world for cultural expression, education, and commerce. The Regional English Language Office at the U.S. Department of State offers free programs and resources to enhance English language teaching and learning throughout the world. There are five Regional English Language Officers (RELOs) assigned to the East Asia Pacific region located at U.S. embassies in Jakarta, Bangkok, Hanoi, Beijing, and Manila. The RELO at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Whitney Mirts, will discuss the many ways the embassy supports professional development programs and provides materials/resources for English teachers throughout the region.
_______________
Invited Second Session
Using Games in the Classroom
This workshop will highlight the free English language learning resource Activate Games for Learning American English available from the AmericanEnglish.state.gov website. The games in Activate offer practice with vocabulary, grammatical patterns, and interaction skills in a learner-centered, low stress environment. They provide an opportunity to talk informally and to think creatively. This presentation will provide information on the materials available, how to use games in the classroom to increase oral fluency and offer tips for creating your own games.
_______________
Biographical Sketch
Whitney Mirts is the Regional English Language Officer (RELO) for the U.S. Embassy in Manila. Before arriving in Manila she worked in Washington, DC in the U.S. Department of State’s Office of English Language Programs. Prior to joining the Foreign Service she was a TESOL professor and program administrator for ten years, working at all levels of education and on many continents. She received her MS in Applied Linguistics from Long Island University, Brooklyn (New York).
_______________
Resources on the Web: US Dept. of State
http://AmericanEnglish.state.gov
http://Facebook.com/RELOManila
http://Facebook.com/AmericanEnglishAtState
http://Facebook.com/AmericanEnglishforEducators
See the full list of Major Speakers at the KOTESOL International Conference at https://koreatesol.org/ic2016/Major-Speakers
