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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Making ESL Accessible Online - ITC Audioconference


MCC will host the Instructional Technology Council's professional development audioconference entitled, "Making ESL Accessible Online," on Tuesday, June 19 from 2:00-3:00 pm in the Board Lounge. The presenters are: Stephanie Harm, Instructor, and Karalyn Schneider-Diaz, Associate Professor and Coordinator of the English as a Second Language Program, Northern Virginia Community College.

Just as native-speaking students are demanding more accessibility to education via online courses, so are ESL students. These students want/need to take English courses, but their personal and/or professional lives do not always allow them that opportunity. ESL students can access courses and instructors via Blackboard and e-NOVA Centra and interact with other students asynchronously and synchronously. The synchronous interactions allow students to develop their oral/aural communication skills. Online learning not only improves the students' measurable skills, such as writing and reading comprehension, but also helps their student behaviors, such as discipline and confidence.

The presenters will provide information on teaching intermediate writing and reading and advanced writing and reading to non-native speakers. They will discuss teacher and student achievements and struggles with ESL online learning, and future plans for course improvements.

To reserve a seat, contact Melissa Burley via email or at Ext. 3440.

Melissa Burley
Educational Technology Services
06/15/2007