Tuesday, April 1, 2008

TEXAS INTENSIVE ENGLISH PROGRAM

The Texas Intensive English Program provides English language training and cultural information to individuals whose native language is not English.
Some TIEP goals include:
1. Improving the English language and study skills of international students in preparation for study at an American University, or for the use of English in social and profesional situations;
2. Familiarizing international students with the people, c u l t u r e, and customs of the United Sates to facilitate the transition from their countries and adjustment during their stay in the Unites States.
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ASI Seminar on Applied teaching techniques and materials

Instructor

Mimi Parris


Objectives
  • To share and enhance teaching expertise
  • To improve English Proficiency
  • To collect teaching-related realia
  • To compare and contrast U.S. teaching practices and approaches with Latin American countries
Focus
  • Language Teaching Philosophies
  • Classroom activities: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing
  • vocabulary
  • AISD School visit
  • TIEP Class observations


ASI Seminar of American Culture and Teaching

Instructor

Charles Seltzer

Objectives
  • To serve As a conceptual framework for culture study
  • To offer Participants an opportunity for examination of cultural foundations and perspectives
  • To provide the context for advanced-level communication through content-based material
  • To foster cross-cultural communication
  • To complement participants´ cultural experience
Activities
  • This course will incorporate all language skills through various activities, including audio and video programming, discssions, short lectures, and participant presentations. it will also complement program activities and field trips, as well as individual participant exploration of the local cultural enviroment

Class observations

On friday february, 1st we were to observe classes at TIEP and well... this was a very interesting experience.

The TIEP classroom is where the real language is taught.

Things that called my attention:

  • Teachers based their lessons on a cultural approach. I mean, they spend a very significant part of the class sharing opinions about Austin´s most important cultural aspects .
  • Teachers always smile.
  • They never run.
  • They use lots of realia.
  • English only signs everywhere.
  • Teachers turn off the lights to call students' attention.
  • They use everything they can for their lessons. (blackboards and chalk, radio cassette players, the vcr, and of course laptops and other modern stuff). here we sometimes complain about not having new resources and more technology. now... that`s funny!
  • They are very patient.

Teacher: meagan hopkins

Date: feb, 1st

Level: 148.1 reading and writing

Nº of students: 10

Textbook: mosaic




Teacher: Emily spurgeon

Date: feb, 1st

Level: 160.1 reading and writing

Nº of students: 4

Textbook: looking ahead, academic writing

Filed trip to San Antonio

The experience in San Antonio was more than amazing. Second day in the US, everything was new, lots of information and then going to San Antonio, Texas! Wow! Ok, we got on the charter bus that took us to San Antonio at 8:30 and there we were, twelve teachers of English from Argentina and Chile going to places I had never imagined I could ever be: The Alamo and Mission San Jose.

McDonald’s was the first thing we did in the morning, and a big surprise!! Lots of people having big hamburgers for breakfast. After breakfast we headed off mission san Jose, which is a historical place not far from the San Antonio downtown area that shows life in the early 1800s. Here you can see everything from religion, education, iron work, architecture, clothing, etc.

The place is huge, there are beautiful old buildings and a big church that is still being used (there was a wedding going on there).

After mission san Jose, we went to the museum of Texan cultures and here one can see Texas itself, everything was there, all cultural backgrounds such as the French, the Swedes, the Danish and many more as well as the black Afro-American culture and the native American Indians.

After the experience at the museum we had some time to walk around the downtown area and have lunch at River Walk.

Everything was very Texas here; there were cowboys all around.







more pictures from San Antonio





more pictures from San Antonio