ELI faculty are constantly searching for new and better ways to teach, motivate and engage their students. Here is a sampling of some of the more memorable classroom moments from 1996.
Sean Cox: In its continuing effort to bring the use of technology to the study of English, ELI has recently invested in new software for the American Government Cluster. The software, a computer simulation of an American presidential campaign, explores such issues and topics as ideology, foreign and domestic policy, and the budget deficit within the context of presidential elections. Sean Cox, the cluster instructor, reports that the software program was an instant success and generated a great deal of discussion.
Jo Gielow: This year Jo Gielow's middle school Limited English Proficiency students enjoyed a very active game of "verb ball." Since part of what she does with these children is to prepare them for their mainstream classes, Jo thought combining English grammar and PE (physical education) would be a lot of fun. The students stood in a circle and tossed a large whiffle ball (hollow ball with openings) back and forth. A lively song was playing in the background. When she stopped the music, the student who was holding the ball had to reach inside the ball and take out a slip of paper which said past, present, or future. The student would then have to say a sentence in the correct tense.
Barbara Gillette: In March, 1996, Barbara Gillette's Oral Business students had to use both their business vocabulary and communication strategies while conducting research on Main Street. Students interviewed ten small business owners about sales, taxes, salaries, types of legal ownership, suppliers, promotions, targeted customers and many other aspects of "doing business" on Main Street. They came back to class with samples, brochures, discount coupons, and a great deal of interesting information to share. As each researcher presented a favorite business to the class, students learned about the history of the Deer Park Tavern, enjoyed free fortune cookies from Happy Gardens restaurant, found out about the best month to buy a bicycle at Bike Line and even received coupons for twenty minutes of free tanning at Christie's Beauty Shop! Most of all, everyone had fun interacting with Americans in an authentic business setting.
Lisa Grimsley: The September-October Community Outreach Class worked on student-directed projects at their community locations. One student researched the Food Bank of Delaware, interviewing the director, staff and volunteers, in order to produce a videotape for a class presentation. Another student team took pictures of various activities at a local senior center and reported to the class on activities enjoyed by the elderly in America. Other groups researched classroom management techniques in the American classroom, interviewing a school principal to learn the history of the school and talking with children and teachers in order to compare American culture to their own cultures back home.
Ricka Grollitsch: During Session Four members of Ricka Grollitch's Level III Listening/Speaking class prepared a craft from their country for the Newark United Methodist Church's (NUMC) day school. Both the American five year olds and the international students learned a lot and enjoyed the interaction. The NUMC thanked the ELI students and were happy with the effort made by ELI to familiarize the children with people from other cultures.
Ruth Jackson: Students in Ruth's L/S Film Class developed their critical thinking skills as they critiqued outstanding movies from the past year such as Braveheart and Apollo 13. Two of the most popular and successful activities in Ruth's R/W EAP V/VI classes were analyzing a scene from Schindler's List to sharpen students' descriptive writing skills; and reading, viewing, and then writing about A Streetcar Named Desire to inspire their use of rhetorical devices.
Russ Mason: In the 1960s class, students enjoy a variety of activities such as watching movies, singing songs, and discussing controversial issues. In 1996, members tried a few new things. In a student dramatic presentation, they learned of Jihyung Kim's (Korea) character's secret Yuppie career aspirations, and everyone cheered for Elena Lopez de Luna's (Spain) guitar playing, motorcycle riding, hippie commune organizing "grandmother!" They also visited Timothy Leary's house via the Internet and explored Haight-Ashbury by computer.
Mary McCloskey: In Level III Listening/ Speaking class, students spent some time listening to and discussing popular songs, trying to catch the lyrics and sometimes sharing how their own experiences supplied them with words and images other than what the singer was using and presenting. They also listened to instrumental music selections and narrated mini-movies that the music became background to. The bravest students of all learned to sing their own words to the songs to the class!
Barbara Morris: Some students in Barbara Morris' Level III Listening/Speaking class used camcorders to videotape their presentations on site. Topics ranged from microforms in the Morris Library and the facilities at the Carpenter Sports Building to the new Trabant University Center. One of her lower level classes met their e-mail pen pals when the class traveled to Drexel University; and one of her advanced level Desktop Publishing classes published a guidebook to student clubs and other extracurricular activities.
Grant Wolf: In this past year's classes, Grant was most pleased by a noticeable trend of "reaching out," beyond the usual textbooks and classwork. Some examples this year have been some wonderful guest speakers (Janet Louise, Chris Wolfe, Mary Pat Podgajny and others), field trips and independent student research on the World Wide Web. The world is rapidly becoming the students' classroom!