October 13, 2008

Hawaii Pacific University: Awarded $472,000 Grant from U.S. Department of State
Hawai‘i Pacific University has been awarded a grant of $472,000 from the U.S. Department of State, announced Dr. Carlos Juárez, dean of the College of International Studies. The award will be used to develop English language teaching (ELT) materials for use overseas and to host a Summer Institute in June 2009 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, HPU visiting professor and distinguished scholar in the field of ESL/EFL. 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 develop these materials during the 2008-2009 academic year. The purpose of the June 2009 Summer Institute is to familiarize in-service English teachers from various countries around the world with the newly developed OELP ELT 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 will also 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,” Juarez 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 26 English 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,” said Juarez, Fulbright Scholar to Mexico and Czech Republic and HPU’s Fulbright Program Advisor. “We are so fortunate to have a group of colleagues in applied linguistics who bring considerable expertise and experience to the table.” This includes Jean Kirschenmann, who taught English in Micronesia with the U.S. Peace Corps, and has taught in Romania, China, and Japan; Sally LaLuzerne-Oi, Fulbright Scholar to Ukraine who also taught in Venezuela, Portugal, and Mexico; Dr. Ed Klein, Fulbright Scholar and Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea; and Catherine Sajna, Fulbright Scholar to Indonesia and Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana. Other faculty team members include Dr. Candis Lee and Dr. Hanh Nguyen, published widely in the field of applied linguistics, and Barbara Hannum, who has taught in Japan and helps to coordinate English language group programs for HPU. McKay has been a Fulbright Scholar to Chile, Uruguay, Hong Kong, and the UK, and also taught in Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Morocco, and South Africa.
Source: Hawaii Pacific University

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