spanish-american institute

215 West 43 Street  ●  NYC, NY 10036  ●  212.840.7111 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 212.840.7111 FREE  end_of_the_skype_highlighting  ●  fax: 212.719.5922  ●  http://www.sai2000.org/ ●  info@sai2000.org   http://www.facebook.com/studentclub

 

TO:      All Faculty and Staff ~  

 

From:   Dante V. Ferraro, President

             Caryn T. Davis. Dean of Academic Affairs

RE:       Faculty Meeting, Workshop and Luncheon

When:  Saturday, August 9, 2014

Time:   10 am to 1 pm

 

There will be a Faculty and Staff Meeting on Saturday, August 9, 2014.

 

We are pleased to welcome back our special guest speaker, Marilyn J. Rymniak, who will facilitate an interactive Intercultural Communication in the Classroom workshop.

 

Marilyn J.  Rymniak is a foreign language/English Second Language (ESL) specialist and a leader in the international education field. She has taught in, recruited for, directed, and developed materials for adult education, corporate and campus-based English language training programs in CA, NY and New Jersey, at the University of California at Irvine, UCLA, the California State University system, the Los Angeles Community Adult Schools, and at Educational Testing Service (ETS), where she was Executive Director of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam.  She has held teaching, training, and curriculum development positions in Spain, France, England, Iran and Saudi Arabia, and did extensive EFL teacher training in Poland. She has authored four English training textbooks. She was also the Dean /Director of the International Office at Manhattanville College. She is also a Culpepper Fellow for Cross-Cultural Studies at Millbrook School, a Fulbright scholar to the Federal Republic of Germany, and a Harvard Teaching Fellow.  Most recently, she was Dean for the LAC Academy heading up the professional development certificate programs, including the program in Teaching English as a Second Language to Adults.

 

Please try to arrive by 10 am so we can use our meeting time to full advantage.

 

Faculty meetings are an important part of our school's professional development activities. Your participation helps us to meet many accreditation, state licensing  and best  practices requirements.

 

Faculty meetings are a great time to meet and get to know your fellow teachers and to exchange ideas and teaching strategies.  The "Idea Exchange" luncheon which follows is also a delicious way to improve our school.

 

REMEMBER: The front door of the schools will be closed.  Please enter at 1501     Broadway.  Take the elevator to the second floor.  We will leave your name on a list with security, so bring along photo ID

 

 

a not-for-profit, equal educational opportunity institution

AGENDA

Faculty and Staff Meeting and Workshop

August 9, 2014

Faculty Meeting:  10:00 am-1:00 pm

1.  President

  • Welcome
  • New Faculty and Staff Introductions
  • "English through the Arts" opportunities
  • Reminding Students of School Cell Phone Policy in Class
  • Faculty Captains for Student Club Bike Tours
  • Report equipment in need of repair and instructional materials in need of replacement
  • 2014 Annual Faculty and Staff Development Plans

 

Intercultural Communication in the ESOL Classroom
 
The participants in this workshop will be introduced to the importance of developing good intercultural communication and sensitivity skills to enhance their overall capacity to understand, communicate with, interact with and effectively teach adult learners from very diverse backgrounds, languages and cultures in the ESOL classroom. The following topics will be covered in this training program:
 
·         Learning style differences, personality trait differences and differences in values and beliefs that impact classroom dynamics and effectiveness
·         Presentation of the Bennett Model for the development of intercultural sensitivity and the acceptance, valuing and appreciation of difference. Moving from ethno-centrism stages to committed integration in the classroom.
·         The introduction of other standard paradigms for understanding and comparing cultures and difference: The Iceberg Theory, The Kluckhohn Model, The Hall Model, Kohlıs Model.

 

 

Luncheon:  1:00 p.m. until…

"The Idea Exchange" discussion, comment and review of the day's activities