Minutes

Faculty Meeting andd Workshop

Spanish-American Institute

August 7, 2004

 

 

Convened:  The Faculty Meeting convened at 10:20 am.

 

Attendance:  J. Arbai, F.A. Bush, A. Burarovskiy, E. Castillo, G. Coronado, A.M. Diaz, D. V. Ferraro, J. Gaylan, L. Grajo, L. Hernandez, R. Krishnamoorthy, E. Manliclic, D. Mumkaya, O. Piddubna, C. Prager, N. Panganiban, E. Ramos, A. Tuldanes, A. Verbine

 

President’s Report:  Mr. Ferraro welcomed everyone to the meeting. 

 

Chair and Other Faculty Reports:  No specific reports. 

 

Academic Dean's Report and Follow-up Discussion: 

 

1.       Next Generation TOEFL:  Dr. Prager distributed information about how the new TOEFL

will test integrated skills. 

 

In the Reading section, students will answer questions based on only three long academic reading passages.  In the Listening section, they will answer questions about two conversations and four lectures.  In the Speaking section, they will answer six questions.  Some of the questions will require them to listen to a passage and/or read a passage before speaking.  In the Writing section, they will answer two questions.  One requires students to write in response to a situation they will hear described and then read about. 

 

Faculty discussed how they can start preparing students now for the new TOEFL, since new textbooks will not be available until some time next year.  Suggestions included:

 

§         Structure—Don't do Structure exercises with the whole class.  Grammar and strucutre is no longer tested separately.  It is evaluated through the students' essays.  Teachers should assign specific structure exercises to individuals students who need them based on their writing. 

§         Writing—Students should write a timed 30 minute TOEFL type essay at least once a week.  Smaller writing assignments should be made in between.

§         Listening—Focus on the longer listening passages.  Tell students that the TOEFL will no longer have short listening passages. 

1.       Integrate writing based on listening passages. 

2.       Use the more advanced level NorthStar videos and Listening Achievement Test CDs as supplemental listening and writing activities. 

§         Video Viewing—Use videos in TOEFL classes only as a basis for listening and writing work that class period  (5-10 minute viewing only).  Use the NorthStar Video Activity Sheet model for any video work.

§         Encouraging Students—Students often dislike writing.  Encourage students who don't want to write by explaining to them that they will have to take a "Writing" placement test at any college, even if they don't plan to take the national TOEFL exam.  They will be placed in another ESL or remedial writing class unless they can write at the college level.  They will have still have pay full tuition for the ESL or remedial courses but will not get credit for them towards graduation.  They will be wasting time and money.  Also, they will have a limited number of semesters in which to show that they can now write at an acceptable level or they will not be able to continue as college students. 

 

3.  TOEFL and College Success:  All TOEFL students should be strongly encouraged to take College Success.  College Success teaches skills similar to those tested by TOEFL.  In College Success, students:

 

 

4.  NorthStar Teacher's Manuals and Achievement Tests:  The Spanish-American Institute now has Teacher's Manuals and Listening Achievement Tests for each level of NorthStar.  The Teacher's Manuals contain excellent suggestions for extending NorthStar lessons.  The Listening Achievement Tests can be used at the end of each unit to test students' comprehension. 

 

5.  SLEP Testing—The school is implementing a new national placement exam, the SLEP (Secondary Level English Proficiency test).  The SLEP is used in many postsecondary schools, including some two-year colleges.  Dr. Prager will be visiting certain classes the week of August 9th to tell them about the test.  The test itself will be given to them in class the following week on either August 16 or 17.

 

6.  Student Activities—Out-of-classroom student activities benefit students in several ways.  They help students: 

 

§         practice English,

§         learn about American culture,

§         learn about each other, and

§         feel more part of the school. 

 

Several suggestions were made for increasing student activities including clubs, visits to restaurants and museums, and a school newsletter.  Based on faculty suggestions, the next school activity will be going to a Broadway musical.  Mr.  Ferraro will seek reduced priced tickets.  Dr. Prager will develop a template for a monthly newspaper and share it with faculty and staff for input. 

 

Emergency Preparedness:  Mr. Ferraro addressed several issues connected with emergency preparedness, including school emergency supplies and individual creation of personal "go bags."  Remember, in an emergency, people may not have time to assemble what they need.  The "go bag" should be ready to go. 

 

Each person's "go bag" should include items like:

 

 

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Ferraro also conducted emergency exit walk-throughs using both school  emergency exits.