Minutes

Faculty Meeting and Workshop

Spanish-American Institute

November 1, 2003

 

 

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

 

Attendance:  E. Aniban, J. Arbai, F. A. Bush, E. Castillo, M. Diaz, G. Diaz, L. Dolina, L. Eco, D. V. Ferraro, J. Gaylan, L. Grajo, L. Hernandez, L. Fallarme, A. Fred-Horsfall, R. Krishnamoorthy, N. Larsen, E. Manliclic, N. Panganiban, C. Prager, E. Ramos, I. Rymer, P. Schiffman, F. Sibucao, A. Tuldanes, A. Verbine.  

 

President’s Report:  Mr. Ferraro welcomed everyone to the meeting.  He indicated that the Institute had sent the accreditation self-study material to ACICS and had requested a Winter accreditation team site-visit. 

 

Chair and Other Faculty Reports: 

 

   Accounting & Business—A. Fred-Horsfall, G. Diaz, and E. Manliclic described implementation of the new FrontPage and PhotoShop courses. 

   College Success—L. Dolina and A. Verbine described implementation of the new College Success course.  Current teachers have each taught three of the four modules. 

 

Academic Dean's Report and Follow-up Discussion: 

  1. Next Generation TOEFL:  Dr. Prager distributed information from the TOEFL web site about how ETS will have fully phased-in a mandatory speaking component by September, 2005.  They will be piloting speaking test elements this year.   Students should be advised that, as of now, these test elements will not count in their final test score. 

 

Teachers are encouraged to consult the ETS website regularly for information about the new TOEFL test and helpful links to teaching resources. 

 

ETS calls the new test "Next Generation TOEFL:  Focus on Communication."  The new TOEFL will test students on how well they actually use English to communicate.  This is a big difference from past tests which tested what students did or did not know instead of how they could apply what they knew to actual situations. 

 

The shift from testing knowledge to testing application through speaking and writing has important implications for teaching TOEFL.  The following table summarizes the faculty meeting discussion of the new TOEFL test and its implications for teaching. 

 

TOEFL Essay Test

Teaching Implications

1.      Computer vs. handwritten essays

1.  Encourage students to keyboard their TOEFL essay to give them enough time to write and revise a good essay in 30 minutes. 

 

Students who do not type should be encouraged to enroll in Keyboarding ASAP.  Keyboarding is a basic skill for academic success. 

2.  Grammar and Structure section gone.  Grammar and Structure tested through application in reading, speaking, and writing. 

2. Use class time for reading, speaking, and writing, not for grammar exercises.

 

Reading:  Students should be taught to read between the lines.  When answering reading questions, they should explain their answers fully. 

 

Grammar and Structure:  Use grammar and structure exercises only to help them correct their errors. 

 

Writing: 

  • Do some writing in class every day. 
  • Assign at least one TOEFL type essay at least every two weeks for homework. 
  • Use at least one class session every two weeks to do an in-class essay under TOEFL conditions (30 minutes!). 

3.  E-grading (electronic grading)

3.  Computer-generated essays are graded electronically.  The computer looks for the same writing elements that teachers look for in reviewing student essays.

 

  • grammar and spelling errors
  • paragraphing
  • transition between paragraphs
  • parallel structure
  • complex and other longer sentences
  • academic vocabulary (longer words and abstract words that express concepts and ideas)
  • etc.

 

 

 

2.  New Videos:  Dr. Prager announced that the school is expecting additions to the collection of shorter thematic videos.  After a brief review of new videos added in the last few months, some faculty members discussed how they used these videos in their ESL classes. 

 

3.  New Textbooks and Active Learning Techniques:  The group discussed some of the differences between older and newer textbooks.  Newer ESL and program course textbooks at the Spanish-American Institute contain varied material requiring students to apply knowledge using higher order thinking skills.  For example, even elementary ESL textbooks require students to do something "on their own," to write and give short reports (by means of carefully guided assignments), and/or to do field or formal research using print or electronic information sources.  This sort of connected activity helps students retain what they have learned much better than passive exercises such as drill and practice can help them to learn.