College of Extended Learning in the News
From Seoul to San Bernardino: A Cross-Cultural Experience
Jan. 16, 2009 • Christine Plattner
SAN BERNARDINO— East meets West on Saturday, January 24 when 22 elementary school
teachers arrive from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) to begin a four-week training
program with the College of Extended Learning at California State University, San Bernardino. The
specially designed training program will develop the teachers’ expertise in teaching English to speakers
of other languages. In Korea, school children are taught to read, write and speak English beginning in
third grade.
In this first-of-its-kind TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program for
the College, the Korean educators will visit elementary schools in the San Bernardino City Unified
School District where the student population is more than 60% non-English speaking at the elementary
level. There, they will observe first-hand the methods and strategies of the ESL classroom teachers, after
which they will present a lesson plan in English to the mostly Spanish-speaking classes.
“This will be a cross-cultural experience for all involved,” said Dr. Tatiana Karmanova,
dean of the College of Extended Learning. “The Korean teachers, the host families, the school children
and the staff of the College are all enthusiastic about this program which furthers appreciation of diverse
linguistic and cultural backgrounds.”
The TESOL program developed by the College of Extended Learning combines seminar
discussions on the latest advances in theory and practice of foreign language education and methodology
with practical applications through teaching demonstrations and school visits. The program also includes
English language classes aimed specifically at improving the participants’ teaching ability,
communicative skills and understanding of cultural practices.
Enhancing their cross-cultural experience, the Korean teachers will participate in the College’s
Homestay Program where they will live with host families in the San Bernardino area. Many of the host
families are involved in the field of education. The Homestay Program will give the teachers an
additional opportunity to practice their English language skills and learn more about American culture,
food, traditions and lifestyles.
Field trips to the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum at Cal State
San Bernardino and the Palm Springs Art Museum will provide the teachers with sources for lesson
plans to be taught to their classes upon their return to Korea.
For more information about the Korean TESOL program or to become a host family, contact
Andrew Yao, program administrator, at (909) 537-3977 or E-mail ayao@csusb.edu.
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