The focus is on grammar and sociocultural issues, and the discussion addresses solutions in the context of English as a global language. The presenter, an ESL student, analyzes the interactions of several college-level ESL classes from a student's perspective, and describes her experiences dealing with cultural and personal communication conflicts. The presenter discusses how culture, language, and gender, as well as other factors, interact in the ESL classroom. African Refugee Youth gives participants a valuable perspective on Somali refugee teens in Kenya. The workshop focuses on youth orientation class topics, refugee youth life in Kenya, and strategies for assisting refugee teens in adapting to life in the U.S. both before and after their arrival.
Poster session highlights two programs.
The Ambassador Program helps welcome new students' cultures and languages so they are seen as assets to the community of our school. Literacy Backpacks provide experiences and activities for the entire family to work together on learning pre-literacy skills. The metaphors are represented with pictures and illustrations, accompanied by descriptions of each metaphor. The presenter hopes to generate discussion about the metaphors, their cultural significance and relevance. Comments are welcomed.