English professors from Taizhou University in China take a class Thursday at the English Language Institute at Jacksonville State University. Photo: Trent Penny/The Anniston Star
Dr. Carmine DiBiase leads a training session Thursday for English professors from Taizhou University in China at Jacksonville State University's English Language Institute. Photo: Trent Penny/The Anniston Star
O that this too too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God!
Umm … come again?
It's a passage from "Hamlet," a play that a group from Taizhou University is studying this week at Jacksonville State University's English Language Institute.
ELI, which is at Sall's Hall, assists non-native English speakers who want to learn English for academic credit and professional purposes.
Taizhou instructors and professors of English are here for three weeks sharpening their skills.
"To most of us," said Rebecca Li Jing from Taizhou, "it's the first time we have been abroad. So it's a very important journey for us to travel to an English-speaking country … It will help us a lot in English teaching."
Some courses offered focus on listening and speaking, which is designed to give students confidence in many areas. Students practice conversation management, learn vocabulary and are instructed every step of the way. Other courses include reading and writing and structure.
JSU continues to expand its foreign exchange program with China. JSU officials recently returned from a two-week stint in the East with agreements with four Chinese universities, including Taizhou, to continue improving study-abroad programs, sharing research and exchanging staff.
Next year, JSU offers its first joint computer science program with Taizhou. It's called a "1-2-1" program. Students study at JSU for one year, in Taizhou for two, and then back to JSU for a final year. When they're done, they'll earn degrees from both schools.
On Thursday, the instructors were to choose something English to read, and then write about it, said Gena Christopher, a JSU English instructor. JSU plans to put the writings into an anthology.
Carmine DiBiase, another JSU English instructor, said he's encouraging the Taizhou staff to "exercise their imagination" while translating. He said having the Taizhou staff around was exciting and refreshing.
"I hope that this will lead to some collaborative projects," he said.
