NAFSA Region 1 Conference, 2009

By Shirley Henderson at A.C.E.–Wednesday through Friday of last week, NAFSA Region 1 had its annual meeting in Vancouver, Washington. The A.C.E. attendees were A.C.E.’s Seattle Language Institute Director, Sally Thomas and me, the Enrollment Services Manager.

The regional NAFSA meetings provide great opportunities for networking as well as gaining pertinent information regarding new regulations and local trends.

This Weekend in Seattle and Bozeman

If you’re an A.C.E. student (or not, for that matter) looking for a cultural experience in Seattle or Bozeman this weekend, we have a couple of recommendations for you.

First up, we recommend the Savor Seattle Pike Place Market Food & Cultural Tour, which happens tomorrow, from 10:15 AM to 12:45 PM at Seattle’s iconic Market. The website invites you to “taste locally made foods and beverages that will awaken your palate, meet some of the storied characters and artisans that give the market life, and learn about the market’s rich and vibrant history.”

If you’re on the other side of the Idaho panhandle in Bozeman, we recommend seeing You Can’t Take It With You at Blue Slipper Theater. The play has been called an comedic American classic, and many cite it as among the most representative plays of the American experience. You can read more about the production here. Tickets are $10 for regular folk, and $8 for students.

A.C.E. Instructional Coordinator Contributes to TESOL Text

Tim Healy, Instructional Coordinator at the A.C.E. Language Institute at Seattle Pacific University, has a chapter in a new text for TESOL professionals titled Authenticity in the Language Classroom and Beyond: Adult Learners. A description of the book, published by TESOL, Inc last month, can be found here, and purchased here.

Tim’s chapter, titled “Sharing the Food and Fun Through Restaurant Review Blogs: An Integrated-Skills Project Approach”, is based on an integrative and interactive approach which he developed in his classroom at SPU. If you happened to be at the 2009 TESOL conference in Denver, you may have caught Tim’s presentation on the same topic. You can read about it here.

Everyone at A.C.E. extends a hearty congratulations to Tim and hopes you’ll pick up a copy of Authenticity in Language Classroom & Beyond: Adult Learners.

Welcoming a Partner from Japan

By Shirley Henderson at A.C.E.–We recently welcomed Daisuke Yoshioka from A.C.E. Japan to the A.C.E. Central Office and the Language Institute at Seattle Pacific University. His visit was marked by meeting staff and experiencing the atmosphere at our two Seattle locations. The meetings were filled with information exchange, site tours and program descriptions. The visit provided a great opportunity for A.C.E. to get feedback from one of our closest partners. Daisuke also had the opportunity to meet with our partner in Korea, Howard Kwon, and discuss closer ties between these two partners.

Potlucks and BBQs

By Alicia Jo Briones at A.C.E. at SPU–Every five weeks the Language Institute at SPU holds a potluck, and last session we had an amazing time.  Attendees brought piroshkis, sushi, biscuits and gravy, Phad Thai, Taiwanese food, homemade macaroni and cheese, figs, hummus and pita and much more.  In the photo above you can see a long line of students waiting to eat.  Other end of session parties have included pizza, fried chicken, and tortilla wraps.  Occasionally in the summer we throw a BBQ at Golden Gardens beach and play volleyball or soccer.

Since the weather is finally warming up, we’ll be holding the next end of session potluck at Golden Gardens on Wednesday, May 13, from 3-6 PM, weather permitting (knock on wood!). If it rains, the potluck will happen in the Falcon Lounge. In order to attend, you must bring some food to share or pay $5. It’s important to sign up ahead of time, which you can do by e-mailing aliciajo@cultural.org or stopping by the LI office.

We always have a great time and hope to see you at Golden Gardens!