News
TESOL Macedonia Thrace hosts an Interview with Dr Paschalia Patsala in its December Bulletin Issue
“My interest in Linguistics was love at a first sight! And although some claim that this is often cured at a second look, the more I delved into this field of science, the more I knew it was meant to be like that…” Dr Paschalia Patsala Head of English Studies Department The special Christmas issue of the TESOL Macedonia Thrace e-Bulletin is out hosting an interview with Dr Paschalia Patsala, Head of our English Studies Department. The professional association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Macedonia Thrace, which is also an associate member of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL), was pleased to announce a wonderful opportunity offered to Dr Patsala to provide a concise account of her rich academic and professional background. Wonderful in the sense that educators are constantly projecting their gaze, concern and efforts onto others; having the spotlight projected back on them is both wonderful, but also rare. Being constantly focused on their students, colleagues, programmes, the institution and society, rarely do educators experience moments such as this, which allow them as individuals to share their insight, their internal-view. In her interview, Dr. Patsala clearly expresses her love for the discipline of Linguistics, for CITY College—her “natural habitat” as she claims, Higher Education and the multiple roles, duties, obligations and people she engages with on a day-to-day basis. While she admits to there being challenges and difficulties, she does not shy away from aiming to doing her absolute best so as to achieve all set-out goals and leave her ‘educational-carbon-footprint.’ Balance, passion, collaboration and dialogue with both students and colleagues are integral for both educational and managerial purposes. Ultimate conclusion? The need to constantly evolve, academically, professionally, and personally. While not all can be said in an interview, Dr. Patsala’s account is being communicated in such a way that leaves the audience expecting many more achievements and contributions to the world of academia.
19/12/2016
Our English Studies Department got us into the festive spirit with its Christmas Gathering!!
Literally 10 days before Christmas and the English Studies Department of the International Faculty called “all ye faithful” and “rocked around the Christmas tree” with its students and staff welcoming the most wonderful time of the year! Staff and students ensured that all provisions were made and that the gathering took place in a warm, cozy and toasty atmosphere. The trimming of the tree truly began to make the second floor of Proxenou Koromila building look a lot like Christmas. Students and staff remained faithful to their Santa-hat tradition whilst also adding reindeer-antler headbands to spice up the mood! Refreshments and beverages overflowed, and snow-flake/X-mas tree/Santa-shaped cookies, traditional pitas, and pastry delights were served amidst the two snowmen mascots and a miniature tree centerpiece. An “arts and crafts” corner ensured the full additional decoration of every window and mirror surface with student hand-made snowflakes. The musical ambience consisting of renowned carols ranged from “White Christmas” to “Feliz Navidad.” Secret-Santa gifts were offered to the winners of the lottery who received them with great excitement as a sign of good luck! A plethora of photos were taken thus capturing and reflecting the joy and cheer of all present! The gathering, as expected, did not resemble a “Silent Night” as laughter and conversation abound! While students and staff did not see a “White Christmas” in spite of wishes to “Let it Snow,” they did manage to create their own “Winter Wonderland” and wish all a Holly Jolly Christmas and a Happy New Year! The English Studies Department would like to extend its heartfelt and warmest wishes to the whole CITY College community, wishing all Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, peace and joy!!!
16/12/2016
Prof. Adam Piette and Dr Gabriel Ozon, from the Sheffield School of English, visit the International Faculty
The English Studies Department of the International Faculty of the University of Sheffield, CITY College recently hosted Prof. Adam Piette, Head of the School of English, and Dr. Gabriel Ozon, Lecturer in the School of English. Their 3-day visit (November 7-9) was an excellent opportunity for staff members of the Faculty as well as students to engage in productive discussions, share insights and further establish and promote collaboration between the School of English and our English Studies Department (ESD). Prof. Petros Kefalas, Dr. Paschalia Patsala and members of the International Faculty and ESD staff met with Dr. Piette and Dr. Ozon on various occasions to discuss the progress of the newly-established Department, the good practices implemented, together with various challenges that have been successfully overcome, but also to work on future plans. Both Prof. Piette and Dr. Ozon gifted all interested participants with two interesting Seminars catering to literary, cultural and linguistic appetites, which proved highly engaging, informative and granted participants with additional insight to areas of culture and language. More precisely, Prof. Adam Piette’s presentation titled “The Homeric Parallel in the Coen Brothers’ O Brother Where Art Thou?” drew on M. Bakhtin’s theory of the chronotope to illustrate intertextual allusive relations between Homer’s Odyssey, the Coen Brothers’ film, as well as Michael Longley’s Homeric poems so as to establish political parallels–surprisingly relevant with the recent U.S presidential elections–and demonstrate affective, bodily, cultural and aesthetic categories. Dr. Gabriel Ozon’s presentation, on the other hand, under the title “Information Structure in a Spoken Corpus of Cameroon Pidgin English” raised awareness towards Cameroon Pidgin English as only a spoken language, the need to provide a written form, the corpus method of data collecting and hands-on experience with the research conducted in this area of Linguistics, thus enlightening all participants towards the benefits, difficulties and more importantly necessity of relevant research. In parting, yet another visit proved beneficial as it confirmed the mentality of dialogue, networking, feedback, collaboration and more importantly the sense of community-building both within and across Schools and Departments of the University of Sheffield.
04/12/2016
Dr Marina Mattheoudakis inaugurates the 2016-17 English Studies Department Open Seminars
It is with a dynamic, warm and thankful feeling that the English Studies Department initiated their first “ELT Methodology for All” series of Seminars for the 2016-2017 academic year. Students, staff members and visitors were fortunate to hear and learn about “The CLIL Method: From Europe to Greece” from Dr. Marina Mattheoudakis, Associate Professor of the Dept. of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics of the School of English, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Participants, who were able to attend the event either on the College premises or via live-streaming, were introduced to the CLIL Method (Content and Language Integrated Teaching). CLIL is an educational approach, inspired by the Canadian Immersion model of education, proposed and eventually adopted by Member States in Europe seeking to improve the European educational policy in general. Highly versatile and flexible, CLIL shifts away from traditional methods of teaching foreign languages, and poses as a significant alternative to stagnant teaching/learning methods. In light of the 8 key competences for Lifelong Learning of the European Framework, CLIL caters to the 4 Cs (Content; Cognition; Communication; Culture) every European must have in order to be a valuable, well-rounded individual and citizen of the world. As Dr. Mattheoudakis emphasised, recent research has demonstrated the multiple benefits which accompany the implementation of the CLIL method: the development of bilingualism within school education; the development of children’s cognitive skills; and the use and awareness of academic language early on. The CLIL method was first implemented in Greece in 2010 and more specifically in Thessaloniki in the 3rd Primary School of Evosmos–Experimental School. Under the direction and supervision of Dr. Marina Mattheoudakis, Dr. Thomai Alexiou and Ms Chryssa Laskaridou and with the collaboration and support of state school teachers and advisory directors, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and the Ministry of Education, the CLIL method has lead to impressive results over the past six years. School subjects, such as History/Mythology, Physics, Arts, and Physical Education were taught exclusively in English and the use of CLIL led to student engagement, stimulation, active and autonomous learning but also full immersion. During the presentation, sample videos posed as testimony to all the informative and impressive aspects Dr. Mattheoudakis so readily, clearly and enthusiastically presented about the CLIL method. It goes without saying that the CLIL method provides a solution to a language-centered versus subject-centered teaching dilemma. Due to its high potential, it can be viewed as an ideal method for teaching English, foreign languages and all matters of other subjects, enhance student skills, as well as equip educators and learners with the necessary tools to foster and enhance life-long learning and a love towards education.
20/11/2016
Open Seminar: Information Structure in a Spoken Corpus of Cameroon Pidgin English
Wednesday, 9 November 2016 FREE ENTRANCE Information: T: +30 2310 224421 E: a.kasiara@citycollege.sheffield.eu
08/11/2016
Open Seminar: The Homeric Parallel in the Coen Brothers' O Brother Where Art Thou?
Tuesday, 8 November 2016 FREE ENTRANCE Information: T: +30 2310 224421 E: a.kasiara@citycollege.sheffield.eu
07/11/2016
ELT Methodology Seminar: 'The CLIL Method: From Europe to Greece'
Tuesday, 1 November 2016 FREE ENTRANCE Seminar Overview (PDF) Online Participation Form Join and share! Information: T: +30 2310 224421 E: mkosior@citycollege.sheffield.eu
25/10/2016
Ms Margarita Kosior from the English Studies Department on the stage of the 26th IATEFL-Hungary Annual Conference
On October 8th, Ms. Margarita Kosior, English Studies Department Lecturer, delivered her talk "Social Issues in ELT: From Social Context to Teaching Content" to the audience of the 26th IATEFL-Hungary Annual Conference "Dimensions, Diversity and Directions in ELT" in Kaposvár, Hungary. Ms. Kosior presented the ways in which she incorporates issues of global importance into her teaching conducted in the University of Sheffield International Faculty. As the number and the severity of problems we are facing is growing, Global Education is gaining popularity among English teachers. It is no longer a question of whether we should incorporate social issues into ELT, but rather how it can be done. In order to address this need, Ms Kosior presented a number of activities and tasks she employs in her teaching, but focused mainly on participating in well-structured projects and on various forms of collaboration with other educators and professionals involved in Global Education. Not every teacher is immediately willing to jump on the bandwagon, since discussion on social issues in an English language class will often result in heated debates, but also, if not conducted properly, in uncomfortable situations. Indeed, many social issues can be considered controversial or sensitive, therefore Ms. Kosior recommended "Toolkit for Learning and Teaching: Teaching Sensitivity and Controversial Topics" published on the University of Sheffield website which identifies the delicate topics, explains what the responsibility of the educator is and provides specific advice on how to manage a difficult discussion in class. Ms Kosior finished her presentation with an important message: we should not underestimate the value of our efforts, just because they may seem like a drop in the ocean. Every educator's and every student's voice can be heard and should be heard, and every effort can contribute to the greater good, ranging way beyond linguistic competence.
21/10/2016
Staff and students of the English Studies Dept. launch their Public Engagement Scheme!
It was Rita Pierson who said: “Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be” (2013). In the University of Sheffield International Faculty, CITY College we, as educators, strive towards this mentality proven also by the official launch of the Public Engagement Scheme titled “English Language Lessons for Teenagers” designed in collaboration with the Municipality of Thessaloniki, to be offered to members of financially weak families. Last week, Staff and Students cordially welcomed the newest and youngest members to the ESD family! Our Public Engagement Scheme for high-school students—designed and led by Dr. Paschalia Patsala, Head of the Department, and Ms. Cathy Marazi, Lecturer of the Dept., demonstrates the belief of CITY College community in equal opportunities for educational and social advancement. This initiative demonstrates the International Faculty's commitment to be of service to the society—a philosophy that lies at the heart of our Mission. In our new endeavor, Express Publishing has allowed us to make the Public Engagement Scheme a reality with the generous offer of top-quality, innovative material that will aid teachers and students in the coming lessons for the following three academic years, for which we wholeheartedly thank Express Publishing. Demonstrating via yet another occasion that there is no “I” in team work, the volunteers of the ESD look forward to embarking along with their young students on an inspiring educational journey. The assistance of all parties involved, who have contributed to the realisation of this initiative, is greatly appreciated and has resulted in the additional strength and confidence required to see this initiative take flight; after all, “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” (Helen Keller).
17/10/2016
Mr. Hatziapostolou and Dr Patsala in the PALSO Northern Greece Annual Convention
The University of Sheffield International Faculty, CITY College made its inter-departmental appearance at the 29th Annual Meeting of Pan-Hellenic Federation of Language School Owners (PALSO) via the joint presentation delivered by Mr. Hatziapostolou, Senior Lecturer of the Computer Science Dept., and Dr Paschalia Patsala, Head of the English Studies Dept. With their presentation, entitled “Engagement Matters: Enhancing Foreign Language Instruction Through Learning Technologies” the speakers successfully demonstrated the merging of pedagogy and technology as well as the paramount importance of keeping students engaged! The event took place at Makedonia Palace Hotel on August 25thand 26th in Thessaloniki. Dr. Patsala and Mr. Hatziapostolou exhibited the necessity of education evolving with the times, hand-in-hand with technology, taking creative advantage of what each domain has to offer and acknowledging today’s tech-savvy students, as the multiplicity of information available nowadays does not permit the excuse of not having material or inspiration! For the purposes of language study and skills enhancement, a number of intriguing suggestions were demonstrated related to: online Games for practicing vocabulary, grammar and syntax; use of teleprompters for reading skills; speech-to-text and text-to-speech technologies; creative writing technologies including digital story books, animated stories, and comic books, to mention a few of them. Moreover, the two presenters also suggested ideas for testing and assessment including online quizzes, classroom clicker systems, online bulletin boards, and the use of forums either through Facebook groups or online discussion platforms such as Piazza. Concluding their presentation in a whimsical fashion, Mr. Hatziapostolou and Dr. Patsala challenged the audience to consider, and think ‘outside the box’, regarding the use of videos with technological applications ranging from subtitling to re-creating scenes…all in all the possibilities are endless. From the stimulating presentation it became clear that content-wise, language study is fairly consistent; as a result, teachers need to channel their creativity towards the methodology they will employ so as to heighten student engagement. If the encore of the particular presentation and the invitation to be repeated to a greater number of PALSO Association members is any indication, it becomes evident that if the audience is not engaged then the dialogic teaching/learning process between teacher and student cannot fully and efficiently function to perfection.
11/10/2016
Dr Giorgos Dimitriadis from the English Studies Department in two International Conferences in Poland
Dr Giorgos Dimitriadis, Part-time Lecturer of the English Studies Department, participated in two Conferences in Poland and delivered presentations on theory of cinema and visual perception. The first Conference, Mind-Media-Narrative: Exploring the Nexus of Transmedial and Cognitive Narratologies, was held in Warsaw (June 20-22) and was organised by the Warsaw Transmedial Narratology Research Group in collaboration with the University of Warsaw. The theme of the conference was narratology across media, with special interest in the cognitive context of narrative theory. Dr Dimitriadis delivered a presentation titled “Just the Facts, Ma’am: An Economical Model for Theorizing the Perception of Visual Narrative in Digital Cinema”; the presentation proposed the application of a cognitive model for the audience’s perception of cinematic storytelling. Featuring a theme that spans across various media and eras, the conference was a great opportunity for scholars of diverse fields to exchange views and latest research findings in narrative theory. The second Conference, Expanding Universes: Exploring Transmedial & Transfictional Ways of World-building, was held in Krakow (September23-25) and was organised by Facta Ficta Research Center and the Faculty of Polish Studies at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. The main focus of this conference was theory of worldmaking across various media and the implications for audiences as well as cultural and media theory. The talk that Dr Dimitriadis delivered was titled “Evaluating the Coherence of a Cinematic Universe as a Prerequisite for Worldmaking in Digital Cinema”. The presentation was based on an innovative approach to the theory of fictional worlds, separating worldmaking as a cognitive process from the world-building practices of the cinema industry.
09/10/2016
Mr. William Nash from the University of Sheffield, English Language Teaching Centre visits our English Studies Department
In accordance with its well-established mentality of Higher Education collaborations, the English Studies Department was pleased to welcome Mr. William Nash, the Academic Director of Teacher Training at the University of Sheffield English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) in the first weeks of the current academic year. Dr. Paschalia Patsala, Head of the English Studies Department, Professor Petros Kefalas, the Vice-Principal for Teaching and Learning, together with members of ESD staff met with Mr. Nash during his two-day visit to the International Faculty. Being one of the largest university English language centres in the UK, the University of Sheffield ELTC supports around 3,000 students a year, offering classes, Departmental Language Programmes, online language support, a Dyslexia/SpLd Specialist Tutorial service, and a writing advisory service. With courses aimed at students who wish to attend the university, or who are already attending as well as members of the public, ELTC strives to offer all parties interested the very best of quality knowledge, skills, development and services. In continuation to Dr. Patsala’s visit to the ELTC last year, and as with all collaborations at their initial stage, the identity of the ELTC and the ESD had to be presented first in detail, thus signaling the common springboard for discussions aimed at two-way enrichment. The particular visit posed as a prime opportunity for the English Studies Department to exhibit their contribution to English Language Learning and Teaching both via their Departmental BA and MA programmes but also through their English Language Support Unit developed to help and support all students of other Departments of the International Faculty with regards to academic English and skills. With discussions reaching the conclusion of “being on the same wave-length,” this visit opened up avenues for future joint actions and verified the open-minded, enthusiastic and strong desire of both parties to share successful attempts, ideas, challenges, and solutions implemented, which actually depicts the productive nature of academic collaborations focused on moving forward together for the benefit and enrichment of all members involved.
06/10/2016
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