2009
English Language Teaching Innovations Erupt on Volcanic Kamchatka
Kamchatka State University hosted an English Language Teaching Seminar Series on September 21 and 22, 2009 for its English language instructors and cadre of future teachers and interpreters. The young crowd was enthusiastic to learn about the role of information technology in language teaching and about how the global status of English on the Internet is influencing grammar, vocabulary and writing conventions. English Language Officer David Fay presented three sessions and later consulted with teachers and the Information Technology instructors on how to use Web 2.0, including wikis and social networking, to enhance their students’ language learning potential. A fourth seminar was given at the American Corner and was attended by approximately 30 participants, many of whom had been at the university sessions. The fourth part of the series focused on the many influences on American English, among which include blogging and texting expressions and codes, Spanish and “teenspeak.”