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Internationalizing Your Teaching with the Blackboard Learning
Management System, Three Useful Websites & Frequently-Used
English Phrases for the University Classroom
Robert E. Johanson
NTUST Department of Applied Foreign Languages
Introduction
As Taiwanese universities continue to internationalize their campuses by implementing
bilingual (English & Chinese) instruction, it is becoming increasingly important that we locate
online sources that can help us meet this ambitious goal. The purpose of this workshop is
three-fold: 1) to demonstrate how the presenter uses the Blackboard Learning Management
System in his English-language content courses, 2) introduce the audience to three
extremely-useful ESL/EFL websites, and 3) to familiarize non-native English-speaking
instructors with some commonly-used English-language teaching terms that they can readily
adapt to the bilingual classroom. The sources of the material for this workshop derive from
Randall’s Listening Lab [http://www.esl-lab.com], Rong-chang.com [http://rong-chang.com],
The Purdue University Online Writing Center (OWL) [http://owl.english.purdue.edu], the
University of California at Santa Barbara Teaching Assistant Handbook*, and the presenter’s
own lecture notes. Hopefully, this presentation will not only help audience-members take the
necessary steps to transform themselves from monolingual to bilingual instructors, but also
offer some pedagogically-powerful phrases that teachers everywhere might find worthy of
reflection.
This
presentation is supported in part by funding received from the National Science Council
(NSC 97-2410-H-011-014) and the Institute of System Engineering, National University of
Tainan.
Part I: An Introduction to a Useful Blackboard Exercise
The presenter will introduce the audience to a novel way to conduct a writing assignment via
the Blackboard Learning Management System.
Part II: Three ESL Websites
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Three extremely “handy” ESL/EFL Websites
a.) Randall’s Listening Lab [http://www.esl-lab.com]
b.) Rong-chang.com [http://rong-chang.com]
c.) Purdue University Online Writing Center (OWL) [http://owl.english.purdue.edu]
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Part III (A): Useful English Phrases for Classroom Communication*
Set out below is a series of useful expressions that have been adapted from the UCSB Teaching
Assistant Handbook*. Please refer to the handbook, itself, for a more in-depth coverage of
these topics. [Note: To save resources, the phrases have been collapsed two to a line and connected with
back-slashes (/).]
Introducing a Topic
What we are going to cover today is ... /First of all, I would like to talk about ...
Today, I am going to talk about … /What I want to do today is ...
The important point I want to make today is ... /Today's topic is ...
Making Transitions Between Ideas
Now, let's see what happens. /The second point I want to make is...
If that's clear, we will go on to the next point. /Let's get back to the idea of...
Now, let's approach the problem in a different way.
I'd like to finish talking about ... before we move on ...
Summarizing and Concluding
In summary ... /To conclude ... /In conclusion ... /The conclusions we can draw from this are ...
What we have been talking about ... /Okay, we have discussed...
So far (up until now), I have been trying to show you ...
The important points to remember are ...
Inviting Participation or Discussion
Who would like to say something? /Do you agree ...? /Could you say a little more about that?
Can you elaborate on that? /What do you think ...? /How do you feel ...?
What comparison can you make between ...?
What is the point made by the author of this article?
Clarifying Student Comments
In other words ... /If I understand you correctly, you mean ...
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What you said is ... /What this means is that ...
I think I understand what you mean. Let me put it another way.
Would you like to elaborate on this point? /This brings us to our major question ...
Could you restate your point? /I'm not sure I understand.
Giving Examples
For example ... /Take ..., for example. /To be more specific ...
Let me give you an example ... /For instance .../
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Part III (B): Some Common English Phrases in RJ’s Classes
Attendance/Taking Roll-call
Who’s absent today? /Time to take roll.
Present /Not Present /Anyone M.I.A.? (Missing in action)
Who’s gone A.W.O.L.? (Absent without leave)
Late-Tardiness
You’re late.
The doors will be locked ten minutes into the period.
Tardiness reflects a lack of respect for your teacher.
Two lates equals an absence.
*Don’t worry: Better late than never, right?
*Don’t tell me, you were born late, too, right?
*You’re not late, you’re just early for next week, right?
Class Rules/Regulations
Please raise your hand if you have something to say.
No sleeping in class. (“You snooze, you lose.”)
Please put your cell-phones on silent mode.
Please don’t talk when I’m talking.
Let’s chat about this after class together.
Did you bring enough (food) for the rest of us, too?
*I’m talking at you not talking to you.
*And what was your advisor’s name, again?
* Your new English name is Chucky! [Southern Min/Taiwanese for: “Chut-ki!” or “Get out!”]
Homework
Do vs. Due “Due next week.” vs. “Do next week.”
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Example Sentence: “Due next week in class.”
Grades & Test Performance
Final Examination = Mid-Term = Test = Quiz =Pop Quiz = Learning Check
G.P.A. = Grade Point Average
I want to know what you know, not know what you don’t know.
To ace a test. (do well) - To bomb a test. (fail) - Goose egg. (zero)
I’ll definitely be seeing you next semester!
(I don’t want to beat a dead horse here, so I’ll conclude this lesson …)
Conclusion
This brief presentation has introduced you to three ESL/EFL websites and some common
English-language phrases for the bilingual classroom. Hopefully, this workshop has inspired
you to implement some of these phrases into your own teaching. Please remember that
successful internationalization begins with each and every one of us! rj
*Source for Part II:
Ronkowski, S. (1999). The international teaching assistant handbook: An introduction to university
and college teaching in the United States. Santa Barbara, CA: Regents of the University of
California. Uploaded October 22, 2007; http://www.id.ucsb.edu/IC/TA/main.htm.
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