This year marks the fourth annual Purdue University Calumet – Changzhou Education Bureau Summer English Language Teaching Professional Development Program. This IPO program is dedicated to the cooperation and intercultural exchange of pedagogical ideas between Purdue instructors and Changzhou Chinese English teacher/participants.
During the month of July, the seven Purdue instructors work with 210 Changzhou teacher/participants in efforts to further prepare them to take on the challenges they face in their English Language classrooms and familiarize them with ways to integrate and contextualize curriculum taken from research in the rapidly developing field of English Language Teaching.
Instructors have been specially selected by the Director for their experience, education, and enthusiasm. This year’s team marks the first year PUC and PWL instructors will be working together on the project and promises to be one of the most successful years yet.
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Cindy Torres, Director, 4th Year
ESL, World Englishes, World Spanishes, International Studies
Cindy Torres is from Chicago where she resides and works as ESL Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of ESL. Currently she is working on her PhD from Purdue University, in English as a Second language with concentration on both World Englishes and Spanish Linguistics. In 2004, she was awarded her Master’s degree in English with a concentration on Second Language Pedagogy from Purdue, where she also received her Bachelor’s in English Professional Writing and Spanish International Studies. Recently, she has worked as ESL Curriculum developer, Coordinator for the International Student Mentor Program, and has taught ESP, ESL, English and Spanish. Her research interests include cross-cultural communication, ESL Curriculum Design, World Spanishes and World Englishes. Cindy enjoys learning languages, traveling, communicating across cultures, writing, and dancing.
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Steven Lombardo, Instructor, 4th Year
ESL, Spanish, Russian Linguistics and Literature
Steve Lombardo holds an MA in Russian Linguistics from the University of Illinois-Chicago and an MA in Russian Literature from Indiana University. He is a continuing lecturer at Purdue University Calumet teaching Spanish, Russian, and ESL. His interests include foreign film and poetry and is involved in several projects on campus including the International Film Series and “Todos Somos Poetas” poetry event. His hobbies include playing guitar, hiking, enjoying nature, photography, jogging, cooking, and building a digital music library.
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Annette “Toni” Donahue, Instructor, 3rd year
ESL, English Composition, Education
In 2004, Toni graduated with her Masters Degree in English Literature from Purdue University Calumet. As a Purdue University Calumet instructor, she has taught Composition and Rhetoric, Technical Writing, Computer Assisted Language Learning, and English as a Second Language classes. In addition, Toni has worked as the ESL coordinator for PUC’s International Programs and as the assistant to the Director of the Writing Center. She enjoys reading, traveling, and listening to her iPod.
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Cheryl Bell, Instructor, 3rd Year
ESL, Science, Education
cabell@att.net
Cheryl Bell, Ph.D. earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Purdue University Calumet, her Master of Science degree in Education from Indiana University Northwest, and her PH.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Purdue University, West Lafayette. Cheryl worked as an inclusive classroom teacher, professional development coordinator, and consultant to classroom teachers and school districts in the U.S. and China. She has presented at local, state, and national conferences and annual meetings on topics related to teaching and learning, teacher efficacy for teaching to diverse learners, and the integration of literacy and content areas. Cheryl co-wrote a grant for over $400K and is currently working with a local service center to organizing and conducting a professional development program for 70 teachers to enhance the use of reading to learn science. When not working, Cheryl enjoys spending time with children and grandchildren, reading, and any outdoor activity to stay physically active.
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Rebecca “Becky” Medley, Instructor, 2nd Year
ESL, CALL
Rebecca Lynn Medley graduated in December 2006 with her bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Professional Writing,with an emphasis both French and Spanish. Since then she has served as developer and editor for Lingua Franca the multilingual literary magazine and coordinated curriculum for and taught ESL, English Composition and Computer Supported Writing. Her current research focuses around social networking as a vehicle for language acquisition. Other research interests include: the learning styles of the “Net Generation,” technology-enhanced language acquisition and how technology shapes and enhances writing as well as classroom learning. She enjoys listening to music, reading, writing, and working online.
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Christopher LaCross, Instructor, 1st Year
ESL, German Literature and Film
Christopher LaCross was born in the U.S. but spent many years growing up abroad in Germany. Currently, he is pursuing his PhD at Purdue in German literature and film, and has recently obtained an additional Master’s degree in ESL pedagogy. He has taught language courses both in the U.S. and abroad and is very active on campus, including developing a number of language teaching and ESL workshops, symposiums and conferences. He enjoys travelling and has traveled across most of Europe, Indonesia and Japan.
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Fatima Esseili, Instructor, 1st Year
ESL, World Englishes, Arabic
Fatima Esseili is originally from Beirut, Lebanon. Currently, she is working towards obtaining her PhD from Purdue University, in English as a Second language with concentration on both World Englishes and Rhetoric. In 2006, Fatima was awarded a Master’s degree in English as a Second Language with concentration on Applied Linguistics from the University of Toledo, Ohio. Also, she has a Bachelor of Arts in English language and literature from the Lebanese University. Fatima enjoys learning languages, traveling, exploring new cultures, reading, writing, dancing, and photography.
