“REIMAGINING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY ACTIVE LEARNING METHODOLOGIES TO ENGAGE EFL STUDENTS“

by Dr. Diane Boothe
Director of P-20 Outreach and Professor, Department of Literacy, Language and Culture, College of Education, Boise State University, USA

ABSTRACT

The continued demand and unique learning environment for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners is ever changing as educators focus on best practices to promote optimal learning for 21st century students and meet the needs of our complex interdisciplinary globalized world. Central to the demand for revitalizing the classroom experience is to prepare students to enter the evolving workforce. Cutting-edge EFL skills are often tantamount to achieving success in this endeavor and keeping up with the rapid pace of learning. Not only are EFL students expected to demonstrate observable and measurable English skills, but there is a growing interest and stipulation to demonstrate strengths critical to cross-disciplinary fields as well as collaborative active learning methods. This address investigates student-centered instructional methods that focus on the multidimensional perspectives of active learning environments. Experiences from a variety of disciplines will be highlighted including Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), emphasizing direct EFL preparation to ensure success and promote purposeful collaboration and engaged English learning. Dynamic teaching strategies and methodologies focusing on active, hands-on learning will be discussed. Challenging student-centered activities will be suggested that can be adjusted for a variety of abilities across age groups featuring key transferable English language competencies. Exploration of best practices that build a culture of innovation and prepare students for EFL content areas will be addressed.

BIOGRAPHY

Diane Boothe is Professor of Literacy, Language and Culture at Boise State University, and served as Dean of the College of Education from 2005-2014. Prior to coming to Boise State University, she was the Department Chair of Curriculum and Instruction and Professor at the University of West Georgia. She served as a bilingual teacher, and elementary and middle school principal. Diane has worked consistently with multilingual populations to bring about change and support the development of innovative educational programs and policies. She creates collaborative partnerships and fosters positive relationships with the community, schools, and agencies that she serves. She received her Doctor of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California. Her primary research efforts have been in the areas of English Language Learning, Multilingual Education, Diversity and Comparative Education Systems. She coauthored a book titled In the Eyes of the Beholder: Critical Issues for Diversity in Gifted Education, focusing a chapter on gender and gifted females when identifying the multidimensional perspectives of giftedness. Diane has served in leadership positions as the President of Georgia Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), the TESOL International Higher Education Chair, the TESOL International Nominating Committee, and, for ten years, as the editor of the TESOL in Action Journal. She has been selected as the keynote or featured speaker and delivered the plenary session for international and national conferences.