In cooperation with the Teaching Excellence Projects, Distance Education Development Section has refurbished the “Situational Language Lab” (T307) and “Language Learning and Association Zones” at the basement of Foreign Languages and Literatures Building, which will be initiated at the opening ceremony for “Tamkang Elite Show” and “Center for Digital Language Research” at 4 pm, May 22. In the mean time, Founder Clement Chang, President C. I. Chang, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Chen Kan-nan, Vice President for Administrative Affairs, Dr. Kao Pao-yuan, Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Tai Wan-ching will host the ceremony together. Kuo Chin-hwa, Section Chief of Distance Education Development Section, indicates that “to foster an excellent learning, we should facilitate an excellent teaching environment” for the improvement of English language teaching. Dr. Sung Mei-hua, Dean of College of Foreign Languages and Literatures, points out that the two new spaces are designed for the enhancement for the communication between local and foreign students.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Chen Kan-nan, who put efforts in establishing these two language learning facilities, remarks that foreign language ability is getting more important in job market. One of the facilities is for teaching, the other is an open zone for foreign language communication. Both are aimed to foster a better foreign language environment for more chances of interaction among language users. “Center for Digital Language Research” aims at promoting the researches on language and literature, digital technology, and the integration between them. Presently, one of the research achievement, the “e-pen” is on display.
The layout of “Situational Language Lab” is different from traditional classroom, with more flexible seat arrangement and multimedia equipment to encourage interactive language situations, such as role play, singing performance. With the projector, video camera, and stereo, students can record their performance and store it in their portable harddisk or flashdrive.
“Language Learning and Association Zones,” a pleasing place for students of College of Foreign Languages and Literatures, will be used for students’ extracurricular activities, including audio-visual enjoyment, discussion, performance, and communication. Dean Song indicates that this space can facilitate the communication among students, between students and academic advisors, and teachers can relax themselves at this space. The area will be decorated and furnished with more and more warmth and fun.
On May 19, the first group of students experienced the charm of “Situational Language Lab.” Kuo Chin-hwa expresses that in coordination with the course of Freshman English language drill, there are only selected classes moved to this new classroom to observe the reception of students and teachers. It is designed to promote English language learning; however, teachers have to modify their teaching method according to new layout and design of this space.
Yeh Won-yi, would be the first teaching assistant of English language drill to use this new space. She had high expectation for this classroom to initiate more interaction among students. Fan Chu-chun, freshman of Dept. of Insurance, will have a role play on No-Smoking publicity in this classroom. Fan asserts that this place may provide more funs to increase students’ interest in learning English. ( ~Chen Chi-szu )
