Brazil English Teacher's Program (PDPI)

Courses of Study

All participants in the CIEL Program will take part in daily classes that focus on reading, writing, listening, speaking, and voice/diction. Students will also be required to take one cultural enrichment course. During their final week of the program, students will be required to engage in a practicum where they will team teach with a CIEL instructor.

• Reading & Writing Course This class aims to engage participants in the writing process. It discusses knowledge and understanding of culture and explores the rhetorical purpose of personal narrative and cultural response. Teaching strategies include individualized, conference-based instruction, peer tutorials, grammar and usage review, and academic and computer training.

• Listening & Speaking While in this course, emphasis will be placed on listening for details, the main idea, as well as making predictions, using contextual clues, pronunciation, and conversation.

• Cultural Enrichment This course is designed to introduce students to major periods, movements, and history relevant to American and African American heritage, as well as the culture and history of New Orleans. Through weekly city tours, students will have an opportunity to learn more about the city, the state, and the country.

• Voice & Diction Course Students will focus on vocal mechanisms, phonetics and related exercises to improve articulation, pronunciation and expressive intonation. This is an adapted course, directed toward the non-native speaker, with its main purpose being improvement and enhancement of pronunciation.

• Practicum Each student will take part in a practicum experience by team-teaching with an experienced CIEL instructor for approximately 1 week. Through the practicum, students will gain an authentic understanding of ESL classroom expectations. They will be required to keep a daily journal of their teaching experiences, as well as develop five lesson plans for each day of the week (with facilitation from their mentor instructor). All classroom presentations made by the teachers will be video recorded.

• Laboratory Students will enhance their aural/oral skills through the listening laboratory where students engage in reading, listening, grammar, and vocal exercises, ultimately increasing their level of English proficiency.

Logistical Arrangements

Transportation

All transportation to and from the airport will be arranged by the CIEL exchange coordinator. The exchange coordinator will be responsible for picking up all teachers from the airport on the day of their arrival. Teachers will receive transportation information via website. Housing Arrangements: Teachers will be housed on campus in our Gentilly Gardens Apartments or in Williams Hall. They will each be provided with a domestic English speaking roomate (depending on availabilty) to maximize their immersion experience.

Meals

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided to teachers throughout their six-week stay. Teachers will need to alert the exchange coordinator of any dietary restrictions to ensure that arrangements are made in the cafeteria prior to arrival.

Linens

All teachers will receive one pillow, a towel, a set of sheets, and a blanket upon arrival.