【大師講座】Esteemed Expert in EMI: Dr. Jack Richards Delivers Lecture Series and Brought Inspiration of EMI at the College

Esteemed Expert in EMI:

Dr. Jack Richards Delivers Lecture Series and Brought Inspiration of EMI at the College

Jack Richards博士：在學院舉辦的系列講座中帶來對EMI的啟發

The College was honored to invite Dr. Jack C. Richard, a globally recognized authority on language teaching and learning, to deliver a lecture series and to give consultations to the College, the faculty, and the students.

Upon Dr. Richards' arrival, he initiated his visit with a brief interlude, preparing himself for the forthcoming stimulating sessions. On the morning of October 19^th, a pivotal gathering was convened, uniting Dr. Richards, the college dean, Sandie, and the College Adviser, Bertha, to deliberate on strategies for implementing English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). One critical insight from this meeting was the strong preference for a novel approach to class observation instead of conventional class evaluations. To nurture a more supportive environment for educators and alleviate any concerns associated with traditional observation practices, Dr. Richards advocated for developing a comprehensive class observation sheet enhanced by teachers' self-reflections, including their specific needs for implementing EMI. Additionally, he recommended establishing a pre-course preparatory program designed to support individuals who may still need to be fully prepared for the course.

(Dr. Richards discussed strategies for developing EMI courses. As Dr. Richards is highly esteemed worldwide, his fans have requested Dr. Jean Chu from the English Department to sign his works on their behalf at the event.)

The following day, October 20^th, marked the commencement of Dr. Richards' lecture series. In the morning session, Dr. Richards imparted his extensive knowledge of EMI practices across various countries. He urged the attending teachers to critically assess their teaching methods and reconsider their classroom activities, offering a comprehensive list of diverse task types as a valuable resource to enhance the students' learning experience. In the afternoon, graduate students eagerly sought one-on-one consultations with Dr. Richards, each driven by their aspirations. Some sought guidance regarding their academic career paths, while others focused on gaining deeper insights into pedagogical methodologies.

(Dr. Richards shared extensive knowledge about EMI practices in various countries. College dean Sandie expressed her gratitude by presenting him with an appreciation certificate and Taiwan's famous pineapple cakes. Teachers and students enthusiastically engaged in discussions with the speaker, and participated in group discussions.)

On October 21^st, Dr. Richards continued his exploration of EMI through an online platform. He shared his research findings on EMI practices in various countries, including Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Sweden, and more. He raised critical issues such as professional identity and whether translanguaging should primarily serve content or language, encouraging attendees to ponder these crucial questions. After his presentation, Dr. Chuang Hei-ling, the President of Wenzoa Ursuline University of Languages, briefly met with Dr. Richards to express gratitude for his gracious acceptance of the invitation and to engage in an insightful exchange of ideas and experiences.

(President Hwei-Lin Chuang, Vice President Chu-Hsiung Lin, and Dr. Bertha Du-Babcock took a group photo with Dr. Richards.)

(The online EMI Talk began with an opening address by Dean Sandie Lo, followed by an introduction of the speaker by Dr. Vivian Wu.)

(The EMI Talk concluded with a group photo)

Dr. Jack Richards' visit to the College has made an indelible and invaluable contribution to the implementation of EMI, offering innovative concepts and pragmatic counsel to cultivate a more dynamic and efficacious approach to language instruction, especially in the context of EMI. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Richards and eagerly anticipate his return in the future.

學院很榮幸邀請到全球語言教學與學習權威Dr. Jack C. Richard博士，來為學院、教職員和學生進行講座系列和顧問諮詢。

Richards博士抵達後，先進行了簡短的休息，為即將開展的激動人心的會議做好準備。10月19日上午，舉行了一次關鍵性的聚會，參與者包括理查茲博士、學院院長Sandie以及學院顧問Bertha，共同討論實施英語作為教學語言（EMI）的策略。會議中的一個重要見解是，強調採用新穎的課堂觀察方法，而不是傳統的課堂評估方式。為了培養更加支持教育工作者的環境，並減輕與傳統觀察實踐相關的任何疑慮，理查茲博士主張制定一份全面的課堂觀察表，結合教師的自我反思，特別是他們在實施EMI時的具體需求。此外，他還建議設立一個預備課程計劃，旨在支持那些可能仍需進行全面準備的教師。

翌日，即10月20日，Richards博士的講座系列正式開始。在上午的會議中，博士分享了他對不同國家EMI實踐的豐富知識。他敦促出席的教師們批判性地評估他們的教學方法，重新思考課堂活動，並提供了多樣任務類型的全面清單作為增強學生學習體驗的寶貴資源。下午，研究生們熱切地尋求與理查茲博士的一對一諮詢，每個人都被他們的抱負所驅使。有些人尋求有關學術職業生涯道路的指導，而其他人則專注於深入了解教學方法論。

10月21日，Richards博士通過線上平台繼續探索EMI（英語作為教學語言）的主題。他分享了在日本、新加坡、菲律賓、瑞典等多個國家的EMI實踐研究發現。他提出了專業身份和跨語使用（translanguaging）是否應主要服務內容或語言的重要問題，鼓勵與會者深思這些關鍵問題。在他的演講結束後，文藻外語大學校長莊慧玲博士簡短會見了Richards博士，表達對他慷慨接受邀請的感激之情，並就思想和經驗進行了深入交流

Jack Richards博士訪問學院對EMI的實施做出了不可磨滅且無價值的貢獻，他提供了創新的概念和實用的建議，促進了更動態和有效的語言教學方法，尤其是在EMI的背景下。我們向Richards博士表示衷心的感謝，並期待他未來的回訪。