Fulbright Visit Fulbrightonline.org
Fulbright Program for U.S. Students

Fulbright FLTA Newsletter

Issue 12 | June 2008

Gaining New Insights on Teaching
table of contents

Fulbright FLTA Alumni Perspective: An Everlasting Debt of Gratitude

by Erica Clark, 2006-2007, Argentina

As Walt Whitman stated, “The genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges, or churches, or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors, but always most in the common people." Fulbright provides grantees with the keys to the land of diversity and plentitude. It offers them the opportunity to unravel the intricacies of the American Dream. Additionally, it introduces Fulbright FLTAs to hundreds of unique individuals who have an impact on their existence forever.

My colleagues in the Modern Language Department at South Dakota State University nurtured me both emotionally and professionally. Potluck dinners at the professors’ homes, office visits between classes, and my own birthday party on the day of my arrival in the U.S., greatly contributed to my adjustment to American culture. Furthermore, the Department ensured my growth as a teacher by organizing training sessions, sending me to language conferences and holding weekly meetings to discuss the two sections of Spanish 101 I taught. All their valuable help surpassed my expectations, and enhanced my U.S. educational experience.

I recall in particular the day when I had my MMR vaccine - without which students cannot register for classes. Cindy, the Department secretary, never hesitated to accompany me to receive the shot. She became my trusting listening ear and the person who warmed freezing winter mornings with an affectionate hug.

Erica Clark, 2006-2007, Argentina 
Erica Clark, 2006-2007, Argentina  
My professors set examples to follow and demonstrated genuine interest in my development as a graduate student. Dr. Ryder’s enthusiasm for American Literature was so contagious that I was excited to read all the novels she assigned. Dr. Taylor’s analysis of the English language answered a great deal of the linguistic questions I had when I first started learning English as an undergraduate. Dr. Tietchen’s embrace of Afro-American Literature inspired respect and tolerance for cultural diversity. And Dr. Baggett’s patience and sweetness offered a perfect model on how to teach a foreign language. Each, and all of my professors, planted a seed of inspiration in me.

Going to the library and finding all the bibliographical sources you can imagine, being part of a multicultural class where you have a Mexican student on your left and a Korean student on your right, delivering presentations on the papers you wrote and counting on your professors’ help during their office hours are, among others, the many marvels American universities offer!

Last, but not least, are my Spanish 101 students; inquisitive minds who struggled to master a language where the adjectives have numbers and gender, and where the sentence subject can be omitted. My students allowed me to assume the role of an Argentine cultural ambassador, and impressed me with their interest and attention.

Words fail to express the pride I experienced when I heard my American students speaking with Argentine accents at the end of the semester!

I owe an everlasting debt of gratitude to the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State and to IIE. Thanks to my colleagues, professors, students and friends - you are in my heart!



Back to Table of Contents
 

Submitting Photos to the Fulbright Photo Gallery


We are now collecting photos from the entire current cohort of Foreign, FLTA and U.S. Fulbright student grantees.


-- The first time you submit photos, please send an email with your contact information to sallen@iie.org or tclaudino@iie.org. This email should not include any attached photos and is simply to notify us that you will be submitting photos to a specific gallery.

-- Please indicate your grant year and the country in which you are engaged in your Fulbright program. Photos from non-U.S. Fulbrighters are organized by home country; photos from U.S. Fulbrighters are organized by the country in which they are conducting grant activities. When in doubt, please send us an email with your questions.

-- With all submitted photos, you must include a caption that clearly indicates your name, country and a brief description (i.e., the title of the event attended, location where the photo was taken, etc.) of the content of the photo.

-- If you would like to create your own gallery of photos instead of submitting them to a country gallery, please notify us and we will create a personal gallery for you. Again, please make sure to add captions to each photo you submit.

-- You can only add photos, not delete them. If you need to delete photos, please contact us.

-- Click on the link below to enter photo gallery's home page:

http://photos.fulbrightonline.org

Enjoy using the Fulbright Photo Gallery!



Back to Table of Contents
 

Becoming the Hopes of Our Countries through Fulbright

by Chalermchai Wongrak, 2007-2008, Thailand

In Thailand, we have a saying about the value of young people. “Your parents hope that they can depend on you, your teachers hope that you will honor their names, your nation hopes that you will join their workforce; you are everyone’s hope.” Our experiences from participating in the Fulbright FLTA program have instilled in us qualities that have helped us become people who can achieve the hopes of our countries. The most important ingredient in helping a person become who they really are is experience. Experience differs from one person to another since the worlds people come from and face every day are different. In this short article, I would like to share my experience as a Thai Fulbright FLTA at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The university has provided me with a unique chance to socialize in a highly international community. Not only have I had an opportunity to educate myself about American culture, I have also absorbed aspects of culture from almost every corner of the world by teaching international students in the classroom, attending campus events, and living in the East-West Center’s Hale Manoa housing. The experience of living in a multicultural atmosphere has been eye-opening for me. Seeing, hearing, and feeling other people’s cultures through their views and actions has allowed me to better understand the world. This has led me to believe that we, as friends from all over the world, can work hand in hand to create a world where we can happily live together.

Chalermchai Wongrak, 2007-2008, Thailand 
Chalermchai Wongrak, 2007-2008, Thailand (left)
 
I am also lucky to be at the University of Hawaii because I continually receive academic support from the university. I have attended at least one workshop, talk, or seminar each week. Listening to prominent researchers and experienced professors in the fields of second language teaching, education, linguistics, and applied linguistics, has really helped me develop personally and professionally. When I think about all of their teaching experience, second language learning theories, research, and invaluable suggestions for facilitating Thai language instruction, I know I will never teach the same way again. The most useful lesson for me has been how to use technology in language teaching and learning. I used to think that technology was an obstacle. Techniques and training for technology-enhanced language learning here have completely changed my views. Language professors at the University of Hawaii have developed many ways of exploiting instructional technology, such as WebCT and the Web Audio Utility (WAU).

Finally, the best thing that the Fulbright FLTA Program has offered me is the chance to build connections with other Fulbright FLTAs. My mission at the University of Hawaii would not have been successful without my cheerful, encouraging friends, both here and at universities on the mainland,  communicating with each other through e-mail, instant messaging and Facebook. Even after we become Fulbright FLTA alumni, these invisible ties will continue to link the hopes of our parents, teachers and nations all over the world.



Back to Table of Contents
 

A Call for Articles with Photos


We welcome articles with accompanying photos for future issues of the Fulbright FLTA Newsletter. Articles should ideally be about your experience of being abroad as a Fulbright grantee (and cultural ambassador), and any relevant and/or unique thoughts you might want to share with your fellow Fulbright grantees and others interested in the Fulbright Program. The length of the article should be no more than 500 words and not require much editing in order to be published. The accompanying photos should show you engaged in program activities, or be illustrative of your article's content.

The Fulbright FLTA newsletter now includes themed articles written by both current grantees and recent alumni.

Please submit an article based on the theme of travel within the United States:

-For an article written by a current Fulbright FLTA grantee, write about your recent experience(s) of traveling within the United States

-For an article written by a recent Fulbright FLTA alumnus/na, write about your favorite trip(s) within the U.S. during your year as an FLTA

-An advice column written by a recently Fulbright FLTA alumnus/na on how to travel in the U.S. on a budget

-Top 10 List: top 10 reasons to travel to your host institution’s city or town as a current Fulbright FLTA grantee

Please submit your articles and photos within two weeks of the release of this newsletter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to receiving your materials!



Back to Table of Contents