Fifteen graduate students of the State University of Malang recently completed the English Language Education Program managed by the Language Learning Center, together with the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) and the International Partnerships and Programs Office (IPPO).
The said program was a meaningful fusion between enriching classroom sessions on English language teaching and engaging cultural tours. It is intended to provide opportunities for the Indonesian graduate students to communicate in English, to share best practices with fellow English language educators, and to experience a new culture.
The program has four modules: Literature and English Language Learning, Applied Linguistics and Psycholinguistics, Mentoring Learners for Competition Purposes, and Language Education Research. The sessions were handled by Kornellie Raquitico, MA, LPT, Grace Annette Soriano MA, LPT, Hannah Martin, MA, Amity Yap, and Lourdes Abad, MA, LPT. They provided the graduate students with the essential foundation, theories, and current trends in the field of language education.
One of the featured sessions was the graduate students’ interaction with Miriam College High School students who emerged as winners in the recently-concluded World Scholar’s Cup in Hanoi, Vietnam. Moreover, a short interchange, arranged by the Center for Strategic Research, took place between them and Miriam College’s BEU and HEU faculty who are working on the Philippine Education Assistance Committee’s (PEAC) research project.
Immersing in Philippine culture was another interesting aspect of the program. Their cultural tours, which took place during weekends and holidays, jumpstarted with a session on Philippine Studies that was facilitated by Dr. Carmen Peñalosa. Thereafter, the participants had a series of trips to Taal, Bulwagan ng mga Bayani, the National Museum, Rizal Park, Jose Rizal’s burial place, shopping malls, and the Indonesian Embassy. It is noteworthy that they participated in the 119th Philippine Independence Day celebration at Bantayog ng mga Bayani and celebrated the end of Eid-al-Fitr through a visit at the Indonesian Embassy and mosque.
A closing ceremony was held last June 29, 2017 at Our Lady’s Court. Dr. Gail R. Galang, head of the IPPO, reminded the students about the advantages of being able to communicate in English in this day and age. She also gave the direction of the partnership between Miriam College and the State University of Malang.
Mirma Mae Tica-Ortiz, program coordinator of the IPPO, and Hairudin Rahman, one of the program participants, sang songs in their respective mother tongues. Rezki Hakiki Amaliah and Rahayu Suciati Suri, also program participants, shared their most memorable experiences at MC while Kornellie Raquitico, one of their resource speakers, encouraged the students to keep on applying what they have learned from the four-week program.
The program ended with the awarding of Certificates of Completion and an exchange of school gifts between Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Maria Lourdes Quisumbing-Baybay, and delegation leader, Muhammad Fahmi Rizaldi.