UWI’s English Language Section holds inaugural exposition week

FROM MONDAY, November 6 to Friday, November 10, the English Language Section of the Department of Language, Linguistic and Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities and Education at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus is hosting its Inaugural Language Section Week, which was launched with corporate worship at The UWI Chapel on Sunday, November 5.

“The aim of Language Section Week is not only to raise the section’s profile and highlight its various arms, such as The Writing Centre and the English Language Proficiency Test Unit, but also to achieve the following significant aims: to strengthen the section’s relationship with high-school students preparing for tertiary-level education; to highlight the integral role of the section in developing UWI students’ academic literacies, thereby enabling them to be competent critical thinkers, readers and writers in their chosen disciplines and future occupations; and to share international scholarship in the field of academic literacies from outside of the Caribbean,” coordinator of the section, Dr Caroline Dyche, told The Gleaner.

To achieve these goals, the section has planned a wide range of activities for high-school and UWI students, as well as for high-school teachers and UWI academic staff. They include faculty pop-up writing centres for some of the courses the section offers. On Monday, it was Critical Reading and Writing for the Social Sciences (Found1013), from 9 to 10 a.m. in the Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, Faculty of Social Sciences; and Critical Reading and Writing in Science, Technology and Medicine (Found1014), from 5 to 6 p.m., at the Faculty of Medical Sciences.

Today, it is Found1013, from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Social Sciences Lecture Theatre (ELPT) in the Faculty of Social Sciences. Also happening today at 6 p.m. is a Zoom English Language Proficiency Test workshop for teachers, which looks at what the ELPT is, why it is important, who should sit it, and how often it is held. The ID code is 97699503195, while the password is 273548.

Tomorrow, it is Critical Reading and Expository Writing in the Humanities and Education (Found1016), from noon to 1 p.m., in the Neville Hall Lecture Theatre NI in the Faculty of Humanities and Education; Technical Writing (Lang3003), from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Neville Hall Lecture Theatre NI in the Faculty of Humanities and Education; and Found1014, from 5 to 6 p.m., at the Faculty of Medical Sciences. On Friday, from noon to 2 p.m., Critical Reading and Writing in the Disciplines (Found1019) takes the spotlight in the Faculty of Humanities and Education courtyard.

There is a series of workshops on Thursday, viz, ‘English is Fun/Critical Thinking and Academic Writing from 10 a.m. to noon in the Writing Centre classroom; ‘Impromptu Speaking’, ‘Using Language for Effect’, ‘Articulation’ and ‘Frequently Mispronounced Words’, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Faculty of Humanities and Education Seminar Room; Speakers’ Corner showcasing speaking skills of The Art of Public Speaking students, and more, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Faculty of Humanities and Education courtyard and seminar room; and the CAPE Language and Community Forum, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. inside Neville Hall Lecture Theatre N4 at the Faculty of Humanities and Education.

Dr Pineteh Angu from the University of Pretoria, South Africa will deliver a special guest lecture on ‘Academic Literacy Teaching in an Era of Disruption – The South African Higher Education Context and Beyond’, live on YouTube channel ‘BRAADKYASS JAMIEKAN’ on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. For queries, the contact information is dllp@uwimona.edu.jmand 876-970-2950.