By Julie Titone, College of Education, Washington State University
When Mohamed Elhess was a youngster in Libya, he couldn’t formally study English. Back in the 1980s and ’90s, dictator Moammar Gadhafi had proclaimed that the language not be taught in schools. “So I learned English from pop music, and from books my brother brought from Egypt,” said Elhess, a graduate student at Washington State University. “Now, English is back in Libyan schools, but there are no qualified teachers.” Elhess is eager to find ways to help students in newly liberated Libya, and all over the world, learn a second language. An assignment from Professor Joy Egbert gave him a way: He created several video tutorialson how to use a popular language-learning website called Voxopop. His is one of eight technology-based language learning projects created this summer by Egbert’s students. “I’m heartened by the passion and dedication demonstrated by the students,” said Egbert. “These projects can be a first step toward changing their worlds.”
http://news.wsu.edu/pages/Publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=31987&PageID=21
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