While we are busy looking at the big picture of our computer and technology operations and how we will be “way ahead of the game” in our new decade, the school also made a commitment last year to a seemingly smaller project: the creation of a full-fledged game and movie library. We have been acquiring at least three new DVDs and one new game every session for the last year, and will continue to do so indefinitely. Sure enough, these libraries are already quite robust and exciting, with more on the way. Although on first look this may seem like a small gesture, students have been commenting at the incredible films and activities that have come out of these libraries.
The school also recently created an English corner filled with authentic English articles, comic strips, jokes, witty advertisements, and more. Finally, we are in the middle of a deep review of the most impressive software additions to our school. With all these (and so many other) little added touches around the school, we are quickly seeing our school transform from a great one to an exceptional one. Stay tuned!
Joyce Robertson, Academic Provost of the Atlanta English Institute attended the 41st Annual TESOL Convention and Exhibit March 2007 in Seattle , WA , currently, she participated in the commission on English Language Program Accreditation Workshop in preparation for the AEI to become accredited by this Intensive English program accreditation organization
Our first Atlanta English Institute Student Showcase: A Public Speaking Opportunity was a success! We had 14 speakers 5 from our Intensive English Program Level 6 and Level 7 and 9 from our Collegiate and Professional English (CAPE)/Test Preparation courses. We would like to give a special thanks to the audience that came to support and to encourage your fellow students to always do their best.
AEI is pleased to announce that we are now an ETS-Certified Test Administration Site. If you wish to take the TOEFL iBT, we invite you to take it at our location after registering with ETS. For test dates and registration information, just visit the ETS Web site at www.ets.org/toefl. You may obtain TOEFL iBT practice materials by going directly to www.ets.org/toeflpractice. Join us as we lead the way.
They were placed by the entrance of the main office, in building 211 by the water dispenser, in the lunchroom: those beautifully decorated carton boxes asking you to give clothing, toys, and non-perishable foods for a worthy cause.
Who is responsible for spearheading this effort? Angela Cox, currently studying in Level 7 and Revaz Machaidze currently enrolled in the GRE course, thought it would be a great idea to volunteer their time and effort to make a difference this Christmas season. The items collected were separated and brought to the Nicholas House, a group home in Tucker Georgia, which helps single mothers and those who had been recently displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
The students, from the Ukraine and Republic of Georgia, respectively have also been organizing other efforts. Hats off to both Angela Cox and Revaz Machaidze for coming up with and executing this plan. Thanks also to those who contributed to their efforts.
Sara Lee, AEI ESL educator, has been chosen as one of two winners who will receive a set of up to 30 classroom dictionaries for participating in the Newbury House Learner's Dictionary ideas contest. AEI will award Mrs. Lee "dinner for two" in recognition of her contribution to the field of literacy.
Joyce Robertson, Academic Provost of the Atlanta English Institute will attend the 39th Annual TESOL Convention and Exhibit March 30- April 2 in San Antonio, Texas. On March 31, she will be interviewed on the topic of the leadership.
TESOL - Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages - is a national association for teachers of English as a Second Language. The mission of TESOL is to develop the expertise of its members and others involved in teaching English to speakers of other languages to help them foster effective communication in diverse settings.
The 39th Annual TESOL Convention will host more than 7,000 English language teaching professionals representing more than 113 countries. More than 800 concurrent sessions and 200 publisher/exhibitor sessions will provide TESOL professionals with opportunities to learn and useful information to take back to their classrooms. TESOL's annual convention is a must for all English language teachers and researchers, applied linguists, and other professionals in the field.
Joyce Robertson, Academic Provost of the Atlanta English Institute was appointed to be on the Editorial Board of the Easy English Times. This national newspaper for English as a second language students and teachers is published in California and distributed all over the United States. Every issue of the Easy English Times has one or two stories from the students of the Atlanta English Institute. For example, the essay "Cultural Differences Have Embarrassed Me" by AEI student Sang Her was chosen as the best student writing for the month of October, 2004.
Easy English Times was created to meet the need for relevant and current material presented in a "user friendly" format for adult literacy programs.
It started on a kitchen table in Napa, California, in 1996. Today Easy English Times is used around the state of California and beyond by adults learning how to read. Many of the readers are immigrants new to this country. Easy English Times is committed to publishing student writings and sharing "ownership" of the paper with the readers.
Julie Ressler, Founder and Dean of Students of the Atlanta English Institute gave a presentation entitled "Holistic Approach to English Grammar" at the Southeast TESOL Conference October, 1.
This presentation was designed to give participants a simple, holistic picture of English grammar. The presenter, a non-native English speaker, conveyed a unique, holistic understanding of grammar and model how this viewpoint enhances teaching grammar and impacts ESL learners. She will give an overview of the entire grammar structure.
Julie Ressler, founder of the Atlanta English Institute, taught English for more than 13 years. Using the "holistic" approach, she has inspired thousands of students.
"My standpoint is the non-native speaker. From this vantage point, I do not believe that non-native speakers can succeed in learning a second language without a solid foundation in structure, - stated Julie Ressler. - On the other hand, I also believe that learning English, and especially grammar, must be made easy and relatively painless. My contention is that a holistic approach to grammar meets both objectives. I am not trying to teach grammar. Grammar is a set of detailed rules. Rather, I am aiming at a perfect overview of the entire structure of English. My goal is to elicit a picture of the forest without which both students and instructors can become easily lost."
The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) announced that accreditation has been awarded to Atlanta English Institute. Accreditation indicates that the school/center's educational services, staff and facilities meet or exceed essential standards of educational quality.
CITA is an accrediting authority both in the United States and throughout the world. It is the alliance of the premier American accrediting associations. These associations are responsible for evaluating and accrediting more than 30,000 schools in 100 countries.
Accreditation is a voluntary method of quality assurance. It is granted to an educational institution upon successful completion of a lengthy evaluation process, which includes a self-study and an on-site evaluation. Following the self-study, a team of experienced educators evaluates the school to verify that it meets the quality standards.
To maintain accreditation, the school/center must continue to meet the quality standards and engage in an improvement process that enhances student performance. Interim reports are required as part of a five-year accreditation cycle.
"Accreditation demonstrates to our community that we are proud to have earned CITA accreditation, which is recognized across the country and world and which eases the transfer of credits as students move from accredited school and on to higher education"
