Leadership in the Field

The U.S. Department of State announced the selection of Ian Nichols of the University of Pennsylvania English Language Programs for a six-week virtual English Language Specialist project focusing on media literacy in Serbia. 

On Thursday, July 30th, English Language Programs Advising Specialist Ian Nichols concluded a series of webinars for approximately 25 participants on media literacy for the America House in Chisinau, Moldova.

On Thursday, July 16th, the University of Pennsylvania English Language Programs (ELP) was recognized by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Office of English Language Programs.

For the second year in a row, one of the ELP’s MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses)—English for Career Development—has been ranked in Coursera’s top ten most popular courses worldwide for 2018. 

The University of Pennsylvania’s English Language Programs (ELP) has reached over half of a million learners around the world through its Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

ELP Manager of Instructional Staff Development John Cotton and LPS Director of Implementation, Assessment, and International Initiatives Amy Nichols developed a presentation...

LP instructors are dedicated to helping novice TESOL teachers develop their skills in the classroom. 

ELP Director of Programs, Jack Sullivan, recently partook in a panel discussion entitled "Membership Associations: Facing the Future Together" at the 5th Annual EnglishUSA IEP Stakeholders Conference in Washington, DC.  

From July 6 – July 11, Ms. Amy Nichols was honored to be a representative of the University of Pennsylvania on China Central Television's (CCTV) 2016 Star of Outlook English Language Competition. 

LPS Director of Implementation, Assessment, and International Initiatives, Amy Nichols, was honored to represent the University of Pennsylvania as a judge on China Central Television's (CCTV) Star of Outlook English Language Competition for the second year in a row. 

The Penn English Language Program's collaboration with Major League Soccer team, The Philadelphia Union, was recently highlighted on the Philadelphia news network, 6ABC.

ELP University Connection Specialist Erick Hyde recently presented “Trends in International Admissions to U.S. Universities” at the Penn Wharton China Center. 

During her off-sessions, ELP Lecturer Ellen Gilberti has begun a series of English courses and workshops in Italy.

ELP Lecturer Carlo Cinaglia presented at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) annual conference last month in Portland, Oregon.

On February 1, 2017, ELP Language Specialist Eve Litt presented an online teacher training seminar in American English. The presentation was entitled “Using News Sources to Enhance Learning in the EFL Classroom.”

ELP Manager of Testing and Programs Elizabeth Gillstrom recently transitioned from Chair to Past-Chair of the International Teaching Assistants Interest Section (ITAIS). 

ELP University Connection Specialist Erick Hyde has been chosen to be part of the Professional Development Committee for the International Association for College Admission Counseling. 

ELP Manager of Instructional Staff Development, John Cotton, and ELP Student Services Coordinator, Betsy Dougherty, presented at the EnglishUSA Conference in Monterey, CA from January 19-20, 2017.

As of June 20, 2016, Coursera launched a Coursera for Refugees program.

Congratulations to Sarah Grosik, Elizabeth Gillstrom, Michael Sullivan, Ian Nichols, Alyssa Swanson, Jeri Ahern, and Sheila Mayne who were accepted to present at the TESOL Conference 2017 in Seattle, Washington

ELP Lecturer Carlo Cinaglia gave a presentation entitled “Academic Discourse through an Ethnographic Lens: Students Exploring Language Practices on Campus,” at the PennTESOL-East Conference on November 5th at Arcadia University.

ELP Director of Programs Jack Sullivan participated in a panel discussion at English USA’s 4th Annual IEP Stakeholders Conference, October 5-6, 2016.

Associate Director of Curriculum and Instruction Sarah Grosik and Manager of Testing and Programs Elizabeth Gillstrom, presented at the first Classroom Assessment for Language Teaching (CALT) Conference in November 2016. 

ELP University Connection Counseling Specialist, Erick Hyde, recently co-chaired the International Admission & Recruitment Stream of the International ACAC Pre-Conference Institute. 

Maria Paredes Fernandez, a lecturer at Penn's Department of Romance Languages as well as a lecturer at the ELP, was named the 2016 Teacher of the Year at the college level by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. 

The English Language Programs at the University of Pennsylvania often teaches in traditional classrooms, but, in a unique situation instructing international professional athletes, the language laboratory is sometimes on a soccer field.

This May, ELP Lecturer Ellen Gilberti was the plenary speaker at The National Executive Committee Meeting of TESOL Italy. 

Alyssa Swanson, manager of Penn’s Intensive English Program, believes that best practices are routed in envisioning new avenues, bridging the gap between administrators and teachers, and engaging in professional development.

On July 12th, the Penn Wharton China Center kindly hosted Ms. Amy Nichol's talk entitled, “Changing Roles: Cross-Cultural Perceptions of Credibility and Confidence.”

Congratulations to Jeri Ahern, Elizabeth Gillstrom, Sarah Grosik, Amanda Kniepkamp, Karen Liebner, Eve Litt, Ian Nichols, and Alyssa Swanson who were accepted to present at the TESOL Conference 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland.