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ISSUE

01 February

2014

QUARTERLY

NEWSLETTER

of

The Belize TESOL

In This Issue:

Launching of Belize TESOL P.2

Belize TESOL’s Progress P.3

Launching of Kaina OHS in Belize P.4

Registration Form P.5

Dr. Udz’s Doctoral Abstract P.6

Dr. Udz’s Professional Background P.7

Dr. Enriquez’s Doctoral Abstract P.8

Dr. Enriquez’s Professional Background P.9

A TESOL In-Class Writing Activity P. 10

Belize is a nation of

diverse cultures and

languages. English, Belize’s

official language and the

language of instruction is a

legacy left behind by British

colonizers. As a result, English

is mostly spoken in formal

settings. Kriol is the lingua

franca, but there are many

Spanish speakers, there are

various Mayan languages,

Garifuna, Mandarin, Low

German and others.

Consequently, over ninety-five

percent of our students are

ELLs. This phenomenon has

serious implications for our

students’ spoken and written

English at the pre-school,

primary, secondary, and even

tertiary levels. It is time

educators become sensitive to

this situation and take a

proactive approach to this

issue.

— Erica Aguilar

Exploring new ways to teaching English language learners (ELLs) ...

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Launching of the Belize TESOL Association

Ms. Ethnelda Paulino and Mr. Amilcar

Umaña launching the Belize TESOL

Association at the UB Gymnasium.

I am pleased to announce that the Belize

TESOL Association was launched on Thursday,

March 24, 2013. This very important event took

place during the annual Education Week

sponsored by the University of Belize’s Faculty of

Education and Arts. The launching of Belize

TESOL coincided with the first ever University of

Belize Story Telling Festival (which I

organized). The launching was officially done by

Mr. Amilcar Umaña, the deputy mayor of

Belmopan, who is himself a teacher. Present at

this event was the Governor General of Belize,

Dr. Colville Young, a former educator, who would

have it no other way, as he wanted to be present

for this occasion.

I thank Dr. Priscilla Lopez, the interim Dean

of the Faculty of Education and Arts and the

University of Belize’s Office of Public Information

(OPI) for providing venues, and other expenses

for the launching and for the first meeting. Mr.

Emil Pulido and other colleagues have been avid

supporters and for that, I am grateful. That’s as

far as BelizeTESOL has gotten and as things

develop, I will keep you informed.

Yours in Education,

Ethnelda Ramirez Paulino

Story Telling Pictures Below...

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The Belize TESOL Association’s

Progress Since the launch of the association, I convened a meeting on June 19, 2013. At the meeting, there

were representations from several key organizations. Among those present were Mrs. Gwen Nunez

Gonzales, education officer from the Ministry of Education (MOE), Mrs. Dativa Martinez from Young

Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Mr. Louis Wade from PLusTV and teachers from several schools

in the Belmopan Area, as well as some NOVA TESOL graduates.

The meeting was quite interactive. I spoke about ways the Belize TESOL and the Central American

and Caribbean Group (CA and CB Group) could impact the lives of Belizean teachers and students. Dr.

Alberita Enriquez used an activity to generate discussion on the effects of sheltered instruction on the

achievement of limited English proficiency students. Dr. Silvaana Udz, gave an overview of the

approaches (depending on a schools’ location and language community) that can be used in lieu of those

which we have been using, and are no longer effective. At that time 78 educators expressed interest in

this association. A twelve (12) member working committee was also formed. Since then, the following

officers have been elected: President, Ethnelda Ramirez Paulino; Vice President, Dr. Rita Enriquez;

Treasure, Mrs. Margaret Enriquez; Secretary, Mr. Emil Pulido; Zone Managers, Mrs. Tritia Stuart, Mr.

Armin Cowo, Dkta Silvaana Udz and Newsletter Editor/Organizer Mrs. Erica Aguilar. Because of the

geographical layout of Belize, we decided that in order to target the entire country, we will have a

northern, central, southern and western zone.

Some very important people have been instrumental in helping to make Belize TESOL get this far. I

am grateful for all the support I got from the following people: Mr. Ulrich (Uli) Schrader who shouldered the

responsibility of inviting me to interact with the TESOL community, and for inviting me to the MEXTESOL

Convention.

Yours in Education,

Ethnelda Ramirez Paulino

Ms. Ethnelda Paulino, Dr. Alberita Enriquez and Dr. Silvanna Udz at the first

Belize TESOL Association meeting (left to right).

First Belize TESOL Association meeting held at the UB Jaguar Building; over

thirty educators, at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, were present.

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Launching of KAINA in Belize

Ms. Ethnelda Paulino founder of

Kaina

Dr. Alberita Enriquez cofounder of

Kaina

Kaina Online High School is the first online high school of Belize.

It is the brainchild of Ethnelda Ramirez Paulino. The name, Kaina is

the name of the founder’s mother. Dr. Rita Enriquez is the co-founder

of the Kaina Online High School.

Kaina Online High School will offer courses taught in regular high

schools. It requires internet access. It will, for example eliminate the

expenses of purchasing costly foot wear, uniforms, and providing

money for transportation, lunch, and books. It will offer the four years

of high School; upon successful completion, a person will earn a high

school diploma, thereby enabling that person to access college and

university education.

The school accepts persons who want to do four years of high

school and persons who wish to complete high school. For example, if

someone successfully completed 2nd form, then he /she will be

accepted into 3rd form and so on. Such a person needs to submit a

high school transcript. A prospective form one student needs to submit

his/her last report card or Primary School leaving Certificate.

KAINA will prepare students for CXC if they opt to take those examinations, and it will prepare the

students for ATLIB. Kaina Online will also offer electives like agriculture, clothing and textiles, as well as

non-traditional subjects like grooming (barbering, pedicure, manicure, hair processing).

There will be a Face to Face orientation in order to teach students how to work online. Teachers will

chat online, accept calls, text messages, and e-mails, as we progress. They will also require a few Face to

Face Sessions as the need arises and when students request it.

The registration fee is a non-refundable 25BZD per year and the fees are $300 per semester. A

student can pay the 300.00 in full or pay $350.00 in installments. Each year, there will be two semesters.

This is the plan. We decided that we need at least 10 students per class. So, you are free to invite

others to apply. Although we intend to start later this month we may even begin a little later since it takes a

while for new ideas to catch on. The good thing about online is that we can begin anytime.

Yours in Education,

Ethnelda Ramirez Paulino

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Belize TESOL Association’s

Registration Form

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Belizean Doctoral

Abstracts

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Dr. Silvaana Udz’s

Professional Background

Silvaana Udz is an Assistant Professor at the

University of Belize (UB) and an active promoter of the

Belize Kriol language and culture.

She lectures in English, Kriol Studies, Education, and

Communication courses at UB, at the Belize City campus.

She also has served in the past as the university’s Public

Information Office.

Silvaana completed her doctoral degree with Nova

Southeastern University in May, 2012. Her Ed.D. in Higher

Education was attained via a blended online and onsite

instruction. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Language

Education from Indiana University (1987) and a Bachelor’s

Degree in English from Biscayne College (1981), as well

as diplomas and certificates in Mass Communication,

Radio Production, and Television Production from several

regional and international media training institutes and

organizations (1986 – 2004), including CARIMAC, at UWI

in Jamaica; CIESPAL in Ecuador; the International Institute

for the Training of Journalists in Budapest, Hungary; and

in Taipei, Taiwan.

Silvaana began her media career as a producer of a

radio show for children in the late 1970s in Belize and her

teaching career at the high school level in the early 1980s.

Today, she lecturers at the tertiary level and conducts

training for diverse audiences, also serving as a consultant

on various projects.

Directly complementing her work at the University of Belize, Silvaana conducts training workshops

and seminars in public relations, communication skills, English-as-a-Second Language methodology, and

Kriol language studies, the latter being her primary research interest.

She is a founding member of the National Kriol Council of Belize and has served as the secretary of

its literacy arm, the Belize Kriol Project, since its formation in the early 1993.

Dr. Silvaana Udz,

Assistant Professor at the University

of Belize (UB) and an active

promoter of the Belize Kriol

language

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Belizean Doctoral

Abstracts

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Dr. Alberita Enriquez’s

Professional Background

Dr. Alberita Enriquez, Educator

and Co-founder of Kaina Online

High School.

Rita Frances Enriquez nee Avila, formally known as

Alberita Frances Enriquez is an educator who hails from Punta

Gorda Town, Toledo District. Rita entered the teaching

profession in 1967 at the age of 16. She first began teaching in

Barranco and was later transferred to Punta Gorda. She

became a trained teacher in 1972 after graduating from the

then Belize Teachers’ College. However, her family,

including her husband, Lloyd Enriquez and three sons has

resided in Belmopan for at least thirty-eight years. During all

this time, she and her family through frequent trips have not

severed ties with her home district.

In Belmopan, She served as class teacher, and assistant

principal at Belmopan Junior School (now United Evergreen

Primary), and principal at the Belmopan Upper School, and

then Garden City Government Primary School. She has had

the privilege of serving in various professional organizations

including the National Teachers’ Union, Cayo Association of

Primary School Principals (CAPPS), Cayo District Educational

Council, and the National Garifuna Council-Belmopan Branch.

In 1995, she acquired a Bachelor’s Degree from the

University of the West Indies. In 2003, she was awarded a

Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership with a cognate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other

Languages (TESOL) from the University of North Florida.

Rita Enriquez is founder of the Lan Barangu Luban Garifunaduau translated, Barranco House of

Culture/Museum, in the Toledo District. It was established in November 15, 2005. The purpose of the

Barranco House of Culture Museum, is to educate young Garifuna youth of Barranco, and other interested

persons in Belize and abroad, about the vibrant Garifuna culture of Belize. In 2006, she was employed as

a lecturer at the University of Belize where she taught English courses including Advanced TESOL, and at

times supervised teachers on internship. In 2007, she became a doctoral candidate at the Nova South-

eastern University. She attained a doctoral degree in Education with concentrations in Higher Education

and Organizational Leadership in July, 2013. Alberita Enriquez is now co - founder of the first online high

school in Belize, Kaina Online High School and Vice President of BelizeTESOL, where she plans to offer

professional and dedicated service, as usual.

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A TESOL In-Class Writing Activity As teachers, we need to find ways of ensuring success for our culturally and linguistically diverse students

and ensure that all of our students experience equal opportunities to learn. One such way is to encourage

students to write about topics that connect the students’ knowledge and experiences to the classroom.

Below is an example of a Geo Poem the students can be asked to write. It can be group work or

individually done, followed by recitation. This exercise can be adapted for all levels.

Geo Poem

(Name of country)

(Four adjectives – words or statements that describe the country)

Home of . . . (something that distinguishes it from other countries)

Neighbor of . . . (name at least three neighboring countries)

Who exports . . . (three items)

Who imports . . . (three items)

Who is proud of . . . (people, places, or characteristics)

Who celebrates . . . (name three holidays)

Whose flag is . . . (name the colors of the flag)

Member of . . . (continent in which it is found)

(Local name of country and a phrase to describe the origin of the name)

Reference: Scarborough Arzu, H. (Ed.). (2001). Writing across the curriculum in secondary schools:

Teaching from a diverse perspective. New Jersey, Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

Belize TESOL Association

QUARTERLY

NEWSLETTER

Issue 01, February 2014

Newsletter Editor/Organizer:

Erica Aguilar (hi.aguilar@hotmail.com)

To contact the Belize TESOL Association please call:

501-601-8081

501-632-2488