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On April 13, 2024, a joint class of the teachers from the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics and German Philology took place as part of the professional development course with American professor Stuart Carroll from the College of New Jersey. Additionally, Canadian colleagues, school teachers who teach at an international school in South Korea, were invited to join the session. Led by Nathan Smith, a respected educator in South Korea, the session evolved into an enriching conversation club, fostering cross-cultural exchange and professional development opportunities.
The session commenced with a warm introduction by the teachers from the Korean International School, who shared insights into their diverse experiences and expertise in teaching English to non-native speakers. Ukrainian teachers then had the chance to introduce themselves, followed by engaging breakout sessions that facilitated connections and idea sharing among both groups.
The main topic of discussion centered around "Today's Kids," delving into the unique characteristics of Generation Z students and effective learning strategies. The dialogue flowed smoothly, exploring similarities in students' attitudes towards learning and humor across different cultural contexts.
From the 20th to the 23rd of March, 2024, professors of the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics of the Faculty of Foreign Philology and Social Communications, Ph.D., senior lecturer Yuliia Korobova (as a participant of the second part of the Exchange program funded by the US Embassy) and Ph.D., Associate Professor Lyudmyla Hnapovska took part in a scientific event of an international scale - TESOL-24 International Convention & Expo in Tampa, Florida (USA), which united thousands of leading specialists in teaching English from different parts of the world.
Associate Professor Lyudmyla Hnapovska together with Associate Professor Serhii Petrenko (T. Shevchenko Kyiv National University) gave a presentation "Bridging ESP and EMI: Ukrainian Universities’ Experience", in which concerns and challenges of introducing EMI into the educational environments of two Ukrainian universities and the correlation between ESP and EMI were identified.
From March 7th to April 5th, 2024, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Global Environmental Fund (GEF) launched the "Global Innovative Program of Clean Technologies for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ukraine." The project aims to support and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem by implementing innovative clean technologies (CleanTech) in Ukraine, attracting investments, and establishing international partnerships to facilitate climate change adaptation and reduce gas emissions. Within the project, the Sumy State University (SumDU) established the Regional Accelerator GCIP for innovations, technologies, and startups in the Sumy region. The accelerator held its first online competition for environmentally friendly startup projects and selected semifinalist teams to participate in the UNIDO/GEF acceleration program, which includes Business Academy, mentorship support, and grant funding.
Debates involving teachers occurred on April 5, featuring representatives from the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics, namely Natalia Tatsenko, Natalia Rudenko, and Svitlana Mikhno. Both students and faculty members from the IFSC faculty engaged in discussions covering academic matters, the relevance of pursuing higher education, motivation, classroom dynamics including manipulation, and assessment methods, among other topics. Students actively developed their debating skills, employing them to tackle intricate issues and counter teachers' arguments. These debates evolved beyond mere discussions on pertinent subjects, becoming integral to the educational process, fostering critical thinking, and nurturing students' analytical capabilities.
Moreover, these debates foster closer relationships between teachers and students, fostering an environment of open dialogue and mutual respect. Students' initiative in expressing their viewpoints serves to enhance academic involvement and enrich the learning experience.
20 Educators from Ukraine traveled to East Lansing as part of a two-week faculty exchange program at Michigan State University. These educators continue to deal with tough situations as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues. Forcing them to adjust the way they interact with students and how they teach them.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been ongoing for 10 years, starting when Russia annexed Crimea.
“The war started in my town, from my yard, I would say because I was living in the center and I saw everything happen with my own eyes,” said Maryna Shevenko, an English Teacher in Ukraine.
On February 28, 2024, Associate Professor Iryna Liashenko shared insights from a seminar on teaching English using the lexical method, based on Hugh Dellar's approach. Dellar co-founded the London Language Lab with Andrew Walkley in 2016.The author's approach, known as the lexical approach, is based on the idea that language is made up of lexical units rather than grammatical structures.. Iryna Liashenko recommended his site, Lexical Lab, as a valuable resource for educators. She underscored the significance of adopting a lexical teaching approach, citing Dellar's book co-authored with Andrew Walkley. Liashenko elaborated on the effectiveness of teaching phrases like "There's no harm in asking," highlighting their ability to be retained by students even without full comprehension of grammar rules. Furthermore, Iryna Liashenko emphasized the use of personalized questioning techniques in language learning and introduced a new edition of National Geographic's page learning, which provides authentic English language content without outdated forms. Finally, she generously shared additional resources from Lexical Lab and training handouts with her colleagues.
On February 17-18, the Ukrainian Veterans Badminton Championship took place in Kyiv, where athletes from Sumy participated, including senior lecturer of the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics Oksana Gladchenko and senior lecturer of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Antonina Siryk. In the women's doubles category 55+, Oksana Gladchenko and Antonina Siryk became the champions. Additionally, Oksana Gladchenko, together with Sumy badminton player Yuriy Kovalov, won bronze medals in the mixed category 50+.
Today, on February 11th, we commemorate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a significant initiative led by UNESCO to champion the cause of women and girls in the realm of scientific endeavors. This annual event serves as a poignant reminder of the invaluable contributions made by women and girls in scientific and technological domains, underlining the imperative to bolster their participation.
This day underscores the imperative to ensure unfettered and equitable access to scientific pursuits for women and girls, empowering them to articulate their ideas with confidence—a pivotal driver for societal advancement and global harmony.
We extend heartfelt congratulations to all the remarkable women and girls who are actively shaping the landscape of scientific research and development, enriching our world with their ingenuity and dedication!
Summing up the results of the scientific and methodological work in the project "Professional Development for Instructors of Pre-service Teachers" (TESOL Faculty United for Ukraine)
The Handbook “Reading and analyzing short stories: focus on SEL” by Yuliia Korobova (Sumy State University) and Hanna Podosynnikova (Sumy Makarenko State Pedagogical University) is one of the project end products. The handbook is essentially designed to teach analytical and critical reading of modern authentic short stories to pre-service English teachers of Bachelor programs. The book offers a scaffolding approach toward developing students’ analytical and critical reading skills with focus on SEL. With an overview of SEL issues, basic theoretical frameworks of literary text interpretation, well structured reading practice and communicative response (independent work) sections, this handbook focuses on teacher and learner priorities, upbringing, language and communication, reflective reading practices and provides valuable insights into modern American society contexts. Various tasks and activities aim to familiarize students with critical reading and SEL strategies that can be used in their academic and professional life. The handbook is designed to be used in the classroom; however, pre-service English teachers might use it on their own successfully.
Academic mobility serves as a driving force for internationalization and the advancement of modern higher education. Associate Professor Iryna Liashenko, from the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics, recently seized the opportunity to participate in international academic mobility for research training at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague (CZU). This initiative falls under the Agrisciences platform, designed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among researchers.
The Agrisciences platform is dedicated to promoting interdisciplinary research and cooperation in agricultural sciences. It provides valuable opportunities for higher education researchers, actively supporting initiatives that strengthen the scientific potential and encourage collaboration between universities, including Sumy State University.
