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In times when the majority of the world receives information online, it is crucial to know how to present it correctly. Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics, Iryna Liashenko, had the opportunity to undergo training in online teaching and facilitation initiated by the Global U.S. Department of State OPEN Program.
Iryna Liashenko took the training course in January 2023 and, starting from the summer of 2023, honed her virtual facilitation skills for six months on the Practical Community (CoP) platform of the Online Professional English Network (OPEN) - an active online forum created to establish connections, promote collaboration and knowledge exchange, as well as foster cultural understanding between OPEN course alumni and TESOL experts from the United States.
In six months of dedicated work, Iryna Liashenko made a significant contribution to the practical community of OPEN graduates, demonstrating her commitment to creating an environment for collaboration and engagement.
The practice aimed at selecting and disseminating information on TESOL and supporting communication among community participants.
To commemorate this achievement, Iryna Liashenko was awarded a certificate signed by Chris McDonnell, the head of the global OPEN program at the U.S. Department of State.
On December 18-23, 2023, the head of the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics, Nataliia Tatsenko, and senior teacher of the department, guarantor of the Study Program "English and German Languages and Literatures", Yuliia Korobova, successfully completed their internship at the European Academy "Europass Teacher Academy" in Spain (Barcelona). The travel and training grant was received as part of the Professional Development and Exchange for Educators of Preservice English Language Teachers Project from the international organization "Childhood Education International" and with the support of the US Embassy in Ukraine.
As part of the professional development program, Ukrainian educators, together with teachers from Italy and Spain, studied the intensive Erasmus course "Discovery of the best educational systems from Europe and the world", which was developed by "Europass Teacher Academy" and conducted by a highly qualified teacher trainer Yanella E. Ojeda. The following topics were thoroughly studied: - Key elements of effective educational systems: standards, evaluation, professional development of teachers, autonomy of schools, involvement of parents, use of ICT, etc.; - Educational systems of Great Britain, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Canada, Singapore and Japan; - Values of the European Union; - Use of AI resources in the educational process. The classes on Artful Thinking were held in the halls of the National Art Museum of Catalonia.
Wishing you a Christmas filled with the magic of love, the warmth of family, and the joy of the holiday season. May this festive time bring you closer to your loved ones and fill your home with laughter and happiness.
May the spirit of Christmas inspire you with hope and kindness, and may the coming year be filled with new opportunities and exciting adventures. May your days be merry and bright, and may the peace and goodwill of this season stay with you throughout the year.
Sending you heartfelt wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May your celebrations be joyful, your heart be light, and your days be festive.
On December 16-17, the Kyiv Open 2023 Badminton Championship took place, featuring participation from athletes from Sumy, including Oksana Gladchenko, senior lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics, and Antonina Siryk, senior lecturer at the Department of Physical Education and Sports. Among the 130 participants in the competition, there were representatives from India and Georgia.
Sumy badminton players Oksana Gladchenko and Antonina Siryk won in the women's doubles category (WDC). In the championship final, they competed against Kyiv's female players and, engaging in an intense struggle, emerged victorious after three sets, with scores of 21:19, 20:22, 24:22.
Congratulations to the champions!
On November 25, the 2nd year students, SA-21 group (specialty 014 Secondary education "English language and foreign literature"), within the course on “Methods of FL teaching” attended an online lecture by Professor Craig Kapp (New York University), a well-known American scientist in the field of computers technologies. The guest lecture was organized with the assistance of Professor Stuart Carroll from the College of New Jersey as part of the "Virtual Teacher" program supported by the US Department of State.
The objective of the lecture was to transmit the cutting-edge information and promote students’ understanding of the latest world achievements and online resources for teaching foreign languages in class. The pre-service FL teachers got a unique opportunity to learn in detail the educational potential of mixed reality technologies, artificial intelligence, platforms for creating videos, presentations, digital images, etc.
Ivan Donik, group SA-21: The impressions from the lecture of the professor of New York University are very positive! This lecture turned out to be extremely interesting and useful. I received a lot of new information that will be used in my work. It was especially nice to listen to the professor as a native speaker, as he spoke in detail about various applications and sites. The most useful for me was acquaintance with various AI programs. They provide many ways to improve and facilitate methods of FL teaching. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this event and look forward to further cooperation with such competent specialists!!
The Faculty of Foreign Philology and Social Communications of Sumy State University organized a guest lecture by Professor Craig Kapp from New York University. This exciting guest lecture took place as part of the Virtual Teacher program, supported by the US State Department, and part of the academic mobility course for teachers of the Departments of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics and Germanic Philology.
Professor Craig Kapp is a recognized expert in augmented reality and education. He holds a distinguished position at New York University.
Professor Kapp not only teaches, but also owns his own project ZooBurst LLC, which is dedicated to augmented reality and 3D pop-up technology.
The lecture was held in an online format and gathered representatives not only of our university, but also of other higher educational institutions of Ukraine. The participants had the opportunity not only to learn about advanced technologies, but also to see firsthand how they can be implemented in the educational process.
Thank to everyone who participated in this event!
On November 25th, the traditional concluding badminton tournament "Goodbye November" took place, featuring badminton athletes from Sumy. In the "Master Plus" category, nine pairs competed for victory. Oksana Gladchenko, a senior lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics, along with her partner Yurii Kovalov,won the first place and dedicated their triumph to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics at Sumy State University, Iryna Liashenko, has completed a crucial stage of the project funded by the Regional English Language Office at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. This project, spanning five intensive weeks, was part of the TESOL-Ukraine Institute program, "Teaching in a Time of Crisis: Innovative Tools, Strategies, and Approaches to Improving English Learning for Ukrainians."
Key aspects of the conference:
• Innovation Unleashed: Participants had the privilege of viewing outstanding courses created by participants from prominent Ukrainian universities. These projects went beyond ordinary education; they were a testament to innovation and impact.
• Meet the Minds Behind the Courses: The showcase featured creative teams from nine universities, each presenting their innovative and courses.
This project aims to equip university teachers with tools, techniques, and strategies effective in designing online and blended courses. Considering the challenges posed by the Russia-Ukraine war, the project focused on providing teachers with steps to design courses that are adaptable to varying contexts. It aimed to smooth the transition between teaching formats, ensuring a professional and careful approach to students' needs.
Lyudmyla Hnapovska, Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistic Didactics, addressed this question as well as many other issues related to language testing and assessment in the talk that she presented at the III National Scientific and Methodological Conference hosted by the Department of Philology, Translation and Strategic Communications of the National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine. Kharkiv, despite plenty of war-time challenges, welcomed participants from 8 higher education institutions from all over Ukraine. This insightful and thought-provoking event has demonstrated vivid evidence that the Ukrainian educational community is genuinely committed to continuing professional development in times of crisis, firmly keeps the educational front, and is confidently moving forward!
On October 29th, an open amateur badminton tournament "DSC Series 2023" took place in the capital, which brought together 112 participants from different parts of Ukraine. Athletes played 145 matches in 7 categories. One of the participants in the competition was the Minister of Youth and Sports, President of the NOC of Ukraine, Vadim Gutsayt. Out of the seven amateur athletes from Sumy, the best result was achieved by the pair representing SumDU graduate student Vladyslav Myronenko and Yuriy Kovalov (Sumy Badminton Club), who won the gold medals in the men's doubles category (MD B).
The silver medals in the men's doubles category (MD C) were awarded to the representatives of the Sumy Badminton Club, Sergiy Kriknyi and Yevhen Korotya.
Oksana Hladchenko, a senior lecturer from the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics, and Antonina Syryk, a senior lecturer from the Department of Physical Education and Sports, also joined the competition but left the tournament in the quarterfinals.
