NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

CESL
The mission of the Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)
at the University of Kentucky is to provide comprehensive English
language instruction for non-native English speakers in a university
setting. At the Center for ESL, we assist students in achieving
language proficiency goals for academic, professional, and social
purposes through multi-level language instruction. The Center for
ESL is dedicated to promoting diversity and to providing reciprocal
cultural enrichment opportunities to the University, the
community, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

In this issue:

Introduction

English Slang

Go Teacher Birthdays!

Historic
Accomplishment!

Professional

English Slang

Development

Locust Trace Visit

Go Teacher
Experiences
o Raven Run Hiking
Gabriela Galarza

o Meadowthorpe
School Visit
Carmen Lucia

Meaning: all day and night, non-stop

Examples:
I had to work around-the-clock to get the homework done.
I was awake around-the-clock finishing that project.

Go Teacher Birthdays!
MONTH
Student Name
Judiel Sanzander
Edith Aviles
Jessica Seminario
Hernan Cuenca

Month Day
April 15th
April 16th
April 21st
April 29th

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APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Caroll Posada was the big winner of the Historic Lexington Quiz. She answered all of the 10
questions correctly and won a gift card to Starbucks along with the respect and esteem of
generations of learned historians.
The tour of Lexington included stops at Ashland, the Henry Clay estate, the Mary Todd Lincoln
house, Transylvania University, the Cheapside Slave Market, Gratz Park, and the John Hunt Morgan
House.
Thanks go out to Jacob Glover, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History, who guided our group
through the storied streets of Lexington and gave informative talks at each location.

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APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Professional Development
BY Dr. Jeanette Groth, UK College of Education

Five Ecuadorian students took the opportunity to go

with Dr. Groth to the Formative Assessment
Workshop sponsored by PIMSER. It was a true
listening experience since the major presenter was
from London and the teacher presenters were from
outlying counties here in Kentucky. The information
that was shared focused on good methodologies
such as effective questioning, success criteria,
student engagement and learning targets.
Ecuadorian students had an opportunity to network
with Kentucky teachers and exchange email
information.

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APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Locust Trace Visit

BY Lina Crocker

Our students had a wonderful visit to Locust

Trace AgriScience Farm, which is a special high
school in Lexington that focuses on
agricultural studies, as well as the
environment and energy. In addition to
normal classrooms, Locust Trace has labs,
gardens, a greenhouse, a barn for animals,
facilities for raising fish and a veterinary clinic.
Students can study Plant and Land Science,
Veterinary Assistant, Agriculture Power
Mechanics, Equine Studies and Large Animal Science.
We really enjoyed seeing the school building, which
was beautiful, innovative and energy efficient. It generates
its own electricity with solar panels, and has many energy
saving features. It also has an interesting water system
which collects rainwater from the buildings for use on the
farm.
The most interesting things, however, were the animals
and the people. We enjoyed seeing horses, pigs and chinchillas. We were able to
visit with the very nice veterinarian who works and teaches there at the school.
Perhaps the most fun was meeting and talking with students while they were caring
for the animals and planting seeds for the gardens. We are
especially thankful to Sarah Tracy with Locust Trace who gave us
a great tour and made us feel welcome.

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APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Raven Run Natural Sanctuary:

Ecuadorian Go Teachers Hiking Trip
BY Gabriela Galarza

On Saturday April

12th,

Ecuadorian teachers had the most amazing

opportunity to get to know a unique place. This was Raven Run Natural
Sanctuary and it is dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of the Kentucky
River Palisades and early Kentucky history.
Raven Run Nature Sanctuary is a great place for hiking with friends. This was
what Ecuadorian teachers did. We enjoyed walking through the forest and
learning about the awesome flora and fauna which surrounds the place. This
was an important time to think about our life and remember how important
the environment is for us. We also took this time to exercise our bodies and
hearts as well.
Our reward was to see the wonderful landscape of the Kentucky River
Palisades and face the challenge of climbing back up the mountain.
Personally, this activity made think about my country Ecuador. I realized how
important it is to preserve our environment and take action to do it.
Kentucky is Nature!!!

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APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

APRIL 2014

APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

APRIL 2014

APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Meadowthorpe Elementary School: An Indescribable

Experience
BY CarmenTadeo

It was a sunny beautiful day and some UK CESL students from different parts
of the world were gathered on the first floor of the Patterson Office Tower waiting
for Mrs. Lina Crocker, a great professor and an exceptional person. She had
organized a visit to Meadowthorpe Elementary School.
The first impression was super. Some young children were waiting for us in
the school yard in order to greet us with a kind welcome. I was very surprised. Still,
the best things were yet to come.
The school auditorium was simple but tastefully decorated. After the principal
formally welcomed us, the performance started. A pretty, clever, and confident,
small girl was the hostess. She looked like a TV journalist presenting the news of the
day or a politician giving an important speech. Then different groups of students
performed daces, songs, messages etc. and all of them were amazing but as it is
common some little mistakes occurred. The principal used sweet words to
encourage them to do it better and they did. All of the seemed like grown-ups in
small bodies because those kids were grand.

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APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

I was wondering, why are those children and that school so different from the
other ones in Lexington? I have visited 2 middle schools and one high school before
this place, and I liked them a lot; yet, Meadowthorpe Elementary School was
outstanding. Then the headmaster and the students gave me the answer: THE
SEVEN HABITS. These seven habits are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

BE PROACTIVE
BEING WITH THE END IN MIND
PUT FIRT THINGS FIRST
THINK WIN-WIN
SEEK FIRST TO UNDRESTAND THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD
SYNERGIZE
SHARPEN THE SAW

These children are being prepared to be leaders. The last part was a direct
observation of the activities inside the classroom. We also attended a panel
discussion leadership in action where students and parents share us their
experiences in the practice of the seven habits. Finally we had the opportunity to
learn and understand much better the new teaching and learning method in the
classrooms. Once again the students were the ones who did all the work in
presenting, but of course I know that their teachers were the ones who had
prepared them. They are doing a great job too.
Now I understand why Mrs. Lina told me some weeks ago this words
Meadowthorpe Elementary School is my favorite school in all of Lexington.

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APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER

CENTER FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

The link to Go Teacher Kentuckys

Facebook group is on the website!

Center for English as a Second Language

University of Kentucky
1673 Patterson Office Tower
Telephone: (859) 257-7003
Website: http://esl.as.uky.edu