Dear TIRF Board Members and Supporters,
Last week, I received a video clip from Yolanda Yang, a former colleague whom I hired while serving as the Founding Director of the English Language Center (ELC) at Shantou University. The video, produced in 2006, never went viral, so seeing it after nearly 20 years offered me some fresh perspectives.
Watching the video, I noticed how different I looked (no white hair at the time!). I was driven and full of passion to establish a model ELC in China. That year, I was also elected as the first Asian President of TESOL International Association. Reflecting on that experience, I feel immense pride in several key initiatives that helped shape the program and create an English-speaking environment in a non-English-speaking city, and would like to share some of my thoughts with TIRF supporters.
First, I articulated a clear vision for the ELC. My goal was to transform an examination-oriented language teaching model into a communicative competence-focused learning environment. We aimed to transition learners from passive receivers of English to active users through various extracurricular activities such as the Reading Club, Writing Club, Conversation Series, English Lounge, English Corner, English Festival, and Debate Club. The entire campus was encouraged to use English for communication.
Second, I took pride in inviting numerous TESOL experts to our annual Symposium on English Language Teaching. As seen in the video, notable TIRF leaders such as Kathi Bailey, David Nunan, and Suzanne Panferov-Reece were among our guests. We also welcomed international speakers like Diane Larsen-Freeman, Donald Freeman, Denise Murray, Ulla Connor, and Claire Kramsch. The TIRF spirit was deeply embedded in the development of ELC at Shantou University.
Third, I successfully brought many young teachers from U.S. TESOL programs to Shantou University—at least 20 each year during my tenure. Some of these young educators have since become professors or associate professors in TESOL programs in U.S. higher education institutions. This collaboration between local and foreign teachers led to the creation of the professional journal RALC (Review of Applied Linguistics in China), a supplementary textbook series published by Tsinghua University to complement Pearson’s North Star, and an annual English Language Teaching Symposium.
Fourth, we established the Center for Independent Language Learning (CILL) to support autonomous and individualized language learning. Students could access digital resources for self-study, form discussion groups, and work on group projects at the center.
I am now curious about the current state of the ELC. How is it doing? Is it sustainable? Will the strategies that worked nearly 20 years ago still be effective today? What are the key ingredients for sustainability? I am eager to visit, reconnect with friends and former colleagues, and see how the ELC has evolved. It would be insightful to learn what has continued to thrive, what has changed, and the reasons behind these developments or challenges.
Now, more than two decades after establishing the ELC at Shantou University, my service to TIRF builds on the work I was engaged in so many years ago. Through TIRF’s Program Evaluation service, we work with universities to help strengthen their programs, therefore, elevating teaching and learning outcomes. This service not only benefits the university and its language center, but also provides growth opportunities for the Foundation. I have witnessed firsthand the impact this service provides to our partners and look forward to furthering this program for many years to come.
Warm regards,
Jun Liu, Ph.D.
TIRF President
