BPSU holds workshop for language educators

BALANGA City, Bataan – Various language educators along the province are now attending the event tagged as “Seminar-Workshop on Philippine English and Corpus Linguistics” hosted by the Bataan Peninsula State University held at BPSU-Main Campus Conference Room, this City.

Dr. Shirley N. Dita, an associate professor at the Department of English and Applied Linguistics in De La Salle University-Manila and president of the Linguistics Society of the Philippines served as resource speaker for the three-day program.

“I just want to impart to the participants everything about World Englishes, because as English teachers, they need to become updated and informed in the field of linguistics,” Dr. Dita said.

According to her, World Englishes is an umbrella label referring to a wide range of differing approaches to the description and analysis of Englishes worldwide.

“Also part of the seminar is the Corpus Linguistics. This refers to a new approach to doing research in Linguistics. I am looking forward that the participants will come up with their own research topics so they can carve their own spot in the field of research,” she added.

As part of her discussions, she addressed the participants that because language is dynamic, there are many changes in the syntax, and it is their responsibility to investigate and study what’s going on with the language.

Dr. Dita expressed that she expects them to unlearn the old notions of the English Language and to recognize, accept and acknowledge World Englishes.

“Let us not try to become American English speakers or British English speakers because we do have our own language, and that is the Philippine English which we should be proud of,” she stated.

Meanwhile, Dr. Lemuel R. Fontillas, BPSU faculty of the Master of Arts in Education Major in Language Education, who served as the lead organizer of the event, said that basically, the objective of the event is to educate language teachers in Bataan with the varieties of English languages in the world.

He also mentioned that other goals include the correction of the wrong concepts and wrong beliefs when it comes to dialects and languages.

“This seminar will also serve as an eye-opener for the participants to embrace the new trends regarding researches. This will also develop their view on Philippine English,” Dr. Fontillas added.

As a result, Dr. Gregorio J. Rodis, BPSU University President, said that this seminar-workshop will really enhance the language teaching capacity of the language educators.

The participants in the event include students from the Master of Arts in Education Major in Language Education Class, members of the BPSU English Cluster coming from all the campuses of the university, and some English teachers from the Department of Education-Division of Bataan.