COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION — As center of excellence in teacher education in Region I, this college is committed to the improvement of competencies of teachers not only in the university but also in other higher education institutions (HEI’s) in the region.

To demonstrate this commitment, the college and the Higher Education Language Proficiency Program (HELPP) conducted the Regional Workshop on English Sounds:  Applied Phonetics and Phonology at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, Mid La Union Campus (DMMMSU-MLUC), City of San Fernando, La Union, Oct. 26-28.

The three-day workshop was participated in by the different HEI’s in Region I such as the University of Luzon, Northern Colleges Foundation (Dagupan City); Divine Word College of Urdaneta, City Colleges of Urdaneta, (Urdaneta City); San Carlos College, (San Carlos City); DMMMSU, (NLUC, MLUC, SLUC); Union Christian College, Lorma Colleges, (San Fernando City); Divine Word College of Laoag and Mariano Marcos State University.  Participants from MMSU included Dr. Ritha B. Reyes (CAS), Joy T. Martinez (CIT), Johnson Modesto A. Blanco and Eric P. Paligat (CTE).

The seminar focused on English Sounds as analyzed linguistically and applied to strategies in speech training.  It was based on a comparison of the sounds of Filipino English (FE) and International English (IE).  The approach was pragmatic with the lessons intended to have direct impact on the participants’ speech skills such as the improvement of pronunciation, accent, and contextual speaking.  Introduction to phonetic sciences and phonology in their theoretical and applied aspects and their relationship to other disciplines in linguistics was, likewise, included.

During the opening program, Dr. Caridad O. Abuan, chief education program specialist of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) ROI delivered her message and gave updates about the English language.  On the other hand, MMSU President, during the closing program, inspired the participants and challenged them to attend seminars for their professional growth and development.  Dr. Jonathan C. Malicsi, coordinator of the English Linguistics Project at UP and author of the College English Course served as resource speaker.  Dr. Shirley B. Mina, HELPP coordinator, and Dr. Carmenchita H. Coloma, English program adviser coordinated the said seminar.