DIVISION of ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 

SCHOOL of THE ARTS AND PROFESSIONS 

Department of English and Modern Languages Issue 2

Volume 18

LANGUAGE LEARNING EXPANDS English Department Offers New Courses and Utilizes New Language Lab

Haitian-Creole and/or Mandarin Chinese. Conversational Arabic is

also offered by the department, as are the more traditional choices of French and Spanish.

“The call has gone out from the U.S. government for universities like ours to increase the language competency among our graduates,” said FLIC’s acting program coordinator Tammy Gharbi. “Students who know a second or even a third language

are exponentially better off than their peers in a tight but globalized job market.”

This semester marks a number of milestones in foreign language instruction for the Department of English and Modern Languages. The variety of languages offered has expanded, and the department has assumed responsibility for the University’s Foreign Language Instructional Center (FLIC), a state-of-the-art language lab funded by a federal Title III grant.

For the first time, UMES students can earn academic credit for beginning courses in

Senior English major Randall Hill is learning to speak Arabic because he believes it will improve his job prospects. “It’s difficult, but the FLIC lab makes it so much easier by providing Rosetta Stone software and

other multi-media options,” he said.

Spanish language instructor Nydia Gregory is enthusiastic about the options the FLIC lab offers her students. “You can do everything you do in a classroom and more,” she said.

DIVISION of ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 

SCHOOL of THE ARTS AND PROFESSIONS 

Department of English and Modern Languages 

INSIGHTS October 2011

French professor Jackie Book is able to monitor and interact with individual students through an instructional “command center.”

FIFTY YEARS IN EDUCATION! English Faculty Member Celebrates Remarkable Achievement David Johnson Jr. is the “Energizer Bunny” of the English department. He just keeps going and going and going. With the start of the new school year, he began his fiftieth year as an educator.

So far, he has no plans to retire. “Why should I? I enjoy doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I feel like I’m making a difference, and that matters to me.”

Dr. Johnson began his career in 1961 in the small town of Burgaw, North Carolina, at a segregated school that offered instruction

from elementary school through high school. He taught English, drama, and speech.

He moved to the Eastern Shore in 1963 to teach at Salisbury High School, but three years later the school was closed in order to desegregate the area’s all-white schools. He was assigned to Bennett Senior High in Salisbury as one of

only six African American faculty members.

Dr. Johnson eventually became a school principal, and in 1981, he added

responsibilities as an adjunct English instructor at UMES. He retired from the public school system in 2001 and accepted a full-time position on our campus.

He has taught several generations of local families. “Every place I go, it seems like I’ve touched someone’s life,” he said. “That’s extraordinary.”

Dr. Johnson is particularly proud that a number of his nieces, nephews, and grandchildren have become teachers.

Dr. Johnson in the classroom

A student enrolled in conversational Arabic watches a video on how to write using Arabic characters.

Dr. Johnson

Photo by Joseph Davis

Students enrolled in classes taught by the director of the University’s theater series, Della Dameron-Johnson, had the rare opportunity to seek career advice from two theatrical professionals recently.

Award winning stage and film actress Starletta DuPois was the featured speaker at this year’s Founder’s Day convocation. She and Percy Thomas, playwright and artistic director of the “Heralds of Hope” theater in Baltimore, visited Dr. Dameron-Johnson’s Modern Drama and Advanced Public Speaking classes during the Founder’s Week celebration. Both were graduates of UMES in the days when it was known as Maryland State College.

you’re really passionate about something, go after it!”

La-Basha Alexander, a junior English major from Seattle, Washington, was inspired by that advice.

“Seeing them was like seeing our future. It was encouraging,”

she said. “It is possible to be successful. It’s not just a dream.”

Christen Borden, a junior English major from Hampton, Virginia, is enrolled in both of Dr. Dameron-Johnson’s classes. She was amazed that Ms. DuPois, who has appeared with some of the biggest names n Hollywood, was so approachable.

“She didn’t put on airs,” Ms. Borden said. “She was humble.” Ms. Borden also said the career advice the two guests offered left an impression. “They said if

Ms. DuPois, Ms. Alexander, Dr. Thomas, and Dr. Dameron-Johnson

Photo by Jim Glovier

Performing Arts Center.

Discover UMES operations are funded through a federal Title III grant. The experience augments the academic coursework provided through the English department’s TV, radio, and computer graphics production courses.

Once the student crew members spend this semester in the organization’s structured training program, they have the opportunity to continue as student producers in the spring semester covering, among other things, the University’s Black History Month events and Homecoming festivities.

More than a dozen student crew members are getting hands-on experience in television production through the University sponsored organization known as Discover UMES.

The students, the majority of whom are English majors, create programs that can be viewed on YouTube. Each has an opportunity to work behind the scenes and in front of the camera under the direction of Executive Producer Erika Forsythe.

“(The students) take turns practicing interviewing skills, learning how to operate high tech HD cameras, and performing post production editing responsibilities,” Ms. Forsythe said. “We

ALUMNI VISIT ENGLISH CLASSES Accomplished Actors Give Back to Their Campus Community

encourage UMES students interested in the field of communications to take this opportunity to receive training, to build their portfolio while still in college, and to have fun while doing it.”

This semester’s participants were selected by Ms. Forsythe through a competitive application process which began at the end of the spring semester.

While many members of the Discover UMES crew are preparing for media careers, students of all majors are welcome to participate. They meet weekly to produce programs in a TV studio housed in the Ella Fitzgerald

HANDS-ON “PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT” Discover UMES Fall 2011 Crew is Up and Running

Crew members (L to R) Folashade Omisanmi, Achu Mba, Chante Graham, Jasmine Johnson, Discover UMES Supervisor Erika Forsythe, Margie Cook-Fernan, and Tara Stith

(L to R) Jasmine Walden, Kandace Sewell, Teri Mack, Stephanie Terry, and La-Basha Alexander Not pictured: Quinton Kilgoe, Kenyarn Maxfield, Kia Morsell, and Dorian Watkins

Photos by Jim Glovier

Student producer Da’Vonne Freeman interviews actress Starletta DuPois during Founder’s Week.

Frequently Asked E.P.E. Questions Important Information About the English Proficiency Exam

By Terry Smith

What is the English Proficiency Examination (EPE)? The English Proficiency Examination is a 90-minute essay examination required by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) to meet a University System of Maryland (USM) requirement to assure that all undergraduate students are able to write at an acceptable level. This requirement became effective for classes entering the fall of 1998.

This EPE is completed online, usually in Waters Hall computer labs, under the direction of an EPE proctor, who verifies each student’s identity before letting him/ her start. Therefore, students must take their HawkCards with them to the EPE. The EPE requires each student to write a 500-600 word, multi-paragraph essay in response to a specific, randomly assigned, argumentative prompt. The essays are administered and evaluated by the College Board using a modified holistic scoring, a procedure used to evaluate the overall quality of writing based on the following 6 dimensions of writing: Purpose and Focus, Organization and Structure, Development and Support, Sentence Variety and Style, Mechanical Conventions, and Critical Thinking. Students taking the EPE are not allowed to use any writing or editing aids, such as dictionaries, thesauri, or Word with its spell-checking and grammar-checking features.

In addition to receiving feedback on each of the six dimensions of writing, each student receives a score between 0 and 8 immediately after “submitting” the EPE. A score of 5 or above on the 8-point scale is passing. A passing score is based on “satisfactory” quality: an essay that would earn a C in ENGL101/ 102. The grades submitted on the transcript are S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory). Students can verify their EPE grade on their unofficial transcript or course history list in HawkWeb.

What are the course pre-requisites for taking the EPE? All students must fulfill the following two pre-requisites to take the EPE: (1) have completed ENGL101 with a C or above or an S and (2) have completed ENGL102 with a C or above or an S or be taking ENGL102 with a C average or above. Most students register for the EPE for the first time when they register for ENGL102. Transfer students who receive credit for ENGL102 when they transfer in to UMES register during their first semester at UMES.

When is the EPE given? During the Fall and Spring semesters, the EPE is given only during final exam week. During the Winter Session and Summer 2/ 3 Sessions, it is given on final exam day, the day after the last day of classes. Students in ENGL102 take the EPE during their regularly scheduled final exam period. Students who have completed ENGL102 when they take the EPE select one of various dates/ times offered during exam week.

May ENGL102 students take the EPE at a time other than their scheduled final exam period? No. Except in the case of a University-approved absence with written documentation, no ENGL102 students may take the EPE at a time other than their scheduled final exam period. The final exam period should be on the students’ ENGL102 syllabus, it is posted in the EPE Blackboard class, and it is not negotiable. An ENGL102 student who does not show up on time for his/ her scheduled exam will receive a “U” for the EPE and must register for it again the following semester.

How do students register for the EPE?Although the EPE is worth 0 credits and doesn’t actually meet as a class, students register for it through HawkWeb as they do for all classes. There are currently 3 different EPE “courses”: ENGL001, ENGL002, ENGL003. ●Students simultaneously taking ENGL102 should register for ENGL001.

●Students simultaneously taking ENGL102H (Honors) should register for ENGL003 (offered only in the Spring semester since ENGL102H is offered only in the Spring semester). ●Students who have already received a C or above in ENGL102 or transfer students who received an S in ENGL102 should register for ENGL002.

How do students get more information about the EPE? All students who are registered for the EPE are also in a Blackboard class for the EPE. Additional information about the EPE is posted there. This includes a sample topic and sample passing essays and the EPE schedule for both ENGL102 students and post-ENGL102 students. What should students do to prepare for the EPE? Students in ENGL102 will be prepared for the EPE through their class instruction. Students who have completed ENGL102 should review the materials posted in the Blackboard class and review the basic principles of expository and argumentative writing taught in ENGL101 and ENGL102. Optional tutoring is available through the Writing Center in Wilson Hall. What should students do if they do not pass the EPE? They should register for ENGL002 for the next semester (or ENGL001 if they will also be re-taking ENGL102). If they want to review a prior failed EPE, they should go to see Dr. Terry Smith, the Coordinator of the EPE, prior to the last two weeks of the semester. Her office hours are posted in the EPE Blackboard class. If they would like tutoring, it is offered by both the Center for Academic Access and Success and the Writing Center. Details are posted in the EPE Blackboard class.

If a student is unsuccessful in passing the EPE, will he or she still be permitted to graduate? No. Successful completion of the EPE is required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete this requirement before they become seniors.

Editor’ Note: Dr. Smith, an assistant professor in the English department, serves as the E.P.E. coordinator.

ENGLISH EDUCATION UPDATE Changes, Progress Reports, and Success Stories

New PRAXIS II Tests

Effective July 1, 2011, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) no longer requires the PRAXIS II tests #0041 and #0043. The tests now required by MSDE for teacher certification are English Language, Literature, and Composition: Content and Anaylsis (Test #0044 with a minimum score of 166) and Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 (Test #0624 with a minimum score of 157).

Where Are Our May 2011 English Education Graduates?

Chelsea Logan is working on a master of science degree at the University of Maryland in College Park while tutoring part-time and substitute teaching in the D.C. area. Her coursework in curriculum and instruction will prepare her to be a reading specialist.

Lindsay Martin is teaching 8th grade English at Crisfield

Academy & High School in nearby Crisfield, Maryland.

Other English Education Alumni News:

After teaching in Easton, Maryland, for three years, Shannon (Schoffstall) Hinman, a May 2008 graduate, is now teaching 9th grade honors and general English at Wicomico Senior High School in Salisbury. She lives in Crisfield with her husband, Richard, and their two sons – Nathan, age 8, and Max, age 1. Mrs. Hinman is also currently completing the requirements for a master’s degree in English Rhetoric, Language, and Composition at Salisbury University.

By Barbara Seabrook

Editor’s Note: Dr. Seabrook, an associate professor in the English department, serves as coordinator of the department’s teacher education program.

Ms. Logan

Ms. Martin

Mrs. Hinman

WORD PLAY: HETERONYNS (HET-er-o-nims) Also referred to as heterographs, heteronyms are two or more words with the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings. The origin of the terms is from the Greek “other named.” Here are some examples of heteronyms. The noun sewer (pronounced SOO-er and derived from Latin “related to water”) is a conduit for water or sewage. Derived from the Sanskrit for “thread or string, the noun sewer (pronounced SO-er) means one who sews.

“A clown moped around when the circus refused For him a new moped to buy. The incense he burned did incense him to go On a tear with a tear in his eye.” (Richard Lederer, “A Hymn to Heteronyms.” The Word Circus: A Letter-Perfect Book. Merriam-Webster, 1998)

“Though the invalid looked pallid, Said her lover: Not to worry. Pessimism is invalid.” (Felicia Lamport and George Cooper, There’s a Sewer in the Sewer: A Primer for Heteronymphiles, 2000)

“Heteronyms must incense foreign learners! I can’t imagine a number feeling than if they (foreign learners) spent hours learning a common English word, a minute little word, then found a second meaning and pronunciation! Surely agape could not be a foreigner’s emotion as he or she becomes frustrated with our supply textured English words, which, we must admit, can be garbage and refuse to be defined.” (David Bergeron, “Heteronyms.” English Today, Oct. 1990)

Different meanings and pronunciations for the heteronyms used in the previous quotation: number: (NUM-ber or NUM-er) supply: (Sup-PLY or SUP-lee) minute: (MIN-it or MY-noot) refuse: (re-FUSE or REF-use) agape: (uh-GAYP or uh-GAH-pay) How Heteronym Savvy are You? Explain the two different pronunciations and their meanings for each of the following words: bow buffet does dove lead row wind Word Play, provided by Dr. Barbara Seabrook, is a monthly feature which explores the creative use of language.

The UMES Department of English and Modern Languages will be well represented next year at the North Georgia Arts and Letters Conference hosted by North Georgia College and State University. Amy Hagenrater-Gooding and Dean Cooledge have both been selected to present papers in Dahlonega, Georgia, next February. They will explore the theme of the conference: the significance of color in the humanities and social sciences. Dr. Hagenrater-Gooding’s research is titled “Pink is the New Green.” She will argue that the use of pink as a color-coded signifier links women to the contrived feminine and manipulates that link as a money-making tool.

WHAT COLOR IS LITERATURE? English Professors Will Explore Symbolic Colors at Upcoming Conference

“From birth, girls are conditioned through the sea of pink in big-box retail stores...from bubble-gum pink to Barbie doll fuchsia…,” she said. “While this indoctrination persists, pink moves from a marker of girlhood and innocence into one of implicit sexuality, and young women buy in.” Dr. Cooledge has uniquely combined his recreational interest in tinkering with his family’s Volvos with his professional interest in American literature. He will present a paper titled “The Curious Case of the Pumpkin-

Colored Volvo: John Updike’s Use of Color in his Romances and Stories.” “Some colors, such as black, white, and red, have strongly-rooted literary value. But other colors’ values are determined solely through their context,” Dr. Cooledge said. “This paper will … explore Updike’s symbolic use of color in his romance novels and stories. The primary question that will be addressed is whether Updike’s symbolism is still accessible.”

Insights is written and edited, except as noted, by communications instructor Marilyn Buerkle. Technical associate Eric Hammond is responsible for desktop publishing. Copy is proofread by composition instructor Sandy Johnston. Photos are by Marilyn Buerkle, except as noted. If you have information you would like to appear in this publication, contact our editor at 410-651-8349 or email her at mlbuerkle@umes.edu.

Dr. Hagenrater-Gooding

Dr. Cooledge

ALUMNI UPDATE Heather Molnar, Class of ’08, became Mrs. Rob Duma when she married her high school sweetheart earlier this year.

Mrs. Duma is employed locally as a constituent liaison for U.S. Congressman Andy Harris.

Photo by Jen Seay Photography

Meet K.J. Barnes! Kelvin Jordan Barnes was born August 10. His mom is Joi Horn, Class of ’06.

Ms. Horn is a program analyst dealing with human resource issues for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Photo provided by K.J.’s proud mom.