Recognizing the importance of English as an international language and significant  role of English teachers, as well as, in support of English learning as one of the core programs of American Corners or Spaces, the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU)-American Corner, in partnership with the Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy in Manila; MMSU-Extension Directorate; and Department of Languages and Literature, MMSU-College of Art and Sciences , conducted a “Seminar-Workshop on Innovative Teaching and Strategies for Elementary and High School English Teachers” on April 27, 2016 at the University Educational Technology Center, MMSU Main Library. Consisted of 57 elementary and high school English teachers, participants came from 26 elementary schools and 4 high schools in the City Schools Division of Batac, Department of Education.

As an outreach service program, the seminar-workshop aimed to: 1) update English teachers on the latest innovative teaching strategies and techniques applicable to their classroom settings; 2) enhance English teachers’ abilities to design lesson plans as well as produce or select appropriate instructional materials based on the new innovative teaching strategies and techniques; and 3) motivate English teachers to continuously improve their teaching strategies and techniques to improve student performance.

To attain the seminar-workshop’s objectives, five topics were presented by four English language experts. These included: 1) Teaching Reading and Writing by Ms. Kelly Keegan, English Language Fellow, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy in Manila; 2) Speak it Right by Prof. Luvee Hazel C. Aquino, College Secretary and Faculty, MMSU-College of Arts and Sciences and Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, 2013-2015, Standford University, California, U.S.A; 3) Grammar in Context by Dr. Marlina L. Lino, Chair, Department of Languages and Literature, MMSU-College of Arts and Sciences; 4) Making Learning Borderless by Dr. Mee Jay A. Domingo, Faculty, MMSU-College of Arts and Sciences and E-Teacher Scholarship Grantee, October-December  2015, Regional English Language Office, Department of State, U.S.A; and 5) Alternative Assessment by Dr. Mee Jay A. Domingo.

The seminar-workshop was made possible through the all-out support of the Public Affair Section, U.S Embassy in Manila and Mariano Marcos State University as well as the City Schools Division of Batac, Department on Education.