Rector Jun Liu hosts training session on communicative intercultural global competence for English teachers at local high school

Upon receiving an invitation, Professor Liu Jun, Rector of City University of Macau, conducted a training session at Kao Yip Middle School with the objective of enhancing the intercultural communication skills and international perspectives of the English teachers at the local high school. Rector Liu was warmly welcomed by Principal He Cheng and Vice Principal Martin Ma. The lecture, titled “What every foreign language teacher should know and do,” was moderated by Vice Principal Ma. The session garnered participation from nearly 80 English teachers, encompassing both the main section and international section across various grade levels.

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Principal He Cheng expressed his warmest welcome in his opening speech and presented a letter of appreciation to Rector Liu. He introduced Rector Liu’s extensive experience in the field of intercultural communication and English education, highlighting his esteemed reputation in the field. Principal He also emphasized the crucial role of English in intercultural communication and teaching. Vice Principal Martin Ma also commended Rector Liu’s contributions and achievements in the field of English teaching and learning, emphasizing the importance of improving English proficiency and intercultural communication skills. He expressed the hope that the teachers would enhance their teaching abilities through training and research.

During the lecture, Rector Jun Liu demystified the core concepts of language teaching and learning, exploring various aspects such as acquisition and learning, accuracy and fluency, input, interaction, and output, as well as the critical period hypothesis. He emphasized that the purpose of language education is more than developing students’ language skills, it also to cultivate their competences in three aspects: communication competence, intercultural competence, as well as global competence.

Furthermore, Rector Liu shared his experiences and the process model of intercultural competence by Darla Deardorff (2006) providing a detailed explanation of what makes a good language teacher. He emphasized that an outstanding language teacher needs to possess multiple core competencies, and he provided an in-depth interpretation of these competencies from various dimensions, including knowledge, skills, and awareness.

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During the interactive session, Rector Jun Liu engaged in friendly exchanges with the attending teachers and provided practical suggestions for specific challenges they encounter in the classroom. Jackie Un, head of the Teacher Development Center at Kao Yip Middle School, acknowledged the valuable learning opportunity presented by the lecture. She commented that the lecture facilitated the reflections on the essence of education, the role of educator, and instructional methods, thereby reshaping their understanding of teaching and learning. Other teachers present at the event also expressed high praise for the lecture. They stated that it provided them with valuable suggestions and insights for their future teaching path and career development.

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After the lecture, Rector Jun Liu and his delegation toured the campus environment and facilities, holding discussions on potential collaborations. Both parties expressed their desire to enhance cooperation and exchange. They plan to leverage the resources and platform of the International Training and Testing Center for activities such as teacher training and internships. The goal of this collaboration is to facilitate the sharing of educational resources and foster more diverse and effective cooperation.