New Textbooks Are Key to 'Unlocking' the Potential of Our Students
In an effort to boost the effectiveness of language learning, the Faculty of Languages and Translation hosted training sessions to familiarize teachers with the newly introduced textbooks. These sessions took place on January 13th and 14th, led by the Cambridge University Press, the publishers of the Unlock series, and were coordinated by the Dean of the Faculty of Languages & Translation, Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi.
During the lively presentation that kick-started the workshop, ESL author & educator Peter Lucantoni elaborated on how the authors of this series collaborated with teachers and learners to ensure their needs were addressed effectively. He highlighted that the Unlock series aims to motivate learners with engaging materials, visually appealing graphics, and inspirational storytelling, thereby developing their critical thinking skills in addition to language learning. Interestingly, the series incorporates Discovery Education videos into the learning content, marking a fresh approach that equips learners with the skills and language needed for academic success.
The second day of training sessions saw the participation of King Khalid University Rector, Prof. Falleh R. M. Al-Solamy, Vice Rector of Academic Affairs, Saad Muhammad Du'ajim, and Vice Rector of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Merzin Al-Shahrani. In his closing remarks, Rector Al-Solamy extended his best wishes to all students and faculty embarking on the new course enhancement initiative. Dean Al-Melhi acknowledged the efforts of Cambridge University Press representatives and expressed gratitude towards Rector Al-Solamy and Vice Rector Du'ajim for their continued support and encouragement.
"The adoption of these new textbooks and the associated teaching techniques represent a significant achievement for the English Language Center. We hope that it will unlock the potential of our students," said Dean Al-Melhi, acknowledging the laborious process behind the textbook initiative.
The English Language Center at the Faculty of Languages & Translation has now launched the new textbooks for several courses. Specifically designed for students enrolled in ENG 011, 012, and 019 English skills courses, these materials utilize innovative language learning methods developed over many years as part of the 'Unlock' series by Cambridge University Press.
The Unlock series covers five essential academic language skills - reading, writing, listening, speaking, and grammar, employing a comprehensive approach that allows students to study all five subjects simultaneously. Moreover, the series adopts a 'scaffold' approach that enables students to progress through a hierarchy of learning in line with Bloom's Taxonomy.
Unlock employs various learning methods, including numerous videos for auditory and visual language exposure and a variety of both individual and group exercises designed to enhance language development. Unlike ordinary textbooks, the Unlock series focuses on study material that is engaging and sparks students' inherent curiosity with interesting stories about real people and places.
The university extends its gratitude to Cambridge University Press for making these textbooks, loaded with state-of-the-art educational materials and techniques, affordable for our students. The texts are now available to our students for 80 SR each, which is the lowest price for this series globally.
The Faculty of Languages and Translation remains committed to providing the best possible language education to our students. The textbook initiative is a testament to the continuous improvement that makes King Khalid University a world-class educational institution.
