King Khalid University

  The Faculty of Languages and Translation hosted training sessions to prepare our teachers to use the new textbooks effectively. On January 13th and 14th the Unlock series publisher, Cambridge University Press, conducted intensive training sessions for both male and female instructors at different locations. Dean of Faculty of Languages & Translation, Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, presided over and coordinated the whole program. ESL author & educator Peter Lucantoni commenced the workshop with his lively presentation. Mr. Lucantoni explained how the authors of this series reached out to teachers and learners to make sure they truly understood what they needed from a course. He reiterated that the Unlock series would motivate learners with engaging materials and visually stunning graphics in inspirational storytelling which would eventually develop their critical thinking skills in addition to language learning. Of note, Discovery Education videos are incorporated into the learning content, which is considered to be a brand new approach that equips learners with the skills and language needed for academic success.   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, presided over the training sessions on day 2. After a brief closing ceremony, His Excellency Rector Al-Solamy wished all of the students and faculty great success with the new textbook series and course enhancement initiative. Dean Al-Melhi thanked the representatives of Cambridge University Press for their efforts and His Excellency 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 momentous achievement for the English Language Center. We hope that it will unlock the potential of our students', said Dean Al-Melhi. He further noted that this textbook initiative was a long and difficult process. 'This project would not have come to fruition but for the dedication and persistence of my team's tireless work, and executive leadership support and encouragement of the initiative', he said.   The English Language Center at the Faculty of Languages & Translation has adopted and launched a set of new textbooks for numerous courses. These new materials are tailored to language learning for students enrolled in ENG 011, 012 and 019 English skills courses. This is an exciting development for the ELC as these new textbooks utilize cutting-edge language learning methods developed over many years. The textbooks are part of the 'Unlock' series by Cambridge University Press.   The Unlock series of books provides instruction on five essential academic language skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking and grammar). The textbooks employ a comprehensive approach to language learning in which students study all five subjects contemporaneously. This provides a near immersive exposure to the language that is of great help in achieving fluency. Moreover, the Unlock series also utilizes a 'scaffold' approach in which the materials help students progress up through a hierarchy of learning in accord with Bloom's Taxonomy. Unlock provides learners with the tools for developing the analytical and critical thinking skills necessary for mastering languages. The textbooks also stress the development of skills that will enable the students to speak and write proficiently at each level of language learning.   Unlock texts employ many different types of learning methods. The materials include many videos. These are helpful for both auditory and visual exposure to language usage. Unlock also prescribes a wide variety of both individual and group exercises designed to enhance language development. Moreover, Unlock is an effective tool for motivating students to learn. Most ordinary textbooks are dry and boring. The Unlock series focuses on study material that is engaging and sparks students' inherent curiosity. For example, the texts use interesting stories about real people and places in its lessons. Unlock is, in short, a critical component of an improved teaching strategy which will be of great benefit to our students. Adopting these new textbooks is one element of the university's goals of continuous improvement in all aspects of education.   The entire university offers its gratitude to Cambridge University Press. Textbooks are inherently expensive, especially those texts including state of the art educational materials and techniques. The university and Cambridge University Press worked very hard to provide these new textbooks at an affordable price. Ultimately, the parties found a way to sell these books to our students for 80 SR each. This is the lowest price for this series anywhere in the world. The university is so pleased to provide our students with optimal educational tools at a modest cost.   The Faculty of Languages and Translation is committed to providing the best possible language education to our students. The textbook initiative represents yet another success on the endless path of continuous improvement that helps make King Khalid University a world-class educational institution. Date: 1/16/2019 Source: Md. Jahangir Alam Multimedia Source: Sayed Mohammed Abdul Karim

As part of the international cooperation initiative at King Khalid University, His Excellency King Khalid University Rector, Pro. Falleh R.M. Al-Solamy, was pleased to welcome a delegation from Swansea University in the United Kingdom. Swansea University is a world recognized top-400 educational institution and is Welsh in origin. In fact, in Wales, the university is also known as 'Prifysgol Abertawe' in the Welsh language.   Dr. Parfitt is the Head of the English Language Training Services. She, along with her entourage, visited the Faculty of Languages and Translation. Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi, Vice Dean Yahya Asiri, Chairman Munassir Alhamami, and ELC Director Musa Al-Ahmari led them on a tour of the labs, the LEP, the IELTS Center, and other related facilities.   In addition to touring the facilities, there was a roundtable discussion on international cooperation led by Dean Al-Melhi. 'We welcome our honored guests to Abha. Cooperation among universities from around the world is a worthy objective. We all have much to learn and to teach one another. In the spirit of international cooperation, we are most pleased to collaborate with Dr. Parfitt and Swansea University. We are most grateful to His Excellency Rector Al-Solamy for organizing and supporting this worthwhile endeavor. It is worth noting that other representatives from Swansea visited and toured other colleges within the university. These efforts are of mutual benefit to everyone at both universities', said Dean Al-Melhi.   Dr. Parfitt said 'We are privileged to be welcomed to King Khalid University. We plan to establish a mutually beneficial and on-going educational cooperation initiative with the Faculty of Languages and Translation. We hope to implement such useful projects like internship programs, faculty and student exchanges, and joint degree programs. Everyone we met at King Khalid University and in Abha were most gracious and inviting. We look forward to a long and productive relationship with King Khalid University'.   The Faculty of Languages and Translation is committed to developing our university, students, and faculty through international cooperation and bilateral agreements with top universities throughout the world.   If you are a representative of a foreign educational institution, organization, or enterprise and interested in establishing a memorandum of cooperation, please send an email to amalmelhi@kku.edu.sa. Date: 12/15/2018 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

As part of the international cooperation initiative at King Khalid University, His Excellency King Khalid University Rector, Pro. Falleh R.M. Al-Solamy, was pleased to welcome a delegation from Swansea University in the United Kingdom. Swansea University is a world recognized top-400 educational institution and is Welsh in origin. In fact, in Wales, the university is also known as 'Prifysgol Abertawe' in the Welsh language.   Dr. Parfitt is the Head of the English Language Training Services. She, along with her entourage, visited the Faculty of Languages and Translation. Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi, Vice Dean Yahya Asiri, Chairman Munassir Alhamami, and ELC Director Musa Al-Ahmari led them on a tour of the labs, the LEP, the IELTS Center, and other related facilities.   In addition to touring the facilities, there was a roundtable discussion on international cooperation led by Dean Al-Melhi. 'We welcome our honored guests to Abha. Cooperation among universities from around the world is a worthy objective. We all have much to learn and to teach one another. In the spirit of international cooperation, we are most pleased to collaborate with Dr. Parfitt and Swansea University. We are most grateful to His Excellency Rector Al-Solamy for organizing and supporting this worthwhile endeavor. It is worth noting that other representatives from Swansea visited and toured other colleges within the university. These efforts are of mutual benefit to everyone at both universities', said Dean Al-Melhi.   Dr. Parfitt said 'We are privileged to be welcomed to King Khalid University. We plan to establish a mutually beneficial and on-going educational cooperation initiative with the Faculty of Languages and Translation. We hope to implement such useful projects like internship programs, faculty and student exchanges, and joint degree programs. Everyone we met at King Khalid University and in Abha were most gracious and inviting. We look forward to a long and productive relationship with King Khalid University'.   The Faculty of Languages and Translation is committed to developing our university, students, and faculty through international cooperation and bilateral agreements with top universities throughout the world.   If you are a representative of a foreign educational institution, organization, or enterprise and interested in establishing a memorandum of cooperation, please send an email to amalmelhi@kku.edu.sa. Date: 12/15/2018 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

On December 8, 2018, the 4th Annual Forum was held which was titled Modern Methods in Teaching English as a Second Language in collaboration with Oxford University Press at Saudi German Hospital. The event was conducted under the supervision of the Faculty of Languages and Translation Dean, Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, and Dr. Mowafiq Al-Momani. The purpose of the forum was to raise awareness of modern concepts of English language teaching. Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi began the program with a welcome speech. In his speech, he explained how teaching methods could be improved through such a forum. He reiterated that it would help share innovative ideas about modern pedagogy. He suggested that we make greater use of such events. Faculty development through forums and the like are an integral aspect of our goal of continuous improvement in delivering a world-class language education, he added. The participants included both male and female faculty members working at King Khalid University. The morning session included a presentation by Mr. Zaid Ben Hamad from Oxford University Press titled Teaching ESP highlighting practical teaching with reference to English for Specific Purposes. He showed how to model a warm-up task, the importance of having proper knowledge of the specialism before designing an ESP course, and how to design a fact-sheet. The session included some activities with questions that actively involved the participants. The afternoon session included six presentations. Dr. Eman Alzaanin gave a presentation titled EFL Writing Instruction from a Cognitive Ecological Perspective. She highlighted pedagogical practices in L2 writing classrooms and L2 writing teacher cognition. She also explained the contribution of the cognitive-ecological model that gives insights into cognition networks, broader understanding types of knowledge, context, and stimulus for teacher cognition. The bottom line was the fact that in EFL writing instruction, a teacher must have a clear idea about ecology impact on the class. Dr. Munassir Alhamami spoke on the subject of Digital Presentations in EFL Classrooms that focused on various ways to use digital presentations in class. He emphasized the need of appropriateness of material we choose, and understanding copyright issues before applying them in class. He showed how digital presentations facilitate the learning process by making difficult ideas easy, playing the role of ice-breakers. Later he showed the steps of creating such presentations by understanding rubrics. Mr. Chris Harris spoke about Classroom Management in the context of Saudi Arabia that emphasized creating a rapport with students. Dressing appropriately may create a good impression, he added. Classroom management is successful, he said, if the lesson gives proper satisfaction and enjoyment in teaching. He also focused on how to address other related issues such as disruption, coming late, and not bringing books and pens. Some culturally sensitive topics, he said, must be avoided. He concluded that a happy teacher makes happy students. Mr. Stephen Sampliner’s presentation focused on giving accurate instructions. It was titled How do You Measure a Successful Day of Teaching?  The role of instructions might play an important role in determining how successful a lesson is, he said. He then highlighted some key aspects of giving instructions. He emphasized making use of visual demonstrations in giving instructions. He reiterated that instructions should be easy, direct and short. Mr. Michael Maschmeier's presentation was about Writing in the Classroom. He began by the benefits of writing in class – observing and replicating real-world text. He emphasized involving students in writing a complete unified piece of writing instead of just getting them involved in language-related tasks. He explained the process of writing – pre-writing, making the first draft, revising and editing, and publishing and feedback. He also focused on self-editing, practicing writing long essays, academic essays, articles, cover letters, and emails. Dr. Sara Sevinj Huseynova spoke about the Key Concepts in Language Assessment. She particularly highlighted the types of assessment and assessment principles. While talking about assessment principles, she explained reliability, validity, practicality, and washback. Teachers should have a clear idea about why, what, and how the assessment is done. She also focused on how feedback should be given to learners in a non-judgmental and unbiased way. The attendees greatly benefitted from all the presentations. Then there was a Q&A session after each session in which many participants raised important issues, and all benefitted from the discussion. Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi gave a concluding speech in which he emphasized sharing experience through such a forum. He thanked all of the participants, attendees and those working behind the scenes. The Faculty of Languages and Translation, he added, is committed to a culture of on-going improvement in language education and professional development in teaching. The dean, vice dean, and chairman are committed to holding forums such as this in support of this worthy objective. The event was worthwhile and well-attended. Date: 12-10-18 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique and Mahmudul Haque Multimedia Source: Mohammad Taisir Albukaai

On December 8, 2018, the 4th Annual Forum was held which was titled Modern Methods in Teaching English as a Second Language in collaboration with Oxford University Press at Saudi German Hospital. The event was conducted under the supervision of the Faculty of Languages and Translation Dean, Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, and Dr. Mowafiq Al-Momani. The purpose of the forum was to raise awareness of modern concepts of English language teaching. Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi began the program with a welcome speech. In his speech, he explained how teaching methods could be improved through such a forum. He reiterated that it would help share innovative ideas about modern pedagogy. He suggested that we make greater use of such events. Faculty development through forums and the like are an integral aspect of our goal of continuous improvement in delivering a world-class language education, he added. The participants included both male and female faculty members working at King Khalid University. The morning session included a presentation by Mr. Zaid Ben Hamad from Oxford University Press titled Teaching ESP highlighting practical teaching with reference to English for Specific Purposes. He showed how to model a warm-up task, the importance of having proper knowledge of the specialism before designing an ESP course, and how to design a fact-sheet. The session included some activities with questions that actively involved the participants. The afternoon session included six presentations. Dr. Eman Alzaanin gave a presentation titled EFL Writing Instruction from a Cognitive Ecological Perspective. She highlighted pedagogical practices in L2 writing classrooms and L2 writing teacher cognition. She also explained the contribution of the cognitive-ecological model that gives insights into cognition networks, broader understanding types of knowledge, context, and stimulus for teacher cognition. The bottom line was the fact that in EFL writing instruction, a teacher must have a clear idea about ecology impact on the class. Dr. Munassir Alhamami spoke on the subject of Digital Presentations in EFL Classrooms that focused on various ways to use digital presentations in class. He emphasized the need of appropriateness of material we choose, and understanding copyright issues before applying them in class. He showed how digital presentations facilitate the learning process by making difficult ideas easy, playing the role of ice-breakers. Later he showed the steps of creating such presentations by understanding rubrics. Mr. Chris Harris spoke about Classroom Management in the context of Saudi Arabia that emphasized creating a rapport with students. Dressing appropriately may create a good impression, he added. Classroom management is successful, he said, if the lesson gives proper satisfaction and enjoyment in teaching. He also focused on how to address other related issues such as disruption, coming late, and not bringing books and pens. Some culturally sensitive topics, he said, must be avoided. He concluded that a happy teacher makes happy students. Mr. Stephen Sampliner’s presentation focused on giving accurate instructions. It was titled How do You Measure a Successful Day of Teaching?  The role of instructions might play an important role in determining how successful a lesson is, he said. He then highlighted some key aspects of giving instructions. He emphasized making use of visual demonstrations in giving instructions. He reiterated that instructions should be easy, direct and short. Mr. Michael Maschmeier's presentation was about Writing in the Classroom. He began by the benefits of writing in class – observing and replicating real-world text. He emphasized involving students in writing a complete unified piece of writing instead of just getting them involved in language-related tasks. He explained the process of writing – pre-writing, making the first draft, revising and editing, and publishing and feedback. He also focused on self-editing, practicing writing long essays, academic essays, articles, cover letters, and emails. Dr. Sara Sevinj Huseynova spoke about the Key Concepts in Language Assessment. She particularly highlighted the types of assessment and assessment principles. While talking about assessment principles, she explained reliability, validity, practicality, and washback. Teachers should have a clear idea about why, what, and how the assessment is done. She also focused on how feedback should be given to learners in a non-judgmental and unbiased way. The attendees greatly benefitted from all the presentations. Then there was a Q&A session after each session in which many participants raised important issues, and all benefitted from the discussion. Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi gave a concluding speech in which he emphasized sharing experience through such a forum. He thanked all of the participants, attendees and those working behind the scenes. The Faculty of Languages and Translation, he added, is committed to a culture of on-going improvement in language education and professional development in teaching. The dean, vice dean, and chairman are committed to holding forums such as this in support of this worthy objective. The event was worthwhile and well-attended. Date: 12-10-18 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique and Mahmudul Haque Multimedia Source: Mohammad Taisir Albukaai

The Deanship of Community Service and Continuing Education collaborated with the Faculty of Languages and Translation to deliver an introductory level short course to primary, secondary, and high school teachers who work for the Ministry of Education.  Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation, and Dr. Omar Alwan Aqeel, Dean of Community Service and Continuing Education, led the program.  Over the course of 4 weeks, nearly 100 registered participants were deeply engaged in a mix of active lesson types. The practical sessions involved a variety of communicative formats with a focus on grammar and vocabulary that utilized pair work, group work, and class activities. At the end of each week, participants had the chance to test their abilities to use collocations, complex grammar, and discourse markers in a tailored IELTS speaking exam workshop.  Director of the English Language Center, Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Rezgi, Hashim Ali Asiri, lecturer, Khalid Mater Asiri, lecturer, and Hassan Costello, language instructor, delivered the program. Date: 8/12/2018 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation Multimedia Source: Deanship of Community Service and Continuing Education

The Deanship of Community Service and Continuing Education collaborated with the Faculty of Languages and Translation to deliver an introductory level short course to primary, secondary, and high school teachers who work for the Ministry of Education.  Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation, and Dr. Omar Alwan Aqeel, Dean of Community Service and Continuing Education, led the program.  Over the course of 4 weeks, nearly 100 registered participants were deeply engaged in a mix of active lesson types. The practical sessions involved a variety of communicative formats with a focus on grammar and vocabulary that utilized pair work, group work, and class activities. At the end of each week, participants had the chance to test their abilities to use collocations, complex grammar, and discourse markers in a tailored IELTS speaking exam workshop.  Director of the English Language Center, Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Rezgi, Hashim Ali Asiri, lecturer, Khalid Mater Asiri, lecturer, and Hassan Costello, language instructor, delivered the program. Date: 8/12/2018 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation Multimedia Source: Deanship of Community Service and Continuing Education

Abdullah Omar, the recipient of the First-Class Honors Award for his outstanding academic performance in the M.A. in Applied Linguistics Program, says he obtained his most important life lessons and ambition to succeed from his mother. From his perspective, “This achievement not only brings honor to my mother– it brings honor to the Faculty of Languages and Translation, and I hope it will have a positive impact on other students in the college.” Dean of the FLT, Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, said that his most important duty on the 20th Graduation Ceremony sponsored by His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Khalid was to offer a warm welcome to honored guests, faculty members, and graduating students. He then related he was moved by many stories of students where he learned about the distances and obstacles they overcame to graduate. "As 2018 concludes, I would like to thank our faculty members, students, and staff for another extraordinary semester filled with numerous accomplishments. Abdullah Omar's award is one example among many that illustrate the upward trajectory of the Faculty of Languages and Translation." The CIO of King Khalid University, Dr. Salem Aleyani, said in a tweet: "His Royal Highness, the Prince of the Asir Region, is honoring our distinctive colleague for achieving first-class honors in his master's degree. Abdullah is one of the best IT employees for the University in his work ethics. I wish all the best to my friend." Date: 3/30/2018 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

Abdullah Omar, the recipient of the First-Class Honors Award for his outstanding academic performance in the M.A. in Applied Linguistics Program, says he obtained his most important life lessons and ambition to succeed from his mother. From his perspective, “This achievement not only brings honor to my mother– it brings honor to the Faculty of Languages and Translation, and I hope it will have a positive impact on other students in the college.” Dean of the FLT, Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, said that his most important duty on the 20th Graduation Ceremony sponsored by His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Khalid was to offer a warm welcome to honored guests, faculty members, and graduating students. He then related he was moved by many stories of students where he learned about the distances and obstacles they overcame to graduate. "As 2018 concludes, I would like to thank our faculty members, students, and staff for another extraordinary semester filled with numerous accomplishments. Abdullah Omar's award is one example among many that illustrate the upward trajectory of the Faculty of Languages and Translation." The CIO of King Khalid University, Dr. Salem Aleyani, said in a tweet: "His Royal Highness, the Prince of the Asir Region, is honoring our distinctive colleague for achieving first-class honors in his master's degree. Abdullah is one of the best IT employees for the University in his work ethics. I wish all the best to my friend." Date: 3/30/2018 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

A training course was recently held at the First Quran Based Intermediate and High School in Abha by the Supervisor of the Community Service Committee at the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Ms. Asma Alqahtani.The subject of the training session was "Self-Study of the English Language by Modern Methods." In that training, Ms. Asma Alqahtani introduced students to the online learning resources on the Faculty of Languages and Translation's website that will help further their language studies. She also introduced students to popular mobile phone applications that make studying English more engaging and fun. At the conclusion of the event, Asma trained students on other well-known language learning strategies that they can utilize in their pursuit of learning English as a foreign language. Date: 10/7/1439 Source: FLT Female Campus