Faculty of Languages and Translation

  As part of the Bachelor of Arts in English program's Community Service Partnership Plan under the supervision of Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi and in cooperation with the university Media Center, a portion of the Arabian Highland Theme in the Aseer Region Strategic Plan, supervised by the Aseer Development Authority (ASDA), was translated into seven languages. The short videos were widely distributed on YouTube and Twitter and made viewers aware that His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, launched the Arabian Highland development strategy in the Aseer region. In Afrikaans, Bengali, French, Hindi, Pashto, Romanian, and Urdu, the strategy's primary objective of turning the region into an all-year-round world destination through an investment of $50 billion SAR was explained. Dean Abdullah Melhi explained that this community service activity delivered in October 2021 is part of the Bachelor of Arts in English program at the Faculty of Languages and Translation's commitment to serving the community in the fields of languages and translation.   Of note, the Community Service Partnership Plan (CSPP) and Employer Advisory Board (EAB) were recently revised and approved in a Department Council meeting on November 2, 2021. The new CSPP calls for increased alignment with: the Mission Statement and the recently revised and approved EAB. It also references the Aseer Development Authority and Vision 2030 as the basis for broadening the scope of our community service partnership activities.   Particular thanks are due to our Bachelor of Arts in English program colleagues who provided accurate translations of information designed to instruct residents on the Aseer Strategic Plan. The translations were made available in the following languages: Afrikaans, Mr. Azaad Hayat; Bangla, Mr. Mohammad Fuad; French, Dr. Abdelhamid Bessaid; Hindi, Mr. Javed Ahmed; Pashto, Mr. Salahud Din Abdul Rab; Romanian, Dr. Justin Sfariac; Urdu, Mr. Mohsin Khan. Date: 11/6/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  On 27 October 2021, Vice Dean for Academic Development & Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, delivered a webinar to 60 participants organized by the Alumni Unit of the Faculty of Languages and Translation under the coordination of Mohsin Raza Khan. The webinar — titled "Future Job Prospects for English Graduates" — addressed the importance of durable skills. The webinar was developed to provide Bachelor of Arts in English program students and alumni with additional activities for their professional development, consistent with the intended learning outcomes and labor market developments.   "There are ten major competencies also known as durable skills that will ensure a successful career. They are leadership, character, collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, metacognition, mindfulness, growth mindset, and fortitude. A great way to build those durable skills is volunteering. Volunteering will introduce you to both private industry and non-profit organizations. For example, you can learn more about project management by organizing events, which will also develop your leadership abilities and sales skills because you will recruit other volunteers to help you," began Dr. Almosa. He then pointed out that the new economy is skills-based, highlighting that we have entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Although having strong technical skills will always help, Dr. Almosa continued to reinforce that soft skills mean a lot. "You will need to be able to solve problems and work in teams. Actually, you will have to solve problems that do not exist yet, and you need to be comfortable continually learning new skills to solve problems," he said.   "I want to draw your attention to the Aseer Region Development Strategy. The strategy was launched by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and aims to create the conditions necessary for sustainable growth. Our region will be an all-year-round world destination, and students from the Bachelor of Arts in English program will have many job opportunities," said Dr. Almosa.   Of noteworthy mention, Dr. Almosa is well-positioned to guide our students on how their skills match the region's workforce needs, as he was the recipient of an award in October 2021 from His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Aseer, for his outstanding contribution to the region's strategic planning.   The Bachelor of Arts in English program at the Faculty of Languages and Translation is committed to communicating with its alumni and involving them in events and activities. Please click here to view a recording of the event. Date: 10/27/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  On 27 October 2021, Vice Dean for Academic Development & Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, delivered a webinar to 60 participants organized by the Alumni Unit of the Faculty of Languages and Translation under the coordination of Mohsin Raza Khan. The webinar — titled "Future Job Prospects for English Graduates" — addressed the importance of durable skills. The webinar was developed to provide Bachelor of Arts in English program students and alumni with additional activities for their professional development, consistent with the intended learning outcomes and labor market developments.   "There are ten major competencies also known as durable skills that will ensure a successful career. They are leadership, character, collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, metacognition, mindfulness, growth mindset, and fortitude. A great way to build those durable skills is volunteering. Volunteering will introduce you to both private industry and non-profit organizations. For example, you can learn more about project management by organizing events, which will also develop your leadership abilities and sales skills because you will recruit other volunteers to help you," began Dr. Almosa. He then pointed out that the new economy is skills-based, highlighting that we have entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Although having strong technical skills will always help, Dr. Almosa continued to reinforce that soft skills mean a lot. "You will need to be able to solve problems and work in teams. Actually, you will have to solve problems that do not exist yet, and you need to be comfortable continually learning new skills to solve problems," he said.   "I want to draw your attention to the Aseer Region Development Strategy. The strategy was launched by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and aims to create the conditions necessary for sustainable growth. Our region will be an all-year-round world destination, and students from the Bachelor of Arts in English program will have many job opportunities," said Dr. Almosa.   Of noteworthy mention, Dr. Almosa is well-positioned to guide our students on how their skills match the region's workforce needs, as he was the recipient of an award in October 2021 from His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Aseer, for his outstanding contribution to the region's strategic planning.   The Bachelor of Arts in English program at the Faculty of Languages and Translation is committed to communicating with its alumni and involving them in events and activities. Please click here to view a recording of the event. Date: 10/27/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  Dr. Yahia Zeghoudi’s presentation was based on a particular speaking disorder which is titled Functional Dysphonia: A Rehabilitative Approach. It was presented at a webinar organized by the Language Research Center on October 20, 2021.   Dr. Zeghoudi began the session by mentioning some common symptoms of this speaking disorder, such as hoarseness, huskiness, roughness, breathiness, restricted pitch range, etc. He also highlighted some mental, physical as well external causes such as risk involved in certain jobs, stress and anxiety, throat infections, irritants, and so on.   Dr. Zeghoudi mentioned a French citizen who was wrongly assessed by his music teacher after the World War. The teacher classified his voice range as very low. Actually, his voice was seriously injured, and he eventually became voiceless. He spent 20 years suffering from dysphonia, moving from doctor to doctor and from speech therapist to speech therapist beginning in 1956 and ending in 1976, Dr. Zeghoudi added.   In regards to therapy, Dr. Zeghoudi mentioned Guérin’s approach that is based on voice rehabilitation. Guérin started a smooth rehabilitative program. He suggested — in general — implementing about 300 vocal exercises but selected a limited number of about 15 to 20 depending on the case of the patient. Some of the basic exercises were yawning, voicing, larynx toning, and deep breathing.   The webinar was very interactive and a great success. Date: 10/23/2021 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique

  Dr. Yahia Zeghoudi’s presentation was based on a particular speaking disorder which is titled Functional Dysphonia: A Rehabilitative Approach. It was presented at a webinar organized by the Language Research Center on October 20, 2021.   Dr. Zeghoudi began the session by mentioning some common symptoms of this speaking disorder, such as hoarseness, huskiness, roughness, breathiness, restricted pitch range, etc. He also highlighted some mental, physical as well external causes such as risk involved in certain jobs, stress and anxiety, throat infections, irritants, and so on.   Dr. Zeghoudi mentioned a French citizen who was wrongly assessed by his music teacher after the World War. The teacher classified his voice range as very low. Actually, his voice was seriously injured, and he eventually became voiceless. He spent 20 years suffering from dysphonia, moving from doctor to doctor and from speech therapist to speech therapist beginning in 1956 and ending in 1976, Dr. Zeghoudi added.   In regards to therapy, Dr. Zeghoudi mentioned Guérin’s approach that is based on voice rehabilitation. Guérin started a smooth rehabilitative program. He suggested — in general — implementing about 300 vocal exercises but selected a limited number of about 15 to 20 depending on the case of the patient. Some of the basic exercises were yawning, voicing, larynx toning, and deep breathing.   The webinar was very interactive and a great success. Date: 10/23/2021 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique

  On October 12, 2021, the Scientific Research Unit - Women’s section- organized a webinar titled How to Prepare an Oral Research Presentation by Dr. Nada Alqarni.   Dr. Alqarni started her presentation by guiding her audience to think about their target. “Think about what you want to achieve and think about how you are going to involve your audience in the presentation”, said Dr. Alqarni. She then illustrated the significance of brainstorming the main ideas, organizing the topics of discussion, getting ready for the presentation and rehearsal.   Dr. Alqarni indicated that it is important to capture the listener’s attention in the beginning. Then the presenter should state the purpose of the topic of discussion and present an outline of his/her work. Dr. Alqarni highlighted the importance of presenting the main points one by one in a logical order and making it clear when moving to another point. She indicated that using clear examples to illustrate the key findings is helpful to keep the audience involved in the discussion. In addition, she referred to the use of visual aids to make the presentation more interesting.   The webinar focused on five main points. These are: preparing an oral presentation, organizing the content, typical presentation format for research projects, delivering a presentation, and a summary of all the main ideas of discussion. In the end, Dr. Alqarni presented a video where an oral research presentation is delivered, and she explained its points of strengths and weaknesses. The presentation was followed by a discussion on presenting research projects that were nicely and neatly wrapped.   The webinar, which was mainly delivered to MA and Ph.D. students and attended by staff members from different faculties at the university, was really informative. Date: 10/18/2021 Source: Dr. Amal Metwally - Head of Scientific Research Committee

  On October 12, 2021, the Scientific Research Unit - Women’s section- organized a webinar titled How to Prepare an Oral Research Presentation by Dr. Nada Alqarni.   Dr. Alqarni started her presentation by guiding her audience to think about their target. “Think about what you want to achieve and think about how you are going to involve your audience in the presentation”, said Dr. Alqarni. She then illustrated the significance of brainstorming the main ideas, organizing the topics of discussion, getting ready for the presentation and rehearsal.   Dr. Alqarni indicated that it is important to capture the listener’s attention in the beginning. Then the presenter should state the purpose of the topic of discussion and present an outline of his/her work. Dr. Alqarni highlighted the importance of presenting the main points one by one in a logical order and making it clear when moving to another point. She indicated that using clear examples to illustrate the key findings is helpful to keep the audience involved in the discussion. In addition, she referred to the use of visual aids to make the presentation more interesting.   The webinar focused on five main points. These are: preparing an oral presentation, organizing the content, typical presentation format for research projects, delivering a presentation, and a summary of all the main ideas of discussion. In the end, Dr. Alqarni presented a video where an oral research presentation is delivered, and she explained its points of strengths and weaknesses. The presentation was followed by a discussion on presenting research projects that were nicely and neatly wrapped.   The webinar, which was mainly delivered to MA and Ph.D. students and attended by staff members from different faculties at the university, was really informative. Date: 10/18/2021 Source: Dr. Amal Metwally - Head of Scientific Research Committee

  In October 2021, E-Learning Supervisor, Mohsin Raza Khan, delivered an e-learning practitioner certification course open to all faculty members. The importance of instructional design training and an enhanced learning environment for students is well known to all colleges of the university. "The two-week practitioner course is part of a university-wide strategy to provide the knowledge and skills needed to capitalize on one of the fastest-growing areas of education while creating captivating learning experiences for students. Around 60 faculty members participated, and we really focused on how to leverage some of the tools that can be used to increase social interaction, which is often missing in an online or remote environment," said Khan.   The primary objectives of the course were to improve student learning, engagement, interaction, and quality learning. These objectives were solidified by the core foundation of the program that participants would be able to:   Create content items to present a variety of learning activities to enhance student learning. Deliver authentic assessments to evaluate student knowledge in a variety of meaningful ways. Use Blackboard communication tools to promote interactions between the student and instructor, the student and course content, and the student and peers. Effectively utilize Blackboard Collaborate™ tools to increase student engagement by providing a means to share and create knowledge.   Of noteworthy mention, in March 2021 and concurrently with the e-learning practitioner course in October 2021, Mr. Khan also delivered the Applying the QM Rubric workshop (APPQMR), which is offered by the Deanship of E-Learning in partnership with QM. "Dozens of workshop participants successfully completed 10 modules. They learned more about the QM rubric and annotations. We really focused on the importance of having measurable course and module objectives." Director of Instructional Design, Abdullah Zubain, said: "The APPQMR course is also a prerequisite for anyone looking to obtain the QM peer reviewer certification. I thank Mohsin, our women's campus QM coordinator, Safa Al-Shehri, and our training manager, Ali Alaosi."   The Bachelor of Arts in English program is expanding its educational resources to serve more members of the community and is committed to continuous improvement in all academic programs. E-learning is a vital component of both objectives and a vital tool for educational development at the university and other educational institutions throughout the Kingdom. Date: 10/14/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  In October 2021, E-Learning Supervisor, Mohsin Raza Khan, delivered an e-learning practitioner certification course open to all faculty members. The importance of instructional design training and an enhanced learning environment for students is well known to all colleges of the university. "The two-week practitioner course is part of a university-wide strategy to provide the knowledge and skills needed to capitalize on one of the fastest-growing areas of education while creating captivating learning experiences for students. Around 60 faculty members participated, and we really focused on how to leverage some of the tools that can be used to increase social interaction, which is often missing in an online or remote environment," said Khan.   The primary objectives of the course were to improve student learning, engagement, interaction, and quality learning. These objectives were solidified by the core foundation of the program that participants would be able to:   Create content items to present a variety of learning activities to enhance student learning. Deliver authentic assessments to evaluate student knowledge in a variety of meaningful ways. Use Blackboard communication tools to promote interactions between the student and instructor, the student and course content, and the student and peers. Effectively utilize Blackboard Collaborate™ tools to increase student engagement by providing a means to share and create knowledge.   Of noteworthy mention, in March 2021 and concurrently with the e-learning practitioner course in October 2021, Mr. Khan also delivered the Applying the QM Rubric workshop (APPQMR), which is offered by the Deanship of E-Learning in partnership with QM. "Dozens of workshop participants successfully completed 10 modules. They learned more about the QM rubric and annotations. We really focused on the importance of having measurable course and module objectives." Director of Instructional Design, Abdullah Zubain, said: "The APPQMR course is also a prerequisite for anyone looking to obtain the QM peer reviewer certification. I thank Mohsin, our women's campus QM coordinator, Safa Al-Shehri, and our training manager, Ali Alaosi."   The Bachelor of Arts in English program is expanding its educational resources to serve more members of the community and is committed to continuous improvement in all academic programs. E-learning is a vital component of both objectives and a vital tool for educational development at the university and other educational institutions throughout the Kingdom. Date: 10/14/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  Ms. Amatul Hafeez Alvi presented her research paper she had previously presented at the 1st AEJ UKI SLA Research International Conference that aimed at bringing together English language professionals from around the world to share, learn, and further the English language. Her research was titled "From Pedagogy to Andragogy in Post COVID-19 ESP Courses: A Customized Blended Learning Model for English in Medicine at a Saudi University", and was presented at a webinar organized by the Language Research Center on October 11, 2021.   Alvi began the session by talking about a customized blended learning model for teaching English in Medicine at King Khalid University. In her research, she mentioned, she had tried to address the challenges which COVID-19 posed when teaching a subject like this. She shared her experience as she had done at the conference.   Alvi highlighted how COVID-19 affects health, the public, the entire society and most importantly the education system worldwide. Many countries around the world dramatically changed their policy with regard to education to ensure the proper safety of the people involved, she added.   Alvi emphasized that the education sector was so immensely disturbed that the attendance to universities, colleges, and schools was suspended almost globally. According to statistical data in 2021 from UNESCO, more than 94% of students around the globe were affected by this pandemic. She mentioned Saudi Arabia as one of the success stories in the world when it comes to coping with the impact of COVID-19 in the education sector.   Alvi pinpointed the fact that some courses were affected severely due to this pandemic. English for specific purposes (ESP), which has an "oriented focus", is one of those affected as face-to-face mode would be more effective. Such ESP courses, she added, are completely different from EFL and ESL courses in that they primarily focus on language in context. In ESP, the learners' knowledge of English reflects directly on their profession. Her research focused on English in Medicine. In the case of ESP, she added, they actually concentrated on the transfer from Pedagogy to Andragogy, the latter of which is more learner-centered.   Alvi concluded that we need to explore more methodologies and approaches to make ESP more effective.   The webinar was very interactive and a great success with the active participation of both male and female faculty members. Date: 10/14/2021 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique