His Excellency, the President of King Khalid University, Professor Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Dawood, opened the ceremony of the First Scientific Forum. The activities which lasted for two days took place in the central auditoriums at the main campus for men, and at the theater of Sciences for Women in Abha off of King Abdullah Road. President Al-Dawood expressed his gratitude to His Excellency, the Vice President of the Girls' Colleges for adopting the idea of Dr. Sraa Abu Melha, who proposed the event. His Excellency, the President, added that the Forum was the first of its kind in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, clarifying further that everyone - the management, the faculties, and the implementing departments - should feel proud of such a forum because it would be of great benefit - God Willing. The President of the Scientific Committee of the Forum, who is the Deputy Dean of High Studies, Dr. Areej Mustafa, used the occasion to reveal that the establishment of the Forum, which brought together a group of scholars, researchers and faculty members in the specialty of English and Computer Science, was coming from the belief of the University administration in the importance of scientific forums, and their roles in development and improvement of the educational process, and from the administration's keenness to advance the scientific levels of research. Dr. Areej stressed further that, the forum was a response to the needs of researchers and faculty members to update their knowledge and to develop their performance by exchanging experiences among themselves, in addition to finding solutions to their problems, and those of the students. Dr. Areej stated that it was a suitable event for each of them to present and discuss what the academics reach in the fields of updating curricula and teaching methods, and the latest teaching strategies, so that they could put forward problems and find appropriate solutions. Dr. Areej continued, saying that the forum was suitable for presenting the successful experiences of the researchers and the faculty members, so as to take advantage of those experiences, and studies, and to apply the appropriate ones in real, in our classrooms. Dr. Areej asserted, “Since the announcement of the Forum, we have seen requests for participation and attendance. The scientific committee has received nearly 70 working papers, submitted by more than 65 researchers affiliated with 17 entities from the University, in addition to the participation of a number of female students under the supervision of their teachers”. She further indicated that the Forum presented 24 researchers from the participants' researchers through four scientific sessions, in addition to six lectures, and nearly 40 papers in the form of scientific posters. The keynote speech was delivered by the Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Dr. Abdullah Al Melhi, in which he said that the organization of such meetings was the core of their academic university work.  Dr. Al Melhi stressed that the cooperation between the two sides - men and women - was no longer an option, but it had become a necessity in the light of, the same curriculum, and the conditions and obstacles, and in line with the efforts of King Khalid University for its general development and its academic accreditation. Dr. Al Melhi concluded by noting the honor and the commitment of the President of the University, and of all the Vice Presidents, who were a real support to continue research, publishing and holding seminars and meetings. It is worth mentioning that the forum included several areas concerned with recent trends in the development of the English language curriculum. The axes include computer science and information systems, advanced strategies in methods of teaching English, and computer science and information systems. Date: 3/24/2016 Repost: KKU Media Center Multimedia Contribution: KKU Media Center and MD Sirajul Islam

Mr. Erich Beer shared his teaching experience at the seminar organized by the Language Research Center of King Khalid University held on February 29, 2016. In his presentation, which was titled English-teaching-related Application of Microsoft Excel, Blackboard, and WhatsApp, he emphasized the practical use of technology in English language teaching. He pointed out the fact that the misuse of an application or a feature may easily result in confusion among learners.  He primarily focused on how effective Microsoft Excel, Blackboard, and WhatsApp can be used for language teaching. While talking about the use of Excel, he highlighted how to simplify various calculations we need for grading and benchmarking learners’ performance. He also mentioned the features of Excel he uses most. About the use of Blackboard, he talked about the careful use of the assessment option. Also,  he illustrated how WhatsApp could help to enrich vocabulary and grammar.  The Al Samer female campus also joined the seminar through video conferencing. The seminar was very informative, interactive, and overall success. Date: 2/29/2016 (leap year) Source: MD Adil Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

Dr. Fahad Otaif, Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, presented his paper at a seminar organized by the Language Research Center of King Khalid University held on February 15, 2016. His presentation was titled Metaphorical Framing of Media Discourse and the Representation of the Other: A Corpus-based Critical Discourse Analysis of Metaphors in the Press Discourse.  He states in his abstract,  “This paper addresses the metaphorical framing of a particular news event in media discourse, i.e. the British press and BBC news website, and how it contributes to the overall lexical and intertextual cohesion of a discourse topic as well as the representation of the other.” (Otaif, F. 2016) He primarily highlighted Media Discourse in which he showed how metaphors play a significant role in media discourse. He pinpointed the fact that metaphors have long been undermined or neglected in the field of discourse analysis. He particularly pointed out the lack of investigation into the use of metaphors in discourse as a form of cross-cultural communication that represents social minorities in Britain.  During his presentation, he talked about an interesting phenomenon in discourse–intertextuality. Dr. Otaif, while explaining intertextuality in discourse, showed how metaphors could limit understanding and perception. Dr. Otaif, while explaining intertextuality in discourse, demonstrated how metaphors could limit understanding and perception.       The seminar was very informative, interactive and overall successful. Date: 2/15/2016 Source: MD Adil Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

The Faculty of Languages and Translation arranged a Student Orientation Program for new students on February 10, 2016. Dr. Abdullah Al Melhi, Dean, graced the occasion as both a presenter and chief guest. The program started with a welcoming speech from the Dean of the College. He welcomed and congratulated the new students for joining the faculty. He emphasized the importance of joining an orientation program as it benefits the new students with lots of information. He also advised them to be serious with their studies right from the beginning. He hopes that the new students will enjoy studying here and graduate with excellent results. Also, Dr. Muteb Al Qarni, Chair of the English Department, Dr. Fahad Otaif, Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, and Dr. Basim Kanaan, Academic Advisor, delivered valuable speeches and wished a bright future for them.  Date: 2/10/2016 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

The Language Research Center at King Khalid University organized a seminar on February 10, 2016, which included a presentation conducted by Dr. Mohammed Assiri, Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality which was titled, “Test Taking Strategy Use On the Reading Section of the TOEFL iBT: A Study of Arab ESL Learners.” It gave a concise overview of the reading section within the TOEFL iBT and what strategies Arab ESL learners employ when taking the exam. The presentation was primarily based on a Ph.D. dissertation study he had conducted to determine the strategies used by Arab ESL learners. The findings of the case study resulted in some practical suggestions regarding the effective and judicious use of strategies which should be taught by instructors and used by learners. The presentation was followed by an interactive discussion during which the participants shared their views, made comments and raised some questions. Overall, the Language Research Center found the presentation insightful, practical, and very useful. Date: 2/10/2016 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

  The following teachers significantly contributed to the campaign: 1. Mr. Muhammed Kamaluddin 2. Mr. Ali Al-Amri 3. Mr. Jawed Ahmed 4. Mr. Rizwan Gani 5. Dr. Asif Ishafaq 6.Mr. Md Mazharul Islam 7. Mr. Md Sirajul Islam 8. Mr. Salahuddin 9. Mr. Md Mahmudul Haque 10.Mr. Fazal Malik    The following students won prizes for the e-Quiz Competition: 1. Abdullah Saeed Al Qahtani (1st Prize) 2. Othman Muhammed Al Mugeda (2nd Prize) 3. Saoud Zahir Al-Asmari (3rd Prize)   Dr. Fahad Otaif, Vice Dean for Academic Development & Quality, Mr. Abdullah Al-Rezgi, Director of the English Language Center, and Mr. Abdullah Roza, Head of Online Course Design and Development,  graced the occasion and presented prizes and gifts to students and teachers. Dr. Fahad Otaif announced the winner students and distributed the prizes among students. Mr. Mohsin Raza Khan, E-Learning Unit Supervisor, highlighted the activities that were carried out during the E-Learning Awareness Campaign and thanked the teachers, students, college administration, and the Deanship of E-Learning for their support in making the E-Learning campaign successful. Date: February 2016 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

Under the patronage of Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi,  Dean , the E-Learning Unit at the faculty organized an “E-Learning Awareness Campaign” for level 1 student from Sunday, January 31st, 2016 to Thursday, February 4th, 2016.  Dr. Ali Alamir, Vice Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Fahad Otaif, Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, and Mr. Abdullah Al-Rezgi, Director of English Language Center, appreciated the efforts of the E-Learning Unit. They extended full support and guidance for making the orientation week a great success. Mr. Mohsin Raza Khan, the E-Learning Unit Supervisor, said that the aim of the awareness campaign was to make new students aware of the necessity and effective use of the King Khalid University E-Learning portal i.e. Blackboard. “The students were contacted in their respective classrooms on a one-on-one basis and introduced to the E-Learning system”, said Mr. Khan.  Mr. Abdullah Al-Zubain, the E-Learning Specialist, Dr. Khaled Mohanna, the E-Learning Team Manager, and all Level 1 teachers helped to make this awareness campaign a success. Date: 2/4/16 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

The Language Research Center organized the first seminar after the semester break on February 01, 2016. There was an informative presentation by Salahud Din Abdul Rab, Lecturer, which was titled NLP and Speed Language Learning. He showed the relation between the way our brain functions, and how that is interrelated to language learning and acquisition. His presentation gave a clear insight into implications and applications of NLP theories in teaching language at the Faculty of Languages and Translation.  He, while explaining theories of NLP, also covered topics such as presupposition, sensory acuity, motivation, and memorization.  Overall, the seminar was very productive and fruitful. Date: 2/1/16 Source: MD Adil Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

On January 26-27, 2016, four members of the Faculty of Languages and Translation traveled to the city of Tharban, Al Majardah Province, to conduct an exciting and motivationally based English language seminar to teachers of the Mohaiyl region.  On the first day, Dean, Dr. Abdullah Al Melhi made a presentation on, The Schema Theory of Reading.  He talked about the three different models of reading and how they apply to current school curricula. Dr. Eyhab A. Bader Eddin followed him. Dr. Eyhab talked about Mother Tongue Influence on  Second Language Acquisition and Use. It revolved around the influence of L1 structures on L2 in the process of acquiring L2 (both positive and negative transfer). On the second day, Mr. Faruk Haji and Mr. Matthew Paul attended the event. Mr. Faruk discussed the Use of Social Media in the Classroom.  He described how to set up a Facebook account geared toward classroom use which included homework and testing. Matthew followed him and talked about Using Popular Video Games to Motivate Students to Learn English.  His talk used the game "Minecraft" as an example of a popular video game that teachers could reference to make English study more "interesting" to students.  All sessions were followed by a question and answer period.  Overall, it was an incredible experience for the participants and a great chance to share expertise with local teachers. Date: 1/27/2016 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

On January 1/25/2016 Mr. Mohsin Raza Khan, E-Learning Supervisor, conducted a workshop on how to apply the QM rubric in E-courses. The meeting was opened by the Vice Dean for Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Fahad Otaif, who welcomed all participants and highlighted the continued importance that the Faculty of Languages and Translation plays in being a front-runner of QM E-course implementation. The meeting also was also graced by Vice Dean, Dr. Ali Alamir, and Dean, Dr. Abdullah Al Melhi who further illustrated the vital importance that the QM rubric plays in E-Course design. The Dean further elaborated on the necessity to increase the amount of interaction with our students and how that positively affects their learning outcomes. The foundation of the workshop focused on the Eight General Standards that need to be implemented in E-courses to meet the rubric standards with the International Quality Matters (QM) Peer Review Board.  The eight topic areas he focused on are listed below. The Eight General Standards: Course Overview and Introduction Learning Objectives (Competencies) Assessment and Measurement Instructional Materials Course Activities and Learner Interaction Course Technology Student Support Accessibility and Usability Mr. Mohsin also covered the various issues of alignment and explained what alignment means in your course. Lastly, he illustrated the various experiences he has obtained as a Certified Master Reviewer with the International Quality Matters(QM) Peer Review Board. Date: 1/25/2016 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

Dear Colleagues, We take this opportunity to congratulate some of our colleagues for their distinguished achievements during the last semester i.e. the 1st Semester 36/37 AH as follows: A- The highest average of using E-learning resources in the university. Mr. Mohsin Khan (1st) Dr. Emad Al-Tamari (16th) 2-  The highest average of using E-learning resources in the university. A-    Male instructors:     Mr. Mohsin Khan, Dr. Emad Al-Tamari, Mr. Ridwan Shodari, Mr.Fadhl  Malik, Mr. Mohamed Mahamouud Al-Haq, Mr. Mohammed Taiseer, Mr.Farouk Haji and Mr. Omar Basdunwa. B-     Female instructors:    Ms. Gazwah Mohamid Galal Abdeen,  Ms. Lisa Forman, Ms. Suad Al-Qahtany  and Ms. Hana Kamil Abdul Hakim.   3- Participation and administration in improving the School`s Website. Mr. Hassan Costello   The good news is that our Faculty scored as the second most active college in the University in using the E-learning resources in teaching. This achievement is remarkable and appreciated, and we look forward to more progress and accomplishments. Sincerely, Vice Dean for Academic Development & Quality Dr. Fahad Ahmed Otaif Date: 1/20/2016    

The Faculty of Languages and Translation held a computer-based test (CBT) for the 2nd Midterm Exam in the International Test Preparation (ITP) Course. Hassan Costello and Matthew Paul developed, conducted, and supervised the CBT which was the first IELTS Online Assessment in the International Test Preparation Course. It is worth noting that offering an IELTS Online Assessment produced many benefits, namely: -Listening and reading sections that require candidates to demonstrate their comprehension by performing specific tasks. -Immediate viewing of unofficial scores on screen (except for essays) -Individual headphones and volume control -Testing in comfortable, computer-equipped testing stations -Enhanced test security Special thanks to the E-Learning Department for their continuous support. Additionally, the instructors of ITP would like to extend their sincerest appreciation to the Managing Administration of the Faculty of Languages and Translation for supervising this event and providing strategic support. Date: 12-17-2015 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

The Language Research Center hosted a seminar on Effective Online Teaching presented by Mohammad Siraj. The aim of his presentation was to build a skilled workforce of teachers online. During his presentation he gave an overview of the online course, he had designed for general English courses and mainly the videos he had made which can be accessed from anywhere in the Kingdom. He also emphasized the importance of following rubrics when designing an online course. He showed how his course met the rubrics. After the session, the participants asked some questions regarding some issues relating to depending on online lectures. Dr. Abdullah Al Melhi, Dean, highlighted an issue regarding the excessive dependence on online teaching as far as the teaching of writing is concerned. He emphasized that face-to-face teaching should be incorporated into online education to make writing lessons more effective as learners need direct and immediate feedback. Dr. Ali Alamir, Vice Dean, emphasized student engagement by giving priority to making an online course interactive over simply uploading materials. Dr. Ismael Rafai, Director of the Language Research Center, on the other hand, said that all courses could have online lessons provided the objectives be successfully met. The seminar was very informative, interactive and overall worthwhile. Date: 12/14/2015 Source: MD Adil Multimedia Contribution: Sayed Karim 

Ms. Najlaa Abdulrahman Al Asbali, a 3rd-level MA student in the Translation Program, gave a presentation before the teaching staff of the Faculty of Languages and Translation. The presentation was conducted via video conference and attended by the academic staff of the Faculty of Languages and Translation. The presentation titled 'An Investigation into Some Semantic Problems Inherent in the Translation of the Holy Quran' shed light on areas of lexical semantics. Polysemy and Homonymy were reviewed by adducing examples from the standard variation of both English and Arabic, and citing examples from the Holy Quran. Moreover, semantic changes, a linguistic phenomenon whereby some lexical items get a new semantic dimension were analyzed. Najlaa showed the audience examples of 'generalization', 'specification', 'melioration' and 'pejoration'. Najlaa concluded her presentation by thanking the Managing Administration for making her efforts a success. A few comments and questions were asked after she concluded her presentation resulting in an enthusiastic ovation from the audience. Dr. Abdullah Al Melhi, Dean, gave a brief message in which he thanked her, and encouraged MA students to summon up courage and start indulging in the real context of public speaking. Date: 11/30/2015 Source: Eyhab Bader Eddin

The E-Learning Unit of the FLT held a workshop titled, “Uploading Exam Results on the KKU Registration Website.” Mohsin Khan, E-Learning Supervisor, explained the necessary procedures when uploading results to the KKU Registration Website. Mr. Khan gave a holistic view of how the various web platforms work together to provide a streamlined approach when entering results. In conjunction with Mr. Khan’s informative presentation, another detailed presentation was given by Mr. Rizwan Ghani which enlightened the workshop participants on how to efficiently download and sort results from BlackBoard. Mr. Ghani’s presentation made an impact by showing participants the technical procedures of Microsoft Excel when sorting exam results. Date: Fall 2015 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

The ELC held exams using iPads to kick off the technology focus of the FLT. The iPad exams facilitated over 200 students and took place in Auditorium 8 and 9. All instructors of ENG 015 were very keen on collaborating with the E-Learning Department to implement and test the effectiveness of conducting exams on the Ipad. Farouk Haji, ENG 015 Course Coordinator, and FLT Registrar, would like to extend his sincere appreciation to the E-Learning Deanship and Department for their support. Date: Fall 2015 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

Under the supervision of Dr. Abullah Al Melhi, Dean, the English Club hosted the Football Championship at Al Rabwah field located behind Asir Central Hospital. It was a lively event attended by hundreds of students and many faculty members including our esteemed colleague, Dr. Yahya Asiri. We would like to give sincere appreciation to Mr. Abdullah Gazi, Director of the Alkefah team in Rijal Alma, for sponsoring the English Club’s Football Championship. Replete with a stadium sound system, lights, and an announcer, the English Club’s Football Championship was a grand event. Mr. Raed Al Qahtani, Manager of all KKU student clubs, and Mr. Yasser Al Salimi, Director of Student Organizations, commented that this was a fantastic event consistent with the vision of the university goals of student club activities. Dr. Abdullah Al Raed Al Qahtani, Manager of all KKU student clubs, and Mr. Yasser Al Salimi, Director of Student Organizations, commented that this was a fantastic event consistent with the vision of the university goals of student club activities. Dr. Abdullah Al Melhi stated that the importance of these events are immeasurable and applauded all involved for their competitive participation and support. The championship came down to the wire via penalty shoot-outs with FC Al Maliki taking the trophy winning 2-1 over FC Al Olympi. Dr. Abdullah Al Melhi extends his sincere appreciation to the players of both teams for their competitiveness, sportsmanship, and outright hard work to make this event a memorable one. Date: 11/12/2015 Source: The Faculty of Languages and Translation

The English Club hosted an English Hour seminar led by Language Instructor, Hassan Costello. The training session was titled, The 60 TOEFL Structure and Written Expression Skills in 60 Minutes. The seminar covered test-taking strategies, a quick review of practice tests, tips to improving your Academic English, and an in-depth session on the Structure and Written Expression section.  Costello: The TOEFL examination is unique as it forces the students to use multiple skills when answering a single question. No matter whether it’s reading, writing, speaking or listening – all of these are strongly bound by time restrictions. You must be aware of the structure of the test, and focus on achieving the structural requirements within the appropriate time limits. I encourage you to use your power of prediction. The TOEFL test is run on computerized software. Keep in mind there are numerous slides and images that will allow you some extra time for planning and to predict some of the vocabulary of the topic coming up.  Date: 11/11/2015 Source: The Faculty of Languages and Translation

The spelling bee for English major students from levels 3 and 4 took place on Tuesday, November 10th. The initial turnout was much smaller than at the first spelling bee (for levels 1 and 2), but it gradually grew to a sizable one and remained consistent for the duration of the event. The Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Dr. Abdullah Al Melhi, opened the event with a speech in which he stressed the importance of improving one's English spelling skills, setting the tone for what was to follow. Just over fifteen students started out in round 1. They were asked words from a pre-randomized list of 425, arranged by syllable from one-syllable to six-syllable words. The initial rounds drew words from the one- and two-syllable word lists but the words got progressively longer and harder in subsequent rounds. Finally, only upper-level vocabulary terms such as "nonchalant," "aggressive," "approximate," "protagonist" and "extraordinary" were asked. Each final attempt by an individual contestant was followed by the projection of the correct spelling and pronunciation, as well as a sample sentence or phrase (the latter all taken from the online Cambridge Dictionary), on the screen behind the students for the benefit of the audience. There was a core of contestants who acquitted themselves extraordinarily well, and it became apparent that none of the final "three men standing" after a total of 16 rounds were going to be eliminated, not even if they were subjected to another 16 rounds. It was therefore wisely decided to award first prize to all three of them. These students were Abdullah Qasem Haroubi, Abdulrahman Ali M Alasmari, and Yahya Mohammad Asiri. The second and third prize went to Faisal Al Faifi and Muhammad Salem Saeed Alshehri respectively. We congratulate all these students on their sheer determination and the thoroughness of their preparation. The Vice Dean for Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Abdulkhaleq Al Qahtani, concluded the event with a short speech and proceeded to hand over the prizes to the winners, committee members and teachers who had mentored the students for the competition, assisted by the English Club committee members. Overall it was a very successful event, with great educational benefit to both the participants and audience members. Several audience members remarked on the high level of the competition, and longtime faculty members pointed out the significant progress made in this regard over the last few years. Committee Members: Dr. Mohammad Osman Dr. Nisar Ahmed Koka Dr. Nurul Islam Mr. Erich Beer Mr. Mohammad Adil Event Management: Mr. Ibrahim Alasmari Graphic designer: Mr. Salahuddin Abdulrrab Judges: Dr. Rafiq Shamiry Dr. Sorin Ciutacu Mr. Matthew Paul Date: 11/10/2015 Source: The Faculty of Languages and Translation Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam

On Monday, February 9, 2015, Dr. Muteb Al Qarni talked about the morphosyntax of Numeral-Noun Constructions (NNC) in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) in a seminar organized by the Language Research Centre. Dr. Al Qarni's presentation was centered Numeral-Noun Constructions (NNC) in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). He emphasized that the lexical categorization of Arabic numerals provide insights into their syntactic structures and accounts for their inflectional patterns in terms of position, agreement, case, and (in) definiteness. He related that Arabic numerals do not belong to a uniform lexical category. Rather, each class of numerals belongs to a different category: 1-2 are adjectives, 100/0, 200/0 and 20-90 are nouns, and 3-10 are quantifiers. He, while talking about his dissertation, also discussed the gender polarity in 3-10 and proposed that 3-10 are inherently feminine and their feminine feature is deleted in the presence of a feminine counted noun due to OCP effect. As for case, it was proposed that all numerals assign genitive to the counted noun. However, 20-90 differ in that genitive defaults to accusative by an impoverishment rule. The presentation was worthwhile and in-depth. For further questions and comments please email MutebAlqarni@gmail.com Date: Spring 2015 Source: FLT Web Team