Florida STARTALK for Teachers of Chinese
June 4-21, 2014
Gainesville, FL
Dr. Patricia Jacobs / Program Director
Patricia Jacobs recently completed her Ph.D. in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Florida. She earned a Master of Arts degree in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She taught English as a Second Language inTokyo, Japan, fifth and seventh grade Language Arts at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City, and tenth grade English at Columbia High School in Lake City, Florida. Most recently she taught Language Arts Methods in the College of Education at the University of Florida. Patricia’s research interests include how to support struggling literacy learners while preparing them with 21st century digital skills.
Dr. Danling Fu / Instructional Lead
Department: School of Teaching and Learning
Dr. Fu (Ph.D. University of New Hampshire) is a Professor of Education who specializes in writing and language instruction. She teaches graduate and undergraduate classes in composition theory, writing /reading in content areas and literacy / language / cultures, as well as teaching methods in these areas. As an Instructional Lead, Dr. Fu will coordinate the program contents, supervise the development of lesson plans, and oversee program assessments as well as the participants’ learning outcomes.
Dr. Cynthia Chennault / Cultural Activities Coordinator
Department: Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Dr. Chennault (Ph.D. Stanford University) is an Associate Professor of Chinese Language and Literature. A current Undergraduate Coordinator of the B.A. track in Chinese, she has regularly organized conferences, public lectures, and cultural events. She instituted a new study-abroad program, “UF in Chengdu” (summer intensive), to provide a foundation in Beginning Chinese that is equivalent to the on-campus sequence.
Dr. Roberta Ergle / Instructor
Dr. Roberta Ergle (Ph.D. University of Florida) is an Instructor of Literacy Education and Clinical Coordinator at the University of Central Florida where she recently was awarded the 2009 Outstanding Teaching Award. Currently, she teaches undergraduate courses on language arts and writing instruction for diverse learners, teaching English as a second language, classroom management, and language learning assessment. She will teach “Cooperative Learning, Classroom Management, and Assessment for Foreign Language Learners” and will also supervise the classroom practice activities of the program. Dr. Ergle was a STARTALK instructor for the 2011 program.
Ms. Kathy Henley / Instructor
Kathy Henley has been the Mandarin Chinese Teacher at Fort Benning, Georgia’s Faith Middle School for the past six years. Ms. Henley was also honored as Department of Defense Elementary and Secondary Schools’ 2010- 2011 TOY (Teacher of the Year) for the Georgia and Alabama District. Presently, Ms. Henley is working toward obtaining her Foreign Language graduate degree. Due to the outstanding success of Ms. Henley’s Mandarin Chinese program and at the urging of her former Faith Middle School students and parents, there are now four Mandarin Chinese programs in local area high schools. Additionally, Ms. Henley is responsible for establishing the Chinese program at the Columbus State University Continuing Education Department’s Summer Language Camp. Ms. Henley regularly conducts workshops for Chinese instructors in the greater Atlanta area. Ms. Henley spends most of her free time volunteering her service teaching Mandarin Chinese to students at various child centered agencies in the community. Ms. Henley will be teaching, “Differentiated Teaching Approaches for Diverse Foreign Language Learners.”
Mrs. Lindey Miley / Administrative Point-of-Contact
Department: College of Education
