Speaker
Description
Research shows the positive Impact of AI on enhancing students’ intercultural communication competence at the University Level. This presentation suggests the importance of intercultural instruction through two main aims. The first is to introduce participants to strategies and tasks that bring intercultural interactions to life through AI in online teaching environments. The second aim is for participants to gain awareness of how bias, prejudice, and discrimination become problematic when intercultural competence is missing from English language learning. Discussions will focus on teachers’ need to emphasize careful selection, planning, and implementation of lessons due to AI’s limitations, such as an inability to get the subtle aspects of human communication and issues about biases in AI training data. The audience is expected to consist of instructors experienced in classroom management and lesson delivery but seeking training in communicative and student-centered methodologies, support in using technology for blended and online learning, and insights into international standards for English teaching and testing (especially IELTS). Handouts containing brief exercises will be distributed during the presentation and will be used to evaluate the audience’s participation.
Biography
Oronde N. Freeman is a professional teacher of English instruction specializing in areas such as ESL, EAP, and ESP instruction. He has over 10 years of experience designing curricula and implementing bridge courses for international students to transition into post-secondary education and employment. Oronde has taught all levels of English second language acquisition from pre-literate to advanced students, and he has experience proctoring oral and written assessments to determine literacy gains.
While serving as the ESL Supervisor and then as the lead teacher at Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s ESL program, Oronde worked with program stakeholders to transition the ESL program from a basic 6 level ESL instructional setting to a structure that included academic classes for TOEFL preparation, GED prep, and vocational classes for employment in the hospitality and customer service fields. He has also been instrumental in designing and implementing online ESL instruction through the Blackboard and CANVAS learning management systems.
Oronde holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Gwinnett College with a concentration in Writing and Rhetoric. He earned his master’s degree in applied linguistics and international TESOL certification at Georgia State University.
