University to host language confab

ANGELES CITY -- The Confucius Institute of Angeles University Foundation (CI-AUF), in cooperation with the Department of Education (DepEd), will be hosting the 5th National Conference on Foreign Languages on July 25-27, 2012 at the AUF main campus in Angeles City.

AUF President Joseph Emmanuel Angeles said the three-day event will highlight the gathering of educators, public school administrators, DepEd officials and representatives from Instituto Cervantfes (Spanish), Alliance Francais (French), Japan Foundation (Japanese), Goethe Institut Philippinen (German) and CI- AUF (Mandarin), to discuss plans and issues affecting the implementation of DepEd’s Special Program for Foreign Languages (SPFL).

“As co-host to the 5th SPFL National Conference, CI-AUF shares DepEd’s vision of promoting and emphasizing the impact, influence, and future directions of the SPFL Program”, said Dr. Lourdes Nepomuceno, CI-AUF Philippine Director.

The event will be formally opened by DepEd Regional Director Dr. Isabelita Borres, DepEd Division Superintendent Dr. Luz Arriola and Angeles.

Jesus Lorenzo Mateo, DepEd Assistant Secretary for Planning and Development, will deliver the keynote address and DepEd Foreign Language Specialist Rose Ligaya Domingo will deliver the statement of purpose and program overview.

Angeles said these will be followed by a cultural presentation by the AUF Performing Arts.

Plenary speakers include DepEd Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE) Director Dr. Lolita Andrada, Ms. Domingo, SPFL Mandarin focal person Marivic Tolitol and DepEd BSE Staff Development OIC Bella Marinas.

Invited as panel discussants are: CHED International Affairs Director Lawyer Lily Freida Milla, DTI Central Luzon NERBAC Manager Raquel Malig, and Cyber City Teleservices COO Almerita Leung.

The SPFL aims to prepare students for meaningful interaction in a linguistic and culturally diverse global workplace and develop their understanding and appreciation of other cultures.

It has been piloted in public high schools whose students have demonstrated competence in English and are now ready to learn another foreign language. Currently, Spanish is being taught in 54 high schools, Japanese in 14, French in 12, German in 9 and Mandarin in 30 high schools nationwide.

Mandarin officially became part of the SPFL Program when CI-AUF signed a Memorandum of Agreement with DepEd through the Bureau of Secondary Education on May 23, 2011. The areas of partnership include training of local teachers, joint development of a curriculum, syllabus, and teaching guide for Mandarin as a foreign language.

This collaborative effort is a testament to CI-AUF’s commitment to the continuous enhancement and expansion of teaching and learning of Mandarin at all levels of instruction in the Philippine education system.