Have you ever stumbled through a self-introduction, wishing the floor would swallow you whole? Fear not, starting from this week, College of Liberal Arts has been hosting a series of writing workshop focusing on career narratives, and today, CLA was joined by Mr. Antony Parnigony to tell us all about the tips of acing self-introduction.

The presentation was divided into three parts. First of all, Mr. Parnigony kicked things off with a challenge by asking everyone to condense the entire story into one, single powerful sentence. He asked everyone to use one sentence to briefly introduce themselves (in written form) to identify the key ingredients including, a name, values, strengths, professional background, and career goal. He also asked everyone to write it down on the worksheet. So, it turned out that a brief self-introduction should explain: who are you; what are you; where or for whom do you do that, and what is that result, or what do they get?

Moving onto the second part, Mr. Parnigony then emphasized the importance of adapting the self-introduction to different audience. He had everyone look into the highlights again in details. He pointed out the importance of identifying the audience, for example, for colleagues, a brief professional update might be enough. However, a new audience might crave a deeper dive into your story. In addition to that, this workshop also explored the power of personal strengths. Mr. Parnigony also encouraged everyone to highlight some personal strengths into self-introduction. He shared his finding in the use of adjectives between local Taiwanese students and native speakers. For instance, instead of “hardworking,” which is common for many local Taiwanese students, he suggested us to consider using the impactful “ambitious,” which demonstrates the drive and initiative.

Finally, this workshop ended with a volunteer showcase. Brave participants put their newfound skills to the test by delivering their self-introductions in front of everyone and Mr. Parnigony provided valuable feedback for them in return.

The last session of this work shop will be held on May 6th focusing on writing a cover letter. Stay tuned for more CLA EMI series event and don’t forget to follow them on Instgram @cla_emi_program

Have you ever dreamt of studying abroad in a country steeped in history, with charming towns, delicious food, and vibrant culture, all conveniently located in the heart of Europe? Look no further than the Czech Republic!

On April 17th, College of Liberal Arts was joined by Ms. Leila Inštitorisová, the International Relations Officer from the Faculty of Arts at Masaryk University, to tell us all about Czech Republic and Masaryk University.

Czech Republic serves as a great location for exploring Europe. According to Ms. Inštitorisová, the Czech Republic boasts a prime location, bordering Germany, Austria, Poland, and Slovakia. It is a student-friendly country with affordable living cost and vibrant culture. But the Czech Republic isn’t just about stunning landscapes. It’s also famous for its love of a good drink, which is BEER! They even have beer marathon! In addition to beer, Czech Republic is also rich with artistic tradition, specializes in crystal making and glass making.

After sharing a brief overview of Czech Republic with our students, Ms. Inštitorisová shifted her focus to Masaryk University which is also a partner institution with College of Liberal Arts, NTNU. The Faculty of Arts at Masaryk University offers a wide range of programs in Philology, Historical Sciences, General Theory and History of Arts and Culture, and etc. There are 33 departments under the Faculty of Arts with more than 300 courses taught in English and 150+ foreign teachers each year! What is more, Ms. Inštitorisová also delved into the exchange student application process, clarifying visa applications, the helpful learning buddy system, and many other services designed to support international students.

Lastly, Ms. Inštitorisová shared a bunch of souvenirs from Masaryk University with our students, and they all enjoyed taking some! According to one of the participants, she said this is the most detailed cross cultural sharing that she has ever had! So, what are you waiting for? Start Czeching your adventure list now and feel free to join our series events at College of Liberal Arts!

Moving onto the second and the third cross-cultural sharing, College of Liberal Arts’ recent EMI Cross-cultural Series took us on a whirlwind tour of fascinating cultures of France and German.

Our journey began with Ms. Aurore Ludivine Oceane Servant-Casisava from Aix-Marseille Université. Firstly, Aurore introduced us to the enchanting southern region of Provence.  This charming area offers a delightful alternative to bustling Paris, with a relaxed vibe perfect for soaking in the French way of life while pursuing academic research.

Next, we were joined by Mr. Henry Kretschmer from Goethe University Frankfurt. Henry shed light on Germany’s unique position as a vibrant international hub within the European Union.  His presentation went beyond the iconic landscapes, delving into the fascinating world of the German language.  Henry made learning German fun by comparing some words to Mandarin Chinese such as “yein,” “Kater,” and “Nervensäge.”

Aurore and Henry totally blew our minds with their presentations! They gave us a peek into the awesomeness of their cultures. From captivating local dialects to intriguing language comparisons, they sparked a lively discussion about the beauty and complexities of cross-cultural understanding. It was a truly enriching experience for all those who attended!

CLA EMI Cross-cultural Series serves as a vibrant platform for global engagement. These events encourage us to embrace diversity, appreciate different ways of life, and foster connections across borders.  Stay tuned for future events where we can embark on more exciting cultural adventures together…we’ll see you next semester!

姊妹校捷克馬薩里克大學人文學院(Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University)國際交流專員Leila Inštitorisová女士於4月17日拜會本院，本院由張君川行政祕書、吳威鴻專員、梁芷淇專員和台灣語文學系謝孟珈行政秘書共同接待，交流學生交換執行成果。

下午邀請Leila Inštitorisová女士於本院舉辦之跨文化系列講座以「Czech Your Options: Discovering Life at Masaryk University」為題演講，為同學介紹捷克及其大學的交流資訊

美國西華盛頓大學國際處處長Ryan Larsen博士於3/21日上午蒞校拜會，本院由張君川行政秘書為訪賓導覽校園環境，副院長張瓊惠教授、英語系陳秋蘭教授於文學院院長室會議室接待。

西華盛頓大學（WWU 或 Western）是位於華盛頓州貝靈漢(Bellingham, Washington)的一所公立大學，是美國本土最北端的大學，前身為成立於 1893 年的新霍特科姆師範學校，在此之前則是成立於 1886 年的私立女子師範學校。該校於 1977 年採用現名。在《富比士》(Forbes)、《美國新聞與世界報導》(U.S. News and World Report)中，西華盛頓大學在美國太平洋西北區都是獲得高度肯定的公立大學。WWU與本校有許多共通點，兩校都曾是師範學院，學校的規模也相近。本校英語系長期辦理教育部「國中小英語教師海外研習計畫」，歷年來選送中小學教師赴海外知名大學參與英語教育研習、並於當地中小學觀課，WWU就是合作夥伴之一。兩校在TESOL教學研究方面有密切的合作。WWU所在地貝靈漢環境優美，被《國家地理雜誌》(National Geography)評選為美國最佳戶外活動社區之一的城鎮。

本次會面，雙方介紹彼此的城市與校園環境，並洽商院-校層級的學生交換、師資培育實習與觀課之合作、COIL(Collaborative Online International Learning)與COIL Plus課程合作等等計畫，討論雙方學制差異與落實合作的可能性。雙方同意在既有的教學研究基礎上，深化彼此的合作關係，擴大交流層面，鼓勵雙方學生赴對方學校進行各種長期、短期的教學實習和研修，期待在後疫情時代藉由計畫合作，拉近太平洋兩岸的合作關係，也為學生國際移動開拓新的版圖。

Forget textbooks and lectures for a minute! Today, on March 20th, students at National Taiwan Normal University took a refreshing plunge (yes, the weather was finally good) into the world of English communication through a unique event titled “Diving into English, One Board Game at a Time.” Organized by David Wu and conducted by Charlie Liaw, the event brough students from various background and had them practice English speaking while entered the board game adventure!

Now, you might be thinking, “board games and learning English? How does that work?” Well, the answer lies in the lively buzz filled the classroom throughout the whole morning. Students, coming from different backgrounds, including design major, Chinese as Second Language, literature, and etc, found themselves collaborating, strategizing, and most importantly, conversing confidently in English. The competitive spirit was high, but they also helped out each other even though they came from different departments and had different experiences.

Throughout today’s event, it proves that learning English doesn’t have to be confined to classrooms. With the help of exciting board games, students excelled their communication skills in a relaxed and interactive environment.

So, if you are still looking for a fun and effective way to improve your English speaking skills while afraid having no environment, mark your calendar! The next “Diving into English, One Board Game at a Time” event will be held on March 27th, starting from 10:10 to 13:10. Don’t miss the chance to learn, laugh, and make new friends!

The festivities kicked off with an enlightening lecture led by three lecturers: Ms. I-An Su, Ms. Ying-Chen Lin, and Mr. Sze Lok Hsu, each overseeing different aspects of the event. With fervor and expertise, they introduced the cultural significance of the Lantern Festival and regaled the diverse audience with delicious local dessert.

Next came the hands-on activity of crafting glutinous rice balls, a cherished tradition of the festival. Under the guidance of the lecturers, participants rolled, shaped, and molded the glutinous rice powder with laughter. Local students enthusiastically shared tips and tricks, while exchange students added their unique perspectives, resulting in a delightful fusion of cultures.

But the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the riddle-solving contest. As the classrooms filled with the aroma of brown sugar and dough, participants huddled together in small groups, heads bent in concentration as they guessed the cryptic clues. Local students offered insights for Mandarin Chinese riddles, while exchange students brought fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the table for English ones. The interaction between one sharing the answer with another creates a friendly collaboration.

In the end, as the final riddle was solved and cheers echoed through the classroom, it became evident that the Lantern Festival had achieved its goal of cultural exchange and language immersion. Through the presentation and activities, we believe that while the local students had deepened their bonds and friendships with the exchange students, the exchange students had also taken a glimpse of the beauty of local Taiwanese culture.

12月26日上午，日本明治大學文學部的櫻井智美(Sakurai Satomi)教授和江川 ひかり(Egawa Hikari)教授與學生們來臺師大文學院參訪。當天活動由本院臺灣史研究所為明治大學師生進行校園導覽，走入時光隧道，踏訪百年前臺北高校的舊址，一窺臺師大前身的歷史。

接著，來自臺師大與明治大學的同學們熱絡互動、交流，並接力進行自我介紹。來訪的同學們不僅認識了臺師大的校園與歷史，也結交了臺灣的朋友。

本院自2016年即與日本明治大學文學部簽訂合作備忘錄與學生交換協議。兩校自締約成為姊妹校前即有相當密切的交流和學術合作。疫情後，文學部國際交流委員會的前委員長高田幸男教授、委員長山田亨教授先後率團來訪，洽談疫情後學術合作交流規劃。感謝雙方師長的持續關切，並促成此次師生訪問團來訪，期許兩校未來持續維持良好關係。