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Student Spotlight
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Feras Alrish
What's up Classes?
The
Activities at INTERLINK
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INTERLINK Times
News from CS and RW
Let's Get Together
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Welcome to the first issue of the INTERLINK Times @ UNCG! This publication will be created every term as a collaboration between INTERLINK faculty, staff, and students. In each issue we will include some of the recent events that happened in INTERLINK classes and at INTERLINK activities. In the future we hope to include a section of updates from our alumni. If you are an alumnus of INTERLINK, we would love to hear from you. Please send your update to alumni.uncg@ interlink.edu! We hope you enjoy the first edition of our newsletter! -The Editors
"Let's Get Together"
Student Activities
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Let's Teach!
Another Class focused on foreign language lessons. Keith, Hassan, Amadou, and Steven all took turns teaching useful and common language from their native tongue. Keith and Steven focused on Chinese greetings such as: ni hao (hello), xie xie (thank you), and zai jian (goodbye). Hassan showed the difference between English numbers and introduced them to the Arabic numeral system with the basic 1-10 example. Again, I was impressed with their professional presentation in front of young American students. The INTERLINK students were able to keep the attention on their lesson by staying engaged with the children with questions and bringing them up to the board to write. Amadou probably got the most interest from his casual presentation because his native tongue is French. The Claxton kids really took to this due to its similar appearance to English. They wanted to know how to say so many different things in French. What was humorous was Amadou’s response. For instance, a student asked, “how do you say “teacher?” Amadou responded, “Professeur,” which the Claxton teacher really loved hearing, while the rest of us laughed. Another shouted out, “how do you say “class?” Amadou said, “la classe”. Although it was comedic in nature their curiosity was exciting watch.
Teaching Elementary Students
On March 2, 2017 INTERLINK Language Centers welcomed Claxton fifth grade elementary school students to spend the afternoon at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s campus. We welcomed over 100 students from five different classes. The students started their morning with an on campus tour, led by the International Program Center staff members before starting class. INTERLINK faculty mainly proctored the class as INTERLINK students taught children various things that related to cultural activities, awareness, and exposure to peoples from different places other than the United States. All of the forty-minute held classes had different topics and lessons to take away from them. Sunaina and Ali, pictured below, taught traditional dances from Nepal and Saudi Arabia. The students really engaged with this class because it got them on their feet dancing, letting out some of their morning energy. They enjoyed the music and listened intently to the INTERLINK students’ directions. This was a great opportunity for the enrolled INTERLINK students to build confidence in speaking English in front of young native English speakers, while showcasing something meaningful in national heritage.
Let's Play!
Bowling at AMF
!!!
The other night INTERLINK had an outing at the AMF All Star Lanes. This was our second time out this Spring I Term, since students seemed to enjoy the last visit. We arrived at the bowling alley around 6:30 PM and stayed for two hours, which allowed us to play two games. There were eight people who participated in this event, giving us an even matchup for some friendly competition. The teams were “GMAA” (Griffin, Maddie, Ada, and Ali) vs “GHAN” (Gloria, Hassan, Andrea and Nadia). Gloria, INTERLINK’s Administrative Assistant, has played in leagues for numerous years. Her ability to give guidance and tips to students who were first time bowlers was appreciated by all. Team GMAA came out ahead in the first match. After the first game, we ate some fried snacks to re-energize before the second match up. Andrea did not like losing and started to tell Hassan that she will beat him in the next game. As you can see from the score, pictured here, Not only did Andrea beat Hassan, team GHAN beat team GMAA by more than fifty pins! Nadia, bowled extremely well with a 115 bowling score. Ada also had a second strong game with a score of 91. Maddie was a great sport but was a little busy finishing her burger to get fully involved in the competition. Ali tried his best with a score of 72. He picked up a few more pins his second time around. Overall, there were some good laughs with loud cheering and claps as pins scattered across the lanes. We will definitely pick up on some more bowling adventures once Spring II term is in full swing.
How are You Doing RW?
News from our Reading and Writing Classes
We learn many grammar in RW1. We start writing sentences and after that we write one paragraph. Hanadi
The importance of RW 1
Class RW1 help me know grammar of sentences and how to write one paragraph the correct way. Alanoud
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RW1 will help you understand the basic of English using enjoyable activities. Ali
RWB/1 is a good class. We start from the beginning and we learned new words. We know how to conjugate verbs and write a good sentence. Rachida
Starting at the Beginning
Connecting Reading and Art in RW2
RW2 students drew pictures about the novel they read in class this term- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.
Background by Freepik
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Reflecting on My Class
Today, I am in the last week of the RW3 class. I’ve learned a lot over the past eight weeks. At the beginning of week one in this level, I did not know how to write the introduction of the essay. Also, what is the difference between the hook and the thesis? During those weeks, the teacher explained to us how to write an interesting hook and clear thesis. Moreover, I practiced how to write the conclusion. It was not easy, but not difficult too. So, the two new paragraphs in RW3 are the introduction including the hook and the thesis, and the conclusion. This means that in RW3 students should write five paragraphs each week which is; introduction, body 1, body 2, body 3, and the conclusion. Additionally, writing the summary is the other new things in RW3 because that will allow us to be ready to summarize the stories or the long articles. Likewise, Students should meet the teacher once a week to improve their skills. If they asked their teacher what is their mistake and how to correct it, they will find themselves in the correct way. On the other hands, the reading in this class is different from RW2 because students should read one article every week in the class then they must answer the weekly quizzes, sometimes two articles. In fact, the RW3 class is the first step instructs you to write a good essay, and read articles.
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By: Abeer Bahathing, RW3
During the class, your classmates discuss about possible questions for your essay. These questions can be very helpful for you to practice after class and find good information. You will not be 100 percent sure the real topic of the essay. But, since you have the book and the article as a evidence to help you, it makes things less complicated because the possible prompts questions help students come up with essay topic ideas based on reading topic ideas. It helps students choose good evidence to save time when students are confused about the topic. Therefore, by trying to guess the prompt questions, you will know how some ideas about the essay and save time during the writing time. RW4 students must be prepared before essay writing day. During the essay, you only have 20 minutes to discuss with your classmates about the prompt and to choose the quotes that belong to your three points. In addition, you have to paraphrase these quotes and explain them in a way to connect them with your topic sentence. That is the reason for which 20 minutes will not be enough, so your essay will not be well-structured. Therefore, you have to prepare yourself before the essay day. In fact, if you choose the quote, your points and your explanations before the writing day, that will give you extra time to write and your idea will be organized logically. Some helpful way s to prepare for your essay writing are annotating your book and article and finding the connections between them, so you can guess the prompt. As a result of your preparation, you will get the benchmark earlier in the term.
The new RW4 students should prepare well for the book circles. Firstly, students should make enough annotations in both English and their native language that can make them understand the main ideas of the chapter. Secondly, students should give themselves enough time to prepare their jobs so they can make the book discussion more active and correct. Thirdly, before the quiz, students should review the summaries that their classmates made on Canvas, so they can remember the information of the chapter. In conclusion, if new students follow this advice they will be successful for the book quizzes.
What to Expect in ....
Cohesion is an important thing that we have to improve in RW4 class. The meaning of cohesion is connect the ideas, and make your paragraph organized. To explain further, if you have good cohesion in your paragraph, the ides in your paragraph will be correlated and organized which makes your essay more understandable for the reader. For example, if the topic you need to write is "How can the students in Interlink be healthy?" the three points for your thesis are do exercise, eat healthily, and have a good mindset. The writer has to explain how each point could make the students healthy, but the writer also has to explain the steps. That way, the reader can understand the result. This example shows that we need cohesion to make the paragraph understandable. Therefore, cohesion is an important factor that can affect the effectiveness of your whole essay.
Some Advice From RW 4
The RW5 benchmarks call for students to be able to write a create a writing plan for and then write a college-level essay in class. One skill that is necessary for doing so is writing an introduction. We practiced different styles of writing an introduction with RW5 as a writing topic. Here was one sample paragraph: More and more students choose to study in INTERLINK before they enter the university. RW5 is the last level of INTERLINK. In this course, teachers usually teach students how to write academic essays and advanced reading skills. The students who graduate from RW5 always reflect that RW5 help them become successful in university. This course bring them many benefits. Here are three many benefits. Here are these main benefits, including improving reading skills, academic writing skills, and critical thinking skills.
Hi upcoming RW5 students. We have some experiences to share with you. Attendance is very important to pass this level, so don't be late and do your homework. Moreover, you should choose good topics for your reading and in-class writing. For your in-class writing, you should write evidence which suits your essay and connects with your topic. More explanation is better. You should prepare before you write your essay. What's more, you can go to the writing center to solve your writing problems and help you improve. You should work hard on your writing and reading, so that your writing and reading skills can be improved. Finally, we suggest you start your research paper early and do more research before you start writing. Don't procrastinate for your research paper. You should follow your teacher's steps, read the articles carefully and choose your research questions carefully. Decide on your topic and outline as soon as possible. If you postpone your work, you will DIE before the deadline! Good luck in RW5!
A Sample Paragraph from RW5
Now that You've Reached the End...
What to Expect in RW5
What's Up CS?
News From our Communication Skills classes
In the middle of the term, we learned how to describe our everyday habits and routines. After we talked about ourselves, we discussed animals habits and routines. Our teacher took us to the Greensboro Science Center, where we looked at and talked about different animals. We saw many types of animals, but because it was a very cold day, some of the animals like the tortoise and crocodile were not out. We had a lot of fun and learned about different animals habits and routines. Our favorite animals were the penguins, the sharks, the tiger, and some of the farm animals.
Hanging Out with the Animals in Greensboro
CS 1's Trip to the Greensboro Science Center
Traveling Around
For our final project in CS2, students research information about cities from around the world. They prepare and present that information in a one-on-one situation at our Travel Fair. Our CS2 students this term prepared posters about Charlotte, The Smoky Mountains, Charleston, Chicago, and Las Vegas.
Final Project for CS2
By: Nadia, Steven, Zhou-Zhou, Katherine, Miu
The Greensboro History Museum, consisting of the former first Presbyterian Church of Greensboro and Smith Memorial Building, was founded in 1924. It is located at 130 summit avenue Greensboro Guildford County North Carolina. It is opened to public from 10 AM to 5 PM between Tuesday and Saturday and on Sunday it is opened from 2 to 5 PM. The Greensboro History Museum has three parts which are: -First floor: reception desk and restroom -Second floor: early Greensborough, voice of city and Industry -Third floor: Gate city, weaving wonder and Asian culture At the beginning of the second floor, I thought it is interested because there introduce the early of Greensboro that tell us how Greensboro look like in the early year. The early Greensboro was founded in 1808 after voters spoke out for a new county seat, one in the center of Guilford County. At the beginning the city remained small in population and size for many years. In 1865 year Greensboro has a nickname is the City of Flowers and a reputation for resisting change. The big historical incident is Civil war.
Voice of the city What would a city say if it could speak? What may seem like ordinary objects tell extraordinary stories. An ornate shell necklace traded centuries ago by one tribe to another. An illuminated German Bible essential for worship by non-English speakers. A rifle fired during a 1781 battle for independence. A desk used by a newspaper editor who decried slavery publicly yet owned slaves through marriage. A loom that wove denim for apparel worn around the world. A seat from a civil rights sit-in that changed the nation. A flight attendant’s handbook that survived the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. Through Voices of a City in Greensboro, you will discover new interpretations from more than 300 years of local history.
A Little History...
Visiting the Greensboro History Museum
Industry The former governor John Motley Morehead and other prominent Greensboro men who successfully lobbied the State Legislature in 1849 to direct the route of the North Carolina Railroad, which would connect Goldsboro to Charlotte northward through the city. This railroad was completed by 1856, and by the end of the 1800s several other rail lines either passed through or originated there. In the third floor, there are three different parts. In the first part, it is the gate city. It shows that the different between early 1900s and now. In gate city, there are five part, like, hotel, theater, fire station, schoolhouse and druggist. It talked about these thing in early 1900s. In the second part, it is weaving wonder with historical threads. It shows that the artist Echelman has created a changing sculpture, 90 feet by 70 feet, hanging in the air 55 feet. The exhibition also explores the way in which history can inspire art and viewers. In last part, it talked about what happened about Asian immigrants. It including some pictures, traditional clothes and movies.
Importance of Historical Museum The importance of museum can be seen simply through this quote “For the community, of the community, by the community”. However, deeper description of this importance will be better. For the education, the museum allows people to see concert objects, to approach them. When people want to do some researches, they go to the museum because the source is credible. Finally, the museum can foster the tourism because people from other countries travel especially to visit the museum and learn about the country’s history.
The Most Important Skill
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As students completed the program, one of our final homework assignments was a discussion forum with these questions: What was the most important CS skill that you learned during your time at INTERLINK? How did that skill help you to be successful in CS5? This assignment helped students to reflect on their experiences at INTERLINK and how it helped them to be successful in CS5. Here are some sample answers: The most important CS skill is learning how to take notes for listening. We learned Cornell notes, which will help me when I come into UNCG. Listening quiz help me improve a lot. I can understand the 30 mins lecture. Through listening quiz, I can know different subject knowledge. Also listening quiz is a good prepare for college classes. The important skill that I learned from CS class is my speaking. I convinced myself to talk with different people.I practiced a lot of my pronunciation and help me to fix it. It's so important. Because we don't have enough opportunity to practiced it.
Arguing with Purpose
Final Thoughts from CS5
Debates are the major project in CS4. Students learn to find and use reliable sources to support their arguments in a formal debate situation on a topic of their choice. Students work in teams to present strong points and explanations. They also help each other to anticipate the opposing side's points and to give rebuttals. This practices listening, speaking, interaction and critical thinking skills throughout the term.
Debate in CS4
Where are you from? I am Syrian, and I live in Saudi Arabia. So, I’ve been here for four months, and I go back to Saudi Arabia for vacation. What city are you originally from in Syria? I am from Deir Atiyah, which is between Damascus and Homs What level of English classes are you currently in? I am in CS5 and RW3 Do you have any short terms goals while at INTERLINK? I plan to graduate from INTERLINK and attend UNCG. I want to study business So, with that you have some long-term goals in mind? I want to go to the Bryn School of Business and stay in the United States until I finish, so that I can gain experience. Then I would like to go back to my country to work there. What have you learned so far at INTERLINK? I am learning about American culture and we have different cultures where I am from. For instance, the way you have to deal with people. The space you have to keep between yourself and the person in front of you. So, there are things like this that I have learned over here. Also, the way of speech and the way of writing is totally different. Any advice that you would give a new student at INTERLINK? Actually, I have been here for two semesters, and some people may think that you can pass easily, which is not true. You have to work really hard over here. You have to do your homework. Also, you have to show that you are interested, and that you really care about what you are doing. If you do not concentrate in your CS and RW classes, you will not pass. So, my advice is to keep working and pay attention to your homework and studying. On your spare time do you have certain hobbies that you enjoy in Greensboro? The best thing about Greensboro is the nature. I enjoy like the nature and its landscapes. I also, enjoy going to the lakes, mountains, and this kind of activity. It also helps you to relax your mind while getting some fresh air. So these kinds of outside hobbies are really good over here. Is there anything that you would like to share about life in Saudi Arabia or from your hometown in Deir Atiyah that you miss? Well, I miss my family, but am living here with my older brother. My brother and I did not have a close relationship back home because often we did not do things together since he was at the university and I was only in high school. We had different priorities. During this time we are really getting to know each other more and we’ve become friends and not only brothers. Actually, Syrian people in general, they really like the relationships, and have contact with people. They really like to stay with each other. That is why the families are really big in Syria. They always invite each other over for events and stay with each other. These are the kinds of things that I really miss because I really like to stay with people.
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