Workshops

Using the Corpus & Repository of Writing in Writing Center Work (April 2020)

This workshop was part of Crow’s outreach efforts funded by the American Council of Learned Societies Grant to provide professional development opportunities to minority scholars at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). The workshop’s audience were writing center tutors in training at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. With Shelley Staples and Ashley Velazquez, I focused on mentoring tutors how to use the Crow platform for teaching and research purposes with a special emphasis on applications related to language use in the writing process.

Linking a Corpus & Repository for Research & Teaching (July 2019)

This workshop introduced the Crow platform and its various uses to the CWPA audience. Participants explored multiple features of the platform and reflected on its potential uses for their own research and writing programs. With Bradley Dilger, I led a guided tour of our web interface, provided ample time for hands-on exploration, and assisted workshop participants by answering queries during our extensive individual work time.

Exploring a Web-based Archive of Assignments and Writing (June 2019)

This workshop introduced the Crow platform and its various uses to the Computers & Writing audience. Participants explored the technical aspects of building and maintaining the interface. During the guided tour, participants explored the web interface especially the repository of pedagogical materials and user tested the various features of the interface. Finally, participants reported on their experience interacting with the interface and reflected on ways to utilize this resource in their own institutional contexts. 

Email Etiquette Workshop (March 2018)

This workshop was facilitated for Purdue clerical staff enrolled in ACE course. In collaboration with Carrie Hanson – a senior talent management specialist, we worked on developing peer review strategies and activities that help clerical staff write effective emails. We focused on the genre of professional emails due to the staff involvement in electronic communication daily.

Peer Review Cover Letter Workshop (October, 2017)

This workshop was facilitated in the College of Engineering at Purdue University. In collaboration with Dr. Carlos Martinez from the Department of Materials Engineering, we worked on developing peer review strategies that help materials engineering students revise their writing to address potential audiences. We focused on the genre of cover letters as students were getting ready for job fairs and internship opportunities.

Scaffolding approach for teaching writing (January, 2015)

This training workshop was conducted at Al Nahda National Schools in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Based on a scaffolding approach for teaching writing, the participants were involved in a hierarchical framework of activities through which they have perceived how engaging students in the prewriting and writing process can prepare them to be more engaged writers. There was a discussion of the context and needs of second language learners. A group of activities featuring exposure of learners to relevant materials can promote them to be more effective writers.

Writing practice and job search techniques (April, 2013)

This workshop was presented at the University of Sharjah in affiliation with CASTO (Career Advising and Students’ Training Office) to train senior students how to prepare resumes and write cover letters in addition to acquainting them with technical jargon used in written and oral communication in the designated context.

The Writing Center: Magic or possible reality? (May, 2012)

This seminar was presented at the University of Sharjah to propose starting a writing center that collaborates with writing specialists and instructors to offer students feedback regarding the quality of their writing in different disciplines and for different purposes.

Professional development skills for English language teachers at Sharjah Educational Zone (April, 2011)

This workshop was organized by the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Sharjah to train teachers working in elementary governmental schools that are part of Sharjah Educational Zone. It was a joint presentation that handled pedagogical implications for teaching reading in the classroom.

TESOL Arabia Sharjah Chapter December Event “The world inside an EFL classroom” (December, 2010)

This training seminar focused on showing versus telling in the writing classroom. In this workshop, I focused on sharing teaching strategies that help EFL students write narrative and descriptive essays focusing on sensory description and promoting the creation of images and scenes in writing to reach audiences effectively.

Professional development skills for English Language Teachers at Sharjah Educational Zone (November 2008)

This workshop was organized by the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Sharjah to train teachers working in governmental secondary schools that are part of Sharjah Educational Zone. The title of my presentation was “How to Overcome Difficulties Students Encounter in Writing?” The main highlight of this session was training teachers how to effectively engage students in the writing process and how to offer them proper feedback that targets writing gaps and challenges.