Kara Mac Donald

International Conference 2019
Featured Session

Drawing on Skillsets Outside of ELT to Inform Instructional Practice

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There is an immense benefit to understanding skill transfer: how skills from a previous field of study, profession, and/or personal discipline inform you as a language teacher. There is even a greater value in explicitly drawing on this diverse skillset for instructional practice, as making conscious connections between the overlap of skillsets permits deliberate and effective use of these skills. When deliberate, thoughtful, and measured actions can be implemented for student learning outcomes. Also, the act of assessing the overlap of skillsets between distinct fields is a form of reflective practice and professional develop. Identifying both the hard skills and soft skills you possess from professions and/or disciplines outside ELT should be easy. Connecting the skills and practically identifying how they can inform and enhance your ELT is key and may be challenging. The session begins by describing skills transfer to frame the examination of subsequent sample case studies, followed by the description of a “rubric” for attendees to assess their own skillsets as well as resources for further reading and use.

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Biographical Sketch

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Kara Mac Donald is an associate professor at the Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California, USA. Her background consists of over twenty-three years in foreign language teaching, teacher training, curriculum design, and faculty development across elementary, secondary, and higher education. She earned a master’s in applied linguistics, TESOL and a doctorate in applied linguistics. She currently conducts pre-service and in-service training for faculty and provides academic support and counseling to students. She maintains a close connection to the language classroom as a part-time English instructor for children and young adults in ESL and academic preparation courses. She enjoys being involved in TESOL and its affiliates for the satisfaction of collaborating with others in offering high quality, professional events for members, which fosters friendships, colleague-ships, and an active community of practice. Dr. Mac Donald is a lifetime member of KOTESOL and the editor-in-chief of the Korea TESOL Journal.

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Kara Mac Donald Media Online

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Article: Understanding What We Blend, How We Blend, and Why We Blend
(The English Connection, Autumn 2019)
PDF available at bottom of page.

Book Review: Language Teaching Insights from Other Fields (by Christopher Stillwell)

Book Review: Students With Interrupted Formal Education: Bridging Where They Are and What They Need

Article: AntConc ㅡ A Tool for Learner Corpus Analysis

Pivot Point: Exploring Professional Opportunities Outside the Classroom ㅡ A Four-Part Series

1. Becoming a Materials Writer

2. Becoming a Language Program Administrator

3. Marketing Your Skills to Work in ESL Publishing, Commercial Products, or Services

4. Exploring Overseas Options: Single Professional, Professional with Family, and Retiring Professional

Kara Mac Donald on LinkedIn