KOTESOL Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter Workshop Event
This gathering will explore poetry, dialogue, inclusion, and creative approaches to community building in EFL classrooms. Teachers, researchers, graduate students, and all those interested in language, literature, and education are warmly invited to attend.
Saturday, June 13
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Gwangju National University of Education, Creativity Convergence Building (창의융합관), 3rd Floor, English Cafe.
Workshop 1
Melvin Dixon
“Creating Community through the Practice of Inclusion”
Is KOTESOL simply an organization, or is it also a community? In this interactive workshop, participants will explore the value of community-building and discuss how inclusive practices can support a more welcoming and connected organization. Together, we will identify current community-building practices within KOTESOL and consider practical ways to make the organization even more inclusive for future members.
Melvin Dixon moved to South Korea in 2006. He currently works at Gyeonggi University of Science and Technology, where he teaches and works in the Global Education Center, preparing students for work and study abroad. Melvin is vice president of the Seoul KOTESOL chapter and a contributor to KOTESOL Voices and The English Connection (TEC).
Workshop 2
Dr. Yeon Sung Park
“Regarding the Critical Incident of Gary Snyder”
This presentation explores the transformative impact of "critical incidents" on personal and professional development, beginning with a definitive moment in the life of American eco-poet Gary Snyder. At age 15, a near-death experience on the snowy peak of Mount St. Helens ignited Snyder's poetic journey, ultimately forging his philosophy of the wild and eco-poetics. Drawing a parallel between the wilderness and pedagogy, this session examines how unexpected critical incidents within the EFL classroom can serve as powerful catalysts for growth. Just as that frozen peak shaped Snyder’s lifelong transformation, sudden challenges in language teaching can be reframed as pivotal opportunities to build educator resilience and deepen pedagogical insight.
Dr. Yeon-seong Park is an English scholar, a KOTESOL lifetime member, and an advisor for the Gwangju-Jeonnam chapter. Specializing in modern British and American poetry, she explores literary intersections within English Language Teaching (ELT). Her commitment to professional development earned her the Thomas Farrell Reflective Language Teacher Award in 2019. Dr. Park’s major publications include Creative English Practice, W. H. Auden (co-authored), and The Story of Sol-go-yang.
Dinner after by reservation contact Dr David Shaffer, Gwangju International Center, Gwangju.
