Ann Arbor Times

Eastern Michigan University's Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program has successfully conducted its fourth annual International Conference for Preservice Teachers (ICPET). The event, held virtually, aimed to connect students, alumni, and international partners for professional development.

The conference originated from a Fulbright Scholar collaboration between Eastern Michigan University's Zuzana Tomaš and Anna Slatinska of Matej Bel University in Slovakia. It features five-minute lightning talks by preservice teachers to showcase their projects. This format encourages engagement and helps participants develop public speaking skills while fostering a "teacher-professional" identity.

"Presenting to a broader audience of international peers, university professors, and local teachers raises the stakes—and our students always rise to the occasion," said Tomaš.

This year's conference included joint presentations by teacher candidates from Eastern Michigan University and Matej Bel University. They collaborated on designing and implementing online English lessons for Slovak and Ukrainian secondary students. Despite challenges like time zones and cultural differences, participants appreciated the service-learning experience for enhancing global competencies and communication skills.

"It was challenging to work across time zones and cultural differences, but I grew so much from this experience,” said Lee Samuels, a preservice teacher at EMU. "I learned patience, practiced teaching and leadership skills, and collaborated effectively with international partners."

Alumni from both universities participated in the conference this year. Eastern Michigan University alumna Trisha Dowling delivered a keynote on community-engaged teaching, sharing insights from her doctoral research at the University of Toronto. Dowling highlighted the value of service-learning in building real-world connections that benefit students and communities.

As ICPET grows, there are plans to include more international partners and enhance collaboration opportunities between Eastern Michigan University and Matej Bel University.

Participants from the U.S., Slovakia, and Ukraine brought diverse perspectives to this year's conference. A recording is available online for those interested in exploring the presentations further.

Eastern Michigan University was founded in 1849 as Michigan's second oldest public university. It serves nearly 13,000 students across various degree programs through its multiple colleges. National publications often recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education.