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<H1>jack richards @ relc</H1>
<P>The Regional Language Centre (RELC) is a project
of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). SEAMEO sponsors
a number of regional centers, each focusing on a different area of specialization.
The center in Singapore is devoted to language teaching and language teacher education,
and has been recognized as a leader in the field of language teaching and teacher
education since its inception in 1968. RELC provides members of the SEAMEO organization
(Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) with expertise, training facilities and training
programs for upgrading the knowledge and skills of language specialists and educators.
It also assists member countries in co-operating on programs, projects, and activities
in the interests of improving language education in the region.</P>
<P>RELC offers
both full time specialized course for language specialists, as well as tailor
made language training courses. Teacher Education courses include the Master of
Arts in Applied Linguistics, the Diploma in Applied Linguistics, as well as specialist
certificate courses. RELC is located in Orange Grove Road, just minutes from Orchard
Road, which is the heart of the tourist belt in Singapore.</P>
<P>Participants
in RELC teacher education courses are language teachers and specialists in language
teaching from SEAMEO member countries. The courses are residential and full time
and bring together a rich mix of faculty and students drawn from member countries
as well as other parts of the world.</P>
<P>Professor Richards has had a long association
with the Regional Language Centre. In the 1970s, shortly after completing his
Ph.D, he was a specialist in applied linguistics at RELC, sponsored by the New
Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Following an active academic career in a
number of Universities in the Asia Pacific Region, in 1997 he returned to RELC
and to Singapore (one of his favourite places in the world) to take up an appointment
as Adjunct Professor at RELC. In this capacity he is normally at RELC from June
or July through December each year and contributes to a number of different programs
and activities at RELC. These include:</P>
<UL>
<LI><B>Teaching on academic courses:<BR>
</B> Dr. Richards teaches in the Diploma in Applied Linguistic and MA in Applied
Linguistics courses, teaching in the areas of curriculum development, materials
development, and teaching methodology<BR>
<BR>
</LI>
<LI><B>Teaching language proficiency
courses:<BR>
</B> He also teaches regularly in language proficiency courses offered
at RELC. These courses are often full time three month courses for selected officials
from SEAMEO member countries. "People are sometimes surprised to learn that
I still teach ESL classes on a regular basis", Dr. Richards commented recently,
"however without regular classroom experience I fear I would lose touch with
the needs of teachers and students. I also enjoy classroom teaching and try to
make my classes opportunities for fun as well as for real learning."<BR>
<BR>
</LI>
<LI><B>Assisting with the development of RELC's publication program:</B><BR>
Dr. Richards serves on the editorial board of RELC Journal (a leading refereed
journal of applied linguistics), he serves as co-editor of Guidelines (a practical
magazine for language teachers), and is co-editor of an exciting new series of
publications recently launched by RELC - the RELC Portfolio Series. These are
booklets that provide practical advice on many important classroom issues and
can be used as the basis for in-service courses as well as providing useful ideas
for classroom activities.</LI>
</UL>
<P>For information on RELC, on RELC courses
and activities, and RELC publications, please visit <A HREF="http://www.relc.org.sg/" TARGET="_blank">www.relc.org.sg</A></P>
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