Written by: Aliana Zamorano\Staff writer
Three international students from India, Russia and Brazil are teaching their native languages and taking classes at the University under a grant from the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program.
Marcella Iole da Costa, Elmira Nazmieva and Amit Ranjan are spending the fall and spring semesters teaching Portuguese, Russian and Hindi, respectively, as part of the Department of Modern Languages under the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs.
“In September of last year, I saw the program on the internet decided to apply,” said Iole da Costa, a 27-year-old English literature teacher from Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. “Since then, I’ve been able to teach my own class of Portuguese language and take part in the Brazilian Culture Club at FIU and help organize events and exhibitions.”
The FLTA program allows educators to gain teaching skills by serving as teaching assistants in foreign language classes, according to their press release.
The participants work with professors from the department of modern languages; Nazmieva is working with Maria Krol, German and Russian instructor, while lole da Costa works with Augusta Vono, professor of Portuguese.
The recipients may also serve as primary instructors, which is the case with Ranjan.
While Russian and Portuguese were already offered at the University, Hindi has been introduced this semester — led by Ranjan.
“Back in New Delhi I was a teacher of English,” said Ranjan, 32. “I am glad to be here representing my country and being able to bring the Hindi language to the University.”
He is taking Spanish and creative writing courses at the University, can speak five languages and has been participating in conferences and workshops since August.
“It’s an overwhelming experience,” said Ranjan. “FIU is very multicultural and has a very international flavor to it. I am quite loving my time here.”
This year, the Fulbright FLTA program has given over 400 educators the opportunity to exchange cultures throughout college campuses across the United States.
“It is just a new and necessary experience for an English teacher to bring back home and share with her students and colleagues in Russia,” said Nazmieva, English teacher at a university in Kazan, Russia.
During her time here, she plans on taking American Studies classes to explore the culture and take back as much language to her students as possible.
“It is a self-enrichment experience to see a new culture and to share mine, and to learn how to better my teaching back home,” said Nazmieva, 35.
Fulbright’s goal of globalization is funded by an annual grant made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State.
Fulbright also offers programs for U.S. students looking to study abroad and teach English in countries around the world.
“My dream is to go to Japan and teach English to the students there,” said Pamela Suguimitzu, a senior Japanese Language major.
Over the last summer, Suguimitzu spent five weeks in Kyoto, Japan taking classes and experiencing the country’s culture as part of the University’s Japanese Language and Culture Program.
“I think these transfer programs help you become more open minded of other cultures and other perspectives,” she said. “They help tie relations between countries.”
The Fulbright program gave the educators the chance to bring the University a new language and cultural perspective.
“The three of us share a passion for culture,” said Ranjan. “I will be here until June and I know I am going to make good friends and hopefully influence others, too.”
-news@fiusm.com
Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons
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