Associate Professor, Vivian Bussinguer-Khavari, School of Sociology, gave two presentations on (1) Performance in Education (PIE): Innovating the language classroom with improvisation activities and (2) Using international commercials and advertisements to boost learners’ cultural awareness at the 19th Annual CamTESOL Conference on English Language Teaching, which was held from February 17 to February 19, 2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
  Established in 2005, CamTESOL has become a premier professional development conference in the Asia-Pacific region for professionals in the field of English language teaching and related issues, with an average audience of 1,700 attending annually (over 600 of whom are international participants from more than 50 countries). 

Details for the two presentations given by Prof. Vivian Bussinguer-Khavari can be found below:

(Presentation 1) 
Title: Performance in Education (PIE): Innovating the language classroom with improvisation activities
Abstract: This workshop introduces improvisation activities that are suitable for the language classroom. It is a practical hands-on session in which participants can experience the excitement of a lesson that utilizes improvisation by actually taking part in as many improvisation activites as time allows. Improvisation activities add humor and excitement to the language classroom. They can compliment any course syllabus and can be adapted to fit any language proficieny level. Such activites require learners to communicate without previous preparation, just like they would outside the classroom. In class, language learners are often told what to do and what to say, but in the real world, they cannot prepare their lines or practice their actions in advance. Improvisation is a constant factor in our out-of-class behavior and we should provide opportunities for such behavior in the language classroom as well. Improvisation activities help to build confidence for successful communication. Learners must listen carefully and speak clearly in order to complete any given task. By engaging in improvisation activities, learners also develop nonverbal skills and become better at using and interpreting nonverbal cues.

(Presentation 2)
Title: Using international commercials and advertisements to boost learners’ cultural awareness
Abstract: This is a practical session that introduces how international advertisements and commercials can be used in the language classroom to boost learners’ cultural awareness and challenge their cultural perception. Naturally, we humans are limited to our own understanding of the world based on our personal experiences, background, education, and so forth. Language classes tend to focus on the linguistic aspects of language teaching with little or no emphasis on cultural awareness or on a broader global incorporation of cultural values. As one of the solutions to this problem, global advertisements and commercials can be used as authentic teaching resources, challenging learners to question the status quo and giving them opportunities to find new cultural perspectives. Once learners are exposed to various cultural values, stereotypes, and social features, they are more sensitive to cultural issues and more equipped to navigate life in a global society.