Universidad
de La Laguna
Departamento de
Filología Inglesa y Alemana
rev. 02/11/2005
Each issue of English Studies, the booklet published by the Department, includes interviews with students and members of its academic staff. We reproduce them here.
It's almost 9.00 a.m. now and the moon is still
fading in the sky outside. Pablo's office is up there on the
first floor in the Philology building and the phone rings and
rings. I hope not to ask him questions he doesn't want to answer
like 'Are you OK?'. I see what's happening in his eyes, he's
different, he's smart.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Is there one particular syllabus or subject within English studies that speaks to you now more than another?
DR. DOMÍNGUEZ: I first began teaching in this university when the Department of English was still in its infancy and, consequently, very small. I was then head of the English Department in a local secondary school, and because there were not enough qualified English teachers in the University of La Laguna, the then dean of the Faculty of Philology offered me a part-time teaching "English phonetics and phonology", a subject which I continued to teach for a number of years and which resulted in a publication called Los sonidos del inglés: ejercicios fonéticos. But I also taught courses in "English Linguistics,", "History of the English Language," "English Grammar," etc. So, you see, I've always been involved in language rather than literature or any other discipline in the field of English studies. That, of course, doesn't mean that language or linguistics is my only interest. If instead of being invited to teach "English Phonetics" I had been asked to teach a literature course (don't forget that in those years a "catedrático de instituto" had to have a solid background in both English language and literature) I might have continued to do so indefinitely. So far, I am happy with the course "Contrastive Studies English/Spanish" which I teach in conjunction with my colleague Leslie Bobb-Wolff.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Would you care to say something about the quality of teaching and resources in our university?
DR. DOMÍNGUEZ: Fortunately, things have changed a lot over the last twenty years; not only has the Department grown quantitatively in number of students and teachers, but also qualitatively, to the extent that today our department ranks very high among the university departments of English in Spain. We have a splendid, well-stocked library, we all have access to the Internet and we boast perhaps the best departmental publication in English studies in our country, the Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses, whose first issue dates back to the year 1980. All these factors no doubt affect teaching in that it is much easier for a teacher to be up to date with developments in his/her subject, but the training of university teachers in Spain is an issue which has yet to be dealt with appropriately.
ENGLISH STUDIES: You are a teacher who is concerned with the whole process of teaching, which brings me to another question here: would you mind speaking about your experience in ULL classrooms?
DR. DOMÍNGUEZ: If you will allow me, I will answer your question by expressing a series of thoughts which have always been a constant inspiration for me: "Teaching is an art which develops out of using one's own self; out of learning more about others by way of understanding one's own reactions to others" (A. Shumsky). "Effective teachers are flexible in mind and in action [...] A flexible mind is also reflected in the ability to say to students, "I don't know", which of course, should be immediately followed with, "But I'll certainly try to find out." The ability to unself-consciously admit ignorance is the sign of a mature teacher" (M.Burt et al.). "Scholarship must be accurate, whether it is interesting or not. But teaching must be interesting, even if it is not one hundred per cent accurate" (G. Highet).
ENGLISH STUDIES: You have the rare quality of being able to retain the attention of the students using new ways of saying old things. Is the secret to learn how to express ourselves or how to use knowledge?
DR. DOMÍNGUEZ: I think, both. That is, learning should first of all be creative. There is no point in lapping up information indiscriminately, for that leads to stagnation. At the same time, we have to learn how to make use of, or rather, select from the copious amount of information that we can access today , that which is relevant to our purposes.
ENGLISH STUDIES: What is it like working closely with other teachers in our department within your discipline?
DR. DOMÍNGUEZ: I believe that team work should always be encouraged, but mainly when you are a young teacher and lack self-confidence. And, of course, team work is essential when you embark on a research project that entails different tasks which cannot be easily carried out single-handed.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Any outstanding memories of particular students?
DR. DOMÍNGUEZ: I've always got on well with my students and enjoyed having them in my class. Maybe that is why they never forget to say "hello" with a smile, or stop to talk with me when we cross paths, no matter how long ago they finished their studies here. There are in fact many ex-students whom I see on a daily basis. I mean those students who went on to become colleagues here in the department and those who do postgraduate work with us. For various reasons, personal and academic, one likes some students more than others and it's sad when they leave. But that's life and there's nothing you can do about it.
Boy, time really does fly! I still remember attending Marie's wonderful classes. She likes working for the ULL, an institution she has continually promoted from her position as intellectual and internationally prestigious historian. With an undergraduate degree from the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. in History from the American University, she is now involved in getting new research projects underway. As always she has a plan.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Having been born in Washington, D.C. I'm wondering what brought you this tiny island...
DR. MCMAHON: Good luck! Instead of being assigned to a mainland university to teach American Studies during the academic year 1975-1976, as were fellow Fulbright professors selected for Spain that year, destiny, shall we say, sent me to the Canary Islands and its oldest university -- Universidad de La Laguna -- here in "tiny" Tenerife, as you facetiously put it.
ENGLISH STUDIES: You are one of the most appreciated teachers in our Department, how do you feel working with our students?
DR. MCMAHON: Challenged, always challenged. Of course, "just how" varies; for example, students with extraordinary abilities offer intellectual pleasure as well as pangs of conscience about their deserving more than I can actually offer. And other misgivings rise when facing a lack of mutual recognition about "cognitive mapping" and what society deserves from all of us in this public university.
ENGLISH STUDIES: I want to hear how you build a class...
DR. MCMAHON: Badly, from top-down. Your query doesn't really call for that visceral response but it just so happens that most of my history classes build from years of preparation in a particular discipline along with concomitant effort, over the decades, to keep up with historical research. It is the conventional lecture-discussion format with all its shortcomings. But, even though the controlling voice is, unfortunately, mine, its positioned, even fabricated, character receives due attention. On the other hand, Cultural Texts, an elective, remains loosely constructed, unattached to defined disciplinary walls. And whenever contemporary issues get a hearing, as they do in Cultural Texts, chances for interactive engagement emerge. I get to learn with instead of just orchestrating from above.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Marie, as a specialist, how do you see this world of information, new technology and excessive images, all in a state of constant motion? Can you describe this contemporary process?
DR. MCMAHON: I am not a specialist nor do I qualify as valuable "underlaborer," but your questions warrant some response, even if limited, given the tremendous transformations electronic systems of communication spell, not to mention the hopes and fears of nanotechnology. In your own field, literature and literary criticism, and our shared one of pedagogy itself, cogent commentaries unravel the different dilemmas of cyberspace. Molly Abel Travis' recent defense of a new pedagogy endorses the idea of the classroom as a space where cultures can interact and encourages teachers to make use of the linking that the new information technology can facilitate. And she also underscores that this contact zone is not ours but belongs to our students. You and I have talked about the advantages of computer-assisted research in terms of time and space but she wants the microchip revolution of the 1980s to lead to dynamic communication among students everywhere, to an understanding of one's place in the global system through a dialogical, dynamic process. It may sound utopian but young people can certainly be linked through e-mail or Internet Chat Relay and a computer screen, unlike the TV box, just might allow reading cross-culturally. There are, Travis tells us, Alternative Education Environments focused, in fact, on the future of literary studies in the humanities with its electronic database and publications. This kind of computer networking just might contribute to the emergence of a space in which conversation among professors and students from several universities allows us to face the urgent need for translation across cultural traditions.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you feel that you've reached a point where you've done everything you could do in La Laguna?
DR. MCMAHON: First of all, I have not done enough and that means you keep trying. And, secondly, since I have been a perennial late-bloomer, the next ten years could be my best. That is an extremely pleasurable prospect.
Walking across the Guajara campus of the ULL with Juan José, he pointed out to me that he had the American literature notes taken in class in his hand. A slight smile turned up the corners of his mouth. I knew that he would continue to work on in his own at home in his studio in Santa Cruz. Committed to the philosophy that studying requires broad horizons, Juan José speaks about the impact of the ULL on his professional achievement and personal life.
ENGLISH STUDIES: There's a great tradition of students at ULL making strong links with La Laguna and Santa Cruz. Do you see yourself as part of a great tradition?
JUAN JOSÉ: Yes, I'm well aware of this tradition but since I've lived in Santa Cruz all my life, enrolling at the ULL hasn't meant any change. However, I know that many students -- particularly those who come from the remotest areas of Tenerife or from other islands-- make strong links especially with La Laguna where all our residence halls are. I reckon this is so because of the town's legendary student atmosphere. I think everybody feels welcome in La Laguna.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Tell me a bit about your family. What part did they play in your interest in English studies?
JUAN JOSÉ: Well, my family isn't academic at all. I come from a working-class background and I am, in fact, only the second member of my family to study for a degree, which I suppose means that things are changing in our society. I must add that in spite of the fact that my family isn't academic they have always been tremendously supportive. This is something I won't live long enough to thank them for. I've studied English for as long as I can remember. I've always felt attracted to the English language and culture. Now I'm practically bilingual, and that's something I'm extremely proud of.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Your year of the course seems the real world in microcosm. How do you feel within that group?
JUAN JOSÉ: Yes, it sometimes does, doesn't it? On the whole, I guess I feel pretty comfortable with the people in my year. To be honest, I've been in so many different groups through the years that I think I've learned to adapt to different kinds of people, which I believe will be a valuable skill in the future. In the first and, to a lesser extent, second year groups are quite large in those modules that we share with students of French, Hispanic or Classical studies. However, those modules which are exclusive to English Studies are rather small, particularly the seminars. Active participation in those seminars is always a bonus to your final grades. Sometimes, mind you, they're pivotal to your final results. Having to do group or individual presentations in front of the class favors interaction between students, which might eventually develop into friendship.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you have enough time to work?
JUAN JOSÉ: Now that I have all my classes in the mornings, I do have plenty of time to do university work in the afternoons. The workload is actually heavier in the final years of the degree but I reckon that having the lessons in the mornings helps me a great deal to cope with it all. I've chosen literary option modules which I don't actually find that demanding since the reading lists have been drawn up quite sensibly in my opinion.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Is there one particular syllabus or one particular academic field that says more to you than another?
JUAN JOSÉ: Oh yes, there is. My favorite academic field is literature, that's why I've only chosen literary option modules this year. Besides, I was lucky enough to go to Britain for a whole academic year as an Erasmus/Socrates student and over there I only took literary modules. So, for the last couple of years, I've been almost exclusively studying English and American literature. My interests at the moment are in twentieth-century literature (especially modern and contemporary fiction, both British and American), contemporary women writers and drama.
ENGLISH STUDIES: What's on the agenda now and what's in the future for Juan José?
JUAN JOSÉ: Well, right now my main concern is with the forthcoming exams. I have many projects in the pipeline right now but who knows how it'll all turn out in the end. One of those projects would be to teach Spanish as a foreign language in Britain but it's still early days and too soon to say any more about this, really.
Evangelia, a 20-year old Erasmus student attending the Universidad de La Laguna this year, is exactly what you'd expect to find in a good class. It's hard to say what's most appealing about her life right now. A telltale sign of Evangelia's most usual activity is the pile of books on a table in her room. I think she's happy in Tenerife but it's more than that.
ENGLISH STUDIES: How did you originally get interested in attending the ULL?
EVANGELIA: In general, I was interested in coming to Spain in order to learn the language and experience the Spanish way of life. When it came down to choosing a university I narrowed down my choices to the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and to the Universidad de La Laguna. It was a difficult choice to make but after talking it over with the exchange students that visited Tenerife during the last academic year, I knew that the ULL had a lot to offer. The Cypriot exchange students talked to me about the university's system and the facilities, but most importantly about the courses offered which were of great interest to me. After that I knew that attending the ULL was the right choice for me.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you think there is any similarity between your fellow students in Cyprus and those at the ULL?
EVANGELIA: Yes, there are several similarities. The most obvious of which is that both groups are interested in the same subjects and both work in more or less the same way. Perhaps more surprising is the fact that the mentality and interests of the students are very similar regardless where they come from.
ENGLISH STUDIES: In my classes your comments are often decisive and help to clarify many of the concepts developed by American fiction writers, how do you see your development in comparison with other students?
EVANGELIA: American fiction is one of my favorite subjects, so I approached this course with great interest. In fact from the regular attendance and participation of the other students I gather that they are also very interested in this area.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Have you been doing much work while at the ULL? What effect does the ULL environment have on your studies?
EVANGELIA: A substantial amount of work has been required of me here. The main focus of my work was dealing with books and preparing for class discussions as well as for class presentations. The ULL environment has had an impact on my studies since the courses were organized differently and I encountered different teaching techniques. I also feel my horizons have been broadened since I have discovered new interests by attending courses, such as Introduction to African American literature, which are not offered at my university.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Are there any special conditions or states of mind or sensations you need in order to study?
EVANGELIA: Well, I need to be in a quiet, tranquil and cool place. A good solution is going to the Central Library on the Guajara campus. The library is air-conditioned, well-organized and above all very quiet. The only "disadvantage" of the library is that it has an amazing view of the mountains surrounding La Laguna and I must admit that that can be quite distracting at times.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Going back to English studies, what are your plans for the next few years? What are the fields you are most interested in?
EVANGELIA: After I get my bachelor's degree in English literature I plan to continue my studies in the United States. I am interested in a Masters or Ph.D. in the field of postmodernist American fiction.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Have you also found some time to relax during your stay with us?
EVANGELIA: Yes, of course. I have managed to find some time to relax and enjoy the beauty of this land. I've been on several excursions which I enjoyed tremendously and I must say this has been an amazing experience that has helped me grow... in more ways than one.
In recent months Amalia has been juggling her life: Working for an airline company and writing papers for different teachers, classes, studying and, sometimes, sleeping. Amalia insists that her education is her top priority and her drive to succeed is clear: She wants to get as far as she can.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Would you describe how got started in the ULL system?
AMALIA: It was in the summer of 1998 when I decided to visit Tenerife with my family because I have always been very fond of the Spanish language and culture and I wanted to have closer contact with it. It was that same year that I received some information about the ULL from a close friend of mine who was living in Tenerife. At first, my intention was to get into the Conference Interpreting School (since I'm bilingual in English and Italian), but after a lot of thinking, I decided that the best for me would be to do Filología Inglesa.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Why don't you describe what you are doing this year? I'd like to talk about your program as a student at the ULL.
AMALIA: I must admit that this academic year has been, up to now, the most interesting one because of the many subjects that have enriched us culturally and intellectually. What is also clear is that third year students are expected to have a greater competence and critical faculty which is a stimulus to their imagination. As far as my program as a student at the ULL is concerned, I, unfortunately, cannot consider myself as a particularly active member of my year group because of the fact that I am working at the moment and I devote the time I have left to my classes. Anyway, there really aren't that many student organizations to get involved with.
ENGLISH STUDIES: How strongly are you wedded to the new technologies everybody is using now?
AMALIA: When it comes down to it I have to say that I am not too keen on them. I have a computer at home, but I have never had the chance to attend a course though I'd like to do one.
ENGLISH STUDIES: What does it take to get the ULL students moving? What is it that made you come together as a community?
AMALIA: In my opinion the ULL students do not get too much involved as a community. The only events that get them together are probably sports and cultural events at theaters and cinemas.
ENGLISH STUDIES: For you what is the secret of a good teacher? What about the intellectual and technical skills of the teachers you have? Are they at a high level?
AMALIA: I have always thought that the secret of a good teacher was to be, first of all, an outstanding person and a productive researcher, but also to be understanding and a leader in his or her field. The teachers I have met up to now have been wonderful people and real professionals, and I can't emphasize enough how indispensable this is for those involved in education. I think that this is helped out by the fact that the majority of the classes are made up of a small number of students. Consequently, they learn better and teachers feel more effective and have a greater sense of community.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you feel you are achieving your social goals? Do you get the sense that your social and human values are met by what you are doing with your studies?
AMALIA: I do feel that I have enriched my education over the years at ULL, even though I would have appreciated a longer list of optional subjects, e.g. creative writing programs. I think that a program like that could potentially offer emerging writers in fiction and poetry the shelter and the opportunity to develop their work.
Studying at the Universidad de La Laguna enabled Sonsoles to meet true mentors, and from them she received encouragement to begin a research degree. She will soon begin working on her Ph.D. dissertation. During her 8-year tenure as a high school teacher, Sonsoles has had the opportunity of evaluating what she learnt during the degree course.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Would you describe how you got interested in the ULL Graduate Studies program?
SONSOLES: Actually, it was an idea that I have had in my mind since I finished my degree in 1992. I am specially interested in acquiring a more detailed knowledge of Linguistics and after going through the list of graduate courses the Universidad de La Laguna offers, I decided to choose the ones which best suit my interests.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Talk about the ULL system for a minute...
SONSOLES: Many things have changed over the years. I remember myself being a student of Filología and attending classes in the old building up in La Laguna. It had its charm despite not being so well organized and we had to share the building with other schools. Nowadays, the new Campus in Guajara offers a lot of possibilities, not only for teachers but also for students. It has a wonderful library with books and journals in open stacks. Besides, the program of study has undergone a good many changes. For instance, it has been modified from a 5-year to a 4-year degree program. The choice of optional subjects was very limited in the past whereas now the program offers a wide range of possibilities according to the needs and interests of students. Many extracurricular courses and in-service training sessions or workshops are offered every school year for teachers and students alike.
ENGLISH STUDIES: How could that vision unfold in the future?
SONSOLES: In my view, the university is going towards the American and European models of flexibility and adaptability to the students' needs. Taking into account the fact that there are as many diverse interests as there are students are, the university offers the possibility of giving the means for students to focus on their particular research track. Besides, teachers are always open and available to guide and work in collaboration with students.
ENGLISH STUDIES: What and who have influenced you while studying with us?
SONSOLES: While I was studying my degree, I became particularly interested in Translation after a fifth year course with teachers Justine Tally and Carmen Toledano. It was an appealing field which prompted me to carry on at the Universidad de Las Palmas doing Translation and Interpreting Studies. Over the last few years, I have become interested in two other fields: The acquisition of second languages in adults and English for Specific Purposes. The fact of having been teaching adults for 7 years has given me an interesting overview and has opened new paths for me to explore.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Have you noted the importance of keeping in touch with other students, programs, university organizations...
SONSOLES: Definitely. I was an exchange student myself in 1992 with the University of Aberystwith (Wales), the very first time the Erasmus program was launched. I had always considered that being part of a foreign university program would give me the possibility of having a lot and very interesting experiences from all points of view. I have noticed that the Universidad de La Laguna has increased the number of exchanges over the last nine years. Many students are eager to go abroad not only to English speaking countries but also to places such as Poland or Greece. I find this extremely exciting.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Where do you get the motivation and means to be more involved in your Ph.D. studies?
SONSOLES: First of all, I have realized that it is not easy to work full time (as I do) and study as well. However, the flexible schedule I have encountered has helped and encouraged me to do my Graduate Courses this year. Teachers have always been ready to adapt to all the students regarding the time and the days for the classes. As far as my Ph.D. dissertation is concerned, I have started to do some research on English for Specific Purposes or VOL (Vocationally Oriented Language) through the design of courses for Emergency, Security and Rescue staff. But I'm only at the stage of tilling the soil and planting a few seeds. Let's see how they grow over time and with careful nurturing.
Each issue of English Studies, the booklet published by the Department, includes interviews with students and members of its academic staff. We reproduce them here.
After years of teaching and research, John, as he
is popularly known by students and faculty, reflects on the joys
of the academic life. Here he talks about his approach to
teaching, one in which he makes every effort to provide students
with skills and abilities that they can apply both to their
studies and future lives beyond the university
ENGLISH STUDIES: How did you become interested in English Studies?
DR. AMADOR BEDFORD: My family background is English on my mother's side and as a child I studied in an English school so English culture was part of our everyday life. As an adult I studied Drama in London and lived in England for several years so it was natural that my interest in the theatre and literature in general and the English background would drive me to English Studies once I decided, as a mature student, to start my university studies. I must say that I have never regretted the decision.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you have a preference between research and teaching?
DR. AMADOR BEDFORD: My preferences lie clearly with teaching. Having given up the theatre for a profession in the academia, I immediately found out that my experience in that field came in very handy when teaching literature, in particular when discussing texts in a seminar situation. Very often my students have commented on my lively approach in class and the connection one reaches with students whilst teaching is something that is obviously missing in research work. Unfortunately teaching is very poorly regarded within the academia, where research is all, so I find myself continually having to remind colleagues that our duty lies first and foremost with the students... without them where would we be?
ENGLISH STUDIES: What will you be teaching this Fall-Winter course?
DR. AMADOR BEDFORD: In the coming semester I will be teaching Literatura Norteamericana V which covers American drama and poetry of the twentieth century. The shortness of the semester means that it is only possible to cover those two genres up to the 70s or 80s, all the way from the beginning of the century and Modernism. The course I normally also teach, on American women poets of the twentieth century will be taken over by a colleague.
ENGLISH STUDIES: What is the focus of your research?
DR. AMADOR BEDFORD: My research covers precisely the work of American women poets, preferably of the twentieth century and I am happy to say that my dedication to the subject has given its fruits and, at present, it is a clearly defined research area in our department with some ten thesis either finished or in preparation, dozens of articles published, papers presented at conferences, lectures on the subject, a monographic issue of our Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses and some funded research projects.
ENGLISH STUDIES: How would you describe the graduate program in Literature at the ULL?
DR. AMADOR BEDFORD: I think that students have benefitted from being able to carry out their postgraduate studies under either a linguistic approach or a literary one, depending on their personal taste. This was not so a few years ago in which the number of postgraduate courses offered were not enough to give this bias in the personal choices. We now have students who are happier with the curricula and because of this, obviously, their work benefits. The literature program is in itself quite complete and I only miss a research focus on drama, a clear reflection of the fact that at present there is no research being carried out along those lines.
Born in Australia, Sally has been teaching at the
Universidad de La Laguna since 1985. She has published English
language teaching materials as well as translations and research
articles. The following interview was conducted on May 26, 2000,
in her office on the third floor of the Philology Building. Sally
still retains her soft Australian accent and a humorous tone.
Since earning her Ph.D. in English from Reading University
(England), she has served as coordinator of the Linguistics
program, while researching on world Englishes and academic
discourse.
ENGLISH STUDIES: When did you join the Department?
DR. BURGESS: At the end of 1985. I always think of this as "my big break." I had been teaching English as a foreign language, for about six years, first in the UK and then here. I had a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Melbourne (in History and Indian Studies) and two English Language Teaching qualifications (the RSA CTEFLA and Diploma). I also had experience of educational administration. Before leaving Melbourne, I had worked for the Council of Adult Education and then in the Science School at the University of Melbourne. A job came up here in the Department and I suppose those who interviewed me thought that I had the right background and experience. Anyway, I got the job.
ENGLISH STUDIES: You must have seen considerable changes since 1985?
DR. BURGESS: Of course. Especially with regard to what is now termed the English Language and Linguistics Unit. Back in the mid-eighties there were fewer members of staff who were involved in teaching in these areas and even fewer whose research interests lay in Language and Linguistics. The Department was already very strong on Literary and Cultural Studies, Medieval Studies and Historical Linguistics as well as the Methodology of English Language Teaching and Phonetics, but at that time we offered far fewer Language and Linguistics courses than we do today. Our traditional areas of strength continue as such, but what has changed is that there is a much greater emphasis on language analysis now. We have sentence and text analysis components in English Language courses in the first cycle and compulsory grammatical theory courses in the second cycle, so students finish the degree with a full range of analytical skills and a good grasp of the various theories "out there." In addition, there's a very wide range of optional courses offered by members of our unit.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Talking of research interests, where do your main research interests lie?
DR. BURGESS: One of my main problems is that I am interested in too many things! I did my MA and Ph.D. at the Centre for Applied Language Studies at the University of Reading in the UK and I'm still fascinated by a number of issues I first encountered while studying there. Quite early on, I became interested in the teaching of reading and especially in the role of cognitive schemata in reading comprehension. This was the topic of my MA dissertation. That in turn led me to an interest in cross-cultural discourse analysis and particularly differences in discourse conventions across language, cultural and disciplinary boundaries in academic writing. I began to specialise more and more in this area and it was the topic of my Ph.D. thesis. I still do research on academic discourse but I've also maintained and interest in discourse analysis in the more general sense of the term, especially Critical Discourse Analysis.
ENGLISH STUDIES: So, do you teach a Discourse Analysis course?
DR. BURGESS: No, I don't -- or at least not at the moment. Something that I have found very gratifying is that a number of my colleagues in the Unit have also become interested in Discourse Analysis. We participate in the interdepartmental doctoral programme on DA and there will, in the future, be second-cycle optional courses in this area. There is also a lot of excellent teaching done in our two second-year optional Text Linguistics courses on text analysis and on reading and writing skills. I try to build on this in my Laboratory Practice course, part of which I devote to academic writing skills. Apart from that course, I also teach an optional subject called Varieties of English.
ENGLISH STUDIES: I gather this is quite a popular course?
DR. BURGESS: Well, it certainly has been over the last two or three years. It attracts both students who have chosen to specialise in Literature and those whose interests lie in Linguistics. I really enjoy teaching this course and learn a lot from it every year! It takes me into new areas such as quantitative sociolinguistics and the politics of English as an International English, which I find fascinating and which have benefits for my research work. It's also great to be teaching a course like this here in Tenerife because students have access to speakers of many varieties of English. One of the tasks they do for the course is to make a recording with an English speaker. Through listening to these recordings I've come to realise what a rich resource this environment represents and I've been able to add to my collection of tapes for use in the Language Laboratory, a facility I use a lot in both the courses I teach.
ENGLISH STUDIES: You started your career here as a language teacher. How do you consider yourself today?
DR. BURGESS: As a language teacher! I am still very interested in the learning and teaching of languages --and not just English, I should emphasise! I began writing English language teaching materials in the mid-eighties and I still do today. With Richard Acklam I am the co-author of First Certificate Gold and Advanced Gold, both published by Addison Wesley Longman and we also did a CD-Rom together. I'm also very interested in classroom learning and am a member of the European Association for Learning and Instruction. But there are of course many others members of my Unit who share my interests. I think this makes our approach to classroom management rather different from that of teachers in some other university contexts. We are lucky to have relatively small groups of students nowadays and we can run our classes as seminars or workshops rather than heavily teacher-fronted lectures. Even in what are designated theory classes on our timetable, many of us include tasks for pair and group work and student presentations so that the focus is not always the teacher.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Is teaching still one of the main career options for our graduates?
DR. BURGESS: Yes, it is though unfortunately demographic factors are gradually going to make teaching less and less accessible. Many of our students are aware of this. Something I haven't mentioned is our program of exchanges with other European universities. Among the many benefits of these exchanges is the opportunity for our students to learn a third or fourth European language. Having several languages up your sleeve opens up a wider range of career options, one of which is translating and interpreting, another major area of interest in our Unit and indeed in the ULL as a whole (there is a Masters degree and a post-graduate diploma in conference interpreting). I meet ex-students in all kinds of professional contexts apart from teaching English in the secondary system. Several teach Spanish as a foreign language in other countries. In fact, as I write there is a graduate from the Spanish department here teaching Spanish at my "alma mater," the University of Melbourne. I think that's great!
Athena came to the Universidad de La Laguna under the auspices of the Socrates-Erasmus program. She is patient and open to questions about her experiences here. As evidenced by her own answers she seems to enjoy Tenerife. She is an eager student and speaks as if everything is full of adventure, her eyes shining with curiosity.
ENGLISH STUDIES: You come from Cyprus. What were the prerequisites to apply for an Erasmus grant?
ATHENA: Usually the students who are preferred to attend the "Erasmus" program are those of the third year and what is taken into consideration is: 1) the mark of the student which has to be over 7.5-8/10; 2) his/her interest to learn the language of the country where (s)he will go; 3) the student's interest in the development of the European culture.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Were you encouraged to complete your career in another country during the undergraduate years? What is your experience of studying abroad?
ATHENA: Yes, I was encouraged to complete my career abroad mainly by my friends who have the opportunity to have this experience by studying in other countries outside Cyprus. They told me that the experience you gain from studying abroad is very useful for the development of your personality and for the enrichment of your knowledge. Indeed through my stay in Tenerife I have learned how to take my own responsibilities and has made me see life with a different perspective. By my studying in the Universidad de La Laguna I have seen a different way of functioning, I have gained new ideas of organization and education that I can now transmit to my own country and I believe that is one of the biggest advantages of studying abroad. In addition I have met a new culture a different way of thinking and I have learned a great deal of that.
ENGLISH STUDIES: How would you describe your academic experience at the Universidad de La Laguna?
ATHENA: My academic experience in the Universidad de La Laguna has been nothing but fruitful. I had the opportunity to take classes that are not offered in my own university which have been very interesting and also have enriched my studies even more. Both students and teacher have been very helpful and friendly and that made my stay here even more enjoyable. The syllabus is very well organized, the professors are always prepared to give their lectures and students are encouraged to talk in the classroom and to ask questions if they have doubts. The level of the Universidad de La Laguna gives its students the opportunity of continuing their post-graduate studies either in the university itself or in other universities abroad.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you prefer classes devoted to discussion or lectures given by the teacher?
ATHENA: Personally I prefer classes devoted to discussion because in this way students are encouraged to talk, to express their opinions and ideas. The interaction involved in discussion classes can be very useful to students because it develops their way of thinking, leads them to be responsible and also enriches their vocabulary and their oral skills.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Has your academic experience enlarged your humanistic formation?
ATHENA: Yes, my academic experience has enlarged my humanistic formation. The research and the studying in a department like that of English Literature has enlarged my knowledge in many ways and on several topics in the area of Literature as well as in the area of Linguistics. Especially in the Universidad de La Laguna where I had the chance to attend to classes that do not exist in my university like Cultural Studies and my humanistic formation has been enlarged even more.
ENGLISH STUDIES: You are a well-prepared student, will you pursue an academic career after graduation?
ATHENA: Yes, I would definitely pursue an academic career after graduation although I have not yet decided on the topic. I believe that the more you study the more you enrich your knowledge and the more you develop and fulfill your personality and intellectuality.
I think Antonio's preference is for living life with a passion. His student years have brought him into contact with many people, a fact he considers valuable. He answers without hesitation, striving to hold my attention by any means. Antonio intermingles observations about what he likes about both the university and the city of La Laguna.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Why did you come to be enrolled in our university?
ANTONIO: Because I was really interested in English language, culture and literature, and I had good references of this university (and particularly of this faculty) from a close relative of mine.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Have you been living on or off-campus?
ANTONIO: My parents' house is very near the campus, so I have been able to stay with them the whole degree through. However, some Erasmus classmates have told me about their experiences living on campus as something very positive.
ENGLISH STUDIES: How are you encouraged to identify your abilities and interests in class?
ANTONIO: I think that many of the teachers within the Departmento de Filología Inglesa y Alemana, tend to encourage us to class-participation through interesting debates and seminars, in which we have the chance to express our own points of view, likes and dislikes, in reference to the texts or topics dealt with. We feel as if we have our own voice.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you usually attend lectures given by visiting scholars?
ANTONIO: Whenever my schedule allows me, I do. I must also add that most teachers recommend us to attend lectures (especially, those dealing with their subject matters), and that some even lend us their class-time for that purpose. I think that it is very important that teachers promote this kind of events, and in the case of my Department, most of the teachers do.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Have you found that faculty and staff of our Department provide extensive advising on academic programs?
ANTONIO: Well, at least any time I had a problem, they have helped me. Most teachers are available in their tutorial hours, and my personal experience is that they don't mind your asking them questions related to the academic program. I should also applaud the way co-ordination of exchange programs (especially the Erasmus program) is developed by most of the teachers in charge. They give you all the information, facilities and support you need.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you wish to continue your education in graduate or professional school?
ANTONIO: Nowadays I don't discard any of the two possibilities, and I even have two other alternatives in mind, not included in the field of English studies.
Carolina resides in La Laguna but meets me at the door of my office. She is dressed in blue jeans and sandals. She is a talented student and tries to make her university years as productive as possible. As Carolina talks, one subject leads to another but her emphasis is always focused on the possibilities that reading and writing offer her.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Was your high school educational training sufficient for pursuing your studies effectively at the Universidad de La Laguna?
CAROLINA: I would say that in the Spanish educational system, there is still a remarkable gap to be filled, between high school and university studies. I was always attracted by literary studies, so that, I tried to cover the deficiencies by attending to evening classes. Moreover, I worked in England for a year, which gave me a better command and understanding of its language and culture.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you prefer linguistics or literary studies?
CAROLINA: I am very fond of literary studies, although the degree presents itself as a compendium of both. During the first three years, they are the two sides of a coin but once you reach the last year, you can deepen in either literature or linguistics. Although they are two different fields, there are points where they can converge.
ENGLISH STUDIES: I am wondering whether you have found the readings assigned during the courses fruitful for you...
CAROLINA: Every reading is a new experience. Some are more accessible than others, but all of them are the product of somebody's capacity to create and communicate. Literary texts convey culture, ideas, thoughts, meanings, particular visions of the world. Furthermore, they almost ought their own survival to the reader because there is always someone willing to enter their world.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you regularly attend tutorial hours?
CAROLINA: I wish I had more time to do so. Tutorial hours are vital for the teaching-learning process. Without the appropriate guide, this process would fail. Therefore, teachers are a valuable part of the system, since they can communicate you their experience and show you the ways you may take. We should all be given the opportunity to grow by their side.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Have you developed common activities with other student along these years?
CAROLINA: Every year the Department organizes different courses on diverse subjects. We have enjoyed a few literary courses, lectures, seminars and congresses although I hope to dedicate them more time once I complete the degree.
ENGLISH STUDIES: How would you describe our faculty?
CAROLINA: Faculty constitutes a community characterized by diversity. It is never a homogeneous group because it extends itself in many directions. Generally speaking, they are highly qualified but I cannot help but feeling myself closer to the American literature section, which is also the one I know best. It is like a small universe with young stars which shine on their own and as a group. They have reached distant goals and they will get even further. When I look at them, it is difficult to chose among all the possibilities they are researching into: Women studies, twentieth-century poetry, African-American studies, modern American fiction...
Some of the courses Ada has taken this year are concerned with the exploration of topics and formal techniques in recent African-American literature. Ada welcomes my questions and speaks about the Universidad de La Laguna as a competitive university but one that at the same time is a caring environment where students are made to feel very much at home.
ENGLISH STUDIES: How do you see the range of literatures covered within the graduate program in our Departmento de Filología Inglesa y Alemana?
ADA: I consider that our Department offers a diverse variety within the range of literatures covered. Once you reach graduate studies you are able to decide what course to take between literature, history and culture, and linguistics. And it is within the literature option that I am involved. Apart from the traditional classical periods of literature and relevant writers that we all know, you can find re-discovered authors, and also works written in English in different English-speaking countries or by minorities within these countries. This way there is a special interest on the multicultural possibilities of literature, and you can find Canadian literature mosaic, or American melting pot. At the Universidad de La Laguna you also have the opportunity of assisting to an annual Conference organized by the Center of Canadian Studies, which brings important scholars from Canada and abroad. As a graduate student you also have the opportunity of participating, and sharing your research with the rest of the community which offers for most of us our first reading of a paper.
ENGLISH STUDIES: The diversity of our graduate studies is one of our strongest features. Did you find flexibility in designing your own education?
ADA: The Department offers a great variety of subjects that show the flexibility of the program. Within the option of literature I found interesting courses ranging from Post-colonial, Women Studies, African-American, Canadian literature, autobiography, humor, etc. Though I am particularly interested in African-American women writing I consider of great value having a strong knowledge on all the different theories and approaches to literature, for all of these and more can be applied to anything if contemplated globally. I have been very excited at having such variety and the way I was able to chose and structure my academic year.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you think our graduate program provides the opportunity to focus on particular areas in depth?
ADA: Yes, I think so. Whatever your interest you will always find a teacher who will advise you and lead you the right way. I always learn a lot from the suggestions of the faculty, how they show us the texts and try to encourage us to increase our knowledge and find interesting topics for our future research. The selection of these courses show the diversity of possibilities that English offers for us, and they concentrate on specific areas that can be very useful at any moment of our careers.
ENGLISH STUDIES: How about your level of preparation?
ADA: I think that the education I have received from this university has helped me very much, especially to find my own place. Occasional lectures by important visiting professors, writers or poets, have been very important for our education and integration in the academic world. Last year, while still undergraduate, I participated in the Socrates-Erasmus exchange and I had the opportunity of studying at another university in Europe. From that experience I learned that I was prepared to be at the same level with any other European or American university for the quality and diversity of the education offered. I may also add that I have had the opportunity of attending some Conferences abroad and from that contact I have learned many things about myself and our university education. For this reason, I think I have been appropriately encouraged by our Department to improve and to continue my research and to appreciate the preparation it has given me.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you see some formal restrictions in our courses?
ADA: On the contrary, I found a great flexibility at the time of choosing the courses and deciding the assignments for each of them. The only restrictions I find is the access to books, as many non-English-speaking countries might have. Our library is very extensive and shows the various interests of the faculty of the Department, but you are limited to that since the location of the island is not so accessible as any other place in Europe, though Internet has helped solve that at a great degree.
ENGLISH STUDIES: Do you expect to get honors at graduation?
ADA: I hope to do well at graduation. I think I have worked hard, trying to participate actively at class, interacting with the rest of the graduate students and the teachers. I hope my participation has showed my progress in each of the courses and the things I have learned from everyone. I personally don't consider grades so important as the amount of things you learn, I am aware that sometimes one is incapable of expressing oneself and the knowledge one possesses, but it is enough for me to have the opportunity of dialogue and mutual respect from the rest of the community. I wish I can apply all I have learned here, in the future, and represent the Universidad de La Laguna the best I can.
Manuel Augusto Hernández Hernández
María de la Cruz Expósito González
Panayiota Christou and Maria Hadjigeorgiou