As one of the founders of CELCIS, I would like to invite you to learn about my background and what I can offer you as part of the CELCIS instructional team. Early in 1975, a group of instructors began meeting to plan the curriculum for CELCIS, which was to begin formal classes in September 1975. Our goal from that point on has been to offer quality English language instruction to assist non-native speakers from all over the world in learning English for both higher education and work-related goals.

My interest in other countries and their languages developed as a young boy through stamp collecting. This interest was continued in the United States Air Force when I was sent to an intensive language training school at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. I studied Bulgarian for nine months. After further training I was sent to Germany where I was to remain for three years. While in Germany, I studied German. After a year in Zimbabwe, I returned to the United States to continue my education. I studied Swahili as a part of my first Master's degree in African Studies. By 1975, CELCIS began and I was interested in Arabic as many of our students at that time were from Arab countries, so I studied Arabic. As time passed, our students began coming from other countries. By around 1990, we were getting many students from Japan, and so I studied Japanese. I continue to be interested in learning more about the many countries and language families from which our students come.

My teaching philosophy is multi-faceted. It is based on communicative competence with emphasis on real world usage. I focus on the ability to communicate using approaches which would be typical in the United States and in colleges and universities here. I draw on life experiences and my own special interests in traveling, automobiles, and languages. Communication skills cover the broad spectrum of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, with an underlying focus on fluency and accuracy. Fine tuning of grammatical points and idiomatic English comes through time as the student's language skills develop. The ultimate goal is for students to become comfortable with what they learn and to be able to function both as a student and an individual in American society.

I welcome you to interact with me pertaining to any and all of the information which I have presented here, via e-mail: salisbury@wmich.edu. I look forward to the possibility of being part of the team which will help you achieve your personal and educational goals beginning with CELCIS.