Some people are fortunate enough to have the perfect job. A brief look at my life and interests makes it clear that I'm one of those people. Teaching English to speakers of other languages is just right for me because I love to teach, I love to learn other languages and about other cultures, and I love to travel.

My love of teaching began in my early years in southeastern Michigan. Although I was born in Indiana, I consider myself a native of Michigan having lived most of my life here. I completed my early education in Pontiac, Michigan where my educational experience convinced me that I wanted to teach. I attended Michigan State University and received my teaching certificate and my bachelor's degree there. After that, I began teaching mathematics in a small town junior high school. I taught secondary mathematics for sixteen years both in the U.S. and in Germany. By that time, I had acquired a master's degree in education but felt the need to return to M.S.U. to study linguistics. When I left M.S.U. this time, I got a job teaching English as a Second Language for Indiana University in Malaysia. Before coming to Western Michigan University, I spent two years teaching at Lansing Community College. In each of these positions, I have felt the challenge of working with motivated students most rewarding.

My love of language learning also began in Pontiac. I studied French in high school and university. I began traveling soon after I started to work in the teaching profession. It is natural for the love of learning a language and for the joy of travel to work in this field. While I was still teaching mathematics, I worked together for six years in Germany. Here, it became evident that I had some talent as a language learner. I studied German informally while I was there and formally, upon my return to the United States. Since that time, I have studied Spanish and Chinese and have a passing acquaintance with Malay and Thai. For me, learning a language is not just important for it's own sake but it is a key that opens the door to more learning: learning about new people and new cultures.

Although I have had experience with teaching in many areas of E.S.L., I feel my strengths are in teaching writing and sentence structure. I am also well-versed in phonology and know a lot about the kinds of problems students have correcting their pronunciation. I would be happy to answer any questions prospective students might have on these and any other topics. I can also help you with questions about our program here at CELCIS, about W.M.U. or about Kalamazoo.

My e-mail address is boyd@wmich.edu and our fax number is (269) 387-4806 We are looking forward to hearing from you.