Crista Cornelius, MA

Instructor of Modern Languages and TESOL

Email: ccornelius@briercrest.ca

Department of Arts and Science

Education

BA Bryan College, 1990
MA University of Tennessee, 1992
Language Learning Advisors Course (80 hours),
World Language Acquisition Centre International, 2007
Trainers of Language Learning Advisors Course (100 hours),
World Language Acquisition Centres International, 2008

Areas of Specialization

English Language Teaching, Mandarin Chinese, Second Language Acquisition

Biography

Crista has been with the English Language Institute/China since 1993. During her first two years of service, she taught scientific writing, oral English for professional presentations, and British literature to graduate students at the University of Science and Technology in Hefei, which is one of China's top scientific research institutions.

From 1995 to 1997, she studied Mandarin Chinese at ELIC's Chinese Language Program in Changchun, China. In 1998, she was appointed the Director of ELIC's Chinese Language Program and served in this capacity until 2008. During that time, she taught Chinese, developed Chinese curriculum, trained and advised Chinese language learners and teachers, and provided administrative direction to the Chinese Language Program.

Crista's Chinese oral proficiency has been rated Superior according to the standards of the Amercan Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). She has also completed 180 hours of training in the use of the Growing Participator Approach, which seeks to integrate the cognitive, socio-cultural, and redemptive dimensions of language learning.

In her spare time, Crista enjoys hiking, biking, reading, and spending time with friends. She also enjoys travelling and is looking forward to seeing more of Canada and the American northwest.

Research Interests

  • Language acquisition in non-instructed settings
  • Comprehension-led language learning
  • The sociocultural dimension of language learning
  • The Growing Participator Approach

Notable Publications

  • "Finding the Middle Way: Teaching North American Students in a Chinese Classroom." Paper presented at the sixth International Conference on Chinese Language Pedagogy and the First International Conference on Teaching Chinese to American Students. Nanjing, People's Republic of China, August 2007.

Memberships and Affiliations

English Language Institute/China