ELI Interactions — July 2026
ELI Interactions - JULY 2026
Greetings from the ELI!
Summer is when the transition between the past and future academic years is obvious! Campus is quieter and our student population is different. Regardless of the time of year, structured language learning always happens in our classrooms, whereas authentic and spontaneous language learning happens beyond the classroom and textbooks.
In this issue of Interactions, you’ll learn about how ELI brings English to life beyond the English language classroom and how ELI programming has global impact.
ELI students toured UD’s professional theater and attended the Broadway tour of Beauty and the Beast as part of their English through Drama class.
ELI conducts extensive teacher training both in person and online. Enjoy the article Teaching International Teachers from 18 different countries who got to explore the American education system from classroom to state-wide policies as well as some of the other teacher training projects we’re working on.
Each interaction makes the world a better place because we are humanizing each other and building relationships.
Read below to help celebrate the ELI's accomplishments and those of our students.
Enjoy July!
Cheryl Ernst
Director, English Language Institute
University of Delaware
The Latest News at the ELI
From a field trip to Philadelphia to see Beauty and the Beast to hosting international teachers from 22 countries, ELI students, faculty and staff enjoyed a vibrant spring. Check out some highlights below.
Supporting students and educators around the world
As we transition into the 2026-27 academic year, the ELI continues to expand its global impact. Faculty and staff are leading innovative online learning initiatives for the U.S. Department of State, developing new programs for Fulbright scholars, and celebrating the continued success of international dual-degree partnerships. Read on to learn about how we are making a difference in the lives of students and educators around the world.
The ELI was selected to design a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) for the U.S. Department of State's OPEN program to help graduate students, faculty and scholars improve their writing skills in order to publish their research in English. When the course is launched in January 2027, thousands of scholars around the world will learn about the genres, language and conventions of English academic writing from course designers Adil Bentahar, associate professor at the ELI, and Nigel Caplan, professor at the ELI.
The ELI is designing a new online course for over 300 Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants, who will be spending the next year teaching their home languages at universities across the U.S. The course is being created by the ELI's Kenneth Hyde, who coordinates the university-wide International Teaching Assistants program at UD, and academic development specialist, Ana Kim. Participants will watch videos about campus life, participate in panel discussions with current and former Fulbright award recipients, and develop a portfolio of lessons they can use on their destination campuses.
In 2025, the ELI's Amy Vazquez, Terri Goode and Nigel Caplan designed a Global Online Course for the U.S. Department of State's OPEN program introducing EFL teachers worldwide to contemporary English language teaching methods. Since then, 450 educators from dozens of countries have participated, with at least 14 more sections planned for 2026-27. Now, the team is converting the course into a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), which will be opened to thousands of educators around the globe in late 2026.
Since 2019, UD has operated a dual-degree program for MA TESL students in cooperation with Hunan Normal University in Changsha, China. The ELI plays an integral role in the dual-degree program: ELI faculty members assistant professors Scott Partridge and Lindsei Pereira da Silva teach courses on the HNU campus in the fall; students take a special ELI course on graduate reading and writing skills with assistant professors Scott Partridge and Phil Rice in the Spring; and ELI provides practicum placements for all MA TESL students. In May of this year, graduate program director and ELI professor, Nigel Caplan, congratulated the 6th HNU cohort along with 7 other graduating students at the College of Education and Human Development's Convocation ceremony.
How does our faculty impact the EFL field?
At the ELI, our faculty and educators are constantly learning, researching, publishing and presenting to stay on top of their game in the field and to ensure that we provide the most comprehensive education for our students. Check out what they've been working on this spring.
Learn firsthand how students are enjoying the ELI
Do you wonder what it would be like to attend the ELI? Learn firsthand through testimonials of current students from diverse countries around the world. They reflect on their experience and share advice for future students coming to the U.S. to study.
Congratulations to our ELI alumni, who graduated from the University of Delaware in the Class of 2026!
Many of our alumni go on to complete graduate or undergraduate studies at UD, where students are not only challenged academically, but have countless opportunities to grow outside of the classroom. Our alumni embrace these opportunities by stepping into leadership positions, conducting research, joining internships and more. Check out some of the ways in which these ELI alumni and Class of 2026 graduates made the most of their time on campus.
Scott Stevens ELI Student Support Fund
The ELI has established the Scott Stevens ELI Student Support Fund to honor retired ELI director Scott Stevens’ service and vision of welcoming students from around the world into the ELI.
Your contributions will help us provide financial gifts that will be used for both educational costs for ELI programs as well as Student Life events. We know when students complete their programs at the ELI, it is the experiences that they remember with a sense of accomplishment and belonging. As we strive to expand and enhance our offerings, we invite you to continue your support, playing a pivotal role in the success of our students.
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