Advanced Filipino Abroad Program
De La Salle University, Manila and De La Salle University, Dasmarinas
Administered by the
Center for Southeast Asian Studies,
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Immersion
The summer program at De La Salle University is designed to provide American teachers and students with the opportunity to learn the Filipino language (Tagalog) in a Philippine setting, through a unique short-term immersion program. Unlike the typical and conventional travel abroad programs, it focuses on advanced-level language acquisition and consists of a structured academic program of four hours every morning and from two to three hours of task-based language use in the afternoon. The latter activity provides the participants maximum exposure to native speakers outside the classroom. It is this combination of structured and unstructured learning environments that is difficult to duplicate in the student's home institution.
Students' evaluations of this program reveal extremely positive feedback. Their overall response spoke highly about their maximum exposure to Philippine language and culture. They attribute significant gains in achieving higher proficiency in Tagalog to this aspect of the program. it is a level of proficiency in Filipino which existing programs in the United States are not able to achieve. This experience not only adds immeasurably to their language competence, it develops greater awareness and sensitivity about another culture, and possibly of their own.
Goals
This program has five primary goals:
- To provide intensive and specialized instruction in Filipino (Tagalog) for advanced students and teachers of Filipino and Philippine studies within its natural, cultural, and social context. It will enable participants from a variety of American institutions and different disciplines to supplement their previous training in Filipino and to attain a high level of language competence within a relatively short period of time.
- To promote cooperation between the United States and the Philippines and stimulate discussions among scholars from these countries.
- To provide in-country experience and preparation which will enable the participants to deal with cross-cultural stress in the Philippine society and to develop the social skills necessary for life in the Philippine society before they go into the field.
- To allow potential researchers an opportunity to see their chosen area first hand, and to select appropriate research sites and introductory contacts.
- To provide and test a body of pedagogical materials for intensive language study abroad programs and field test proficiency examinations in Filipino.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to participate in AFA you must:
- Have two years, or the equivalent, of formal training in Filipino (Tagalog), although a higher proficiency level is preferred. Native and near native speakers should not apply.
- Be one of the following
- a citizen or national of the United States or
- a permanent resident of the United States or
- a resident of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands or
- someone who can provide evidence from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) that they intend to become a permanent resident
- Be one of the following
- a graduate student, junior or senior in an institution of higher education who plans a teaching career in modern foreign languages or area studies, or
- a faculty member who teaches modern foreign languages or area studies in an institution of higher education, or
- a teacher in an elementary or secondary school, or
- an experienced education administrator responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs in modern foreign languages or area studies at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary level.
- Attest to your ability to participate in program activities and to provide evidence of current health insurance prior to departure from the United States.
Cost
There is a program fee, but each applicant who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident may apply for a fellowship in partial support of travel, tuition, program fees, and basic housing costs. Other applicants may be accepted, but are not eligible for Federal support and must pay their own costs.
College Credit
It may be possible to obtain College credit for the program via the UH Outreach College. Please contact Prof. Teresita Ramos via email or at the address below for further details.
To Apply
Applicants must:
- Submit a completed application form (see below).
- Submit a Personal Statement outlining academic and/or career goals, indicating how participation in the program will help to achieve those goals.
- Submit a one-page statement hand written in Filipino concerning your reasons for wishing to participate in the AFA Program and the benefits you expect to derive from it.
- Submit official transcripts of all college and/or university training undertaken to date.
- Submit three (3) letters of reference:
-- 2 from individuals who can comment on your academic ability and ability to adapt to the Philippines, and
-- 1 from a current or former teacher of Filipino who can comment on your skill as a student of Filipino.
- Submit copies of any Filipino proficiency assessments that you may have completed.
- Participate in an oral interview in Filipino. The interview, which will be recorded and retained for future reference, will normally be conducted by telephone by a member of the Filipino Language Program faculty. Arrangements for the interview will be made after a preliminary review of all applications has been completed.
In preparing the Personal Statement, applicants who have lived and worked in the Philippines previously should discuss their experience there, and indicate how they plan to incorporate that experience in their future studies. Those with extensive prior study of Filipino and/or experience in the Philippines should indicate why additional training is now necessary.
The selection committee gives careful attention to the Personal Statement. A full discussion of all points is essential for a successful application.
You may apply online, you may download a form in in either Microsoft Word .doc or .rtf format to be filled out and mailed in, or you may request a forms from the Center at the address below. If you apply online, you may choose whether to include your Personal Statement (no. 4 above) or to mail it together with the statement in Filipino (no. 5 above).
Why apply online? It opens a file at CSEAS and helps us track your application process.
Application deadline: January 31, 2005
This program is contingent on U.S. Department of Education funding.
Send application materials to:
Teresita V. Ramos, Director
Advanced Filipino Abroad
Hawaiian & Indo-Pacific Languages
2540 Maile Way, Spalding Hall 255
University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Honolulu, HI 96822
Phone: (808) 956-8933
Fax: (808) 956-5978
The Advanced Filipino Abroad Program (AFAP) is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program and administered by the University of Hawaii Center for Southeast Asian Studies.
The AFAP was first funded in the summer of 1991. It was funded again in 1993 for 3 summers, again in 1996, and again in 1999 for 3 summers.
A consortium of seven universities supports this program: Cornell University; University of Hawaii; University of Michigan; Northern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin at Madison; University of California at Berkeley; and University of Washington. They contribute consortium fees, participate in the selection of participants, and their Tagalog faculty act as co-directors for the project.
