Dennis Lee Woodson MS
Roanoke, Virginia USA
Personal Statement
My wife, 21 year-old daughter, and I have lived in Roanoke, Virginia, for nine years now. We moved here from Taiwan where I taught English for five years at Chinese Culture University in Taipei. Guess what? – we all speak Chinese! I’m a licensed ESL (English as a Second Language) and biology teacher in the state of Virginia, and taught ESL for 3 years with Roanoke City Schools. I like to hunt game animals during the fall and winter, and snakes in the spring and summer. Another of my hobbies is growing trees on our four-acre property in the country. My wife is Singaporean, and we really enjoy fishing using our bass boat. We both enjoy teaching English because we know the challenges of learning a second language, so find it fulfilling to help ESL learners become more capable and confident in their use of this worldwide language.
Resume
Present Situation
Online instructor with Liberty University Online Academy and part-time GED & ESL instructor with Salem City (VA) Schools.
Post-Secondary Education
- B.S. in Biological Sciences, Auburn University, 1972 Graduated cum laude
- M.S. in Wildlife Management, Virginia Tech, 1975
- Completed a teacher certification program at the University of Georgia in June of 1998. Earned certification as a biology and K-12 ESL teacher in Virginia
Relevant Work Experience
- Sept. ’13 – present: Part-time GED & ESL instructor with Salem City Schools
- Sept. ’10 – present: Online instructor with Liberty University Online Academy
- May ’11 – Feb., ’12: Adjunct ESL instructor with National College
- Feb., ’12 – April ‘12: Adjunct ESL instructor with Workforce Development at Virginia Western Community College. Left because VWCC closed the program.
- Aug. ’09 – Feb. ’10: full-time 6th & 7th grade English and science teacher with Parkway Christian Academy in Roanoke, VA (resigned because of need to care for my widowed mother after my father’s passing)
- Full-time ELL (English Language Learners) teacher with Roanoke City Public Schools – Aug., ’06 – June, ‘09
- Full-time EFL (English as a Foreign Language) instructor in the Language Center at Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan Sept. 2001-June 2006
- Full-time ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia from June, 1999 – May, 2001
Skills
- Online course management
- Office management and accounting
- Written and oral communication, and presentation
- Classroom management and field training
- Evaluation and testing experience with adult learners
- Computer literacy – internet, word processing, spreadsheet, Blackboard, Smartboard
Memberships in Organizations
- Roanoke Valley Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist program
- Virginia Herpetological Society
- Tri-County Forestry and Wildlife Association – Treasurer
Foreign Language
Intermediate-level conversation and reading ability in Mandarin Chinese.
Publications
- (from my & E.T. Reed’s masters degree research work) – Woodson, D.L., E.T. Reed, R.L. Downing, and B.S. McGinnes. 1980. Effect of fall orphaning on white-tailed deer fawns and yearlings. Journal of Wildlife Management 44: 249-252.
- Dennis Woodson. May 2003. “What Did The Teacher Say?” Evaluating Student Listening Skills. Hwa Kang Journal of TEFL, Number 9, pp. 61-78. Language Center, Chinese Culture University, YangMingShan, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Reference letter from Chinese Culture University, 文化大学, 阳 明 山, Taipei, Taiwan
Dennis Woodson was a full-time English instructor in the Language Center of our university from September of 2001 to June of 2006. His classes, which focused primarily on improving students’ listening and speaking skills, included both English major students and those from other disciplines. He enriched his students’ understanding and appreciation of American language and culture by use of authentic multi-media materials such as video clips, songs, and pictures. In addition, he found that engaging students in interesting web-based projects, and lively speech or skit productions enhanced both their learning and production of English. He consistently received favorable evaluations from the students he taught. His Mandarin ability came in handy when necessary to introduce and explain unfamiliar concepts, so students could quickly and correctly comprehend what they were being taught. Dennis’ Chinese language ability also enabled him to relate effectively with faculty and staff in our school who aren’t so confident in English.
Dennis’ record of service at Chinese Culture University included helping judge annual contests such as speech and skit competitions, serving as class advisor to English major students, conducting weekly “chat-time” sessions, research publication and presentation, and revision of English documents for university professors. He also actively supported the various art departments in our university by attending and inviting friends to concerts, and dance and drama performances.
Dennis kept up to date with trends and methodology in English language teaching by consistently attending the English Language Teachers’ Conference held every November here in Taipei. He also attended workshops conducted by major book publishers and educational agencies. His rapport with other teachers in our Language Center was good, and this facilitated regular exchange of ideas and techniques.
Dennis is definitely able to “Contribute to a knowledge and understanding of other cultures and of international events”, as he served as a missionary in the islands of Micronesia, and lived and worked in Singapore, mainland China, and Taiwan. Altogether, he lived outside the United States for twenty one and a half years. He devoted two years to full-time study of Mandarin Chinese, and used it after that for seven and a half years in Singapore and Taiwan. His proficiency in conversational Chinese has enabled him to identify with Chinese people and gain their respect when they realize he’s been committed to learn their challenging language.
Mrs. Teresa L. Wu, Director
Language Center, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan
Jan. 21, 2011