JoAnn Armistead MA

Dennis Lee Woodson, MS

Personal Statement

My wife, 27 year-old daughter and I have lived in Roanoke, Virginia since 2006. We moved here from Taiwan where I taught English for five years at Chinese Culture University in Taipei. 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 deer 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

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 biology and K-12 ESL teacher in Virginia

Relevant Work Experience

  • Jan. ’15 – present: Part-time English instructor with DreyerCoaching.com
  • Sept. ’13 – present: Part-time GED & ESL instructor with Salem City Schools
  • Sept. ’10 – spring ‘15: 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. 
  • 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)
  • Aug., ’06 – June, ’09: Full-time ELL (English Language Learners) teacher with Roanoke City Public Schools
  • Sept. 2001-June 2006: Full-time EFL (English as a Foreign Language) instructor in the Language Center at Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan  
  • June, 1999 – May, 2001: Full-time ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia from  

Memberships in Organizations

  • Virginia Herpetological Society
  • Virginia Deer Hunters Association
  • The National Rifle Association 

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,   , 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

Testimonials

您好。去年我在德雷尔网络语言学校(DreyerCoaching.com)学英语,对我的英文有很大的帮助。并且是安全又省时,不出门就可以学到标准的当地英文,让我很容易就能和外国人交谈。之前我在台湾学校,中国英文老师的发音不正确,使我很烦恼。自从在网络学习后,让我很轻松地上英文课。Hello. Last year I learned English with the DreyerCoaching.com online school, and it helped my English very much. Plus it is safe and it saves time, because you don't have to leave home to learn standard local English, so this makes it easy to talk to foreigners. I used to study in Taiwan schools, and the Chinese teachers who taught English had inaccurate pronunciation, and that really bothered me. Ever since I learned online, I have been very relaxed in my English classes.

Student From Taiwan

 剛開始, 英文,對我而言, 是種恐懼,我不想去學習, 也不太想去面對,更不用提去國外讀書了,當時的我對語言這方面非常不感興趣且排斥.但後來接觸了以後,發現自己對英文已不再是陌生討厭,反而變得有興趣了,英文现在對我來說是種喜悅.三年前剛升國一的我,英文成績不是很理想,而在偶然的機會下,與姐姐一同前往加拿大遊學一個月,剛開始的時候,都不敢跟外國人講話,很羨慕姐姐不害怕,能跟外國人互動,談天说笑,就像在台灣一樣地買東西,分享趣事,幾天過後我開始嘗試跟外國人講話,發現和他們說話並不是想像中的那麼恐怖,他們會去尊重你的英文,畢竟,英文不是我的母語.回到台灣後,就想開始增進我的英語能力,很幸運能遇到Dreyer 老師這樣的英文教学團隊,使我的英文能力大大提升,最顯著的地方是,從一開始連開口都不敢說話的我,現在已能和外國人面對面聊天,不會害怕.並且也上了 conversation class, reading class和 1 on 1 class,而在會考拿到A的好成績.我认为若有觉得自己英文不是很好但有興趣並想改變提升英语能力的人,只要透過Dreyer老師的英文團隊的協助,一定能幫助您完成夢想.
 
以上是我的感想,謝謝!
 
祝 順心如意

Mr. Scott Dreyer’s English enhancement classes are great! His classes are excellent not only for young beginners who wish to excel in daily school life but also for high school kids who are going to soar on the SAT tests! Both of my kids learned a lot from him, like how to use the right vocabulary words, speak in public with confidence, develop writing skills, etc. He is a wonderful teacher.

Dr. Pei-Yao Wu
Hsinchu, Taiwan

語言~~就是一個持續不間斷的學習過程啊~~ 我是一位平凡的媽媽,跟大家一樣,我們了解英文是國際語言,是一條協助孩 子與世界接軌的路,它雖漫長遙遠,但持續學習…就對了!! 在台灣,孩子若非讀雙語或者國際部學校,我們只能比照訪間,全部都往補習 班送,但是非正統式的英文教學及填鴨式的教育,卻讓我有點膽怯。為了讓孩 子持續精進她的語文能力,更希望是沒有壓力的學習,我們透過朋友介紹認識 Mr. Dreyer。
孩子於國一下學期開始加入Dreyer Coaching,目前已是高三的學生,將近5年 的學習從未間斷。這期間的口說與聽力的訓練學習,讓孩子在學校表現突出,也發展出她對語文的興趣。更在2020年底以優秀表現直接以特殊選才提早拿到 進入大學外文系的入学资格,不用透過學測/繁星/個申/指考….,開心至極啊~~ 我想任何學習都不是一步登天的,特別是語言,唯有透過一步一腳印持續不斷的學習,終究有天會開花結果,非 常感謝Dreyer Coaching 老師對孩子的協助

Dear Mr. Dreyer, Everything is great!  I got accepted at the University of British Columbia, Texas A&M, UC IRVINE, UC SANTA BARBARA, UC DAVIS, UC SAN DIEGO, and U-Washington. I'm going to U-Washington! Thank you for helping me!

Melody
Hsinchu, Taiwan

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