Professor Gladys Garcia

In 1988 Professor Gladys Garcia began her teaching career at CSULB. She is a member of the CHLS and English departments' faculty and continues to enjoy her many years of service at CSULB. She has also taught at community and private colleges. One of her main interests has been in developing language and communication skills among English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. This emphasis has propelled her into the arena of using the newest methodology and technology to reach her students.

Childhood experiences in Havana, Cuba and Oviedo, Spain developed her strong background in foreign languages and literature. Attending high school and college in New Orleans enriched the diversity of her studies and prepared her for further studies and adventures in Canada and France. Her talent in language and literature has enabled her to most capably assist in the development of programs geared toward language acquisition skills throughout her professional life. Her publications include an educational book, manuals, videos, and the development of Computer Notions, a how-to book on computer usage for language learners.

Presently, she teaches English composition classes to bilingual and native-speaking students and Chicano/Latino literature courses for CHLS and the English departments. Winner of the 1999 CHLS Outstanding Faculty and Staff Recognition Award, she has served on several campus committees and utilized her expertise to improve and develop strategies to assure student success and retention. Her appreciation of the diversity of her students and caring commitment to them is reflected in her dedication to her work and the campus community. Time-allowing, she continues to travel extensively to gather new ideas and experiences to enrich her course content.

Accomplishments

• Has been a valuable member of various campus committees including: English Composition Committee, Writing Committee in the College of Humanities, CHLS Curriculum Committee, and Campus Climate Committee over a period of nine years.
• Has published and produced educational materials (books, videos, manuals) on language acquisition for teacher and student use.
• Has conducted teacher training and workshops in language acquisition at various institutions, including CSULB.
• Serves as a valuable resource to the campus community for her knowledge and experience in ESL and language literacy skills.
• Helped create a writing program for CSULB's Intensive Learning Experience Program (ILE), focusing student writing on subjects integral to their interests and campus experiences.