Sounds of English

Elena Collins is a Coordinator of Instructional Technology in Alexandria City Public Schools, Alexandria, VA, where she assists teachers with integrating technology in the content areas and manages a team of school-based technology resource teachers. Prior to coming to Alexandria City Schools, Elena worked as an instructional designer and instructional technologist with the Arlington Education & Employment Program (REEP), which provides ESL & Lifeskills instruction to adult learners in Arlington County, VA. Elena has also taught ESL and English in higher education.

Holly Gray is an ESOL teacher at California State University, Fresno, where she designs and teaches online English language courses for students both locally and abroad. She has created both web-enhanced and distance courses for several schools, mentoring other instructors as they learned to teach online. She is the current webmaster for the Speech, Pronunciation, and Listening Interest Section.

Laurie Miller is an EFL instructor at George Mason University’s English Language Institute. Within the institute’s Intensive English Program, she currently teaches advanced reading and writing as well as a high-level oral communication skills class. Laurie is a content developer within the ELI’s distance education program, and, in her capacity as instructional technology coordinator, she runs the ELI’s computer lab and provides instructional technology support for ELI faculty, staff and students. In her spare time she sleeps and plays Yahtzee with her family.

Gary Rossen is an ESOL teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, VA. He currently teachers computer lab for ESOL students, Social Studies Concepts, ESOL for literacy beginners, and ESOL for the Transitional High School Program, a high school for adult immigrants with limited English proficiency and schooling. Gary also has an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology.

Sharon Widmayer is an ESOL teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, VA. She currently teachers computer lab for ESOL students, Social Studies Concepts, ESOL for literacy beginners, and ESOL for the Transitional High School Program, a high school for adult immigrants with limited English proficiency and schooling. Sharon has also taught workplace ESL and in ESL and English in higher education. Before coming to Fairfax County Schools, Sharon worked as an instructional designer and instructional technologist at George Mason & George Washington universities, assisting faculty in developing technology-enhanced courses. She is also finishing her Ph.D. in Education at George Mason University.