Mike Medley

Holding a doctorate from Indiana University, Mike Medley directs the Intensive English Program for international and immigrant students and regularly teaches TESL courses in both the graduate and undergraduate divisions of the university, specializing in language and culture, English grammar, and psycholinguistics. He has published recently in SPELT Quarterly, College Teaching, and The Australian Review of Applied Linguistics. He is co-author and editor of a popular teacher resource manual How to Teach English: A Survival Kit for Teachers of English at the Early Stages, which was published in Pakistan (1994) where he and his family lived and worked from 1983-94. Current research interests include Christian ethics in teaching English as a foreign language, teaching culture and intercultural communication as a means of peacebuilding, the integration of language teaching and intercultural communication through literature, and the literacy development of bilingual Generation 1.5 college students.

B.A., Geneva College 1976
M.A., Western Kentucky University 1978
M.A., Ph.D., Indiana University 1981, 1983

(2006, Fall). Reframing the argument for intensive English programs. IEP-IS Newsletter.
(2005, Winter). Agents of change working with the grain of the universe. SPELT Journal.
(2005, Spring). Inviting Experts to Class through Computer-Mediated Discussions. College Teaching.
(2003). Machiko Achiba Learning to request in a second language: A study of child interlanguage pragmatics. Buffalo, NY: Multilingual Matters, 2003. Pp. x, 222. Book review. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 26.2.
(2002, Winter)”Welcome to English Class!” English Language Teaching and Pakistani Hospitality, SPELT Journal.
(1999, Winter). Review of Sharing Fruit: An Anthology of Asian and Australian Writing, ed. Erica Manh (Melbourne: Curriculum Corporation and the University of Melbourne, 1998). Education about Asia 4.3.
(1999). Review of The Tense System in English Relative Clauses by Ilse Depraetere (New York: Mouton de Gruyter, 1996). Journal of English Linguistics 7: 75-78.
(1999) Channel Effects: Two methods of letter writing in the classroom. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. 42.8: 668-75.
(1998, June). “Using grammar innovatively in the Pakistani context.” SPELT Journal, 13 (2) 21-32.
(1994). How to teach English: a survival kit for teachers of English at the early stages. (co-author and editor). Lahore, Pakistan: Teacher Friendly Publications.
(1993) The challenge of the dream: Papers from a seminar on education and human growth. (editor). Lahore, Pakistan: Dar-ul-Hikmat Publications.
(1991, June). Some principles and practical suggestions for teaching writing. SPELT Newsletter, 6 (4).
(1987, October).The use of phonics in the ESL reading program for young children. SPELT Newsletter, 2(4).
Unpublished (or privately published) work:
(1998) Serving by responding. Script for a video modeling the use of peer response in writing. Co-directed by Deborah Menning and Mike Medley. Filmed and produced by Barry Lawrensen. Acted by Medley, Menning and Northwestern College students.
(1992).”Preliminary evaluation of the use of pictures in testing model sentences.” A study undertaken to guide the Missionary Language Board of Pakistan Examination Review Committee in revising its testing procedures.
(1989, revised 1991). We speak English. A collection of adapted and original pairwork exercises compiled for students at Dar-ul-Hikmat, Lahore, Pakistan.
(1989, July) Survey of Marwari and Dhatki dialects in southern Pakistan. 40 pages of text plus 44 pages of graphs, tables, and maps.
(1988, April). “Language study for missionary/fraternal workers assigned to Pakistan.” A critique of the Urdu course used mainly by missionaries coming to Pakistan, including extensive survey and discussion of literature relating to second language acquisition, 52 pages.

Conference papers and presentations:
(2008, May 6-14). Building a Writing Community. Two-hour workshops presented to 255 English teachers in five cities of Kosovo.
(2008, May 10-11). Writing Tasks for Learners with Diverse Talents. An eight-hour workshop presented to 29 English teachers in Prishtina, Kosovo.
(2007, October 11). Interpreting TOEFL Scores. Presented to the Graduate Council of James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.
(2007, July 1-4). English language assessment: (1) The place of student assessment in English language program assessment; (2) Improving formal/summative assessments in English; (3) Using alternative assessments for formative purposes in English language teaching; and (4) Ethical dilemmas in English language assessment. Presented to school heads and assistant heads of the Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan, Murree, Pakistan.
(2007, June 16). Grammar instruction and assessment in the context of written communication. An all-day workshop presented to English faculty from several campuses of Comsats University, Lahore Pakistan.
(2007, May 26). Teaching and assessing oral skills. Presented to K-12 English instructors and school heads at Education Centre Dar-ul-Hikmat, Lahore, Pakistan.
(2007, April-May). Language Testing and Teacher Training. Series of four 3-hour lessons presented to M.A. & Ph.D. in applied linguistics class at the University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan.
(2007, April 28). English program assessment for K-10 teachers. Presented at Education Centre Dar-ul-Hikmat, Lahore, Pakistan.
(2007, April 21). Grammar tools for writing instruction. Presented for the Forman Christian College Teachers Conference: Innovating Classroom Practices across Disciplines, Lahore, Pakistan.
(2007, April 21).Literature for learning language and intercultural skills. Presented for the Forman Christian College Teachers Conference: Innovating Classroom Practices across Disciplines Lahore, Pakistan.
(2007, March 8). Promoting academic honesty. Presented to the faculty of Forman Christian College, Lahore, Pakistan. Presented a second time to all the MA in English students at F.C. College
(2006, October 12). Literacy achievement of generation 1.5 Spanish-English bilingual college students. Presented at the Mountain Interstate Foreign Language Conference, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.
(2006, May 4). LILAC: Face to face intercultural education. Presented at a faculty workshop at Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA,
(2006, March 16) Critical incidents from literature. Presented at the 40th annual convention for Teachers of English to Speakers of Others Languages, Tampa, Florida.
(2005, October 22). Making the intensive English program indispensable. Presented at the Washington Area Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Fall Conference, Catholic University, Washington, DC,
(2005, May 18). Implications of the LMD reform proposal for the English program at the University of Nouakchott. Presented at a faculty development workshop for the Department of English at the University of Nouakchott, Nouakchott, Mauritania.
(2005, May 19). Integrative teaching: Synthesizing language, culture, and academic content. Presented at a faculty development workshop for the Department of English at the University of Nouakchott, Nouakchott, Mauritania.
(2005, May 20). Scaffolding for content-based teaching. Presented at a faculty development workshop for the Department of English at the University of Nouakchott, Nouakchott, Mauritania.
(2005, May 30). Increasing communication in the English as a second language classroom. Presented for teachers’ in-service workshops at the Nouakchott English Center and Oasis Bookstore, Nouakchott, Mauritania.
(2005, May 31). New trends in teaching English as a second language: Teaching intercultural communication. Presented for a teachers’ in-service workshop at the Nouakchott English Center, Nouakchott, Mauritania.
(2005, April 12). Pakistani English language teachers as potential peacebuilders. Presented at an EMU faculty/staff luncheon.
(2004, Oct. 1-12). Agents of change working with the grain of the universe. Keynote and plenary address at the 20th Annual Conference of the Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers, October 1 – 10, 2004, Karachi, Multan, and Islamabad. Also given in modified form to the faculty and graduate students at Punjab University, Lahore, Oct. 12, sponsored by the US Embassy in Pakistan.
(2004, Oct. 1-12). Peacebuilding through teaching intercultural concepts and skills. Workshop at the the 20th Annual Conference of the Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers, October 1 – 10, 2004, Karachi, Multan, Lahore, and Islamabad. Also given in modified form to teachers of Presbyterian Education Board Schools, Lahore, Oct. 4 and to the faculty and graduate students of the English Department at Government College University, Lahore, Oct. 12, sponsored by the US Embassy in Pakistan.
(2004, Oct. 11). Key Aspects of curriculum revision in the English department. Presentation to the Department of English Language and Literature at Forman Christian College, Lahore.
(2004, March 30). Workers unashamed? Standards for agencies using TESOL. Conference of Christians in English Language Teaching, Long Beach, CA.
(2003, March 28). Students face the experts. 37th annual convention for Teachers of English to Speakers of Others Languages, Baltimore, MD.
(2003, March 29). Global climate change and recruiting for IEPs. Panel organized for the 37th annual convention for Teachers of English to Speakers of Others Languages, Baltimore, MD.
(2002, April 18). Encountering American cultural values: adopting, judging, or understanding? Rockingham County Schools Sheltered English Program, Dayton Learning Center, Dayton, VA.
(2002, April 11). Consulting the experts through computer mediated discussions. 36th annual convention for Teachers of English to Speakers of Others Languages, Salt Lake City, UT.
(2001, October 5). Editing grammar in context. A workshop presented for the Rockingham County Schools ESL Teachers In- service Day, Peak View Elementary School.
(2001, March 27). Class participation and international students at EMU. Presented at an EMU faculty/staff luncheon.
(1999, March). Cultural diversity and methods of teaching EFL. Presented as part of the EFL-Interest Section panel at TESOL ‘99, March 9-13 in New York City.
(1998, March). Interpreting relative clause tenses. Presented at TESOL ‘98, March 17-21 in Seattle, WA.
(1997, October 3). Building community in writing classrooms. Presentation for the Tri-State Association of Christian Teachers International, Dordt College, Sioux Center, IA.
(1997, April 18-19). Freshmen can do service writing, too! Presented with Northwestern College student Margo Buell at the Midlands Conference on Language and Literature, sponsored by Creighton University in Omaha, NE.
(1996, Sept. 26-27). A clash over culture war talk: College students’ comprehension of complex argumentative texts. Presented at the 23rd Plains Regional Conference of the International Reading Association, Bismarck, ND. Also presented at a Northwestern College faculty symposium in Nov. 1996.
(1996, Apr. 11-12). Building a community of readers and writers through class letter writing. Presented at the Iowa Reading Association Annual Conference, Des Moines, IA.
(1993, October 14-16). What’s the aim? Finding purpose in an aimless curriculum. Delivered at SPELT’s 9th Annual International Seminar, Lahore, Pakistan.
(1993, September 2). Debunking rote learning. Presented to the Lahore chapter of SPELT.
(1992 October 15-17). Assessing one method of individualized vocabulary instruction. Delivered at SPELT’s 8th Annual International Seminar, Karachi, Pakistan.
(1991, September). Activities for reading authentic texts. Presented to the Lahore chapter of SPELT.

(October 2007 to present). Consultant for Graduate Programs at James Madison University related to English language proficiency and cultural adaptation of international graduate students.
(2008, April-May). Reviewer of doctoral dissertation proposals in applied linguistics for the University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan.
(2008, March 19). “A Million Cups of Tea: Views on Pakistan-US Relations after the Elections.” Presentation with Dr. Ehsan Ahmed to EMU faculty & students and community members.
(2007, January – June). Visiting professor of English at Forman Christian College, Lahore, Pakistan. Supervised and taught English 101 (2 sections) and introduction to linguistics (MA part 2).
(2007, February – June). Supervisor of English 101 Grammar & Writing (20 sections, 7 instructors) at Forman Christian College. Performed more than 20 classroom observations and held individual conferences with instructors; assembled a handbook for teachers of English 101.
(2007, June 18-28). Designer, director and instructor for Intensive Oral English course for faculty of Forman Christian College,
(2007, May 12). Consultation and report on the Centre for English Language Communication of the National University of Computers and Emerging Sciences (FAST), Lahore, Pakistan,
(2007, August 26). Serving one another through love. Sermon at Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA.
(2007, August 26). Christian-Muslim dialogue in Pakistan. Presentation for the Sunday Bunch at Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA.
(2007, September 27). Presentation on current affairs in Pakistan to the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Harrisonburg, VA.
(2006, September 27). Letter to the editor of PRISM ePistle, (weekly newsletter of Evangelicals for Social Action) Wednesday,
(2006, September 10). Action-reaction: A cycle driven by fear and violence. Presentation about the Harrisonburg Kurdish cases to Sunday Supper Club, Warrenton, VA.
(2006). Steering group for Standing With Our Neighbors (SWON), founding member and chair of a community organization formed to respond to harassment of members of the local Kurdish community by US law enforcement agencies
(2005, May). Consultation and report on the proposed five-year objectives of the Teaching English as a Foreign Language Program of the United States Peace Corps in Mauritania
(2005, May). Consultation and report on the proposed national English curriculum for the first four years for the Inspectorate General of National Education, Department of English, in Mauritania.
(2005, May). Consultation and report to advise the Islamic Institute of Higher Study and Research in Mauritania on plans to expand its English language teaching program
(2005). Member of the editorial advisory panel of Pakistan Journal of Language
(2005). External examiner for M.A, MPhil and Ph.D dissertations/ theses Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
(2003-present). Member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation—Harrisonburg Chapter
(2002-2004). Member of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Intercultural Alliance representing IEP and EMU
(2002-present). E-list Manager for the Intensive English Program Interest Section of the national TESOL organization
(1999-present). Reader of presentation proposals for the annual TESOL convention on behalf of the Intensive English Program Interest Section,
(1999-present). Reader of advanced placement (AP) English language exams for Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ
(2003, March). Disarming Hearts & Minds. Presentations for the Downtown Prayer Luncheon, Harrisonburg and for Virginia Mennonite Retirement Home,
(2002, March 11). The challenge and promise of education in Pakistan. Presentation for the Harrisonburg (VA) Rotary Club,

(2008, May). English Language Specialist Grant for English teacher workshops from the US Embassy in Pristina, Kosovo
(2005, November 11-12). Lilly Fellows Grant to attend the Fifth Annual Lilly Fellows Program National Research Conference, “Secularity and Globalization: What Comes after Modernity?” Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI
(2005, May). English Language Specialist Grant for consultation in Mauritania, US Department of State
(2003-2004). Second Quarter) Quality Service Award, Eastern Mennonite University
(2004). Summer Research Grant from Eastern Mennonite University
(1996, 1998, May-June). Summer Research Grants from Northwestern College

American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL)
Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar (ATEG)
Christian Educators in TESOL
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Language (TESOL)
Washington Area Teachers of English as a Second Language (WATESOL)

(2008, March 29-April 1). American Association for Applied Linguistics Annual Conference, Washington, DC.

(2008, Spring) Language & Literature Department Search Committee for position in English literature.
(2008, Spring) Language & Literature Department Search Committee for position in Spanish
(2007-08). Minutes recorder, EMU Faculty Assembly and University Forum
(2007, Fall). Member, Planning committee for International Education Week
(2005-2008). Member, Campus Ministries Advisory Council
(2004-2006). Member, English Search Committee
(2004-2005). Member, Integrated Marketing Committee
(July 2002). Authored EMU: International is Part of our Identity, an essay about the internationalization of EMU’s campus that resulted in EMU being selected by NAFSA, the Association of International Educators to be featured in a national report on international education
(2003-04). Chair, Research Review Board
(2000-2003). Member of the Research Review Board
(1999). Member, General Education Subcommittee on Technology & Writing Across the Curriculum