NEWS
The Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Bahrain Inaugurates the Pearson Reading Lab
Sakhir – University of Bahrain (Khadijah Abdusalem)
December 21, 2022
The President of the University of Bahrain, Dr. Jawaher bint Shaheen Al-Mudhahka, inaugurated the “Pearson Reading Lab” in the Department of English Language and Literature, in collaboration with Pearson Middle East on Tuesday December 20, 2022, in the presence of Grant Kempton, Director of Institutional Strategy and Partnerships at Pearson, George Lindley, Sales Manager and Representative of Pearson Middle East Region, as well as Vice Presidents, Deans and Heads of Departments.
At the beginning of the ceremony, Dr. Ghada Ahmed Jassim, Head of the Department of the English Language and Literature, gave a welcoming speech in which she stated that the partnership with Pearson Publishing is an important and sustainable partnership which started with the initiative of the Department of the English Language and Literature in 2017. She added that another group of initiatives will soon be launched in collaboration with Pearson.
Dr. Diaa Saqr Al-Jalahma, Advisor to the President of the University of Bahrain for Academic Affairs, gave a speech in which she stressed that the Pearson Reading Lab provides an opportunity to employ the latest technologies in teaching and learning English as a foreign language, through using some of Pearson’s rich electronic English resources.
For his part, Kempton stressed that Pearson’s message for 2022-2025 is “Be yourself in English” as the lab, which is an essential part of the language learning process, provides a place for the student to meet and interact with other students and teachers and learn from others, and an opportunity to go through the books, resources, and stories it provides. He also stressed the importance of using the story in English to express oneself and bring out one’s personality using spoken and written words.
The Dean of the College of Arts, Dr. Abdulaziz Mohammad Boulila, added that inaugurating the new lab using the latest and best educational materials and student-centered learning is in line with the vision of the University of Bahrain in providing students with the advanced knowledge and skills.
Dr. Al-Jalahma praised the partnership with Pearson which dates to 2017 and which provided some services such as consulting and solutions for many aspects of learning, professional services and professional development sessions for teachers, which culminated in the sponsorship of the Pearson Reading Lab. She also extended her thanks to the project coordinators from the Department, Dr. Madani Othman and Dr. Mervat Albuflasa, as well as those from Pearson Middle East.
