{"id":2644,"date":"2020-10-28T16:27:19","date_gmt":"2020-10-28T16:27:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=2644"},"modified":"2025-02-11T10:28:48","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T15:28:48","slug":"insight-for-incyte","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2020\/10\/28\/insight-for-incyte\/","title":{"rendered":"Insight for Incyte"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column2644_cc55d7-f0 dynamic-main-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"a-wilmu-esl-team-proves-flexible-and-nimble-in-developing-training-for-employees-of-the-global-corporation\">A WilmU ESL team proves \u2018flexible and nimble\u2019 in developing training for employees of the global corporation.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At this writing, the 2020 football season was in danger of being cancelled because of the coronavirus. If so, Danielle Bergez will hardly notice. The Wilmington University adjunct professor and adjunct program coordinator for TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and ESL (English as a Second Language) is simply not a football fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That doesn\u2019t mean, however, that she\u2019s not familiar with football terms. The game long ago replaced baseball as America\u2019s favorite sport, and even non-fans, through osmosis, if nothing else, have a smattering of gridiron knowledge. And so, like any resourceful teacher, Bergez used that knowledge when she conducted Wilmington University\u2019s first English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) training program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her class was made up of 18 employees from Incyte. Headquartered in Wilmington, Incyte is a global biopharmaceutical company with a strong investment in science and R&amp;D excellence. The company has more than 1,500 employees in the U.S.,&nbsp;Canada, Europe and Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the spring of&nbsp; 2019, Incyte officials contacted WilmU to inquire about EOP training for some of its employees \u2014 non-native English speakers \u201cwho had expressed interest in honing their language skills,\u201d according to Incyte Human Resources Director Shannon Maroney-Garrett.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur HR team researched several programs in the Wilmington area and concluded that Wilmington University most closely matched our needs,\u201d says Maroney-Garrett.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Incyte\u2019s first point of contact was Jeff Martino, director of WilmU\u2019s University Partnership Center. \u201cThey knew our history with working with adult learners and they knew about our ability to be flexible and nimble,\u201d he says, \u201cand they wanted a quick turnaround.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He immediately consulted Bergez and Dr. Matt Wilson, chair of Humanities, First Year Experience, and ESL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe offer English for academic purposes, of course, but this was a little bit new,\u201d says Martino. \u201cHowever, Danielle and Matt said we could take a lot of that learning and translate it for a specific occupation, in this case, the pharmaceutical industry. So we were able to leverage previous programs to develop a new, customized program specifically for Incyte.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The WilmU team discussed with Maroney-Garrett the goals for the training, then put together a survey that was distributed to managers throughout the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Says Bergez: \u201cI used the feedback to create objectives and an overview of the intended content. This was sent to Incyte for approval and to help them promote the training.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Incyte was onboard quickly. \u201cTheir offering was more comprehensive [than competitive programs], and their team was more responsive,\u201d says Maroney-Garrett. \u201cAnd they were willing to tailor their program to our needs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was agreed that 20 hours of instruction in two-hour segments over 10 weeks would be held at Incyte offices on Augustine Cutoff in Wilmington. Formally titled En-hancing Communication Skills for Non-Native Speakers, the classes began last October. Considering that discussion started in May and this was the University\u2019s first foray into EOP training, that would seem to qualify as \u201cflexible and nimble,\u201d to use Martino\u2019s phrase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 18 trainees in the fall program were scientists and researchers with advanced degrees \u2014 some with two doctorates \u2014 whose native languages included Chinese and Telugu, which is spoken in parts of Southern India. Their facility with English varied. \u201cSome were lower intermediate,\u201d says Bergez, \u201cbut others were high advanced, and we had to challenge them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She found that the group had no problems with industry-specific language, but they wanted to improve their communication abilities in professional situations, both in written and spoken formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Much of the class work focused on what she calls \u201cpragmatic conventions, such as body language, register and tone of voice, turn-taking, direct and indirect communication, and speaking up in meetings. For example, how do you interrupt appropriately?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Producing speech with minimal pausing and appropriate rate of delivery \u2014 often a challenge for non-English speakers \u2014 was another goal of the training. Here, class exercises and interaction were key, Bergez says. \u201cWe did role play, including dialogues, and mock meetings about a given topic. Sometimes I would put them in small groups, and they would discuss a subject, then come back and report. The whole class joined in a debate about which of two candidates they would hire. They had a chance to agree, disagree, acknowledge another person\u2019s point, and support their opinion with facts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was in some of these exercises that she found a couple of football terms useful. \u201cThe idioms were in the context of a business or professional setting,\u201d Bergez says, \u201csuch as to \u2018kick off\u2019 a meeting or to \u2018drop the ball\u2019 on a project.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She says baseball terminology \u2014hitting a home run and striking out \u2014 also cropped up during discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey seemed to enjoy sports idioms,\u201d Bergez says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Writing effective emails was another focus of the training \u2014 \u201chow to make the email clear and concise, organized and accurate, polite and professional. They analyzed samples, suggested improvements, and wrote practice messages about topics that were relevant to their work situation,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Talking to Bergez about Incyte training introduces even a professional writer to a whole new vocabulary relating to the English language. There are, for instance, modals \u2014verbs&nbsp;that combine with another verb to indicate&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thoughtco.com\/mood-in-grammar-1691405\">mood<\/a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thoughtco.com\/tense-grammar-1692532\">tense<\/a> to express advice or obligation. E.g., \u201cyou might want to\u201d versus \u201cyou should\u201d versus \u201cyou have to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The classes also worked on segmentals \u2014 pronunciation of specific sounds that can be challenging, such as \u201cth,\u201d and the past tense ending \u201ced,\u201d which can be pronounced three ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then there were supra-segmentals, which, Bergez explains, \u201crefers to the musical characteristics of speech. For example, intonation is the rise and fall of tone in English. This carries meaning. If you say, \u2018what do you mean?\u2019 with the intonation rising at the end, you\u2019re asking a real question, seeking clarification. If the intonation falls at the end, it carries with it the sense of a challenge or disbelief or irritation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the language nuances the class learned were some idioms used in saying \u201cno\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m too busy\u201d \u2014 a somewhat common occurrence in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Says Bergez: \u201cWe discussed and practiced using expressions like, \u2018I\u2019d like to, but I have too much on my plate.\u2019 Also, \u2018I\u2019m up to my ears in\u2026reports, work, submissions, etc.\u2019 Note the potential for confusion there. Sometimes, having to refuse or disagree with someone in another language \u2014 especially in a work context \u2014&nbsp;can be difficult due to the potential nuance of the language.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bergez is quick to credit Beth Kudlick, a TESOL master\u2019s student, who assisted in developing course content. \u201cShe created individual, communicative activities such as dialogues,\u201d says Bergez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first round of 10 classes began in October and ended in mid-December. Another group of 18 Incyte employees started a second session in the spring of this year. Those classes were conducted by Stephanie Berridge, a current TESOL master\u2019s student who is also chair of WilmU\u2019s Behavioral Science Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Midway through the second session the coronavirus shutdown struck, and the University closed (temporarily) on March 17. But the WilmU team reacted quickly, and EOP training resumed less than a month later, this time in online form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Says Bergez: \u201cStephanie\u2019s flexibility in making this move online was greatly appreciated, and the participants noted the smooth transition to virtual.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team has received positive feedback on the training from both students and Incyte management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the students, Dr. Charlie Xie, a research investigator for Incyte\u2019s Global Pharmaceutical Development, says most of his days are spent in the lab doing formulation and analytical work. \u201cThat does not give me much time to talk and improve my English,\u201d he says. \u201cThe training helped improve my conversational English, which is very important for daily communication with colleagues and regular teleconferences with research organizations and vendors.&nbsp;Danielle\u2019s lectures were easy to understand, interesting, and helpful. She prepared everything we needed, including binders, printouts and even pens for the classes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Jia Li, a senior research investigator in Global Pharmaco-kinetics, calls the training \u201ca great learning program with excellent, dynamic structure, including different aspects of pronunciation, email writing and meeting communication. The email writing skills I learned from the class are very useful, especially for the current COVID-19 remote work situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Incyte\u2019s Human Resources director, Maroney-Garrett sat in on many of the classes. \u201cI was impressed with both the in-person and the Zoom format,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Wilmington team had the experience and knowledge and earned the respect of the participants. The team was really a pleasure to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More classes for Incyte employees are under discussion. \u201cIncyte is rapidly growing, and we\u2019re excited to partner with them,\u201d says Martino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe plan is to have offerings again in the fall with the possibility of a second level of training during the same time,\u201d adds Dr. Wilson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He credits Bergez and the WilmU team for the quick response in developing the University\u2019s maiden voyage into the world of EOP training. \u201cBut this is the norm at Wilmington, in my experience,\u201d he says, \u201cand it demonstrates how the University continues to creatively meet the needs of the community around us.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A WilmU ESL team proves \u2018flexible and nimble\u2019 in developing training for employees of the global corporation. At this writing, the 2020 football season was&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":2645,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[135],"tags":[634],"class_list":["post-2644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-magazine","tag-magazine-fall-2020"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":135,"label":"MAGAZINE"}],"post_tag":[{"value":634,"label":"Magazine Fall 2020"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/2019_Incyte_SRP_00198_RGB-copy-719x480.jpg",719,480,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Rebecca Slinger","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/author\/rebecca\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":135,"name":"MAGAZINE","slug":"magazine","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":692,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":431,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":135,"category_count":431,"category_description":"","cat_name":"MAGAZINE","category_nicename":"magazine","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":634,"name":"Magazine Fall 2020","slug":"magazine-fall-2020","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1191,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":17,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2644"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2644\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15797,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2644\/revisions\/15797"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}