PASTTENSE ESL program booms at Portland State PSC Offers ‘Zip’ English”—that was the headline over an article that appeared inThe Oregonianon Dec. 6, 1964, describing the new 12-credit English 110 program for 36 Saudi students at Portland State College. Prof. Naguib Greis, who grew up in Egypt, initiated the Center for English as a Second Language at Portland State and directed it for the next 25 years. The center was one of the first university-based academic ESL programs in the western United States. When the center opened, all of the students were from Saudi Arabia. There were two sections, taught by Esther Richards, Helen Schley, Alfred Sugarman, and Francis Gibson from the Speech Department, and two graduate assistants. Prof. Greis soon realized the need to broaden the enrollment to students from other countries. At the same time the center was expanding, TESL Certificate and M.A. TESOL programs were developed to prepare teachers to meet the growing needs of the community. These programs were part of the English Department until 1988, when the Applied Linguistics Department was formed, with Jim Nattinger as chair. Four of the ESL instructors, Prue Douglas, Jan DeCarrico, Shirley Morrell, and I, taught for many years and played an active role in organizing the Oregon chapter of TESOL. When we started presenting papers at national conferences and fomenting change in the program, Prof. Greis dubbed us the “Gang of Four,” a title that we proudly carried as we each taught teachers in China in the 1980s. —Marge Terdal, Professor Emerita of Applied Linguistics Past Tense features glimpses into Portland State’s history. To submit a story (or an idea for one), email the RAPS History Preservation Committee at raps@pdx.edu.
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