English Language Fellow Reaches Students on Obama’s American Journey: Jan. 15 and Jan. 21, 2009
Margaret "Peggy" MacAdam
EL Fellow in Beer Sheva, Israel
AMAL Network
English Language Fellow "Peggy" Margaret MacAdam delivered several presentations to high school students in Ramle and Petah Tikva on President Obama’s unique American journey. She briefed on the President’s family background, education, community activity, political career and life story as an African-American from a single-parent family with an African father. The students were engaged and eager to know Obama’s stance regarding U.S.-Israel relations. Peggy distributed International Information Programs (IIP) Journals on the “44th President of the United States” and America.gov handouts on “The Obama Administration” and “The Inauguration.”

The program, which targeted a key audience of low socioeconomic students, reinforced a message of the success through merit, highlighted the multicultural nature of American society, and increased student knowledge of American society and values.

Ambassador Ashe Opens Young Learners Resource Center in Bialystok
Margaret Cholodecki
EL Fellow in Warsaw, Poland
National In-service Teacher Training Center
On June 2, 2008, the U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe, and Mayor of Bialystock Tadeusz Truskolaski participated in the opening ceremonies of the new Young Learners Resource Center in Bialystock along with local government officials and the media.  Ambassador Ashe and Mayor Truskolaski cut the ceremonial ribbon, made speeches, and signed an agreement of cooperation to open this new center, located at the Municipal Center for Methodology Advising.

Maria Ambrozej, the Director of the Municipal Center for Methodology Advising; Margaret Cholodecki, English Language Fellow; and Ewa Prokopowicz, who is in charge of the new Young Learners Resource Center, also spoke at the opening, describing the unique resources for teachers which are available free of charge at the center. 

After the event, Ambassador Ashe spoke to the local press about regional economic development issues, U.S. visa policy, and U.S.-Polish relations.  In November 2006, the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw and the Srodmiescie Mayor District of Warsaw opened the first Young Learners Resource Center in Poland, and recently, the U.S. Embassy has signed yet another agreement with the City Hall of Szczecin to open another resource center in fall 2008.

English Language Fellow Organizes English Video Contest in Bengkulu, Sumatra
Katie McClintic
EL Fellow in Benkulu-Sumatra, Indonesia 
Universitas Bengkulu
On June 17, 2008, the English Self-Access Center of the University of Bengkulu in Sumatra held an awards ceremony for the student winners of the English video competition, a project organized by English Language Fellow Katie McClintic and her university colleagues to encourage students to use English for promotional information videos about the local attractions. The 5- to10-minute videos were submitted by 27 English classes with the participation of 217 students and were judged by local government officials from the tourism department, the mayor, and the university rector, vice-rectors, and deans. The winning video was “Traditional Batik from Bengkulu.” All entries were uploaded to www.video.yahoo.com for public viewing.

The video project provided a real-life, meaningful, and highly motivating way for Indonesian students to practice their English skills.  The project has also filled the void of tourism information available online for this remote part of Indonesia. In addition, the assistance from U.S. Embassy programs to the university has fostered very positive bilateral relations.

New Writing Center at the Polytechnic of Namibia
Marna Broekhoff
EL Fellow in Benkulu-Sumatra, Namibia
Polytechnic of Namibia
At long last, space for the new Writing Center at the Polytechnic of Namibia has been approved by the rector.  Virtually everyone at this institution agrees that students (and faculty) desperately need this service, but implementation has been pending for more than a year.  Although temporary, the space on the ground level of the beautiful new library but will allow the Center to start operating, hopefully in early June, as part of the Center for Teaching and Learning.

In March, Marna Broekhoff made a presentation to 50 interested faculty members, announcing this news and describing the philosophy, purposes, services, and benefits of writing centers. In April, she is scheduled to speak to the entire student body and at various faculty meetings.

The Polytechnic Writing Center is definitely entering people’s consciousness.  It will be the first center of its kind north of South Africa and south of the Sahara

 English Language Fellow Organizes Story-Telling Idol Contest in Limpopo Province, South Africa
Elizabeth Steinbach
EL Fellow in Sovenga, Limpopo, South Africa
University of Limpopo
During October and November 2007, English Language Fellow Elizabeth Steinbech organized a “Story-Telling Idol” Contest, supported by a $22,500 grant from the U.S. Embassy in South Africa.  Modeled after FOX’s popular American Idol contest, the project aimed to strengthen the use of English and community radio through the region’s story-telling traditions.  Seven contestants were selected by more than 500 audience members during an event in which they were asked to tell stories related to the contest’s theme: “Community Responses to HIV/AIDS.”

Following a two-day workshop on performance and composition with professional story tellers, the contestants recorded their stories, which were then aired on the radio for two weeks.  During that time, radio listeners voted for their favorite story-teller via telephone calls and text messages.  The top three vote winners were declared the winners.  Following the contest, all the stories were compiled into a booklet and CD.  Two guest story-tellers, a professional South African story teller and an American Peace Corps volunteer, were featured both in the radio transmissions and the commemorative set. 

English Language Fellow Aides Beijing Government in Olympics Preparations
Jeffrey Thompson
Senior Fellow in Beijing, China
Beijing Foreign Studies University
During July 2008, English Language Fellow Jeffrey Thompson served as an English Language Inspector for Beijing’s Capital International Airport’s newly opened Terminal 3.  Designed by famed British architect Norman Foster, Terminal 3 is considered one of the most important air transportation projects in recent years and became the world’s largest airport building immediately upon completion.  Just weeks before Beijing received millions of visitors for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Jeffrey ensured that signs accurately and clearly presented information in English for visitors.  His work as an English Language Inspector was part of Jeffrey’s ongoing collaboration with Chinese colleagues to establish general specifications for English-language signage in all Olympic venues, including public and private spaces and roadways.

English Language Fellow Takes ACCESS Microscholarship Class On Ski Trip with Support of Patagonia, Inc.
Kirsten Mashinter
EL Fellow in Prizren, Kosovo
University of Pristina’s Faculty of Education & American Corner
As part of her work in war-torn Kosovo, English Language Fellow Kirsten Mashinter taught a group of 12 students who formed part of the U.S. State Department’s English Access Microscholarship program.  Aimed at empowering disadvantaged 14- to 18-year olds, the Access program provides students with a foundation of English language skills through after-school classes and summer learning activities. 

Despite the availability of a number ski resorts in the Prizren region, Kirsten realized that most of her students had never skied before.  Seeing an opportunity for informal English-language interaction, Kirsten secured over $3,000 of winter-weather clothing from California-based Patagonia, Inc., and took her students on a skiing trip to the Sharr Mountains, just 30 minutes outside of Prizren.  There, her students took ski lessons from two local instructors, rented ski bikes, and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon in the snow, while strengthening their practical English skills.

Brochure Creation Aids Local Guides Association
Seth Leighton
EL Fellow in Gondar, Ethiopia
Gondar University
Following up on a workshop provided by former EL Fellow Patricia Corsgreen, current Fellow Seth Leighton met with the Gondar Private Guides Association to discuss pressing needs. The mission of the Association is to provide safe, friendly and professional services to showcase the historical and natural beauty of Ethiopia. As a tax-paying organization with strict standards for membership, the Guides Association provides a sustainable means for local residents to benefit from rising tourism in Ethiopia.

Seth worked with the 13 active members of the Association, as well as local tourism officials and businesses, to create a promotional brochure in English, French and Spanish and to formulate a distribution plan encompassing travel agencies, tourist offices, hotels, airports and internet cafes throughout Ethiopia. Mekonnen Egziabher, Assistant Project Coordinator for the Ethiopian Cultural Heritage Project, noted that the brochure was “marvelous” and would help foster responsible, sustainable tourism within Ethiopia. Seth continues to work with the Gondar Private Guides Association, procuring materials for additional language instruction and strengthening their ability to serve foreign tourists.

Seminar on the Use of Technology for Language Immersion
Marina Reyes
Senior Fellow in Manila, Philippines
Philippine Department of Education
In order to reach out to Muslim teachers in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a region that has its own Department of Education separate from the central office of the Department of Education in Manila, Senior English Language Fellow, Marina Reyes, gave a two-day workshop to more than a hundred teacher participants in Maguindanaon Elementary School in Shariff Kabunsuan, Sultan Kudarat.

The workshop focused on the use of technology for English language immersion. With donated teaching materials including a CD/DVD/cassette player, CDs and DVDs for children, and English conversation cassette tapes, Marina showed how Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and Whole Brain Literacy (WBL) thinking tool can effectively develop both language and thinking skills among learners. Starting with listening activities for language immersion in correct English sounds and language use, she gave a demo lesson on giving learning tasks (task-based instruction) that maximize learners’ practice in the use of English in small groups (collaborative language learning) teaching literacy that makes use of topics from content classes (content-based instruction) to show learners the importance of understanding English in content classes.

Cognizant of the Department’s memorandum on the use of English as medium of instruction in English, Science, and Math, Marina showed teachers how to include language objectives in formulating content objectives and to connect the week’s lessons through a common theme; thus, reinforcing vocabulary and communication skills through thematic instruction. As output from participants, each group presented their lesson plans that made use of materials that were donated to their school. Those who were teaching outside Maguindanaon Elementary School were encouraged to borrow materials for their classes.