| This project has been cancelled
Country Turkmenistan
City Mary
Host Institution Mary American Corner
Project Description Turkmenistan’s need for English language teacher training and curriculum development is difficult to overstate. President Saparmurat Niyazov has systematically scaled back education in all areas, including training for teachers, to the extent that the intellectual curiosity of students themselves has been dampened, threatening the country's prospects for stability and success in a post-Niyazov era. The presence of the current EL Fellow at the Professional Organization of English Teachers (POET), a civil society group for teachers and professors in Turkmenistan which is co-located with the U.S. Embassy s Public Affairs Section, proved to be an invaluable resource for post and the Regional English Language Officer, based in Tashkent, for assisting the only English teachers NGO in Turkmenistan to develop and build their capacity as the premier teacher-training organization. The EL Fellow interacts daily with Turkmen teachers working in an increasingly difficult environment, and through regular workshops and outreach events works to counteract the pressures teachers face in trying to improve conditions for their students. Posting the EL Fellow to an independent (non-state) host institution, paid off in the EL Fellow's greater mobility and creative space to design his/her own schedule and tailor his/her teaching to local conditions. It has also meant greater visibility for the EL Fellow, leading to greater public interest in the Program.[Click here to view full description] |
