AY 2007-2008 Projects - East Asia and Pacific

Country                       Thailand
City                              Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST)
Host Institution           American University Alumni Language Center (AUA)/American Corner at NST Rajabhat University

Project Description
The EL Fellow will conduct classroom instruction for AUA students in NST (including the majority of ACCESS/microscholarship students in Thailand) and in-service training for teachers; aggressively initiate and conduct programs at the American Corner in NST; and assist with the ongoing outreach effort to the Network Trainers from this region trained in May 2006.   The EL Fellow will be based in Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST), a city near the troubled southern, Muslim-majority region of Thailand. Continuing the majority of current EL Fellow’s work -- as the only American native-speaker of English teacher working in NST – the EL Fellow will continue to serve as a crucial cultural representative to the largest group of ACCESS/microscholarship students in the country. In addition, as time and opportunity permit, s/he will also be able to continue necessary follow-up work on an occasional basis with the NST Rajabhat University, to serve as an outreach coordinator for the MOE Network trainers in his/her area and beyond, and, very importantly, to provide key programming at the American Corner in NST including videoconference workshops from that center to academics gathered at other American Corners around Thailand.

Project Objectives
To provide quality American-style teaching for AUA in NST, the site currently hosting the largest contingent of ACCESS students in the country. To promote the use of American materials and to highlight the teaching of American culture here. To serve as a mentor, coach and support trainer for the MOE Network Training project in southern Thailand.

About the Host Institution

American University Alumni Language Center
The AUA Language Center, with 19 branches throughout Thailand, is an official embassy-affiliated Binational Center and a branch of the AUA in Bangkok. It is one of the newest branches in Thailand, located in this crucial southern region of the country. To date, despite their competitive salary and benefits package, they have been unable to recruit American teachers of English to work there. AUA's newest branch opened in November 2004 in the ancient city of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The school is not far from the center of the city and is situated on the beautiful campus of a large private secondary school among groves of towering hardwood trees and peaceful tropical gardens. Their three classrooms are spacious, newly renovated, and offer large windows, quiet air conditioning, oversized whiteboards at each end of the rooms, and a number of bulletin boards displaying maps, student projects, etc. The branch currently has two full-time teachers, a branch manager, and weekday and weekend bi-lingual Thai secretaries. Their new facilities also include a roomy teachers' lounge, manager's office, secretary's office, and restrooms. In the lounge, teachers have private desks with large drawers, and a new computer with high-speed internet access and a laser printer. A small library and supplementary teaching materials are also located in the lounge, as well as a conference table for larger projects and meals. Finally, there is a small food preparation area, including a refrigerator and other conveniences. The branch has about 200 students, ranging from age 15 to adult. Branch students are bright, courteous and very enthusiastic to learn. Students can choose from two study options; weekday evenings (Tuesday to Friday) for 70 minutes or 2.5 hours, or Saturday and Sunday for 2.5 hours. The school is closed on Mondays. With this schedule, teachers have around 48 hours off, from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon. Teachers also have a week off between terms, and approximately three weeks off in December and early January. Teachers should expect to teach about 25 hours per week. Students can achieve certificates at every test level, or through perfect attendance in each course. Courses are typically 30 hours long and take 6 weeks to complete.

American Corner at NST Rajabhat University
This American Corner (AC), one of five American Corners in Thailand, is the only AC in Thailand with the technical capability to initiate video conferences both to other AC venues within Thailand but also to similar venues in Vietnam, Taiwan and beyond (as the incumbent has already done).