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Full Project Descriptions
Kazakhstan
City Taraz
Host Institution Taraz State University
Type of Project Fellow
Project Dates September 2008 - June 2009
Project Focus
English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques, American Literature
Project Description
The EL Fellow will be teaching Teaching Methodologies, American Literature, Writing Style, and English for Speaking to 3-4 groups of 20-25 junior- and senior-year students each up to ten hours per week. The classes last from 50 to 80 minutes each. The target audience for the classes run by the EL Fellow consists of future teachers of English in secondary schools and universities, and interpreters/translators. The EL Fellow will attend weekly staff meetings of host Department of English. The EL Fellow will also attend monthly meetings of Taraz English Teachers Association. Once every two months s/he can give workshops to the members of this professional association. The EL Fellow will travel in the south and the west of Kazakhstan to give a series of workshops and seminars to the English teachers of local universities and secondary schools, and the instructors of English Access Microscholarship program in Shymkent, which is a 3-hour drive from Taraz. The EL Fellow will run a weekly English Club for the students at the host university. The EL Fellow will present at the annual conference of National Association of Teachers of English in Kazakhstan (NATEK) and Central Asian Teachers of English conference (CATEC).
Project Objectives
The EL Fellow position in Taraz will help the US Embassy to promote its goal of bringing American culture and values, and nurturing mutual understanding in the predominantly-Muslim populated southern city of Kazakhstan. The workshops and seminars for participants and instructors of the English Access Microscholarship program will emphasize the Embassy's sustained engagement and commitment to the success of the program.
About the Host Institution
Taraz State University founded in 1998 is a result of merge of three major universities. Now it is the biggest university in the city, and one of the biggest universities in the south of Kazakhstan. The university trains over 10,000 students in 127 majors in two languages -- Kazakh and Russian. The Department of Foreign Language Teacher Training and Translation will be hosting the EL Fellow. The English Teachers Association in Taraz was established in 1997, and it is one of the most active professional associations in Kazakhstan. The rotating presidency of the association helps to ensure the succession of knowledge and expertise. In 2007, the new president of the association, who is also teaching in Taraz State University, assumed the responsibilities. The association holds monthly meetings and seminars inviting over the speakers and English language specialists to give a series of lectures and seminars. In 2006, the association hosted the annual National Association of Teachers of English in Kazakhstan. Every year the association holds its own regional conference.
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Kyrgyzstan
City Bishkek
Host Institution NGO Lingua
Type of Project Fellow
Project Dates September 2008 - June 2009
Project Focus
American Culture, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques
Project Description
The EL Fellow responsibilities will include establishing collegial relations with teachers of English at host institution through team-teaching approach; identifying areas for professional trainings; conducting workshops and trainings for English language teachers at host institution; conducting regional trainings (Chui, Issyk-Kul, Naryn, Talas, Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken); discussing methodology and language related issues; participating in curriculum and teaching materials development; participating in building networking schemes of agencies involved in teacher training process (Lingua, Academy of Education, Teacher-training Universities, Peace Corps, Forum Teachers’ Association, other EFL Fellows); promoting exchange of teaching ideas and best practices though newsletters; and expanding understanding and knowledge of American culture and values in informal settings. In addition, the EL Fellow will establish working relations with Teacher-training educational institutions and conduct workshops on monthly basis; participate in the activities at the American Corners throughout the country; participate in the trainings for Peace Corps volunteers; assist in implementing and coordinating the English language projects; and assist in organizing English language program events: conferences, workshops, meetings.
Project Objectives
Kyrgyzstan English language teachers will be introduced to and be able to use modern communicative teaching methods to encourage student-centered participatory learning, communicative competence and critical thinking. The main objectives of the project are to improve English teachers’ language competence; to increase professional development opportunities for teachers; to introduce communicative teaching methodologies through critical thinking format. As a result a sustainable process of EFL teacher-training will be established through building local capacity. The target group will be university and high-school teachers. The project will enhance current English language teaching practices and introduces communicative and participatory teaching methods at host educational institution. Teachers will learn new teaching techniques, approaches and tools that increase the effectiveness of language teaching. Critical thinking skills will be stimulated through participatory and student-centered methodologies.
About the Host Institution
Lingua School was established as a not for profit organization in 2000 with the support from the Soros Foundation in Kyrgyzstan. The school mission is to support and foster the development of modern and effective English Language teaching. It's a self-sustaining centre for dissemination of modern methodology and teacher training in Kyrgyzstan. In support of their mission Lingua runs Methodology courses for public school and university teachers both in Bishkek and at regional level. In support of the wider mission, there is a well-stocked Resource Centre and high speed Internet that is available for use by English teachers. The School provides services in teacher training such as Basic Communicative Methodology Course, Advanced Methodology Course, Basic Teacher training Skills, How to Teach Academic Writing, etc. During 2005-2006 academic year, the school started a pilot program on Basic Communicative Methods in EFL teaching in Karakol and Talas. Lingua will provide resources for the EL Fellow’s work (equipment, work station in an office, classrooms, access to Internet and a resource center).
Forum, Foreign Languages Teachers' Association, is a non-government organization which brings together language teachers at all educational levels interested in quality language education development and helps teachers of English to acquire new ways of teaching and classroom management, learn about the American culture and disseminate quality standards of language teaching. The Association office is located in the public library in the downtown area and it has basic resources - copier, internet access, and a printer. Forum is the only organization which conducts teacher-training workshops for teachers in rural areas and they are free of charge.
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Tajikistan
City Khujand
Host Institution Khujand State University
Type of Project Fellow
Project Dates Mid-August 2008 - June 2009
Project Focus
English for Speaking, Teacher Training, ELT
Project Description
The EL Fellow will teach in the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Khujand State University. The EL Fellow will teach university students English as a second language. Abilities many vary widely, but many Tajik university students want to become interpreters. The EL Fellow will also work with faculty members on professional development, help recruit students and faculty members for USG exchange programs and provide educational advising. In addition to teaching, the EL Fellow will be the primary teacher trainer for up to five ACCESS Microscholarship Program sites located around Khujand. S/he will visit these sites at least quarterly. At the sites, the EL Fellow will train teachers and help develop lesson plans, as well as work with students. This will involve extensive travel, sometimes overnight. The EL Fellow will also be an anchor for the US Embassy's new English Teaching Mentor program, which will select 10 teachers from the North and 10 teachers from the South of Tajikistan to receive training four times a year. As the only USG grantee posted in Khujand, the EL Fellow will conduct at least one of the trainings and serve as a resource for participants in the program.
Project Objectives
Khujand is located in the Fergana Valley, a site of occasional Islamic extremism. It is not far from Andijon, where the Uzbek government brutally cracked down on suspected extremists in 2005. The EL Fellow will likely be the first American most Khujanders have ever met and will show that America is willing to educate and engage in a region often ignored by its own government. This outreach will foster closer security and other cooperation with the US. Furthermore, the Government of Tajikistan has repeatedly asked the US to help Tajikistan improve its English language capacity. By stationing an EL Fellow outside the capital city, the US Embassy hopes to demonstrate its commitment to the government and the people of Tajikistan in the area of English training for all Tajiks.
About the Host Institution
KSU is one of the largest and best universities in Tajikistan, with more than 10,000 students. The Faculty of Foreign Languages has produced many participants in USG exchanges, including two Fulbright Scholars. The University hosted an EL Fellow in 2006-2007 and has assisted the US Embassy with many conferences, seminars and events.
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Tajikistan
City Dushanbe
Host Institution Pedagogical Institute
Type of Project Fellow
Project Dates September 2008 - June 2009
Project Focus
English for Speaking, Teacher Training
Project Description
The EL Fellow will teach English as a second language at the Pedagogical Institute, Tajikistan's primary teacher training institution. Duties will include preparing lessons, mentoring students and assisting with faculty development. The EL Fellow is also encouraged to create reading and conversation groups and will be invited to participate in educational fairs and conferences. The EL Fellow will serve as the primary teacher trainer for up to five ACCESS Microscholarship programs located in and around Dushanbe. S/he will visit the ACCESS locations at least quarterly to assist the teachers with curriculum and professional development and to work with the students. One ACCESS program is located in Khorog, which is accessible only by air travel. All other sites can be visited in one day. Finally, the EL Fellow will be one of the pillars of the Embassy's new English Teaching Mentor program, which will select 10 teachers for the north and 10 from the south of Tajikistan for at least four trainings every year. The EL Fellow will conduct at least one training and will also serve as a resource for participants.
Project Objectives
The government of Tajikistan has repeatedly asked the US Embassy to help increase the country's English-language capacity. The EL Fellow is a very visible sign of the US commitment to Tajikistan and is often the only American most students meet. The Embassy has found in the past that having an EL Fellow on the faculty tends to curtail bribe-taking by professors (a common problem in Tajikistan) and enhances transparency among the students and faculty.
About the Host Institution
The Pedagogical Institute is the premier teacher training institute in Tajikistan. It produces the majority of the country's English teachers, in addition to many NGO and Embassy employees. English teaching is the most popular subject. The US Embassy has an excellent working relationship with the Ped Institute. In addition to hosting an EL Fellow, the Embassy cooperates on an Embassy Speakers Series, educational fairs and seminars led by visiting experts.
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Turkmenistan
City Mary
Host Institution Mary American Corner
Type of Project Fellow
Project Dates September 2008 - June 2009
Project Focus
American Culture, American Literature, Democracy/Civics, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Journalism, Proficiency Exams, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques, Teacher Training, Curriculum Development
Project Description
The US Embassy's fully staffed Public Affairs Section, with a Cultural Affairs Officer, Cultural Affairs Assistant, and Education Program Assistant, will continue to support the EL Fellow in all matters. Posting previous EL Fellows 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 resources of the Public Affairs Section. Bearing this in mind, the US Embassy requests an EL Fellow for 2008-2009 to conduct pre-service and in-service teacher training and assist in curriculum development, particularly to help teachers to adapt and develop other materials for their lessons, which are required to be conducted according to the plan from the Ministry of Education. The EL Fellow will be based at the Mary American Corner and will lead regional English language outreach activities in coordination with the EL Fellow in Ashgabat and with the Public Affairs Section and American Corner. The EL Fellow will spend most of his/her time with Mary American Corner. From his/her base, EL Fellow will conduct teacher-training workshops for teachers from all over Mary region. The EL Fellow will also conduct workshops on EFL for local students at the Mary American Corner and also work with language centers. The EL Fellow will also help local counterparts prepare small publications on English teaching methodologies designed for English language teachers at various teaching levels. The Embassy established the Access Microscholarship program in Mary last year and would like to involve the EL Fellow with Access program progress assessment and monitoring, as well as help ACCESS teachers with their teaching as needed. The US Embassy believes that the Mary American Corner will be an ideal place for an EL Fellow in the region and its audience will benefit greatly from EL Fellow placement there, since the working environment in Mary is favorable and students and teachers are very actively involved in all American Corner activities. At the Mary American Corner, the EL Fellow will work with English language instructors on professional development in teaching methodology by leading weekly workshops on methodology and regular discussion cafes to foster public interest in the work of the American Corner. The EL Fellow will oversee the enrichment of existing American studies curricula through the highly motivated teachers who usually attend American Corner teacher training events. The US Embassy will support the EL Fellow in developing his/her schedule and organizing these events. The EL Fellow will also travel throughout Turkmenistan to conduct workshops for local teachers at the American corners in Turkmenabat, Turkmenbashy and Dashoguz. The current EL Fellow has been working with American Corners, and has been an invaluable tool in US Embassy outreach arsenal to students and teachers in the regions. The Embassy will try to program training sessions for students and teachers with the Pedagogical College in Mary and Pedagogical Institute in Turkmenabat.
Project Objectives
Recent policy changes in Turkmenistan have created a great need for the development of English curriculum, teacher training, and educational reform at all levels. Though Ministry of Education started re-introducing English back into all schools, Turkmen Government policies do not value education or professional development for teachers. It is in long-term USG interests to educate the future generation of leaders in Turkmenistan in English language and study of American life and institutions. English teachers’ language proficiency is low, and they need extensive teacher training as well as language development in order to fulfill their tasks and objectives as educators. Mary American Corner, as well as all other American Corners serves as the only independent information resource center and provides free access to Internet, as well as many educational and professional development opportunities that are highly successful and popular.
About the Host Institution
Mary is the capital of one of the country's five provinces. The Mary American Corner is the country's fourth American Corner, co-managed, as are the ones in Turkmenbashi, Dashoguz, and Turkmenabat, by American Councils (ACCELS) under a US Embassy-administered grant. Established on January 19, 2005, the Mary American Corner provides information on USG policies, programs and general resources, counseling on educational opportunities in the US, and runs a library of paper and A/V materials for rent, as well as serves as the host for many Embassy outreach events and programs. MAC serves the city of Mary (population approximately 95,000), and nearby districts (Murgap, Sakarchage, Yoleten and Bairamaly). It is the only autonomous international information, cultural and education center in the region; no other diplomatic missions or international organizations in Mary implement such a broad range of programs for such a diverse audience. The American Corner is fully equipped with computers and audio/visual equipment, including one of the faster Internet connections in Turkmenistan. Currently over 800 visitors each month use the MAC and the largest constituent of the Corner visitors is local youth aged 15-19. Local youth are very receptive to the opportunity to learn various skills, express themselves and enroll in seminars and workshops provided by the American Corners. There they learn public speaking, civics, leadership and critical thinking skills, writing and computer skills, and can improve their English language skills. The EL Fellow will be able to design and run any classes he/she wishes to assist American Corner visitors in their pursuit to fill in the gaps of the local education system.
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Turkmenistan
City Ashgabat
Host Institution Institute of Economy and Management
Type of Project Fellow
Project Dates September 2008 – June 2009
Project Focus
Aural comprehension of English, Reading comprehension, English conversation, Written English, American Culture, Proficiency Exams, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques
Project Descriptions
The EL Fellow will work at the Institute of Economy and Management, based in the capital city Ashgabat. The main objective for the EL Fellow at the Institute will be to teach primarily General English to teachers of various business courses at the institute, preferably with the focus on English for economists or Business English, contingent upon approval from the Government of Turkmenistan. Currently this Institute is restructuring its curriculum and introducing English, but the level of English of teachers is very low, and they need help with designing English for Economists or Business English programs, a technical writing curriculum and materials. Texas A&M University Business School is trying to help the Institute to re-model its curriculum, based on the US Business school model, and introduce English track at the Institute, but it is impossible to do so without adequate English level among the faculty to be able to start this process. It is planned to build on whatever proficiency teachers have (most of them very elementary) to bring them to the intermediate level until summer 2009, when professors from Texas A&M University will come to give classes in more advanced Business English, technical writing and so on. In summer 2010, it is planned to have professors from Texas A&M Business school to come and teach their courses to Turkmen teachers in English to be able to start the first English track in the Fall 2010. Therefore, the EL Fellow will conduct teacher training, particularly to help teachers to adapt and develop materials for their lessons, in accordance with guidelines set by the Ministry of Education. There are eight English teachers, teaching English to both students and teachers at the Institute and this group needs teacher training to acquaint themselves with new interactive teaching methodologies and techniques. As secondary project duties, the EL Fellow will work at the Foreign Languages Training Center of the Supreme Council for Science and Technology, which is established this year and will be open officially on June 12, 2008 with the aim to teach English and other foreign languages to the first group of Turkmen graduate students. The EL Fellow will work with the six full time English teachers at this Center on teacher-training and material development activities for them, as well as teach some English classes to graduate students (there are 96 of them, but some of them will study German or French, but the majority will learn English), such as conversation classes, academic writing, and so on. As a third and minor duties, as the EL Fellow finds appropriate, s/he will work with NGO POET. 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, the EL Fellow will work with English language instructors on developing teaching methodologies by leading weekly workshops. The EL Fellow will oversee the enrichment of existing American studies curricula through the highly motivated teachers who comprise the membership and audience of POET.
In general, the design of the English Language Fellow in Ashgabat will give him/her a lot of possibilities and a lot of room for creativity and flexibility in designing their own independent program of what they are good at doing and interested in pursuing. The EL Fellow will have many opportunities to continue to conduct workshops on English as a Foreign Language for local students at the PAS IRC and American Corner in Ashgabat (current location of IREX and ACCELS). The EL Fellow will also be involved with the ACCESS Microscholarship program to assist in progress assessment and monitoring, as well as helping ACCESS teachers with their teaching as needed.
Project Objectives
Turkmenistan’s need for English language teacher training and curriculum development is difficult to overstate. Former President Saparmurat Niyazov systematically scaled back education in all areas, including training for teachers, to the extent that teachers are unable to perform satisfactorily. Because of the low level of professionalism, and the lack of adequate training and development offered by the Government, teachers lose interest in teaching and become indifferent to their profession, just going through the motions. This leads to a decrease of natural intellectual curiosity of students, threatening the country’s prospects for progress and successful development in a post-Niyazov era. With the new administration and the reform mood, due to current openings and possibilities to work with the Ministry of Education and higher educational institutions in Turkmenistan, at the time when they understand that they need to change and the pressure is coming from the top, the US Embassy finds it useful and more effective to place the EL Fellow at the Institute of Economy and Management, as a necessary first step for them to raise their level of education and curriculum to international standards and to build up the necessary English language level for an effective partnership with Texas A&M University. The adequate teacher-training will help the Institute to train specialists ready to work in such a global environment. Working at the Foreign Language Training Center for Turkmen graduate students, the EL Fellow will be able to build the first English language program for the graduate program, as well as train the teachers in current methodologies. This Center is just about to open and graduate studies have been re-opened after a 10 year break, and the impact of the EL Fellow might be very significant. Through the US Embassy, POET and American Corners, the EL Fellow will be able to continue working with English teachers from secondary schools.
About the Host Institution
Turkmen Institute of National Economy trains specialists in the following specialties: Economics and economic law; Finance and credit; Management and Business; Marketing. It is the only higher educational Institution in Turkmenistan that prepares future economists for various sector of economy of Turkmenistan. Currently, the institute administration was tasked to re-structure the entire curriculum of the institute to be able to prepare world-class specialists. With this in mind, they invited Texas A&M University to help them with this endeavor, and Texas A&M made their site visit in May. As a result, it was agreed that first the Institute has to build its English language capacity to be able to build a successful partnership with the Texas A&M University.
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Uzbekistan
City Tashkent
Host Institution Uzbek State World Languages University/IELTE/ACCESS Program
Type of Project Fellow
Project Dates September 2008 - June 2009
Project Focus
English for Writing, Teacher Training
Project Description
There are 11 higher educational institutions in Uzbekistan that have English philology departments. However, none of these departments teach Writing as a separate discipline. There is no syllabus, whether national, local, or improvised, that focuses on teaching students and teachers writing skills, including how to write essays, summaries, and reports. The Institute for English Teacher Education (IELTE) at the University of World Languages is piloting a new syllabus that includes a larger writing component, and an EL Fellow could play a pivotal role in improving the new syllabus, developing new teaching materials and improving teaching methods. IELTE envisions that the EL Fellow will work with a team of teachers to revise the existing syllabi for these Writing Courses. The EL Fellow will work with this team to select existing materials and design new materials for these courses. The EL Fellow will meet once a week with each of four student groups and one teachers group. The Fellow will conduct 5 classes, 75 minutes each for each of these 5 groups. IELTE students currently take the following courses, with which the EL Fellow will hopefully assist as described above: Basic Writing (from sentence to paragraph writing) in the first year, Essay Writing in the second year, and Focus Writing (written projects, outline, summary, paraphrase, etc.) in the third year of study. Though the teachers have tried to incorporate the main components of academic writing into these courses, their own lack of specialized knowledge of English writing has hindered their efforts. Besides assisting IELTE in developing these courses, the EL Fellow will observe other courses and offer suggestions for improvement, advise teachers in meetings, and provide feedback to students on written projects and senior projects and also in meetings of the IELTE newsletter club. The EL Fellow will also work with the Uzbekistan Teachers of English Association (UzTEA), with much of this collaboration focusing on the Access Microscholarship Program. Over 100 students are participating in the Access program in Uzbekistan. The US Embassy has established Access programs in Tashkent and also in the provincial towns of Bukhara and Ferghana, which are located in the western and eastern ends of the country respectively. The EL Fellow could play a key role in the teacher training component of Access by holding bi-weekly sessions with the Tashkent-based instructors. Contact with the EL Fellow will help the Access teachers better understand and implement the learner-centered, fluency-focused approach that makes Access so unique. It will also help these teachers get new materials and ideas, many of which will highlight U.S. culture and democratic values. Activities could include conversation class, mini workshops, lesson planning, and new teaching techniques for approximately 1.5 hours a week for 8-10 teachers. Hopefully, once a month or quarter, the EL Fellow will also hold training sessions with the regional team of 8 teachers at each branch. The EL Fellow could also provide instruction directly to the Access students and alumni by conducting an existing conversation class with 15-20 Access program alumni for 1 hour a week. In addition, as time permits, the EL Fellow could initiate a similar class for 2 hours a week with current Access students. Finally, s/he could provide valuable assistance in expanding and improving the curriculum for the annual ten-day Summer Enhancement School, in which over 100 Access students participate. These activities would consume a total of 5-6 hours of the EL Fellow’s time each week (approximately 12% of the fellow’s time). Additionally, the EL Fellow could provide support to UzTEA itself in a variety of ways, including initiating a weekly conversation class with approximately 20 UzTEA members (1-1.5 hours a week), conducting a weekly or monthly teacher training workshop for up to 80 UzTEA members (2-3 hours a month), assisting with planning the bi-annual UzTEA National Conference, assisting with administering various teacher contests as a selection committee member (2-3 times a year), and assisting with administering the organization’s website: www.uztea.uz. These activities would take approximately 4-5 hours a week (about 11% of the fellow’s time).
Project Objectives
The EL Fellow in Uzbekistan will help to increase mutual understanding and educational opportunities for Uzbekistan. Learning English provides students a new window on American values and culture that can enhance trust and understanding. An EL Fellow working at the Institute for English Teacher Education (IELTE) at the Uzbek State World Languages University could contribute to a high-quality professional teacher training program. Such training programs are a critical conduit for promoting understanding of American language, society, culture, values and policies, as they increase the skills of current and future teachers, thereby enabling these teachers to better promote these aspects of America in their classrooms with thousands of additional students. It is only through such a thorough understanding of each other's cultures that the US can hope to establish and maintain a foundation of international cooperation and trust with the citizens of Uzbekistan. Such cooperation and trust can also be instrumental in a young Uzbek’s choice not to become involved in activities aimed against the US. The US Embassy faces significant challenges in Uzbekistan. Relations between the US and Uzbek governments have been strained in the past few years with the result that all of US Embassy’s implementing NGO partners have been closed. All regional programs based at the Embassy were transferred elsewhere, including the RELO who recently began work in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Peace Corps program was also closed, so there are not even any American volunteers teaching English in Uzbekistan. The only remaining USG entity in the country running English-language programming is the US Embassy. The Embassy staff is already stretched thin after assuming responsibility for implementing all the educational exchange programs that the implementing partners had previously run. So, Embassy staff currently struggle to do any general outreach activities or provide even the most basic level of support for English teachers, including providing English teaching curricula, textbooks, and teacher training workshops. This is a missed opportunity, because while the current political situation in Uzbekistan makes many PD activities difficult, there is still great demand for English language learning. English language programs and collaboration with educators is hugely important and popular in Uzbekistan. Supporting English teachers here is one proven effective way that the Embassy can continue outreach work and lay the groundwork for even more activities and greater engagement in the future, should and when the political situation change. Interestingly, the Minister of Higher Education recently expressed his support for English teaching programs. An EL Fellow could be the single most important component of this collaboration with educators. An EL Fellow would also allow the Embassy to put an American face back on the Access Microscholarship Program in Uzbekistan. Because of the strained relations between the governments, the Embassy staff has not been able to visit the Access program teachers or students in over a year. The EL Fellow that was working in Uzbekistan in the 2006-07 academic year was able to continue working with the Access program and, hopefully, a new EL fellow will be able to so, as well. Finally, such an American specialist could significantly contribute to regional English language initiatives, including the annual Central Asian Teachers of English Conference. The EL Fellow could serve as a direct link to the outside world for the teachers of English in Uzbekistan, who otherwise can be rather isolated, facing economic and political barriers to travel and access to information.
About the Host Institution
The Uzbek State World Languages University is one of the largest universities in Uzbekistan. It was established in 1992 through a presidential proclamation that merged the Tashkent State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages and the Republican Pedagogical Institute of Russian Language and Literature. It has eight departments, and the English Philology department is the largest one with more than 6,000 students. Of the 600 faculty members that teach at the university, 260 are teachers of English. In spring 2000, the Public Affairs Section (PAS) in Tashkent and the University of World Languages launched a joint project -- the Institute for English Teacher Education (IELTE) -- to reform the English teacher education curricula in university departments in Uzbekistan. Specifically, the project studies the current curriculum to identify areas for improvement, incorporates modern approaches to language teacher education, and revises the curriculum to bring it in line with international practices. At present, IELTE is the only four-year pre-service English teacher training program in Central Asia where all subjects are taught in English and the curriculum is modeled on that of well-known universities around the world. The curriculum includes four areas of focus: 1) Language Improvement (Integrated Skills, Reading Writing Critical Thinking (RWCT), Grammar, Vocabulary, Writing); 2) English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Methodology (Methodology, Language Teaching Practicum, Language Assessment and Testing, Materials Design, Course Design, ESP Methodology); 3) Linguistics (General, Sociolinguistics, and Psycholinguistics); and 4) American Studies (U.S. History, Culture, and Literature). Nearly 150 students have graduated from IELTE since its establishment, and about 250 students are currently enrolled. Because of high demand from prospective students for enrollment, this year IELTE decided to expand its program and accept 90 students, as opposed to accepting no more than 70 students in past years. Since its inception, PAS and the Regional English Language Office (RELO) have supported this prestigious program, providing both resource and training assistance. The IELTE department has a teachers’ resource center and an English students’ library.
The Uzbekistan Teachers of English Association (UzTEA) is the only national teachers’ association in Uzbekistan. It has 15 branches located in every region of the country. The mission of UzTEA is to improve the practice of English teaching in Uzbekistan, provide a means of pooling and exchanging resources and disseminate information about English teaching. Membership in UzTEA is open to all teachers of English at the primary, secondary, higher or vocational levels in Uzbekistan. All Access Microscholarship Program service providers are also chapters of UzTEA. This makes the Access program a huge boost to the local English language teacher population. Purchased and donated resources become part of the chapter’s resource room. Pre-service teachers from local teacher training universities as well as regular in-service teachers are allowed to sign up to observe Access classes. Training sessions are open to a limited number of participants from outside of the Access staff. And the Access program itself has given something around which the chapter’s members can proudly rally. In short, Access has helped to boost the concept of civil society through its close relationship with UzTEA. The Access program itself has been successfully operating in Uzbekistan for three years. It began with one program site in the capital city of Tashkent. Then in 2006 the Access Program expanded to include two branches outside of Tashkent, in Bukhara and Fergana, thereby tripling the number of program branches. Each branch began with two groups of eight students each, adding a total of 32 new students to a program that already has 75 students. Due to the deteriorated relationship between the US and Uzbekistan, the Access program was “inspected” by authorities at the beginning of the 2006-07 academic year in Tashkent. Because of the resulting tension, the service provider requested that Embassy employees, including the RELO, refrain from visiting students and teachers this year. This held true for the Bukhara and Fergana branches as well. It is important to note that despite these challenges, the EL Fellow that was in Uzbekistan during that year was able to continue visiting the Access sites and providing training to teachers. The renewed presence of a native speaker trainer will help support the growing Access program.
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