AY 2009-2010 Projects - South and Central Asia (SCA)

Afghanistan, U.S. Embassy - Filled
Bangladesh, BRAC University - Filled/Confirmed Renewal
India, Directorate of Collegiate Education - Filled/Confirmed Renewal
India, Techno India Group - Filled
India, University Of Pune - Filled
Kazakhstan, Buketov Karaganda State University, Karaganda Association of English Teachers - Filled
Kazakhstan, Financial Police Academy - Filled
Kazakhstan, Islamic University, NATEK - Cancelled
Kazakhstan, Islamic University, NATEK - Cancelled
Kazakhstan, Islamic University, NATEK - Cancelled
Kyrgyzstan, NGO Lingua School, English Language Teachers' Association - Filled/Confirmed Renewal
Kyrgyzstan, Osh State University - Filled
Nepal, Nepal English Language Teachers' Association-NELTA, Kathmandu University (School of Education) - Filled/Confirmed Renewal
Pakistan, Ali Insitute of Education - Filled
Sri Lanka, Sri Jayawardenapura University - Filled
Tajikistan, Khujand State University - Filled
Tajikistan, Pedagogical Institute - Filled
Tajikistan, Tajikistan Police Academy - Cancelled
Turkmenistan, Foreign Languages Training Center for Graduate Students at the Supreme Council of Science and Technology, Public Affairs Section of U.S. Embassy - Filled
Turkmenistan, Mary American Corner - Filled/Confirmed Renewal
Uzbekistan, Uzbek State University of World Languages, Uzbekistan Teachers of English Association/English Access Microscholarship Program - Filled/Confirmed Renewal

Afghanistan
City                              Kabul
Host Institution           US Embassy
Type of Project            Senior Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

Country/Project Specific Requirements

Afghanistan is a fascinating country, but certainly not for the faint of heart. The US Embassy is looking for an intrepid individual who is ready to make an impact in an area where there has been little opportunity for development. The security situation is ever-changing and always a consideration. But the people are warm, the culture rich, and the opportunities many. The rewards are innumerable. The Embassy will provide hooch space on the Embassy compound, Mission-required secure transportation to/from venues, office space, and administrative support. EL Fellow will be briefed by the Regional Security Office on security precautions and will operate within the same security parameters as all Public Affairs American staff. Body armor and other security protection will be provided as necessary.
Afghanistan is a Muslim country where drinking alcohol is prohibited (although permitted on Embassy compound), where revealing clothing can create threatening situations, and public displays of affection between men and women violate cultural norms. This affects the way foreigners dress, entertain and interact.
Immunizations recommended: Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, MMR, polio booster, tetanus-diphtheria booster. Malaria prophylaxis is optional. Environmental conditions are extremely dry and dusty for most of the year, causing extremely dry skin and other health problems.
No dependents are permitted in Kabul; cats are the only pets permitted for individuals residing in hooches. The cat must have a current health certificate when arriving. As shopping is extremely limited in Kabul, pet supplies to last throughout the tour will need to be shipped.
Hooches are approximately 10' wide and 15' long; bathroom is 3' x 10'. Although small, hooches are self-contained and have: single bed, desk, chair, wardrobe, chest of drawers, air conditioning and heating unit, and a bathroom.

Project Focus
American Culture, American Literature, Democracy/Civics, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques

Project Description
The primary focus of the EL Fellow will be to conduct training for English teachers both in Kabul and throughout the country. Given the low level of English teaching pedagogy, the EL Fellow will be expected to work with English teachers at a variety of institutions in Kabul, as well as regionally. Primary site will be Kabul Education University, followed by other institutions of higher education in Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Bamyan, Kunduz, and other provinces as permitted by the security situation, which remains volatile. Secondary project duties will include working with: American Corner Programming, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. The English Language Teachers Association for Afghans offers the opportunity to provide support to additional English teachers and assist the fledgling association as it develops in country. As the EL Fellow travels provincially, s/he will give presentations at the American Corners on various aspects of American culture. Finally, the EL Fellow will also provide workshops or seminars to Access teachers.

Project Objectives
English language is very, very important in Afghanistan and serves as a great opportunity. As the former Minister of Education put it, English + Youth = Jobs + Hope, but without developed English teachers, these opportunities simply can't be as effectively offered to the students. Youth with nothing to lose turn to extremism -- but instead, with English language skills they have the prospects of employment and prosperity -- in a country with a 40% unemployment rate. As they learn English, they have access to greater information and learn more about democratic principles. And by coming in contact with more Americans, they gain an appreciation for the non-military, non-political face of America as represented by the EL Fellow.

About the Host Institution
Because of Afghanistan's unique security situation, the US Embassy prefers EL Fellow be hosted at the Embassy, but provide support to a number of institutions and organizations both in Kabul and in the provinces. As part of good security practices, the EL Fellow must not be time and place predictable and will have to vary routes, venues, and schedules, as all Public Affairs staff currently does. Because of the secure nature of the Embassy, it is preferred that office space at the Embassy be primary base of operations. However, experience has indeed shown that Embassy staff are able to move quite freely and securely as long as they practice good risk management.

Kabul Education University, one of the primary institutions with which the EL Fellow will work, was established at the beginning of Karzai’s government. It has 5,000 students; most students are between 17-20 years old and there are some in-service students who are 20-25 years old. The English Dept. of Kabul Education University has around 500 students who are taught by 17 teachers. The university is also running a Master's program which enrolls around 25 students. The head of the English Department has studied in the United States and has cooperated frequently with the US Embassy on teacher training.

The English teacher's association, ELTAA, was found a little over two years ago and has several regional branches. In addition to an annual conference, ELTAA sponsors teacher training workshops and seminars.

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Bangladesh
City                              Dhaka
Host Institution           BRAC University
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               September 2008 – June 2010

Project Focus
American Culture, Democracy/Civics, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques

Project Description
The EL Fellow holds a joint appointment at BRAC University and the Bangladesh Rural Development Committee (BRAC). At BRAC University s/he is a member of the team of teachers that provide ESL training to all BRACU students as well as faculty and provides additional professional development training for faculty and staff. At BRAC s/he takes part in the Secondary Education Project which provides in-service training to high school teachers, including English teachers, at satellite sites throughout Bangladesh. Secondary project duties will include working with: American Corner Programming, American Culture, English Camp, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. The EL Fellow is also participating in BRAC’s in-service training program for current English teachers around Bangladesh. During the upcoming academic year, outreach will include lectures, classes and workshops at Islamic universities, military academies and the Access program.

Project Objectives
At BRAC University, the EL Fellow is teaching and participating in the development of the curriculum for the newly established ESL program. BRAC University is among the better private universities in Dhaka. Although the elite private universities in Bangladesh use English as the language of instruction, BRAC University is among the first to seriously address the issue of training its students in English as a foreign language. Many aspects of the Bangladeshi educational system have been modeled after the British educational system. There is even a thriving sector of English medium primary and secondary schools that teach the standard UK curriculum (even to the point of sending O level and A level examinations to the UK to be graded). University level English programs have been modeled after British programs and tend to assume native fluency. However, most of the students at BRAC University completed Bangla medium secondary schools. Therefore, BRACU recently launched a new comprehensive English teaching program for all of its students. The curriculum involves multiple teachers for each group of students in order to expose the students to a range of teachers and to utilize each teacher’s strengths. This arrangement is conducive to consultation among teachers. It also provides flexibility in scheduling which permits the EL Fellow to engage extensively in the secondary project. The objective of this placement is to assist well qualified Bangladeshi students to transition from studying in Bangla to studying in English and to collaborate in the development of the teaching program. Although the Ministry of Education has introduced a new English curriculum that focuses on communicative methods, few Bangladeshi English teachers have the competency to teach such a program. BRAC has multiple training centers in different regions of the country (including one in Savar, within the Dhaka district) to which it invites current teachers for four-week training sessions.

About the Host Institution
BRAC University is a new private university in Dhaka. It is almost six years old and recently graduated its first undergraduate class. It is affiliated with BRAC. Despite its newness, BRACU already has several international partners including George Washington University (supported by an ECA partnerships grant) as well as the Institute for Cholera and Diarrhea Disease Research (ICDDRB) with which it is establishing an MPH program (with substantial support from the Gates Foundation.) It has approximately 2,000 students, including both undergraduates and graduate students. Although the standard academic year starts in January, BRACU also takes in new students in September. The Bangladesh Rural Development Committee (BRAC) is one of the world’s largest NGOs. When its activities were confined to Bangladesh, it was the largest single country NGO in the world. Now it also has programs in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and some African countries. It has activities in multiple sectors including microcredit, banking, internet service, healthcare, and education (BRAC operates about 34,000 non-traditional primary schools). BRAC generates funds through some of its activities (stores, bank, ISP) and also receives support from donors. At any time there are numerous international interns volunteering at BRAC.

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India
City                              Chennai
Host Institution           Directorate of Collegiate Education
Type of Project            Senior Fellow
Project Dates               Mid-October 2009 – Mid-August 2010

Project Focus
English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques, TOT

Project Description
This is the second year of this program. In the first year the EL Fellow trained 20 potential trainers who went through a three-week training program. The objective was to update the skills and methods of the English language lecturers. The impact of this has been strong in that they now understand that they have to move from a teacher-centered, lecture-style class to a more communicative and student-centered classroom environment. From February 2009 to May 2010, the trainers selected to disseminate the training will start offering the training workshops to other college teachers under the supervision of the EL Fellow who will be supporting them on site. This will involve structured feedback to the trainers on the delivery of the training. It is expected that there will be seven-eight such workshops training a total of 200-250 college teachers in 2009-2010. The trainers will be provided with training kits which should ensure a smooth delivery of further training. As a result of the feedback, the EL Fellow will review and revise the training materials to meet the needs of the different groups of the teachers attending the programs. Some of this may happen during the program itself the EL Fellow is supporting. The EL Fellow will also be responsible for implementing a final training workshop for the trainers. This will address the needs of the trainers to fill any gaps in their training as trainers so that they become an independent cadre of trainers for the government of Tamil Nadu. This will ensure sustainability of the program after the EL Fellow has completed his/her tenure with the Directorate of College education, Tamil Nadu. Secondary project duties will include working with: American Corner Programming, English Camp, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. The US Consulate in South India is organizing workshops for Madrassa English teachers in which the EL Fellow will conduct the two 2- week training programs with one or two local trainers. The Consulate has two Access centers in Chennai and a couple of others in South India, so whenever time permits; the EL Fellow will talk to the students and give the teachers support on teaching techniques. As one of the Regional English Language Officer (RELO) objectives is to support Teacher Associations, the EL Fellow will participate in conferences/seminars held by these associations. The EL Fellow will also make presentations in the American library and American Corner on various aspects of language learning/teaching.

Project Objectives
Students studying in Government Colleges particularly in rural areas belonging to disadvantaged communities find it difficult to get through the University examinations in English, Math, and Science Subjects. The EL Fellow Program will be highly beneficial to retrain the faculty to enhance the teaching skills of all the English Lecturers at the Government Colleges in Tamil Nadu, thereby improving the communications skills of the students from the Govt and Govt aided colleges in Tamil Nadu.
Through presenting the current thinking on English language teaching and using contemporary resources, the EL Fellow Program will contribute to the understanding of the U.S., its policies, social structures, culture and people though which it will advance goals of promoting democracy, economic growth, and public diplomacy. The democratic values at the core of the American experience are both inherent and explicit in the teaching materials, curriculum development and the national expression the EL Fellow. Through direct influence on the teachers and program administrators, and indirect influence on the growing mass of youth studying English as a tool for personal and national development, in teaching materials, curriculum proposals, and daily interaction with a real American, the Program will support goals of establishing peace and democracy, of expanding economic opportunity, and of improving the mutual understanding between our two nations.

About the Host Institution
The Directorate of Collegiate Education was formed in the year 1965 with a view to exclusively administer Collegiate Education by bifurcating the erstwhile Directorate of Public Instruction into Directorate of School Education and Directorate of Collegiate Education. The present Government are very keen in making Tamilnadu the most advanced State in the field of Higher Education by introducing advanced Scientific and Technological measures. The thrust area will be the field of Information Technology which has got a phenomenal scope for the employment of their youth studying in the Higher Education Institutions in Tamilnadu.

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India
City                              Kolkata
Host Institution           Techno India Group
Type of Project           Fellow
Project Dates              Mid-October 2009 – Mid-August 2010

Project Focus
English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Technical English

Project Description
The EL Fellow will teach Technical English to undergraduate and postgraduate students through content based materials along with mentoring English teachers who will follow similar teaching techniques. This will be a teaching position, but as a model of technical English/ESP teaching, the host institution will have others teachers observe and have the EL Fellow lead discussions with the staff on how they can incorporate technical needs into their English class. ESP and content-driven English teaching is relatively new here in India. By getting a good model and videotaping some classes, the host institution can use the EL Fellow to open the door to this important aspect of ELT. India is being driven by its economic engine and has critical content-ESP-type English needs that are not met by the traditional literature-oriented English classes. Secondary project duties will include working with: American Corner Programming, American Culture, English Camp, Support Mentoring, and Workshops/Seminars. The EL Fellow will train school teachers in other locations on current techniques of English language teaching to improve the English communication skills of students. S/he will also train the Access teachers thorough a series of workshops throughout the year. In addition, the EL Fellow will review and recommend appropriate materials for the Access learners, as well as make presentations in the American library and American Corner on various aspects of language learning.

Project Objectives
There is a great need and demand for improving the training of teachers of English in Kolkata. The valuable inputs of the EL Fellow speakers have offered a positive vision to the teachers resulting in many new ideas on the teaching of the English language. English is a global language, a language widely used in this region and EL Fellow programs are best to reach out to the youth to make them partners in the global community. A growing and dynamic institution, Techno India (TI) is one of the most prestigious institutions in India, with some of the most modern facilities in the city of Kolkata. In West Bengal, TI has more than 10,000 management and technology students. It is one of the most important professionally managed institutions, with an excellent reputation. Utilizing the latest technologies in its pedagogical approaches, TI has a range of concentrations available, from medicine to management, technology to food processing, and hotel management to hospitality management. The EL Fellow will work to impart excellent language skills to the students, in the scope and detail typical of the EL Fellow Program. The Chairman of TI has a very close relationship with the Government of West Bengal. Incidentally, the Vice Chancellor of KIIT (previous Host Institution in Bhubaneswar) is on the advisory board of this institution. TI has also agreed to prominently feature the U.S. in its soon-to-be opened “international lounge.” At no cost to the USG, the lounge will serve as a platform from which the US Consulate can make information available on, for example, study in the U.S. and American culture, as well as to promote and publicize PD programs and initiatives in Eastern India. The Consulate thus has established a relationship with this key institution and would like to deepen and develop it with the EL Fellow Program.

About the Host Institution
Techno India Group is one of the largest knowledge-management groups in India, dedicated to the cause of development of Education, Research and Entrepreneurship in Science, Technology, Management and Medicine and has a mission to support the entire knowledge path from Nursery to PhD. Within 20 years of its establishment Techno India Group (TIG) has reached a zenith of repute in Education & Technology Services. It provides higher education and Research opportunities through various Schools and Departments that are spread across various geographical locations. Techno India provides one of the best learning opportunities to its students with a perfect blend of curricular as well as career enhancement programs, through its well designed knowledge path.

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India
City                              Pune
Host Institution           University of Pune
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

Project Focus
American Culture, American Literature, Business, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Research, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques

Project Description
Primary aim is to enhance the English Language capacity of the audience, by providing students and teachers with basic and advanced communication skills. Main audience would be university students at the undergraduate, graduate and professional studies level, and teachers. Teaching will be classroom based and interactive and take up about 70% of the EL Fellow time and effort. This will also include working with professional English language teachers on curriculum development. Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, English Camp, Workshops/Seminars. The remaining 30% of the EL Fellow time could be spent on supplemental English-related professional activities that the host institution or US Consulate may require the EL Fellow to engage in, like teacher training, materials development, research, support the English Access Microscholarship Programs. By engaging with the business student community and giving insight into American culture, the EL Fellow may gain unique professional development opportunity. The EL Fellow will also work to further develop a relationship with the English Language Teachers Association of India (ELTAI) for professional networking and development.

About the Host Institution
The University of Pune, located in northwestern Pune, is one of India's premier universities. It was established on February 10, 1949. Spread over a comprehensive 400 acre (1.6 km²) campus, the university is home to 46 academic departments and 500 colleges. It has an international student body, including students from Afghanistan, Iran and Yemen. The University and American Center have a long standing collaborative relationship. The center is a 2.5 hr drive from the university, which allows for easy contact with the ELF. The host city is safe and secure and colloquially known as the 'Oxford of India' for its high number of accredited institutes of higher learning. There is an extensive academic network to ingrain the EL Fellow's work. A recent EL Fellow Program - professional training for Madrasa English Language Teachers - is being hosted at the city by an affiliate college. Finally, Pune is well connected to the rest of the country by air and rail links.

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Kazakhstan
City                              Karaganda
Host Institution           Buketov Karaganda State University/Karaganda Association of English Teachers
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               End of August 2009 – End of June 2010

Country/Project Specific Requirements
Kazakhstan is an extremely challenging work and life environment, including severe winters. The EL Fellow needs to be adaptable, flexible, and able to function in an often mysterious environment. Russian language skills OR the ability to learn fast are highly desirable.

Project Focus
American Literature, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques

Project Description
The EL Fellow will teach Teaching Methodologies, English as a Foreign Language to 3-4 groups of 12-15 junior-and senior-year students for 20 hours per week. The classes will last from 50 to 80 minutes each. The target audience run by the EL Fellow will consist of future teachers of English in secondary schools. The EL Fellow will attend weekly staff meetings of host Department of English Language Teaching to share experience and ideas with other teachers. Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, English Club Programming, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. The EL Fellow will attend monthly meetings of Karaganda English Teachers Association (KATE). Once a month s/he can give workshops to the members of this professional association. The EL Fellow will travel around Central Kazakhstan to give a series of workshops and seminars to the teachers of local universities and secondary schools. The EL Fellow will present at the annual conference of the National Association of Teachers of English in Kazakhstan (NATEK) and Central Asian Teachers English Conference (CATEC).

Project Objectives
Presence of the English Language Fellow in Karaganda will be the major source for American English language and American culture for the vast audience of people: English Language Teachers, students and all who are interested in the United States of America. The demand for studying English language is great in Kazakhstan since the President of the country draws attention of the youth to this issue, pointing out that it could open doors to the future position of Kazakhstan in the world. The EL Fellow will help to build mutual understanding between Kazakhstan and the U.S. and exchange teaching experiences.

About the Host Institution
Buketov Karaganda State University is the second oldest university in the history of Kazakhstan and it is one of the oldest and largest universities with modern infrastructure. It's dynamically developing these days. It carries out training on 101 specialties of juridical, economic, humanitarian, natural-scientific, pedagogical and engineering directions in full-time, correspondence, part-time, and distant teaching. At the present moment, over 20,000 students are taking courses at 14 departments. The special pride of the University is its qualified teaching staff. The teachers of the University prepare over 30 PhD and Candidates of science annually. Buketov Karaganda State University has a functioning Dissertation Board. KarSU is the first among other State Universities of our country to pass the International Accreditation with the Certificate of European Fund of Management Developing (EFMD).

Karaganda Association of English Teachers was established in 1997. The association provides opportunities for teachers to share and benefit from each other's practical experience, to enhance the professional promotion of English teachers. It conducts seminars and courses on methodologies of teaching English with help of invited instructors and native speakers who teach in the region; organizes English clubs and speaking round tables for teachers and students; maintains relationships with the teachers' associations in other regions and with the foreign organizations, such as British Council, Peace Corps, ACCELS, and IREX; and participates in the NATEK (National Association of Teachers of English in Kazakhstan) conferences.

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Kazakhstan
City                              Almaty
Host Institution           Islamic University/NATEK
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

Project Focus
American Culture, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing

Project Description
The EL Fellow will teach a basic English class to Imams studying at the Islamic University in Almaty. 70% of the EL Fellow’s time will be spent on developing curriculum and materials and delivering English language instruction. Secondary project duties will include working with: English Club Programming, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. 30% of the EL Fellow's time will be spent running an extracurricular English club and working with the local branch of the National Association of Teachers of English in Kazakhstan (NATEK). If possible, the EL Fellow will travel to Shymkent to work with the US Embassy’s Access program.

Project Objectives
This EL Fellow will be the first to work in an Islamic institution in Kazakhstan. S/he will be one of the three EL Fellows placed there. This is US Embassy’s first program with any Islamic institution in Kazakhstan and the impact of this program will be immeasurable. Opening this area of programming will have a major impact on US Embassy's ability to reach out to Muslim institutions and groups within Kazakhstan.

About the Host Institution
Islamic Nur-Mubarak University was founded with help from Al Azhar University in Cairo. It is the premier Islamic institution of higher learning in Kazakhstan. It offers Islamic training in regional studies, translation, foreign philology, religious studies, Oriental studies, and foreign languages.
NATEK, the National Association of Teachers of English in Kazakhstan, has its main office in Almaty. They are an un-registered NGO.

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Kazakhstan
City                              Astana
Host Institution           Financial Police Academy/Astana Association of English Teachers
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               End of August 2009 – End of June 2010

Country/Project Specific Requirements
Kazakhstan is a challenging environment, including severe winters.

Project Focus
English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Finance, Law

Project Description
The EL Fellow will be teaching English as a Foreign Language and English for Specific Purposes (Finance and Law) to six groups of 20 junior-year students for 20 hours per week. The students' levels of English are elementary and pre-intermediate. The classes will last 50 minutes each. The target audience will consist of future specialists in Jurisdiction, Customs, and Law Enforcement. The EL Fellow will attend weekly staff meetings of host sub-faculty of English Language to share experience and ideas with other teachers. S/he will use the Academy language lab (funded by INL office at the US Embassy) to give classes for the students and seminars for the teachers. The Academy feels the lack of experienced English teachers to use all the opportunities of the lab in a proper way. The EL Fellow will be a huge source of knowledge and expertise in this sphere. Secondary project duties will include working with: English Club Programming, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. The EL Fellow will attend monthly meetings of Astana English Teachers Association. Once a month s/he will give workshops to the members of this professional association. The EL Fellow will travel around the north and the east of Kazakhstan to give a series of workshops and seminars to the teachers of local universities and secondary schools, and the instructors of English Access Microscholarship program in Pavlodar (North Kazakhstan) and Pervomaiskiy (East Kazakhstan). The EL Fellow will present at the annual conference of the National Association of Teachers of English in Kazakhstan (NATEK) and Central Asian Teachers English Conference (CATEK).

Project Objectives
Kazakhstan youth are very interested in studying English, since it opens great opportunities for the country to play on the world stage and has become very important in the process of globalization. The EL Fellow position in Financial Police Academy will help the US Embassy to promote its goal of bringing American English language, American culture and values to Kazakhstan. Moreover, it will nurture mutual understanding between the two countries. It will increase the level of English language teaching at the Academy and assist in training of highly qualified staff to work effectively at the Financial Police and Customs Services. The workshops and seminars for participants and instructors of the English Access Microscholarship program will emphasize the Embassy’s sustained engagement and constant success of the program.

About the Host Institution
The Financial Police Academy was founded in 1999 by the Government’s Decree of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The main task of the Academy is to prepare highly qualified staff with knowledge in both jurisdictions and economics in order to be able to work at the Financial Police and Customs Services and to lead anti-corruption work against economic crimes and crimes in the customs service areas. There are three specialties at the Academy: Jurisdiction, Customs, and Law Enforcement. The Financial Police Academy is included into the list of leading institutes of Legal area. About 100 disciplines and special courses are taught at the Academy as well as training courses, workshops and internships for students. The Academy is equipped with a new Language Lab for 15 students ($31,000.00). The lab was funded by the INL office at the US Embassy. All the necessary functions for lessons such as dialog, broadcasting, grouping, Examination Guide, etc., are offered. English Teaching software by Clarity is provided as well ($6,700). Half of the programs are adopted globally by British Council. It will be a useful tool and assistance for the EL Fellow.

English Teachers Organization (ETO) was established in 1996, followed by the opening of the ETO Resource Center in 1997. Both of these units act as one to promote communication and professional development of school and university teachers, to assist English teaching faculty and students in search of training materials, to give an opportunity to share teaching experience and enhance training expertise via monthly seminars and workshops conducted by English Language specialists (both native and local) at the ETO Resource Center. Working in close cooperation with Astana and regional department of education, the ETO and the ETO Resource Center will be capable of bringing together teachers from remote rural secondary schools to take advantage of workshops and seminars addressed to English teaching faculty. The ETO Resource Center has a good collection of English teaching materials, authentic books, textbooks, videos, audiocassettes, reference books, and dictionaries, and provides access to the Internet. Due to its easy access, high passing capacity, and strong connection with the ETO, city and regional departments of education, the ETO Resource Center can host the EL Fellow's seminars and workshops.

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Project Focus
American Culture, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing

Project Description
Seventy percent (70%) of the EL Fellow's time will be spent creating curriculum and materials, and delivering basic English instruction to Imams studying at the university. Secondary project duties will include working with American Culture. The EL Fellow will spend 30% of his time running an extracurricular American culture film club and working with the National Association of Teachers of English in Kazakhstan (NATEK).

Project Objectives
This EL Fellow will be the first to work in an Islamic institution in Kazakhstan. S/he will be one of the three EL Fellows placed there. This is US Embassy’s first program with any Islamic institution in Kazakhstan and the impact of this program will be immeasurable. Opening this area of programming will have a major impact on US Embassy's ability to reach out to Muslim institutions and groups within Kazakhstan.

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Project Focus
English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing

Project Description
Seventy percent (70%) of the EL Fellow's time will be spent creating curriculum and materials and delivering a basic English class to Imam's at the University. Secondary project duties will include working with: English Club Programming. For 30% of the EL Fellow's time, s/he will be involved in running an extracurricular English discussion club.

Project Objectives
This EL Fellow will be the first to work in an Islamic institution in Kazakhstan. S/he will be one of the three EL Fellows placed there. This is US Embassy’s first program with any Islamic institution in Kazakhstan and the impact of this program will be immeasurable. Opening this area of programming will have a major impact on US Embassy's ability to reach out to Muslim institutions and groups within Kazakhstan.

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Kyrgyzstan
City                              Bishkek
Host Institution           NGO Lingua/English Language Teachers' Association
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

Country/Project Specific Requirements
Medical services in the Kyrgyz Republic are extremely limited. Elderly travelers and those with existing health problems may be at risk due to inadequate medical facilities.

Project Focus
Methodologies

Project Description
The EL Fellow will:

Establish collegial working relations with teachers of English at host institution through a team-teaching approach.
Identify areas for professional trainings; conduct workshops and trainings for English language teachers at host institution; conduct regional trainings (Chui, Issyk-Kul, Naryn, and Talas).
Discuss methodology and language-related issues; participate in curriculum and teaching materials development; participate in building networking schemes of agencies involved into teacher training process (Lingua, Academy of Education, Teacher-training Universities, Peace Corps, Forum Teachers’ Association, and other EL Fellows based in the region).
Promote exchange of teaching ideas and best practices though newsletters.
Expand understanding and knowledge of American culture and values in informal settings.

Secondary project duties will include working with Teacher Organizations. The EL Fellow will:

Support and develop Forum Teachers’ Association, especially its regional branches in Karakol, Naryn, and Talas;
Conduct regular methodology trainings and workshops for school and university teacher-trainers (18-20 hours per week).
Travel to regions to conduct trainings for village teachers (2-3 days per month).
Participate in national conferences and assist in establishing a network of teacher-training institutions, associations, and NGOs.

Project Objectives
The EL Fellow will increase mutual understanding in interacting with locals, and representing American culture and society. S/he will also promote the role of civil society and democracy more broadly in supporting an NGO like the Forum Teachers' Association. Finally, the EL Fellow will enhance the ability of Kyrgyz to access alternative sources of information, which should spread positive new ideas about the world and combat harmful ones like terrorism.

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. For more information about the School, please contact Nazarbekova Gulnara, the School Director at their office tel/fax (96312) 62 01 24, or email: gulnara@els.kyrnet.kg. The School website is www.lingua.to.kg. Lingua will provide resources for the EL Fellow’s work (stationary, equipment, work station at office, classrooms, access to Internet, Resource center).

The Language Teachers’ Association FORUM was begun to help teachers of English in the country acquire new ways of teaching and classroom management, learn American studies and implement the principles of tolerance and academic honesty at schools and their communities. For the last few years they successfully realized several projects, such as “Celebrating Books” in Talas Oblast (2003), “Modern Technologies in Teaching English and Students Evaluation in Class” (2004), foundation of two resource centers in Bazar-Korgon and Bakai-Ata. In the fall of 2006, the first nationwide FORUM newsletter was begun with articles submitted by teachers throughout the nation. At the same time FORUM organized many teacher and trainer trainings, workshops, and joint projects, the last of which were “Rural project” (Osh, Karabalta, Tokmok, Kant, Jala-Abad, Naryn and Talas), “Shaping the Way We Teach English” (Nizhnyaya Ala-Archa village, Ivanovka village, Moskovskyi region, Sokulukskyi region, Narynskaya and Issuk-Kulskaya oblasts). Besides, active FORUM members have created the manual for English Language teachers who work at Kyrgyz secondary schools and at the moment the trainings how to use the manual are being run. In June 2007, FORUM Association organized and successfully carried out the International CATEC-6 at the Issyk-Kul lake. More than 200 delegates from 12 countries participated in the conference events.

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Kyrgyzstan
City                              Osh
Host Institution           Osh State University
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

Project Focus
Methodology, Curriculum and Materials Development, Teacher Training, American Studies

Project Description
The EL Fellow will establish collegial working relations with teachers of English at host institution through team-teaching approach; identify areas for professional trainings; conduct workshops and trainings for English language teachers at host institution; conduct regional trainings (Osh, Jalal-Abad); discuss methodology and language related issues; participate in curriculum and teaching materials development; participate in building networking schemes of agencies involved into teacher training process (Lingua, Academy of Education, Teacher-training Universities, Peace Corps, Forum Teachers’ Association, other EL Fellows); promote exchange of teaching ideas and best practices though newsletters; and expand understanding and knowledge of American culture and values in informal settings. Secondary project duties will include working with: American Corner Programming. The EL Fellow will assist in organizing American Corners to conduct workshops on American studies.

About the Host Institution
Osh State University was established in 1951 as a Pedagogical Institute. Seventeen years ago it was reformed into Osh State University with 14 faculties. One of the faculties is the faculty of world languages. More than 1,200 students study there and more than 103 teachers teach different courses. The faculty trains teachers and interpreters. Teachers of this University together with English Teachers Association FORUM organize and conduct trainings and workshops for secondary school teachers from remote regions. In 2008, Osh State University hosted National English Language Teachers’ conference, where more than 200 teachers participated.

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Nepal
City                              Kathmandu
Host Institution           Nepal English Language Teachers                                                                      Association/Kathmandu University
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

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 will work directly with NELTA as follows:
- Develop core materials for primary, secondary and university level teachers to assist with English language teaching in the classroom.
- Develop core materials for primary, secondary and university level teacher trainers.
- Travel to various NELTA branch offices throughout Nepal and conduct 2 - 5 day teacher training sessions (NELTA has approximately 20 regional branches in Nepal).
- Review and revise courses and curriculum of ELT post-graduate programs at Kathmandu University, as time allows.
- Teach occasional classes as a guest lecturer, as per the EL Fellow’s specialty or area of interest and as time allows.
- Teach seminars to ministry/parliamentary staff, and business managers.
Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, English Camp, English Club Programming, Teachers Association/Organization, Assessment, Curriculum Development, In-Service Teacher Training, Materials Development, Pre-Service Teacher Training, and Testing.

Project Objectives
English language in Nepal is moving inexorably from a rare facility indulged primarily by academics to an essential second language that is crucial to shaping personal lives, careers, and even the structure of Nepal's new democracy. The Mission is committed to promoting peace and democracy in Nepal, to expanding economic opportunity, and to improving Nepalese understanding of the U.S., its policies, social structures, culture and people. An EL Fellow assigned to assist the premier English teaching organization in Nepal will advance goals promoting democracy, economic growth and public diplomacy. The democratic values at the core of the American experience are both inherent and explicit in the teaching materials, curriculum development and the national expression the EL Fellow. English facility is essential for engagement with the international community monitoring human rights, the peace process, and democratization in Nepal. Promotion of free markets and entrepreneurship, additional tenets of the American character, are also inherent in the materials, teaching, and personal character of an EL Fellow. And a Nepali youth who finds job prospects enhanced through a hard-won English capability is very unlikely to fall prey to the temptations of the political extremists so rampant here. There is no substitute for sustained personal contact between Americans and Nepalese as the most effective way to identify shared values and improve cross-cultural understanding. Through direct influence on the teachers and program administrators, and indirect influence on the growing mass of Nepalese youth studying English as a tool for personal and national development, in teaching materials, curriculum proposals, and daily interaction with a real American, the first EL Fellow assigned to Nepal will support U.S. goals of establishing peace and democracy, of expanding economic opportunity, and of improving the mutual understanding between our two nations.

About the Host Institution
NELTA (Nepal English Language Teachers Association) was founded in 1992. The main objective behind its establishment was to set up a common platform for all the teachers of English in Nepal so as to support their professional development. Members include teachers at all levels of the educational process as well as private and government funded schools and universities. The need to improve the teaching and learning of the English language, thereby keeping abreast of new developments in English Language Teaching, lays the foundation for NELTA. Several of Kathmandu’s IV participants are NELTA members. Upon returning to Nepal, these IV participants remark about the wealth of information provided during the programs. The US Embassy works very closely with NELTA throughout the year. It has sponsored a number of speakers at NELTAs annual meetings and has provided teacher trainers for NELTA-sponsored training sessions. All of this has been done on a case-by-case basis. The Embassy would like to assist NELTA in standardizing its training materials and developing core materials for its members by providing a dedicated professional for these purposes. The government of Nepal provides little if any on-going assistance to its teachers; NELTA was formed to fill this void. Kathmandu University (Est. 1991), the second host institution proposed for this EL Fellow, is providing quality education in different streams of arts, sciences and management through the following schools: School of Arts, School of Education, School of Engineering, School of Management, School of Medical Sciences, and School of Sciences. The vision of the School of Education is to offer high quality teacher education programs with a holistic approach, and to play a key role in developing competent teachers, trainers and educational leaders. The objectives of School of Education are to offer practical educational programs that provide knowledge and skills to address the current educational challenges in Nepal; to develop trainers and teachers equipped with a variety of instructional skills, strategies, and methodologies required for creating effective teaching and learning environment; to produce and disseminate high quality teaching and learning materials; and to develop school managers and educational leaders with competent, effective management skills related to school program.

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Pakistan
City                              Lahore
Host Institution           Ali Institute of Education
Type of Project            Senior Fellow
Project Dates               Mid-August 2009 – Mid-June 2010

Country/Project Specific Requirements

Lahore is a dynamic city of approximately 10 million people in Pakistan's largest province, Punjab. It is rich in culture and history. Lahore is known as the cultural and educational center of the country, and is home to numerous historical and educational sites and institutions. The US Embassy will provide housing, transportation to/from venues, office space and administrative support. The EL Fellow will be briefed by the Regional Security Office (RSO) on security precautions and will operate within the same security parameters as all Embassy personnel.
Visas: The EL Fellow must have a valid Pakistani visa and should request a one-year, multiple entry visa. It is also recommended that the EL Fellow apply for a multiple entry Indian visa. Travelers should bring 20 passport photos with them upon arrival.
Inoculations: The Government of Pakistan requires those visitors arriving from an area of endemic yellow fever to receive a yellow fever vaccination before arrival. Typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and rabies vaccinations are strongly recommended. Malaria prophylaxis is also strongly advised for Lahore and surrounding areas. An Foreign Service National (FSN) medical officer staffs the post health unit on a part-time basis.
No dependents are permitted in Lahore.
Clothing: Lahore's weather is basically two types: six months of hot summer from April until October and six months of pleasant to cool weather. As Pakistan is a Muslim country, Post recommends that women dress modestly at all times. Washable clothes with high cotton content are best for hot weather.
Housing: the US Embassy will provide lodging in the TDY house. It will include a fully furnished bedroom and bathroom, communal living/dining room and full housekeeping/cooking services.

Project Focus
American Culture, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques

Project Description
The primary focus of the EL Fellow will be to conduct training programs for English teachers both in Lahore and throughout the Punjab Province. The training would cover a range of topics including methodologies, materials, communication skills and curriculum development. Primary site will be the Ali Institute of Education located in Lahore followed by other higher educational institutions throughout the province as permitted by the security situation. In addition, the US Embassy will work with other constituent posts to arrange workshops/seminars in their districts. Secondary project duties will include working with: Support Mentoring, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. The English Access Microscholarship Program has thus far been quite successful in the Punjab, and the Embassy is expecting to greatly expand this program throughout the province. Through the program, several organizations are working with government-funded English-medium schools in areas where low incomes and low education levels are predominant. The quality of English language teaching tends to be relatively low in these areas as the majority of teachers lack skills and training. While reaching out to English language programs in higher education institutes in the Punjab province, the EL Fellow will also be able to hold workshops/seminars for these Access teachers to improve their skills and therefore enhance their students' ability to develop their English language skills.

Project Objectives
English language training is one of the weakest areas of Pakistan's education system. English is one of Pakistan's official languages, but it only became a compulsory subject for primary grade students recently. Prior to this, students did not generally begin their English language courses until middle school. Government-funded English-medium schools are prevalent throughout the province, but the quality of teachers and resources is greatly lacking, especially in the rural areas. Trained English language teachers are a rare commodity, and students suffer as a result. As the majority of higher education institutes in Pakistan are English-medium and companies are actively seeking potential employees that possess English language skills, it is important that the US Embassy assist in providing access to quality English language teachers and programs. With these skills, potential students have the opportunity to further their education and potential employees are much more competitive in today's market. Illiteracy and unemployment breeds extremism. Providing the opportunity for today's youth to further their education and learn marketable skills will help break the ties of extremism.

About the Host Institution
Due to Pakistan's current security situation, it recommended that the EL Fellow be hosted at the US Consulate while providing support to a number of institutions and organizations -- primarily the Ali Institute of Education -- both in Lahore and throughout the province. The EL Fellow will spend approximately half his/her time working with the Ali Institute for Education, but would not spend regularly scheduled classroom hours at the Institute itself. The Consulate has the facilities to host workshops/seminars, and teachers/students can come to the Consulate to attend these courses. In addition, the EL Fellow will hold seminars/workshops/meetings outside the Consulate and throughout the province, but these would be dependent on RSO approval (as is the requirement for all Consulate staff).

The Ali Institute for Education (AIE) is a teacher education institute committed to improving the quality of education in Pakistan and promoting professionalism among teachers. AIE provides high quality pre-service and in-service teacher education and offers advisory services for school management, school development and curriculum development. It also adds to the knowledge base of education through indigenous research and publications. AIE also seeks to especially address the education needs of rural and female teachers and to promote education to underprivileged and marginalized sections of society. The Institute is also committed to dissemination of information, and advocacy of appropriate policies and practices in education within Pakistan's current sociological and environmental context.

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Sri Lanka/Maldives
City                              Colombo
Host Institution           Sri Jayawardenapura University
Type of Project            Senior Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

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 will design an English course for the academic staff of the Faculty of Arts. This is due to a change in the medium of instruction from Sinhala to English which takes effect in 2010. At present, the faculty consists of 120 members and about 100 of them need assistance developing their English language proficiency in order to teach in English. The EL Fellow will be expected to teach, supervise any necessary revisions to the existing syllabus, map out the necessary strategies for course design and empower the existing teaching staff by conducting workshops and seminars. Work is currently underway on this project and the EL Fellow can assist the department with the necessary assistance for the continuation and development of this course.

Furthermore, the department also offered a post-graduate diploma in TESOL until 2007. Assistance from the EL Fellow would be required for the recommencement of this program. The program consists of 30 to 40 school teachers per year. The EL Fellow will be able to assist the department by teaching, updating the existing syllabus, supervising student teaching (practicum) and action research. However, in order to be involved in this course, it is essential that the EL Fellow has a minimum qualification of a Master’s in TESOL or Applied Linguistics.

Secondary project duties will include working with: American Corner Programming, American Culture, English Camp, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. The English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers an Intensive English program for over 700 students of the Faculty of Arts. Currently this program is offered as a non-credit course. However, with effect from 2010, the faculty hopes to transfer this non-credit course into a full credit course. This will require extensive revisions to the existing syllabus as well as training the ELTU. The EL Fellow will be expected to supervise the faculty as well as the ELTU with the necessary expertise by conducting training workshops and seminars as well as working with the syllabus revision board. The EL Fellow will also work on a limited basis with Sri Lanka’s new Access Microscholarship program. 152 students are currently enrolled in a 2-year English course through Access and the EL Fellow will work with the provider to enhance the courses and bring more American culture and values to the program. The students are selected from various parts of the country, Hambantota, Trincomalee, Kalutara, and Anuradhapura. The EL Fellow will also be expected to visit all the Access Centers in Sri Lanka and the American Centers in Kandy and Oluvil once a quarter.

In addition to the work in Sri Lanka, the EL Fellow will be consulting every 6-8 weeks with the Faculty of Education at the Maldives College of Higher Education in Maldives. The MCHE is in need of assistance in revising/upgrading the primary teacher training syllabus, as well as curriculum revision and course review for the English degree courses. In addition, they have requested assistance in drawing up a program on linguistics/grammar for secondary school teachers and assistance with occasional in house staff development workshops for the language faculty and workshops for student teachers.

Project Objectives
Past Sri Lankan administration’s language policies have created multiple generations of university graduates with limited or no English, and left the country with a major deficiency of qualified English teachers. Unemployment is high amongst recent graduates, particularly in Arts faculties with local language medium of instruction, and youth are highly agitated. Sri Lanka’s economic growth strategy focuses on improved competitiveness in global markets. English skills are critically important to achieving this goal. All universities are transferring to English medium, a momentous but necessary task with which they require ongoing professional assistance. 56% of Maldives totally Muslim population are under the age of 25 and susceptible to a growing unemployment and drug abuse rate. Republic of Maldives is developing its first university, incorporating the Maldives College of Higher Education English Faculty, and has requested significant assistance from the US Embassy Colombo. The institution will prove an area in which the US can establish an environment of ongoing collaboration and understanding.

About the Host Institution
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura is located in a beautiful setting at Gangodawila, Nugegoda, fifteen kilometers away from Colombo. The University is committed to the pursuit and transmission of knowledge through teaching, scholarship and research and active service to the community in an environment which values creativity, freedom of intellectual thought and expression, equal opportunity, fairness, and professional growth. It is one of the largest universities in Sri Lanka with over 11,000 students. They will be celebrating their 50 years the golden jubilee this year. The university was ceremonially opened on 16th February 1959. The number of Faculties at Sri Jayawardanepura stands at five, with a Faculty of Medical Sciences, and a Faculty of Graduate Studies being added to the long standing Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Applied Science, and Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce. In addition, the university has spawned a highly successful Postgraduate Institute of Management, conveniently located in Colombo. The Faculty of Medical Sciences has achieved a phenomenal growth in a very short time with fifteen Departments of Study and other adjuncts. The programmatic growth in the other Faculties has also been considerable, with forays into Journalism, Social Statistics, Criminology, Forestry, Food Science, Polymer Science, Statistics, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Estate Management and Valuation, and numerous external undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Arts, Commerce and Management. Consolidation is also borne out by the well-designed and spacious library, increased intake of students, and an array of Student and Community Services (http://www.sjp.ac.lk/index.php).

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Tajikistan
City                              Khujand/Garm
Host Institution           Khujand State University/NGO Marifatnoki
Type of Project           Fellow
Project Dates              September 2009 – June 2010

Country/Project Specific Requirements
Health care in Tajikistan, particularly outside of Dushanbe, is rudimentary. EL Fellows should not expect to receive any treatment for a preexisting condition. Dependents are welcome; however, English language education is not available in Khujand and Garm. Living conditions in Garm will be spartan.

Project Focus
English for Speaking, Pre-Service Teacher Training

Project Description
From approximately November 1, 2009 to June 1, 2010, the EL Fellow will teach in the English Department of Khujand State University. The EL Fellow will teach up to 20 hours per week. Students will be studying to become English teachers. The EL Fellow will participate in professional development activities and will oversea the university's English club. If time permits, s/he will host an English club at the American Corner in Khujand as well.

Note: University students are forced to pick cotton during the months of September and October, and classes are generally cancelled for these two months. In order to maximize the presence of the EL Fellow, this year the US Embassy proposes an alternate arrangement during these two months. In September and October, the EL Fellow will travel to Garm, located six hours from Dushanbe. Garm is perhaps the poorest and most isolated region of Tajikistan. The English Access Microscholarship Program there is very popular, but teachers are poorly trained. During these two months, the EL Fellow will participate in lessons and activities with the Access students. S/he will also conduct in-depth training for the Access teachers and participate in student selection. This portion of the program is subject to review by the Regional Security Officer no more than 30 days before the EL Fellow's arrival. If Garm is deemed unsuitable, the EL Fellow will be placed at an alternative Access program.

Project Objectives
English is universally seen as a path to a better life in Tajikistan. By developing a corps of qualified teachers and mentoring talented students, the EL Fellow will help Tajiks improve their economic situation, as well as build mutual understanding between the US and Tajikistan. Garm is the seat of the Tajik opposition. By reaching out to the young generation and giving them a hope of a better life, the EL Fellow will help ease the resentment of the central government that has been building in that region.

About the Host Institution
KSU is a large university located in Khujand, Tajikistan's second largest city. It has a strong English department that has produced many participants in US Government-sponsored exchange programs. In September and October each year, students in all universities in the region are required to pick cotton. Classes are cancelled in these months.

NGO Marifatnoki has been an Access provider for two years. While constantly struggling for resources, this organization has impressed us with its commitment to English language teaching and community building in its extremely poor, isolated region. This year, students from the Access program became the first students ever from their region to participate in the FLEX selection process. Garm is an agricultural town in the beautiful Rasht Valley, about six hours from Dushanbe.

Tajikistan
City                              Dushanbe
Host Institution           Pedagogical Institute
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

Country/Project Specific Requirements
Medical care in Dushanbe is very basic. The EL Fellow should not expect regular medical treatment for any preexisting condition. Dependents are welcome. English-language primary education is available. Pets are allowed, however, larger animals generally cannot be accommodated on incoming flights.

Project Focus
English for Speaking, Pre-Service Teacher Training

Project Description
As in previous years, the EL Fellow will teach fourth- and fifth-year students at the Pedagogical Institute. The students will be studying to become English teachers. The teaching load will be approximately 20 hours per week. The EL Fellow will also participate in and conduct staff development sessions and serve as a mentor for students. Secondary project duties will include Support Mentoring. The EL Fellow will be expected to make quarterly visits to the English Access Microscholarship Program sites in the south of Tajikistan. There are currently four sites in and around Dushanbe, two sites in Qurghon-Teppa, and one in Garm. (Visits to Garm will be less frequent due to its distance from Dushanbe). The EL Fellow will mentor and train Access teachers and lead student sessions on American culture. The EL Fellow will also participate in student selection at the beginning of the school year.

Project Objectives
English is viewed by almost all Tajiks as a path to a better life. While many Tajiks are studying English, poor teaching resources result in a low level of spoken and written English among the general population. By developing better teachers, the EL Fellow will help Tajiks forge a more prosperous life for themselves with a stronger knowledge of English. In a country with very few resident Americans, the EL Fellow will help promote a positive image of the United States. More than half the population of Tajikistan is under 25, making the EL Fellow's impact on young people vitally important.

About the Host Institution
Founded during the Soviet Union in the 1930s, the Pedagogical Institute is one of the oldest higher education institutions in Tajikistan. It is the primary source of the country's English teachers, as well as teachers of other foreign languages. It generally follows an American school year calendar, with a break in January. Students rarely receive assigned reading or written assignments.

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Tajikistan
City                              Dushanbe
Host Institution           Tajikistan Police Academy
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates              Late August 2009 – Late June 2010

Project Focus
English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques

Project Description

The EL Fellow will organize and conduct intense English language instructor training at the MVD (police) academy based on a curriculum to be developed by a English Language Specialist during the summer of 2009. (Five to ten hours per week.*)
The EL Fellow will work with the MVD academy English language instructors to further refine the instructor curriculum and the Russian - English glossary of law enforcement terms developed by English Language Specialist during the summer of 2009. (Three to five hours per week.*)
The EL Fellow will assist the Tajik law enforcement English language instructors in teaching basic English skills to the academy cadets, and, in doing so, will demonstrate modern teaching methods and techniques in the classroom setting. (Ten to 15 hours per week.*)
The EL Fellow will assess the English language abilities and training abilities of the English language instructors participating in the intensive training both at the trainings start in September 2009, and its conclusion in June 2010.
The EL Fellow will draft a final project evaluation at the conclusion of his/her tenure in Tajikistan with specific proposals for carrying the project forward and to strengthen the likelihood of sustainability and replication by the other law enforcement/security services.

*The Law Enforcement English Language Training Center concept is still being negotiated with the MVD at the time of the EL Fellow request. The exact number and type of teaching hours are yet to be determined, but will not exceed the EL Fellow Program’s maximum of 20 classroom hours per week.

Project Objectives
The general goal of the project is to create a sustainable law enforcement English language training program thus increasing the overall English language skills of officer cadre of the MVD and the other Tajik law enforcement/security services. Through the project, the MoI will be assisted by the USG and locally contracted implementers in the establishment of the Law Enforcement English Language Training Center at the MVD academy.

Sustained law enforcement English language instruction will further the US Embassy goals of training and professionalization in the furtherance of Tajikistan’s long-term stability, improving its capacity to defend its borders and fight organized crime and terrorism. Additionally, English language skills will allow Tajikistan’s law enforcement organizations access to international partners as they move beyond simple arrests and seizures to active pursuit of trans-border criminal networks.

About the Host Institution

The MVD Police Academy, a four-year service academy baccalaureate program, is similar in concept to a U.S. military academy. Academy cadets are commissioned as MVD (police) Officers upon graduation. (It should be noted that in Tajikistan, Police Officers are the command structure, and are not the uniformed policemen seen on the street.) The MVD Academy campus is located southeast of downtown Dushanbe and was built during the Soviet era. The facility has been neglected since Tajikistan became an independent republic. The U.S. is in the process of rehabilitating several academy buildings.

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Turkmenistan
City                              Mary
Host Institution           Mary American Corner
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

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

Project Description
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. Bearing this in mind, the EL Fellow will conduct in-service teacher training, particularly to help teachers to adapt and develop other materials for their lessons, which must be conducted in accordance with the guidelines set by the Ministry of Education. The EL Fellow will be based at the Mary American Corner, where s/he will spend most of his/her time, 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. From his/her base, the EL Fellow will conduct teacher-training workshops for teachers from all over Mary region, contingent upon the Government of Turkmenistan approval. 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 Fellow in developing his/her schedule and organizing these events. The EL Fellow will conduct workshops on English as a Foreign Language for local students at the Mary American Corner and also work with language centers. S/he will also help local counterparts prepare small publications on English teaching methodologies, designed for English teachers of various levels. The EL Fellow will also be involved in the assessment and monitoring of the Access Microscholarship program established in Mary last year. Secondary project duties will include working with: American Corner Programming, American Culture, American Studies, English Camp, English Club Programming, and Workshops/Seminars. The EL Fellow will travel throughout Turkmenistan to conduct workshops for local teachers at the American Corners in Turkmenabat, Turkmenbashy and Dashoguz, contingent upon the Government of Turkmenistan approval. The US Embassy will assist the EL Fellow in programming training sessions for students and teachers, as well as 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 the 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 the 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 centers 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 USA, 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. ACM 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 ACM and the largest constituent of the Mary American Corner’s 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 s/he 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           Supreme Council of Science and Technology/Public                                             Affairs Section of the US Embassy
Type of Project           Fellow
Project Dates              September 2009 – June 2010

Project Focus
American Culture, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Proficiency Exams, Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques

Project Description
Post requests an EL Fellow to work at the Foreign Languages Training Center of the Supreme Council for Science and Technology, which was established and opened officially on June 12, 2008 with the aim to teach English and other foreign languages to the first and second groups 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 to 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, etc. Texas A&M University Business School is trying to help the council to re-model its curriculum, based on the U.S. Business school model, and introduce an English track at the Council, 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 2010, when professors from Texas A&M University will come to give classes in more advanced Business English, technical writing and so on, 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 adapt and develop materials for their lessons) in accordance with guidelines set by the Ministry of Education. There are not only teachers in need of training, but also graduate students, and this group needs to be acquainted with new interactive teaching methodologies and techniques.

Secondary project duties will include working with: American Corner Programming, Support Mentoring, and Workshops/Seminars. As a second and minor duty, the EL Fellow will work with the host institution of the former two EL Fellows, English Teachers’ 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 Program in Ashgabat will give the EL Fellow 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). S/he 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
Foreign Languages Training Center for graduate students at the Supreme Council for Science and Technology will be officially opened on June 12 of this year. The main goal of this center is to teach Turkmen graduate students foreign languages. Graduate programs were re-introduced to the Turkmenistan education system for 2008 after a 10 year closure. Foreign language study is included in the core credit list for MA and PhD degree students. This program will also enable students to conduct research from foreign language sources, since materials in Turkmen language are very scarce and outdated. The EL Fellow will work with a small group of English teachers to train them in teaching methodologies and techniques, specifically with development of the ESP curriculum and materials, as well as teach students conversational English.

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Uzbekistan
City                              Tashkent
Host Institution           Uzbek State University of World Languages/Uzbekistan                                     Teachers of English Association/English Access                                                Microscholarship Program
Type of Project            Fellow
Project Dates               September 2009 – June 2010

Project Focus
Teaching Methodologies, Teaching Techniques

Project Description
The EL Fellow at IELTE will develop a new English for Special Purposes (ESP) component within IELTE’s current curriculum. The World Languages University and IELTE currently do not offer any content-based courses in English. In the future, the university and IELTE would like to offer courses in English on subjects including law, economics, and history, which are currently taught in Russian. All students in IELTE’s undergraduate program are required to take these courses, and it would be an excellent complement to all of their English language education classes if they could take these subject areas in English, as well. This would give them an additional opportunity to improve their own knowledge of English, as well as help to prepare them to teach these subjects in English in the future. These new courses would allow IELTE to eventually produce graduates who can teach, in English, the program’s courses that are currently taught in Russian; teach content-based courses in specific fields at other universities (for example, teach economics in English in the Economic Department at the National University); and develop curricula and materials for any ESP course or program anywhere. The EL Fellow’s primary duties will be: help the IELTE faculty develop curricula for these new ESP courses; pilot these course(s) with a number of the third- and fourth-year students; and guide several faculty members through the teaching and curriculum/materials development process. Besides assisting IELTE in developing these courses, the EL Fellow will as time and his/her interests permit, 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.

Secondary project duties will include working with: Teachers’ Associations/Organizations and Workshops/Seminars. The EL Fellow will also work with the Uzbekistan Teachers of English Association (UzTEA), with much of this collaboration focusing on the Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)-sponsored English 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 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, the EL Fellow will also hold training sessions with the regional team of 4 teachers at each branch. In addition, as time permits, the EL Fellow could work with 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%). Additionally, the EL Fellow could, depending his/her interests and skills, 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 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 EL Fellow’s time).

Project Objectives
The EL Fellow who has been working at the host institution for the past semester has already helped to increase mutual understanding and educational opportunities for Uzbekistan. With these efforts, he is also helping to indirectly combat terrorism, as learning English can provide his own English teachers in training and their future students a new window on American values and culture that can enhance trust and understanding. He is also helping to increase the caliber of this already 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 U.S. 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 United States. The US Embassy faces many challenges in all of its public diplomacy activities in Uzbekistan. Due to strained relations between the U.S. and Uzbek governments, the Regional English Language Officer (RELO) position was transferred from Tashkent to neighboring Kazakhstan last year. Additionally, no Fulbright scholars or students or Peace Corps volunteers currently work in Uzbekistan. Therefore Uzbek teachers and students have few opportunities to interact with any Americans, much less experienced teachers of English. Yet there is still great demand for English language education, and although the Government of Uzbekistan restricts many public diplomacy activities, officials are receptive to English language programs. The Minister of Higher Education himself has expressed his support for English teaching programs, and the Embassy has successfully brought a few English Language specialists to Uzbekistan for training programs during the past year.

About the Host Institution
The Uzbek State World Languages University is one of the largest universities in Uzbekistan. It has eight departments, and the English Philology Department is the largest with more than 6,000 students. Of the 600 faculty members that teach at the university, 260 are teachers of English. In 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. 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 core subject classes 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: Language Improvement; English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Methodology; Linguistics; and American Studies. Nearly 190 students have graduated from IELTE since its establishment, and about 330 students are currently enrolled. This university currently hosts an EL Fellow, who is creating a brand new curriculum for teaching English writing, which has not been taught as a separate discipline at any Uzbek university before. In his first semester at IELTE, the EL Fellow has developed and implemented syllabi and new teaching materials for writing courses at all four levels of instruction, helped the teachers at the university to improve their teaching methods, and also introduced true critical thinking into the classroom. The university has been an open and enthusiastic host for the EL Fellow at all levels, from colleagues and co-teachers up to the rector of the university himself. One of IELTE’s senior teachers also recently returned from an ECA International Visitor Leadership Program on Higher Education, and she is full of ideas and ways that her university can continue to utilize an EL Fellow.

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 English 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 four 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. Now over 100 students benefit from the Access Program in three diverse parts of Uzbekistan.

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