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AY 2010-2011 Projects - Western Hemisphere

Update: New projects available

Note: Projects beginning in early 2011 are posted here.

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Host Country             Brazil
Host City                    Rio de Janeiro  
Host Institution          Institute Brazil-United States (IBEU)  
Type of Project          Senior Fellow
Project Dates             Mid-August 2010 – Mid-June 2011

Special Country Requirements
Yellow Fever vaccine recommended - other vaccines may be recommended as well – please consult latest Center for Disease Control recommendations for Brazil.

Project Focus
American Culture, Teaching Methodologies, and Teaching Techniques 

Project Description
Rio de Janeiro is one of four pilot cities taking part in the first year of U.S. Embassy’s 6-year English Teaching Strategy (copy available upon request) which will train secondary public school English teachers on a large scale. The training of teachers will not only improve the quality of English instruction in Brazilian public schools, but will also provide an opportunity to include American cultural elements in English teacher training and include as part of their training techniques to incorporate information about the U.S. into English language instruction. The public education system in Brazil tends to have an anti-American bias, so helping English teachers to improve their skills as well as knowledge of the U.S. will help combat that bias.

With the upcoming World Cup in 2014 and Olympics in 2016, Brazilian educational authorities are more open to increased cooperation in the area of English teaching as the country prepares to receive millions of English-speaking visitors. Investment in education, particularly in English teaching, will pay dividends for the U.S., however, long after these sports events end in terms of increasing knowledge about the U.S. and increasing the English skills of the population, enabling Brazilians to better communicate with Americans as Brazil plays an increasing global role. The Embassy is poised to take advantage of this opportunity to fulfill our goals of improving the often dismal quality of English instruction in public schools while also incorporating information about the U.S. in teacher training programs. The Embassy will work with bi-national centers in this strategy, which have proven history of promoting information about the U.S. through their English and cultural programs.

The EL Fellow will be expected to spend approximately 80% of his/her time involved in teacher training projects that IBEU is currently setting up with the Rio de Janeiro State Secretary of Education to train secondary school English teachers. S/he will work with existing teacher trainers at the BNC to offer teacher trainer courses and also help to increase the capacity of the BNC teacher trainers. The Embassy is currently working with the BNCs in the four pilot cities involved in the English strategy for 2010 to develop a standardized one-year teacher training curriculum. The EL Fellow will also be asked to review this curriculum and offer suggestions, and to oversee adjustments to the curriculum as it is implemented. From these teacher training courses, the EL Fellow will choose the top students to take part in an intensive 3-week training of trainers where they will learn to deliver short training modules, so as to increase the capacity of Brazil’s teachers not only to teach English but also to effectively train others to teach English, while incorporating information about the U.S. The EL Fellow will also be instrumental in assisting post with choosing candidates who are about to graduate from university and enter the teaching profession to attend a 12-week top-up EFL course in the US, which is another component to Embassy’s English strategy. The EL Fellow will all train BNC teachers who will implement a new ACCESS program that is being proposed for 2011.
 
Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, American Studies, and Workshops/Seminars. The EL Fellow will spend about 20% of his/her time providing guest lectures on American culture to regular BNC classes, to classes of ACCESS students and at public schools and other institutions that teach English, as well as occasionally participating in English teaching conferences, presenting on EFL methodology.
 
Project Objectives
The EL Fellow will promote mutual understanding through guest lectures on American culture and by helping teachers and teacher trainers to weave in information about the U.S. into their language and methodology classes. The EL Fellow’s activities will also support goals related to economic prosperity and social inclusion by providing increased access to high quality English language instruction to disadvantaged students through training of public school teachers and BNC teacher trainers who will continue to train public school teachers after the departure of the EL Fellow. 

About the Host Institution
IBEU (Instituto Brasil-Estados Unidos) is the official U.S./Brazil Binational Center located in Rio de Janeiro. They operate seventeen branches and currently have a total of 234 teachers and over 12,000 students. The center maintains the highest academic standards for English teaching and is officially certified by the US Embassy in Brazil. The Rio de Janeiro State Government has informed the Embassy that IBEU is being considered for a number of official English teacher training programs ready to be rolled out in the coming months. An EL Fellow focused on teacher training would help to build IBEUs capacity to take on these new challenges, as well as help them prepare to host an English Access Microscholarship program slated to begin in Rio in early 2011 and aimed at underprivileged public high school students. As the teacher training classes and projects do not have to coincide with the institution's regular academic year, an EL Fellow is requested now in order to start as soon as possible to assist IBEU with the new teacher training programs it is coordinating with the State of Rio de Janeiro.

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Host Country             Colombia
Host City                    Bogota  
Host Institution          Institucion Universitaria Colombo Americana
Type of Project          Senior Fellow
Project Dates             September 2010 – June 2011

Project Focus
Teaching Methodologies and Teaching Techniques 

Project Description
During the past year, the US Embassy has found the presence of its EL Fellow critical in analyzing and developing English language programs in Colombia. The AY 2010-11 EL Fellow will go from working at the Fulbright Commission in Bogota to working with UNICA, which is a key partner in educating English teachers and working to transform public education into bilingual programs. At this institution, the EL Fellow will have greater access to English teachers in public schools and be able to continue the great work that she did this year. For next year, the objectives of the EL Fellow will be the following:

  • To enhance and upgrade English Language teaching skills in Colombia.
  • To improve existing in-service and pre-service teacher training.
  • To incorporate resources and curriculum materials that would provide information on perspectives on U.S. cultures and values, including workshops on materials development and authentic materials.
  • To enhance language acquisition for public school teachers through workshops and materials development.
  • To work with the Institucion Universitaria Colombo Americana (UNICA), the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, and other entities to create new policies and working relationships, which will increase access to English learning opportunities to low-income displaced Colombians, Afro-Colombians, and indigenous populations.
  • Work with Colombian Military and Police to enhance their English Program for handicapped Police and Military who are training to become English teachers.

For UNICA:

  • Train public school teachers from Alianza public schools and other UNICA teachers in EFL methodology.
  • Participate in a video project where students and teachers gather data on best practices connecting research to theory on English teaching methodologies.
  • Plan and conduct workshops tied to pedagogical modules for public school teachers.

Specific activities for this EL Fellowship will be the following:

  • Provide training workshops for Public School Teachers
  • Visit Bi-National Centers and public schools to provide an assessment of the current English teaching programs.
  • Provide input on the diversity grants and other English teaching programs for the Embassy.
  • Conduct an analysis of the effectiveness of Embassy English programs.
  • Provide guidance on English teacher resource libraries and training centers/courses for public school teachers.
  • Provide training for Handicapped Colombian Police and Military English Teachers; help build their resources for English training; make recommendations for building a curriculum and revamping their English program.

Secondary project duties will include working with: Support Mentoring and Workshops/Seminars.  The EL Fellow will:

  • Train World Teach and Peace Corps Volunteers: Work with World Teach Volunteers and Peace Corps Volunteers to investigate the impact of the different English scholarship programs funded by the Embassy and to make recommendations for future programs.
  • Develop a bilingual model based on coffee region bilingual initiatives: Spend two months in Manizales analyzing the efficacy and successes of the bilingual program in the 12 bilingual public schools in Manizales with the goal of developing a national bilingual model which could be implemented in other regions. Also, study other bilingual models in Colombia which have been implemented successfully and analyze these programs to make recommendations to the Ministry of Education on the preferred model.

Project Objectives
The U.S. Embassy in Bogota is looking for ways to expand English teaching programs through increased English scholarships, teacher training, donations of resources and materials, American teachers or specialists, and exchanges for Colombian teachers. English teaching is a key goal as the Colombian government believes it is a key aspect in further developing their economy whether through business or tourism development. The Embassy had been analyzing ways to support the bilingual programs of the local secretariats of education, governor's offices, and the national program of the Ministry of Education. It is trying to work with private sector partners - both American and Colombian companies, the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Council of American Enterprises to explore future financial support. The Embassy is working with the nine Colombo-Americano Binational Centers (BNCs) to identify English teaching projects to expand, start, or support with additional funding or resources. The Embassy has also investigated ways to support the literacy efforts of the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID) and the Milgroup program with the Colombian military.

The future priorities for the Embassy are to focus a variety of tools to improve the quality of English teaching in public schools and to expand access to English classes to disadvantaged populations. By improving English teaching in public schools, the Embassy will hopefully impact thousands of students. By expanding access to English to displaced, Afro-Colombian, or just economically disadvantaged students, the Embassy will provide greater opportunities for advanced study and high levels of academic achievement to these underserved populations. To support the goal of improving English teaching in Colombia, the Embassy will support projects to provide needed resources and materials, bring American teachers or specialists to Colombia, and send Colombian teachers to the U.S. on teacher exchange programs.

About the Host Institution
The Institucion Universitaria Colombo Americana (UNICA) is a private, non-profit bilingual teacher's college. The main focus of this small and young university is to respond to Colombian's National Ministry of Education's objective of transforming its citizenry into bilingual English and Spanish speakers. In order to do this, thousands of bilingual teachers need training. UNICA has created undergraduate and graduate level programs to fill this need. This nationally accredited university focuses on preparing teachers who come from humble backgrounds. Most undergraduate students are the first in their family's history to graduate from high-school let alone make it into a university. The ultimate goal is for them to return to their communities as educational leaders dedicated to transforming learning systems and creating resultant future economic growth through well educated human resources. Within just five years, undergraduate students strengthen their academic Spanish while also learning English. To achieve this, they take formal English courses as well as participating in content-based courses that are taught either in English or in Spanish which include: research, pedagogy, linguistics, history and social sciences, literature, and educational administration. Approximately half of their courses are taught using English and the other half are taught in Spanish so that both languages inform each other, creating balanced bilingual professionals.

The graduate program is offered in the form of a nationally accredited specialization in bilingual education. It is aimed at current professionals who already possess a high level of proficiency in English and Spanish who seek further development in the form of practical information with a strong emphasis in classroom research. Courses are taught through English as the medium of instruction while the topics of study include: bilingual language acquisition methodology, bi-literacy, differentiated teaching, special education, curriculum development, and classroom management. This program takes three semesters to complete. Both the graduate and undergraduate programs work closely with some of the most highly recognized private bilingual schools in Bogotá as well as with public and semi-private schools. This partnership aids undergraduate and graduate students to conduct extensive field work and student-teaching internships. Some paid internships are also made available through U.S. public schools.

It should be noted that UNICA professors model best practices through a pedagogical approach that uses sheltered instructional techniques specifically aimed at second language learners. In effect, new teachers reproduce the same best practices with their students in kindergarten through high-school levels because of the high frequency and consistent modeling they received in their training. Novice teacher graduates from UNICA also have well developed and demonstrated skills to conduct classroom, action research in order to continually and systematically contribute new learning and leadership to Colombian education specifically and to the field of bilingual education in general. Further information on the university can be found at: http://www.unica.edu.co/

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Host Country             El Salvador
Host City                    San Salvador  
Host Institution          Don Bosco University
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             September 2010 – June 2011

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

Project Description
The EL Fellow will teach American Literature and other classes as will be decided by the EL Fellow and the program head. These may include linguistics, speaking, listening, reading, writing, TOEFL Prep, methodology, etc. There are 400 students in the program - some studying to be teachers and some studying to work in the tourism industry. Both of these are five year programs, but there is no language requirement to start the program, so many start with little or no English ability.

Secondary project duties will include working with: Workshops/Seminars.  The EL Fellow will be asked to prepare teacher training workshops for colleagues at the university. There are 30 teachers at the university teaching in this program. Most of them teach 2 to 3 classes a week. All of them have BAs in English or Education with only the Director of the program holding an MA in Applied Linguistics (a Fulbright grantee). While most of the teachers have a fair to good level of English, they have had little exposure to new teaching methodologies and communicative approaches as used in the U.S. The EL Fellow will be expected to provide regular workshops and may develop these in conjunction with the Director and the teachers or following a needs assessment done after arrival. The EL Fellow should also insert American culture where appropriate so that teachers understand how to present this in their lessons as well. The Director is also interested in advice on developing an MA program in this department. The EL Fellow will also be asked to travel to other universities to give workshops occasionally and to participate in English Teaching Conferences in other cities. Other programs may be developed with the Director as the need arises.
 
Project Objectives
The U.S. Embassy is committed to providing educational opportunities to citizens so that they may take advantage of new technology, new trade agreements, business opportunities, etc. Specifically, it includes English language education for the same reasons, and further, in order to give people the opportunity to study in the U.S. and to apply for scholarships such as Fulbright, which require fluency in English. Despite Fulbright scholarships being fully funded, economically disadvantaged students have been excluded from applying due to their lack of English skills. While all universities have an English department, in all cases they are staffed by teachers with minimal exposure to native speakers and minimal experience with new methodologies and American content. As a result, there are many graduates of these programs teaching in primary and high schools that have low levels of ability in English and/or methodology and education. Six months ago, El Salvador elected a new government that is fairly left-wing. The Vice President, who is also the Minister of Education, is looking at complete education reform based on the Cuban system. Part of the reform includes less emphasis on English teaching and rejecting assistance from foreign governments except regional ones (NOT the U.S., specifically). While these reforms may not happen immediately, they spell trouble for children and young adults who need English NOW in order to participate in the new global economy, advanced education, and everything else that is conducted in English. It is hoped that an EL Fellow placed at a university with 400 students studying English, who will all one day work either as teachers or in the tourism sector, will provide a multiplier effect and a strong boost to the economy over the years. Don Bosco Univerity is in a poor area of the city and has a number of scholarships for economically disadvantaged students. The tuition is quite low anyway. Overall, the population of the student body is low to medium income. Placing an EL Fellow at the university will give many students a chance to learn in an American-influenced environment they would not have had before.
 
About the Host Institution
Don Bosco is a private university in Soyapango, a suburb of San Salvador. There is another small campus with technology-related MA programs closer to the center of San Salvador. While it is classified as "private," tuition is very low and many students are on university-paid scholarships. It caters to a low to medium income student body. The university specializes in technology majors and, by Salvadoran standards, has a strong research department (low by U.S. standards). There are 400 students studying English in what is a five-year BA program. There is no MA for English or Education. The BA in English for teachers (150 students) has been in existence for 7 years. The BA in English for tourism (250 students) has only been in existence for 3 years. The library recently opened a "United States Room" in the library and is committed to showing American films and providing a forum for American cultural activities. The university has consistently been a good partner for programming with the Embassy and will be an excellent host to an EL Fellow. While Don Bosco University is located in an out-lying area of El Salvador, an EL Fellow would be expected to live in San Salvador proper and the university would provide transportation to the campus and back every day. This is the norm for most professors.

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Host Country             Guatemala
Host City                    Solola  
Host Institution          Universidad del Valle-Altiplano   
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             January 2011 – November 2011

Special Country Requirements
Updated: Spanish language proficiency is required.

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

Project Description
The EL Fellow will provide direct instruction to English language students and non-native teachers at key institutions in the Guatemalan highlands to facilitate language acquisition, improve retention, and develop practical comprehension and conversation skills. Tourism is an essential sector of the economy in the Guatemalan highlands region, so instruction will to some extent focus on communicating effectively with tourists and visitors. In addition to working with students and teachers in the general language program of the host institution, the EL Fellow will provide supplementary English language instruction to students and teachers in the English Access Microscholarship Program, particularly in classes organized through the host institution and an NGO in the neighboring department of Quiche. In the course of teaching English, the EL Fellow will also serve as a cultural resource for students, particularly for those participating in the English Access program, where learning about U.S. culture is a key component of the curriculum.

Secondary project duties will include working with: Workshops/Seminars. Supplemental duties are expected to take up approximately 20-25% of the EL Fellow's time and effort.
The EL Fellow will work with English language teachers to improve teaching skills, focusing on some or all of the following:

  • developing curricula;
  • designing lesson plans;
  • designing enrichment activities;
  • developing new classroom techniques and skills;
  • evaluating teachers and providing constructive criticism.

The EL Fellow will also provide assessments and advice regarding the acquisition of new books, technological equipment, and software. The EL Fellow will be expected to conduct occasional workshops and to participate in conferences, including the annual National Conference for Teachers of English, hosted by the Bi-National Center. The EL Fellow will provide occasional advice to the U.S. Embassy and RELO regarding English language programming in Guatemala.
 
Project Objectives
EL programs are a major priority for the Embassy. The new $800,000 English Access Microscholarship Program is the largest single public diplomacy program in Embassy’s history, with 700 students scheduled to be enrolled in classes at 17 locations throughout Guatemala organized through four English language partners. With all of the U.S. Government resources that are being invested in English language teaching, it is essential to have well-trained experts such as EL Fellows on the ground to provide direct instruction to students and teachers, to offer assistance to teachers and administrators, and to supplement the Public Affairs Section's efforts to support English language programs.
At least half of Guatemala's 13 million residents are indigenous, and the majority of them live in the Guatemalan highlands, which tends to be rural and poor. Indigenous Guatemalans may speak one of Guatemala's 23 indigenous languages in addition to Spanish, meaning that for many students English would be a third or even fourth language. In addition to minimal investment in education on the part of the state, there are also significant cultural hurdles that depress English language penetration. Bringing educational resources to the highlands is an important goal for the Embassy in order to improve the political and economic integration of indigenous Guatemalans and to create economic and academic opportunities that will discourage young people from joining gangs or providing assistance to narco-traffickers. The EL Fellow would be based at the Universidad del Valle-Altiplano, a branch of the prestigious Universidad del Valle that is located in Solola, near Lake Atitlan, on a converted military base. The vast majority of students are indigenous Guatemalans. Eight English Access classes with more than 300 students are located within two hours of Solola.

About the Host Institution
The Universidad del Valle-Altiplano (UVG-Altiplano) is a branch of the prestigious Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), one of the oldest private universities in the country. UVG-Altiplano, based in Solola, is similar to a U.S. community college and offers technical degrees in education, tourism, and agro-forestry. The language school of UVG-Altiplano is the only affordable English language provider in the Lake Atitlan region. UVG-Altiplano is one of Embassy’s best English language partners and is participating in the English Access Microcholarship Program.

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Host Country             Honduras
Host City                    Catacamas
Host Institution          Universidad Nacional de Agricultura  
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             September 2010 – June 2011

Special Country Requirements
Honduran visas are not required for U.S. citizens to enter Honduras. Should the EL Fellow intend to operate and/or rent a vehicle while in Honduras, s/he must be covered by third party liability insurance from Honduras and be able to show proof of purchase and coverage. For rental vehicles, you must purchase the liability insurance the rental agency sells and obtain proof of purchase. The following rental companies sell third party liability insurance: Toyota, Hertz, and Avis.

Health Issues: Malaria: All persons travelling to areas outside of Tegucigalpa (primarily the northern coast and the eastern half of Honduras) are at risk of contracting malaria. Take a prophylactic regimen best suited to your health profile.

Immunizations: None are required. Immunizations for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Typhoid reduce the risk of contracting these diseases although short-term visitors have minimal chance of exposure. Tetanus, in addition to the usual childhood immunizations, should be updated. Because rabies is present in Honduras and rabies immunoglobulin is difficult to obtain locally, we recommend that all individuals planning an extended visit to Honduras receive the rabies pre-exposure series.

The U.S. Embassy does not recommend that dependents accompany the EL Fellow on this tour.

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

Project Description
The EL Fellow will be in charge of teaching four English courses to boarding and commuting students at the Universidad Nacional de Agricultura (UNA- the National University of Agriculture). Each course would total four hours per week, which would amount to a total of 16 hours per week in the classroom. Because some students come to the University with little or no previous English experience, the EL Fellow should also allow at least an hour per week per course taught for office hours where students may come for additional help or to ask questions about class. This would amount to a total of four to five hours per week. The EL Fellow should also plan to have 15 hours per week for class preparation and grading exams and weekly homework assignments. There are three English programs at the University; one for commuting students (who take selected classes at the University and later transfer to another university), one for boarding students (who complete a full degree program at the University and live on campus) and one for faculty members. Commuting students are offered two levels of English and there is an average of about 100 students enrolled in English classes per trimester (three to four classes per trimester). The University is currently in the process of expanding its English Program for boarding students into a seven level English Certification Course for all 500 boarding students. This new program for boarding students was designed by Fulbright Senior Specialist Dr. Linda Parkyn and the University’s English teachers to ensure that all graduating students are able to communicate in English at an advanced level and obtain a TOEIC English Language Certificate. Classes are taught completely in English and use the Interchange Full Contact Series consisting of a student book, video book, workbook, audio CDs and CD-Rom. The University operates on a trimester system so classes last for about 13 weeks and meet four hours per week. The University also has an English Language Laboratory equipped with Tell Me More Software and internet access. Laboratory activities may be incorporated into classroom time. There are between 25-30 students in each class. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate cultural activities into the classroom to give the students a better understanding of the people in English speaking countries, increase the students interest in learning English and prepare them for possible future studies abroad or trips to the US. 
 
Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, and Workshops/Seminars.  The EL Fellow will be requested to use the remaining four to five hours per week to organize and conduct events for the English Club, have conversation tables or help out at the English Language Laboratory as time permits. The EL Fellow will also be requested to give two-three workshops on methodology to the four English teachers.
 
Project Objectives
The U.S. Embassy strongly supports English language training in Honduras, both for professional development and English learning through the programs offered at the binational centers and a range of exchange programs such as UGRAD, SUSI, Intensive English and English Access Microscholarship Program. Placing an EL Fellow at the UNA emphasizes commitment to reach out to non-elite populations as the majority of the student body comes from rural areas and low-income families, including indigenous groups. Having an EL Fellow will allow UNA to increase the number of courses offered to the students and improve their quality by incorporating cultural elements into the classes that only a native speaker would be able to offer. UNA is committed to preparing its students to publish research papers in English in the near future. An EL Fellow at UNA is an important follow-up contribution to strengthen their English program, especially to oversee the program designed by Fulbright Senior Specialist, Dr. Linda Parkyn last April-May 2009.

About the Host Institution
The Universidad Nacional de Agricultura of Honduras (UNA) is a public, non-profit institution created to educate Hondurans in areas that are critical to the national development of the country. It was founded in 1950 as the Demonstrative Farming School, later to become the National School of Agriculture, and finally in 2002, the National University of Agriculture. UNA's main objective is to contribute to scientific, technological and socioeconomic development of Honduran society. UNA places emphasis on the rural sector to educate agricultural scientists who are capable of contributing to the sustainable development of the country. Since the UNA became a university in 2002 and became more independent from the government, UNA has been able to open its doors to many more students in various areas of study. The University has gone from having one major of study (Agronomy) to three. The student population has expanded from about 200 boarding students to about 500 and the commuting student program (which serves 375 students) has been introduced. There are three undergraduate majors: Agronomy, Natural Resource and Environmental Management, and Food Technology. The University also currently has seven academic departments: General Studies, Natural Resource and Environmental Management, Agronomy, Agricultural Economics, Vegetable Production, Animal Production, and Research and Extension. In addition to the new English program, the University also has many ambitious projects planned for upcoming years. In January of 2010, the University will begin to offer a new academic major for undergraduate boarding students in Veterinary Medicine, which will be the first of its kind in Honduras. UNA has a total of over 800 students (about 470 boarding students and 360 commuting students). The boarding students come from all over Honduras, mostly from extremely low-income families. The majority receive full scholarships enabling them to attend the University. After graduation, many students return to their communities to become leaders in promoting sustainable agriculture and development or obtain positions with agricultural companies, NGOs and the governmental sector. The commuting students are usually from Catacamas or nearby areas.

Students at the University have increasingly been interested in academic exchanges at universities in the United States. This past year, two University students participated in the SUSI program at Oregon State University for six weeks. They also had three students complete 3 month internships at North Carolina State University (NCSU). This year, many more students are hoping to obtain an internship placement at a university in the US. There is also an annual traditional trip for third year students to spend 2 weeks in the US touring a university, attending various talks, visiting farms and laboratories, and meeting with extension workers. Last year, two groups of students traveled to NCSU and the University of Florida for this trip. UNA currently has cooperative agreements with NCSU, University of Florida, University of Georgia and various Latin American and European universities and institutions. Please see UNA webpage for more information: http://unag.edu.hn

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Host Country             Mexico 
Host City                    Coahuila
Host Institution          Autonomous University of Coahuila   
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             September 2010 – June 2011

Project Focus
Computers, English for Listening, English for Reading, English for Speaking, English for Writing, Proficiency Exams, Teaching Methodologies, and Teaching Techniques 

Project Description
The EL Fellow will be responsible for 20 hours/week of face-to-face language instruction. This will include classes for the most needy English teachers at all levels (high school, university, and postgraduate) and will focus on improving listening and reading comprehension in English, as well as on current methods of instruction for English as a Foreign Language. A smaller number of teachers with excellent English skills and teaching evaluations will be trained as teacher trainers and teacher evaluators for future years and for helping hire new English teachers at all levels.
 
Secondary project duties, if applicable will include working with: American Culture, Support Mentoring, and Workshops/Seminars.  The EL Fellow's secondary duties will include the following:

  • Ten hours a week for class preparation, marking papers (including those submitted electronically), designing evaluations, and administrative work related to teaching duties, including report writing.
  • Class observations for 6 hours a week, in order to perform an academic review of English teaching throughout the University, with the charge to present a practical report with recommendations and an action plan due May 1, 2011 if not sooner (observations will stop at some point and this time would be devoted to the actual drafting of the document). This document should provide specific steps and recommendations on what the host needs to focus on in subsequent academic years with clear objectives and timetables.
  • Four hours a week to perform review of materials OR support staff in one-on-one listening/speaking evaluations of students OR collaborate with University staff in the implementation of an institution-wide online program.

Project Objectives
The host institution expects an improvement in the teachers' level of English in a few months' time, which will in turn result in better English instruction, especially at the high school level. In the long term, the EL Fellow's report on the current status of the English program at the University will serve to take concrete measures to improve said program in years to come. Additionally, the EL Fellow will probably be involved in the implementation of an online program which will remain in place even after his/her departure. The host intends to start a close follow-up during the EL Fellow's stay so they can continue to make progress afterwards. They do not see this as a temporary project, but rather as a process that will enable them to use the EL Fellow's skills to jump-start a University-wide program and progress further toward their goal of improving English teaching more effectively.

About the Host Institution  
The Autonomous University of Coahuila is a public university that serves the border state of Coahuila. Its main campus is in the capital city of Saltillo, and that is where they intend to place the EL Fellow. The University has campuses throughout the state, and caters to students at the high school level and above, serving almost 3,000 high school students and close to 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The University recently underwent elections for a new rector (more or less the equivalent of a president at an American university) and he is giving English decided support. Not only did the new Rector push for English proficiency to become a graduation requirement, but also for an articulated English program throughout the University. A special office was created to coordinate English language instruction too. English teachers were tested for the first time ever, and those who were not up to par were re-assigned to teaching duties that did not include language classes. Those who barely made the cut are being offered opportunities to improve, and this is where the Fellow would come in. 

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Host Country             Mexico
Host City                    Mexico City   
Host Institution          Benjamin Franklin Library   
Type of Project          Senior Fellow
Project Dates             September 2010 – June 2011

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

Project Description
The EL Fellow will provide tailor-made training to teacher trainers, teacher supervisors, classroom teachers, and teacher trainees in the form of three- to five-day workshops. The EL Fellow will cater to a wide audience, consisting of those who work for federal and state secretariats of education, public universities, and teacher training colleges (Escuelas Normales) throughout the country, especially at times when Specialists are unable to honor requests. The EL Fellow will also help the institutions mentioned above with program design, updating of teaching methods, and revamping of curriculum by providing guidance, advice, expertise, and an outsider’s more objective point of view. Finally, the EL Fellow will participate in regional and national conferences of TESOL affiliates as a plenary speaker, featured speaker, or regular presenter.
 
Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, Support Mentoring, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. Secondary duties will mainly consist of preparing for workshops and presentations by keeping in touch with hosts and doing the necessary research. The EL Fellow will also carry out special projects assigned by the RELO. To a lesser degree, the EL Fellow will reply to minor queries conducted through phone or e-mail.
 
Project Objectives
In past years, the EL Fellow has allowed the U.S. Embassy to respond in a timely and consistent fashion to multiple requests with great flexibility and minimal cost. This position allows for a consistent message of professional development and Embassy support throughout Mexico. It allows us to respond to well-developed requests from elementary through university levels, continuing work begun in 2006. An EL Fellow representing the RELO and the Embassy increases the Embassy's visibility at national, regional, and local events and allows for follow-up activities to earlier Specialist programs and other RELO activities. Country goals will be better served by providing country-wide visibility than by assigning an EL Fellow to a single institution. Following in the footsteps of previous EL Fellows (2006-2010), who provided a combined total of around 800 hours of training and lectures to about 2,000 teachers in 16 different Mexican states, the incoming EL Fellow will be expected to made a widespread impact on the English teaching community in Mexico, and to consolidate Embassy’s and RELO’s achievements.

About the Host Institution
The Benjamin Franklin Library, located in Mexico City, is part of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. The library has a strong reputation among English teachers and learners and has provided the RELO with invaluable contacts and increased visibility. In addition to disseminating information about the American society, values, and culture, the Library houses an Educational Advising Center of the IIE to promote study in the U.S. It is also only one block away from COMEXUS, the bi-national Fulbright Office.

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Host Country             Mexico   
Host City                    Toluca
Host Institution          Secretariat of Education of the State of Mexico  
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             September 2010 – June 2011

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

Project Description
The EL Fellow will be expected to have 20 contact hours teaching English to preschool, elementary and junior-high school teachers. The teachers' levels range between basic and advanced, so the EL Fellow would need to conduct placement examinations. Participants will be divided in five groups, each group having 4 hours of class per week.
 
Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, Support Mentoring, and Workshops/Seminars. Secondary duties will include counseling sessions for preschool and elementary school teachers, either individually or in small groups (about 4 hours per week); school visits and class observations; English teaching methodology workshops throughout the State of Mexico (3-4 hours per week). Time allotments allow for the EL Fellow to plan classes, check homework papers, and do other administrative work related to classes.

Project Objectives
Placing an EL Fellow in the State of Mexico would have a significant impact both in the short and in the long run - firstly, it would improve the quality of English spoken in a number of classrooms in the different grades of basic education, and secondly, it would provide in-service teachers with much needed training methodology workshops.
 
About the Host Institution
The Secretariat of Education of the State of Mexico is in charge of providing basic, middle, and higher education to one of the largest populations in the country. Although a sizable number of these people live in urban or semi-urban areas, particularly those in the areas neighboring Mexico City, a significant percentage live in rural areas. The Secretariat of Education has gone through great pains to make sure that everyone will be served to that purpose, it has created one of the largest systems of Escuelas Normales (teacher-training colleges) in the country. It is important to mention that the State of Mexico is one of the most populated in the country. The State government has taken decisive strides to improve the quality of English teaching in all of its territory, and the latest one has consisted of creating a State Coordination for the teaching of English. One of U.S. Embassy’s key contacts, Mr. Higinio Ordonez, has been appointed to be State Coordinator. Mr. Ordonez is a Fulbright alumni, a former International Visitor, and principal of the Escuela Normal (teacher training college) de Atlacomulco. He has consistently proven to be an invaluable contact by putting together innovative initiatives to improve English teaching, such as creating a consortium of four Escuelas Normales in his state, starting a network of Regional Language Centers, setting up an exchange program with Grossmont Community College in California, and collaborating with San Diego State University to start a Master's program in English Teaching at the Escuela Normal de Atlacomulco. As a former Fulbright and IV participant, and in his previous position as principal of the Escuela Normal de Atlacomulco, Mr. Ordonez, who would supervise the EL Fellow directly, has garnered the experience and the connections necessary to make the most out of this project.

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Host Country             Mexico
Host City                    Mazatlan, Sinaloa  
Host Institution          Sinaloa Secretary of Education  
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             Mid-August 2010 – Mid-June 2011

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

Project Description
The EL Fellow will provide ten hours of English language instruction to local public primary school teachers per week. The EL Fellow will also work regularly with the Sinaloa Secretary of Education representatives in Mazatlan, as well as those in the capital of Culiacan, to provide similar in-service training at other locations through the state (10 hours, to include travel and pre time). This core group of teachers will work with the EL Fellow to replicate training of their colleagues as well. The State Secretary hopes that the EL Fellow can create a state-wide workshop to improve competencies for English teachers at the primary level. This workshop will consist of several components, including the how-tos on the development of lesson plans, preparation of training material, evaluations, and measurements to assess language learning. Site visits, observations, and follow-up with education centers could all be part of this process, and to be concluded with a final meeting and report of successes and challenges (10 hours per week, to include travel and prep time). The total contact hours would be up to 20 hours per week, sometimes less, with the remainder for travel, prep, observations, travel, etc. The ideal candidate will have experience both in the classroom, with teacher training, and have some background in making linkages between educational organizations and civil society.

Secondary project duties will include working with: Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars.  In addition, the EL Fellow will consult work with the Autonomous University of Sinaloa's English language program and other partners to improve their capacity, particularly as it might relate to tourism and private sector ventures, and work on an occasional basis with two groups of students, not to exceed 3 hours per week. If classroom teaching is required, it would be during the weeks when the primary project is an equivalent number of hours less than 20.
 
Project Objectives
The state of Sinaloa is also a priority for the US Consulate General in Guadalajara, which it covers as part of its Public Affairs district, as well as the US Consulate in Hermosillo. Narcotics violence has been one of the leading challenges both bilaterally as well as domestically in Mexico. In fact, the highest mission goal has been to counteract the problems of narco-terrorism. Sinaloa has unfortunately been one of the epicenters of this violence, as a home to cartels in the growing drug war. The U.S. Embassy has been looking for alternatives to the violence and crime that has beset so many in Sinaloa, particularly the young people. Commitment to education and access to English will provide legitimate work opportunities and further spur economic development, providing long-term options outside the drug trade. In addition, working with the private sector entities will lead toward enhancing economic development by promoting stable markets and sustainable resources. Enhancing language skills for the important tourism grows the base of their economy and a well educated work force in the English language will serve as a beacon for more foreign direct investment.

About the Host Institution
The Sinaloa Secretary of Education is the government entity responsible for all public school education in the state. The EL Fellow will be working directly with them and based in the coastal city of Mazatlan, and in particular with the Elementary Education Office. Additionally, the EL Fellow will work with the system of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa, campus in Mazatlan, and private sector organizations of the region. The Education Secretary in this northern Mexican state has taken impressive action to improve the quality of English language instruction, particularly at the primary education level. Beginning in 2003, Sinaloa set up a pilot program for 20 primary schools, but have boldly expanded the program every year. In their most recent academic cycle, Sinaloa will have English programs in 1,131 of its kindergarten and primary schools across the state beginning with students as young as six years of age. It has become so successful that the state government has made early childhood language instruction one of their five principal educational objectives. Having qualified teachers has also been a challenge to meet this goal for ever expanding English language instruction. But the state has worked very hard to improve the quality of both the instructional ability as well as the fluency of its English teachers, with its goal of training 1,000 teachers in the first phase. They hosted an English Fulbright exchange teacher from Tennessee in 2008-2009, have sent several teachers to the U.S. on teachers exchange programs, including Fulbright Summer Sessions, and others to the Rassias program at Dartmouth College. The EL Fellow will be placed the southern port city of Mazatlan, home to a thriving tourism industry and another area where furthering English language capacity of its citizens will help economic growth. Most of the tourists in Mazatlan are from the U.S. or Canada, and thus a high level of English is required for this clientele. It is hoped that the EL Fellow can work not only with the local educational system, but perhaps through the University and partner with private sector organizations to continue to improve English language skills.

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Host Country             Nicaragua
Host City                    Managua
Host Institution          Universidad Centroamericana/Centro Cultural Nicaraguense Norteamericano
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             September 2010 – June 2011

Project Focus
English for Listening, English for Speaking, Proficiency Exams, Teaching Methodologies, and Teaching Techniques 

Project Description
The EL Fellow will collaborate with the Faculty of Centro Superior de Idiomas (CSI) in the School of Humanities and Communication at Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) in Managua, Nicaragua in their implementation of a new TEFL curriculum at the undergraduate level. This curriculum is a week-day program for high school graduates who want to become English teachers in a four year period and earn a BA diploma. The EL Fellow will also teach one or two courses in the Masters program in Applied Linguistics for English Language Teaching (MALELT) with a special modality (presence every other week and online) for English teachers at all education levels in Nicaragua.
 
Secondary project duties will include working with:  English Camp, and Workshops/Seminars.  The EL Fellow will conduct teacher training seminars / workshops for English language teachers, and for special EL programs sponsored by the BNC and Embassy (EL Summer Camp, Access Microscholarship). The objective is to provide training in critical areas related to the successful teaching of English, and to also raise the English language capacity of Nicaraguan teachers, and students. This will be accomplished through the English language intensive summer camps, and the newly devised English Certificate program currently being designed by the BNC.

Project Objectives
Since the signing of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) by Nicaragua and other countries in the region, the need for improving the quality of English education in public schools has never been more critical. The necessity of having a second language in various fields of work is compelling institutions of higher learning to improve and modernize programs that are over ten years old. Despite the limitations of Nicaraguan public universities, they have been making an effort to improve education. However, given the limited qualified human resources available, the universities are struggling to meet this important country goal. The EL Fellow will play a significant role in helping the universities to obtain their goal. In addition, the EL Fellow will work closely with the BNC and the U.S. Embassy on the practical side of English language instruction: working on English language camps for teachers and students, and creating a English language Teacher Certification module to increase the fluency and language capacity of teachers across Nicaragua.
 
About the Host Institution
The Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) is a Jesuit private but subsidized university that offers 4-year university programs in Managua, Nicaragua. UCA's main objective is to meet the needs of Nicaraguan high school graduates and to support professional development to those who want to carry out postgraduate studies in different fields. During the last twelve years UCA has conducted a TEFL degree program with success. However, the university has been looking for academic assistance to complete and update the curricula, evaluate its programs and conduct teacher training.

The Centro Cultural Nicaraguense Norteamericano (CCNN) was founded in 1942 as a non-governmental organization, dedicated to the promotion of mutual understanding and cultural exchange between the Nicaraguan and American people. The teaching of English and Spanish, in addition to cultural activities supporting this learning, have been its primary goal since its inception. The devastating earthquake of 1972 completely destroyed the facility, and it was not reopened in a different setting until 1993. Since that time the teaching of English has remained a priority. Currently the CCNN is undergoing major physical renovation, and consolidating all its teaching programs in one location. It remains one of the major English language teaching institutions in Nicaragua, supported by a talented and dedicated teaching and administrative staff. This coming year, the CCNN is designing a series of certificate courses for English language teachers, to directly address the need for Nicaraguan English language teachers with both language and teaching capacity.

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Host Country             Panama
Host City                    Panama City
Host Institution          Universidad Latina de Panama  
Type of Project          Senior Fellow
Project Dates             Mid-August 2010 – Mid-June 2011

Project Focus
American Culture, Teaching Methodologies, and Teaching Techniques 

Project Description
The EL Fellow will work with Universidad Latina on its plan to create an English Language Center, a non-profit English teaching center focusing on low-cost English language instruction and TOEFL prep. The EL Fellow will also work primarily as the Program Director working with English teachers to build the Center’s curriculum and serve as an advisor for the teachers and staff of the center. The EL Fellow will advise the teachers and staff on how to implement the curriculum and use appropriate methodologies in order to achieve greater results and higher command of the English language among the students attending the Center. S/he will work with the staff of the center to implement strategies to achieve English language proficiency in a reasonable period of time and train a replacement for him/herself once his/her program has ended. This person would then continue to oversee the center and ensure future growth. The EL Fellow will also work with the Gabriel Lewis Galindo Foundation, our Access Program provider, as an advisor on curriculum implementation and teacher training.

The project's secondary focus will be to conduct periodic workshops for elementary and high school level Ministry of Education teachers in order to improve methodology and command for the English language. Workshops will be conducted mainly in Panama City but the EL Fellow will be required to travel periodically to other cities to conduct workshops. The EL Fellow will continue to work with "coaches" and "train the trainers" as well as work with teachers involved with the Access Program.
 
Project Objectives
Panama is one of the region's fastest growing economies. This is largely due to foreign investment by citizens of English speaking countries. For many years, the English for Life offered Panamanian youths a viable alternative to expensive English language programs offered at private institutions. The English for Life Programs has now been inserted into the regular curriculum thanks in great part to the wonderful work done by EL Fellows throughout the years. Still much is left to be done. There is still a great need for qualified English language instruction and a great lack of teacher training opportunities. The work currently being done by the current EL Fellow has served to increase the number of local teacher trainers and qualified coaches so that Panamanian teachers can be their own resource for continuing education and professional development.

About the Host Institution
One of Panama's largest private universities with campuses in all of Panama's major cities, the Universidad Latina de Panama currently has a MATESOL program in conjunction with Framingham University. 

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Host Country             Peru
Host City                    Lima
Host Institution          Fulbright Commission  
Type of Project          Senior Fellow
Project Dates             September 2010 – June 2011

Special Country Requirements
This position will require travel within Peru. Obtaining visa and visas extensions for family members is difficult and may not be allowed by the Peruvian government. In the past, family members have had to exit Peru and re-enter for more than a 60-90 day visa. The academic year starts in March and ends prior to Christmas. There are breaks from December 20-mid-March, and again in July for approximately 2-3 weeks. During the breaks, the EL Fellow will be expected to provide teacher trainings. This position will not correspond to the regular academic year in Peru, but teachers are available for trainings during the breaks.

Project Focus
Teaching Methodologies and Teaching Techniques 

Project Description
The Ministry of Education has mandated that secondary students now study English beginning in the 7th grade. Because this is a new law, public school teachers are not prepared. This position would work with the Ministry of Education to design a curriculum for these newly mandated English classes and prepare training modules for a cadre of teachers throughout the country. In Peru, there are 8.5 million students, 473,000 teachers and approximately 90,000 schools at all levels. Peru needs to improve the quality of education; the situation for non-Spanish speakers is dire. Having an EL Fellow work with the Ministry of Education will demonstrate the keen interest of the U.S. in promoting English language education. Throughout Peru, English is seen as a gateway skill and necessary to compete successfully in the global economy.
 
Secondary project duties will include working with: Workshops/Seminars.  The EL Fellow's placement at Fulbright has opened new possibilities for teacher training. During the 2009-10 year, the EL Fellow was able to work with the national Ministry of Education, local ministries of education, public and private universities, and BNCs. The EL Fellow is also assisting the Fulbright Commission with ETA placement and training and serving as a trainer for Peace Corps volunteers, of whom 80% work with English, in the rural areas of Peru. The EL Fellow is the U.S. Embassy's "English face" to public institutions throughout the country.
 
Project Objectives
An EL Fellow will help ensure that even more students are offered more professionally trained teachers in public schools throughout Peru. The recent mandate to provide English classes in public school places a tremendous burden on the already overloaded educational system. Teachers, especially away from the capital, in the provinces are poorly trained and teach under inadequate conditions.
 
About the Host Institution
The Fulbright Commission is located near the Embassy, outside the Embassy compound. The Fulbright Board is active and is now focusing on English language teaching with a new initiative. For the first time, the Commission is committed to providing two grants for English teachers to study for an MA in English language teaching. Throughout Peru, English is seen as a gateway skill necessary for study in the U.S. Located at the Fulbright Commission, the EL Fellow will have access to Fulbright resources and contacts. The EL Fellow will also bring English language expertise to the Commission and help promote more educational opportunity for teachers throughout Peru. The Embassy is opening a resource library for English teachers at the Fulbright Commission.

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Host Country             Uruguay
Host City                    Montevideo   
Host Institution          English Inspection of Secondary Education/National Teacher Training Center  
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             September 2010 – June 2011

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

Project Description
Certification of English for public high school students
In 2008, the Uruguayan Educational authorities created a pilot English Learning Accreditation Project to certify public school students' capacity to perform in English in all four skills at a national level. Before this certification was created, students would only obtain certification from the private sector if they had the economic means to pay for private English classes; now public Secondary School students have access to an accreditation system that will allow them to continue their studies or to join the job market with an official certificate that is fully recognized. After this administration was reelected the project was approved to be part of the educational curriculum and thus an Accreditation Commission was formed. The EL Fellow will help this Commission with the creation and design of this English examination and will help develop courses that lead students towards this exam. Efforts are being made by the government to increase the number of high schools embracing as many of them as possible until reaching all 270 public high schools throughout the country. Certification exams may be taken at 9th and 12th grades every year at the end of each term, and a three-month course taught outside classroom hours will be offered for those interested. An officially recognized certificate endorsed by National Administration of Public Education will be extended and there will be certificate award ceremonies held once the examinations are graded and processed. In 2008, 50 students were awarded this certificate and 350 additional students received it in 2009.

English content for One Laptop per Child computers
The EL Fellow will also be devoted to work in curriculum development and teacher professional development of the nationwide program called Plan Ceibal (One laptop per child). The actual administration established this program in 2008, and in 2009 400,000 computers were distributed to all public elementary students in the country. In 2010 the reelected educational authorities will give out 200,000 more laptops to secondary public students and get the program into the public secondary education system. OLPC in Uruguay was established with the goal of fostering educational democracy, promoting equal opportunities to all Uruguayan students despite their economic/social background. OLPC has brought internet connection to many students of low/marginal areas as well as to rural schools in isolated areas. One of the goals of the present administration is to create English teaching programs that may be used by students of rural schools where it is hard to bring an English teacher. The EL Fellow could conduct research on new resources for the English classrooms that incorporate new educational technologies, according to the opportunities and challenges that the One-Laptop per Child Project (Plan Ceibal) generated both for on-site and distance learning.
 
Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, English Camp, English Club Programming, Support Mentoring, Teachers Association/Organization, and Workshops/Seminars. The EL Fellow will deliver teacher training workshops for public English teachers at elementary, secondary and vocational school levels throughout the country.  S/he will contribute to the professional development of the 183 teacher trainers and 2,900 student teachers from the National Teacher Training Center through talks and seminars.  The EL Fellow will occasionally support the English Access Microscholarship Program that will reach some 320 students from low income families in 2010.  S/he will organize conversation clubs for Uruguayan diplomats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Project Objectives
After the Uruguayan national elections in 2009, the present administration will continue in power for the next five years. This leftist administration has demonstrated to be very proactive in the English teaching field. Therefore, we can be sure that the commitment to the teaching of English as a second language in public schools and high schools will not only continue, but will expand. As stated above, Uruguayan national education authorities aim at democratizing education in Uruguay thus giving students from public schools the same opportunities that students from private schools have. These opportunities can be categorized in two main areas: internet connectivity and a second language. The former has been achieved by the One Laptop per Child program and the latter by the implementation of English in public schools. Public Diplomacy has been working side by side with them in both these fields from the beginning and U.S. Embassy’s goal is to increase cooperation in these areas. The goal of this administration is to have a bilingual country by year 2030 when they estimate that all schools in the country will have a second language incorporated into their curricula. All of these accomplishments could not have been possible without the role of EL Fellows who have worked in Uruguay over the years.
 
About the Host Institution
The English Inspection of Secondary Education is responsible for all English curriculum and teacher development at the public and private level and the National Teacher Training Center is the only public place to obtain a teacher certificate. 

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Host Country             Venezuela
Host City                    Barquisimeto
Host Institution          Universidad Pedagogica Experimental Libertador
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             Mid-September 2010 – Mid-July 2011

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

Project Description
The EL Fellow will work at UPEL in Barquisimeto at the English Department, where future generations of English teachers are taught. His/her primary duties will be to teach low intermediate intensive English classes and high intermediate reading/writing classes. His/her focus will be on methodology, grammar and teaching skills for pedagogical students. The main goals would be on improving fluency, accuracy, and pronunciation, as well as increasing reading comprehension and introducing basic academic English essay structure.
 
Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, English Club Programming, Support Mentoring, and Workshops/Seminars.  As funds and local opportunities arise, the EL Fellow will be asked to give presentations at events like the Annual VenTESOL Conference and U.S. Cultural Weeks both at the host institution and in other Universities throughout the country. The U.S. Embassy is also launching for the first time an ambitious English Access Microscholarship Program, partnering with four Bi-National Centers located in three different cities that will provide an estimate of 250 bright, non-elite teenagers with the opportunity to study English and U.S. culture. The EL Fellow will be asked to participate in cultural enhancement activities and teacher training workshops for this program. Other secondary duties will arise based on the needs and wants of the host institution.

Project Objectives
English Language programs are consistently popular with all levels of Venezuelan society; they provide a foot in the door for all Public Diplomacy programs and more, especially with non-traditional and hard to reach audiences. That is why English language programs, together with sports diplomacy, have become the cornerstone of Public Diplomacy efforts in Venezuela for 2010. Although relations between the Governments of Venezuela and the United States remain challenging, there is still ample warmth between the people of both countries. By highlighting areas of common interest, the U.S. Embassy can still attract a wide group of people from a wide range of population and offer them a chance to get to know the United States through its people. Education, and especially English-language education, has become an increasingly attractive tool to reach young, underserved audiences. By placing an EL Fellow in a public university in Barquisimeto, the Embassy can touch a portion of the population that would otherwise be hard to reach. Every day, Venezuelans wake up to an increasingly violent anti-American rhetoric from the president and his government officials. By offering such a genuine educational opportunity, we offer the Venezuelan youth a chance to make up their own mind about what the United States actually is and about the people who actually live there. It is an exceptional chance to shatter misconceptions and confront cultural stereotypes.
 
About the Host Institution
The Fellow will be based at the pedagogical university in Barquisimeto, Lara State, approximately four hours driving time from Caracas. This is a public university, funded by the Government of Venezuela that offers undergraduate teaching certificates to mostly lower-middle class students. The graduates typically become teachers in elementary and secondary public schools. The English program at UPEL Barquisimeto, serving approximately 400 students, falls within the Department of Modern Languages. The institution hosted EL Fellows until 2008, and the Embassy wants to reactivate the partnership.

Host Country             Venezuela
Host City                    Maracay
Host Institution          Universidad Pedagogica Experimental Libertador
Type of Project          Fellow
Project Dates             Mid-September 2010 – Mid-July 2011

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

Project Description
The EL Fellow will work at UPEL in Maracay at the English Department, where future generations of English teachers are taught. His/her primary duties will be to teach low intermediate intensive English classes and high intermediate reading/writing classes. His/her focus will be on methodology, grammar and teaching skills for pedagogical students. The main goals would be on improving fluency, accuracy, and pronunciation, as well as increasing reading comprehension and introducing basic academic English essay structure. S/he would also review thesis projects for post graduate students, give talks and lead discussions on cultural aspects of the United States. During the past three years, UPEL Maracay has been offering a Masters degree in English Language Education. The University has requested that the EL Fellow teach a course on Second Language Theory for this program, in order to improve it and make it more prestigious for the University.
 
Secondary project duties will include working with: American Culture, English Club Programming, Support Mentoring, and Workshops/Seminars.  The host institution would like the EL Fellow to continue a conversation club currently in existence, as well as an independent film club that includes a brief discussion on the movies' themes. S/he would also provide office consultations for students in order for them to discuss pedagogical ideas and to converse in English with a native speaker. As funds and local opportunities arise, the EL Fellow will also be asked to give presentations at events like the Annual VenTESOL Conference and U.S. Cultural Weeks both at the host institution and in other Universities throughout the country. The U.S. Embassy is also launching for the first time an ambitious English Access Microscholarship Program, partnering with four Bi-National Centers located in three different cities that will provide an estimated 250 bright, non-elite teenagers with the opportunity to study English and U.S. culture. The EL Fellow would be asked to participate in cultural enhancement activities and teacher training workshops for this program.

Project Objectives
English Language programs are consistently popular with all levels of Venezuelan society; they provide a “foot in the door” for all Public Diplomacy programs and more, especially with non-traditional and hard to reach audiences. That is why English language programs, together with sports diplomacy, have become the cornerstone of Public Diplomacy efforts in Venezuela for 2010. Although relations between the Governments of Venezuela and the United States remain challenging, there is still ample warmth between the people of both countries. By highlighting areas of common interest, the U.S. Embassy can still attract a wide group of people from a wide range of population and offer them a chance to get to know the United States through its people. Education, and especially English-language education, has become an increasingly attractive tool to reach young, underserved audiences. By placing an EL Fellow in a public university in Maracay, the Embassy can touch a portion of the population that would otherwise be hard to reach. Every day, Venezuelans wake up to an increasingly violent anti-American rhetoric from the president and his government officials. By offering such a genuine educational opportunity, Venezuelan youth are offered a chance to make up their own mind about what the United States actually is and about the people who actually live there. It is an exceptional chance to shatter misconceptions and confront cultural stereotypes.
 
About the Host Institution
The EL Fellow will be based at the pedagogical university in Maracay, Aragua State, approximately two hours driving time from Caracas. This is a public university, funded by the Government of Venezuela that offers undergraduate teaching certificates to mostly lower-middle class students. The graduates typically become teachers in elementary and secondary public schools. The English program at UPEL Maracay, serving approximately 700 students, falls within the Department of Modern Languages. The university also offers a Masters degree in English Teaching. 

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Georgetown University
Center for Intercultural Education and Development
3300 Whitehaven St NW Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20007 cied@georgetown.edu