As you may or may not know, I am headed to Ethiopia in mid-September as an English Language Fellow (ELF). The English Language Fellow Program is sponsored by the US Department of State and Georgetown University. The program has been in existence since 1969, albeit under a different name (English Teaching Fellows - ETF) and has sent English teachers all around the world.
Each year, over 100 teachers are sent to work on various projects. Each project is developed for various reasons and has its own unique goals. Qualified English teachers are sent for 10-months to work on a project, sometimes with the possibility to renew and stay another 10 months.
According to the English Language Fellow web site:
Each year, over 100 teachers are sent to work on various projects. Each project is developed for various reasons and has its own unique goals. Qualified English teachers are sent for 10-months to work on a project, sometimes with the possibility to renew and stay another 10 months.
According to the English Language Fellow web site:
The English Language (EL) Fellow Program promotes English language learning around the world and fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries. It places talented, highly qualified U.S. educators with Master's degrees with a focus in TEFL/TESL or Applied Linguistics in all regions of the world. Through U.S. embassy projects, EL Fellows share their expertise, hone their skills, gain international experience, and learn other cultures. Upon returning to the United States, they share their experiences and acquired knowledge with their communities and professional colleagues. Today, the EL Fellow Program is more vital than ever. As a premier, competitive opportunity to work on TESL/TEFL projects in developing countries, the EL Fellow Program has an impact not only on the institutions that host EL Fellows, but also within the wider academic community. Teachers at the host institution receive professional tools from the EL Fellow that promote educational effectiveness and expand their ability to provide English instruction for a wider variety of student populations in a larger number of educational contexts.
I applied to be a part of this program many months ago and eagerly awaited news regarding my selection. I found out in April that I met all of the eligibility criteria, but had to wait to find out whether or not I would be matched with a project. After much anticipation, I was matched with the project at Haramaya University in eastern Ethiopia. I was fortunate to be matched with a project in my top regional preference of Africa; it is a childhood dream of mine to visit this mysterious continent.
As far as my project, I will be headquartered at Haramaya University between the major towns of Dire Dawa and Harar. This university started as an agricultural school and used to be called Alemaya University. For my primary duties, I will teach approximately 12 hours a week at Haramaya (possibly writing and speaking courses). In addition, I will spend some Saturdays working with the Access Microscholarship Program. This will involve working with students between the ages of 13-20 with a focus on teaching American culture. Throughout my 10 months, I will also be traveling to other areas of Ethiopia to do some teaching training workshops, conferences, and seminars. Of course, this is all bound to change at any moment. Project descriptions are written more than a year in advance, so I will just have to wait and see what is actually needed of me once I arrive!
As far as my project, I will be headquartered at Haramaya University between the major towns of Dire Dawa and Harar. This university started as an agricultural school and used to be called Alemaya University. For my primary duties, I will teach approximately 12 hours a week at Haramaya (possibly writing and speaking courses). In addition, I will spend some Saturdays working with the Access Microscholarship Program. This will involve working with students between the ages of 13-20 with a focus on teaching American culture. Throughout my 10 months, I will also be traveling to other areas of Ethiopia to do some teaching training workshops, conferences, and seminars. Of course, this is all bound to change at any moment. Project descriptions are written more than a year in advance, so I will just have to wait and see what is actually needed of me once I arrive!