Twenty-five English language teachers from 24 countries are currently taking part in a three-week scholarship experience in Eugene, a program provided by the UO American English Institute’s online eLearning program.
The individuals are participants in the E-Teacher Scholarship Program, which is part of the U.S. Department of State, funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and managed by the Office of English Language Programs.
The elite team of 25 educators was selected from more than 1,200 participants the E-Teacher program. The small group was specifically chosen because of their commitment to learning and teaching.
“Their levels of enthusiasm, commitment and engagement even before they arrive have been impressive,” said Leslie Opp-Beckman, the American English Institute’s director of eLearning. She says the UO is the perfect place for international teachers to gain some English language experience.
“Eugene and UO are great examples of a community with a flagship university at its heart. These scholars will have many opportunities to observe and interact with a wide range of people and places,” she said.
In addition to observing classes on campus and in schools around the Eugene area, the teachers will have the opportunity to attend workshops and seminars and meet with other scholars and specialists in the UO community to design education programs to use in their home countries. But it’s not only the classroom environment that participants will learn about.
“They’ll observe and engage in everyday sights and activities in the community, from grocery shopping to potlucks and from Halloween hay rides to athletic events,” Opp-Beckman said. “For most of these scholars, this is their first experience in the USA and on a U.S. campus.”
A cultural reception for the teachers-in-training will be Nov. 5 in the Knight Library Browsing Room from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The reception will be an informal way to connect with visiting scholars.
“It is an especially wonderful opportunity for us to learn something about their cultures and from them as individuals as well,” Opp-Beckman said.
—By Nathaniel Brown, Public Affairs Communications intern