All over the world, the Dept. of State’s Office of English Language Programs promotes the teaching and learning of English.

Language is a key to diplomacy, which may well be why the U.S. Department of State implements English language learning programs through its Embassies and Consulates.

The Office manages a number of different programs, all with the purpose of dispensing or improving English language teaching. For example, through the English Language Fellow Program, the Office supplies teachers to areas where there is an unmet demand for English lessons. To date, over 500 fellows have taught English in more than 80 countries.

Some teach under difficult conditions and create innovative curricula to meet their students’ needs. Lindsay Bowman of the Monterey School of International Studies explains how her young students’ mothers sought her out for “English lessons” – but were actually looking for help with life skills like child care and household finances.

“Although we were novice teachers, an idea struck us: Why not combine English and Life Skills to provide one content-based class meeting twice a week?” explains Bowman. With a colleague, she founded a program called Mujers al Poder, or Women Coming to Power, and ten women enrolled to learn how to take more control of their lives – with all of the class content in English, of course.

In this case, as in others; language learning went well beyond conjugations and conversation to actually make an improvement in the quality of the students’ lives.

Betty Carlson

See Also

• Language Translation, Inc.
  A leading language translation and interpretation service provider for more than 20 years.