American Councils for International Education

Hanan Gawdat created a Critical Language Project that exposed art students at Southern Lehigh Middle School to Arab and Islamic art through classroom study, museum field trips, a videoconference with students in Egypt, and a school-wide assembly showcasing their work.

TCLP Arabic Teacher Hanan Gawdat received a Critical Language Project Grant for a cross-curricular project to give Southern Lehigh Arabic students from 7th -12th grade the opportunity to study ancient and modern Egyptian arts. Ms. Gawdat, in coordination with the art teachers at Southern Lehigh Middle School, taught art classes about the influence of Islamic and Arabic art in the world. Art students then wrote in Arabic on glass lanterns that were hung around the school. Art classes are also producing a canvas mural to be hung up in the middle school.
Integrating these lessons into 7th and 8th grade art classes has allowed Ms. Gawdat to reach a large audience of students beyond her Arabic classes. Her Arabic classes furthered their study of Arabic and Islamic art by taking a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and then presenting what they learned at a school-wide assembly. Additionally, students in Egypt were able to connect with an Arabic class at Southern Lehigh and spoke in Arabic and English about their field trip and some of the art work that the Southern Lehigh students created. Gawdat’s project made it possible for students at Southern Lehigh to learn about the impact and traditions of Arabic art, which has in turn increased enrollment in Arabic classes for next year.

As the school year drew to a close, the 2012-2013 TCLP teachers came together one last time to reflect on the experiences and skills they had gained and anticipate how they will translate these skills in their classrooms in China and Egypt next year.

On May 3, 2013, twenty three teachers from China and Egypt were honored at a Closing Ceremony for the Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP) at the American Councils headquarters. TCLP, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and implemented by American Councils for International Education, seeks to strengthen Mandarin and Arabic language instruction in U.S. schools while providing selected exchange teachers the opportunity to learn about U.S. teaching methodologies, culture, and society.

Jennifer Gibson, Branch Chief of the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, thanked the TCLP teachers for their year of service, and congratulated them for their numerous professional achievements at their host schools where they spent the past year teaching Mandarin and Arabic to K-12 students across the U.S.

The TCLP teacher’s reflections also provided a foundation to inform new host schools of ways to prepare for hosting a TCLP teacher in the 2013-2014 school year. During an afternoon session, the TCLP teachers shared their experiences with administrators from sixteen new host schools who came to Washington DC to learn best practice hosting advice from first-hand sources. “The afternoon activity of speaking with teachers about the classroom was very beneficial”, said one new administrator. “I was extremely impressed with everything that was offered at the workshop. I don't think you could be a good host school without the information we received”, another administrator said.

A highlight of the workshop was the opportunity for TCLP exchange teachers to celebrate during the closing dinner. After dinner, everyone joined in to sing Chinese, Egyptian, and American songs together in one more joyful demonstration of the mutual respect and understanding that is created during the TCLP exchange.

TCLP looks forward to welcoming a new cohort of sixteen Arabic and Mandarin teachers to Washington DC on July 30, 2013 and starting another exciting year!

Dear TCLP Alumni,

What you have collectively accomplished is in large measure responsible for the ever-growing tradition and reputation of TCLP and our exchange program as one of the best international academic exchanges in the world. In like measure, that reputation enhances the value of all our alumni.

We have been working to strengthen our connection with our alumni over the past years. The State Department is committed to continuing this work, with the goal of making your connection with the TCLP family a lifelong one that will be mutually beneficial.

You can remain involved with the program in many ways. First and foremost, visit the State Department's website to access teaching resources, continuing education opportunities, and local alumni clubs and activities. Also, visit the TCLP website to keep us posted on where you are, what you are doing, and how the program has had an impact in your life.

We look forward to hearing from you and continuing to support your contributions to mutual understanding.

The State Department
Washington D.C.

As everyone says goodbye to the 2012-2013 TCLP teachers, staff and schools are preparing to welcome the new group who are set to arrive at the end of July. This year, teachers are spread out all over the country including the three new states of Louisiana, Washington, and Wyoming. There are a total of 10 schools hosting Chinese teachers and six schools hosting Egyptian teachers from 13 different states. Approximately half of the schools are situated in an urban area; 30% are in a suburban area; and the remaining three schools are in more rural areas. A small majority of the teachers will be teaching high school students and the rest will be teaching in elementary and middle schools. Some teachers are going to schools that have a recently established Arabic or Chinese language program and want to grow their program, and others will be placed in schools who are just starting their program. Schools are also looking forward to welcoming new members to their faculty. Read more about Roosevelt Elementary and Audubon Charter School in the news.

In their free time teachers will be able to explore the diverse areas where they are placed. Activities may include clam-digging, attending a school picnic, hiking in the mountains, shopping at craft fairs, attending live music concerts, sampling local foods at festivals, cross-country skiing, enjoying art galleries, fishing, watching plays, beach-combing and more! TCLP staff is looking forward to hearing about the teachers’ adventures in and outside the classroom as they are welcomed by their host communities.

For more details, view our map of the 2013-2014 TCLP host schools.

Over 200 Kennedy- Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) participants celebrated the completion of a successful program year at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. Dr. Dan E. Davidson, President of American Councils opened the event, program which featured presentations by Ambassador J. Adam Ereli, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs; John Milewski, Host and Managing Editor, dialogue TV and Radio at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; and YES participants Ana from (Macedonia /Hawaii) and Moiz from (Pakistan/Illinois). Both students talked about their year in the United States, and Moiz summarized the sentiment of many YES students, saying “All of us have made so many memories with our host families, teachers and high school peers and even though we just left them, we will maintain these relations for the rest of our lives.” All remarked on the immense personal growth and change that the students experienced during their time in the U.S.

The YES program is a year-long high school exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by American Councils. YES was created by Congress in 2002 in response to the events of September 11, 2001 to build bridges between Americans and young people in countries with significant Muslim populations. YES students from 39 countries spend a full academic year attending a U.S high school and living with American host families. During the program, students engaged with their communities, shared their cultures, developed leadership skills, and learned about American society.

Since 2003, nearly 7,000 YES students, from 45 countries have received scholarships to spend a full academic year attending a U.S high school. During the lifetime of the program, YES participants have volunteered more than 340,000 hours of community service across the United States. Countries currently sending students on the YES program include Albania, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Egypt, Gaza, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Israel (Arab Communities), Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, West Bank, and Yemen.

For more information about the YES Program, please visit: http://www.yesprograms.org/

The American Councils for International Education is inviting foreign language professors and students to participate in the online field testing of reading and listening comprehension assessments in one of the following languages:
Brazilian Portuguese
Hindi
Korean
Mandarin Chinese
Modern Standard Arabic
Persian (Farsi)
Russian
Swahili
Turkish
Urdu

Participant Eligibility
US-based university undergraduate or graduate student

Not currently enrolled in a Flagship program

Enrolled in second year of college level target language or higher OR Elementary-level proficiency equivalent to Level 1 on the ILR scale OR Intermediate low level or above on the ACTFL scale

Heritage speakers welcome to participate
Participants

Participating professors will receive:
Acknowledgement on the American Councils website and project-related technical reports

An honorarium $100 for proctoring the assessment

Informal preliminary student proficiency level scores

The opportunity to use the results in their teaching

Participating students:
The first 100 student participants to register per target language will each receive a $20 Amazon.com gift card after completion of both reading and comprehension assessment sections

Participants’ scores will be available via secure website in the fall
Assessment Window

The test will be scheduled online between Monday, September 16, 2013 (9 a.m. EST) and Monday, October 14, 2013 (5 p.m. EST).

Exam Format

The tests will be delivered online and will consist of two sections that may be taken at separate sittings: reading and listening comprehension. Each section contains 44 items and will take up to 90 minutes to complete. Students must complete both test sections to qualify for the $20 Amazon.com gift cards.

Participants will be asked to complete a registration page and background questionnaire about their language use, read American Council for International Education’s policy on the confidentiality of research, and sign a release statement permitting American Councils to use the data for group data. The results will not be identified with participants’ names or schools. Participants’ scores will be available via secure website in the fall.

Technical Requirements

The test will run in any Web browser (on Mac or Windows). Headphones or speakers will be needed for the listening section. There must be Flash on the computer you use to play the audio in the listening section. Flash can be downloaded for free at: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

Contact

If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please email Ms. Ola Mahmoud, Field Testing Coordinator by July 19, 2013.

Please include in your email:
Name:
Email address:
Assessment Language:
Name of Institution:
Faculty or student (specify):
Date of Birth (mm/dd/year):
How you heard of the field testing:

Professors, please also include:
Proctored or unproctored:
Institutional person proctoring:
Estimated number of students participating:

Please feel free to share with colleagues and friends.

Thank you for your interest!

American Councils adds Ethiopia to its list of countries with the start of the Youth Solidarity and English Language (YSEL) program. Based on the successful YSEL model for Afghan youth, American Councils looks forward to repeating that success with Ethiopian youth.

American Councils adds Ethiopia to its list of countries with the start of the Youth Solidarity and English Language (YSEL) program. Based on the successful YSEL model for Afghan youth, American Councils looks forward to repeating that success with Ethiopian youth.

The program, fully funded by the US Embassy in Addis Ababa aims to bring Ethiopian youth (ages 15-17) from the 11 regions of the country together for a month-long summer camp in Debre Zeyit, about one hour south of the capital. The goals of the YSEL-Ethiopia program are to improve English language skills, develop critical thinking, build leadership skills and create solidarity among the 44 students from the diverse areas of Ethiopia. “Young Ethiopians don’t get a chance to meet people their own age from other regions, so this is going to be a great month of learning and making bonds that will hopefully last beyond the end of camp in August, says Tom Toomey, the YSEL Camp Director, “This is a unique opportunity for young people to come together and celebrate the diversity of culture in their own country.”

Almost 300 applications were received for the program. In May, Tom and the YSEL Assistant Director, Endalkachew Tesera, spent two weeks traveling throughout Ethiopia interviewing the 128 selected semi-finalists. They found many talented and motivated students and it was difficult to choose only 44 (4 from each region).

The camp begins on July 5th with a welcome ceremony at the US Embassy before the students head down to Debre Zeyit to begin their wonderful month of learning. Hopefully, this will not be the first and last time American Councils works in this beautiful country with a rich history. “We hope that the YSEL program will continue in the future and we can give more Ethiopian youth a memorable life experience,” comments Tom. You may follow the YSEL-Ethiopia camp activities through the camp blog: yselethiopia.blogspot.com or on Facebook at YSEL-Ethiopia.

News by Tom Toomey, Program Administrator for the Vice President's Office, American Councils

May 28, 2013, the opening ceremony for the significant cultural and educational photo exhibit, “America The Unknown” was held in St. Petersburg, Russia with the help of the American Councils team and the support of the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General. After two weeks of hard work and dedication that FLEX alumni and Education USA volunteers spent creating the photo exhibit, “America The Unknown” opened its doors to visitors at the Griboyedov Public Library. This is American Councils first exhibit after many efforts to conduct an educational art event open for the public that reaches out to the broader audience.

The photo exhibit illustrated the non-typical side of American culture and life, reflecting unknown and mysterious aspects of America, while helping reveal everything that students had never known about this country and its people. A total of 47 photographs exhibited at the Griboyedov library created a genuinely fresh and unusual perception of the Midwestern American culture providing opportunity for guests to break some of the stereotypes they might have had about the U.S.

During the event visitors had a unique chance to find out more about the photographer Gregory Thomas Tsao, a talented American photographer from a small Midwest town, and learn more about the history, culture and traditions of the American Midwest. Consular Officer Frederick Noyes, the guest speaker at the opening ceremony, made an interesting presentation about ghost towns, talked about his home city Detroit, and led a jeopardy game during which teams formed by the audience competed with each other for the title of the American culture experts. The game showed that the audience proved to have quite sufficient knowledge in the five main categories: American presidents, landmarks, famous cities, food and education.

Over 40 visitors were present during the opening of the exhibition, and many more have since visited the site during the library's public hours. The exhibit has received a vast number of positive comments, and a success story was even published in The Telescope newspaper of Belleville, Kansas.

Apart from being a very unique, insightful and educative initiative this event provided a great networking opportunity for U.S. sponsored exchange program alumni and for people interested in pursuing their higher education and career goals in the U.S.

A guestbook comment: "This photo exhibit was a one-of-a-kind chance for me to broaden my outlook and become more open-minded towards understanding different cultures and subcultures, Midwestern American in particular. Thank you for giving me such an inspirational opportunity of rediscovering America in such an exciting and artistic fashion!"

News from Nadezhda Speranskaya, Director, American Councils St. Petersburg Office

“Come and visit sometime!” “Oh, we’d love to!” A common exchange of pleasantries between new friends made while traveling, but one that isn’t often followed through.

For one group of Open World delegates from Serbia, an invitation to visit was not just a pleasantry. They meant it. They wanted their new American friends to see Serbia for themselves and to experience its hospitality first-hand. And the Hall family was happy to oblige.

In November 2012, a group of five Open World delegates traveled to Bradenton, Florida. Funded by Congress and administered by the Open World Leadership Center, the Open World Program brings emerging leaders from Serbia, Russia, Ukraine, and other Eurasian countries to the United States for 10 days of meetings, site visits and observations alongside American counterparts. Comprised of young professionals working in the area of Asset Forfeiture, the Serbian delegation was hosted by Florida’s Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, led by Sheriff W. Brad Steube and General Counsel Michele Hall.

Ms. Hall and her family served as a host family for one of the delegates and group facilitator and American Councils staff member Sanja Ignjatovic. During the group’s visit, the Halls bonded with their guests and promised to visit Serbia in the future.

In June 2013, the Hall family made good on that promise. Ms. Hall along with her husband, Douglas and their three children Knox, Grayson, and Tristan visited Serbia and reunited with their friends. All of the Open World delegates worked to organize an itinerary that encompassed the best of Serbian hospitality, history, and culture, and to make their visit one that the Hall family would never forget.

They organized a walking tour and a bus tour of Belgrade; delegates served as tour guides themselves for Belgrade sights like Ada, the junction of the Danube and Sava rivers, Novak Đoković’s tennis courts, and Avala Mountain just outside of Belgrade. One of the delegates, Jovana Đorđević, organized a tour of the Oplenac Royal Mausoleum and a visit to a royal vineyard in her hometown of Topola.

Vladimir Stevanović and Dejan Miletić, both assistants to prosecutors working at the Special Court in Belgrade, organized several professional meetings for Ms. Hall, arranging an observation of an actual court session as well as a tour of the court itself.

The highlight of the Hall family’s trip was meeting the delegates’ families and realizing how similar life in Serbia is to life in the U.S. When asked why they decided to travel to Serbia, Doug Hall said:

We decided to travel to Serbia (unanimously, as a family) because of the deep friendships that we were able to make with the Serbian folks that came to stay with us in Florida. In just a week, we felt like they were lifelong friends. We also heard many interesting pieces of history and of the country that made us want to visit as well. Once we visited, our friendships grew even stronger. We now feel like we have a large extended family in Serbia that we can visit any time or that conversely can visit with us any time.

We were extremely glad that we had the opportunity to travel to Serbia. It greatly exceeded our expectations. We loved the country and its people and most of all our friends. We hope that more Americans that hosted Serbians in the U.S. have the chance to go visit as well. And, most of all, we hope that our people and countries will continue to strengthen our relationships and thrive and a peaceful environment for many years to come!

News from Sarah Hennessey, Regional Director, South East Europe, and Sanja Ignjatovic, Office Director, Belgrade

June 20, 2013, American Councils Armenia celebrated the joint anniversary of 20 years of engagement in Armenia in a series of events. To showcase its new location and existing program portfolio, American Councils Armenia invited alumni, partners, neighbors, and the general public to visit the modern, centrally-located, Amiryan Street office to meet staff and learn about American Councils programs. In addition, specific audiences registered to attend three enrichment sessions conducted by program alumni and special guests, discussing the types of experiences, learning, and teaching that result from American Councils programs. The day closed with a reception in honor of American Councils many partners and supporters in Armenia and the United States.

Nearly one hundred visitors participated in the open house. Visitors had the opportunity to see American Councils mission and vision in action, and to learn first-hand about programs by speaking with program coordinators directly. An informational fair was created displaying posters featuring program information and success stories alongside brochures and handouts at each coordinator’s desk.

Enrichment sessions that exemplify the work of American Councils Armenia were conducted throughout the afternoon for specific audiences. Recently returned Junior Faculty Development Program(JFDP) alumna Ani Manukyan conducted a session entitled, “The Role of Cross-Cultural Communication in Education” for a group of high school participants in the Education USA Competitive College Club. Indiana University Professor of Law George E. Edwards taught a seminar called, “An Armenian Student’s Guide to U.S. Master of Laws (LL.M.) & Other Law Programs” for Armenian students interested in pursuing a law degree in the United States. Paruyr Jangulyan, Head of Regulatory Management Division at Ministry of Economy of RA and Legislative Fellows Program (LFP) alumnus, led a group of FLEX alumni through a professional development session entitled “Don’t Forget to Sell Yourself.”

A reception in honor of American Councils Armenia’s partners and supporters brought the celebration to a close. A group of about 40 individuals consisting of program alumni, Armenia-bound American program participants, partner NGOs, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia, and the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy in Yerevan gathered to congratulate American Councils on the occasion of 20 years of engagement with Armenia. On behalf of the organization, country director Elvira Dana thanked all those present, and the many who could not attend for their contributions to the success of American Councils programs, alumni, and the organization as a whole. Certificates of appreciation and small gifts were awarded to: the Ministry of Education and Science (received by MoES specialist and JFDPP alumna Tamara Zalinyan), departing Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy Sean O’Hara, Alumni Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy Lusine Mkrtchyan, UNISON (represented by office manager Shushanik Nakhapetian), and to the JFDP alumnus and founder of the academic information network ARMACAD.

News from Elvira Dana, Country Director, American Councils Armenia

Two leading universities in the fields of business and economics recently honored the contributions of the U.S.-Central Asia Education Foundation (U.S.-CAEF) and its fellows during graduation ceremonies marking the 20th anniversaries of the schools. The class of 2013 is the third graduating class of U.S.-CAEF Enterprise Fellows, and American Councils administers the scholarship program on behalf of U.S.-CAEF. KIMEP University (KIMEP) in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in the Kyrgyz Republic have partnered with U.S.-CAEF and American Councils since 2007 to support students from Central Asia studying business and economics through need- and merit-based scholarships, with the goal of encouraging growth in the region’s market economy.

The partnership has already paved the way for U.S.-CAEF graduates to contribute to this goal. Many graduates have started their own businesses, while others have begun their careers with well-recognized businesses such as Air Astana , Coca-Cola, Proctor & Gamble, Samsung, Tengizchevroil, regional banking and finance institutions, and many others. All 99 alumni of the U.S.-CAEF Enterprise Fellowship program are either employed or pursuing graduate education.

U.S.-CAEF supports the largest number of scholarship students at KIMEP, and its President, Dr. Chan Bang, recognized U.S.-CAEF by presenting a plaque to Peggy Grieve, the vice-chair on the Foundation’s board, during the graduation ceremony. Dr. Bang also hosted U.S.-CAEF board members and American Councils representatives at a VIP reception following the ceremony.

“I am delighted to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of the Foundation in the development of KIMEP University, and I look forward to further mutually beneficial cooperation,” wrote Dr. Bang in a letter to American Councils.

In the Kyrgyz Republic, the President of AUCA invited Stephen Weinroth, chair of U.S.-CAEF, Steven Shea, president of the Foundation, and American Councils representatives to an exclusive trustee dinner following graduation events on June 1. At both academic institutions, an appreciation for the contributions of U.S.-CAEF was apparent from administrators and graduates.

“As we graduate, we may each have many different feelings, but what we certainly share is the feeling that we are the ripe apples from the green tree of our U.S.-CAEF logo,” said Kristina Fateyeva, a recent alumna of KIMEP, who hopes to uphold the legacy of her scholarship by giving back to her country and region.

U.S.-CAEF looks forward to supporting the continued contributions of its fellows in their academic communities and the Central Asian economy. For more information on U.S.-CAEF, please visit
http://www.us-caef.americancouncilsnetwork.org
or contact Terrence Graham at graham@americancouncils.org.

Washington, D.C., June 13, 2013 – American Councils for International Education and the U.S.-Japan Council today announced the launch of the TOMODACHI U.S.-Japan Youth Exchange Program. Developed and implemented by American Councils, the exchange program promotes cultural awareness and sensitivity among Japanese and American high school students by focusing on service learning and social entrepreneurship as the primary themes for the study tour. After living and studying in their host countries, both the American and Japanese students will be required to design a service project with the goal of improving the lives of residents of Tohoku, Japan who are still recovering from the earthquake there that created US$235 Billion in damages and loss.

Dr. Dan E. Davidson, President of American Councils notes, “This program introduces young people in the U.S. and Japan to the challenges that each country has endured due to natural disasters and to how our communities respond to those events. Exchange opportunities instill mutual understanding and empathy in our youth, strengthening bonds of cooperation and friendship between the U.S. and Japan.”'

Program participants will include six Washington, D.C. public high school students and an accompanying teacher, as well as an equal number of students and a teacher from Tokyo, Japan. Japanese students will travel to Washington, D.C. for three weeks during July and August, 2013 to live with American host families and visit local high schools. While in Washington, they will meet with social and business entrepreneurs, as well as a variety of organizations that focus on social issues. These meetings will be designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills they need to develop their own service project, as well as to match them up with experienced mentors from partner organizations. Emphasis will be placed on significantly increasing participants’ cross-cultural understanding, self-esteem, empathy, tolerance, entrepreneurial spirit and leadership skills.

In Japan, American students will participate in similar activities, learning about Japanese culture and civic engagement models as well as participating in a variety of local service projects. These students will also share their perspectives on how community service and social safety nets are implemented in their communities in the United States with their Japanese hosts.

TOMODACHI means “friend” in Japanese. The TOMODACHI initiative seeks to foster a “TOMODACHI generation” of young American and Japanese leaders who are committed to and engaged in strengthening U.S.-Japan relations, appreciate each other’s countries and cultures, and possess the global skills and mindsets needed to contribute to and thrive in a more cooperative, prosperous, and secure world.

The Akira Foundation, which fosters Japanese social entrepreneurship and problem-solving through education, will be the local partner providing infrastructure, program development, and managerial support in Japan. Globalize DC, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization with extensive experience working in international education and exchange programs, will serve as the local partner for U.S. student recruitment, selection, preparation, and follow-on programming. California-based The World We Want Foundation will provide a social action framework called “Problem-Solution-Impact and Story,” which will allow both U.S. and Japanese students to report on their social projects and gauge their impact.

This program is funded by TOMODACHI’s Fund for Exchanges through generous contributions from Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Hitachi, Ltd.

# # #

The TOMODACHI Initiative is a public-private partnership, born out of support for Japan’s recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, that invests in the next generation of Japanese and American leaders through educational and cultural exchanges as well as entrepreneurship and leadership programs.

American Councils is a leader in international education, academic exchange, and overseas language immersion. American Councils creates opportunities that prepare individuals and institutions for success in an increasingly globalized world.

American Councils’ President, Dr. Dan E. Davidson, was recently invited to participate in an ongoing video series of interviews with leaders in the nonprofit community called INSIGHT. The series, hosted by media personality Mark Oppenheim, seeks to offer “insights” for its audiences on a broad range of social issues confronting Americans today.

Dr. Davidson’s interview focused on the growing importance of international education and cultural immersion for Americans looking to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world. Dr. Davidson commented, “If the goal of overseas engagement for Americans is building trust, reaching agreement, establishing rapport with people, and understanding not only how we see the world, but how the rest of the world views us - then it’s very important that we [as Americans] learn how to look at the world in other ways.”

It is hard to imagine any part of the world or any area of industry that does not have a global economic mandate, whether business, government, health, science, education, or the elimination of disease and poverty. Dr. Davidson posed the significant question, “In the coming years, there will be an enormous and increasingly rapid exchange of ideas and new technologies. So, how do Americans plan to engage in this globalized world?”

Dr. Davidson views international education as the primary vehicle for empowering Americans to move beyond their traditional roles as consumers of international products and services, and instead to compete in these globally relevant areas and to maintain our innovative edge in the 21st century. However, Dr. Davidson emphasized the necessary change in mindset requiring Americans to learn new languages AND to explore and understand new cultures and traditions, beyond those of the English-speaking nations.

In addition to bringing thousands of international students to the U.S. each year, American Councils also sends more than 1500 American students and teachers to actively engage with people in over 60 countries around the world – including those that have endured political strife, economic struggle and conflict – areas like the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and China. Dr. Davidson stresses, “Learning a culture and language gives individuals the ability to communicate in depth, and effective communication gives communities the ability to collaborate and bring about positive change."

Click here to watch the video.

American Councils Moldova recently debuted Moldova’s very first English Teaching Certificate Course.

Based on Cambridge Teaching Certification, this provides advanced, practical teacher training in the areas of methodology, techniques, and language awareness to English language instructors with different professional background from all over Moldova: Causeni, Comrat, Cimislia and Varnita. The course consists of 120 academic hours of class training and individual work combined with classroom observation, input hours and following feedback. Seven highly experienced instructors from American Councils Moldova led sessions, covering topics from classroom management and error correction strategies to adapting teaching methods for different levels. Participants also were able to attend classes taught at the American Language Center, one of American Councils Moldova subdivisions. The English Language Teaching Certificate course closely follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Teaching Languages.

More information may be found on the American Councils Moldova website:
http://americancouncils.md/news/792

The U.S.-Central Asia Education Foundation’s (U.S.-CAEF) mission is to contribute to a vibrant business environment in the region. American Councils, in partnership with Fairfield University, has been helping U.S.-CAEF to achieve this goal through a series of faculty development workshops focused on integrative teaching and learning strategies for business education. These workshops culminated in June in the Kyrgyz Republic, where seventeen faculty participants met for a writing workshop led by three Fairfield professors. The idea for this event was born out of feedback from faculty members themselves, who confirmed that they were interested in developing an edited volume of case studies and teaching materials but had very little time to take on such work in addition to their daily schedules. To resolve this problem, participants gathered for three days on the shores of Lake Issyk-kul, to reflect on the classroom experiments they had tried since beginning the workshops, brainstorm new ideas, and write draft chapters for the publication. They also had an opportunity to receive feedback from their peers as well as the Fairfield University team who facilitated the workshop.

Following the workshop, the participants will be revising and resubmitting final drafts of their manuscripts, which will be compiled and edited into the final project of the program, a comprehensive book of resources for teaching business in Central Asia. The faculty members hail from two U.S.-CAEF partner institutions, the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in Kyrgyzstan and KIMEP University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. More than twenty economics and business faculty members from these universities have taken part in the U.S.-CAEF sponsored workshops, which began in 2010.

The faculty development program is a testament to the comprehensive approach of the Foundation, whose mission is to foster the development of a vibrant market economy by investing in promising students and strengthening business education in the region. The topics to be covered in the book include business case studies, classroom discussion topics, student activities, collaborative learning strategies, and more.

The Fairfield workshop leaders commended participants for their productivity and for contributing to a collegial atmosphere across the institutions. An initial draft of the book will be ready by the close of summer, with the final version prepared by the end of the year. It will be published by Fairfield University by the close of summer and distributed among faculty at AUCA and KIMEP University as well as other institutions of higher education in the region.

For more information on U.S.-CAEF, please visit http://www.us-caef.americancouncilsnetwork.org or contact Terrence Graham at graham@americancouncils.org.

This year American Councils Ukraine joined American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine for Annual Charitable American Independence Day Picnic - 21st in a row. American Councils co-sponsored this year's festivities, held at the Spartak football stadium on July 6th.

Over 30 volunteers, including staff, Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) alumni, and friends accompanied the larger ACC team in hosting nearly 6,000 guests. The diversely attended, all-day affair included barbecues, children's attractions, a lively stage musical program, and—as in U.S. tradition—fireworks.

American Councils representatives spoke with visitors about academic and professional development opportunities and programming. Representing Ukraine programs were members of FLEX, the Education USA Advising Center, Professional (Legislative) Fellowship Program, Alumni Resource Center, USETI Alliance, Open World, and AUBG.

Thanks to everyone who participated and helped make this annual event a success once again!

News from Taras Tymochko, American Councils Ukraine

July 6th was a special day for American Councils in Moldova. Over 50 alumni from Open World, PFP, FLEX, and Access gathered to celebrate U.S. Independence Day, honor especially active alumni, share success stories, and thank American Councils Moldova’s strategic partners.

American Councils Moldova county director David Jesse kicked off the official ceremony, handing out “Thank You” awards to our most active alumni and strategic partners, such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, English Teaching Resource Center, Radio Moldova, State University of Moldova, and many others. Daniela Munca-Aftenev, Open World/PFP program officer, moderated a Jeopardy!–inspired game on American culture, symbols, and lifestyle. Access coordinator Olga Morozan later presented Web 2.0 tools that can aid international education projects. Our guests participated in an Independence Day lottery, and won various prizes offered by American Councils Moldova strategic partners, including free English language courses and professional development opportunities.

Running parallel to the alumni event, the American Language Center organized a free English Speaking Club session, also based on the Independence Day theme. Two special guests were the American participants in the Eurasia Regional Language Program, who organized traditional American games and contests for the young students. The two also spoke to participants using various English accents to reflect the way English is spoken in New York versus Texas.

Also on July 6th, over 30 Access students and teachers involved in the annual EFL summer camp, joined by FLEX and e-Winning participants, celebrated Independence Day with a special afternoon party where they sang American songs, organized team-building activities, created Independence Day posters and crafts, and assembled 3-D puzzles depicting the Statue of Liberty, Golden Gate Bridge, and Independence Hall. Party guests also discussed their interest in various aspects of American history and culture. Some Access students even dressed up as American presidents like Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson; delivering excerpts from the Gettysburg Address and the Declaration of Independence. To close out the celebration, Access students learned the lyrics to "God Bless America" and pulled confetti poppers!

More details on:
http://www.americancouncils.md/access/news/806 and http://www.americancouncils.md/news/781

July 25th, the Russkiy Mir Center celebrated its second jubilee of its current format. Founded in late 2010 as a joint project of American Councils and the Russkiy Mir Foundation, the Center has gradually become a full-fledged contributor to common ideals of both organizations. Although the Center is relatively new and is still exploring novel ways to achieve its goals, it has already sponsored a wide array of successful projects.

Take a moment to watch the video below, which highlights the last two years of Russkiy Mir Center activities. We’d also like to thank American Councils for their generous support and wise counsel, as well as their creative and resourceful staff.

Stay in touch, get involved, and join with us in making the next two years of Russkiy Mir activities even better. We welcome your opinions and participation!

--From the Russkiy Mir Center

Eligibility
Professor/instructor at a US-based university/institution
Proctor is not affiliated with their target language domestic Flagship Language Program
Register students from college-level Intermediate level (or higher) language classes (not currently enrolled in a Flagship or Critical Language Scholarship program)
Required minimum of 15-20 students per proctoring session

Proctored Administration Dates
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013

Proctored Administration
Please choose one of the above proctored administration dates to proctor the assessment in one of your institution’s computer labs. Administration instructions will be sent to you and your lab technician including instructions for the lab setup, American Councils will provide live online IT help in case you run into any unexpected technical difficulties during the assessment administration.

Registration
Upon receipt of a confirmed class roster/participant list, please complete the Proctored Participant Form (Test Specs, Proctor & Info, and Student List tabs) and email to Ms. Ola Mahmoud, Field Testing Coordinator no later than Tuesday, September 17, 2013.

Close of Registration
Please submit your completed Proctored Participant Form by Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Exam Format
The tests will be delivered online and will consist of two sections that may be taken at separate sittings: reading and listening comprehension. Each section contains 49 items and will take up to 90 minutes to complete. Participants must complete both test sections to qualify for the $20 Amazon.com gift cards.

Confidentiality
Participants will be asked to complete a registration page and background questionnaire about their language use, read American Council for International Education’s policy on the confidentiality of research, and sign a release statement permitting American Councils to use the data for group data. The results will not be identified with participants’ names or schools. Participants’ scores will be available via secure website in the fall.

Technical Requirements
The tests will run in any Web browser (on Mac or Windows). Headphones will be needed for the listening section. There must be Flash on the computers used to play the audio in the listening section. Flash can be downloaded for free at: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

Contact
If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please email Ms. Ola Mahmoud, Field Testing Coordinator

Language:
Brazilian Portuguese
Mandarin Chinese
Modern Standard Arabic
Korean
Russian

Testing Window: Monday September 23, 2013 through Sunday, September 29, 2013

Language:
Hindi
Persian (Farsi)
Swahili
Turkish
Urdu

Testing Window:Monday September 30, 2013 through Sunday, October 6, 2013

Exam Format
The tests will be delivered online and will consist of two sections that may be taken at separate sittings: reading and listening comprehension. Each section contains 49 items and will take up to 90 minutes to complete. Participants must complete both test sections to qualify for the $20 Amazon.com gift cards.

Confidentiality
Participants will be asked to complete a registration page and background questionnaire about their language use, read American Council for International Education’s policy on the confidentiality of research, and sign a release statement permitting American Councils to use the data for group data. The results will not be identified with participants’ names or schools. Participants’ scores will be available via secure website in the fall.

Technical Requirements

The tests will run in any Web browser (on Mac or Windows). Headphones will be needed for the listening section. There must be Flash on the computers used to play the audio in the listening section. Flash can be downloaded for free at: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

Registration
If you are interested in participating, please email Ms. Ola Mahmoud, Field Testing Coordinator the following information:

Name:
Email Address:
Assessment Language:
Name of Institution:
Faculty, Student, or Professional:
Date of Birth (mm/dd/year):
How did you hear about this field testing:
Are you currently enrolled in a Language Flagship program:
Are you currently enrolled in a Critical Language Scholarship program:

Close of Registration

Please email the required registration information by Tuesday, September 10, 2013

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2013-2014 TCLP Teacher Placements Announced

YES Program End of Year Reception in Washington, D.C.

Invitation to Participate in New Proficiency Assessments for Less Commonly Taught Languages

Youth Solidarity and English Language Program (YSEL) arrives in Ethiopia

American Councils in St. Petersburg Promotes American Culture and Diversity through the Photo Exhibit “America The Unknown”

Reciprocal Hospitality; Open World Delegation Hosts U.S. Family in Serbia

American Councils Armenia Opens its Doors to Celebrate 20 Years of Engagement in Armenia

U.S.-CAEF Impact on Central Asian Economy Recognized by Partner Universities

American Councils Launches TOMODACHI Youth Exchange Program to Support Earthquake Ravaged Tohoku, Japan

Dr. Dan E. Davidson discusses the significance of international education in INSIGHT video series

American Councils Moldova launches its first Teaching Certificate Project

U.S.-CAEF Faculty Initiative Aims to Improve Business Education

Kyiv Celebrates the 4th of July with American Councils and American Chamber of Commerce

American Councils Moldova Celebrates Independence Day

The Russkiy Mir Center Celebrates 2nd Anniversary

Proctored Administration

Unproctored Administration