Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MONTEVIDEO3
2006-01-03 14:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Montevideo
Cable title:  

REQUEST FOR U.S. ENGLISH SPECIALIST

Tags:  OEXC SCUL UY 
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VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMN #0003/01 0031413
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031413Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5181
UNCLAS MONTEVIDEO 000003

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR ECA/A/L/W:JWALTERS, WHA/PDA:DPRINCE
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL UY
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR U.S. ENGLISH SPECIALIST


UNCLAS MONTEVIDEO 000003

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR ECA/A/L/W:JWALTERS, WHA/PDA:DPRINCE
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL UY
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR U.S. ENGLISH SPECIALIST



1. (U) PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Post requests an English Teaching Specialist to work with the Office of English teaching of Secondary Education and conduct three, 2-day workshops on writing and speaking skills, for secondary school teachers.


2. (U) PROGRAM DATES: February 13-24, 2006. Post understands it might be difficult to recruit a Specialist given the short lead-time, but would appreciate ECA's efforts in view the Uruguayan educational authorities are extremely interested in organizing this training program prior to the beginning of the school year on March 13. Unfortunately, the week of February 27 is Carnival week in Uruguay and a holiday season in the country.


3. (SBU) PROGRAM BACKGROUND: The implementation of the English Immersion Program at the elementary school level in 2001 in Uruguay, allowed for the first time, the use of American English methodology and materials in the Uruguayan public school system. PAS has been actively supporting the Uruguayan educational authorities working with the English Immersion Program developing school linkages with U.S. institutions, promoting teacher exchanges, training more teachers in English and immersion techniques and supplementing course materials, but it had not been able, up until now, to get a program going at the Secondary School level. This is a major opportunity to introduce American English (and American culture) into Uruguayan secondary schools. At secondary level, although English is currently taught at public high schools, the level of teaching is extremely poor and this tends to discredit other English teaching programs in the public system. Moreover, not a single public high school in Uruguay uses American-English materials the Uruguayan school system, and that of the entire region is focused on Europe.


4. (SBU) JUSTIFICATION: Post is working on a strategy to advance the expansion and improvement of English teaching in Uruguay as part of a more general strategy of outreach to students (as well as teachers and administrators) who do not currently have the right exposure to English language and/or culture and whose opinion of the U.S. is the lowest in the region (38%),surpassed only by Argentine (32%). A combination of factors creates an enormous opportunity to expand English teaching programs in Uruguay that will resonate not only in the country but in the region as well. The possibility of exposing young Uruguayans in primary and secondary schools to U.S. language and culture presents a powerful and institutional response to the influence of leftist leaders of the region that post does not wish to miss.


5. (SBU) PROPOSED PROGRAM: Post envisions a two-day consultation period with officials of the English Teaching Inspection for Secondary Education, followed by three two-day workshops and a final one-day evaluation session. In collaboration with the National English Inspector for Secondary Education, Post will develop a two-day workshop on writing and speaking skills to be conducted by the English Specialist in Montevideo and two near-by cities in the interior of the country. Each workshop will have approximately 100 teachers participating. Even when teachers who will be attending the program have a fairly good command of the English language, they all have very different academic backgrounds and need to improve their grammar and work on specific vocabulary. Program details will be worked out with Uruguayan National English Inspector, once Specialist is identified.

The goals of the program are: XXXXXXXXXXXX in English as a second language XXXXXXXXXXXX


6. (U) MISSION PROGRAM PLAN (MPP) Theme: Public Diplomacy/Mutual Understanding.


7. (U) AUDIENCE: 300 English teachers of the public secondary school system.


8. (U) FUNDING: Post will cover specialist's lodging and living expenses and local transportation while in country


9. (U) CONTACT INFORMACION: Mission program officer:

PAO Linda Gonzalez
Office phone: (5982) 418-4179 (direct line),(5982) 418-7777
ext. 2373 (operator).
Office fax: (5982) 410-9775.
Home phone: (5982) 601-9642.
Email: gonzalezL1@state.gov

Responsible FSN:

CAS Amanda Cordones
Office Phones: (5982) 412-6827 (direct line) (5982) 418-7777
ext. 2358 (operator).
Office fax: (5982) 410-9775
Home phone: (5982) 411-4551
Email: cordonesam@state.gov

NEALON