United States Agency for International Development

526 Pages·2010·7.66 MB·English

FINAL REPORT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING

AND TESTING ASSISTANCE

July 31, 1988

VOLUME I OF 2

This report was produced under Contract No. DHR-0071-C-00-6010-00,

Amendment 9 between the Partners for International Education and Training

and the Agency "or International Development.

for

United States Agency for International Development

Office of International Training

Washington, D.C.

Coordinated by

The Experiment in International Living
TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. Scope and Objectives ................ ........................... 3

II. Methods and Procedures ......................................... 4

III. Summary of Findings............................................ 4

I. INTRODUCTION........................................................ 6

A. Primary Objective............................................... 6

B. Sub-Objectives ................................................. (

C. Country Requests . .............................................. 6

1I. TECHNICAL APPROACH................................................. 9

III. DATES OF WORK........................................................11

IV. COUNTRY SUMMARIES................................................... 11

V. APPENDICES

A. Inception Report ................. . . .............. 26

B. English Language Training Assessment ............................65

C. Criteria for Evaluation of ELT Programs ......................... 72

I). EAP Program Curriculum........................................./4

E. ELT Time Line ............................................82

COUNTRY REPORTS

BANGLADESH

COSTA RICA

EL SALVADOR

GUATEMALA

INDONESIA: Non-GPT-II Project Assistance

INDONESIA: Management Training

INDONESIA: Teacher Training

MAURITANIA

PARAGUAY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES
From November 1987 through July 1988 at the request of the Office of

International Training/Science and Technology (OIT/S&T) of the United

Statea Agency for International Development (USAID), the Partners in

Inte-national Education and Training (PIET) carried out "English Langauge

Tral ing and Testing Assistance" under the field services component of its

(ontract. As the implementing partner for this initiative, the Experiment

in International Training (EIL) arranged for English language specialists

to help selected AID Missions assess and/or strengthen their in-country

English Language Training (ELT) projects.

In the summer of 1987, USAID asked that Missions submit requests for

technical assistance in ELT. The requests included:

o to assess ELT programs in Bangladesh, Costa Rica, El Salvador,

Paraguay and Senegal

o to develop action plans for ELT for El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia

and Paraguay

o to determine the feasibility of designing a two- co three-month

refresher course for English language teachers in Indonesia

o to assist in designing a management system for an ELT training unit

with the Government of Indonesia

o to develop and start up a commercial English language program in

Mauritania based on the initial recommendations from American Language

Institute/Georgetown University's (ALI/GU) needs assessment

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II. METHODS AND PROCEDURES

1. Selected requests for ELT assistance were received through USAID by

EIL.

2. AID staff in OIT/S&T and in the relevant AID Missions in Washington,

D.C. were interviewed to determine current ELT requirements in the

target countries.

3. Forms and criteria were revised and/or developed for assessment

purposes and for developing action plans.

4. ELT specialists were selected and given orientation.

5. A multi-method approach was developed to fulfill the tasks including

interviews, check-lists, observations and review of documents.

6 Country visits were made and reports were written by the ELT

specialists and submitted to the individual Missions, to EIL and to

AID/OIT Washington, D.C.

7. A final report of the project was submitted by EIL to USAID/OIT/S&T,

Washington, D.C.

III. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Bangladesh, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Paraguay requested

needs assessments/action plans. As a result of the ELT specialists'

visits, it was determined that AID is currently contracting with quality

ELT programs in most of the countries visited. However, there are areas

for improvement that have been highlighted in individual country reports.

Indonesia requested three separate tasks. A threp-phse teacher

training plan based on the needs of the teachers involved was outlined and

presented to the AID Mission for consideration. It was recommended that

the Overseas Training Office provide ELT services to AID-sponsored

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participants in non-General Participant Training II (non-GPT II) training

projects. It was recommended that the Overseas Training Office facilitate

ELT management training activities.

Mauritania requested assistance in establishing a commercial English

training program. The specialist developed a program for the Confederation

Generale des Employeurs de Mauritanie (CGEM); staff was hired; a curriculum

for English for Business Purposes was developed; and training was begun for

an initial group of students from the Matiritanian business community.

Procedures have been set in place fcr continuation of the project,

including using Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) as part of the administrative

and teaching staff.

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I. INTRODUCTION

The Experiment in International Living through its Field Services

Contract with the Partners for International Education and Training (PIET)

was commissioned by the Office of International Training/Scienice and

Technology (OIT/S&T) of the U.S. Agency for International Development

(USAID) to provide technical assistance to selected AID Missions in the

area of English Language Training (ELT).

A. Primary Objective:

To help the AID Missions in Bangladesh, Costa Rica, El Salvador,

Cuatemala, Indonesia, Mauritania, Paraguay and Senegal assess and/or

strengthen their in-country English Language Training through provision of

technical assistance.

B. Sub-Objectives:

o To provide Mission personnel with the opportunity to become better

acquainted with major ELT issues and approaches to addressing them

o To develop approaches to ELT technical assistance which could be

adapted to similar situations in the future

o To share information regarding regional ELT resources, as appropriate

C. Country Requests

Prior to the beginning of the contract, OIT/S&T asked that AID

Missions make requests for ELT technical assistance. Eight issions

responded to the request. Following are the countries, the initial requests

selected by AID and the number of ELT specialists and the time alloted for

each request.

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Bangladesh requested one ELT specialist to conduct an in-depth survey

and assessment of ELT needs and current in-country program resources and to

collect data on the potential for establishing an ELT program. (21 days)

Costa Rica requested one ELT specialist to conduct an on-site survey

and assessment of the Mission's ELT program currently being implemented for

CAPS participants by two organizations in San Jose: the US/CR Binational

Center and CONVERSA, a private firm and to offer recommendations on how the

program could be strengthened. (18 days)

El Salvador requested two ELT specialists to conduct an on-site survey

and an in-depth assessment of the current programs offered by the Centro

Cultural Salvadoreno for Central American Peace Scholars (CAPS)

participants including a complete "work break-out structure" analysis of

the ELT training costs and to work with the Mission in developing an action

plan for either a new ELT program or for the improvement of the existing

program including an estimated work break-out structure budget. (36 days)

Guatemala requested one ELT specialist to asstst the Mission in

developing an ELT action plan in support of its ELT program for long-term

CAPS participants at Del Valle University and to conduct an ELT needs

assessment for an up-coming legal fellowship program with Harvard

University. (18 days)

Indonesia requested three specialists. One ELT specialist will

evaluate the current General Participant Training II Project ELT model and

programs and assist the ission in developing a plan for the improvement of

these programs and the broadening of its scope of services to include other

USAID-supported participants with pre-departure English. One ELT

specialist will design a model for a regular two-three month refresher

course for Indonesian ELT teachers and develop a plan of action for

implementing such a program. One management specialist with experience in

the management of large ESL programs will design a program for ELT training

unit management and administration for the Government of Indonesia. (total:

87 days)

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Mauritania requested one ESP specialist to be involved in training

local English teachers in commercial English methodology by establishing

procedures which define grantee responsibilities and duties of the

instructors, to design and set up
a curriculum responsive to local needs as

defined in the needs assessment of Phase I, to select English language

instructors and train them, and to
oversee the procurement of materials and

equipment. (75 days)

Paraguay requested one ELT specialist to evaluate the effectiveness of

the Mission's ELT efforts to date, to assess the current
strengths and

weaknesses of the Binational Center's program, and to update the strategy

for improving ELT in Paraguay outlined in the
USAID Country Training Plan.

(18 days)

Senegal requested one ELT specialist to plan an evaluation and provide

an interim assessment of the effectiveness of two ELT programs currently

utilized by the Mission, and to assist the Mission in planning for future

ELT needs including looking into the possibility of providing an ELT

program for regional use. (21 days)

As explained in the individual country reports and noted in the

Summary section below, some of these requests were modified after the

beginning of the contract. In addition, Senegal cancelled its request and

the alloted time was divided between El Salvador (for an additional

assessment of ELT at the American School Extension Program) and Mauritania

(for additional work in setting up and implementing the commercial English

program).

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11. TECHNICAL APPROACH

Existing studies and evaluations of in-country ELT projects were

reviewed, including English Language Training Assessment, Academy for

Educational Development, January 1987; English Language Assessment in

Central America, Center for Applied Linguistics/Academy for Educational

Development, 1985 and "Report of ALI/GU Consultation to USAID/Indonesia

(1983) and to the Dominican Republic (1985)", American Language

Institute/Georgetown University.

The Program Manager held preliminary meetings with OIT/S&T of USAID

and with Washington, D.C. representatives of the AID Missions requesting

assistance in order to elicit specific information pertaining to the

objectives of the project.

ELT specialists with backgrounds in program design, development,

administration, evaluation, teaching and teacher training were selected to

undertake the assignments (resumes of the specialists are included in the

Inception Plan, Appendix I).

A standardized approach to conducting assessments of in-country ELT

programs and for developing ELT action plans was developed by the Program

Manager working with the ELT specialists in a preliminary meeting held in

October, 1987, at EIL in Brattleboro, Vermont.

The following variables, adapted from criteria established by

the Academy for Educational Development during its 1987 English language

assessments for AID were considered:

0 Country variables: including linguistic make-up of the

population, cultural view of English, economic need for English

0
In-country ELT variables: including historical context of

in-country ELT, size of ELT institutions, potential for

expansion, past relationships of the institution with the Mission

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o Mission variables: including Mission policies on ELT, specific

project requirements, overall Mission priorities, numbers of

participants to be trained each year, participant selection,

screening and evaluation

o Participant variables: including educational background, social

and economic profiles, levels of English proficiency, goals and

objectives of the program, length and type of program

o Cost variables: including program, administrative, and

cost-effectiveness

Once in country, the ELT specialists gathered information using the

following strategies:

o Review of existing in-country studies/documentation

o Focused discussion with Mission officials, program inanageLs, and

selected support staff as well as with academic personnel

including directors, supervisors, teachers and students of the

ELT institutions

o Observation of in-country ELT programs

The following standardized forms and criteria were used in gathering

the data:

0 The Piet "English Language Training Assessment," checklist,

Appendix II (adapted by PIET ELT Specialists from AED English

Language Training Assessment,"Data Sheet/Checklist on English

Language Training Programs"). This served as a guideline during

focused discussions in all countries to assure that consistent

information was gathered about each ELT institution.

o "Criteria for Evaluation of ELT Programs, Appendix III, (adapted

by PIET ELT specialists and the faculty of the School for

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