The Importance of Access

Fluency in English opens up both educational and occupational doors. With the new mandate from the Ministry of Higher Education, students must have a high-level of English fluency as a prerequisite to pursuing a graduate degree. In addition, many industries require English fluency for hiring. By targeting students from under-served areas, Access provides students with the skills in English needed to succeed in the knowledge economy. Access also widens student horizons through a variety of enhancement activities which promote team-work, problem-solving and knowledge of other cultures both within and outside of Jordan.

What Access does

Access is both a teacher training activity and a scholarship for students. AMIDEAST, with funds from the US Embassy and the support of the Ministry of Education, provides students with scholarships to attend English language classes after school, over the weekend, and during the summer break. These scholarships are awarded for a period of two years during which students receive approximately 400 hours of English language teaching as well as cultural enhancement activities such as the AVEA summer camp which teaches students about environmental sustainability. Other activities include regular student volunteerism in the community, Thanksgiving/Eid celebrations, and field trips to cultural sites within Jordan.

In order to provide students with a motivating and challenging learning environment, AMIDEAST conducts teacher training workshops on interactive teaching methodologies. Through these trainings teacher learn how to role-play, utilize CDs, and other games to promote and enhance language learning. Fully equipped with computers, teachers can expand upon their interactive activities as well as provide students access to the internet to conduct research, network with Access students in other countries, and publish magazines and newsletters.

Accomplishments and Impact

Approximately 44,000 students in more than 55 countries have participated in the Access Program since 2004. Currently, AMIDEAST administers the program in Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and the West Bank. In Jordan, AMIDEAST has awarded Access scholarships to 1500 Jordanian students with funds from the US State Department and the US Embassy in Amman. As of 2007, seven Jordanian Access students have received scholarships to study in the United States.

Access Stories

The Access Activity Day celebrated the graduation of 364 Access Microscholarship recipients from the two-year program. The event was held at the Khadeeja Bint Khuwailid school for Girls in Madaba. The agenda was student-centered consisting of activities which highlighted the language skills the students learned through the Access program. Graduating 2007-2009 Access Class: Celebrating English in their own words   Click on the following link to view the graduation photo gallery.  Graduation Gallery

On June 14- June 30, 2010, Access supported the Summer 2010 American Village English Access (AVEA) which hosted 240 students at the Youth Scouts Camp on the outskirts of the City of Aqaba. The camp provides an opportunity for young Jordanians to learn about American culture, practice their English and enjoy fun interactive and collaborative games, drama, arts and crafts, as well as teamwork and leadership skills during their summer break. The main theme of the camp is the environment with a focus on the preserving the maritime life of Aqaba. Preserving the Environment through English Language Learning   Click on the following link to view the preserving the environment gallery.Environment Gallery

The English Access Microscholarship Program has employed a new initiative - to build the skills of government-employed MOE teachers to teach English to lesser-served students, after-school, over the weekend, and during the summer. Through funds from the US Embassy in Jordan, Access offered three scholarships for Access teachers to attend the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) conference held in Boston, Ma. Teacher Training Program : Scholarships to build teaching practices  Click on the following link to view the Teacher Training gallery. Teacher Training Gallery