AMIDEAST embarks this fall on a significant expansion of its already substantial commitment to English language training. Joining forces with World Learning/SIT Graduate Institute, a global leader in the professional development of English language teachers, AMIDEAST will offer the new, U.S.-accredited  PCELT (Professional Certificate in English Language Teaching) for current and prospective English language teachers in the Middle East and North Africa.

With English language proficiency linked to better opportunities for youth and improved business performance in the region, the need for qualified English teachers is now more critical than ever. This initiative seeks to address the severe shortage of certified English language teachers at a time when MENA educational systems cannot meet this demand and few training options exist. A recent survey of English teachers in the region (representing all stages, from primary to university, and both public and private sectors) indicated that nine out of 10 desired a new, more rigorous teacher certificate program in their countries. Even those with previous certification expressed interest in such professional development, stressing the need to upgrade their skills and improve their job prospects through an internationally recognized program.

Vermont-based World Learning/SIT Graduate Institute is a pioneer in teacher education with a long history of in-region human resource development and technical training dating back five decades.  AMIDEAST is the leading American provider of English language instruction in the region; its various English language programs, which are standard offerings throughout its 12-country network of offices, attract more than 60,000 students annually.

The PCELT initiative is a natural evolution of AMIDEAST’s involvement in teacher training in the region. Notably, between 1998 and 2004, AMIDEAST delivered training in Egypt to more than 15,000 professional teachers of English as a foreign language, benefiting primary and secondary schools, universities, and businesses, through a USAID-funded project. Also in Egypt, AMIDEAST trained a cadre of teachers who have delivered English language and cross-cultural communications skills training to more than 25,000 hotel workers — part of an AMIDEAST-implemented Ministry of Tourism initiative linked to the future of the country’s important tourism industry. In addition, AMIDEAST has worked in recent years to improve the quality of English language instruction at the primary level in the West Bank and Gaza. As a focal point of this effort, AMIDEAST developed a certificate training program that it successfully implemented to meet the professional development needs of English teachers in a variety of settings.

The new 120-hour PCELT program offers flexible delivery options and adaptable content to meet the changing needs of the region’s current and prospective teachers of English. By providing a cutting-edge curriculum that blends international best practices with topics of particular relevance for teachers in the MENA, the PCELT promises to help raise overall standards for the teaching of English in the region’s schools and universities — and, in turn, help to better equip learners of all ages with the English skills needed for success.

More information about the PCELT program can be found on the AMIDEAST website.