Program Summary

Through the Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP), Egyptian teachers are helping American youth meet the challenges of learning Arabic while enriching the students’ understanding of the region. For three years beginning in 2008, AMIDEAST has worked as a subcontractor to American Councils for International Education to recruit the Egyptian teachers, who spend a year teaching Arabic language and culture for an academic year at primary and secondary schools across the United States. The program, which is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, is also designed to provide the Egyptian teachers with opportunities to learn more about U.S. teaching methodologies, culture, and society, as well as to improve their English language proficiency.

 Main Goals

• Increase the number of Americans teaching and studying Arabic and develop their appreciation for and fluency in Arabic
• Strengthen the teaching of Arabic language and culture in U.S. primary and secondary schools
• Improve the Egyptian teachers’ ability to teach English in their home schools by improving their proficiency in the English language and learning more about U.S. teaching methodologies, culture, and society
• Promote partnership and cultural understanding between Egyptian and American teachers

 Program Results

• In 2010, AMIDEAST recruited 11 Egyptian teachers of English, Arabic, and English as a Foreign Language to spend 11 months teaching in schools in California, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New York, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.
• In 2009, AMIDEAST recruited nine Egyptian teachers of English, Arabic, and English as a Foreign Language to spend 11 months teaching in schools in Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin.
• In 2008, AMIDEAST recruited seven Egyptian teachers of English, Arabic, and English as a Foreign Language to spend 11 months teaching in schools in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, and North Carolina.

Links:

The website for the program: http://www.americancouncils.org/TCLP/
Partner organization: http://www.americancouncils.org/