US experts to train Saudis in English language teaching

(MENAFN- Arab News) The Ministry of Education has invited specialists from Colombia University in the United States to train Saudi teachers on methods of teaching the English language. They will also visit public schools to elicit the views and opinions of students and teachers on the curriculum. The specialists will conduct surveys during their visits to schools and interact with staff and students to gather information on the benefits they have derived from the present curriculum and methods of teaching. This initiative has been taken within the framework of the Project of King Abdullah for Public Educational Development, for which international educational companies aim to develop a curriculum in schools for next year. Sources said reports submitted to the Ministry of Education had stated that students were weak in the English language. This prompted the Educational Services Development Company (ESDC), appointed to develop the English portfolio, to sign contracts with international universities specialized in training teachers and supervisors teaching English at school level. The King Abdullah project, which is being promoted through this company in cooperation with a team from a teaching college at Colombia University, has trained 125 English teachers from the Ministry of Education in schools across Saudi Arabia. Sami Al-Shwairikh, ESDC's public supervisor of English-language teaching, said that the training will focus on methods of teaching the language and improving skills and communication with pupils by adopting various strategies. "The American team from Columbia University, which is renowned internationally for teaching English, will visit several public schools, view the teaching methods, meet teachers and pupils and discuss the mechanisms for developing the English language in Saudi schools. They will be accompanied by a team from the Ministry of Education," said Al-Shwairikh. He said this project complements another Ministry of Education program that encourages teaching English from the fourth grade.