One of the English Speaking Nation: Summer Excellence Training (ESN: ESET) trainings out of seven was organised in Urgench for 30 secondary school teachers of English benefited from direct interaction with native English speakers between August 1 – 22 at local public schools and in-service requalification centers. Some of the most experienced English Teacher Experts – Mina Gavell, Adam McAree, and Richard Silberg delivered 108-hour English language training in Urgench, where the participants had an opportunity to increase their proficiency, specifically in speaking and listening skills, reflective practice, public presentation, and peer review.
In general, this program provided comprehensive English language support and practice to 420 secondary school teachers of English in seven geographically diverse regions of Uzbekistan: Samarkand, Andijan, Namangan, Termez, Bukhara, Qarshi, and Urgench. The program emphasized reflective practice, public presentation, and peer review, further strengthening the local teachers' learning process and equipped them with tools they can use in their classrooms in the future.
One of the participants Masharipova Sevara from school #1 in Urgench, stated: “I got a lot of useful and interesting information in this program. I improved my speaking skills significantly with native speakers. The English lessons, in particular, were exciting and rewarding. Through these classes, we teach students to deliver English more interestingly. We not only learned English, but also found out about American customs and lifestyle.”
Adam McAree, who has been living in Uzbekistan for three years, shared his impression about the training: “I am quite impressed with how smoothly things have gone for us despite a COVID case quite early in the program. Long days have given the participants a chance to immerse themselves in English speaking. While shy at first, most of the participants have been gaining confidence, speaking more often both to the class and to me, and really demonstrating a command of spoken English. It has been a pleasure getting to know everyone and learn more and more about the Uzbek culture through the eyes of my participants. Our Regional Coordinator, Mrs. Shakhsanam Niyazmetova, has provided a calm precision to each day, making sure all of the operations are taken care of, that we are well fed and have delicious snacks during our breaks.”
ESN is funded by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan and implemented by American Councils for International Education in close cooperation with the Ministry of Public Education in Uzbekistan.