Southeast Missouri State University's Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program has partnered with the Institute of Technology Central America (ITCA) in El Salvador to teach English to a group of technical students. The partnership is a result of the EnglishUSA Virtual Connection Program, which links U.S.-based English language programs with potential partners throughout Latin America.
The 11 TESOL students involved in this project are SEMO students enrolled in TL620 "Approaches to Teaching Grammar," as part of their master's degree program. The collaboration also includes 14 El Salvadorian students from ITCA who are majoring in various technical fields.
The El Salvadorian students have been invited to be part of a four-week course on sustainable energy at a university in Denmark next fall; the collaboration will help the ITCA students to develop the English needed to complete their assignments, as well as interact wtih their peers and professors.
"For SEMO, this project creates opportunities for international recruitment and to build the foundation for future intercultural collaboration," said Dr. Sarah Dietrich, TESOL program coordinator. "This partnership offers the opportunity to gain experience with English language teaching and online collaborations."
The partnership is 100% online and meets 90 minutes a week for 10 weeks. The collaboration will teach ITCA students the English they need for their coursework in Denmark and will allow SEMO students the opportunity to put what they have been learning into action, creating a hands-on experience for both SEMO and ITCA students.
For more information on SEMO's TESOL program, visit the website.