Thanks to the A. S. Hornby Educational Trust, set up in 1961, hundreds of English language teachers from countries in transition have been able to develop their expertise through postgraduate courses in ELT and (applied) linguistics at UK universities.
Part of the Scholars’ programme is to attend the annual IATEFL conference in the UK, where they give a joint ‘panel’ presentation. Plus each year up a small number of Alumni return to the UK to present on their projects in their home countries.
Key themes this year were: teaching large classes; textbook writing; ICT, culture and ELT; and English teacher development.
In 2008 there are 17 Hornby Scholars in the UK from as many countries studying for Masters degrees at five UK institutions. The Scholars contributed a panel discussion at the IATEFL (International Association for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language) conference in Exeter, 7-11 April, which focused on key issues of commonality and concern in their countries. Eight Scholars led with mini presentations on:
Class size and teaching approaches (Bangladesh, Nigeria, Philippines, Tanzania)
•What is a large class?
•To what extent does the class size affect teaching approaches in these countries?
•What teaching approaches do teachers of large classes tend to use?
ICT as a tool to enhance English language learning (India, Kenya, Russia)
•Communicative competencies including electronic literacies
•How do various schools make use of technology in language education?
•What technology do teachers use while preparing for classes?
An investigation into teachers’ views about culture and ELT materials (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, South Africa)
•Whose culture is – and whose should be – taught in the ELT classroom?
•How does dealing culture in the ELT classroom affect students?
•What are the challenges for teachers?
Attitudes to teacher development (Colombia, Cuba, Mexico)
•What relevance is given to professional development in institutions in our countries at present?
•What affects the choices teachers make regarding their INSETT training?
•How can teachers be helped to be more pro-active regarding their professional development?
In addition, Hornby Alumni Ayneabeba Andualem with colleague Dr Nigussie Negash; Dr Nasreen Hussain; Harshwardhan Kadepurkar; and Harry Kuchah reported in separate presentations on projects they have co-ordinated after returning home from the UK.
Ayneabeba Andualem and Nigussie Negash (Ethiopia):
The challenges of being a teacher in difficult circumstances
(a look at the national programme for English, and the beneficial outcomes of the Hornby School on teaching large classes)
Nasreen Husssain (Pakistan):
Language development for primary English teachers
(the challenges of running a regional textbook development project, with alumni from four different countries)
Harshwardhan Kadepurkar (India):
When teachers write coursebooks
(the rewarding outcomes of an in-country, primary-level textbook production project which gave ordinary teachers the chance to become writers)
Harry Kuchah (Cameroon):
The class is too hot, we can’t move
(an inspirational account of techniques for teaching large, poorly resourced classes in ways that enthuse teenagers and engage them in creative and effective language learning activities).
Finally, Hornby Scholars and Alumni also contributed to the 'online conference' on the web, by being interviewed and filmed, and taking part on the online discussions. You can see the Scholars’ interview in the Exeter Online website http://exeteronline.britishcouncil.org/
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