FINAL REPORT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING AND TESTING ASSISTANCE July 31, 1988 VOLUME I OF 2 This report was produced under Contract No. DHR-0071-C-00-6010-00, Amendment 9 between the Partners for International Education and Training and the Agency "or International Development. for United States Agency for International Development Office of International Training Washington, D.C. Coordinated by The Experiment in International Living TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I. Scope and Objectives ................ ........................... 3 II. Methods and Procedures ......................................... 4 III. Summary of Findings............................................ 4 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................ 6 A. Primary Objective............................................... 6 B. Sub-Objectives ................................................. ( C. Country Requests . .............................................. 6 1I. TECHNICAL APPROACH................................................. 9 III. DATES OF WORK........................................................11 IV. COUNTRY SUMMARIES................................................... 11 V. APPENDICES A. Inception Report ................. . . .............. 26 B. English Language Training Assessment ............................65 C. Criteria for Evaluation of ELT Programs ......................... 72 I). EAP Program Curriculum........................................./4 E. ELT Time Line ............................................82 COUNTRY REPORTS BANGLADESH COSTA RICA EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA INDONESIA: Non-GPT-II Project Assistance INDONESIA: Management Training INDONESIA: Teacher Training MAURITANIA PARAGUAY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES From November 1987 through July 1988 at the request of the Office of International Training/Science and Technology (OIT/S&T) of the United Statea Agency for International Development (USAID), the Partners in Inte-national Education and Training (PIET) carried out "English Langauge Tral ing and Testing Assistance" under the field services component of its (ontract. As the implementing partner for this initiative, the Experiment in International Training (EIL) arranged for English language specialists to help selected AID Missions assess and/or strengthen their in-country English Language Training (ELT) projects. In the summer of 1987, USAID asked that Missions submit requests for technical assistance in ELT. The requests included: o to assess ELT programs in Bangladesh, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Paraguay and Senegal o to develop action plans for ELT for El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia and Paraguay o to determine the feasibility of designing a two- co three-month refresher course for English language teachers in Indonesia o to assist in designing a management system for an ELT training unit with the Government of Indonesia o to develop and start up a commercial English language program in Mauritania based on the initial recommendations from American Language Institute/Georgetown University's (ALI/GU) needs assessment 3 II. METHODS AND PROCEDURES 1. Selected requests for ELT assistance were received through USAID by EIL. 2. AID staff in OIT/S&T and in the relevant AID Missions in Washington, D.C. were interviewed to determine current ELT requirements in the target countries. 3. Forms and criteria were revised and/or developed for assessment purposes and for developing action plans. 4. ELT specialists were selected and given orientation. 5. A multi-method approach was developed to fulfill the tasks including interviews, check-lists, observations and review of documents. 6 Country visits were made and reports were written by the ELT specialists and submitted to the individual Missions, to EIL and to AID/OIT Washington, D.C. 7. A final report of the project was submitted by EIL to USAID/OIT/S&T, Washington, D.C. III. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Bangladesh, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Paraguay requested needs assessments/action plans. As a result of the ELT specialists' visits, it was determined that AID is currently contracting with quality ELT programs in most of the countries visited. However, there are areas for improvement that have been highlighted in individual country reports. Indonesia requested three separate tasks. A threp-phse teacher training plan based on the needs of the teachers involved was outlined and presented to the AID Mission for consideration. It was recommended that the Overseas Training Office provide ELT services to AID-sponsored 4 participants in non-General Participant Training II (non-GPT II) training projects. It was recommended that the Overseas Training Office facilitate ELT management training activities. Mauritania requested assistance in establishing a commercial English training program. The specialist developed a program for the Confederation Generale des Employeurs de Mauritanie (CGEM); staff was hired; a curriculum for English for Business Purposes was developed; and training was begun for an initial group of students from the Matiritanian business community. Procedures have been set in place fcr continuation of the project, including using Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) as part of the administrative and teaching staff. 5 I. INTRODUCTION The Experiment in International Living through its Field Services Contract with the Partners for International Education and Training (PIET) was commissioned by the Office of International Training/Scienice and Technology (OIT/S&T) of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide technical assistance to selected AID Missions in the area of English Language Training (ELT). A. Primary Objective: To help the AID Missions in Bangladesh, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Cuatemala, Indonesia, Mauritania, Paraguay and Senegal assess and/or strengthen their in-country English Language Training through provision of technical assistance. B. Sub-Objectives: o To provide Mission personnel with the opportunity to become better acquainted with major ELT issues and approaches to addressing them o To develop approaches to ELT technical assistance which could be adapted to similar situations in the future o To share information regarding regional ELT resources, as appropriate C. Country Requests Prior to the beginning of the contract, OIT/S&T asked that AID Missions make requests for ELT technical assistance. Eight issions responded to the request. Following are the countries, the initial requests selected by AID and the number of ELT specialists and the time alloted for each request. 6 Bangladesh requested one ELT specialist to conduct an in-depth survey and assessment of ELT needs and current in-country program resources and to collect data on the potential for establishing an ELT program. (21 days) Costa Rica requested one ELT specialist to conduct an on-site survey and assessment of the Mission's ELT program currently being implemented for CAPS participants by two organizations in San Jose: the US/CR Binational Center and CONVERSA, a private firm and to offer recommendations on how the program could be strengthened. (18 days) El Salvador requested two ELT specialists to conduct an on-site survey and an in-depth assessment of the current programs offered by the Centro Cultural Salvadoreno for Central American Peace Scholars (CAPS) participants including a complete "work break-out structure" analysis of the ELT training costs and to work with the Mission in developing an action plan for either a new ELT program or for the improvement of the existing program including an estimated work break-out structure budget. (36 days) Guatemala requested one ELT specialist to asstst the Mission in developing an ELT action plan in support of its ELT program for long-term CAPS participants at Del Valle University and to conduct an ELT needs assessment for an up-coming legal fellowship program with Harvard University. (18 days) Indonesia requested three specialists. One ELT specialist will evaluate the current General Participant Training II Project ELT model and programs and assist the ission in developing a plan for the improvement of these programs and the broadening of its scope of services to include other USAID-supported participants with pre-departure English. One ELT specialist will design a model for a regular two-three month refresher course for Indonesian ELT teachers and develop a plan of action for implementing such a program. One management specialist with experience in the management of large ESL programs will design a program for ELT training unit management and administration for the Government of Indonesia. (total: 87 days) 7 Mauritania requested one ESP specialist to be involved in training local English teachers in commercial English methodology by establishing procedures which define grantee responsibilities and duties of the instructors, to design and set up a curriculum responsive to local needs as defined in the needs assessment of Phase I, to select English language instructors and train them, and to oversee the procurement of materials and equipment. (75 days) Paraguay requested one ELT specialist to evaluate the effectiveness of the Mission's ELT efforts to date, to assess the current strengths and weaknesses of the Binational Center's program, and to update the strategy for improving ELT in Paraguay outlined in the USAID Country Training Plan. (18 days) Senegal requested one ELT specialist to plan an evaluation and provide an interim assessment of the effectiveness of two ELT programs currently utilized by the Mission, and to assist the Mission in planning for future ELT needs including looking into the possibility of providing an ELT program for regional use. (21 days) As explained in the individual country reports and noted in the Summary section below, some of these requests were modified after the beginning of the contract. In addition, Senegal cancelled its request and the alloted time was divided between El Salvador (for an additional assessment of ELT at the American School Extension Program) and Mauritania (for additional work in setting up and implementing the commercial English program). 8 11. TECHNICAL APPROACH Existing studies and evaluations of in-country ELT projects were reviewed, including English Language Training Assessment, Academy for Educational Development, January 1987; English Language Assessment in Central America, Center for Applied Linguistics/Academy for Educational Development, 1985 and "Report of ALI/GU Consultation to USAID/Indonesia (1983) and to the Dominican Republic (1985)", American Language Institute/Georgetown University. The Program Manager held preliminary meetings with OIT/S&T of USAID and with Washington, D.C. representatives of the AID Missions requesting assistance in order to elicit specific information pertaining to the objectives of the project. ELT specialists with backgrounds in program design, development, administration, evaluation, teaching and teacher training were selected to undertake the assignments (resumes of the specialists are included in the Inception Plan, Appendix I). A standardized approach to conducting assessments of in-country ELT programs and for developing ELT action plans was developed by the Program Manager working with the ELT specialists in a preliminary meeting held in October, 1987, at EIL in Brattleboro, Vermont. The following variables, adapted from criteria established by the Academy for Educational Development during its 1987 English language assessments for AID were considered: 0 Country variables: including linguistic make-up of the population, cultural view of English, economic need for English 0 In-country ELT variables: including historical context of in-country ELT, size of ELT institutions, potential for expansion, past relationships of the institution with the Mission 9 o Mission variables: including Mission policies on ELT, specific project requirements, overall Mission priorities, numbers of participants to be trained each year, participant selection, screening and evaluation o Participant variables: including educational background, social and economic profiles, levels of English proficiency, goals and objectives of the program, length and type of program o Cost variables: including program, administrative, and cost-effectiveness Once in country, the ELT specialists gathered information using the following strategies: o Review of existing in-country studies/documentation o Focused discussion with Mission officials, program inanageLs, and selected support staff as well as with academic personnel including directors, supervisors, teachers and students of the ELT institutions o Observation of in-country ELT programs The following standardized forms and criteria were used in gathering the data: 0 The Piet "English Language Training Assessment," checklist, Appendix II (adapted by PIET ELT Specialists from AED English Language Training Assessment,"Data Sheet/Checklist on English Language Training Programs"). This served as a guideline during focused discussions in all countries to assure that consistent information was gathered about each ELT institution. o "Criteria for Evaluation of ELT Programs, Appendix III, (adapted by PIET ELT specialists and the faculty of the School for 10