Jordanians to learn English with State Department funds

Two University of North Georgia (UNG) faculty members have received a grant of more than $240,000 from the U.S. State Department to teach English and pedagogical approaches to educators in Jordan.

Dr. James Badger, director of UNG's Center for Language Education and a professor in the College of Education, and Dr. Juman Al Bukhari, associate professor of Arabic, are collaborating with a pair of Georgia State University faculty members and the University of Jordan on the project.

"English Education for All" will assist 40 teachers from disadvantaged and underrepresented areas in Jordan through online courses at UNG and workshops and seminars at the University of Jordan campus. These teachers will complete two courses this fall and two in the spring to earn a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate from UNG. Of the 40 Jordanian teachers, 15 will visit UNG and Georgia State in August 2022.

"The idea is that they can go back to their schools and train other teachers," Badger said. "It's an exponential model of growth."

Al Bukhari said the Jordanian teachers are eager to gain these skills, and UNG faculty are asking them about their needs to determine the best course design.

"They have a voice in this process," Badger said.

The idea is that they can go back to their schools and train other teachers. It's an exponential model of growth.

Dr. James Badger

Director of UNG's Center for Language Education

Badger, Al Bukhari, and their Georgia State University colleagues will travel to Jordan in late spring 2022 to offer additional professional development training for the Jordanian teachers.

A native of Jordan, Al Bukhari leads a Facebook group that facilitates Arabic and English speakers practicing their language skills together. Al Bukhari uses her Facebook group to help Jordanian students prepare for higher education in the U.S. Ten students from her Facebook group have enrolled in UNG, and another 10 have enrolled in other U.S. institutions.

She said she is excited about the new partnership's possibilities with the Jordanian Ministry of Education, Jordanian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Queen Rania Foundation (Queen Rania Teacher Academy), and the University of Jordan.

UNG's Center for Language Education offers programs to help international students learn and improve their English. The center also provides programs for teachers to master the skills needed to teach English as a foreign language.

UNG's TEFL certificate program is designed for those with little or no experience teaching English. UNG offers the four required courses in both the fall and spring semesters, with each lasting about a month. Registration for the spring 2022 courses is available through Jan. 7, and the first spring class begins Jan. 10. More information is available on the UNG TEFL webpage.