Federal grant helps Jordanian teachers gain skills

The University of North Georgia (UNG) and Georgia State University (GSU) welcomed 15 Jordanian teachers to the U.S. for two weeks in August thanks to a $240,000 U.S. State Department grant to support providing these educators with pedagogical approaches for teaching English.

Through a partnership with the University of Jordan, these teachers — along with 21 others — were part of a group of teachers who completed the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate program through UNG's Center for Language Education (CLE) during the 2021-22 academic year. They also took part in professional development workshops when UNG and GSU faculty visited Jordan in fall 2021 and summer 2022. See a full list of the Jordanian educators.

Dr. James Badger, UNG CLE director, said the program's goals were threefold: enhance the teachers' English communication skills, grow their teaching toolkit, and have them share their knowledge with colleagues back home.

On the last day of the two-week program, the teachers presented their projects that they had applied in underrepresented and disadvantaged areas in Jordan, and they received a Certificate of Excellence from the GSU College of Education and Human Development. Five groups of three made presentations at the end of their time in the U.S., giving them a foundation for what they can share with fellow teachers.

"We hope these teachers will teach other teachers about what they've learned from this program," Badger said.

The 15 teachers spent about a week each in workshops at UNG and GSU, as well as visiting public schools in Gainesville and public, refugee, and homeless schools in Atlanta and interacting with teachers and students in each school.

We can't separate language from culture. When they bring cultural learning to class, it motivates their students.

Dr. Juman Al Bukhari

UNG associate professor of Arabic

The teachers were able to see some national monuments in Washington, D.C., as well, due to a long layover on their way back to Jordan.

Dr. Juman Al Bukhari, UNG associate professor of Arabic, said the visit to Georgia made a lasting impression on the teachers.

"We can't separate language from culture. When they bring cultural learning to class, it motivates their students," Al Bukhari said. "It's important that they go back and transfer the knowledge, skills, and experiences they had to other teachers in Jordan."

Nash'at Alnawasrah, who teaches fourth- and sixth-graders, said he was grateful for the opportunity.

"It's a good experience for me as a new teacher," Alnawasrah said. "I learned a lot of things about how we can motivate students inside and outside the classroom."

Al-Hanouf Al-Khraisha, a first-year teacher for second, fourth, fifth, 10th, and 12th grades, knows her students will benefit from what she learned.

"This program has given me the chance to show my abilities. I just needed a chance," Al-Khraisha said. "We learned how to find the similarities between American society and Jordanian culture. It helps students be more willing to learn the English language."

Dr. Kimberly Davidson, assistant professor in the College of Education, and Sally Smith, a CLE instructor, were also part of the project. Three GSU faculty were part of the grant team.