Teaching international teachers

In Senegal, some teachers have as many as 88 students. In Madagascar, students have limited access to the internet and libraries. So how do teachers incorporate 21st century skills into their classrooms?

A group of 21 teachers from 18 countries found the answer as they learned new techniques during a two-week training program hosted by the University of Delaware's English Language Institute (ELI).

The program was part of an initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), which was administered by their partner, FHI 360, a nonprofit organization. The ECA designs educational, professional and cultural exchange programs as a way to build relationships with professionals in other countries.

"Working with these participants allows us to showcase the best that the United States has to offer whether that's education, diplomacy or multilingual and multicultural opportunities," said Cheryl Ernst, ELI director. "It's a badge of honor for our program and the campus because of the recognition that the delivery brings to UD."

Challenges teaching abroad

Hailing from Senegal, Costa Rica, Nigeria, Mongolia, Albania, Turkmenistan, Madagascar, Russia, Belarus, Egypt, Kenya, North Macedonia, Taiwan, Algeria, Uzbekistan, Japan, Brazil and Nepal, the teachers brought a wide range of backgrounds and challenges to the program.

"Our classrooms are overcrowded with over 45 students per class, and we can only afford one teacher per class - meaning there is no assistant to support them," said Nermeen Adly, an EFL teacher at Abu Qurkas Official Language School in Egypt. "This places a heavy burden on the teacher, who must manage all the students alone, including those with behavioral or learning difficulties."