The Project Teach and Learn With Georgia Will Last For Minimum 5 Years

Newspaper “24 Hours”- August 28

Author: Gvantsa Kilasonia

1,000 native English speaker teachers, together with Georgian teachers will work at public schools until the end of 2010. In the scope of Teach and Learn With Georgia, foreign teachers will teach Georgian schoolchildren English language. The project is initiated by the President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili and it is being implemented by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.

What is the aim of recruiting foreign teachers? Which schools will they cover from the new academic year? How long will they stay in Georgia? How long will the project last? The Head of   the Division of Educational Programs Abroad and the Supervisor of TLG program, Maia Siprashvili-Lee answered the questions about arrival of foreign volunteer teachers.

Maia Siprashvili-Lee: Arrival of foreign teachers is being held step by step because of the number of teachers. MES holds the reception of 50-100 teachers in the middle and the end of every month. They pass ten-day trainings in Georgia. Trainings envisage issues of methodology, safety and intercultural differences. Foreigners get familiarized with the cultural characteristics of Georgia. They pass the lessons of Georgian language as well. They will continue studying Georgian language at schools if they wish.

Are Foreigners Teachers by Profession?

Most of them are teachers by profession. Others have working experience in similar projects in different countries. This is the reason they pass the course of methodology. The course envisages the structure of giving English language classes in the public schools of Georgia.

Which Region Will the Teachers Cover at the First Stage?

The first group arrived on July 30, the second – on August 14. The first group was distributed in Adjara region after finishing the orientation training,. Why Adjara? The question rose. On March 1^st, 2010, when MES announced the competition, many interested foreign teachers asked us to send them in Adjara, as they already had information about this region. As they were the first volunteers, we considered their request and began the project from Adjara. Teachers of the first group were distributed in Batumi, Khelvachauri, Shua Khevi, Keda and Khulo. The teachers will cover the schools of Eastern and Western Georgia after Adjara.

Will the Arrival of All Foreign Teachers Be Held in 2010-2011 Academic Years?

We began to receipt volunteers in July because we wanted all of them to be in Georgia by the beginning of the new academic year. We also considered that that they needed time to plan the lessons together with local teachers.

How Will the Joint Teaching Be Held?

I want to underline that the volunteers will give the classes only together with local English language teachers. We selected the schools where English is taught. We explained to the volunteers that the local teachers will hold the leading roles during the lesson. Volunteers will assist them by people-to-people communication to teach the children English language.

I am linguist. But my theoretical and grammar knowledge was nothing when the foreigner asked me question. I want to say that motivation arises when you have communication with the foreigner. Families do not have possibility to send their children abroad in order to study the language. That is the reason the state will support the children of all regions of Georgia to study English language by people-to-people communication with the foreigners that is the best possibility to study the language.

The Task That the Project Will be Profitable for the Local Teachers As Well As the School Children Was highlighted Several Times. Did the Foreign and Local Teachers Meet Each Other?

Most of foreign teachers will live in the families of their local colleagues. Georgian teachers wished so. Their motivation is to advance their English with the communication. Some want their children to study the language. Most of the volunteers are from the USA. Our teachers studied British English. American and British English sounds differently. But our teachers get familiarized with this difference and they have the positive opinion.

What Do the Teachers Think About Georgia?

The first group of teachers who were distributed in Adjara met the President of Georgia. All of them say situation is much more amazing than they expected. Some of them expressed new ideas but we explained that they have to agree the issue with the school administration. They want to open the groups of music, sports and different activities at schools. They want to make contribution for the environment protection. They also want to support the schools with books and audio techniques. Their arrival envisaged exactly these activities – to use the non-class possibilities in the teaching process.

How Long Will the Foreigners Stay in Georgia and What Is the Duration of the Project?

The project will last for minimum 5 years. The teachers will stay in Georgia for one academic year but an agreement will last if they wish. The project is initiated by the President and it is being implemented by MES. The President wishes to increase the number of teachers.