Africa English Language Fellows Midyear Conference

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 20, 2019/ — The U.S. Embassy hosted the annual Africa English Language Fellows Midyear Conference that also marked the 50 th Anniversary of English Language Fellow program from February 20 – 21, 2019. The conference brought together more than 20 English Language Fellows serving in 13 African countries – Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Mauritania, Niger, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Togo to share best practices and strengthen the network of English Language Fellows in Africa.

The event coincided with the 50 th anniversary of the U.S. Department of State’s English Language Fellow Program, which fosters mutual understanding, promotes English language learning and enhances English teaching capacity abroad. EL Fellows model and demonstrate up-to-date TEFL classroom practices that help foster thoughtful and responsible behavior in students and teachers of English.

Following the conference, the English Language Fellows and English Language Specialists will travel to Bahir Dar, Haramaya, Jimma, Addis Ababa, and Gambella to provide training to students and English language teachers in Ethiopia as well as at refugee settlements.

Public Affairs Officer Amanda Jacobson said “This program invests in the capacity of English language students and teachers in Ethiopia and around the world by sending experienced American teachers to share their professional expertise and experience.”

Since 2002, about 25 U.S. English Language Fellows have served in Ethiopia.Through the program, U.S. educators with expertise in teaching English are placed at academic institutions to provide training to students and teachers alike.

Globally, the program has sent over 1,000 EL Fellows to more than 80 countries.