Panama School Teachers Seek Expanded Career Opportunities at Claflin University
Feb 13, 2019
The Claflin University Intensive English Language Program (IELP) is providing training and instruction in the English language for 20 elementary school teachers from Panama. The teachers began classes on January 9, and they will complete eight weeks of intensive coursework in English and in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) during the program, which ends on March 3.
"The students are in the third week of the program but we can already see their progress," said Dr. Esther Lee, IELP Director and assistant professor of English. "Their English speaking level was pretty low when they arrived. However, they are very motivated, and they really want to learn how to speak and communicate in English."
The teachers are participating in the Panama Bilingue Program, which began in 2014 and will continue through 2019. Funded by the Panamanian government, the program seeks to provide a solution to the huge need to prepare the population with English, so all Panamanians have access to employment opportunities. Through this initiative, the Government of the Republic of Panama seeks to train at least 2,000 teachers per year in bilingual education and to prepare 20,000 high school students and 30,000 elementary students. The program includes three parts: Teacher Training, After School Program, and Kids.
"This is the fourth cohort of students in Claflin's IELP and TESOL Training Programs from Panama," Dr. Lee said. "Claflin's partnership with Panama began in 2016, and we hosted English teachers for 8 weeks and high school graduates for 16 weeks in 2017. We also had elementary school English teachers from Panama in 2018."
In addition to the classes, the students participate in an English Conversation Partners Program for three days each week. Claflin students volunteer to interact with and engage the teachers, to help improve their English speaking skills and make them more familiar with the campus community. The Panamanian teachers also visit Edisto Elementary School and Edisto Primary School on Fridays to observe students and teachers and the classroom environment.
"This is a great experience. The American teachers are very helpful, and I am learning a lot of English," said Dacyana Murillo, one of the teachers from Panama. "I like Claflin's atmosphere."
Alberto Aguirre is also enjoying his visit to Claflin and Orangeburg. "Everyone is so nice and helpful," said Aguirre. "It's very interesting being here for the first time. I am learning a lot with the help of the professors and my partners. I feel my English is improving each day."