The U.S. Department of State announced the selection of Azusa Pacific University professor Tasha Bleistein, PhD, for a three-week Language Specialist project focusing on conducting an analysis of the Binational Centers’ virtual English programs and offering findings, recommendations, and training in Peru at Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano. Bleistein is part of a select group, as her project is one of approximately 240 that the English Language Specialist Program supports each year.
Bleistein has directed the online TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program at APU since 2012 and taught in the program since its inception in 2009. She regularly presents at international conferences on technology and has served as the principal investigator to develop two virtual exchanges and a MOOC for the U.S. Department of State’s English Language Programs. Over the summer, Bleistein worked with a team to create an online course for the U.S. AID project on blended/hybrid learning as part of higher education reform in Vietnam that included in-person training in three cities. For the Peruvian Binational Center project, Bleistein will be carrying out an analysis of the current state of the adult program in the virtual modality. Based on the analysis, she will suggest changes and implementations in accordance with the current teaching methodologies and strategies in virtual environments, as well as suggest changes in the curricular structure to best suit the needs of students.
Azusa Pacific University, a top Christian higher education institution on the West Coast, equips students to become compassionate leaders who impact the world for Christ. APU offers 66 bachelor’s degrees, 40 master’s degrees, 32 certificates and credentials, and 9 doctoral programs to more than 6,500 students at the university’s main campus in Azusa, several regional locations across Southern California, and online. Learn more at apu.edu.
The English Language Specialist Program is the premier opportunity for leaders in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) to enact meaningful and sustainable changes in the way that English is taught abroad. Through projects developed by U.S. Embassies in more than 80 countries, English Language Specialists work directly with local teacher trainers, educational leaders, and ministry of education officials to exchange knowledge, build capacity, and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities in the United States and overseas.
Since 1991, the English Language Specialist Program has supported in-country, virtual, and mixed projects in which hundreds of TESOL scholars and educators promote English language learning, enhance English teaching capacity, and foster mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries through cultural exchange. During their projects, English Language Specialists may conduct intensive teacher training, advise ministries of education or participate in high-level educational consultations, and offer plenary presentations at regional, national or international TESOL conferences. These projects are challenging and those selected represent the best of the U.S. TESOL community. In return, the program provides professional development opportunities to help participants experience different cultures and build skills that can greatly enhance their TESOL careers at home.
English Language Specialists are counted among the more than 50,000 individuals participating in the U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The Specialist Program is administered by the Center for Intercultural Education and Development at Georgetown University.
For further information about the English Language Specialist Program or the U.S. Department of State, visit elprograms.org/specialist, call (202)-632-6452, or e-mail press@state.gov.