Professional Development Training Program for
English Language Educators from Kirkuk Province
The University of Arkansas and Spring International Language Center will
host a four-week intensive Professional Development Training Program
for English Language Educators from Kirkuk Province to be held on the
University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas in July 5 – August
2, 2014. This program is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Deadline
for program application is February 15, 2014.
Government of the United States
Program overview
The four-week Professional Development Training for English Language Educators at the University of
Arkansas is designed for English teachers living in Kirkuk Province who work with students in primary,
secondary, and post-secondary institutions. The program will help you improve your use of methods and
strategies for effective English as a Foreign Language teaching. As a participant in the program you will:
1. Improve your knowledge and ability to use current EFL teaching methods in your classrooms and in
your curriculum planning and design.
2. Learn more about of learning styles and strategies for differentiating instruction.
3. Develop strong teacher leadership and communication skills so that you can prepare to train other
English teachers with you return home.
4. Interact with American teachers and community members, experience American culture, and
develop friendships with colleagues that you can collaborate with after the program.
Workshops and courses will be a balance of theory and practice, allowing time for you to demonstrate your
ability to apply new principles in teaching and planning situations. You will learn about student-centered
teaching methodologies, classroom management strategies, valid and reliable testing and assessment
options, learner outcome-based curriculum design, effective lesson planning using Bloom’s taxonomy for
higher order thinking skills, practical project ideas to build language fluency, becoming a reflective teacher,
relating education to culture, teaching phonology and pronunciation, and skills instruction for teaching EFL
(grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and writing).
You will also have the unique opportunity to explore topics in teacher leadership such as leading effective
in-service meetings and developing good communication and leadership skills so that you can return home
to train other English teaching colleagues.
Program components:



10 hour pre-program self-study module to be completed prior to the start of the program.
4 week intensive teacher development and cultural studies program at the University of Arkansas
campus, July 5 – August 2, 2014, which will include hands-on workshops, cultural and educational
site visits, and interaction with local teachers.
Ongoing support as you return home to train your colleagues in best practices for teaching English.
Professional Development Training Program for English Language Educators from Kirkuk Province, 2014
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Who can apply?
Candidates for the program will be chosen based on experience as an English teacher, potential as a
teacher leader, involvement in community service, and commitment to building English language education
in Kirkuk Province. To apply you must have:
 a good command of English (as demonstrated on the ITP TOEFL or other proficiency test)
 3 years or more of English teaching experience at the primary, secondary, or post-secondary level
 a strong commitment to building language teaching capacity in Kirkuk as a teacher trainer once you
complete the program
 must be currently teaching English in the Kirkuk province in a public primary, secondary, or postsecondary school
Program faculty and institutional capability:
Spring International Language Center at the University of Arkansas is a member in good standing of the
American Association of Intensive English Programs (AAIEP) and is accredited by the Commission on English
Language Program Accreditation (CEA) and the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training
(ACCET). All teacher training classes and academic activities will be conducted by qualified and experienced
instructors with Master's degrees or doctoral degrees in TESOL, Linguistics, or related fields. Spring
International faculty members have had extensive experience training in-service and pre-service English
teachers from Mexico, Ecuador, Turkey, Vietnam, Croatia, Brazil, Peru, Iraq, the United States, and other
countries. SILC has developed and hosted pre- and in-service teacher training programs for many
institutions including: the US-Mexico Fulbright Commission, the Secretaría de Educación Pública in Mexico,
the Ministry of Education and the US Embassy in Ecuador, Vietnam National University, Mahasarakham
University in Maha Sarakham, Thailand, Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok, and others.
Professional Development Program Weekly Schedule:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
8:30 – 11:30
8:30 – 11:30
8:30 – 11:30
8:30 – 11:30
8:30 – 11:30
Workshops with Core Workshops with Core Workshops with Core Workshops with Core Workshops with Core
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
1:00 – 3:00
Presentation or
Guest Speaker
1:00 – 3:00
1:00 – 3:00
1:00 – 3:00
1:00 – 5:00
Workshops with Core Workshops with Core Workshops with Core Site Visit to Local
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
School
3:30 – 5:00
Individual or Group
Project Work Time
3:30 – 5:00
Teacher Leadership
Session
3:30 – 5:00
Individual or Group
Project Work Time
Evening
Cultural Activity with
Local Teachers
Free Evening
Evening
Cultural Activity with
Local Teachers
Saturday
Regional travel
or cultural activity
3:30 – 5:00
Service
Learning or Other
Activity related to
curriculum
Free Evening
Evening
Social Activity or
Free Time
Questions?
Please direct all questions about the Professional Development Training Program for English Language
Educators from Kirkuk Province to Rochelle Keogh rkeogh@uark.edu.
A full program description can be found at: http://silc.uark.edu/kirkuk
Professional Development Training Program for English Language Educators from Kirkuk Province, 2014
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Application process:
Complete the application paperwork
Applicants must submit completed application materials to UA by February 15, 2014. Fax or scan and
email the following documents:
 completed application, including essay; download the application form from:
http://silc.uark.edu/kirkuk if it is not attached to this program flyer
 photocopy of first page of valid passport (if available)
 photocopy of completed university education certificate (at least a B.A.)
 photocopy of residency card
 photo (US Passport size – 2x2 in. or 51x51mm or Global Standard 45x35mm preferred)
 photocopy of teaching certification or letter from school that states that you are an English teacher
(it can be in Arabic, Kurdish or English; if it is not in English, please provide a brief
description/translation)
 photocopy of scores on a recent English language proficiency exam if available
Submit the application materials by February 15, 2014
Submit the application materials by fax or email to Spring International Language Center at the University
of Arkansas: silc@uark.edu or 479-575-7673.
Selection process
10-15 English teachers from Kirkuk will be chosen for this program. Applicants will be ask to
participate in a short phone or Skype interview during the last two weeks of February, so please
provide a working email address and phone number on your application so that we can contact you
about a time to set up your interview. After the phone interview, some applicants may be asked to
complete an English proficiency test to show that their English skills are high enough for them to
participate effectively in the program. If you need to complete the test, we will make the
arrangements and contact you. Applicants will be notified in March whether they have been
accepted into the program.
Questions?
Please direct all questions about the Professional Development Training Program for English Language
Educators from Kirkuk Province to Rochelle Keogh rkeogh@uark.edu.
Professional Development Training Program for English Language Educators from Kirkuk Province, 2014
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Professional Development Training for English Language Educators
Program Application
Submit the application materials by fax or email to:
Application deadline: Feb 15, 2014
Spring International Language Center at the University of Arkansas: silc@uark.edu or 479-575-7673.
Personal Information
Full name (as it appears on your passport): ______________________________________________________
Name you prefer to be called in class: __________________________________________________________
Home address: ____________________________________________________________________________
City___________________________ Province________________________Country_____________________
Telephone number: ________________________________________________________________________
Primary email: _____________________________
Gender:
 Male
 Female
Secondary email: _______________________________
(You will be notified by email in March about the status of your application.)
Emergency Contact Information
Full Name: ______________________________________
Relationship to you: ___________________
Telephone number of emergency contact: _____________________________________________________
Email address of emergency contact: __________________________________________________________
Education and Teaching Experience
Name of institution where you currently teach: _________________________________________________
Level of students that you teach (primary, secondary, college, etc.): ________________________________
Number of years of English teaching experience: ________________________________________________
Degrees earned: __________________________________________________________________________
Other training courses or English teacher training that you have previously participated in:
________________________________________________________________________________________
English Language Proficiency
If you have taken any of the following exams, please list the date taken and your score.
Test
Date taken
Test score
TOEFL
IELTS
TOEIC
CEFR
Other exams or courses:
Professional Development Training Program for English Language Educators from Kirkuk Province, 2014
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Program Application – Continued
Have you ever traveled outside of Iraq? _____Yes ______No
If yes, what countries have you visited? What was the purpose of your visit to each of these countries?
Have you ever been to the US? _____Yes ______No
If yes, please list dates, purpose, and type of visa you traveled on.
English Teaching
Why did you choose English teaching as a profession?
What are your strengths in teaching English?
What areas of English teaching do you feel you need to improve in?
What are the three most important things that you consider when planning a lesson?
How do you think you will benefit from participating in this program? Please write and attach a complete essay
indicating your goals and aspirations for this training Program. How do you feel that you can best contribute to
and help to improve English Language Teaching in Kirkuk?
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