Thirty-seven Ecuadorian teachers are presently pursuing a seven-month course in English at the Dominica State College (DSC), sponsored by the Ecuadorian government.
Dominica and St Vincent are the two countries chosen by the government in Ecuador to train their students to teach English as a second language.
The program started in November 2015 and is being run in three campuses, Dominica, St Vincent & the Grenadines and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Campus in Barbados.
“The first session went from November 9th to December 8th – this session is really where they did ESL (English as a Second Language) which was focused on the students themselves, enhancing their competency in English,” Academic Coordinator for the program, Beverly LeBlanc said while addressing a press conference to formally welcome the teachers at the Financial Centre on Thursday. “The second session started in February, that’s where we had the TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) because they are actually teachers and right now the session they are doing, they are being exposed to methodologies and strategies that when they go back to Ecuador they can teach their students.”
According to LeBlanc part of the program involves a practicum, “so they are going to be placed in some of our primary schools and secondary schools where they will be observed using some of the strategies that they were exposed to.”
She said some students also had to do community services.
“Some of them are doing community services – they are with the Newtown Football Academy, some are with the schools where they teach their culture, they are with the Christian Union Primary School, they are at the Achievement Learning Centre, some of them are with the church where they teach catechism and they are involved in a lot of other activities,” LeBlanc explained.
Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit formally welcomed the students and said the government look forward to excellent relations between Dominica and Ecuador.
“You are here as a result of a decision by your President and your government to allow you to come to the Caribbean countries to learn English and to be fluent in English, and we gladly welcomed the suggestion by President Correa and entered into agreement with him and his government to allow you to be here in Dominica,” he said. “We look forward to the continued excellent relations between Ecuador and Dominica. We have great respect for your President and your government and the people of Ecuador… we look forward to the strengthening and deepening of the relation which exists between our two countries.”
Meantime, President of the DSC Dr. Donald Peters said this initiative has brought a new perspective to the college.
“As indicated, we are now an international institution in just 13 years, and it their thirteenth year they are already attracting and educating international students,” he said. “These are not the only international students we have, we have Africans, we have St Maarten, we have Antigua, St Lucia, St Kitts are being educated at the state college and we intend to continue to do that.”
Dr. Peters stated also that the students experience has been good both on campus and off campus.
“It is important as a nation that we treat them well and respect them because we expect to get more,” he said.
He revealed that the DSC had to go through a certification process, “and now we are certified to teach English as a second language.”
Regarding the Type of tourism this Programm focuses in educational tourism.
It is good that they have gotten certification to teach ESL. However, will there be a programme for the Spanish teachers from Dominica to go to Ecuador?
What! Good, but they been here since November?????? we are now hearing about that news? Oh, Lord what have we come too? I await some answers? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$????? where we stand on that?
And the question is why can’t they do the ESL training in Ecuador? There a re a lot of people from the US that go down to Ecuador to teach English and that know both English and Spanish. The Venezuelan teachers that teach Spanish here in DA also know English. DA needs to start teaching English as a second language to it’s own people and students. The variety of English that is widely spoken by Dominicans is hard to understand as English. What they didn’t say in the article is WHO is teaching the course in English to the Ecuadorians..
At least it will bring in a little money to the country.
“What they didn’t say in the article is WHO is teaching the course in English to the Ecuadorians..”
The article plainly says that Beverly LeBlanc is the Academic Coordinator for the program, a prominent local educator. It doesn’t have to list each and every ESL teacher.
The government of ecuador is paying for the course. And yes the students are being trained in prep for the toefl exams.
Thay is what we need as french teachers. To be placed at the french colleges/universities for an extended period of time so that we can better able to teach thefrench language.
You all talk so much of nonsense, one wonders if you only talk to here your own rubbish!
What university and colleges are you talking about?
Be informed in Europe, in any of the European countries, before one graduate high school (Secondary), it is mandatory that every student takes at least one foreign language class of their choice; without that they cannot graduate. Besides one can take a foreign language in any University, or College they attend.
I am born in Wesley village in Dominica, I majored in Health Science hoping to become a medical doctor, one of my prerequisites I had to take if I was going to be admitted in medical school was Spanish. I took that in America in collage. I reside one hundred fifty miles from Tijuana Mexico, I did not have to go to Mexico to take Spanish in any college or university.
One should be able to take Spanish, Deutsche (German) French, or any other at Dominica State College, as long as that is in the college curriculum, and they have…
One should be able to take Spanish, Deutsche (German) French, or any other at Dominica State College, as long as that is in the college curriculum, and they have money to pay foreign, or local professors to teach the class.
If I was a government I would not send my people to learn a language in a none-accredited institution never mind a two year junior college!
If the Doctor can fly all over the world and stay in expensive hotels on taxpayers money why aren’t the teachers allowed to do the same? If allu want to learn French I am sure there are more cost effective ways to do so. Boy oh boy…everybody wants a slice of the cake which is too small already.
At what cost?, and who is paying for the course?. Also what about TOEIC, The Test Of English for International Communication, which is the world’s leading English test, with more than seven million test administrated every year, just asking
Kathy look for the benefit in thst. You jump at cost. Where is the benefit. Do not portray yourself as know it all and talk about TOEIC. Before you do so educate people about TOEIC. Take one step at a time because even if I know a little more , I honestly do not understand your motive to jump at such an international standard. Make it simple first be grateful that we can help to teach the English language to our neighbors. The whole world is our neighbour’s through Christ Jesus. We need to be very humble as Christians and not try to show ourselves as superior when we get a little university education etc. The Earth and the fullness belongs to the Lord. Also wisdom is not of this world, it is only God who gives wisdom when we ask. That is why, Jehovah uses the foolish things of the World to confound the wise. And finally God can use the man who did not go to University to become a great many man, because all glory and praise belong to him and such a man will be humble…
Humble giving praise to whom it is due which is only God and not like some earthlings who have to University brilliant indeed but use their brilliance unwisely to show off on others, not remembering that their brilliance is a gift from the Most High an should be used for his glory and honour. Just saying that we all need to be humble educating others and not showing off what we know on persons who do not have clue on what we are talking about. Congratulations to Dominica for being chosen amongst many other English speaking country. People if Dominica treat them well so they can come back and tell others of our warm hospitality. Away with the negatives. Let us bring out the positives.
DNO this is one of those comments that you could have just simple forget to post. For real though, it is not to late. A minor glitch in the system can take care of that!
“sponsored by the Ecuadorian government.” smh. It’s in the first paragraph.
Read the very first sentence.
I have been all the small caribbean islands,I am proud to say our schools here is in a good condition.
The schools here used to be good when the British were here running them. Many of the students just don’t think that speaking good English is important. They like the slang and that carries over into adulthood
Dear “Dahman”
while I completely agree with your sentiments, your writing leads me to believe that YOU need an English refresher course from the state college as well
.
On another note, I am so proud of these activities at the state college. May they continue to thrive and develop.
True thing our schools are in better condition than most schools in the Caribbean.