The 25 English Teacher Experts joined seven locally embedded U.S. Coaches in conducting a 108-hour English language training for over 420 secondary school English teachers in Uzbekistan under the English Speaking Nation: Summer Excellence Training (ESN: ESET) program. These Experts delivered seven concurrent trainings in Andijan, Namangan, Samarkand, Termez, Qarshi, Bukhara, and Urgench from August 1 – 22 at local public schools and in-service retraining centers. The objective of the 18-day training was to help local English teachers refine their English speaking, writing, listening, and presentation skills.
One of the trainings occurred in Bukhara where some of the most experienced English Teacher Experts – Alicia Bradley, Tim Hudenburg, Kitty Johnson, Lisa Wakefield, Yuta Otake worked on provision of minimal language skills and opportunity to increase the proficiency of 60 school teachers of English from Bukhara region. The training was designed to offer teachers practice in the basics of English vocabulary, grammar, speaking, listening, reading, writing, teaching common conversational patterns, practicing spoken English phrases, as well as microteaching demonstrations.
Tim Hudenburg, who was selected as the Northern Virginia gifted teacher of the year, shared his impression about the training: “The ESN Program in Bukhara has been in a word—transformative. The Blue Team Teachers from Uzbekistan have been as remarkable not only in their knowledge of English but also in terms of their kindness and willingness to share. Every day has been a joy for me as a teacher to teach but also me as a learner. I have learned so much and have loved every moment with my people.”