are also more than 10 million out of
school youth in Nigeria. Youth who
do not have suffi cient levels of English
language profi ciency are more likely to
drop out of school, be unable to qualify
for university, and consequently limit
their future job prospects.
As part of its goal to improve English
Language fl uency in Nigeria, the U.S
Department of State promotes English
language learning in all its facets
via the Offi ce of English Language
Programs. The Offi ce of English
Language Programs in Washington,
D.C provides programs, along with
materials and resources, for English
language teachers and learners.
These programs are designed to
provide practical and innovative ideas,
methodologies and skills for teaching
English based on current theory. The
largest English program that Mission
Nigeria implements is the American
English Live Series (AELS), formerly
known as the American English
Webinar.
American English Live Series is a bi-
weekly teacher training seminar for
professional development currently
hosted through Facebook live on
the American English for Educators
page. There are three six–part
series annually whose presenters
are American TESOL professionals.
Topics include practical classroom
teaching tips, teaching methodology
and resources. Participants who
attend four out of six webinar series
receive certifi cates of completion. U.S
Embassy Abuja has collaborated with
government administrative structures
such as the FCT senior and junior
secondary education boards to recruit
motivated teachers into the program.
Over 400 English teachers across
Nigeria have participated and
benefi tted from the series since its
inception in 2014. The American
spaces have contributed to achieving
this large fi gure and have provided
the opportunity for a wide reach of
diverse audience through concurrent
live sessions hosted at the American
Spaces in Kano, Bauchi, Sokoto,
Lagos, Jos, Calabar, and Ibadan. AELS
American English LIVE!
Creati ng and Adapti ng Materials
for a Multi level Class
Every other week
Join us here: facebook.com/AmericanEnglishForEducators
Check the local time in your region here: bit.ly/ChecktheTime
alumni teachers eagerly implement
ideas and methods they learned in
their classrooms and have reported
improvement in student engagement
and learning behaviors. One of
the most popular topics covered in
the series was: Using Games in the
Classroom to Build Vocabulary and
Grammar Skills
This presentation highlighted the
importance of grammar in language
learning, but emphasized that the focus
of grammar instruction does not always
have to be directly on conventional
teaching rules. Research shows
that students enjoy varied methods
of learning English grammar and
vocabulary. The games demonstrated
in this session were designed to help
students learn, review, and internalize
grammar and vocabulary by making
personal connections and having fun.
Another exciting topic covered during
the series is Beyond Profi ciency:
Nurturing Critical Thinking in
the English Language Classroom.
This topic gave the teachers an
insight into the role as well as the
signifi cance of incorporating critical
thinking when teaching English. The
presenter maintained that authentic
communication involves real-life
situations and language skills are
needed to express opinions and make
logical arguments. These are a few
examples of the dynamic teaching
practices that are encouraged in the
AELS and the innovative learning
environment created for both teachers
and students.
Building the capacity of English
teachers is crucial in the bid to curb
the failure rates among secondary
school students. The American English
Live Series has equipped hundreds of
teachers with effective methodologies
to improve the English language
classroom and to make learning an
exciting experience for students. “The
program has aided my content delivery
and it has been very benefi cial for
my students especially in the area of
resources and skills” said Christiana Oki
from Government Secondary School,
Wuse Zone 4. Abuja.
CROSSROADS | May/June 2018
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