Between Addis Ababa and Wolaita Sodo, I visited 4 high schools and interviewed the English teachers about English clubs, plasma TV, attitudes about speaking English, and the English for Ethiopia curriculum. In Tullubolo, Dedo, and Wolaita Sodo, I did not find any English clubs so I offered to send some materials such as English songs and lyrics, my blog posts outlining what we do at DMU in our English programs. However, in Wolkite, two very energetic English teachers explained the English language show they were to put on a couple days after I left. I will also send them the materials and they are the most likely to take advantage of them. In all schools I visited, plasma TV was not working, mostly due to lack of technicians to fix it. When I watched the plasma program at the Preparatory School in Debre Markos, I was impressed. Compared to 5 years ago, this program, recorded and broadcast from South Africa, had improved by 100%. The speed of the speech had slowed considerably, the content (now about Africa rather than Western countries) is engaging, and the plasma guide is beautiful. However, none of the schools I spoke with even knew there was a plasma guide, which of course doesn't matter since they were not even using plasma to teach with, but still amazing that there was such a severe distribution problem. Teachers told me that when they tried to speak English to each other, other teachers often thought of them as arrogant and felt they were trying to show off how "educated" they are. Most likely, many of the other teachers were jealous or embarrassed that they had so many years of English and still couldn’t hold a conversation. They told me that it was similar for the students as well..something that discouraged both groups. There were a couple of schools in Debre Markos who also impressed me. Gozaman had a caring and motivated teacher who was in charge of the English Club. Alamayu was the one who brought 8 students to our Talent Show at the university last month. The preparatory school in my city was on my “Fantastic” list as well, largely due to the director, Melkamu. He even set aside 10,000 birr to recognize and honor outstanding students and teachers! This seems quite rare in Ethiopia and this young man knows his psychology and how to stimulate those under his care.
This blog documents the time I spent as a teacher and teacher trainer at Debre Markos University in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia. This website is not an official U.S. Department of State website. The views and information presented are the English Language Fellows' own and do not represent the English Language Fellow Program or the U.S. Department of State.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
A Visit to High Schools
Between Addis Ababa and Wolaita Sodo, I visited 4 high schools and interviewed the English teachers about English clubs, plasma TV, attitudes about speaking English, and the English for Ethiopia curriculum. In Tullubolo, Dedo, and Wolaita Sodo, I did not find any English clubs so I offered to send some materials such as English songs and lyrics, my blog posts outlining what we do at DMU in our English programs. However, in Wolkite, two very energetic English teachers explained the English language show they were to put on a couple days after I left. I will also send them the materials and they are the most likely to take advantage of them. In all schools I visited, plasma TV was not working, mostly due to lack of technicians to fix it. When I watched the plasma program at the Preparatory School in Debre Markos, I was impressed. Compared to 5 years ago, this program, recorded and broadcast from South Africa, had improved by 100%. The speed of the speech had slowed considerably, the content (now about Africa rather than Western countries) is engaging, and the plasma guide is beautiful. However, none of the schools I spoke with even knew there was a plasma guide, which of course doesn't matter since they were not even using plasma to teach with, but still amazing that there was such a severe distribution problem. Teachers told me that when they tried to speak English to each other, other teachers often thought of them as arrogant and felt they were trying to show off how "educated" they are. Most likely, many of the other teachers were jealous or embarrassed that they had so many years of English and still couldn’t hold a conversation. They told me that it was similar for the students as well..something that discouraged both groups. There were a couple of schools in Debre Markos who also impressed me. Gozaman had a caring and motivated teacher who was in charge of the English Club. Alamayu was the one who brought 8 students to our Talent Show at the university last month. The preparatory school in my city was on my “Fantastic” list as well, largely due to the director, Melkamu. He even set aside 10,000 birr to recognize and honor outstanding students and teachers! This seems quite rare in Ethiopia and this young man knows his psychology and how to stimulate those under his care.
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The Countryside
A shepard in the countryside plays the washint (flute) to pass the time.
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