ELT World » Middle east

UAE: Why Arab students find English tricky

david — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:00:52 +0000

Gulf News notes that a study by the British University in Dubai has indicated that insufficient attention is paid to spelling principles and this results in poor written English among Arab learners.

An education expert has noted that, in order to produce students who speak better English, they must be made aware of the different language systems and how they affect English spelling and reading.

It took an education expert to come up with that?

Ireland and Saudi Arabia: Saudi language school plan sparks ‘ghetto’ row

david — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:25:53 +0000

Rock that shit homies. A plan to house 750 Saudi students on a live-in English language school outside Dublin has raised concerns in government departments, notes the Irish Independent. Government sources have expressed concern that it conflicts with integration policy and could lead to ghettoisation.

Read the full story here.

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The ‘ELTons’ Award making its debut in the Middle East

david — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:10:55 +0000

Middle East & United Kingdom: Aspiring creative writers in the Middle East are being given the opportunity to make their first break into the English language publishing industry (the poor Buggers don’t know what they’re getting in to) through a new award: the British Council’s ‘prestigious’ ELTons Awards.

The ELTons, inconceivably now in their eighth year, are a celebration of excellence in English Language Teaching, apparently recognising significant and innovative advances in the theory of ELT learning, teaching and research. This new ELTons award category joins the long-established group of British Council Innovation Awards. You can tell how excited I am, can’t you?

Saudi Arabia: Arab News sponsors 4 girls for English course

david — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:07:14 +0000

This wouldn’t exactly be newsworthy in most cases but given that it’s taking place in the Hell on Earth known commonly as Saudi Arabia I guess it’s worth mentioning. The Arab News is to sponsor* four of 15 women students taking a Ramadan-long English course organised by the ever lovely British Council in Jeddah. The 15 students were given the opportunity to undertake the language course as a ‘charitable gesture’ by the council at the beginning of Ramadan. The four successful candidates will now be offered the chance to take a month-long continuation course to develop further and reinforce their newly acquired learning.

United Arab Emirates: Maths and science to be taught in English

david — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:51:57 +0000

All pupils in state high schools will be taught maths and science in English by the year 2012, the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) said yesterday. At the launch of its 10-year strategic plan, Adec said it aimed to see pupils graduating with equal proficiency in English and Arabic.

The National reports how, in a concerted effort to turn out better qualified school-leavers, from this August the school day will also be extended by 90 minutes in all state high schools in the emirate. Pupils in all Abu Dhabi’s state schools will study for 10 extra days a year. It follows the publication of results showing that only 13 per cent of applicants to federal universities scored enough in their English exams to bypass remedial courses.

Read the full story…

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United Arab Emirates: Language institute helping to bridge cultures

david — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:03:22 +0000

United Arab Emirates: The Polyglot Language Institute, located near Al Nassr Square, in the heart of Dubai’s commercial district, is where Russians shop for fur jackets, people lunch at Iranian restaurants and where you can purchase sleek but inexpensive Indian watches, notes GulfNews.

On the street you can hear myriad of languages being spoken. The language institute opened its doors to Emiratis and expatriates in 1969, a year before the British Council started, says a proud Mohamad Almawed, owner of the Institute. “We have taught English to VVIP’s here,” he says and reels off a few names who are the elite of Dubai.

Read the full story…

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British Council launches portfolio of newservices at TESOL Arabia 2009 – Dubai

david — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:57:24 +0000

United Kingdom and UAE: Those loveable rogues the British Council, the world’s infamously largest English language teaching organisation, has launched a range of new global English teaching and learning services, debuting the new services in the UAE, at the TESOL Arabia 15th annual International Conference which concluded on 14 March.

These new services, most of which are free to users, aim to create very broad access to high quality teaching and learning materials through highly interactive Web 2.0 style online services for teachers, learners and parents.

Read the TESOLtastic story…

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Teaching English in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

david — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:37:15 +0000

Saudi Arabia: The need for native-speaking English teachers is strong in the Kingdom. Osman Mamoor, a 33-year-old English teacher from New York at The Wall Street Institute School of English, noted he has seen certain differences as well as similarities between Saudi students and those studying English as a foreign language in the West. What a surprise, eh!

Read the full story…

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Hebrew Uni project for teaching English benefits high schools

david — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:32:53 +0000

Israel: Ten high schools in Israel’s periphery are reaping the benefits of a Hebrew University-led project that provides state-of-the-art English-language learning centers and innovative teaching methods. The English Language Centers (ELC) project, headed by the Hebrew University’s National Council of Jewish Women’s (NCJW) Research Institute for Innovation in Education, is supported by the Clore Foundation and is conducted in conjunction with the British Council and Israel’s Ministry of Education.

Read the full story…

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Some Israeli parents still paying for English classes despite ministerial ban

david — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:10:08 +0000

Israel: Months after the government imposed a ban on private funding for advanced English classes in public schools, parents and teachers say money is still changing hands. “The ministry failed to offer an alternative solution,” one paying parent said. The ban was imposed in September, after the Education Ministry threatened to shelve altogether advanced English classes (referred to in Hebrew as “Dovrei Anglit,” which means English speakers) because of funding from non-ministerial sources, which the ministry called “improper.” Michal Tzadoki, a spokesperson for the ministry, told Anglo File this week that the ministry was not aware of public schools which charge for advanced English classes during school hours since adding the 500 hours of class time.

Read the full story…

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