6th Cohort of Pakistani Teachers to Visit UNO

Grant Brings Pakistani English Teachers to UNO

UNO’s International Program’s Center for Afghanistan Studies is preparing to host 34 Pakistani English teachers for a six-week teacher training and cultural program. The participants, from five provinces of Pakistan, are set to arrive in Omaha on April 20, 2024. Pakistan Excellence and Achievement (TEA) English Language Teacher Exchange is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and in partnership with Vision Building Future (VBF), a Pakistani NGO. The program promotes the development of English language skills, knowledge of current English Language Teaching (ELT) pedagogies, and exposure to technology related to teaching and teaching management systems. Other key elements of the program are leadership and community engagement. These professional development opportunities are accomplished through a blend of classroom and field experiences. This will be the 6th cohort of Pakistani teachers that have come to UNO since Spring 2022. In the coming year, an additional 33 Pakistani teachers will be trained at UNO and return to their home country making great impacts in education and benefiting their local communities. Each participant returns home with a final leadership project plan of action. TEA alumni of the UNO program have returned with projects related to professional development workshops, teacher training, taking care of the environment, community engagement and service through volunteer clubs, women’s empowerment, and seasonal camps for children. In addition to the academic program, the participants gain cultural experiences through school visits in the Omaha area, visits to local museums and other places of interest, and trips to South Dakota and Washington DC.

The program partners with several departments at UNO as well as schools within the Omaha area and rural areas nearby. UNO university departments and programs partnered with are Intensive Language at UNO (ILUNO), International Professional Development (IPD), Teacher Education, Department of English, Service-Learning Academy, Community Engagement Center, Counseling and Psychological Services, Writing Center, Foreign Languages and Literature, and Educational Leadership. The program also partners with instructors from Omaha Public Schools who introduce participants to the U.S. school system, assessment practices, curriculum, and best practices in instruction. Local school partnerships in Omaha and the surrounding area included: Beveridge Magnet, Brownell Talbot, Bryan High, Bryan Middle, Burke High, South High, St. Pius X / St. Leo Catholic School, Hillrise Elementary in Elkhorn, Oakland-Craig, and Blair Public Schools. All these partnerships allow the UNO team to provide the best instruction in areas of ELT pedagogy and leadership – the two major academic components of the TEA program. One of the strengths of the program is its enduring impact. Mentors and instructors at UNO stay connected with and are available for continued mentoring and communications concerning professional development, teaching practices, and final leadership projects.

The coming group of Pakistani English teachers has already been engaging with UNO mentors and instructors through virtual programming which began in February. The virtual program provides orientation and introductory sessions for the major components of the in-person programming on the UNO campus. Participants have expressed their anticipation in the following quotes.

“I am hoping to gain something extraordinary from this wonderful experience in the U.S. I will be learning up to date English language teaching methodologies and secondly will be acquiring strong leadership skills from my great mentors.”

“I believe this will be a great opportunity for me to learn about teaching methodologies, US culture, and improve communication skills.”

“I want to learn pedagogical skills through this exposure. Through this journey I am hoping to improve my English speaking skills as well. I am determined to improve my teaching skills and teach my students in a better way after I will come back to my country.”

“I hope to enhance my language proficiency by immersing myself in an English-speaking environment, where I believe improvement is inevitable. Additionally, experiencing firsthand the classroom dynamics and teaching methodologies in a developed country like the USA will provide me with valuable insights into effective pedagogical approaches.”