Philippines pilots mother tongue-based education in Bicol schools

LEGAZPI CITY, June 1 (PNA)—Bicol has been chosen as among the pilot testing areas for the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) program. The start of its implementation in the region is all set with the opening of classes in June, a regional official of the agency on Tuesday said.

“We have identified 22 public schools in the seven cities and 12 municipalities of the region for the initial phase of the MTB-LME and have also completed the 10-day in-house training given to school heads and 46 selected teachers who will handle the Grade I classes placed under the program this school year,” said Regida Vibar, the DepEd’s assistant regional chief of the elementary education division.

In Albay, Vibar said these schools are the Banquerohan Elementary School and Albay Central School in this city; Tabaco South Central School in Tabaco City; Ligao East Central School in Ligao City; Bacacay Central School in Bacacay town; and Guinobatan East Central School in the municipality of Guinobatan.

In Camarines Sur, she said these are the Triangulo Elementary School and Naga Central School, both in Naga City; San Isidro Elementary School and Iriga Central School in Iriga City; Lagonoy Central School and Nabua East Pilot School in Lagonoy and Nabua towns, respectively.

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Philippine schools rank low in international quality audit

MANILA, May 26, 2011—Youth party-list group Kabataan said that the government’s neglect of its duty to maintain the quality of higher education in the country was largely to blame for the Philippine higher education institutions’ poor performance in a education quality audit conducted by an international education network.

Based on the QS World University Rankings, the University of the Philippines is No. 1 in the country and No. 62 in Asia; the Ateneo de Manila University is No. 68; University of Santo Tomas, No. 104; De La Salle University, No.107.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino said that the government, particularly the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), has continued to show a lack of urgency and aggressiveness to push Philippine colleges and universities, especially their owners and administrators, to do something about the sad state of the quality of education they give their students.

“It is worth noting that majority of the top Asian schools, including the leading Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, are State universities substantially funded and supported by their respective governments. This appreciation for tertiary education starkly contrasts with the education policies of the Aquino administration. In our country, state universities and colleges (SUCs) are neglected to utter destitution,” Palatino said.

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Education officials, legislators, civic leaders meet on Philippine education woes

MANILA, May 25, 2011—Education leaders, lawmakers, business leaders and other education stakeholders gathered Wednesday at the Makati central business district in a national forum aimed at finding solutions to perennial woes in basic education, tertiary and technical-vocational training.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro, Commission on Higher Education Chair Patricia Licuanan, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Executive Director Joel Villanueva were expected to present a situation report on the state of Philippine education before stakeholders at the forum—the first of its kind according to officials—at the Makati Shangri-La hotel.

The officials were also expected to focus discussions on the proposed K+12 (Kindergarten plus 12 years), the flagship education program of the Aquino administration that aims to produce high school graduates prepared for work or college through the addition of two more years to the basic education course.

“Our education summit will focus on upgrading solutions and transforming education in the three areas (basic education, tertiary, technical-vocational). The general sentiment in the past has been that education has been in crisis, problems continue year after year and it’s the same all over again,” Luistro said at a press conference Wednesday before the forum started.

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Foreigners find Philippine education cheap

MANILA, June 2, 2011 AFP)—Irony of ironies.

While millions of Filipinos are too poor to even finish basic education, tens of thousands of foreigners are flocking to the Philippines to study, saying the costs of education in the country are relatively cheap—and life can be fun and easy.

“It was cost effective for me,” said medical student Dike Edward Ikechukwu, a Nigerian, who is the president of the 605-member foreign students’ organization at the 400-year-old University of Santo Tomas (UST).

“I would have spent so much more in the United States for the same quality of education,” Ikechukwu said.

A four-year degree course in the Philippines costs between $1,000 and $2,500 a year, significantly cheaper than in the United States, for example, where one could spend more than $30,000 annually, educators say.

Ikechukwu, 22, said he learned about studying in the Philippines at an education road show conducted by Manila schools in his country.

Then already studying pharmacology in Lagos, Ikechukwu said he was intrigued by the prospect of studying in a foreign country where he could expand his medical knowledge without depleting the family resources.

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Philippine government offers scholarships for “undersubscribed” courses

MANILA, June 1, 2011 (PNA)—The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has announced that the government is providing education grants in a bid to lure students to take up “unorthodox and undersubscribed” courses sought after by present and future industries.

“We offer scholarships for aeronautics, geology, software engineering, mining, among others. These are the identified as priority courses,” CHED chairperson Dr. Patricia Licuanan said.

She also said these are also courses that await a job that pays good.

Licuanan said emerging industries such as aviation and tourism, mining, and information technology have informed CHED to improve curriculum and spur enrollees “because these are where jobs are.”

“Only few students dabble in these courses because they are perceived as expensive, and that industry standards are too high,” she explained.

According to CHED website, applicants must be high school graduate with at least 80 percent general weighted average (GWA). Priority is given to those whose parents have combined annual income of only P300,000.

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Philippine senator calls for immediate reform in education sector

MANILA, May 26, 2011 (PNA)—Senator Edgardo Angara called on Wednesday for immediate reevaluation of the country’s educational system, stressing that the government needs to enact dramatic reforms to rescue the struggling sector.

“We need to overhaul our education sector, to turn it on its head and examine it component by component, element by element,” said Angara at the National Education Forum hosted by the Department of Education (DepEd), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Angara, a former education secretary, said the country’s education system has been lagging behind its ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) neighbors especially in terms of government spending and investment.

“Looking at recent international studies —we are obviously among the weakest in terms of competitiveness in the region. We used to be the teacher of many Asian countries. Now, we have to go to them with a begging bowl," he lamented.

He stressed that human development is at the heart of a country's competitiveness.

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British firm wants call center agents with British accent

MANILA, May 20, 2011—A British telecommunications company that is exploring the business process outsourcing (BPO) market here wants to train Filipino call center agents in speaking English the way the Brits do, according to Malacañang.

This was one of the concerns of executives from Convergys, the biggest call center operation in the Philippines, and Everything Everywhere, one of Britain’s largest telecommunications provider with 28 million subscribers, who called on President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday, said presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

Lacierda said the British company was “very bullish” about the Philippines and was setting up shop here and would be hiring workers as well as middle management.

“And since this is a British BPO, there’s also a need for the Filipinos to be trained in the British accent, which we are not familiar with,” Lacierda said.

For instance, Filipinos use “ma’am” as a polite way of addressing a woman over the phone, he said.

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New teachers training strategy launched in Leyte

MANILA, May 19, 2011—The Foundation for Upgrading the Standard of Education (FUSE) conducted an intensive five-day training program in Palompon, Leyte, for teachers in Physics, Chemistry, English, Mathematics and Elementary School Science in partnership with legislative and administration offices in Leyte.

Eleven teacher trainers from FUSE trained at least 42 teachers for each of the five subjects, with focus on subject matter content for 45 hours at the Palompon North Central School.

The focus on content is in line with FUSE’s new strategy in its teachers’ training program. While before FUSE concentrated on improving teachers’ competence through teaching methods and approaches, now it is focusing on enhancing and making up to date teachers’ knowledge of a given subject or syllabus.

The new strategy was prompted by the growth in knowledge and the change in certain material which teachers have to be aware of and competent about. Thus besides the methods and strategies that enhance student learning, FUSE is helping improve teaching by developing the content knowledge of teachers as both are essential.

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3-year moratorium on new law schools to start next school year

CEBU CITY, May 18, 2011 (PNA)—A resolution passed by the Legal Education Board last year declaring a three-year moratorium on the opening of new law schools will take effect this school year, according to the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).

The board said the “proliferation of law schools has been identified as one of the causes of poor quality of legal education in this country.”

It said it will need the three-year period to inspect and monitor the performances of existing law schools in the country and to focus on the introduction of reform measures in the legal education system.

As for the moratorium on five courses in all public and private universities and colleges, it is still in effect.

The courses are nursing, business administration, teacher education and hotel and restaurant management.

Ched said it wants to up hold the equality of education and performance in licensure examinations.

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UK schools get more power to employ foreign teachers

May 23, 2011—Thousands of foreign teachers will be allowed to permanently work in English schools under plans to raise standards and plug shortages in some areas.

Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, said it should be easier for schools to employ teachers from countries such as the US and Australia.

Rules forcing teachers to retrain before being able to take-up jobs in state primaries and secondaries will be axed next year, it was disclosed.

Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, said the move would initially apply to teachers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States.

Research shows teaching qualifications offered in these countries are already equivalent to those in England, he said.

The reforms will then be extended to staff from other countries such as South Africa, Jamaica and Singapore.

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250 English language teacher posts to be cut

May 20, 2011—The Department of Education has told schools it is to cut the number of English Language Teachers by 250 from September.

That is double the cut that schools had expected.

A Department spokesperson said the number had been doubled to enable the system to comply with the Employment Control Framework, which restricts numbers working in the public sector.
The move will affect primary schools most.

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation has said the decision is another attack on disadvantaged and marginalised children.

The INTO also said the decision flew in the face the Government's commitment to improve literacy standards in schools.

An OECD report last year found a dramatic fall in literacy standards in Irish schools.
English language teachers are employed in schools to help children from International backgrounds who cannot speak English or whose English is too weak to enable them to thrive in the classroom.

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Wales “Book of the Year 2011” shortlist unveiled

May 19, 2011—A poetry collection, travel novel and sci-fi story are among the works shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year.

The English-language titles are What the Water Gave Me by Pascale Petit, Cloud Road by John Harrison and Alastair Reynolds's Terminal World.

On the Welsh-language list are Caersaint by Angharad Price, Lladd Duw by Dewi Prysor and Bydoedd by Ned Thomas.

The winners in each language will be announced on 7 July in Cardiff.

Literature Wales announced the 2011 shortlist in Caernarfon and Cardiff.

The three titles that made it to the shortlist claimed their place there because they were pitch perfect from start to finish”

Francesca Rhydderch, chair of the English-language judges' panel said: "Whittling the long list down from ten to a shortlist of three was no easy task. Each of the ten books on the longlist was wonderful and unique, in our opinion…”

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Maid hung herself after failing English entry test thrice

SINGAPORE, June 1, 2011 (AsiaOne)—A 26-year-old Indonesian maid tried to hang herself after failing her English-language entry test three times.

She is now in intensive care with brain damage.

The Straits Times reported that the maid, Ms Sulastri Wardyoyo, tried to hang herself at a maid hostel last Saturday.

According to staff at the hostel, she was allegedly depressed after failing her English-language entry tests.

Failing the test would mean she would have to leave the country, and pay back any loan taken.

The Straits Times reported that she may have taken more than $1,000 in loans to come here.

Ms Sulastri arrived early last week and was housed by employment agency Budget Maid in a maid hostel in the north.

All new maids have to clear the Foreign Worker Domestic Entry test within three days of their arrival, according to the Ministry of Manpower regulations.

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Legal threats force town to rescind English-only ordinance, sponsor says
By Elizabeth Llorente, Fox News Latino

June 1, 2011 (AP)—The sponsor of an English-only ordinance in a small New York town is bracing for the measure to be overturned by his fellow council members Wednesday.

Councilman Roger Meyer said the threat of legal action by the state Attorney General, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union, leaves Jackson Township little choice but to back off its determination to have the English-only law.

“I’m sure it will be voted down at the next meeting,” Meyer said, “because of the threats of the ACLU and the Attorney General.”

“We can’t afford a lawsuit, we’re just a very tiny town.”

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman recently ordered the town officials to overturn the ordinance, which bans public employes from speaking a language other than English in the course of their work and calls for all documents to be only in English.

Schneiderman said the ordinance is unconstitutional. He called the measure “illegal” and “discriminatory.”

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New York town ordered to scrap English-only ordinance

NEW YORK, May 19, 2011—New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman ordered the upstate town of Jackson to "immediately" overturn a local ordinance that made English the town's official language, warning that the statute is "illegal" and "discriminatory."

The ordinance, which prohibits public officials in Jackson from speaking or writing in any language but English while they are carrying out their official duties, will be voted on once again by the town council on June 1 because of the intervention by the state AG's office.

Schneiderman's office on April 27 sent a letter to Jackson Town Supervisor Alan Brown warning that the ordinance violates the U.S. Constitution's equal protection clause, federal and local statutes, as well as the right to freedom of expression for public employees and all people who visit the town or work in it.

The town council met on May 4 to prepare the agenda that its members will discuss on June 1 and the ordinance was put on the list of issues to be dealt with at that time.

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English-learners test results show slight change

CALIFORNIA, May 16, 2011—Santa Clara County students who took this year’s California English Language Development Test, or CELDT, edged ahead of the state average on performance but fell slightly when compared with the county’s scores from last year.

The CELDT test is given annually to students identified as English learners until the student passes into a zone that reclassifies them as fluent in English. The test assesses listening, speaking, reading and writing for students from kindergarten through grade 12. Scores are reported on five performance levels—beginning being the lowest level to advanced on the higher spectrum—and students are considered proficient in English once they attain an overall rating of early advanced or better.

A 2 percent drop was seen in the county’s students who performed at the early advanced level from 32 percent to 30 percent, and the number at the advanced level dropped from 12 percent to 10 percent.

A fairly significant “achievement gap” was also found among county test takers, the Santa Clara County Office of Education reports, with less than a third of Spanish-speaking students scoring as proficient, while proficiency among students of other primary languages ranged from 46 percent for Filipino to 67 percent for Mandarin.

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Difficulties in learning English bother many
By Iman Srour, GulfToday.ae         

ABU DHABI, June 3, 2011—English is a language that links the world together. It plays a central role in aviation, engineering and computer communication.

It is also a gateway for information, which is the basis of progress and development, whether on an individual or a public level.

Today, many graduate courses require fluency in English. For many however, the language has to be learnt over a period of many years and the difficulty in learning concerns students, teachers and parents alike.

The reasons for difficulties in learning the language are different. Some people see the root of the problem in teachers who are not qualified enough.

Some say that an effective way to teach the language is when it is taught from an early stage, starting from kindergarten.

Others, however, think that learning becomes difficult when there is a lack of mental preparedness among students and not enough willpower to learn. Nevertheless, the problem is not confined to teachers or the subject only.

A number of consultants, school administrators and teachers told The Gulf Today that the Abu Dhabi Education Council is working on developing strategies that aim to enhance the four skills of students: Reading, writing, listening and speaking.

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English language threatens Arabic

DUBAI, May 22, 2011—English is taking over the world, says English teacher Patricia Ryan Abu Wardeh. And its status as a global language comes at the expense of other languages, she argues.

After 30 years of teaching her native language in the Gulf, Abu Wardeh has come to the conclusion that while English is an important language, its status as a global language is overshadowing other languages, including Arabic.

These sentiments have built up over the years she has been teaching, but she has never made them public until given the opportunity by Technology, Entertainment, Design's, (TED) Dubai affiliate, TEDxDubai.

Abu Wardeh, who works at a university in the UAE, presented her ideas at a Dubai TEDx event. Her presentation is one of the few such talks in Dubai that has been posted on the global TED website.

Her views gave way to a debate. Most people welcomed them but there was some strong opposition.

"The idea evolved over several years of teaching English and doing specialised assessments. I've seen so much change in that it has become an absolute must to have a high standard of general English to be able to enter any decent university," she said.

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Fun in the classroom

May 29, 2011—If you are running out of ideas to keep the students in your English Language classroom interested and involved in the lesson, you definitely should not miss the International Conference on English Language Teaching (ICELT) 2011.

The conference, organised by Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM) Faculty of Educational Studies and supported by the Education Ministry, will be held from September 18 to 20 at the Swiss-Garden Golf Resort and Spa, Damai Laut, Perak.

It promises to be a one-of-its-kind conference for English language teachers focusing on infusing creativity, fun, and interesting activities into the teaching and learning experience.

Themed “Teaching English as a Performing Art”, ICELT 2011 will see a gathering of some of the world’s most renowned names in the performing arts and English language teaching.

Among the featured speakers will be Jan Blake, a leading storyteller who specialises in stories from Africa and the Caribbean.

Then there is much sought after performance poet Adisa, recipient of the Apples and Snakes New Performance Poet of the Year award. He has delivered his work all around the world, “from pub basements to Buckingham Palace”.

Modern-day court jester Vivian Gladwell, who lives and works in France, is another speaker you wouldn’t want to miss.

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Over 100 teachers attend young learners TESOL conference

May 22, 2011—Over 100 teachers and teacher trainers from all over Malaysia participated in Lorna Whiston Study Centres Malaysia’s first International Young Learners TESOL (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Conference in Kuala Lumpur recently.

The one-day conference, themed “Language Alive: Creative Approaches to Language Teaching”, saw international educators and industry experts sharing ways to tap into students’ creativity as a means of motivating students and helping them become more effective communicators.

The conference featured a host of varied sessions such as teaching debate skills, vocabulary, public speaking and creative writing; encouraging creative thinking among young children; and managing the classroom.

Lorna Whiston Malaysia head teacher Marianne Dark said the conference aimed to promote the importance of creativity in the classroom as well as to provide a platform for educators to share good practices.

“We believe that children learn best when they are relaxed and enjoying themselves in a child-centred, interactive environment,” she said.

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Teachers’ union, parents against weekend English classes

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16, 2011—The Education Ministry’s proposal to have weekend classes and tuition for students who have trouble with the English language was met with strong objection from teachers and parents yesterday.

While acknowledging that students’ mastery of the language was lacking, National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) president Hashim Adnan said having weekend classes was not the answer.

Instead, he proposed that additional English lessons be held during school days and retired English language teachers be roped in to help with teaching.

“Having classes during weekends will only burden the teachers and students. It is not a solution,” he said yesterday.

The New Sunday Times reported that the move was being considered following the effectiveness of school programmes to improve the teaching and learning of the language…

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New English test plan faces backlash

May 27, 2011—The government’s plan to include English speaking and writing ability tests in the national college entrance exam has stoked worries that it will add fuel to the nation’s already red-hot craze for English education.

The Education Ministry on Thursday unveiled a draft plan to introduce a new English aptitude test that will replace the English portion of the standardized college entrance exam, known as the College Scholastic Ability Test, starting in 2015 at the earliest. Currently the CSAT only tests reading and listening skills in the language.

The ministry’s plan is to start administering the National English Aptitude Test from 2012 and have it used as reference material in the rolling admission to universities from the following year.

A trial version of the envisioned NEAT took place at a school in Seoul on Friday.

Some parents and teachers, however, worry it will only drive more students to private institutes, or language courses overseas. It would be very hard for students to achieve the level of speaking and writing skills in the current public school system, they say.

Students sit a trial version of the National English Aptitude Test, currently under development, at a school in southern Seoul on Friday. (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)

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White Box brightens future of expatriate theater

May 17, 2011—Expat theater-lovers in Korea no longer have to suffer noisy drinking holes while enjoying plays thanks to a new English-language venue in Seoul.

Until now, poor access to theater spaces meant actors were often obliged to deliver lines against background clatter from cashiers and glasses in busy bars-turned-stages.

But White Box Theatre has just opened as Seoul’s first exclusive English-language performance space to save thespians’ strained throats.

White Box founder, Desiree Munro, opened the venue to overcome difficulties she faced when seeking stages for productions by her own award-winning company, Probationary Theatre.

“I had quite a lot of frustration,” she told the Korea Herald. “It is very hard for foreigners to break into the theater scene in Korea.

A scene from last year’s production of “10 Reasons not to go Home,” at the RUF Project in Itaewon. The play will be performed this weekend at the White Box Theater. (Probationary Theatre)

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Three English tests added for Australia student visa applicants

MELBOURNE, May 23 (PTI)—Australia has announced to add three alternative English language proficiency tests for student visa applicants, providing candidates with greater choice.

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen has announced the US-based TOEFL and two other English language competency tests, apart from the existing International English Language Testing System, will be expanded for use by applicants from all countries.

Apart from Test of English as a Foreign Language, Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) and Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) from Cambridge ESOL will shortly be added to the IELTS for student visa purposes as specified in the Migration Regulations 1994, the department said in a statement.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) said it was anticipated that these new tests will be accepted for student visa applications later this year.

In Australia, currently, students from key markets, such as India, had to furnish an IELTS score as proof of English proficiency to qualify for a student visa. Globally, IELTS is owned by Cambridge University, IDP and the British Council.

"We have given careful consideration when selecting these three English language test providers to ensure that high standards of integrity are maintained and that test score results are appropriately safeguarded," Bowen said.

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Australia to welcome students with Cambridge English

Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, has announced that the Cambridge English Advanced exam (also known as Certificate in Advanced English, CAE) will be recognized for Australian student visas. The new rules give students who want to study in Australia the opportunity to use this high quality, secure international qualification to prove that they have the language skills they need for academic success. Previously, IELTS was the main English language test accepted by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for Australian visa purposes.

"I am very pleased Cambridge has been chosen as one of the new English test providers and I am confident they will provide a valuable service to student visa applicants," Mr. Bowen said.

Cambridge English Advanced is taken in 110 countries around the world and recognized by more than 2,800 organizations - including nearly 50 Australian universities and colleges. It is also accepted by almost all UK universities as well as the UK's Border Agency for student visas.
This means that students with a Cambridge English Advanced qualification can now use their certificate to study in Australia, UK and beyond. The exam is run by Cambridge ESOL, the department of Cambridge University which also produces the IELTS tests. It has been taken by hundreds of thousands of students since 1991.

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Alternative English tests added for Australian student visa applicants

May 20, 2011—Student visa applicants will be able to use the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) US-based testing for English language competency, Australian Immigration minister Chris Bowen announced today.

Student visa applicants will now be able to use the TOEFL test to provide evidence of their English language ability.

The move by the Australian government to allow student visa applicants to use the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test when demonstrating English language ability is one that will be of interest to anyone looking to apply for skilled Australia immigration.

One of the changes to the skilled immigration application process that is set to be implemented on 1 July with the new Australian points test is that all skilled migrants will be required to take an English language test. Under existing rules, only test results from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are permitted and applicants are only required to take it if they need to demonstrate competency in English or are using the test to obtain further points.

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Free English language course for Sochi residents

MOSCOW, May 26, 2011—Starting from June 1, English language will be taught in almost all the educational institutions in Sochi, in preparation for the 2014 winter Olympic Games in the city. All the inhabitants of Sochi who wish to interact with visitors to the city for the Games, including the sportsmen and women and their supporting staff, are invited to enroll in a free English language crash course, which has already taken off in some schools.

Diplomas and certificates will not be awarded to those who complete the two-month course. The crash language course is being organized as part of the efforts to  enlist the participation of the residents in the preparations for the winter Games. The course will enable every inhabitant of Sochi to become a volunteer and a first face, as it were, that the foreign visitor will see.

“The free language course is the first of its kind in Russia, and any resident in Sochi, irrespective of gender, age and social status can acquire a smattering of the English language for a  day to day interaction with  foreigners”, says Irina Lukasheva, head of the Sochi Education Management Section. She spoke in an interview for VOR.

"Groups will consist of 10-15 people each, and the programme is  to last for 20 hours, with a timetable of two  lessons a week  in the second half of the day, which is convenient  for all," Lukasheva said.

Among the main subjects to be taught are “spoken English”, making acquaintance, self-introduction, talking about the city’s sights and  offering help  to a visitor (direction giving and so on).

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English ma fail, Board ma fail

AHMEDABAD, May 27, 2011—The decision to make English compulsory has brought down the pass percentage of class XII general stream. Students with English as second language had the lowest passing rate with 82.77 per cent clearing the paper, which is down by 10 per cent compared to last year.

The board this year had increased the passing marks in English from 20 to 33 bringing it at par with other subjects and a record number of 17 per cent students failed to clear the English paper, bringing the overall result down. Of the 3.84 lakh students 66,163 students failed to clear English, which is the highest failure in any one subject.

Despite the lackluster performance, the board on Thursday announced that English would be made compulsory even for the students taking their examination in vocational courses also.

Officials said that from March 2012 not a single student appearing for his HSC examination would be permitted to write his examination without English as one of the subjects. He said with the decision to have English as compulsory for vocational courses also, the subject has been made compulsory for all disciplines.

However, officials said that the decision to have English compulsory was taken only with the intention to prepare the students for competitive examinations.

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Foreign language option at secondary school level may go

PANAJI, May 27, 2011—Uncertainty was the only constant among state authorities on Thursday as they prepared to implement the new policy of grants to English medium primary schools with Konkani or Marathi as a compulsory subject from Class I to X.

The four-member committee constituted to monitor and implement the policy will meet next week. The first decision will be taken on the class from which Konkani/Marathi should begin as a compulsory subject in English medium schools from the year 2011-12.

A circular on implementation of the new policy will be issued to schools after the committee meets, even as schools are set to open in the next ten days. A day after the state government declared its new policy there was no clarity on whether the switch over to English at the primary level will take place from Class I or in all of the four elementary classes from 2011-12.

The four-member committee is likely to deliberate on this too. A crucial decision to be taken is whether French, Portuguese and other foreign languages as the optional third language from Class VIII to X will continue or not. The new policy makes it mandatory for schools to teach either Konkani or Marathi up to Class X. With English as first language and Hindi as second language, the policy allows either Konkani or Marathi to be offered as third language, and foreign languages will have to be left out as four languages cannot be accommodated.

Sources said Indian languages like Sanskrit might be permitted to continue in some schools from Class VIII to X as an option along with Konkani and Marathi…

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No required bilingual education for Beijing kindergartens

BEIJING, May 17, 2011(China Daily)—A proposal to have every Beijing kindergarten running English language classes by 2015 has now been scrapped.

A draft work plan to improve the capital's international language environment last July had stated all preschools would be required to offer bilingual education within the next five years.

However, in the final version, the provision has now been removed.

It seems many mothers of young children are not too bothered and say they don’t want their children burdened with extra classes and homework at such a young age.

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GED Plus team helps new recruits to read and write English

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas—When Mohammed Fuwad Hossain decided to serve in the National Guard, he had two obstacles in his way; a limited knowledge of reading and writing in English and no high school diploma.

Hossain moved with his father, mother and three brothers to Detroit in 2003 from the capital city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He attended middle school, and nearly completed high school when personal and family issues forced him to drop out of school and find employment.

At age 17, Hossain took a job with Cargill Meat Solutions in Schuyler, Neb., as a meat packer. After seven months on the line, Hossain decided to try to go back to high school, but was beyond the maximum age to reenter. Instead, he took his high school transcripts and convinced admissions to admit him as a student at Central Community College.

After completing a year of classes, Hossain wanted to become an engineer and pondered how he would pay his way through college. His father struggled to support his family in Detroit as a taxi cab driver and he knew he would have to find another way…

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Maltese language hardly used on the Internet

BRUSSELS, May 16, 2011—The very limited use of the Maltese language online is a major setback to the mother tongue even if there seems to be a strong desire for more websites in the vernacular.

According to a survey released in Brussels, only 6.5 per cent of Maltese internet users choose to browse, read and communicate in Maltese. The overwhelming majority, 91 per cent, would rather use English both when browsing from home or at work.

The survey shows that Maltese internet users are the highest users of English within the EU, after the British.

Besides the regular use of the English language, 20 per cent of Maltese internet users said they also frequently used Italian to browse or communicate and another 3.4 per cent resorted to French.

The Eurobarometer survey, conducted in Malta by Misco last January among a scientifically selected sample of 523 people, shows that, despite the common use of English on the net, many would still prefer to see more websites in Maltese.

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British Council offering help to English language beginners in Georgian

May 17, 2011—On May 12, with the support of the British Council, the conference “English Language and International Qualification – the Road to the Future” was held. The conference was aimed at introducing English language and international exams programs of the British Council to the policy makers of the education field, English language teachers and service providers.

The conference was chaired by Lloyd Anderson, British Council Director. Doug McMillan, Deputy Head of Mission, and Nodar Surguladze, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, all gave welcoming speeches.

In his official speech at the UN General Assembly in 2010, President Mikheil Saakashvili presented an ambitious programme for English, “to make sure that the doors for our future generation are open”. In September 2011, it is proposed to issue a Ministerial decree, making it mandatory for all higher education students to hold a foreign language proficiency certificate.

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Spain’s job seekers flock back to class

MADRID, May 8, 2011 (AFP)—Spain’s economic downturn is sending jobless workers flocking back to school to learn other languages—mainly English—to boost their appeal to employers, providing a boon for language academies.

With an unemployment rate of over 21 per cent, the highest in Europe, many of those with a job are also brushing up their languages skills in the hope that this will help them keep it or lead to a more secure position.

“The deeper the crisis, the stronger people’s desire to develop their skills,” said Antonio Murillo Isidoro, 37, the director of expansion at English Connection which runs Spain’s largest network of English language schools.

English Connection plans to open 20 new schools this year, bringing the total to 36. Over the next five years it plans to open a total of 100 schools.

Other private language schools are also growing as is the popularity of going abroad for a short period to learn to speak another language.

About 150,000 Spaniards travelled abroad to study a language, mostly English, last year, up from 105,000 in 2006 before the start of the economic slump, according to Spanish Association of Promoters of Courses Abroad.

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Government, businesses seek to further spoken English in Turkey
By NURDAN TABAK, TodaysZaman.com

ISTANBUL, May 15, 2011—Students practice their spoken English by studying in small groups and having conversations in English.

Spoken English skills are fairly poor in Turkey in comparison to other non-English speaking nations, and the growing need for Turks to develop their spoken English has been acknowledged by the government and the business world alike.

Overhearing people speaking in broken English and having pamphlets of various English teaching centers forced on them by promoters in the street is becoming increasingly common in the lives of many İstanbulites. More than ever in Turkey, people are becoming more eager to learn and speak English. This growing importance placed on spoken English is linked to both direct bureaucratic policies and the changing views of civil society.

Undoubtedly, there is a whole range of factors that have contributed to the recent growing importance of spoken English. Turkey’s increasing cultural role, economic power and globalization are all leading factors. The country is also now avoiding isolationist policies and focusing on opening up to the world, which in turn makes fluency in the English language all the more important.

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A call to defend Urdu against English language onslaught

LAHORE, May 16, 2011—Renowned writer and novelist Abdullah Hussain has urged for combating the onslaught of English language that could reduce Urdu into just a mere dialect.

Hussain made the call while presiding over the second session, titled “100 years of Urdu Novel,” of the ongoing three-day International Literary & Cultural Conference at Al Hamra Arts Council, The Mall on Sunday.

Abdullah Hussain warned that there was a need to seriously look into the issue of English language’s onslaught in our society since Urdu writers and speakers were turning towards English for the money it brings. He emphasized the need to combat this onslaught seriously.

Renowned writers and scholars including Shamim Hanfi, Dr Anwar Ahmad, Mubeen Mirza and Abbass Rizvi presented research papers in this session. Javed Qureshi, Hamid Ali Khan, Islam Shah and Azam Khan shed light on the topic of “The Future of Ghazal singing in Pakistan.” Renowned singer Ghulam Ali presided over the abovementioned session.

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Suspicion blocks Iran's ELT promise
By Jack Kirkby (pseudonym), Guardian Weekly

May 10, 2011—Three years after it withdrew from Iran in the face of "intimidation and harassment", the British Council, Britain's government-sponsored education and cultural promotion agency, is hoping to encourage the UK's English language teaching sector to engage with a regime that maintains a tight grip on education but that is under pressure from a population with a growing appetite for English language skills.

Last month the Council hosted a one-day event at its London headquarters that brought together a group of ELT specialists from Iran with teacher trainers, publishers, testers and language schools based in the UK.

But the challenges of doing business in Iran were brought into sharp focus on the day. Delegates asked not to be identified because any link with the Council, which continues to be viewed with the utmost suspicion, could have damaging repercussions.

Described by Anne Wiseman, the Council's director of Iran projects, as "a sharing of ideas", the event did provide an insight into the complex barriers that Iran presents for ELT exporters, but also the potential of the sector.

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NHK has grand design for English education
By Yuki Senda, Yomiuri Shimbun

May 5, 2011—NHK has just launched a "grand design project" for its English-learning programs, with the ultimate goal of offering learners of all ages a consistent approach to studying the language.

The impetus for the project was the launch of compulsory English at primary schools this month, while an increasing number of Japanese companies have been making English their official language.

With the new project, NHK is hoping to help learners develop skills to express themselves effectively in English, rather than merely grappling with grammar issues.

Pre-kiso Eigo (6:50 p.m. Saturdays, NHK-E) is the first of the project's new shows. The program targets primary school students, with the name indicating that it is a primer for NHK's Kiso Eigo (basic English) radio programs, which are mainly for middle school students.

Pre-kiso Eigo offers children a visual world tour with scenes of many other countries, providing glimpses into other cultures.

"The program is like a quiz show with questions coming from overseas," says Mizuto Tanaka, deputy chief of the language-learning department at NHK Educational, an affiliate specialized in producing educational programs for the public broadcaster.

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