The Regional English Language Office (RELO) supports the mission of the Public Affairs section of the United States Embassy to focus on building mutual understanding between people through its educational, cultural, and informational programs. In support of the mission, the RELO offers professional development and educational exchange programs for English language teachers and students in coordination with Ministries of Education and teachers’ organizations throughout the region. The Regional English Language Office in Jordan is one of 18 such offices around the world (coordinated by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs.
Contact the Regional English Language Office for more information about our programs and resources:
00962-6-590-6514
00962-6-590-6533
AmmanRELO@state.gov
Teacher preparation and professional development
The Regional English Language Officer and English Language Specialists Senior English Language Fellows provide regional teacher training and support conferences on a number of needs-driven topics including: (EL-Specialists) and
- English as a Foreign Language (EFL) methodology
- Applied linguistics
- Curriculum and materials development
- Language policy issues
- Classroom observation and assessment
- Distance education and computer aided language learning
Distance education programs
Workshops given by RELOs and EL-Specialists via digital video conference or webcasting (webinars)
Workshop topics include: Teaching EFL Writing; Teaching Critical Thinking; Learning styles/Multiple Intelligences and Motivation; Music in the Classroom; Authentic Materials; Assessment/Testing; English for Academic/Specific Purposes; Selecting software: What to look for and where to look; Selecting online learning tools; Better Internet searches: Google and beyond; Getting started in setting up and running an effective learning center: the logistics of helping learners be more self-directed; Creating collaborative online courses; Tips about writing for publication (computer tools and more); + units from Shaping the Way We Teach English.
E-Teacher Program
The E-Teacher Scholarship Program offers online, graduate level classes to English teaching professionals outside of the United States through U.S. universities. You may apply at any time. Nominations are made by U.S. embassies throughout the year. If you are selected, all costs are paid by the U.S. Department of State. The current E-Teacher courses are:
- Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL)
- Introduction to Online Learning for EFL Educators
- Introduction to Pedagogy and Practices for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
- Practical Applications in Listening and Speaking Skills
- Assessment: Summative and Formative Practices in Language Learning and Teaching
- Building Teaching Skills Through the Interactive Web
- Critical Thinking in Language Learning and Teaching
- English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Best Practices for Course and Materials Development
- Special Education and Differentiated Instruction in EFL Contexts
- Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL)
Download the application instructions and form (PDF 132KB)
Shaping the Way We Teach Online Course
This new online teacher training course is developed from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of English Language Programs and the University of Oregon’s American English Institute’s 14 module Shaping the Way We Teach English video program. The series incorporates classroom scenes from around the world and is accompanied by a teacher trainer manual along with additional readings. Modules from Shaping form the basis for collaborative work with observations, interactions, discussions, and the creation of teaching plan projects.
Exploring Web 2.0: Tools for Classroom Teaching and Professional Development online course.
In this three-week course, Teachers will learn how to: articulate the origin and basic characteristics of Web 2.0 applications; observe a variety of uses of Web 2.0 tools in educational settings; gain a basic understanding of and participate in social bookmarking, tagging, blogging, podcasting and using wikis; engage in online, collaborative brainstorming on the topic of human rights; search Web directories for human rights resources and create a folksonomy of resources using social bookmarking and tagging techniques; participate in asynchronous forum discussions on a variety of course topics; subscribe via RSS to participants’ blogs and other Web resources; communicate with the instructor and other course participants via chat and/or VoiP; investigate the use of social software for humanitarian purposes with a focus on microfinance; create materials for immediate use in the classroom or for professional development.
The above online programs are sponsored by RELO Amman. For more information contact Salwa Rihani
00962-6-590-6514
00962-6-590-6533
AmmanRELO@state.gov
English as a Foreign Language instruction
- The RELO office supports language and cultural programming at the American Language Center (ALC) in Jordan and at ALCs and American Corners throughout the region
- English Language Fellows teach at Jordanian universities and secondary schools and provide support for teacher development programs and projects. English Language Fellows Factsheet (PDF 261 KB).
- The English Access Microscholarship Program is a two-year after school program run in collaboration with the Ministry of Education that provides interactive, engaging English instruction for 14-18 year-old students from throughout Jordan and the Middle East.
Materials for language learning and teaching
English Teaching Forum Magazine
English Teaching Forum is written by teachers for teachers worldwide. Contact the Regional English Language Office if your school or teachers’ organization would like to receive a subscription to Forum. Teachers are strongly encouraged to contribute articles about successful teaching practices.
English Teaching Forum Article Database (PDF 170 KB)
This database provides tool to cross reference articles published in English Teaching Forum Magazine from 1993-2008. The database can be searched via author, country, title, year, volume, issue or keyword.
Office of English Language Programs.
Materials from the OELP catalog must be requested through the American Embassy Public Affairs or through the Regional English Language Office.
Recent publication
- Shaping the Way We Teach English: Successful Practices around the World is made up of 14 modules in a video format together with a supporting manual and additional resources. Each module is a 10-15 minute video segment with real examples from classrooms and educators around the world.
International Exchange Programs
Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program (FLTA).
Fulbright FLTA Fellows spend 9 months at a U.S. university or college and some high schools, where they teach their language and enroll in at least two U.S. studies or teaching methodology classes each semester. Participants in the program-teachers between the ages of 21 and 29–refine their teaching skills, increase their English language proficiency and extend their knowledge of the cultures and customs of the United States while strengthening the instruction of foreign language at U.S. colleges and universities.
Teaching Critical Languages Program (TCLP)
The Teaching Critical Languages Program seeks to strengthen the teaching of Chinese and Arabic at U.S. primary and secondary schools, while also providing the exchange teachers the opportunity to learn about U.S. teaching methodologies, culture and society.
Fulbright Jordanian-American Commission for Educational Exchange – has information about a wide number of available exchange programs for Jordanian scholars and professionals.
Online resources for teaching and learning EFL
- Office of English Language Programs – information on programs and recourses.
- Office of English Language Programs – key links; teaching materials.
- Online English Language Center – key, tested EFL links for teachers and learners compiled in conjunction with the University of Oregon.
- English Teaching Forum online archives.
- EL Civics Government and History Lessons for ESL Students.
- American English Mobile App.