This innovative project was implemented in Lebanon, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia with the intention of improving English Language Teaching in those countries by training teachers to exploit the British Council's impressive web-based resources.

Client, stakeholders, partners

• Ministries of Education
• Inspectors/Supervisors/Teacher Trainers
• Teachers of English

Focus
Developing English language teaching and learning through exploiting web-based resources.

The project
This innovative project was implemented in Lebanon, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia with the intention of improving English Language Teaching in those countries by training teachers to exploit the British Council's impressive web-based resources:

• www.go4english.com
• www.britishcouncil.org/central
• www.teachingenglish.org.uk/language-assistant
• www.teachingenglish.org.uk

The project involved a partnership between Ministry of Education decision makers, teacher trainers and teachers and the British Council. The following were the desired outcomes:

• Decision makers successfully encourage teachers and schools to integrate BC web-based ELT materials into their English lessons.
• British Council resources are perceived as relevant and of high quality by ministry- appointed teachers and teacher trainers, who benefit from the best of UK creativity and expertise in the field of on-line ELT.
• ELT teachers will be able to provide an enriched learning experience for their students.

In each country, a British Council trainer worked with a local teacher trainer to produce a total of eight workshops which were trialled in spring 2006.

A Summer School under the auspices of the British Council-managed Hornby Scheme was held in 2006 in Morocco, during which sixteen workshop participants were given training skills ("train the trainer") so that they could cascade the project workshops during the following academic year. A second Hornby Summer School was held at the same venue in 2007, during which sixteen trainers developed a further four workshops to be added to the original eight.

The project was finally handed over to the local partners, having achieved the planned outcomes, the British Council taking up a supporting rather than directing role.

What the stakeholders say

• "The project was an intense learning experience for all its stakeholders...the commitment of those involved is to be commended. The British Council has proved itself to be a provider of quality on-line ELT resources, and of opportunities for advancement and recognition".
  External evaluator at project close.
• "Professionally this project is very useful. The teacher who comes with new materials is more confident. The 74 teachers who have been trained this year are seen by their schools in a positive light. The schools are looking into the future now. The time between the workshops is useful for reflection." MOE Representative, Lebanon
• "As a Damascus based inspector, I used to see my job as constructive criticism, but now I understand that the regional supervisor has useful input to be considered as well. I think we have a better relationship now". Workshop participant, Syria

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