Enhancing English Language and ELT Pedagogy of Uzbekistan English Language Teachers
TESOL International Association's (TESOL) work on a cascading professional development program as part of the English Speaking Nation: Secondary Teacher Training program recently underwent an evaluation of the third and final phase of the effort. The professional development program is funded by the U.S. Embassy Tashkent, administered by American Councils for International Education in cooperation with the Uzbekistan Ministry of Education, and conducted through a collaboration between TESOL and George Mason University. Representatives traveled to 15 sites across 12 regions, conducting observations, interviews, focus groups, and community of practice observation sessions. The group found a definite shift from a strict classroom environment to a "free and friendly" one and transitioning teaching methods from textbook exercises to student-centered activities prepared by a freshly energized group of secondary English language teachers.