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NUS RECEIVES GRANT FROM TEMASEK FOUNDATION TO LAUNCH ENGLISH ACADEMIC WRITING PROJECT IN LAOS

Initiative will lead to a revamp of current methods in the teaching and testing of academic writing, and the establishment of a training framework for other teacher trainers in Laos

The Centre for English Language Communication (CELC) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Temasek Foundation (TF) are pleased to announce the launch of a project to review and enhance current teaching methodologies for English academic writing in teacher training colleges in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR).

Made possible through a grant of about S$220,000 from Temasek Foundation to CELC of NUS, the initiative is aimed at developing the competencies and capabilities of 15 teacher trainers from five teacher training colleges in Laos in the teaching, testing and investigation of academic writing.

The project was officially launched today in Vientiane, Laos, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by Associate Professor Wu Siew Mei, Director of CELC and Dr Mithong Souvanvixay, Director-General of the Department of Teacher Education, Lao Ministry of Education. The signing of the MoU was witnessed by Mr Benjamin William, Singapore’s Ambassador to Lao PDR, H.E. Vice Minister of Education Mme Sengdeuane Lachanthaboune, Mr Benedict Cheong, CEO of Temasek Foundation, Professor Tan Tai Yong, Vice Provost (Student Life), National University of Singapore. It was also witnessed by Mr Vanhpheng Sengmanophong from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Mr Khamphan Anlavan from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Bounpanh Xaymountry from the Department of Planning and Cooperation and Mr Khamphouang Bounmixay, member of the Ministry of Education cabinet.

The academic writing project was initiated in response to the keen interest of the Lao Ministry of Education in enhancing teacher trainers’ competence in reading and writing in relation to English language teaching. There is also an immediate need in motivating the teacher trainers to use the computer and Internet for teaching and research.

Specifically, the 15-month project, which will run from December 2010 to March 2012, aims to facilitate discussions on effective methodologies and techniques for the teaching and assessment of academic writing, and to provide a platform for critical assessment of classroom practices in the teaching and testing of academic writing. In addition, it also aims to encourage teachers to participate in classroom research that has an impact on the effectiveness of learning.

Mr Benjamin William, Singapore’s Ambassador to Lao PDR, said, “Singapore has always held the belief that human resources development is the key towards sustainable economic development. Training the young people of Laos will ensure that they in turn can make a positive contribution to the development of the country and towards poverty alleviation. Today the English language is an important tool to enable one to access the global marketplace as well as the information highway. I am therefore glad that the NUS CELC is undertaking this project, with the support of Temasek Foundation, to better equip teachers of English in Laos to pass on English language skills to their students. This project will further strengthen the warm and friendly relations and the people-to-people links between our two countries.”

Mr Benedict Cheong, Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Foundation, said, “Apart from the competency and capability training of the initial group of teacher trainers, the programme will also include the transfer of learning through peer sharing to other teachers in the network of teacher-training colleges in Laos. We believe this is an effective way which can sustain the impact of learning in the local community.”

Professor Tan Tai Yong, NUS Vice Provost (Student Life), said, “NUS, through the Centre for English Language Communication (CELC), is pleased to partner Temasek Foundation and Lao MOE in this initiative to review and improve teaching methodologies for academic writing in Lao PDR. In line with its aim to be a leading international centre for the teaching of English language skills, I am confident that the NUS CELC, in collaboration with our Lao counterparts, will be able to contribute to the development of a training framework for the teaching and assessment of academic writing, that can be applied in teacher training colleges across the country. This initiative will in turn help to boost the teaching and learning of academic writing in institutions of higher learning in Laos, enabling both teachers and students to acquire valuable skills in expressing themselves with confidence and clarity in the global sphere of English academic discourse.”

The project will comprise a series of workshops, as well as co-teaching, observation and consultation sessions between the Lao teacher trainers and lecturers from the NUS CELC. This will lead to a revamp of current practice and curriculum in the teaching and testing of academic writing in teacher training colleges, as well as the establishment of a formal training framework which includes selection tests, assessment descriptors, workshop materials, observation and co-teaching structures, and a mentoring programme that can be replicated for the training of other English language teacher trainers in Lao PDR. (Click here to read newspaper coverage.)

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