JEDDAH, 1 September 2005 — The English training program for male and female English language supervisors and teachers in Dar Al-Fikr private schools in Jeddah ended yesterday. The five-day program was organized by the training and scholarship administration at the Directorate of Education in cooperation with the American and British consulates who assigned three female trainers for the job of training in the female section.
The aim of the program was to teach new strategies for teaching English as a second language.
“After the intermediate English curriculum changed, another change in the strategies of teaching was needed,” said Dr. Samia Binladin, director of Educational Supervision Administration. She added, “The program targeted 119 trainees from 20 provinces in the Kingdom. Eighty of them were English language supervisors while the rest were teachers.”
The trainers were pleased with the high level of English language the trainees had. Joan Shin, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, said, “I was really surprised at how good the trainees were. This program was not only a chance to learn the English language; it was a good chance for cultural exchange and international communication.”
Trainees were happy to participate in the program. Fatin Zagzoug, an English language supervisor from Taif, said, “The program was very effective and the arrangement was perfect; however, we think there should have been a special program for supervisors and another for teachers since what they need is different.”
Hanaa Majdali, a supervisor from Jeddah, agreed.
