Teachers Going Global

by Jordan Chapman

The Ruth S. Ammon School of Education at Adelphi University has been selected as the Northeast regional recruitment center for a program that promotes English language learning around the world.

The English Language Fellow (ELF) program enables highly qualified educators with an M.A. to travel abroad for 10 months and focus on Teaching English as a First or Second Language or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TEFL/TESL/TESOL) in every region of the world. Applicants must have at least two years of experience teaching English to nonnative speakers.

The ELF program is offered through Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Adelphi beat out other schools in the Northeast to become the regional recruitment center for those educators interested in the program who live in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Vermont.

Eva Roca, director of TESOL and Bilingual Programs at the Ammon School of Education, appointed Cynthia Cook to become head of the northeast recruitment center in October 2012.

“Whether you’re rather new in your career or a retiree, it doesn’t matter,” Ms. Cook said. “[English Language Fellows] will be teaching English at universities a lot of the time. They will teach students who are trying to learn English or people who are being trained to teach English.”

Other tasks besides teaching are often assigned to the teaching fellow, such as running an English club or conducting workshops for educators already teaching, Ms. Cook said.

Fellows receive a stipend of $25,000 to $35,000 based on teaching experience. Living conditions and the ability to take family members along vary depending on placement.

Although the primary goals of the program are to promote English language learning and to enhance the teaching of English abroad, fellows also get to share their expertise, hone their skills and gain international experience in another culture before returning home to share their knowledge with peers and in local communities.

To join the approximately 150 fellows who will travel abroad, or for more information, contact Ms. Cook at 516.877.4581 or elfp@adelphi.edu or visit elfellowprogram.org.