English Language Specialist (ELS) Diane Millar spent January 12-26 in Guinea training secondary school teachers of English in N’Zérékoré and Conakry.  Diane also consulted with the Public Affairs Office on Post’s overall strategy to strengthen English teaching in Guinea; discussed materials development and in-service-training with representatives of the Institute of Research and Pedagogy (INRAP); and met with the Director and staff of the English Language Department at the University of Conakry.

In N’Zérékoré, fifty English teachers and teacher trainers attended the workshops.  Diane conducted a three-day program focused on teaching vocabulary, observing and assessing classrooms, evaluating language teaching materials, and discussing English as a language for international communication.  She worked collaboratively with one U.S. Fulbright student and three Guinean professionals.  She also discussed forming an English Center with English teachers and the President of the University in N’Zérékoré. On the last day, Diane visited a class at Lycée Felix Moumie, a secondary school, in order to observe the challenges large classes pose in the Guinean context and to give suggestions for improvement. 

In Conakry, 60 teachers from secondary and postsecondary institutions attended a three-day workshop on the same topics.  Participants in both regions received a French/English - English/French dictionary and copies of English Teaching Forum. The trainees appreicated the informal, interactive and experiential American training blending the practical and reflective. At the end of the workshops, participants said: “I have been on a lot of courses but this was superb." and, “Excellent. The course exceeded my expectation. I now feel I have a toolkit to face students." Without question, Diane’s hard work, dedication, and sense of humor contributed to the success of the workshops.