US: Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program

[Harold Schiffman]

Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program: Expanding and
Strengthening the Circle of Learning To Make a Better World
By Karen P. Hughes, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
Dec 22, 2007 - 12:06:33 PM

Remarks to the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants

Blackanthem Military News

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today is my last day at the State Department and
I'm glad to have this parting opportunity to put in a good word for
this very important Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant
(FLTA) program.  As a communicator, I know that communication is
always better when you can speak the same language. As comedian Bill
Cosby wisely put it, "If you know two languages, the level of your
intelligence is multiplied a hundredfold in other people's eyes."  At
my farewell reception this week, the President very graciously came by
to thank me for my service and mentioned that back in the days when he
was campaigning for president, I was his communications director and
he jokingly said one of my jobs was to teach him English. Since he is
known for occasionally mangling his words, I asked him, ""How'd I do?"
He gave me a look of mock indignation and said, "I'll deliver the
punch lines."

The President may have an occasional challenge with his English,
especially with the press corps watching his every word, but he has
worked very hard to improve his Spanish and understands the value of
learning other languages. I speak a little Spanish myself and one of
my goals for my life after I leave this position is to take lessons
and improve my Spanish speaking ability. In today's interconnected,
multilateral world, learning foreign languages is not merely helpful,
it is indispensable. President Bush recognized that need 2 years ago
when he announced the National Security Language Initiative. We needed
to enhance the capacity of Americans to learn foreign languages of
critical importance to the U.S. - and we have.

This academic year, 373 Fulbright FLTA fellows from 42 countries are
teaching a total of 27 languages on American campuses in all 50 states
- and that includes more than 200 Fellows from 30 countries with
significant Muslim populations.  You Fulbrighters not only teach
language skills -- you also are cultural ambassadors from your
countries, providing a personal example of your culture for your
American students, the local community and local media. Vivian
Constanta, a current FLTA from Cyprus at Greenville Community College
in South Carolina, not only is teaching Greek, but also giving
presentations on various topics such as health care in Cyprus, the
role of women in the Cypriot workforce, Cypriot celebrations and
traditions. She is such a popular teacher that students have already
requested her for next semester. In addition, Vivian has also agreed
to participate in the college play "Troy," this fall, which was the
first time she has ever been on stage, so it will be a new learning
experience for her as well.

This is the second year that American Community Colleges, like
Greenville Community College where Vivian is teaching, have
participated as hosts for teaching fellows and I was pleased to learn
that this academic year, four community colleges are hosting FLTAs. On
other campuses around the country, our FLTA fellows are becoming
invaluable resources - Aly Daowd, an Egyptian FLTA at Wake Forest
University in North Carolina, has made his classes so enjoyable that
students are choosing to attend more than the required classes - when
was the last time you heard of students volunteering to attend more
classes? Aly has brought new expertise and energy to his teaching job
- he has even encouraged his students to make music videos with a
mixture of Arabic and English music and post them on You Tube.

Another FLTA participant, Fisal Younis, found that his American
students were curious about Islam and wanted to know more, so he
created a website called "Arabic: Language, People, Culture, Life,
History" for his students at Marlboro College in Vermont. He wanted to
share the message that "Islam" actually means "peace" or "peaceful
man." This kind of people-to-people diplomacy not only will improve
language skills in our country, but also will lead to better
relationships between cultures and countries.

That's why it is good news that in a very short time, the FLTA program
has grown rapidly. The number of FLTA participants has increased more
than 170% over the last 2 years. And we have added 27 countries. I
believe these language programs - and the programs where we send
Fulbright teachers from America abroad to teach English - are among
our most effective public diplomacy tools. When you teach someone a
language, you not only give them a new marketable skill, you open a
wider window to the world for them.

One of my memorable experiences as Under Secretary was traveling to
China earlier this year. I will never forget visiting a school and
watching a Fulbright scholar teaching English in China. She was using
the writings of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to teach the students.
I wish you could have been there to see those young Chinese students
saying "I Have A Dream" and learning not only English but also our
values as they read in the letter from the Birmingham jail that
"injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." It was truly
one of those magic moments that you remember the rest of your life and
the kind of moment that makes you realize why these programs are so
very important.

Thank you for your participation in this important program. You not
only will be able to improve your English skills while you are here,
you will be able to teach your native language to our American
students - and when you return home, you will be able to share the
idiomatic English that you learn and the culture you experience here
with your English students at home. That's a wonderful circle of
learning. I am glad I could come by to commend you for your work today
- this is such a significant program, it's a fitting way to close my
public diplomacy assignment here - and I hope you have a terrific
experience in our country.



http://www.blackanthem.com/News/Allies_20/Foreign-Language-Teaching-Assistant-Program-Expanding-and-Strengthening-the-Circle-of-Learning-To-Make-a-Better-World13007.shtml




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