Fox Cities News

A distinguished University of Wisconsin Oshkosh professor of teaching and learning has added to his recent Board of Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award with another honor.

The U.S. Department of State announced the selection of UWO Prof. Donald Hones for a three-month English language specialist project focusing on public policy in Yemen. Hones is part of a select group, with his project being one of approximately 240 that the English Language Specialist Program supports each year. The project runs from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28, and beginning in January, Hones will provide three hours of virtual workshops to participants in Yemen each week.

“I am excited about this opportunity to work with the U.S. State Department,” he said. “My first graduate program focused on Arab and Islamic studies and I am eager to learn from colleagues in Yemen as I also provide English support and resources, especially in the area of grant writing. I am also happy that learning materials and modules that I develop in this project can be used in other countries in the region. This project will also provide me with an opportunity to further develop my skills as a virtual educator.”

Hones has more than 40 years of experience in the field of English language teaching and teacher preparation. Besides his work in the United States, he has worked with the Fulbright Commission and a consortium of universities for teacher training in Ecuador.

He will draw on his background in political science and Islamic and Arabian Studies as part of the online education project, which seeks to build capacity and English fluency among professionals in Yemen. Online instructional modules developed through this project may also be used for professional development in neighboring countries through the U.S. State Department.

The English Language Specialist Program is an opportunity for leaders in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) to enact meaningful changes abroad. Through projects developed by U.S. Embassies in more than 80 countries, specialists work directly with local teacher trainers, educational leaders, and ministry officials to exchange knowledge, build capacity, and establish partnerships benefiting participants globally.

Since 1991, the program has supported various projects where TESOL scholars promote English language learning, enhance teaching capacity, and foster mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries through cultural exchange.

English Language Specialists are among over 50,000 individuals participating annually in U.S. Department of State exchange programs administered by Georgetown University's Center for Intercultural Education and Development.

More information about the English Language Specialist Program or the U.S. Department of State can be found at elprograms.org/specialist

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