ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - The U.S. Department of State has selected Education Professor Marshall Jones of Winthrop University for a two-week English Language Specialist project focusing on the use of technology in teaching and learning in Vietnam.
Jones will be keynoting this month at the VietTESOL conference at Nha Trang University in Nha Trang, Vietnam, which is the largest meeting of teachers of English as a second language in Vietnam. Jones will discuss Open Educational Resources, which are found in the public domain, during the conference and at two other sites.
He will be leading workshops for K12 teachers, university faculty, and others in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi on how to find resources and other technologies to support teaching English as a second language.
Follow his activities on Twitter and on his YouTube channel.
A professor and program director for the Master of Education in Learning Design and Technology at Winthrop, Jones specializes in learning design, online learning, Open Educational Resources and the use of technology to support teaching and learning. He has previous international experience in countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines, Ukraine and also Vietnam.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to return to Vietnam,” Jones said. “I look forward to working with my existing colleagues while there and in meeting new ones. Cross cultural exchanges are excellent opportunities to learn from each other.”
After graduating from Furman University, Jones began his career teaching English as a second language at a secondary school in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Thailand. His two years in Thailand began his career-long interest in working with other cultures.
English Language Specialist Program
Jones is part of a select group chosen by the State Department to be among 240 projects that the department’s English Language Specialist Program supports each year.
The English Language Specialist Program is the premier opportunity for leaders in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) to enact meaningful and sustainable changes in the way that English is taught abroad. Through projects developed by U.S. Embassies in more than 80 countries, English Language Specialists such as Jones work directly with local teacher trainers, educational leaders, and ministry of education officials to exchange knowledge, build capacity, and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities in the United States and overseas.
Since 1991, the English Language Specialist Program has supported in-country, virtual,
and mixed projects in which hundreds of TESOL scholars and educators promote English
language learning, enhance English teaching capacity, and foster mutual understanding
between the U.S. and other countries through cultural exchange.
During their projects, English Language Specialists may conduct intensive teacher
training, advise ministries of education or participate in high-level educational
consultations, and offer plenary presentations at regional, national or international
TESOL conferences. These projects are challenging and those selected represent the
best of the U.S. TESOL community. In return, the program provides professional development
opportunities to help participants experience different cultures and build skills
that can greatly enhance their TESOL careers at home.
For further information about the English Language Specialist Program or the U.S. Department of State, please visit elprograms.org/specialist, call 202/632-6452 or e-mail ECA-Press@state.gov.
