The Omsk English Language Teachers’ Association in Russia launched a two-year project, "Empowering English Language Teachers for Education Policy Development," in September 2006 with funding from the Education Support Program's Resourcing Education: Fund for Innovations and Networking (RE:FINE) grant program.
The goal of the project is to establish a proactive, cross-regional network of English language associations that advocate for the needs and rights of English teachers. It promotes higher teaching standards through the effective use of resources, accumulated in the course of English language reform activities in participating countries (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Russia).
The project has already produced English language teaching materials designed by professionals from four associations of the network. Best-practices seminars have been held in several Russian cities including Omsk, Novy Urengoy, and Noyabrsk. As the result of the project, participants will publish a feasibility study for a quality-assurance program.
On November 6-7, 2007, the Omsk English Language Teachers’ Association will hold an international conference, with the support of the Open Society Institute and Omsk State Teacher Training University, titled "The Learning Environment for English Language Teaching." The conference objectives are as follows:
- to share best practices;
- to explore field teachers’ role in education policy;
- to promote networking, exchange, and communication among specialists in different regions and countries.