2004 Programs and Events

U.S. Embassy Support for English Teaching (Feb. 5, 2004)

Ambassador Hartwick welcomes students

The first week of February was a busy week for English teaching in Vientiane. The 5th annual Lao TESOL conference took place this week, with about 60 presenters giving lectures and conducting workshops for over 300 Lao teachers from every province in the country. Ambassador Hartwick delivered welcome remarks at the Opening Ceremony. A PAS grant covered the travel and conference costs for over 100 Lao teachers from every province in Laos, enabling them to attend the event. PAS also sponsored 15 English teachers from the National University, and several officials from the Ministry of Education, and an additional grant enabled three Lao English teachers to attend Thai TESOL, held just across the border in northern Thailand just before Lao TESOL. Thanks to arrangements by Bangkok-based Regional English Language Officer Richard Boyum, three Americans presented papers at the Lao TESOL conference. In addition, PAS arranged for one of them, professor Neil Anderson, to conduct two one-day workshops, one for English teachers at the National University, and one for teachers at the Lao-American College.