Program and Event

U.S. Embassy Support for English Teaching

From right: Amy  Archibald, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy Vientiane; Mr. Boumthom Kenaphoum , Director of the Vientiane Secondary School, and Mr. John A. Scacco, Regional English Language Officer from U.S. Embassy Bangkok

John Scacco is joined by an English teacher from the National University at the workshop.

The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy welcomed English Language Officer John Scacco on August 27-30 for a week of workshops and meetings on teaching English as a second language. Mr. Scacco, based at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, organized half-day workshops for English professors from the National University of Laos (NUOL), teachers from secondary schools throughout Vientiane, and teachers from private institutes.

The U.S. Embassy contributes to the development of English teaching in Laos through workshops like these, by supporting Lao Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) conferences, and by providing English Teaching Forum magazine subscriptions and English teaching materials to various institutes. Workshops not only provide training in new techniques and sources for Lao teachers from colleges and universities, but also provide a rare opportunity for secondary school teachers to receive instruction in teaching techniques directly from American experts.