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The
opportunity to pioneer ELT in Iraqi Kurdistan has
never been better as English is perceived as a vital
tool in education and business and is emerging as
the second language in the region. Despite the
recent instability in the rest of Iraq, ELT
initiatives have taken off in the peaceful and
secure Kurdistan Region.
‘Pioneer’ is an apt description of my work here in
Iraqi Kurdistan, as most new initiatives to the
region are modern and ground breaking especially in
the development of up-to-date courses using the
latest teaching and ICT methods available.
I first taught in the region in 2001/2 and had to
leave because of the imminent war, this lead to me
returning to the UK and forging a link with the
British Council, whereby I partook in various
projects such as the ‘Vocational Partnerships’ where
14 delegates from 7 Technical Institutes across Iraq
spent 3 weeks looking at teaching methods and
college organisation with backing from the
Association of Colleges. We then invited 10
lecturers from 4 Universities in Northern Iraq on a
6 week intensive teacher training programme at
Huddersfield Technical College, one of the main
outcomes was the birth of the English Language
Teachers’ Association of Kurdistan (ELTAK).
Three of the lecturers who took part in the Teacher
Training programme, head the English department of
their respective universities and as a direct result
of the course returned to make changes; such as in
the University of Dohuk where team teaching and
role-play have been introduced for the first time in
the English conversation classes.
Larger classes have been split into much smaller
manageable groups, with many becoming more student
centred. Motivation and participation has increased
as a result, this can be seen most in the
department’s drama class who have put on productions
of Macbeth and are now preparing for a production of
the Merchant of Venice. One of the drama teachers
commented on increased language awareness, usage,
and understanding. She also added that students are
becoming more actively involved in lessons and are
eager to give up their free time to work on the
plays, they have also noticed a direct improvement
in grades as their confidence has increased.
The teachers themselves have found this more student
centred approach to be more labour intensive
especially in the preparation stage; but have found
the students enthused reaction to be a most
gratifying reward. As the situation in Mosul became
unbearable over recent months many students have
transferred to the University of Dohuk and they have
noticed the different teaching methods applied there
and have been very receptive to it as their English
skills have shown a definite improvement. As a
result they talk confidently about how effective the
application of these methods have proved.
Another improvement has been in the introduction of
a college notice board, where students can write and
display their own articles, comments and poems, in
Sulaymania they have gone one step further and the
department produces its own newsletter in English
with contributions from staff and students, Dohuk
are hoping to do the same sometime this year.
The departments themselves are looking a lot
brighter with posters on the wall. In Erbil and
Sulaymania the whole department has had a complete
refurbishment; but there is still a problem with a
lack of resources. The English Departments of the
Northern Iraqi Universities still lack specialised
English Language books especially for those students
studying towards a MA. In spite of this, they do
their best and try to glean information from the
internet; but they still need access to books and
journals.
On a smaller scale individuals have brought in books
from the West; but it does little to fill the
yawning gap. To try and plug this gap a little, we
are planning within ELTAK to set up a database of
English Language Resources, so that the English
departments in Dohuk, Sulaymania, Erbil and Kirkuk
can share resources and check on the database for
access to a particular reference.
In September 2004 I returned permanently to
Kurdistan and took up my post as an English language
lecturer at the University of Dohuk, part of my role
is to set up and run the University’s English
Language Centre, where in collaboration with an
American English language teacher, we are hoping to
run IELTS and TOEFL courses, we are also hoping to
open and run a similar centre at the University of
Salahddin in Erbil.
I have also been working on ELTAK; but that hasn’t
been without problems finding suitable times for
meetings and the logistics of gathering the founding
members together has not proved easy. We are now in
the process of getting the association legalised by
the Kurdistan Regional Government so that we can
apply for funding and also be allocated a fully
furnished office. We then hope to open the
association to new members ranging from English
Language University Lecturers to English Primary
school teachers, but we will be doing this in
stages.
With the increased stability of Kurdistan many
families who fled the country in the 80’s and 90’s
to Europe, neighbouring Middle Eastern Countries,
America and Canada are now returning in large
numbers. Subsequently the Ministry of Education has
the task of integrating these children into the main
stream education system. This has lead to new
government initiatives such as the establishment of
schools with a modified curriculum to help them.
Consequently I have set up a pilot IGCSE scheme;
whereby I have a class of students ranging between
the ages of 14-17 many of whom have studied English
abroad. This year they will take part in a
foundation course which I hope will next year lead
them to taking the International GCSE in English. If
this pilot scheme proves successful I would like to
broaden it into other subjects and introduce it to
similar schools across Kurdistan and Iraq.
His Excellency, The Minister of Education, Mr
Abdul-Aziz Taeeb has been very supportive of these
new programmes and has given both personal and
financial support from the Ministry of Higher
Education and Scientific Research. He is also
supporting the introduction of English to primary
school education at year 3; which is a first in
Iraq. New text books and curriculum have been
devised and are now being piloted in selected
schools in Erbil and Dohuk, if this proves
successful then it will be extended to all primary
schools in the region.
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