McBride Selected by U.S. Department of State for Prestigious English Language Specialist Project

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Wendy McBride

The U.S. Department of State announced the selection of Wendy McBride of the English Language and Cultural Studies program at the U of A for a three-week English language specialist project focusing on research writing and interactive teaching at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in Trivandrum, India. McBride's project is one of more than 250 that the 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, or 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 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.

English language specialists are counted among the more than 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The English Language Specialist Program is administered by the Center for Intercultural Education and Development at Georgetown University.

"I am honored to participate in this program and to represent Arkansas in southwestern India," McBride said.

An exotic twist in McBride's extensive career in the field of English as a second language, this project follows the recent release of an open educational text written by McBride titled Sourcing, Summarizing, and Synthesizing: Skills for Effective Research Writing. Her classroom experience has included community college and workplace settings in Illinois, language schools in Japan, an intensive English program and university courses in Arkansas, and conference presentations in Toronto, Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago and Pittsburgh. Earlier publication credits outside the field of education include a novel, The Fishing Widow, and a historical overview entitled The American Amusement Park, both published under the name Wendy L. Yegoiants.

For further information about the English Language Specialist Program or the U.S. Department of State, please visit elprograms.org/specialist, contact us by telephone at 202-632-6452 or e-mail ECA-Press@state.gov.