The Embassy at ARTESOL Conference

August 28-29, 2009

PDO, Kathleen Corey visits with Rosana Greco and Liliana Montserrat, Teacher Ambassador Alumni 2008

Representatives from the Cultural Affairs Section of the US Embassy attended the 22nd Annual ARTESOL Convention, held at the National University of La Pampa in Santa Rosa on August 28-29, 2009.  A group of over 150 educators comprised of English Language teachers, teacher trainers and administrators from all over Argentina participated in various plenary presentations, workshops, poster exhibitions, and concurrent sessions.  The Embassy enabled Speaker of Opportunity, Professor LaVerne Delorey, to present a plenary on “Questioning Strategies that Promote Critical Thinking Skills.” Ms. Delorey also participated in a panel discussion on Teacher Education along with local professionals, including the Academic Directors from the Binational Centers in Cordoba and Buenos Aires who provided insightful overviews of the English Language programs at their private English Language institutions.
The Embassy also provided funding to Rosana Greco and Liliana Montserrat, Teacher Ambassador Alumni 2008, who jointly held a workshop on “The Eyes of Texas” in conjunction with a poster session on “Glimpses of Texas Culture.”  Both sessions were attended by enthusiastic English Language teachers who praised their dynamic presentations.  PAS also funded Edith Luna Villanueva, Teacher Ambassador Alumni 2007, who gave an instructive plenary on “The ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in the English Teaching Classroom” which was met with great success.
Present at the convention were book exhibits from local publishers, as well as a stand organized by the local La Pampa BNC (IPICANA) that provided information on the Argentine BNCs’ English Language programs.   Various publications from English Language Office of the US State Department, such as ELT Forum and Dynamic English magazines, were distributed free of charge.  The Embassy also donated additional English Language Learning materials for a complementary mega raffle held after the closing ceremony in which the majority of educators attending the conference benefited greatly.
In a continued effort to support the importance of professional educational associations in Argentina, the US Embassy assisted ARTESOL in creating an ideal atmosphere for participants to share their ideas and experiences, ultimately strengthening cultural exchanges among English Language educators from all over the country.