Study of English and American Culture Go Hand-in-Hand
in UAE High Schools

Yehya Al Abaadani, a high school student at the Al Rashidiya School for Boys, would like to continue his studies abroad in order to experience a variety of cultures from around the world.  He particularly admires John F. Kennedy, “because he tried to show that there were no real differences between people.”

Suood Al Shehhi, a student at the Ras Al Khaimah Secondary School for Boys, also admires John F. Kennedy “because he encouraged Americans to put their energy into the space race.”  The Civil War was one period of American history that particularly impressed him: “It showed that people were willing to fight and die for freedom.”

 After she graduates from the Al Shahama High School for Girls, Mazna Al Mansouri wants to become a graphic designer specializing in advertising and Web design.  She now feels more comfortable conversing in English, the language of much Internet communication, and that her grammar has improved.  She was surprised to learn that George Washington had wooden teeth.

On a warm May afternoon, 250 high school students from around the UAE gathered in the main hall of the Dubai Women’s College to participate in a graduation ceremony recognizing their completion of a 200-hour, seven-month course in English study that included a brief introduction to American culture and history.  The program was made possible through a grant from the U.S. State Department, which made a special effort to reach students beyond the cosmopolitan centers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where opportunities for English study are abundant.

“With this program, we wanted to bring the opportunity for English study to students who normally wouldn’t have it, so they would have a better chance to do well on college entrance exams,” said Hilary Olsin-Windecker, the public affairs officer for the U.S. embassy in Abu Dhabi.

The State Department contracted with ELS Language Centers to provide the classes to both boys’ and girls’ high schools in Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Sharjah, and several desert communities outside of Abu Dhabi.  The classes were held after school hours and participation was voluntary.  ELS Language Centers launched a pilot program at schools in Ajman and Abu Dhabi during the 2004–2005 school year and was able to expand the program this year.

Matthew Laubengayer, director of the ELS Language Center in Dubai, taught the class in Ras Al Khaimah and envisioned the program as having both a practical and long-term impact on the students: “We wanted the students to prove their English, but we didn’t want to simply offer them a class that they had to ‘get through.’  We wanted to open up a new world for them.”  Both the methodology used in the classroom and outside activities made this possible.

“Our teaching method is highly interactive, so students were encouraged to ask questions of the instructors and contribute their own views,” said Mr. Laubengayer.  “For students used to memorizing grammar rules and learning through rote memorization, this was a new learning experience.”

Constant practice both in the classroom and in real-world situations helped to boost the students’ confidence in their use of English.  Field trips took them to the U.S. consulate in Dubai, where they were able to meet with consular officials, and to a U.S. education fair, where they could discuss opportunities to study abroad with university recruiters.
Ryan Higgins taught the class in Sharjah and Ajman, and acknowledged the benefits that the field trips offered the students: “They opened their eyes to opportunities outside the Middle East.”

Many of the readings in the classes focused on a significant aspect of American history or culture, which reflected one of the aims of the class.  According to Mr. Laubengayer, “We wanted to students to leave with a better understanding of America than the images created by popular culture.  It was intended to bridge the gap between television and reality.”

While the students practiced and polished their English, they learned that the United States was once torn by civil war, that the conflict resulted 100 years later in a civil rights movement driven by black Americans.  The students were discussed one of the bedrock principles of American civic life—the separation of church and state—while reading profiles of noteworthy American statesmen such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and John F. Kennedy generated discussion of American leadership philosophies.

Alia Al Awadhi, a student at the Asma Bin Ameis Secondary School for Girls, found Colin Powell worthy of special admiration: “He came from a very simple life and rose to a position of great importance, but he was still able to communicate easily with people.”
For Shahin Al Tahri, from the Al Zait Secondary School for Girls, “America has such a big history, and there is a great difference in the regions—the Mississippi River, the South, the mountain ranges, California.”  Shahin would like to teach English to children “because it has become the global language.”  Apart from her expanded knowledge of American culture and geography, the class provided more practical benefit: “It gave me the opportunity to practice my English!”

Once she is finished with high school, Shaika Al Badi, from the Al Zait Secondary School for Girls, would like to study writing and civil engineering.  The class gave her the opportunity to learn about American government, but also the element of choice that permeates many aspects of American life: “I didn’t know that American students can choose their own courses, just like they choose candidates in an election.”  The American Revolution and the Boston Tea Party especially impressed her: it was an early example of a fledgling state reacting against a colonial power.

Opening the door of American history and culture was not an easy assignment for several of the instructors teaching the classes.  “Many of the students had initial reservations,” said Mary Alerator, who taught the class in Ajman. “But I tried to reinforce the long history of creativity and innovation that the U.S. is known for, and how it continues to this day through the National Endowment for the Arts and the Kennedy Center awards.”
 Any resistance was soon worn down.  Mr. Laubengayer introduced his students in Ras Al Khaimah to American football, and by the end of the class the boys showed that recreation can bridge cultural divides.  They produced a five-page essay, in English, on the variety of racing sports in the UAE—cars, boats, horses, and, of course, camels.

Ibrahim Al Mazooki, the social worker at the Hamza School for Boys, would now like to see the program expanded: “We should try to include more students so they could improve their English through real-life practice.  At my school we have over 800 students.”
The seven-month class may prove to be life altering for some of the students.  Jabir Al Ansari, from the Ahmed Bin Hanbal Secondary School for Boys, would like to study airfield engineering in the United States, where he would also experience the American holidays that piqued his curiosity—Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the 4th of July, and April Fool’s Day.
 Continuing English study and a greater experience of the United States will extend the experience for eight students from Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and the UAE who participated the program.  This summer, two students from each country will join the English Access Microscholarship Program Workshop for a three-week educational tour of the United States, organized by the Intrax International Institute.  To deepen their understanding of American culture and continue to practice their English, the students will stay with American host families in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco, cities that were specially chosen to expose the students to the geographic and cultural diversity of the U.S.  Their mornings will be largely devoted to English classes, while afternoons and evenings offer organized city tours to places of historic and cultural interest.

The aim is to give the students firsthand exposure to American life and the opportunity to hone their English skills through contact with native speakers.  “We want the students to experience English as it is spoken in contemporary life and also have direct contact with Americans, to see that there are real people behind the stereotypes,” said Hilary Olsin-Windecker.

Omar Al Shamsi, a student at the Ras Al Khaimah Secondary School for Boys, will be visiting the United States for the first time and is already looking forward to the experience: “I’d like to see the different regions of the country and their ways of life.  I’d also like to see what American religious life is like.”

He will be joined by Khalid Al Marzouki, from the Hamza School for Boys, who has similar interests: “I’d like to learn more about the different cultures in the U.S. and their day-to-day life.”  But readings in American history pointed out a surprising parallel between the first statesmen of the U.S. and the UAE.  Khalid would also like to learn more about American history, particularly George Washington: “He must have been a lot like Sheikh Zayed [the founder of the UAE and its ruler for over 30 years].  He must have known what had to be done to pull a country together.”