US embassy cable - 05PRETORIA4505

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 004505 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SECSTATE FOR ECA/A/E/AF EBERELSON, ECA/A/L JCONNERLEY, 
INFO AF/PD LMING 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OEXC, SCUL, OIIP, SF 
SUBJECT: FY-05 SUMMER ENGLISH TEACHING INSTITUTE - 
RESULTS REPORT  / MPP: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
(EDUCATION/ENGLISH TEACHING) 
 
 
1.   BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of State Summer 
English Teaching Institute (SETI) is a fully sponsored 
six-week program for South African teacher-trainers 
involved in English language education.  Since it's 
inception in 1986, over 500 South African English 
teachers and teacher-trainers from the Department of 
Education, universities and non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) have come through the program hosted 
by different universities in the United States.  The 
University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) hosted this year's 
program from June 17 to July 31, 2005, with five weeks in 
Philadelphia, and the last week in Washington, D.C. 
UPenn offered intensive training on developing content- 
based instructional materials in three thematic areas: 
Entrepreneurship, Civic Education, and HIV/Aids. 
 
2. THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM:  The SETI-2005 group found the 
UPenn program to be well organized and efficiently 
delivered. The mornings were spent in lectures, and the 
afternoons either in the computer lab, the library, or 
visiting organizations involved with Entrepreneurship, 
Civic Education, or HIV/AIDS. Participants generally 
found the academic content to be relevant, timely, and 
effective in addressing curriculum and social justice 
considerations in South Africa.  Teaching English through 
content-based instruction is a valuable way of using 
cross-curricular material as well as getting educators to 
work with the curriculum documents in a way which allows 
them to become more knowledgeable about their subject. 
Backward design resonates with the Design Down process 
which Education Specialists are advocating in South 
Africa. Furthermore, the Blackboard Teaching system was 
an amazing example of how learning and teaching can be 
enhanced utilizing new technology. 
 
3. CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS:  The SETI-2005 participants 
agreed that UPenn and the Department of State went to 
amazing lengths to ensure their exposure to as much of 
American life as possible.  They were impressed by the 
home stays, which illustrated the daily life of 
Americans, and made them realize that they were not that 
different. They were deeply impressed by an eatery in 
Philadelphia that employs HIV positive people and offers 
counseling sessions to anyone who wants to stop by and 
talk. They praised the White Dog Cafe, a restaurant 
linked to the Enterprise Center in Philadelphia that 
teaches students how to start a business. Highlights of 
the cultural aspect included a concert by the 
Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra; "West Side Story"; and 
"Crowns."  It was great to be accompanied by the UPenn 
teaching assistants around Philadelphia. A group visit to 
the cinema to watch the movie "Crash" highlighted the 
racial prejudice that exists in people world-wide, but 
also demonstrated that there is hope for people to 
transform. The Live 8 and Philadelphia Freedom Concerts 
were other highlights. 
 
4. LIVING HISTORY:  The history of America's independence 
and various social and civil struggles became a reality 
for them when they visited institutions such as the 
National Liberty Museum and Constitutional Centre. New 
York and the somber reality of ground zero, the 
seriousness of the United Nations, the solidity of the 
New York Stock Exchange, the excitement of seeing the 
Statue of Liberty, the euphoria at being on the top of 
the Empire State building was balanced by the wonderful 
hive of activity in Little Italy, Chinatown and Harlem, 
where they enjoyed both Italian and African American 
cuisine. In Washington they visited the White House, the 
Vietnam War Memorial, The Holocaust Museum, and the 
Smithsonian Institute. 
 
5. RESULTS:  All in all, participants said their six 
weeks in the United States of America was a life changing 
experience in the sense that they met new friends, 
challenged their assumptions about Americans and their 
fellow South Africans, pushed the boundaries of their 
intellect, gained a deep sense of the intrinsic qualities 
which bind people despite their differences, and came 
home determined to use this knowledge to enhance their 
personal and professional lives. They were all eager to 
participate in future developments with other SETI alumni 
and look forward to SETI's 20th anniversary in 2006. 
 
6. CHALLENGES BACK HOME:  Like many previous SETI groups, 
the 2005 participants expressed frustration with their 
South African schools and Department of Education offices 
for showing little interest in what they had learned and 
failing to facilitate opportunities for them to share and 
implement what they brought back. 
 
7. RECOMMENDATIONS:  The 2005 group recommended that 
future groups be more careful about time management and 
get started on the projects much earlier. The week before 
presentation of the final product was extremely traumatic 
and stressful.  They also urged the U.S. Embassy to seek 
a memorandum of understanding or other agreement with the 
South African Department of Education regarding the 
Department's commitment to involving SETI alumni in 
curriculum design, in-service training and materials 
development on their return. 
 
HARTLEY