​Tiffany Probasco-Francis, instructor in English, has been selected by the U.S. Department of State for a seven-month English Language​ Specialist project in which she will work virtually with educators in Brazil.
Beginning in late February, she will focus on supporting educators who want to work on social justice and community organizing for themselves in their work. These teachers will also work with about 140 students in a program called Access E2C (English to Connect, Communicate and Catalyze) and with students in the Regional English Language Office (RELO) to create projects in their professional fields, particularly business and entrepreneurship.
In announcing her selection, the State Department noted that Probasco-Francis is part of a select group, as the English Language Specialist Program supports only about 240 projects each year.
Probasco-Francis, an English educator for over 15 years in the U.S. and internationally, specializes in academic English as a Second Language curriculum, developmental English and English Language Learning teacher education.
The Access E2C program in Brazil targets bright, early career professionals of Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous descent between the ages of 18 and 35 who are economically disadvantaged. The program provides a foundation of English language instruction paired with job skill development with a focus on identity, entrepreneurship and the information on other professional programs in which they may be interested.
RELO in Brazil is part of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and seeks to support English language education and knowledge of U.S. culture throughout Brazil.
The English Language Specialist Program is the premier opportunity for leaders in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (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, the State Department said, and those selected represent the best of the U.S. TESOL community. ​
