Access Teacher Development Online Program (ATDOP)
ATDOP 2011-12, Enhancing Teachers’ Skills in Listening, Speaking, and Pedagogy
The University of Oregon’s American English Institute (UO-AEI) was pleased to work with the US Department of State ECA/A/L in a Cooperative Agreement for the Access Teacher Online Development Program (ATDOP). English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) teachers were nominated by and received ATDOP scholarships from the U.S. Embassies or Consulates in their regions. ATDOP courses were offered to teachers from 8 countries: Burkina Faso, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, and Russia.
ATDOP Course Objectives
- Enhance speaking skills of participants in small group sessions and with a weekly audio journal.
- Enhance listening skills of participants in small group sessions and with self-study activities.
- Enhance teaching skills of participants in listening, speaking, and pronunciation through readings and online discussion, self-study activities, and their participation in model lessons.
- Enhance teaching networks by encouraging collaboration among participants on weekly discussions, in small group sessions, and with ongoing interaction through the course social networking site (Ning).
ATDOP Course Components
- Weekly small group meetings with the course instructor, who will teach a model lesson and facilitate discussion about the lesson (real-time).
- Weekly small group meetings with a conversation partner, who will facilitate informal discussions (real-time).
- Weekly audio journal where participants reflect on what they have learned each week.
- Self-study to improve listening and speaking skills using online resources; participants record what they did and their reflections in a self-study log.
- Reading and online discussion (asynchronous).
- Whole-group webinars at different times during the course.
- Final project: a lesson plan that integrates new methods and activities for teaching listening or speaking.
ATDOP Schedule
| UO Terms | Registration | Course Start Date | Course End Date |
| Winter 2012, 10-week Online Courses | [closed] | January 9, 2012 | March 16, 2012 |
| Spring 2012, 10-week Online Courses | [closed] | April 09, 2012 | June 15, 2012 |
| Summer 2012, 10-week Online Courses | [closed] | June 25, 2012 | August 31, 2012 |
| Fall 2012, Exchange Program Part 1, 4 weeks UO and DC* | [closed] | September 24, 2012 | October 19, 2012 |
| Fall 2012, Exchange Program Part 2, 5 weeks Online Course | [closed] | October 29, 2012 | December 07, 2012 |
ATDOP Professional Development Exchange Program, Fall 2012
The 26 participants in the Fall 2012 ATDOP Exchange Program were selected on the basis of:
- Outstanding performance in online ATDOP coursework in 2012.
- Availability to attend the exchange program on a J-1 visa and with a valid passport [USA citizens are not eligible].
- Capacity to implement long-term projects related to online and US-based ATDOP training in local communities as a current Access educator.
- No previous participation in a US Government-sponsored exchange program to the USA.
- No previous experience in the online course or US exchange parts of the E-Teacher Scholarship Program 2009-12.
- Approval from ATDOP program officers in Washington, DC plus local US Embassies.