Summary: 30 public school English teachers will be trained in methodologies and strategies to use in the multilingual/multicultural classrooms in Roatan, Honduras.
Roatan is an island off the coast of Honduras. It is a former British colony that was returned to the Honduran government in 1861. The inhabitants spoke English as their first language but Honduras is a Spanish-speaking country. Teaching in public schools is currently in Spanish and as a result the Island English-speaking children are scoring at the lowest levels on achievement tests and their English proficiency is deteriorating. In addition, the economy of the Island has changed from primarily fishing to tourism based. The English teachers need better training on how to meet the education needs of these students. Five of the teachers will received additional training in order to become mentors for sustainability of the project. The training will last a year. Funds will cover the cost of the training, instructors, materials. Members will participate by adopting the schools involved and making sure the teachers have the proper support at the schools to be successful.