Dr. Sarah Henderson Lee Selected by U.S. Department of State for Prestigious English Language Specialist Project
11-Week Project To Focus on Current Trends in English Academic and Research Writing in Russia
On August 8, 2022, the U.S. Department of State announced the selection of Dr. Sarah Henderson Lee of Minnesota State University, Mankato for an 11-week English Language Specialist project focusing on current trends in English academic and research writing in Russia. Dr. Henderson Lee is part of a select group, as her project is one of approximately 240 that the English Language Specialist Program supports each year.
Dr. Henderson Lee is a Professor of English at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she directs the multilingual writing program and teaches in the graduate Rhetoric & Composition and TESOL programs. She recently served as a Fulbright Scholar in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where she researched the relationship between English teachers’ writing practices and pedagogies. Her research focuses on second language (L2) writing teacher education, literacy practices of immigrant and resident multilingual adolescents and adults, and world Englishes and composition. For this Specialist assignment, Henderson Lee will conduct virtual writing workshops withfaculty at ITMO University in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
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 and those selected represent the best of the U.S. TESOL community. In return, the program provides professional development opportunities to help participants experience different cultures and build skills that can greatly enhance their TESOL careers at home.
English Language Specialists are counted among the more than 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The Specialist Program is administered by the Center for Intercultural Education and Development at Georgetown University.
For further information about the English Language Specialist Program or the U.S. Department of State, visit elprograms.org/specialist, contact them by telephone at 202-632-6452, or e-mail ECA-Press@state.gov.
