News Story

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 13, 2024 – The U.S. Department of State recently announced Dr. Veronica Sardegna’s successful completion of a two-semester virtual English Language Specialist project focusing on technology tools for teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in Russia.

 

Dr. Sardegna, an instructor at La Roche University, was part of a select group. Her project was one of approximately 250 that the English Language Specialist Program supports each year. The project started in Fall 2023 and extended into Spring 2024.

 

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.

 

Dr. Sardegna provided expert support as two groups of teacher educators explored hundreds of interactive and artificial intelligence technology tools, learned about instructional technology (IT) and ESP lesson designs, developed technology-enhanced ESP units of instruction, and created and published an instructional manual for IT integration in ESP classrooms.

 

“I ended this virtual project with a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunity to share my expertise with teacher mentors who will inspire other teachers and their students to use instructional technology tools efficiently and in support of learning in ESP classrooms,” Dr. Sardegna said.

 

Dr. Sardegna brought to the project three decades of professional, research and leadership experiences in English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL). She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has published extensively on issues related to pronunciation teaching, instructional technology, academic writing and intercultural learning. Currently Dr. Sardegna is an instructor for La Roche University’s ESL program, which keeps her research and teaching grounded on best practices for teaching ESL.

 

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.

 

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.