Faculty from the University of Ottawa (Canada), Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute delivered a training programme on teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Naryn, attended by 17 English instructors from the School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE) UCA, in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan. Ottawa faculty members Ms Carla Hall and Ms Bianca Sherwood familiarised SPCE instructors with the newly developed EAP curriculum.

Earlier a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between School of Professional and Continuing Education and the University of Ottawa represented by it’s Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute to develop a comprehensive and intensive EAP programme at SPCE designed to prepare students for admission to university whose language of instruction is English that will consist of two levels: EAP level 1 and EAP level 2.

Held at the Naryn SPCE town campus, each level of EAP programme dealt with the three major parts of the curriculum - Speaking, Listening and Writing, analysed the overall organisation of the programme and assessment, and different approaches to teaching EAP. Instructors also had an opportunity to experience the new curriculum in practice by delivering mini-lessons.

The EAP programme will be introduced this autumn at all six SPCE, adding to current offerings in Conversational English and English for Business. Conversational English focuses on building the confidence of learners across all skills and emphasises interactive communication. English for Business, based on the curriculum of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has as its goal to prepare learners to function in the workplace and enhance their career growth. EAP will serve the needs of students and researchers who need to develop academic communicative practice.