Thanks Makassed, for Making the First Annual Makassed English Language Teachers Conference a Great Success!
On June 27th, 2006 more than 124 Makassed K-12 teachers from 27 different schools in Beirut, South Lebanon, North Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley participated in the conference entitled "Making A Difference: Strengthening Our Community Through Communication". The conference was organized by the English Language Coordinators, Maha Chalak and Tamara Itani, the Director of Educational Affairs, Dr. Kamel Dallal and the English Language Fellow at the Makassed Educational Directorate in Beirut. The opening ceremony included congratulatory speeches by Makassed president, Mr. Amine Daouk, U.S. Embassy Cultural Affairs Attache Mr.Ryan Gliha, and the Chairman of the Educational Affairs, Mr. Mohamad Mashnouk. Senior English Language Fellow from Syria, Tarey Reilly gave the keynote address entitled "Personalize! Personalize! Personalize! Promoting Authentic Communication through Values Clarification. From Classroom to Community." The local English language teachers: Sahar Chaer, Rana Lawand, Lina Tfaily, Nabiha Karanouh, Rola Kazem, Samira Dishari, Ghada Itani, Khalil Shehab principal Ghina Badawi together with the ELFs Tarey Reilly and Russell Barczyk and LAU professor Rima Bahous gave 11 interactive workshops on a variety of topics. There was an expert panel discussion which led the audience in a discussion of "Accuracy vs. Fluency". The conference took place from 8:30a.m. - 5:00pm and included lunch and publishers exhibits. The closing ceremony included speeches by Tamara Itani and Dr.Dallal as well as an awards ceremony in which the presenters received medals from the Makassed president, Mr. Amine Daouk. Finally, the day ended on a celebratory note with the book raffle during which most attendees won something. Big thanks to the publishers, World Heritage, Samir Editeur, Scholastic, Levant, Griffin, Librairie du Liban and Rubi Accessories for donating raffle prizes.
The conference evaluation form, completed by the participants,revealed that the teachers unanimously enjoyed the variety and quality of the teachers’ presentations, the smooth coordination and organization of the day’s events and the opportunity to meet Makassed teachers from different regions of Lebanon.
The majority of teachers expressed interest in participating in the next conference either by presenting or organizing. As for suggestions, the majority of participants stated that they would change the date of the conference to earlier in the year so that they might take the ideas fresh into the classroom and that it would be more beneficial if it were spread over several days. The Makassed administration showed enormous support for the event, which was perceived as a model for other departments within the association and they intend to publish the proceedings of the conference. It would seem that a tradition has been established!
Thanks go to the Makassed administration and the U.S.Embassy public affairs section for all their support, the room monitors and registration committee, the presenters and to all the teachers who attended and made this first conference a great success.

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First Annual Makassed English Language Teachers Conference on June 27th, 2006.

All Makassed English teachers (KG-12) are invited to attend the conference at the Educational Directorate in the El Gezairi Building, Beirut from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00p.m. on Tuesday, June 27th. Our theme is: "Making a Difference: Strengthening Our Community Through Communication". There will be guest speakers and local Makassed teachers presenting on a variety of topics ranging from Motivating Young Learners to Alternative Assessment. Publishers will be exhibiting their books and providing prizes for the raffle.

This is an exciting opportunity to meet your colleagues from all over Lebanon. Make a difference. Be there on Tuesday, June 27th to connect with your community of Makassed English Teachers.

Bravo Bekaa Valley Makassed English Teachers!

On May 24th, English teachers from 10 rural Makassed schools finished their thirteenth 3 1/2 hour workshop in a year-long training series with the English Language Fellow at the Makassed School in Al Marj. The teachers celebrated their final meeting with cake and tabouleh and later received certificates from the Director of Educational Affairs, Dr. Kamel Dallal and Rural Schools Director, Mr. Adel Bahlawan in a ceremony on June 7th. Congratulations to Naela, Mona, Ibtihaj and Nada from Majdel Anjar; Hana and Inass from Sawiri; Ghassam and Suzan from Qaraoun; Dhawaba, Mohamed and Janet from Lala; Nouha, Rabeaa and Yousra from Gazza; Zeina and Lotfiye from Kamed Allouz; Suzan, Maha, Ohayla and Hilal from Bar Elias; Mahmoud and Heiam from El Louaize; and Hadieh, Meriem, Zahia, Rania and Assad from Al Marj and finally, Roba and Rajia from Kob Elias.
The teachers actively participated in the following workshops:

• Lesson Planning, Objectives and The Structure of A Good Lesson
  Classroom Management and the roles of the teacher and students
  Methods: Cooperative Learning, TPR, TBL
  Techniques in Teaching Reading
  Techniques in Teaching Process Writing
  Techniques for Teaching Vocabulary Presentation and Practice
  Techniques in Teaching Dictation Effectively
  Roleplay and Drama techniques for the classroom
  Assessment: Using Rubrics and creating valid tests
  Textbook Selection: The process and criteria
  Teaching Grammar communicatively
  Techniques in Teaching Listening
  Techniques in Teaching Speaking

The teachers rated as their favorites, the workshops about Roleplay, Listening Techniques and Process Writing.

Thanks go to everyone at Marj school who so graciously hosted us, especially to the director Mr. Jamal Farhat.

Hilal, Maha and Susan looking very happy at their accomplishment.