Atlas Corps, started in 2006, is an international network of nonprofit leaders and organizations

that promotes innovation, cooperation, and solutions to address the worlds 21st century
challenges. Their mission is to address critical social issues by developing leaders, strengthening
organizations, and promoting innovation through an overseas fellowship of skilled nonprofit
professionals. Profiled as a best practice in international exchange by the Brookings Institution
and World Economic Forum, featured in the Washington Post and Forbes as a model social
entrepreneurship program, and recognized as a Top 10 International Voluntary Exchange
Program by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, Atlas Corps engages leaders committed to
the nonprofit sector in 6 to 18 month, professional fellowships at organizations (like Ashoka,
Peace Corps, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure), to learn best practices, build organizational
capacity, and return home to create a network of global change makers. Their network of
Fellows includes over 500 nonprofit leaders from 83 countries and 150 Host Organizations.
The Atlas Corps Teaching Fellowship is an English teaching opportunity for emerging
professionals. The opportunities we offer are a collaboration between Atlas Corps and our two
partners in Latin America Heart for Change and Volunteers Colombia, who work with
different governmental agencies in Colombia and other countries from nationwide Ministries
of Education and public schools to local vocational training programs.
Through this collaboration, our mission is to facilitate the development of a prosperous Latin
America where children and youth have the opportunity to receive a high-quality bilingual
education.
The program we offer in Colombia specifically is the countrys largest bilingual program. In its
first year, 350 Fellows taught alongside 1,050 Colombian teachers, strengthening English
education for nearly 98,000 public high school students in 33 cities. Today Fellows teach English
in 38 different Colombian cities.
Atlas Corps Teaching Fellows learn leadership skills in an international context while advancing
English language skills in youth. The benefits of this prestigious fellowship include a living
stipend, general and TEFL teacher training, ongoing professional development, and engagement
in the global Atlas Corps network of over 500 leaders from 80+ countries!
In Indonesia, more than 700 living languages are spoken throughout the country with Bahasa
Indonesia recognized as the official language. It can be implied that Indonesians are familiar
with more than 2 languages considering mother tongue and first language as their natives.
Having a wide variety of vernacular, mastering a new language appears to be effortless for
Indonesians. However, English is exceptional in this case. Indonesians find English quite
challenging to be learned. A number of issues have been the cause of language problems, for
instance: inappropriate learning system, Indonesians perspective, and lack of motivation which
disable Indonesian from learning English.
Initially, the main objective of studying English is to communicate effectively and efficiently by
using the international language. Students are obligated to learn English starting from junior high
school up to senior high school which is estimated at 6 years of studying in normal phase. As a
matter of fact, spending a large amount of time in English lesson is not a guarantee to achieve
this enhanced communication skill. Schools concentrate English more on subject rather than on
proficiency level which shows a failure in language solely purpose. High score obtained in
semester report means that students are able to comprehend English merely in theory. Many
designed materials and tests found on the textbooks assess students other skills such as listening,
reading and writing, while speaking, on the other hand, becomes trivial object in teaching and
learning process.
Similar case can be spotted in university level. A new policy requires students from selected
faculties to follow TOEFL test in order to accomplish their study. The test is presumed necessary
concerning English communication as one of requirements either for working or for study-need.
The problem is that no English has been lectured during 4-year-study in university particularly
for non-English students, leaving the language practically inconvenient to learn. Supposedly, the
inappropriate system which is encountered by Indonesian should be revised to provide students
with high opportunity to achieve English learning purpose.
While the blame is put on the learning system, another point of view indicates that Indonesians
perspective contribute to the inability of mastering English. Indonesians think highly on foreign
language to the point of reluctantly having errors in communication. It restrains them from
speaking the language which is very crucial in learning development. Practicing English with
companion in public places is also considered imperious and disrespectful attitude toward
Bahasa Indonesia, though vernacular is accepted in most occasion with no limitation. This
perception definitely keeps the foreign language at the distance, neither attempted to learn nor
applied in society.
Furthermore, awareness about the importance of English has not been realized in Indonesian
universities and working background. There is a view that English is not essential for the
majority of fields considering the unavailability of English requirement for these scopes. Non-
English lecturers have no obligation to study the language unless they intend to study overseas or
need international publication. Meanwhile, employee in local institutions and companies are
revealed to have no difference by any means. Their duties and responsibilities do not require
English to the extended level which is believed to be insignificant for them. These perspectives
and restriction which derives from public opinion should be removed from Indonesians thoughts
with the intention to encourage learners mastering the foreign language.
Learning English also involves inner motivation to reduce languages complexity instilled in
Indonesians mind. Motivation plays important role as the language cannot be managed to
comprehend by unenthusiastic outlook from the learners. Somehow, lacking of motivation turns
out to be one of major obstacles not only for learners but also for the continuity of language
acquisition. Studying English will definitely bring boredom to individual who spends most of the
time dealing with the same issue. Indonesians are susceptible to difficulty, pushing an early stop
of English learning which results in their own loss. Such situation is frequently occurred after
long-term studying with no significant improvement.
Another reason which causes Indonesians lose their motives of studying English is that their
lives are full of activities. There are many important matters that need to be completed before
focusing on the foreign language. Though they are paying more attention to it, they will slowly
be unmotivated towards English context as lots of activities keep them away from using the
language. It is supposed that self-control might slow down the process of being unmotivated
person. Knowing the notable priority without ignoring others will stabilize the motivation toward
English learning. Even though learners will experience boredom in the end, having a
considerable quality in learning process will definitely improve Indonesians proficiency in
English.
In conclusion, learning a language especially English is apparently easier to learn due to
Indonesians adaptability toward many languages. However, observed from some obstacles
encountered in Indonesia which are similar to many other countries whose first language is not
English, it is concluded that the foreign language itself is still assumed as complex language to
be learned. All aspects including factor of external and internal which disable Indonesians to
acquire the language might be overcome by giving more efforts and determination in learning
development. Identifying the problems and knowing how to solve them are the major points for
Indonesians to achieve the proficiency level in English.
The English Language Fellow Program administered by the U.S. State Department is a unique
program that recruits highly qualified U.S. educators in the field of Teaching English to Speakers
of Other Languages (TESOL) to participate in 10-month-long fellowships at academic
institutions throughout the world. Fellows typically serve as full-time teachers of English as a
foreign or second language to diverse groups, ranging from college students to professionals.
The priority deadline is November 30, 2015, but applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
We found that fellows are seen as serving on the front lines of U.S. Embassy public diplomacy
initiatives to increase mutual understanding between the United States and other countries. To
learn more about this opportunity, we caught up with English Language Fellow Fabio de
Oliveira Coelho, who is based in Indonesia.
1. What inspired you to apply for the English Language Fellowship?
I learned English as a second language, and I have always been intrigued by the language
development process of language users like me living in the US. For this reason, I have worked
in the US as a bilingual teacher and also as a writing tutor for English learners in college. In the
past few years, I have been able to work on a project to assist and support teachers of English
in Nicaragua. This particular experience helped me develop an interest in performing my
professional duties internationally. The English Language Fellow program has been a great
match.
As a fellow I have gained a very concrete sense of the struggles and accomplishments of English
learners and teachers of English abroad. I have also learned about the positive and negative
effects a foreign language can have on local languages, depending on how it is taught and on
how national and local policies are developed.
2. What is a typical week like for an English Language Fellow?
I have a weekly schedule of classes at my institutions, which include 20 hours of direct contact
time, plus a few extra interactions. These hours are filled with classes for students, workshops for
lecturers and staff, and also cultural activities about English.
I spend most of my time teaching locally at my host institution, and this is the best part of the
program, for it has allowed me to develop meaningful connections over time and get to know
local habits and customs. I interact daily with lecturers, university leaders, and mostly with
college students.
About twenty percent of my time is also spent working in other cities, participating in
conferences and seminars, and visiting other institutions of higher education. This allows me to
get a broader view of education in Indonesia and understand how macro-level decisions affect
program development and teaching.
3. What tips would you give others applying to the English Language Fellowship?
I would first suggest that applicants stress their flexibility and ability to communicate
successfully in foreign cultures or in adverse situations. While the program has a strong support
network for fellows around the world, the situations we face daily may become problems or not
depending on how we deal with them and on how skillfully we defuse tension, when it ever
happens. I find that most of my interactions with locals are positive and meaningful. However,
there are also those rare moments when a bit of patience and tact in communicating have proved
effective in avoiding unnecessary tension or stress.
I would also stress that applicants go abroad with a genuine desire to learn about the foreign
culture or language. Locals tend to see foreigners who make this effort, even when small, as
partners, as opposed to just visitors. And this change in perspective can maximize the potential
for collaboration and the development of projects that actually address local needs and agendas.
The English Language Fellow program is a great program for those committed to teaching and to
learning about the role that English plays in education and social life abroad. Besides, host
institutions need fellows with different types of experience and from different areas of
specialization within TESOL.