Building the Quality of Adult Education and English Language Teaching in Mongolia

The Achiever

DECEMBER 2014 Issue 3

Welcome to the third edition of the Achiever, the second for 2014. This year has been both a busy and exciting one for the Institute of Education and Training. It has been truly inspiring for me to see all the things that IET has accomplished since I arrived in May. Not long after arriving, I had the opportunity to visit the summer literacy camps that IET supports, including the first ever English literacy camp for disadvantaged children. It was the commitment to give back to the community – through the promotion of parent and youth education - that made me realize how unique the IET is amongst other English Training Institutions. On several occasions, I have also been able to meet and talk with the students going through our bridging course. I have particularly enjoyed watching their English skills improve from week to week, strengthening my conviction concerning what IET does. In short, I am proud to be working with the IET. I am also excited about 2015, which is rapidly approaching. In the year ahead, I look forward to the establishment of an ‘English Practice Corner’ where former students and students in general can, one day a week, speak with each other and practice their English. I also look forward to making the website a more integral part of the IET student experience, with the creation of an effective student portal on our new website (www.ietmongolia.com). Finally, I look forward to witnessing future successful summer camps, and speaking to the new students of our future courses – I am certain 2015 will be yet another great year for IET. I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate the IET board and staff for making this year to be as successful as it was, and I hope you – the reader – enjoy this edition of the Achiever. Blake McDermott

Contents 2) Improving your English Formal Writing

3) Interview of a Bridging Course Student

4) Interview of an alumna

5) Profile of the University of Newcastle

7) The IET Summer Literacy Camp Project

9) IET Teams with National Academy of

Governance

10) The 2014 IET Quiz Night

11) Contact Information

1

What do I need to do to write well in formal English?

Writing well in formal English has several specific requirements, some of which may be different from what you are used to with writing in Mongolian. If you are preparing for academic study in English and need to achieve an adequate IELTS, or perhaps TOEFL score, then you need to become familiar with the formal writing style. This is not quite the full Academic Style needed for longer university assignments, but exams like IELTS are “stepping stones” to academic study and the fundamental requirements are much the same. These are what I think are three of the most important aspects: 1) Formal writing is cautious in its claims and

statements. Good writers of English are careful to avoid

claims that they cannot support without convincing

evidence. This means they often qualify or moderate their

statements and use terms such as maybe, could perhaps,

usually, generally, may, might and so on. Students from

other language backgrounds often do not use these kinds of

words and terms enough in their essays and reports.

Consider this statement:

Today, the internet has transformed the way people

work and live.

This is a grammatically correct sentence, and in a very

general sense it is true. However, has the internet changed

the way all people work and live in every way? What about

poor farmers or manual workers in developing countries

struggling to earn money for daily necessities? Now consider

this statement:

Today, the internet has transformed the way many

people work and live in a number of different ways.

This is a more precise statement, is it not?

If you study formal and academic writing in English you

will notice how often these qualifying terms are used. Be

especially careful about using the word “always” in

English, which is particularly definitive and allows for no

exceptions.

Does this mean you can never make a strong claim or

statement? No– it is true, for instance, that there are

always cultural differences of some sort between

countries and societies. You need to be sure, though, that

what you are saying will be accepted by your reader, or

that you can supply supporting evidence which convinces

the reader that what you say is true.

2) Formal English uses formal vocabulary. Good

writing maintains a consistently formal style in its

terminology. One of the typical weaknesses with writers

who speak other languages is that they tend to mix the

style of their terms so that informal and even slang words

get mixed up with more formal ones. This means they

produce sentences in their essays such as:

It is clear that parents have an obligation to teach social

values to their kids.

“Obligation” and “social values” are nicely formal terms

but “kids” is highly colloquial. It would be much better to

write children or offspring.

Like other languages, English has a large range of informal words but while these do not in any way prevent meaning being understood in a formal essay, writing looks more mature and professional if they are avoided. Use employer or perhaps manager rather than “boss”; materials or perhaps items instead of “stuff; and so on. The many phrasal verbs in English are somewhat informal

and if you find yourself using one of these, see if you can

think of a single-word verb alternative. To encounter looks

a little more advanced than “to come across;” or to vet or

Improving your English formal writing Mike Rotheray

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What is your name? My name is Bayanmunkh. Where in Mongolia where you born? I was born in Bayankhongor province, which is located in western Mongolia. When did you move to UB? I moved to Ulaanbaatar a long time ago, when I was 12 years old. Where do you work? I’ve been working at the Ministry of Finance for about ten years. What’s your position? I am the senior officer of the public administration department. I’m responsible for planning, and reporting to the minister of finance. Why did you enrol in this course? Many of my staff have taken this course, and passed the IELTS as a result. Now they are studying in Australia, and since I want to study in Australia as well, I enrolled in this course. How do you spend your free time? In my free time I like to travel to the countryside with my friends. My favourite hobby is to go fishing. What do you like about this course? This course has native English speaking teachers. In addition, it teaches academic techniques to help study. What do you hope to do in the future? First of all, I would like to study overseas. Afterwards, I would like to return to Mongolian and improve my career.

to verify looks better than “to check out;” while to hire is

better than “to take on.”

Another point to be aware of is that formal style does not

use the contractions from informal writing or speaking, eg

it’s, don’t, can’t, what’s more etc. Always spell out the term

in full.

What you should be noting from all this is the importance

of establishing what register or style any new word or term

you learn fits into. Is it formal, informal, or “neutral.” A

good learner’s dictionaries will tell you this. This will help

you avoid mixing your styles when you write your essays

and reports.

3) Formal English is written in full, grammatically

correct sentences. In informal writing, such as letters or

emails to friends, we often do not do this. The important

thing is that meaning is clear and so we often write in

phrases that are not complete sentences.

Formal writing, though, demands a higher standard of

grammar. Sentences need to be complete with at least one

subject and verb, and express a complete thought. There

are other elements too which may affect sentence

completion, but these are probably the most important.

This means you need to you have a sound understanding of

sentence types and the way they are constructed. Look at

these four structures and see if you can decide which are

complete:

There are a number of requirements for good writing,

these three are the most important.

Students make many mistakes.

Because they do not understand what makes a

sentence complete.

Because they do not understand what makes a

sentence complete, students make many mistakes.

What did you decide? The second and fourth structures

are complete sentences. The first and third are not. The

first is a “comma splice,” where two main clauses are

separated by just a comma and there is no conjunction to

join the clauses together. The third is a subordinate (or

“secondary”) clause and thus not a sentence in itself.

There are other elements of formal style which we could discuss, but I think if you can follow these three principles you will be well on your way to a good standard of writing. Good luck! Mike Rotheray is an experienced teacher and language examiner who has worked for several years with adult students in Mongolia, China and Thailand.

Interview of a Bridging Course Student

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Where in Mongolia are you from? I was born in the Gobi, about 1000km east from Ulaanbaatar. When I graduated from high school, I came to Ulaanbaatar, enrolled in Mongolia Technical University and became a telecommunications engineer. After that, I went to Erdenet city and got my first job. I was the Mobicom branch director in Erdenet city. That is how I started my career. Why did you apply for Australian award? After Erdenet city, I wanted to move into public sector because it is quite interesting and also there are more opportunities in public sector. Because of that, I moved to Ulaanbaatar and worked in a Mongolian social insurance organization. Whilst I was working in that company, I saw an advertisement about the AusAid scholarship program. I thought it looked interesting so decided to apply. In 2009, I started studying English by myself. After I enrolled in IET, my English ability sky-rocketed. I learned English very well whilst at IET and earned a 6.5 IELTS score. Where in Australia are you? I am living in Sydney, and study at the Sydney branch of Central Queensland University. I am doing a Masters of Business Administration.

What will you be doing when you get back to Mongolia? I have many plans for when I get back to Mongolia. I would like to change customer service in the public sector, because it is not good in comparison to the private sector. In addition, I want to distribute my knowledge to others who haven’t had the opportunity to study in Australia or to study abroad. I want to teach topics such as leadership, and people’s behaviour in the workplace, especially within my work sector. Do you have any tips for learning English? Yes, I have a few tips for learning English. First of all, you need to listen to English movies and English programs as often as possible. For example, at home, I always listened to English radio channels such as the BBC and voice of America. I always listened to these two radio stations on my way to and from work. When I was at home, I also always watched the national geographic channel, BBC and ABC, and this improved my English ability very quickly. Another thing is that I was not shy when I talked with foreigners. Speaking with foreigners played an important role in improving my spoken English. My teachers would often praise me for always trying to speak with foreigners. Another good tip is that when I was starting English, I bought a book called ‘Barack Obama’s Speech’. This book had two sections – one in English and the other in Mongolian. I studied this book for almost 6 months. I always compared English words and English sentences to Mongolian words and Mongolian sentences. I would often translate English sentences into Mongolian sentences. After that, I fully understood the grammatical differences between Mongolian and English. How are you finding your time in Australia? Wow, it’s very wonderful. It is very sunny and clean, and there are beautiful beaches and parks. The people are very kind as well. Before I came to Australia I saw that Australia is one of the top 5 countries that people want to live in around the world, and I can understand why.

Interview of an alumna

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For two years, IET has been working as an official education agent for the University of Newcastle, Australia. The University of Newcastle offers a range of programs to suit varying levels of English language proficiency, and also offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs. This year, five of our students went to this University as part of a study tour.

About the University The University of Newcastle is a comprehensive international university ranked in the top 10 of Australian research universities. They have a student population of more than 35,500 including over 7800 international students from more than 80 countries. They offer a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs through their five faculties: Business and Law - Education and Arts - Engineering and Built Environment - Health and Medicine - Science

and Information Technology

How UNC ranks: Top 3% of world universities

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2012

“A five star university for research”

QS Stars 2012

7th for research, “well above world standard”

Excellence in research for Australia 2012

Education: Top 150 Medicine: Top 200 Sociology: Top 200

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2013

Ranked 45th university in the world under 50 years of age

Times Higher Education ‘100 under 50’ 2012

Profile: The University of Newcastle

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About Newcastle Newcastle is situated on the East Coast of Australia, about a two hour drive North of Sydney. It is the second largest city in New South Wales and the seventh largest city in Australia. Set on a breathtaking stretch of Australia’s Pacific Ocean coastline, Newcastle is the only city in Australia where the central business district is positioned simultaneously on the beach and the harbor waterfront. The port entrance is home to Nobby’s Lighthouse and the Breakwater, both iconic imagery of Newcastle. The international publication, Lonely Planet named Newcastle as one of the world’s top ten cities to visit in 2011. Lonely Planet described Newcastle as ‘a unique blend of imagination, sophistication and laid-back surf culture’ with ‘a sun-drenched subtropical climate and diverse dining, nightlife and arts’. Newcastle boasts some of Australia’s best beaches and waterways for swimming, surfing, sailing and other water sports. Newcastle’s harbor waterfront is a popular area for locals and visitors. With a regional population of around 500.000, Newcastle supports a thriving business and commercial sector and an excellent network of health care and educational facilities. Combined with a low cost of living and a favourable climate, Newcastle presents a relaxed and welcoming lifestyle. Of course the University of Newcastle is a large part of Newcastle’s appeal and a major draw card for interstate and international visitors. Newcastle is a great place to live and study.

We are also a registered agent for the University of Sydney, and will be doing a profile for this University in our next edition of the Achiever

6

The IET Summer Literacy Camp Project

In cooperation with Mongolian Education Alliance (MEA), The Institute of Education and Training (IET) successfully ran two Mongolian Language Summer Reading Camps. The first Summer Reading camp was held from 30 June to 4 July at the Verbist Care centre`s (orphanage centre) campsite in Gachuurt. 20 kids attended this camp for five days. They were supervised by MEA`s two training teachers, a teacher from the school, as well as by one assistant teacher from the Verbist Car Centre. The second Summer reading camp was held from 1 August to 5 August at the Javkhlant camp in Terelj with two training teachers from MEA and two teachers from the secondary school #49, situated in Chingelte district, Ulaanbaatar. The 49th secondary school`s 30 kids who were selected for this camp were all from disadvantaged families. During these two camps, training teachers from MEA along with teachers from the secondary schools conducted educational activities including: forest reading, reading competitions, writing and singing. All these activities were designed to help foster an appreciation for learning. There were also many outdoor activities, including a tennis day organized by the Ulaanbaatar tennis club. Trainers also ran workshops with the parents and guardians before, during and after the camp to ensure literacy and education can continue to be encouraged and developed in the home once the camps are over. In line with contemporary research into the roles that early literacy and cognitive development play at the primary school level, our camps reflect a collaborative investment into foundational skills so that students are supported to achieve their academic potential. IET provides all the lesson materials and carefully selected books for the camps. Books help and encourage kids` learning, and reading interesting books (using the teachers’ taught reading method) helps to improve their literacy level. At the closing ceremony, each child was presented with a box of new books for their home library. In addition, a set of books was presented to the six secondary schools by IET staff, two training teachers from MEA, and representatives from the Rotary club Of Ulaanbaatar. The Institute of Education and Training (IET) ran its first successful Summer English Literacy Camp for children from disadvantages backgrounds this year based on the previous five successful Mongolian language camps. The children, of different ages, were selected from schools located in the suburbs of Ulaanbaatar , such as School number 120, 35, and 119 . The aim of this camp was to build on the work already started in the school, and also to show children and their parents how to enjoy their learning of a new language. The closing ceremony was held at IET with parents, kids, IET staff, and MEA`s teacher. Each kid was presented four English books for their home library as well as an access code to an online learning system which they would be able to use free of charge. For all camps, parents and guardians traditionally visit the camp for a day to see their children’s progress and also to see what activities their children are participating in. When the parents and guardians visited the camp, the children were very excited to do a performance they had been practicing and to share stories with their families about their camp life and the things they had learnt during their time there.

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In May 2014, IET conducted a joint workshop with the National Academy of Governance (formerly called the National Academy of Management). The workshop focused on improving policy coordination, including international experience, Cabinet processes and the role of policy think tanks and institutions like the National Academy. Participants comprised senior policy makers and academic staff from the Academy, including Dr Ts Samballkhundev, former Director of the Civil Service Council. The keynote address was given by IET’s Dr Mark Johnston, an international specialist in public policy development, who has worked with senior Government leaders on policy development processes in many countries across Asia and Africa, including Thailand, Vietnam, Egypt, Ethiopia and India. Mark is a founding member of IET’s Board and has worked on a range of civil service reform and leadership programs in Mongolia since 2003. The workshop identified six different types of policy coordination, ranging from determining national priorities among competing demands on resources and ensuring policies are consistent with national strategic plans, to coordinating operations and the impacts on specific groups. ‘The increasingly complex challenges facing governments around the world have made it even more important to develop and implement policies in a co-ordinated way’, Dr Johnston emphasised. ‘This is especially true of major development projects, in for example, where decisions can have far reaching implications for communities, businesses and the nation as a whole.’ He pointed to a number of underlying factors behind the need for greater cohesion in policy-making,

including budget pressures, renewed demands for government action to address complex problems, less ideologically driven policy-making and economic globalisation and competition. Dr Johnston also referred to a reaction in some countries to the excessive fragmentation associated with ‘New Public Management’ reforms. The discussion of the potential role of think tanks in policy development covered instrumental, conceptual and symbolic roles they can play and the importance of the timing and presentation of policy advice to Governments. Dr Johnston reported that a few countries are starting to provide training for their Ministers, ranging from highly developed nations like the United Kingdom to the world’s newest nation, South Sudan. ‘When they are first appointed most Ministers have little idea what is required of them or how to do their new jobs, even if they have years of experience in Parliament or in other organisations’, he pointed out. ‘My confidential interviews with many individual Ministers in various countries has revealed a strong demand for short, practical training on how to be a good Minister, with many Ministers confiding how lost they were when first appointed.’ The participants were exposed to a range of practical measures taken in other countries to improve coordination and discussed their potential application in Mongolia. These included revised Cabinet procedures to facilitate consultation and cooperation, liaison networks between ministries and strengthening the policy capacity of ministries and secretariats. The workshop included a case study discussion on the Draft Economic Planning Law led by the National Academy’s Dr Byambsuren Yadmaa, which provided an opportunity for participants to apply some of the concepts discussed in the workshop.

'IET teams with National Academy of Governance'

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On 26 November, at the MexiKhan, the IET held its annual quiz night. It was a well-attended and fun event, with the aim of celebrating the past year, and also raising money for next year’s summer literacy camp. IET staff, alumni, and students attended the event, in addition to the numerous friends of IET. Also attending the event were AVIDs (Australian Volunteers of International Development), the representative of Mozzies (Ariunaa Lkhagvasuren), Mr. Munkhsuren (President of AustCham), several professors from the Mongolian National University, Paul from the Aussie Meat Company, as well as other distinguished guests. The evening was officially opened by Dr. Manaljav, IET’s Chairperson, who thanked our guests for being there, and also thanked the numerous organizations that donated prizes to the event. The list of prizes and prize donors includes:

- A beautiful calligraphy piece by Double Check Calligraphy

- A voucher worth 100,000 tugrik from The Aussie Meat Company

- Two bottles of wine from Xanadu Wines - Ten dictionaries from Admon Publishing - Several books from the Mongolian Translators

Association

Dr. Manaljav then introduced the MC of the evening, the Australian volunteer, Blake McDermott.

The attendees all split into five different teams: The Snow Leopards, The Khangaroos, The Camels, MNU, and the two man team Roy and HG. Then the trivia questions began. All the questions had a Mongolia-Australia theme, with questions such as ‘When did the first Mongolian land on the moon’ and ‘What is the average lifespan of a kangaroo’. There were three rounds of trivia in total. Between rounds, attendees were able to buy raffle tickets for the various prizes we had on offer. After we tallied all the results, the winners of the event were the Khangaroos. They were awarded the Mongolian-English dictionaries donated by Nomin Publishing. Then we began the raffle draw. Over 130 raffle tickets had been sold throughout the night, making the competition for prizes fierce. Nevertheless, many people won prizes and had a good reason to celebrate.

Thank you once again to all the attendees and donors who helped make this event as successful as it was. Also, thank you to our venue hosts – the MexiKhan – for providing the perfect place and atmosphere for this event. All in all, this event was a tremendous success, and we look forward to next year’s quiz night.

2014 IET Quiz Night

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Contact Suite-406, Level-4 Tanan Centre Student’s-33 Sukhbaatar District Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Office: 976-11-330083 Fax: 976-11-331185 Letters, editorial queries and also Other queries should be sent to: Institute of Education and Training iet.mongolia@gmail.com For more information about IET please visit our website: www.ietmongolia.com Follow us on our facebook page: Institute of Education and Training