Courtney Pahl, a 2011 MATESOL Graduate and Language Program Administration (LPA) Certificate holder, is about to start her next chapter of English Language Education in Brazil! Courtney has been selected for the position of English Language Fellow (ELF) at the CasaThomas Jefferson (CTJ) Bi-national Center in Brasilia, Brazil. CJT is an institute for both
linguistic and cultural exchange. There are six CTJ branches located in Brasilia that serveas educational centers for over 15,000 students and nearly 200 faculty members. Courtney’s fellowship will start in February 2012 and continue until November.

During her time in Brazil, Courtney will primarily work as an English instructor. Most of her students will be between the ages of four and 18. In addition to teaching, Courtney will also have the opportunity to take on various other roles and responsibilities, some of which include serving on a faculty supervisory team, coaching fellow English instructors as they prepare to write proposals and present at the Brazilian National TESOL Conference, presenting at various conferences, and preparing and presenting a variety of professional development workshops for local educators.

Courtney is very excited to not only get more experience in the classroom but also help other teachers develop into great language instructors. She is anxious to get her “feet wet” in the supervisory and coaching elements of her ELF position. In fact, she claims that ELF is the ideal job for her at this point in her career, as it will allow her to experience multiple dimensions of English language education.

Courtney is very thankful for the education she gained from the Monterey Institute. In fact, in her interview for the ELF position, the quality and prestige of the institute was highlighted, as well as the value of completing the LPA certificate. Courtney attributes her successful acceptance to the ELF program to the experiences and education she gained from the faculty and staff of the Monterey Institute.

Courtney is looking forward to improving her Portuguese and exploring Brazil!

Click here to learn more about Casa Thomas Jefferson (CTJ) or Courney’s position as an English Language Fellow.