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Enjoy English Club
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Enjoy English Club was established on 8 September 2001.
The Club members are the talented children from different secondary schools of Baku. The aim of the Club is to help the Club members improve their level of English through debates, discussions, conversation activities, etc. They are also actively involved in organising different events for children, as well as, assist AzETA in its other events – conferences, charity activities, summer camps for orphans, etc. Such a strategy helps these children acquire necessary skills of management, leadership as the future builders of the civil society in Azerbaijan.
The Club is run by a management team consisting of the Club President, Vice-President, Events Manager and Editor-in-Chief. Elections to the Board are held every year. The Club members nominate themselves to the vacant positions and their peers elect them at the General Assembly of the Club.
Seeing the effectiveness of the Club, the US Embassy approved AzETA's project proposal on establishing Enjoy English Club branches in 5 regions of Azerbaijan, including, Ganja, Khachmaz, Kurdemir, Lenkaran and Salyan. For the purposes of the Project students were tested and 20 students were selected. For the time being the number in each branch, except for Baku branch is limited to 20 students. For the sustainability of the Project, it will be open to all interested students who successfully pass the required English proficiency test upon the completion of the Project in October 2008.
So far, EEC Baku Branch members have organised 4 conferences of children.
EEC 4TH CONFERENCE
Enjoy English Club held Children's 4th Conference titled Empowering Through Enjoy English Club on Saturday, 2 February 2008 at Baku Slavic Unversity, Baku, Azerbaijan.
The financial support to the conference was from IREX and AzETA.
Established in 2001, EEC has so far organised different events for children including 3 conferences. It was their 4th conference where EEC members and non-EEC members - 80 children from different regions of Azerbaijan came together to discuss issues of their concerns, their views on modern school, IT in their lives and education, etc.
The Conference started with an opening session followed by a plenary session of Eldar Ayutov, EEC member from Baku. His plenary talk title was Worldwide Transportation. Eldar had made a very interesting research on transportation and informed the participants on different types of transportation. To make his session more interesting and interactive, he asked questions where the children actively answered them.
After the tea break children attended concurrent sessions of their peers. Topics vary from Modern Moslem Women to Environmental Changes.
Before the lunch break, iEARN Azerbaijan gaved a presentation on the Programme to promote Global Connections in Azerbaijan. The alumni discussed their involvement in iEARN projects, particularly how the projects helped them improve their English and qualify for exchange programs in the U.S. Through success stories and humorous anecdotes, the three alumni explained how their global outreach made a difference to the world and how the numerous opportunities iEARN offered them made a difference in their lives.
After the lunch break, Nigar Talibova, EEC Baku member gave a presentation titled Dreams in Our Life. Her session was quite interactive where the participants shared their dreams, roles and affect of dreams in our lives, dream and reality, etc. Nigar demonstrated an A class presentation skill where she managed an audience of 80 children, as well as teachers, fabulously well for her age.
The plenary session was followed by 2 concurrent sessions.
The conferences ended up with the certificate presentation to the participants and presenters. The most exciting part of the conference was the raffle where most of the children had a chance to win a prize.
AzETA acknowledges IREX for the financial support to the Conference, as well as, for great co-operation. IREX always supports EEC activities and events.
EEC 3RD CONFERENCE
EEC held its 3rd Conference on 18 October 2006 where the Club also celebrated 5th anniversary of its establishment.
The title of the Conference was: We are the Children of the 21st Century. By format it did not differ from AzETA ELT Conferences – two of the Club members – Eldar Ayutov and Nigar Talibova were the plenary speakers of the Conference. Leyla Abdullayeva made a presentation on the activities of the EEC since its establishment.
After the opening session, the conference continued its work in concurrent sessions. EEC members gave presentations on different topics including – Problems of Teenagers; 21st Century School; Parents and Us; Music in Our Life; Conflicts are Good, Conflicts are Bad, etc. Apart from EEC members there were participants from different secondary schools of Baku. With kind support of the Community Shield Azerbaijan AzETA managed to bring Qizildash children, too. AzETA Microscholarship Programme students were also among the participants. All the children were very encouraged to see their peers to give presentations where they were actively involved in discussions.
Elizabeth Murphy, Second Secretary of the US Embassy, Afet Ibrahimova, Education Assistant of the US Embassy, Quinta Woodward from Community Shield Azerbaijan, Glenn Deckert, Senior English Language Fellow were among the participants, too. At the opening session Elizabeth Murphy and Quinta Woodward expressed how much they were impressed with the English level of the students.
Different TV companies, including ANS, Lider, ATV, ITV highlighted the event in their different programmes during the day.
The funding was from the members of the EEC. AzETA acknowledges IREX for sharing some costs of the Conference.
EEC 2ND CONFERENCE
EEC 2nd Conference was held on 25 November 2005 at Baku Slavic University where the children gave presentations on different topics.
The title of the 2nd Conference was: "We are the Children of the 21st Century". The special guest of the Conference was Lisa Harshbarger, new Regional English Language Officer from the US the US Embassy in Kyev. At the opening ceremony she greeted the children and wished a success to the work of the Conference. Sabir Hamidov, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Education also greeted the children and encouraged them that the Ministry of Education would alwas support initiatives as such. Martin Quirke from the British Council, Tripoli, Libya, also welcome the children and encouraged them for their initiative of achieving the sustainability of the idea of holding regular conference which is also a chance for the children to develop as presenters.
Presenters of the Conference were EEC members - children from different schools of Baku. They gave presentations on three topics: World is Our Home, Problems of Teenagers and My View of the 21st Century School. Nigar Talibova actively involved all the participants in her presentation through debate on the similarities and differences between the children of Azerbaijan and the US. Eldar Ayutov amazed the participants with his excellent English and presentation skills. Mukhtar Rasulov was very active in sharing his thoughts during the discussions with the participants. He amazed the participants with his critical thinking and the way he approached the issues under discussion.
At the end there was a game with the participants to check their world knowledge in English. All the participants were amazingly active and demonstrated best knowledge of world, and in English. The winners of the contest were awarded by AzETA with different books in English. The presenters were also presented with books in English. The Conference also announced the result of the elections recently held to EEC. Elgun Huseynov was elected the President of the Club, Leyla Abdullayeva - Vice-President and Nigar Talibova - Events Manager. As such, AzETA is interested in helping these children acquire leadership skills, as well.
43 children from different schools of Baku attended the Conference.
The Conference was funded with the support of AzETA and the members of Enjoy English Club. The participants also made contributions to the tea party organised in between the sessions. The organisers of the Conference were EEC members. AzETA's aim is to empower these children as the future leaders, too.
All in all, it was a great event and the adult participants of the Conference were amazed with the skills of the children as presenters and organisers such an important event.
The Conference was highlighted through "Azerbaycan Muellimi" and "Xalq Hakimiyyeti" local papers, as well as, APA (Azerbaijan Press Agency).
EEC 1ST CONFERENCE
For the first time in its history EEC held it First Conference titled “We are the Children of the 21st Century” on 18 October. The Conference was co-sponsored by ACCELS, AzETA and US Embassy (namely, Jim Solan, Senior English Language Fellow (2004-2006)). The aim of the Conference was to give the Club members an opportunity to discuss their opinions on the textbooks they use, their knowledge on their own rights and how to protect their rights, parent-student-teacher relationship.
Children from the secondary schools of Nasimi, Yasamal, Suraxani districts of Baku gave presentations on 3 topics: “Textbooks with the eyes of the children”, “Relationship among parents, teachers and students”, “Children’s Rights”. There were the children non-members from Sumqayit who also actively participated in discussions.
The game “Teletime” made the Conference very lively and exciting.
At the end of the Conference the Club members showed an interesting concert programme where they performed dances, songs, poems, short performances in English and Azerbaijani.
The special guest of the Conference was Patricia Sullivan, Regional English Language Officer from the US Embassy, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Shane Austin, ACCELS new Country Director congratulated the children with their successful Conference.
EEC FORUM
Now the Club members are as confident as their teachers in organising events and making presentations in English. On 11 May 2007 the Club held a seminar titled “G8 Countries and Azerbaijan – Perspective for Co-operation” where the Club members had presentations, discussions and debates on the similarities and differences between the political, economic and social life between G8 countries and Azerbaijan. The event was attended by the representatives of the Diplomatic Missions of G8 countries to Azerbaijan who were amazed with the talent and skills of these children.
The Club members were active during summer break, too. They organised a forum of children on 11 August 2007 in Buynuz Village Secondary School of Ismayilli region. There were school students from Baku, Ganja, Ismayilli and Qebele. The Club members gave presentations and had debates on the following topics:
(a) You and Others
(b) Say “No” to Bad Habits
(c) Education in Our Life
Club members also help their teachers in the summer camps organised by AzETA for orphans. They encourage these orphans to learn English better through talking to them in English during the summer camp and through discussions on different topics in English.
The Club produces its quarterly newsletter where the Club members write articles on different issues.
Children aged 7-17 are eligible to join the Club. For more information on the work of the Club and joining instructions, contact AzETA Baku office.
News Bulletin 1
 MS Word Format
 Acrobat Reader Format
News Bulletin 2
MS Word Format
Acrobat Reader Format |
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