Talk given at: - IATEFL LT SIG webinar - December 15 2013 (http://ltsig.org.uk/) -3rd annual symposium - Washington DC, US http://www.meducationalliance.org/page/2013-meducation-alliance-international-symposium - October 2013

1. Plan Ceibal English
Remotely speaking : English
language through video
conferencing in Uruguay
Graham Stanley
Project manager, Plan Ceibal English
graham.stanley@britishcouncil.org

2. The British Council
• The British Council works in 6 continents and 110 countries,
with the aim of bringing high quality English materials to
every learner or teacher who wants them.
• We have 2,400 staff teaching English directly to more than
350,000 students and trainee teachers a year in over 80
centres, partnership branches and on English projects around
the world.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/about

3. Mobile learning
English language learning broadcasts via radio in 25 countries
across Africa to an audience of over 13 million listeners
Educational podcasts
English language
content via SMS
English language apps

4. Uruguay
• Population 3.3 million
• 1/3 population live in
Montevideo
• GDP US$ 13,000 per
capita
• 19 Departments
• PISA score for reading
426 (average 493); Brasil :
412; Argentina 398;)
• Board of Public Education
(Administración Nacional
de Educación Pública –
ANEP) responsible for
education policy

5. Plan Ceibal overview
• Plan Ceibal is a Uruguayan project, developed by MEC, the
Uruguayan Ministry of Education and Culture; ANTEL, the
National Telecommunications company (Administración
Nacional de Telecomunicaciones); ANEP, the Board of Public
Education (Administración Nacional de Educación Pública);
and LATU (Laboratorio Tecnológico del Uruguay).
http://www.ceibal.edu.uy

6. Plan Ceibal overview
• Started 2007 with distribution of XO-1 laptops (ceibalitas)
• By 2009 Uruguay became first country in world to have given
one laptop to every primary school student
• By 2009 350,000 kids & 16,000 teachers received ceibalitas
• No cost wireless Internet connection in all state schools
• Fiber optic connections progressively replacing these
• Video conferencing equipment being installed in all schools
http://www.ceibal.edu.uy

7. Plan Ceibal Jan 2013 review
• 570,000 laptops distributed by 2012 (all students & teachers)
• 4-year TCO (Total cost of ownership) $100 per year per child
including laptops, internet costs, administrative costs, fiber
optic costs, robotics, planned VC facilities, portal and LMS
platform as well as digital resources for many subjects, initial
training for teachers.
• Focus on quality implementation
• Recommended focus on core priorities: increasing high school
graduation rates; Mathematics; Literacy (Spanish & English)
http://www.ceibal.org.uy/docs/FULLAN-Ceibal-English.pdf

8. Ceibal English project overview
• In 2012 the British Council was selected by Plan Ceibal to
project manage Ceibal en Inglés (Ceibal English), delivering
remote teaching via video conferencing in Uruguayan primary
schools.
• Goal = provide access to English language learning to primary
students (grades 4-6) and their teachers all over Uruguay.
• Because of a lack of trained/qualified English teachers, Ceibal
English uses remote teachers (RTs) via video conferencing
• Additionally, classroom teachers (CTs) are taught English via
moderator-supported English course (LearnEnglish Pathways)
http://uruguay.britishcouncil.org/en/ceibal-en-ingles

9. Ceibal English project plan
• Proof of concept pilot phase 2012 20 primary schools; 1,000 Year 4
learners (aged 10-11)
• March 2013 expansion: +500 classes;
96 schools; Years 4,5 & 6
• July 2013 expansion: +500 classes
• March 2014 expansion: +1000 classes
• By June 2015: Total of 4,800 classes
(c. 120,000 learners)
http://uruguay.britishcouncil.org/en/ceibal-en-ingles

10. Ceibal English classes
3 x 45 minutes per wk.
Lesson A – RT via VC
Lessons B & C – CT
Detailed scripted lesson
plans for A, B & C
Team Teaching
RT & CT have weekly
coordination in Spanish

11. Remote Teachers (RTs)
Remote Teaching (RT) providers in:
•Uruguay
•Argentina
•Mexico
•Colombia
•Philippines
•Conduct Class A remotely
•Experienced/Qualified ELTs
•Online self-access course for RTs
•Quality manger

12. Classroom Teachers (CTs)
• Conduct Classes B & C
• Volunteer to be part of the
programme
• Small payment for participation
• 2 days Orientation Course
• Self-access online training course
• Technical support
• Pedagogic support (Mentors)
• Most have CEFR A0 level English
• Learning English through selfaccess course (LearnEnglish
Pathways) with moderator
support

13. Strengths
• Unique whole solution
• Underlying infrastructure
rolled out
• VC technology already tried
and tested
• No shortage of CT volunteers
• Positive reaction (children,
teachers, society)
• General support (government,
parents, society)

14. Challenges
• Establishing methodology
(Classes A, B & C)
• Correcting written work
• Ongoing quality control
• Expanding to Montevideo
• Expansion to all primary
schools
• Long term sustainability

15. Thank you!
Graham Stanley
graham.stanley@britishcouncil.org

16. References
• Banegas, D.L. (2013) ‘ELT through videoconferencing in
primary schools in Uruguay: first steps’, Innovation in
Language Learning and Teaching Volume 07 Issue 02.
http://bit.ly/19oEzil
• Fullan, M; Watson, N & Anderson, S (2013) Ceibal: Next Steps
– Final Report, http://www.ceibal.org.uy/docs/FULLANCeibal-English.pdf
• OECD (2010), PISA (Program for International Student
Assessment) 2009 Results: Executive Summary)
http://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/46619703.pdf