By Hila Oliel

Partnership 2000 never ceases to surprise…to be concerned with and, of course, work towards a better future.  This time, they've launched a pilot project for promoting English language learning.

If you ask children and teens what school subject they fear most, they'll tell you: English.  If by chance you could listen in on a summary of a teachers' meeting, you'd quickly understand that English is a subject that students have a hard time with.  Therefore, with hope in their hearts and a lot of motivation, the people guiding the English language advancement program got to work.

Currently, the pilot program has begun at Gaon Hayarden, Dekalim, ORT and Keshet Yonatan schools in Beit Shean and the Regional Council.  These schools decided to energetically respond to the challenge.  The program targets students in grades 4-7 and employs computers and interactive internet software, which activate the students and guides them in stages, according to their levels, rates of learning, and comprehension.

The pilot program is the product of cooperation between Beit Shean, the Regional Council, and Partnership 2000, which funds the program.  Moreover, the project has received the warm blessings of Ami Shmuel, director of the Beit Shean Education Department, and Miri Livni, director of the Regional Council's Education Department.

Credit for planning, accompanying, and implementing the project has to go to Terry Benur, English advisor for post-primary schools in Beit Shean; Ziona Levi, director of English teaching for the ORT network of schools; and Renee Binyamini, English advisor for elementary schools in Beit Shean and the Regional Council.

"This is without a doubt a big and meaningful step towards promoting our children and their success," says Ziona Levi, "This isn't plain old reinforcement or extra lessons but rather a challenging and interesting way of taking the English language-using it and learning it-and moving it up a notch.  We really hope this project proves successful," Ziona adds, "and that we can continue expanding the program into the schools of the region."