Project Hope provides English classes from beginning to advanced stages, to classes of English for specific purposes.
Though our focus is on children and youth, we are open to all potential students.
We hold our classes in the facilities of partner centers at different locations.
Classes may be either mixed-sex or segregated, depending on the local custom.



English is very important for employment and the pursuit of higher education in Palestine. English is often used as the primary tongue at the post-secondary level, and many university scholarship opportunities hinge on the ability to speak English. Many jobs also require English language proficiency and hold interviews in English. In a country with over 50% unemployment, this makes English invaluable.
There are also important aspects of psychological relief by giving the students a positive and normal environment where they can express themselves.

We try to make the classes relaxing and fun. Our teachers encourage an open environment where the students can experiment with what they are learning in order to improve their English language skills and develop confidence in their abilities.
Though we do teach grammar, our emphasis is on actual communication. Many Palestinians learn grammar in school, but with poor results in actual communication. This is because of a lack of proper English teachers, a poor learning environment and no practical experience using the language. Thus, they do not learn to communicate properly. Only a privileged few have access to the proper resources to actually learn to communicate in the language.
With our classes we want to make learning the language accessible to all people, whatever their background. We want English to be practical, fun and useful.
We make use of local Palestinians with excellent English to teach some lower level classes, or to partner with international volunteers to teach a class.
This maximizes our human resources and takes advantage of skilled people already in the community that can share their skills with others.
This also allows the local teachers to develop both their English and teaching skills, and is something to add to their resumes.

International volunteer teachers focus on higher-level classes. They impart their language skills and the cultural background of the English language.
The classes make for better conversations and facilitate intercultural dialogue between teacher and students.
The Palestinian students are able to gain a deeper understanding of - and learn to express themselves better to - the outside world.Within our system almost any proficient English speaker can volunteer as a teacher. Just being able to speak English and help the Palestinian students practice is quite useful. Even international volunteers who do not speak English fluently can still teach lower level classes and provide the benefits of intercultural exchange. We are currently developing a formal curriculum to maximize the resources of these volunteers.There are also mental health aspects to these classes. People are able to learn new skills that they may enjoy learning while encouraging them to think about how these skills can help them with their future -- in a time when they are very uncertain about their future. Students are able to do something enjoyable in a social setting while learning these new skills, breaking the boredom and monotony of everyday life. They are given a chance to express themselves positively in a second language with an audience of local and international friends.

Why English is Important in Palestine
By the Project Hope Nablus Head Teacher

The aim of teaching English in Palestine to enable students to communicate with a speaker of English using oral and written skills. However, these students fail to express themselves properly in speaking and writing, despite the fact that they have enough knowledge of the grammatical rules as well as a good output of vocabulary. In fact, language teaching in Palestine has until recently been concerned with grammatical rules rather than communicative competence. Although there have been major changes in the methodology over the years, the underlying principle remains the same.

English is of vital importance in Palestine. During the Intifada, Palestinian children have been torn away from their safe surroundings and they need to make their life as normal as possible. Education, basically teaching English and exercises that activate the children contributes toward this goal, and is one of the best ways for children to work out their trauma. Further, English opens the children's eyes to the world since it is the premier international language. Moreover, it is necessary for their personal and professional development. As the world becomes increasingly globalized, English is the spoken language children need to communicate with other people from other cultures. Added is the fact that learning English gives the children the chance to express themselves properly and without feeling shy.

As a member of the Project Hope family, I have high expectations but am well aware that a long time may pass before the effect of the efforts can be seen. Nonetheless, everyone involved in the project experiences great satisfaction when the help reaches its destination and is able to witness children learning and expressing themselves in a correct way.