Summing up the results of the scientific and methodological work in the project "Professional Development for Instructors of Pre-service Teachers" (TESOL Faculty United for Ukraine)

The Handbook “Reading and analyzing short stories: focus on SEL” by Yuliia Korobova (Sumy State University) and Hanna Podosynnikova (Sumy Makarenko State Pedagogical University) is one of the project end products. The handbook is essentially designed to teach analytical and critical reading of modern authentic short stories to pre-service English teachers of Bachelor programs. The book offers a scaffolding approach toward developing students’ analytical and critical reading skills with focus on SEL. With an overview of SEL issues, basic theoretical frameworks of literary text interpretation, well structured reading practice and communicative response (independent work) sections, this handbook focuses on teacher and learner priorities, upbringing, language and communication, reflective reading practices and provides valuable insights into modern American society contexts. Various tasks and activities aim to familiarize students with critical reading and SEL strategies that can be used in their academic and professional life. The handbook is designed to be used in the classroom; however, pre-service English teachers might use it on their own successfully.

The authors are deeply grateful to the handbook’s reviewers Natalia Dmytrenko (Vinnitsa Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University), Valentina Chernysh (Kyiv National Linguistic University) Svitlana Smolina (T.H. Shevchenko National University “Chernihiv Colehium”) for their precious time and expertise.

This project, under the auspices of Childhood Education International (Centre for Professional Learning), Hunter College, City University of New York, and RELO at the US Embassy in Ukraine, brought together 30 leading experts in English language teaching methodologies from across Ukraine, aiming to enhance the preparation of domestic English language teachers.

Thank you very much to the Childhood Education International team – Julie Kasper, Meg Riley, and Alisa Vereshchagin, and to Laura Baecher, Professor at Hunter College (City University of New York), who initiated and administrated the project and to the Regional English Language Office and U.S. Embassy in Kyiv – Lottie Backer, Jen MacArthur, Alyona Sukhinina and Lilia Shylo – for the opportunities and overall assistance within implementing the Ukraine TESOL Faculty Professional Development Excellence Program.