Author: Grace Jacott, Coordinator, ICCTL
On November 30, 2021, thirty proud members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) received congratulatory remarks from the university president, Dr. Colwick Wilson, the provost, Dr. Wanda Chesney and the coordinator of ICCTL, Mrs. Grace Jacott, as they prepared to receive a Certificate of Achievement from USC for successfully completing a short course entitled “Spanish for Police Officers”.
This second cohort in the program advanced in their professional development under the training of Professor Juan Duque who coached them for eight weeks in a “task-based language teaching program”. As a result of the program, these police officers are now equipped to converse in Spanish as they perform tasks such as road blocks, house searches, and interviews at the police station.
In addition to promoting ESL, the ICCTL continues to organize relevant short language courses for personal and professional development of several groups. Considering the demand for Spanish both locally and regionally, upcoming programs include “Spanish for Immigration Officers” and “Spanish for the Clergy/Church Leaders”. The online platform makes these programs accessible regardless of location.
