Basic Hila Program
Hila Initiative Program is composed of three parts:
- English Language Courses
- Well-being
- Cultural Exchange
English Language Courses
Hila Initiative students are assigned to online English language courses by CEFR level: A1, A2, B1, B2 and higher.* Each student places into her level based on an entrance exam. Classes have a maximum of 8 students and meet twice per week for 1.5 hours. The A1 level class is taught by a teacher who speaks Persian/Dari.
* At the end of this page, there is a description of each of the CEFR language levels and our teaching methodology.
Well-Being
Recognizing the mental health challenges faced by women in Afghanistan, we offer a course to support self-expression and psychological well-being.
Expressive Arts for Empowerment
In this workshop, students explore together self-understanding, hopes and dreams, emotional awareness, and creativity, to resilience, mental health, and standing strong together as women. They celebrate connection, art as empowerment, and their collective strength. They share words, images, hopes, and write songs.
Weekly themes include:
· Self-compassion as a tool for releasing perfectionism, worry, and self-judgment
· Healthy expression of anger and other challenging emotions
· Women’s solidarity and the collective strength found in shared stories and support
· Arts as empowerment: using creative expression to challenge injustice, connect with others, and claim one’s voice
· Exploring identity: societal expectations versus discovering who we truly are
· Building resilience, the ability to face hardship and continue moving forward
Cultural Exchange
In addition to group classes, each Hila student is assigned a one-on-one English-speaking Conversation Partner (CP) who works with her on improving her spoken English skills.
Conversation Partners are volunteer women from Paris and around the world who agree to give half an hour of their time once a week for a phone conversation or a reading session with a Hila student.
Conversations can be about anything: studies, hobbies, cuisine, family. Afghan students may also ask their CPs to help them with homework or to listen to them read out loud and assist with comprehension and pronunciation. For students with an advanced level of English, CPs will assist them in choosing Path Forward options that allow them to meet their personal goals.
Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) Language Levels
Basic Level (A1, A2)
Basic English skills for beginners
Content:
- Grammar and Sentence Structure: Covers essential grammatical concepts, tenses, and sentence construction.
- Vocabulary Building: Expands basic vocabulary and introduces common English phrases and expressions.
- Listening and Speaking Skills: Develops oral communication and listening comprehension through dialogues, discussions, and interactive activities.
- Reading and Writing Skills: Enhances reading comprehension and written communication.
Intermediate Level (B1, B2)
Building on foundational skills and expanding vocabulary
Content:
- Advanced Grammar and Writing: Focuses on complex sentence structures, essay writing, and academic language.
- Advanced Reading and Critical Thinking: Enhances comprehension of academic texts and critical analysis.
- Advanced Listening and Presentation Skills: Develops oral presentation skills and advanced listening comprehension.
- English Placement Exam preparation: i.e. TOEFL, EILTS, Duolingo.
Advanced Levels (C1, C2)
Developing proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking
Content:
- Academic English: Focuses on academic writing, research, and advanced critical thinking.
- Advanced Listening and Presentation Skills: Continues to develop advanced communication skills.
- TOEFL Preparation (Continued): Ongoing TOEFL preparation to ensure students are ready to take the test.