A professional development workshop for local high school English teachers from six Sharakah program schools was held at American University of Sharjah (AUS) on April 29, 2017.

Organized by the Office of Enrollment Management and the Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Program, the workshop, led by TESOL professionals, provided teachers with innovative strategies for teaching English as well as hands-on activities that teachers can use in their classrooms. The workshop also aimed to highlight the university's dedication to community service and draw attention to the expertise in TESOL in the Department of English.

As part of the university's community engagement strategic initiative, AUS introduced the Sharakah program to collaborate with selected schools in the UAE to create a platform for cooperation between the university and the partner schools in various academic and non-academic areas. These include the engagement of teachers and students through training sessions and workshops, as well as cultural, social and sporting activities.

The workshop addressed a variety of issues, ranging from helping teachers sharpen their classroom observation skills and oral presentation skills to utilizing innovative strategies in adapting materials and applying techniques that enhance students' learning of English in the classroom and beyond.

The participating schools included Rawafed Private School-Abu Dhabi, International Community School-Abu Dhabi, Madar International School-Al Ain, Al Shola Private School-Sharjah, Al Nahda National School (Girls)-Abu Dhabi, Philadelphia Private School-Dubai.