In collaboration with the Regional English Language Office at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad Peace and Education Foundation (PEF) conducted two (2) simultaneous two-week training workshops in Islamabad. The workshops were conducted on communication and pedagogical skills for English language teachers from non-mainstream institutes from January 23 to February 3, 2023. A total of 99 teachers from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Islamabad representing Muslim diversity including Barelvi, Deobandi, Salafi, Shia and Jammat e Islami participated in the workshops.
Two U.S. English Language Specialists Dr. Luis Javier Pentón Herrera and Dr. Salma Waly teamed up with two Pakistani English Language Experts Dr. Yasir Hussain and Ms. Ismat Bahar to design and conduct the workshops. The workshops were participatory in nature and covered a wide range of topics including effective communication techniques, classroom management, integrated lessons with a variety of materials on the most important topics and content about teaching methodology, interactive activities covering listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar were conducted. The participants did micro-teaching: they prepared and delivered 15-minute mini-lessons. The trainers and PEF project Manager met one-on-one with the participants to work on lesson plan work/feedback.
In addition to the training sessions, the workshop also featured cultural events. These events provided participants with an opportunity to understand the importance of culture, experience the local culture, and to build relationships with their fellow participants.
PEF president participated in the closing ceremony and thanked all the participants and trainers for bringing their expertise and knowledge in the training sessions. He also encouraged participants to inculcate their learning in their classrooms to yield better results in future and help their colleagues as well to learn these new skills. It was great opportunity for everyone to connect with various people and share mutual knowledge and enhance their personal growth.
This initiative provided professional development opportunity to the teachers, who are educating to the underserved and underprivileged students. The teachers improved their English communication, teaching techniques and improve teaching and pedagogical skills. Our ultimate aim is to equip these teachers in this project to provide quality, modern and impactful English instructions to their students for brighter future. Community of Practice (COP) forum is formed.
Learning Outcomes:
As per participant’s feedback, teachers have:
- Learned how to engage the four language domains and practiced those skills.
- Learned the structure of Bloom’s Taxonomy and applied the structure to show an understanding of the need for a variety of tasks in a language lesson.
- Learned where to find materials on the American English website.
- Learned the structure of Garner’s Multiple Intelligences and demonstrated how to incorporate multiple intelligences to plan lessons.
- Used American English materials.
- Planned a student-centered mini-lesson.
- Received feedback on their mini-lesson.
Participants Quotations
It was wonderful opportunity to be selected for this two-week professional Development Workshop. I have been learning new strategies, techniques throughout the course. Every session has great insight. All the strategies we had learned, can be applied in teaching. One can easily get rid from traditional teaching methods. Having completed this workshop, l can confidently say that we can mold our students to be more creative and critical. I will definitely share the material with my colleagues and will guide them how they can develop themselves by adopting these wonderful ideas. The workshop was not only informative but interesting too. Simultaneously every teacher has always been keen to learn more and this workshop quenched the thirst for knowledge. Uzma Zahidullah
This workshop has proved the best part of learning process in my life. Through this workshop I have learnt so many new terms and methodologies through which I am sure my teaching will become more effective and impressive. In short, I can say this training was life changing for me. I really appreciate all the organizers of this workshop and want to say thanks to all of them who gave us a chance to see the world from a new angle through learning, interacting and socializing. Munnaza Ahmed
I am especially thankful for the Peace and Education Foundation and RELO who gave us this great opportunity to attend this two-week workshop. We learn about diversity and the English language teaching methods Under the supervision of our great mentors like Dr. Yasir and Sir Louis. We learned a lot here about English language techniques that we can use in our Institution and classes. We are hoping that through this learning we will able to teach in our institution in a better way since we are now able to spread knowledge and we can communicate in English we should spread the knowledge of peace, knowledge of love and harmony. This is the need of our country that we should work together for local and global peace. Syed Fahad Saeed Bukhari
I was so happy when I cleared the interview and got selected for this two-week professional development workshop. I was so worried that how I will manage myself in cultural diversity, and in new environment but all these were my assumptions which were proved wrong and I experienced a very accommodating environment for two weeks. After being trained in this workshop I learnt a lot about pedagogical, professional and speaking skills and student-centered learning, based on activities. Saeed Ahmad Madani
Participants Pictures:
