In collaboration with the Regional English Language Office at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad Peace and Education Foundation (PEF) conducted two-week training workshop in Islamabad. The workshop was conducted on communication and pedagogical skills for English language teachers from non-mainstream institutes from August 21 to September 1, 2023. A total of 53 teachers from Sindh, Balochistan, and Gilgit representing Muslim diversity including Barelvi, Deobandi, Salafi, Shia and Jammat e Islami participated in the workshop.
U.S. English Language Specialist Dr. Luis Javier Pentón Herrera teamed up with Pakistani English Language Expert Dr. Yasir Hussain to design and conduct the workshop. The workshop was 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 visit to some cultural/heritage places. This visit provided participants with an opportunity to understand the importance of heritage, experience the local culture, and to build relationships with their fellow participants.
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
I am delighted to have this opportunity to express my thoughts and provide feedback to all of you. I must assert that this training session has been nothing short of exceptional; in fact, it ranks among the finest trainings I have ever participated in. Its impact is undeniable. I am grateful to the remarkable trainers, Dr. Louis and Dr. Yasir, for their engaging and enlightening sessions. Every minute invested in this training has been worthwhile, leaving an indelible impression on me. It is safe to presume that others have also gained valuable insights.
Allow me to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Rubab, Ghulam Murtaza, Wahaj Bukhari, Kaukub Noor, and the entire team orchestrating this highly productive training session. Your diligent efforts and expertise have contributed to its resounding success. I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to attend more training sessions with you in the future, if circumstances permit. Ahmad Raza
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible opportunity to participate in the two-week “Relo” workshop for Madrassah English teachers. This experience has transformed my teaching style to a great extent. I am immensely grateful to PEF President Azhar Hussain for his vision and leadership in making this workshop possible. I cannot express enough gratitude to our esteemed trainers, Dr. Luis and Dr. Yasir Hussain, for their expertise, and guidance. Their dedication to our professional development has been a source of inspiration. This workshop has not only enhanced my teaching skills but has also expanded my horizons in the field of English language education. I am excited to apply what I have learned to benefit my students and my community. I look forward to continuing my journey as an English language teacher with renewed enthusiasm and knowledge.
I would also like to acknowledge the exceptional support provided by the PEF Team, including Ms. Rubab Zainab, Ghulam Murtaza, Ms. Kaukab Noor, and Mr. Wahaj Bukhari. Your tireless efforts behind the scenes ensured the smooth execution of this workshop. Gulfam Gul
I’m thankful to Peace & Education Foundation for selecting me to participate in the two-week training workshop in Islamabad. In the workshop I gained amazing experience by learning the scientific methodologies of teachings in the presence of highly qualified trainers. The workshop has not only changed my ways of teaching but also my personality. Before the workshop I was a patient of Anthropophobia. I was worried about my isolated life. I could not deliver my thoughts or messages in front of people. By participating in different activities and presenting the micro-teaching in front of a large number of people belonging to different areas, I defeated my phobia.
PEF has brought a revolution in my thoughts and life. I will not only apply what I learned in the workshop in my institute but also will incorporate it to other non-mainstream institutions in under-privileged areas. Ahmed Ali
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