Access Teachers’ Training on ‘Best Practices for Engaging Students Online for English Access Microscholarship Program Teachers: Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri-Lanka’ was formally began on 19th August 2021 and it was concluded on 23rd September 2021. The virtual training was run through Zoom application.
Trainer: Melisssa Van De Wege, MA, MEd
Need Analysis
The trainer has observed the Access Classes for need analysis and based on the need to the Access Teachers, the sessions were designed and delivered.
Inaugural Program
In the inaugural program, PAO Garret E. Wilkerson, RELO Nabila Massoumi, CAO David C. Kissling, Post Colombo, CAO Sharlina Hussain-Morgan, Post Dhaka, RELO Language Specialist Bishwa Raj Gautam, Access Program Coordinators, Focal Persons/Local Coordinators and Access Teachers have joined. RELO Language Specialist, Bishwa Raj Gautam moderated the program in which PAO Garret E. Wilkerson, RELO Nabila Massoumi, CAO David C. Kissling and CAO Sharlina Hussain-Morgan gave welcome speech along with best wishes for the training.
Session 1: Best Practices of Communicative Language Teaching in a Virtual Environment (19 August, 2021)
The training commenced by proving ways and techniques of using Zoom and Google Meet and their features in the virtual classroom along with providing the ways to give effective directions to the Access Students by Trainer, Melissa Van De Wege. She highlighted on structuring the lesson, organizing activities, and managing pair and group work. She further supported to use warm-ups and scaffolding to the Access Teachers.
Session 2: Assessment Tools and Techniques in a Virtual Environment (26 August, 2021)
This session focused on assessment practices in the Access classroom. The trainer has provided techniques to correct error orally and strategies to give constructive feedback to the students in a group. She provided examples of oral and written feedback to the teachers during the session which helped Access Teachers to impart the same strategies in their own classrooms.
Session 3: Tools and Resources for Activities for Individual, Pair, and Group Work (2 September, 2021)
This session incorporated differentiated instruction and learning styles in a virtual environment. The session was fruitful since the trainer covered the techniques to motivate students through the use of gamification and online tools and resources.
Session 4: English and the Multicultural World: Expanding Our Worldview (15 September, 2021)
This session included the online tools for using English in a global context. The cultural embedded information in the session familiarized Access Teachers with multicultural understanding. Besides, critical thinking and questioning were the prominent skills covered in the session followed by group and whole class discussion in a virtual environment.
Session 5: Don’t Forget the “Bigger Picture” (16 September, 2021)
This session covered contextualization of the English for students. The session supported Access Teachers to know their strengths and areas of improvement and continue for professional development to fill the lapses.
Session 6: Closing Discussion and Final Presentations (23 September, 2021)
This was a last session in which Access Teachers got an ample opportunity to share what they have learnt from the training. They were asked to present their lesson plan and rubric with a partner teacher and they were provided written feedbacks by the trainer. This activity was designed as a micro-teaching activity so that the participants could share what they have learned and learn from observing others’ presentation as well.
Presentation by Nepalese Access Teachers
Ms. Ashmika Pradhan and Ms. Anjana Subedi presented their learning with the Access Teachers of Sri Lanka. Ms. Subedi presented on 5 September 2021 and Ms. Pradhan presented on 12 September 2021.
Voices from the Access Teachers
“We have learned about Zoom application, Jam Board, Project Based Learning, six types of Socratic questions, 21st century skills i.e. collaboration, problem solving, communication, critical thinking, research skills. Different websites and mobile apps, formative and summative assessment, writing apps and tools, creating rubric and different games. We learned from the Access Teachers from different countries as well.” Manu Sapkota Poudel, Access Teacher, Tanahun
“We learned how to create scaffolding activities, Socratic questions, students’ learning outcomes using the verbs of Blooms Taxonomy, virtual learning tools and rubric to evaluate students understanding.” Pradip Sigdel, Acccess Teacher, Tanahun
“I have learnt to use Socratic questions to ask in the lesson plan, making rubric for evaluation of writing task, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Project Based Learning and many more.” Binod Prasad Chaudhary, Access Teacher, Siraha
“We learned about rubric and about open ended questions.” Babita Joshi, Access Teacher, Bajhang
“I have learnt a lot of tools for engaging students online. Besides, I also learnt so many pedagogical tools to make our class more effective and goal oriented. In a nutshell, it was inspiring, insightful, and wonderful. I learnt a lot…..” Sanjay Kumar Yadav, Access Teacher, Siraha
“Melissa, the trainer extended Bloom’s Taxonomy, Socratic Questions, SLOs, Using ONLINE teaching materials, Evaluation rubric.These are very useful to everyday class for teaching learning activities.” Laxman Prasad Upadhyaya, Access Teacher, Bajhang
“We have learnt about Bloom’s Taxonomy, Socratic methods, Creating Rubrics and so on.” Prakash Mishra, Access Teacher, Tanahun
“I have learned about Bloom’s Taxonomy, Socratic questions, SLOs, rubric, online teaching materials, using zoom. These are very useful for teaching learning activities.” Shanti Kumari Singh, Access Teacher, Bajhang
English Access Microscholarship Program, Nepal 