Upskilling English language schoolteachers

Organisers and participants of UTAR Teacher Development Programme

Thirty-nine English language schoolteachers from four schools learned more about effective teaching strategies in a Teacher Development Programme held at UTAR Perak Campus on 16 August 2013.

The programme, organised by the Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS), Centre for Teaching and Learning and Division of Programme Promotion of UTAR, aimed to enhance the skills of teaching English of the participants.  The schoolteachers participated in the programme were from Kampar Pei Yuan High School, Ipoh Shen Jai High School, Penang Han Chiang High School, Tronoh Sin Min Chinese Primary School.  They were accompanied in the learning sessions by UTAR lecturers.

Despite being a one-day programme, it was a comprehensive learning experience for the participants because it comprised talks, workshop and discussion.   Among the talks were 'Strategies for Teaching Reading in ESL' by the FAS lecturer Renu Kailsan and 'Self-Improvement and Knowledge Creation' by the FAS Head of PhD Programme Dr Priscilla Moses.

Dr Cheah (right) presenting a certificate to Koay

"The practical training and sharing among the schoolteachers and lecturers help them to explore new approaches and expand the existing approaches for them to upgrade their teaching skills," said Head of Han Chiang English Centre Julina Koay.

UTAR Head of Department of Language and Linguistics V. Krishnan said, "While university lecturers deal with the theoretical part of teaching, the teachers in schools deal with the practical aspects.  Therefore, it is important that university lecturers and teachers get together, once in a while, to share their knowledge and experience for mutual benefit.

"The university lecturers can get to know the latest issues and challenges faced by teachers in schools and the schoolteachers can get to know the latest developments and trends in the English Language teaching field. Both groups can also collaborate to conduct research and find solutions to issues and challenges faced by teachers in teaching English in the classroom."

FAS Dean Dr Cheah Phaik Kin presented certificates to participants at the end of the programme.