The Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN) in Bahawalpur conducted a Teacher-Training Workshop using Department of State English Language Teaching (ELT) materials and technology for English language teachers at the Grand Regency Hotel in Bahawalpur October 11-13. This successful event motivated the participating teachers and made them aware of the Department’s innovative ICT tools, web-oriented technology, and other resources available through AmericanEnglish.State.Gov.
There were 35 participants from eight different districts of Southern Punjab, including Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Lodhran, Multan, Vehari, Khanewal, and Toba Tek Singh. The selected teachers represented government and private schools, colleges, and universities, including faculty members of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur and Bahauddin Zakarya University in Multan.
Teachers engaged in a collaborative and interactive environment during the three-day workshop. They were exposed to and trained to use web 2.0 tools and user-generated tools for the English language teaching classroom, including the use of “fandoms,” “fansubbing,” “viding,” and social media tools. The teachers practiced exploring the AmericanEnglish.State.Gov webpage and its content and learned how to play the Trace Effects game, and also took part in a workshop component on life skills, professional integrity, and motivational skills. Participants were assigned projects to replicate the training at their home institutions and have begun sharing their new knowledge and skills not only with their students, but also with their colleagues. The workshop organizers highlighted the assistance they received from the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad’s Regional English Language Office (RELO) as a key component to the event’s success.
This dynamic program was implemented Bahawalpur’s chapter president, Irfan Lodhi, as part of the Alumni Small Grants program. For more information on how to apply for an Alumni Small Grant, visit http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/alumni.html.
