- English langusge teachers to develop the teachers' ability to communicate in English
- English literacy teaching methodologies
- teacher training methodologies for primary education
- Early Childhood Education methodolgies particularly in language development
- the development of appropriate sustainable and cheap teaching aids
- these are fundamental areas of modern education in which most teachers have received no training.
The project
The school is in a village of the Sarangkot and is a 30 minute walk along a flat path from the world renowned lakeside where you will live during your volunteer placement.
mani Jyoti is a community managed government school - which means resources are very scarce. the governemnt pays for three teachers salaries - all the other salaries and such resources they have are supported by NGO's and Alliance Nepal,.
There are about 120 children with 7 teaching staff including the principal.All have a teaching liscence but none have had formakl teacher training. the parents and local community are active in their support of the school.
The Nepalese curriculum is demanding that more and more lessons should be held in English, although teachers' own lack of skill and confidence in the language make this an ideal rather than a reality. Therefore, broader use of the English language in the schools is the primary goal of this project – English is the single most important educational tool a Nepalese child can have. Without it, they cannot take public exams and the School Leavers' Certificate.
English offers some children a passport to a future – language can be taught through demonstrating modern teaching methods in classroom lessons, as well as through basic arts and crafts, creative writing, life-skills and associated conversation.
A long term goal is to enable local staff to gain enough confidence to involve the children in their own learning and replace the current prevalence of 'chalk-and-talk'....another is to build the language skills within the school to such an extent that future volunteers will be able to assist develop other areas of the curriculum .
Most lessons are chalk and talk, with the teacher relying very closely on the textbook for content and order of work. There is a heavy reliance on copying and writing, especially with the younger children. There are few if any teaching and learning resources other than the textbooks.
"There is a very strong sense of community and although they are poor- people are very keen that their children should get a good education, ...the school has extra teachers and additional textbooks provided by the community and in some cases parents with no money contribute to their children's school by growing food for the school dinners.
Minimum Duration
30 days minimum
