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Achieving better results thanks to CBB initiative

CBB Distance Teacher Training Programme

PROJECT IN BRIEF

Focus INSETT distance e training programme for primary and secondary teachers
Impact 52 mentors, 500 teachers, 40,000 pupils
Dates June 2006 - ongoing

PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Council for Business with Britain (CBB) invited The British Council to improve the levels of English teaching and learning in Sri Lanka in order to improve long-term national and business development.

The British Council trained 52 mentors in essential training and mentoring skills. The project consolidates and strengthens links with 26 Regional English Support Centres (RESCs) throughout the island, where the mentors are based.  The mentors guide the teachers through the innovative distance learning mode of the teacher training course.

The distance learning materials focus on

Language and the background to language learning and teaching
Lesson planning and use of resources for language teaching
Managing the teaching and learning process

The teachers attend bi-monthly study sessions at the RESCs which focus on

Encouraging a more learner-centred and activity based methodology in the classroom
Developing teacher’s ability to create more opportunities for the students to interact in English with each other in the classroom within the existing curriculum
Improving teachers’ confidence in using more English in the classroom

Teachers maintain a portfolio of work during the course which is submitted to British Council.  At the end of the distance training programme the teacher sit the University of Cambridge Teaching Knowledge Test.

WHAT THE STAKEHOLDERS SAY

'It is important to reach out beyond the main cities of Colombo and Kandy to teachers in the provinces who have no access to teacher education. I have been supporting this project from day one and am delighted with the expansion of the project made possible by CBB funding.'
Mr Sunil Atugoda: Director of English at the National Institute of Education

'I am convinced of the value of this programme. The work that the British Council does is very admirable and a great help to the country'
Mr Noel Jayamanne, Assistant Director of Education, Ministry of Education

'The Ministry is keen to maintain its valuable relationship with the British Council and to continue to sustain programmes such as this one in Sri Lanka.'
The Honourable Susil Premajayantha MP, Minister of Education

'I have now realised that language learning is all about learning through doing – the children do a better job now.'
A teacher from Matale

'Students try to speak in English more – they want to speak in English now. They enjoy classes.'
A teacher from Jaffna

MORE INFORMATION

Seamus Harkin
Senior Training Consultant

T: (011) 4521521, (011) 7521521
E: info.lk@britishcouncil.org

DCSIMG

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