Feature

International Collaboration Benefits
Bangladesh's English Teachers

Rumi Ahmed

ENTHUSIASM was in the air as a total of one hundred and seventy-five English teachers and trainers from schools, colleges and universities received in-depth in-service training at the fourth Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA) and Teachers Helping Teachers (THT) Conference from 23rd to 28th July, first in Dhaka and then in Sylhet. The theme of the program was 'Alternative Methodologies in English Language Teaching.' The travelling conference was hosted by the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) at Dhaka, and Leading University and UK-Bangladesh Education Trust (UK-BET) at Sylhet, which provided venues, support, and logistics for the attendees and presenters.

The three-day conference, inaugurated by Professor Nazrul Islam, Chairman, University Grants Commission, ended with a panel discussion on 'Education in Bangladesh: the path followed and the highways ahead'. The seminar facilitators, led by Dr Patrick Dougherty, Director of the Teachers-Helping-Teachers Forum, comprised of nine ELT specialists from USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Argentina.

Teachers Helping Teachers (THT) is a Japan based non-profit organization that has been bringing volunteer teacher trainers to Bangladesh since 2005 in association with BELTA. The aim is to improve the quality of English education in the country through active teacher training. THT brings teacher trainers who give dynamic workshops and presentations to benefit hard working Bangladeshi English teachers as they strive to improve their skills and the quality of their teaching.

“This is the fourth BELTA/THT conference,” said Dr. Pat Dougherty, “and that means that we have held workshops now for over 600 local teachers.” Dr Dougherty went on to explain, “Though THT is now active in several countries, Bangladesh was our first country and BELTA was our first host, and our THT volunteers love returning to our friends and colleagues here.” Michael Stout, a THT volunteer from Toyo Gakuen University, Tokyo, Japan, and on his first visit to Bangladesh said, “The teachers that BELTA invited to attend our workshops were some of the most enthusiastic and active I have worked with.” Dougherty added that the new associations with AIUB, UK-BET, and Leading University were a great help in making the conference a success. “American International University-Bangladesh was fantastic in the amount and extent of its support in Dhaka, UK-BET and Leading University proved to be equally wonderful hosts in Sylhet,” he said.

The Dhaka portion of the event had nine THT presenters who conducted thirty workshops, lectures, and demonstrations for more than 50 participants and the Sylhet part had eleven workshops for 180 teachers. The titles of the workshops ranged from “Communicative Activities for Large Classes” to “Learning to Teach: Working in English with Bangladeshi folk-tales and short stories.” According to the THT website, the group strives to provide practical teaching workshops with an interactive focus that are informed by current research in the field.

One of the great benefits of the THT and BELTA collaboration has been its impact not only on local teachers but also on THT volunteers, many of whom make their first trip to Bangladesh as volunteers in these programs. “The volunteers who have joined our THT programs have all had a positive experience, so much so that many return year after year to help us conduct our workshops,” explained Pat Dougherty. He added that over the past five years, THT has brought a total of thirty volunteers to Bangladesh and that the volunteers, though mostly based in Japan, have included educators from Germany, Argentina, Japan, the USA, New Zealand, the UK, and Canada. One of the great attractions of coming to Bangladesh, Dougherty added, “has been the wonderful hospitality BELTA and our host have provided our THT volunteers.” THT members are treated to cultural programs, tours of the country-side and capital, and visits to local educators' homes.

For BELTA, it has been the reward of a six-year long friendship with THT. BELTA has had the privilege of organising this unique Teacher Training Seminar for the fourth time in Bangladesh, since 2005. The presentations offered by the THT team educators are a rare treat for the Bangladeshi teachers. They consider themselves very fortunate to have a conference of an international stature brought to their doors as most of them do not have the opportunity or the luxury of going to international events of this kind.