barublog“Language is the armory of the human mind, and at once contains the trophies of its past and the weapons of its future conquests.”
– Samuel Taylor Coleridge
To empower educators with essential language teaching skills, Akal Academy Kajri, Niranjanpur, under the aegis of The Kalgidhar Education Trust, Baru Sahib, hosted a Two-Day Teachers’ Workshop on English Language Skill Development. Held on October 12–13, 2015, the workshop saw enthusiastic participation from 59 English Language teachers across Akal Academies in the Uttar Pradesh region. The event was generously sponsored by Oxford Publications, New Delhi, with Dr. Vijaya serving as the distinguished resource person.
A Grand Welcome
The workshop began with a warm welcome by Mrs. Simran Kaur Thind, Principal of Akal Academy Kajri. She set the tone for the event, followed by an orientation and schedule briefing by Mr. Ashok Singh Guleria, HOD English & Head Coordinator.
Day 1 – Strengthening the Foundations
Session I: Listening and Speaking Skills
Kicking off at 9:00 AM, the first session focused on developing effective communication skills. Dr. Vijaya used audio-visual aids to highlight common barriers such as shyness, lack of proficiency, and accuracy issues in language learning—and offered practical strategies to overcome them.
Teachers engaged in group activities focused on listening and speaking exercises, emphasizing real-world classroom applications.
Session II: Soft Skills & Classroom Interaction
This session delved into soft skills, pronunciation, and classroom communication. Teachers explored the functional use of English in daily interactions—like requests, invitations, stress patterns, and intonation—helping them fine-tune their spoken English and understand student struggles better.
Session III: Phonetics & Pronunciation Practice
A highly engaging session, this part introduced picture-based speaking prompts, loud reading, and voice modulation. The session ended with a phonetics drill, exposing teachers to high-frequency and sight words, boosting their confidence and pronunciation accuracy.
Day 2 – Deep Dive into Phonetics
The second day was entirely devoted to phonetic learning—a first for many participants. Dr. Vijaya expertly introduced the 44 sounds of English (with their phonetic symbols), using audio-video clips to make the concepts vivid and easy to grasp.
Key highlights included:
- British vs. American English differences
- Importance of phonetic transcription
- Real-life application in mass communication and for students preparing for study abroad or job placements
Dr. Vijaya emphasized that correct pronunciation and fluency should be the real focus of language teaching—not just speaking English. Teachers practiced how to decode dictionary pronunciation using phonetic transcription.
Digital Learning & Resource Sharing
In a tech-forward move, Dr. Vijaya shared several useful web resources for continued learning, including:
- Podcasts
- BBC Learning English
- ELT web portals
These platforms offer valuable audio-visual material for improving both teaching and learning of English.
A Fitting Conclusion
The workshop concluded with a thoughtful thanksgiving note by Principal Mrs. Simran Kaur Thind, expressing deep gratitude to the resource person for her insight and enthusiasm. Mrs. Rangbir Kaur, Cluster Head of Akal Academies (U.P. region), encouraged teachers to actively apply these learnings in their classrooms.
Acknowledgements were also extended to Mr. Phillip Xavier (Media Coordinator) and Mr. Pawan Katara (Regional Coordinator, Digiclass) for their support in making the event a grand success.
Takeaway
The workshop wasn’t just a training session—it was a transformative experience. Teachers returned to their classrooms not only with enhanced skills but also a renewed passion to make English learning more effective, engaging, and empowering for students.
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