Aditya Birla Foundation for community initiatives sets new standards in professional development of English teachers collaborating with Nation University

The Nation
April 5, 2013

As Thailand prepares to enter the Asean Economic Community in 2015, furthering the English language skills of its people is crucial for the country to progress further. This is all the more so as English is the recognized international language.

To help take the country forward, the Aditya Birla Foundation for Community Initiatives has initiated a pilot project titled, “Train the Teachers” in collaboration with the Nation University of Thailand. This first-of-its-kind project, providing fully integrated professional development of English teachers, has been successfully completed.

Highlights of the project include:

• Over 17 teachers trained to better their competency in English language communication and teaching skills.
• This extensive training programme spanned 11 schools in Angthong with more than 90 hours of intensive teaching methodology, and practice sessions.
• The Aditya Birla Group engaged Nation University to undertake the English teaching.
• After the teachers were fully trained the university tested them for their mastery of the English language and to what extent they had assimilated the techniques learned from the training programme into their teaching process.
• These teachers will now train other school teachers, passing on their new-found mastery of the language. The project offers tremendous scope for replication.

Today, at a special function Mrs. Rajashree Birla, Chairperson, Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development and Mr. Wisawa Sasisamit, Governor of Angthong will award “Train the Teachers Certificates” to these 17 teachers.

Over time, thousands of Thai children will benefit from the project, ultimately becoming the truly global citizens that Thailand and Asean need.