Reading Helpers is a program for teachers to support children who need help with their reading. Through this program, children are encouraged to learn and practice reading with one-on-one support in a structured yet enjoyable environment.
A three-day workshop was organised by Bookworm in collaboration with the Department of Education, Central Tibetan Administration. 48 teachers from across 37 different Tibetan schools participated in this program. Here’s what a few of them had to say about their overall experience.
“The workshop experience – The workshop held in the peaceful ambiance in Goa for three days was a big help for children who find reading difficult. It was organised by the Department of Education (DOE) and led by the Bookworm team. The main aim was to teach techniques to assist these children with reading.
During the workshop, we learned various activities and methods to make reading easier and more enjoyable for struggling readers. The Bookworm team shared practical tips and strategies that can be used both in and out of the classroom. These included interactive read aloud, using visual aids and incorporating games into reading sessions, and more.
One important aspect emphasised in the workshop was the need for patience and encouragement when working with struggling readers. It’s essential to create a supportive environment where children feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes.
The workshop also highlighted the importance of understanding each child’s individual needs and learning styles. By tailoring reading activities to suit their interests in abilities, we can make the learning experience more engaging and effective.
Overall, the workshop provided valuable insights and practical tools for helping children improve their reading skills. By implementing the strategies learned, we can make a positive difference in the lives of struggling readers, empowering them to become confident and proficient reader.”
– Tenzin Yangsel, THS Rajpur
“Workshop in Goa! Thinking of the place of the workshop really excited me first!
After coming to attend workshop with my friends, getting to know new teachers and sharing our ideas is another thing. Since the workshop is only for three days, at the end I couldn’t believe my eyes that the time has come for us to leave, and when I look back, I realised that I have so much to carry with me. There are lots of new strategies to help my students to make reading interesting and many new sweet unforgettable memories with my friends.
The thing that really surprises me is that before the workshop, I thought that the workshop is about how to inculcate reading habit in students, and I just wondered how it can be possible without teaching them to read the books properly. While the workshop was going on, I came to know that it was about helping students in reading and that really lightened my burden because I wanted to learn some techniques to make teaching reading interesting, I mean, in a fun way.
For the students of primary school, reading is a complex process which needs lots of practice and other skills like decoding, understanding of the text read by them, they should have the previous knowledge to get the meaning from the text, they should also know how to pronounce the words correctly, etc.
As a primary English Language Teacher, I need many strategies to help my students in reading. After getting the workshop I felt more confident and learned many new strategies to help my students. Especially I like the Interactive Read Aloud done by Sujata Norantha and Jennifer because my strength as a teacher is a storyteller. So for that, Interactive Read Aloud really is a blessing in disguise. All the strategies taught during our workshop are also very useful and new to me. This workshop truly is another wake up call for me. It definitely met my expectation. I fully enjoyed it and at the same time learnt a lot.
After coming back from the workshop, I applied all the activities with my students and it proved that my students really liked all the activities related with Interactive Read Aloud. Thank you once again for updating us with how to implement our skills in educating the young mind in ever-fast changing globe with the role that language can play in their coming life.”
– Phuntsok Dolkar, Tibetan Children’s School – Lower Dharamshala