By Jaginder Singh Rahpatti | IPOH, MALAYSIA
One hundred and thirty four kindergarten and primary Punjabi language teachers attended a teacher development workshops on Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Ipoh and Petaling Jaya in March 2018.
The workshops were organised by Punjabi Education Trust Malaysia (PETM), the education wing of Khalsa Diwan Malaysia (KDM).
Such workshops are held periodically in an effort to keep improving the teaching and learning standards. They provide a platform for teachers to learn and explore new innovations in teaching, share and exchange ideas, whilst gaining knowledge and experience.
The workshops were made possible with the aid from Socio-Economic Development of the Indian Community (SEDIC), a unit in the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department. SEDIC provides financial aid to KDM to help preserve and promote the use of Punjabi Language.
The workshop for teachers from the North Zone (Perak, Penang and Kedah) was held in Ipoh on the 23 March 2018 while that for the South Zone teachers (Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka) was held in Petaling Jaya on the 24 March 2018. It was conducted by three coordinators and 10 facilitators.
Themed “HOTS for Kindergarten and Primary Punjabi Language Teachers”, the workshop activities were geared to help teachers incorporate Higher Order Thinking Skills when carrying out oral and reading comprehension activities. Teachers were guided to plan and carry out activities requiringstudents to retrieve information, as well analyse and apply information in oral and literacy activity.
The trainers shared various ideas with teachers on how they might improve oral and written communication in the classroom.
Trainers and teachers also discussed ways of using material in the textbook as a platform or context to initiate discussions beyond the text. Instead of relying too heavily on the textbook, teachers were encouraged to use audio-visual aids like video clips, pictures and posters to make their lessons more interactive and interesting.
The objectives of the workshop were achieved, thanks to the contribution and effort of Dr Kuldip Kaur, Head of the PETM Teacher Training Division, together with her dedicated team of facilitators. Most teachers were satisfied with the workshop content and delivery. They shared and learnt a lot from the lively sessions, and gained valuable insights on how to incorporate HOTS in the teaching and learning process.
Teachers, parents and the Sikh community have a collective responsibility to ensure that Punjabi Language remains an integral part of our life.
[Jaginder Singh Rahpatti is the secretary of Punjabi Education Trust Malaysia, the education wing of Khalsa Diwan Malaysia]
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