Newsroom
Nepalese scholar takes Cambridge skills back to classroom
5 February 2010
The importance of task-based approaches to teaching English to young learners was recently highlighted by a representative of the Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association (NELTA) after a recent professional development visit to Cambridge.
English teacher and academic Tula Dhwaj Khatiwada was one of a number of scholars from all over the world who gathered at Cambridge University’s Homerton College to take part in a teacher development course last summer.
On his recent return to Nepal he commented:
“By using task-based approaches in the classroom, my students have really developed their language skills through interaction and exploration. My young learners for example respond well to creative approaches to language learning such as using songs and games to teach vocabulary. This not only gives them the motivation to learn vocabulary, but also the ability to use these words in context.”
Tula was sponsored by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, Bell International – who have 720 teachers from 38 countries and Cambridge University Press to take part in the course which introduced fresh approaches to teaching English as a second language. Since returning to Nepal he has been busy sharing his knowledge with a number of students, colleagues and organisations. Along with carrying out teaching sessions to students he has also facilitated a number of sessions for around 100 teachers of English in the districts of Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Dhading.
