2017Thabyay Education FoundationConference for English Teachers

Current Challengesand Future Directions

6th May0 9 a m – 0 5 p m

Learning Hub at Yangon University of Education,Tha-tone street, Yangon, Myanmar

GuestSpeakers

Kyawt Shin PhyuLucia PivettaMyat Sandi AungNaw Eh Tha KhuPwint Oo MonSheila Tun Kyaw

o Saw Myo Min Thu, Executive Director, Thabyay Education Foundation

o Dr. Zin Mar Oo, Director of Programs, Thabyay Education Foundation

o Hyelim Yang, Academic Coordinator, Kant Kaw Education Center, Thabyay Education Foundation

o Aye Nyein Soe, Program Assistant, Kant Kaw Education Center, Thabyay Education Foundation

o Htein Linn, Program Assistant, Kant Kaw Education Center, Thabyay Education Foundation

o Jonghyun (Joshua) Kim, Intern, Kant Kaw Education Center, Thabyay Education Foundation

o Lwin Kyaw, Program Assistant, Kant Kaw Education Center, Thabyay Education Foundation

Organizers

Assistants

09:00~09:45 Registration of conference participants

09:45~10:00 Welcome remarks: Saw Myo Min Thu, Executive Director,

Thabyay Education Foundation (TEF)

10:00~10:30 Ice-breaker activity: Grace Michel, Education and Peace-building consultant

Presentation 1 Moderator Kirstin Sonne, Freelance English teacher

10:30~11:00 Sharing Experience of Being an English Teacher in Myanmar

Myat Sandi Aung, Teacher, Indonesian International School

In the Classroom: Fostering Student Participation in Verbal Interaction

Sheila Tun Kyaw, faculty member, Karen Baptist Theological Seminary (KBTS)

11:00~12:00 Q&A and discussion

12:00~13:00 Lunch break

Time Topic

13:00~13:30 British Again: Landscapes of English Learning in Myanmar, Difficulties andFuture Prospects Lucia Pivetta, Freelance English teacher, Full-time student, Yangon University of Foreign Language (YUFL)

The Role of Teachers: an active listener, facilitator and motivatorNaw Eh Tha Khu, Freelance English and Social Science teacher

13:30~14:30 Q&A and discussion

14:30~15:00 Tea break

ConferenceAgenda

2017TEF’s English Teacher ConferenceCurrent Challenges and Future Directions

1

Presentation 2 Moderator Kirstin Sonne, Freelance English teacher

ConferenceAgenda

2017TEF’s English Teacher ConferenceCurrent Challenges and Future Directions

15:00~15:30 Importance of Use of Online Resources in English EducationPwint Oo Mon, Freelance English teacher and soft-skills trainer

Sharing My Teaching Experience: Comparison of Traditional and Student-center Learning in Teaching English Kyawt Shin Phyu, Freelance English teacher and part-time English teacher at KKEC

15:30~16:30 Q&A and discussion

16:30~17:00 Closing remarks, Dr. Zin Mar Oo, Director of Programs, Thabyay Education Foundation

Presentation 3 Moderator Grace Michel, Education and Peace-building consultant

2

Myat Sandi Aung

Sharing Experience of Being an English Teacher in Myanmar

Myat Sandi Aung has been teaching English since July 2007 at Indonesian International

School Yangon (IISY) after working as an assistant lecturer at Yadanarbon University in

Mandalay. Also, she is a freelance anthropologist who is recently conducting research for

Anthropological Association in Myanmar. She was granted a bachelor’s degree from Yangon

University in 1993 and a master’s degree from Gadjah Mada University of Indonesia in 2001.

In addition, she has a diploma in English Language Proficiency from SEAMEO Regional

Centre for History and Tradition, Yangon in 2004.

Although her background is Anthropology and Social Studies, Myat Sandi Aung is

enthusiastic for learning and teaching as well as authoring articles and research papers in

English. She especially loves writing about different lifestyles and culture.

BIOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT

Being a teacher can be awesome! Since a teacher is also a life -long learner, teaching is a

profession which can lead an enjoyable life, full of dynamic challenges. I am always learning

to teach successfully. “Successfully” means my teaching will end up without much trouble

and inconvenience, and, at the same time, will make sure that the learners will have fun in

learning. To achieve this, I require enough preparation time and some creative talent.

Teaching is an art. It demands a special concentration to create a great performance where

the teacher and the learners can enjoy the learning experience together. In doing so, I am

embracing several challenges; some are on the teacher’s side and others are on the learners’

side. Challenges involve some factors such as “a teacher to be a role model,” “skills to

entice the students,” and “enhancing learners of multiple intelligence levels.” Here, some

expectations of a teacher which can be taken for granted and can contrast from reality will

be discussed. In case these challenges can be overcome successfully, great fun in the

learning process can surely be made on both sides: the teachers and the learners.

3

Sheila Tun Kyaw

In the Classroom: Fostering Student

Participation in Verbal Interaction

Sheila Tun Kyaw was born in 1967 and brought up by Karen Christian parents. After passing the

Matriculation Examination in 1984, she began her undergraduate study at Yangon University in

December, 1984 and earned a BA (Hons) in English in 1991. In 1998, while working at the Karen

Baptist Theological Seminary as a lecturer, she earned a Bachelor of Religious Education degree

from Myanmar Institute of Theology. In 2003, she pursued an MA (English Language Teaching)

degree at Assumption University in Bangkok, Thailand and earned a degree in 2006. She has been

working at the Karen Baptist Theological Seminary (KBTS) since 1994, and currently she is the head

of English Department. She teaches English to the Theological students and a part -time teacher at

the Liberal Arts Program (LAP) of KBTS teaching different English courses.

BIOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT

Like many EFL classrooms in other Asian countries, verbal interaction is new to traditional Myanmar EFL classrooms. Although modern language schools have been using interactive approaches in English language teaching, these approaches cannot be found in the majority of classrooms in Myanmar. In the traditional classrooms of Myanmar, learners are not used to taking part in verbal interaction, and even in speaking, it is not uncommon to see students "repeating after the teacher, reciting a memorized dialogue, or responding to a mechanical drill." ( Shrum and Glison2000, p-26 cited in Anne Burns and Jack C. Richard 2012, p-6)

There have been several factors which negatively impact my efforts to facilitate verbal interaction in my general English classes at the seminary. Majority of students come from remote areas and did not experience teacher-student and student-student verbal interaction before. Consequently, most of the students neither initiate topics nor ask questions to the teacher, and some even find it difficult to answer questions from the teacher. Classes are held only two hours a week, are large in size, and subsequently cannot provide enough time and personalized attention for students to practice verbal interaction. In addition, many students fail to do their homework which if completed regularly, would potentially help them improve their verbal language accuracy in tasks related to Theology in their major courses. In large classes, covert error correction is not applicable, and when the teacher corrects their mistakes overtly, some shy students may lose enthusiasm to participate verbally due to fear of derision. Lack of motivation is also another factor that negatively affects verbal interaction in the classroom.

In fact, there are several ways to remedy this problem, provided some solutions can be introduced by the seminary. Class hours for General English courses can be increased so that students will get more opportunities to practice verbal interactions in the classroom. With the help of the teacher, they will acquire more input and will be able to increase their accuracy in using the language. In fact, it is important that teachers help students to become autonomous learners, as a few hours in the classroom will not be as effective as self-study outside of the classroom. The teacher can also find ways to change some students' negative attitudes towards participating verbally in the classroom and encourage introverted students to take part in it. Further, the teacher can promote motivation by helping students to see the importance of verbal interaction and making verbal interaction more enjoyable. For instance, the teacher can choose topics which are interesting to the students, avoiding topics which are taboo in their culture and would be a hindrance for them from actively participating. By asking more referential questions rather than display questions, the teacher can pave the way for students to engage in meaningful verbal interaction. Thus, with the opportunity to increase class hours for more teacher input and selecting appropriate ways of classroom facilitation, practicing verbal interaction in the EFL classroom can bring benefits to the learners of English as a foreign language.

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Lucia Pivetta

British Again: Landscapes of English Learning in Myanmar, Difficulties and Future Prospects

Lucia Pivettais a marketing consultant but first and foremost, a Myanmar lover. She has

lived in Myanmar for over 2 years, working in the field of education as a pre -school teacher

and teaching English privately to high school students and young professionals.

Ms.Pivetta specialises in public relations and marketing, and currently works as a

consultant for Hintha Business Centres. She is also studying Burmese full time at Yangon

University of Foreign Languages (YUFL), and teaching English under the EPP Program at

Thabyay Education Foundation (TEF).

She previously worked and trained in Southeast Asia as a media officer for non -

governmental organisations focusing on human trafficking and land issues, and as a

journalist for the leading Thai newspaper The Bangkok Post.

Ms.Pivetta holds a B.A. (Hons) International Relations and Journalism, De Montfort

University – Leicester, and an M.A. Southeast Asian Studies, School of Oriental and African

Studies (SOAS), University of London.

BIOGRAPHY

In an ironic historical twist, the British were expelled to mark Burma’s independence from

colonialism, yet contemporary Myanmar finds its modern understanding of freedom and

national autonomy in the ransom and usage of the English language.

This presentation discusses the current state of English learning in Myanmar based on

personal observations and publicly available literature. English is everywhere; the language

of business and administration, the language of textbooks, social media and secondary

education.

Omnipresent as it is, English however remains the language of the few - a synonym of

wealth and private education. Things may have started to change with the passing of

National Education Law 2014, which stipulates that learning institutions can autonomously

choose English over Burmese as the language of instruction since childhood.

Longer years of language immersion and widespread usage do not automatically equal

improved English language skills. Rote learning and other so -called Myanmar “customs,”

coupled with a lack of professional resources for teachers and their insufficient English

skills may actually lead students to learn less whilst learning more English (form over

content).

ABSTRACT

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Naw Eh Tha Khu

The Role of Teachers: an active listener, facilitator and motivator

Naw Eh Tha Khu graduated from a Liberal Arts Program (Bachelor of Arts in Religious

Studies) majoring in English at the Myanmar Institute of Theology and also got a BA in

English from Yangon University of Distance Education. She has experienced in teaching and

training in wide variety of fields such as youth motivation, leadership skills, goal -setting,

democracy, ASEAN, gender, human rights, child rights, English and Karen language. She

has taught the English 4 Skills program at Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in

Pathein. Moreover, she has also participated as a Political Science teacher in Political

Empowerment Program for young women in Women’s League of Burma. She was also a

coordinator for the Emerging Youth Leaders Training at YWCA ( Pathein) as well.

Furthermore, she worked as a trainer at the Freedom of Religion and Beliefs at Smile

Education. She was also a translator for the European Union Election Observation Mission.

In addition, she also worked as a part- time researcher with the Christian Broadcasting

Network. She got training in Civic Education and certificates in Teaching English from Mote

Oo Education. She is now working as a freelance trainer and an English-Karen-Burmese

translator.

BIOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT

I see teachers as gardeners focusing on planting and growing the sake of the world.

Therefore, the roles of a teacher’s quite important. But in some situations, students are

scared to go to school and learn because their teachers often threaten students’ lives and so

they are not happy in learning.

Then, what should be the role of the teachers in today’s learning environment? Being a

teacher also means being a counselor to his/her students. As a teacher, he/she has to teach

their students using various teaching methods. It can sometimes be student -centered and at

other times teacher-centered. Moreover, teachers have to make sure that their students are

well-developed, not only physically but also mentally and ideologically. As a counselor,

he/she needs to listen to their students to be able to improve their speaking skills,

confidence and build trust with them. Also, he/she has to counsel students in order to

ensure that students have a friendly learning environment. Furthermore, sometimes

teachers become the mediator or negotiator between parents and students.

Why is the role of the teachers so important? Teachers can learn from students’ ideas,

coming from both experience and imagination. In addition, appreciation is part of the

development and improvement of the students’ life. Teachers should not discriminate

students against their sex, socio-economic status, ethnicity and religion but must plant the

seed of accepting diversity to promote peace and harmony. Also, they must empower their

students and build their confidence, trust, mutual understanding, active listening, mutual

respect and other important skills and value. Thus, the role of a teacher is important to

nurture students to become valuable human beings.

6

Pwint Oo Mon

Importance of Use of Online Resources in English Education

Ms. Pwint Oo Mon is an English language teacher and soft-skills trainer who is keen on

contributing to the continuing professional development of educators in Myanmar. She

worked with Thabyay Education Foundation to teach English four -skills Development

courses to elementary level adult learners. She has been working as an international school

teacher for more than 4 years in Yangon. She conducted soft -skills development courses and

managerial proficiency modules while working with UMG Co. Ltd in 2012. From 2005 to

2009, she instructed basic computer skills courses and internet training at Service+ Co. Ltd.

She received a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering in 2004 from Yangon

Technological University and obtained a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from

Yangon University of Economics in 2011.

BIOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT

Traditionally, typical English language schools have teacher(s), learners, whiteboard, audio

player, projector, books and a library. Today, the traditional classrooms extend with online

resources. With the advance of technology, people believe that English Language learning

online could enable learners to link with the world and compete with other nations.

Online learning was introduced to me by my professor in order to research on digital signal

processing for my fifth year coursework assignment during my graduate study at Yangon

Technological University. Later, I heard about Open Courses offered by the Massachusetts

Institute of Technology. Such kind of stimulation on learning online led me to start my teaching

career as a Computer Instructor on the Internet via email courses for five years. When I get my

next job as an English teacher, online English learning becomes a part of my style.

Online English learning is important because

1. it can encourage independent learning

2. it can provide easier access to native speakers and

3. it can be less costly than in-person learning.

In Myanmar, we still face challenges in online English learning. There are only 31 schools that

are connected for mobile learning by the ‘Connect to Learn’ program with the assistance of

UNESCO and Ericsson. According to UNESCO news only 2% of teachers are trained to use ICT.

In my experience, a very few teachers that I have worked with utilizes online education platform

in their work.

There are some websites I would like share for those interested in online English Learning.

They are Myanmar Network by British Council, www.ets.org for preparing for Internet Based

TOEFL tests, Future Learn for Continuing Professional Development, Busy Teacher for

readymade assignments, and Edmodo for online education platforms.

Finally, I would like to recommend the government to adapt curriculums to ICT or internet

based learning and support teachers in utilizing ICT for Education, through financial assistance

and by providing training.

7

Kyawt Shin Phyu

Sharing My Teaching Experience: Comparison of Traditional and Student-center Learning in Teaching English

Kyawt Shin Phyu joins Kant Kaw Education Center as a part-time EPP teacher of Elementary English for adults.

She has worked as a Kindergarten teacher for Nelson International Education Center and as a Young Learners Teacher for Nelson English Language Center for 4 years. After working with young learners, she realized how important it was to teach English to the beginners. Due to her enthusiastic teaching, she was promoted as an assistant teaching supervisor and honored with The Best Teacher Awards for 4 years. Being an English teacher gave her the chance to use TPR activities, be an assembly leader, using technology, using visual aids and resources. On the other hand, Kyawt Shin Phyu has also taught adult learners in OESC for 6 months and volunteered at a missionary school and monastic education centers in Yangon in her free time.

She got her B.Sc. in Physics from Yangon University of Distance Education and her Diploma in Global English from The Center of Human Resource Development, Yangon University. Moreover, she is also interested in modern technology thus she received a Diploma in Computer Studies from Yangon Co-operative Degree College and an International Advanced Diploma in Computer Studies from NCC, UK and KMD Computer Center, Yangon.

She has learned English through various sources - grammar classes, U Win Naing’s speaking class, Nun Church, YMCA upper room English class and 4 skills English language in NELC. For life-long learning, she usually attends workshops, seminars and conferences at British Council, Kant Kaw Education Center, American Center and online.

BIOGRAPHY

Around the world, English language plays vital role of communication. Therefore, most people are looking to learn and teach English through various techniques. However, Myanmar students and teachers are still attempting to overcome the difficulties in learning and teaching the English language in education.

This presentation is a reflection on my student experiences in learning English during 1984- 2012 and also to share what I observed during my teaching experience for 5 years. I learned through formal education, missionary schools, grammar classes and speaking classes in Yangon. Young learners and adults in private language centers, and also volunteered for missionary schools and monastic education centers in Yangon.

The active learning and teaching approaches of the modern day are more challenging than the traditional learning and teaching approaches of Myanmar. Comparing with other ASEAN countries, Myanmar is lag behind in learning English because of traditional learning and teaching circumstances such as rote-learning, weakness in critical thinking, demotivation of teaching skills, insufficient and inadequate assessment, and lack of resources and supports for teachers in the education system.

By identifying the current obstacles, we can transform traditional learning and teaching English methods to active learning and teaching English to the community. In my opinion, every teacher or trainer in Myanmar needs to get equal opportunity to learn and attend workshops, seminars, conferences and training courses on English. And then, active application of these new teaching techniques is also required for it to reach to the community. Moreover, teachers or trainers should be encouraged to apply for useful teaching techniques by the authorities of schools and higher education level. On the other hand, parents should be understanding and aware of student-centered approaches in education. Students must actively participate in the student centered approach and become independent learners to further their English education in Myanmar.

ABSTRACT

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