Teachers have always been at the forefront of the education system, greatly responsible for shaping young minds and preparing them for life. With the internet and other technologies taking over, the education system is changing considerably. Online classes and virtual schools have replaced some of the old classroom setups. Mobile devices and electronic documents have elevated note-taking to a whole new level. Educators now have to fully embrace the technology revolution to keep their students ahead of the curve. 

Teachers who don’t engage in continuous professional development can fall behind their peers and feel less confident in their ability to provide a great learning environment for students. Continuous Professional Development helps teachers keep up with the latest developments in their field. It means they can provide more engaging lessons relevant to today’s students. It also allows them to develop new skills and techniques that will help them become better educators overall.

The most common type of professional development is on-the-job training. In this, the teachers learn how to use new technology or techniques while working with students. This type of training often occurs through workshops or classes offered by professional organizations.

Other types of Professional Development include:

• Mentor programs in which experienced educators work one-on-one with new teachers to give them advice and guidance about how to improve their teaching skills
• Summer institutes that provide intensive courses over several weeks
• Internships where new teachers work under the supervision of an experienced mentor who guides them through the process of teaching a class for a set period.
• On-site programs where teams from different schools come together for workshops or seminars focused on specific topics, like classroom management or instructional strategies.

Instead of simply observing, teachers committed to continuing their growth and development engage in a myriad of professional opportunities. They seek conferences, workshops, online training classes, or e-learning courses to expand their knowledge and skills.

With Continuous Professional Development, Teachers Can:

✏️ Learn New Skills

Continuous Professional Development allows teachers to learn new skills and techniques. Teachers who take part in professional development courses often learn how to improve their teaching methods and techniques. They also comprehend how to create lesson plans and other resources that can be used in the classroom. This helps them improve their ability as educators and helps them better teach their students. 

Besides, teachers also experience more confidence in their teaching abilities because they know they are up to date with the latest developments in education. This allows them to feel more comfortable when teaching a new topic or concept, making it easier for them to engage with their students and explain concepts clearly.

✏️ Better Understand Student Needs

Effective professional development programs help teachers identify learning objectives for each lesson before they begin teaching it. They also allow teachers to reflect on how well-designed lessons met their objectives, including how much time was spent on each objective, what worked well, why specific techniques were successful or unsuccessful, etc. The goal is to make every lesson as effective as possible by identifying what works best with different groups of students at different times in their education.

✏️ Increase Knowledge about Effective Practices

There are so many new initiatives being implemented in schools every year, along with the ongoing challenges faced by all educators. With Continuous Professional Development opportunities, teachers get access to information about these initiatives and how they might impact their classroom practice. 

Additionally, teachers have better relationships with their colleagues and other professionals because they understand how other people work and think about specific topics or issues related to teaching. This can help them collaborate with other professionals on projects at school or within the local community, which means there is more opportunity for students to benefit from their expertise too!

Professional Development Opportunities

Continuous Professional Development allows teachers to find ways to improve their teaching style and increase their knowledge base. This means there is always an opportunity for teachers who want to learn more about teaching or expand their knowledge base on a particular subject matter or topic area, whether it’s math or science or another subject area applicable in the classroom setting. Continuous Professional Development allows teachers to find opportunities that they may not have otherwise found if they weren’t participating in these ongoing efforts.

Teachers are responsible for the well-being of their students and for ensuring that they succeed in their studies. With professional development, teachers can learn new ways to engage with students so they don’t feel like they’re just lecturing at the front of the room. They can also learn how to work with children from different backgrounds than them—for example, if they’re teaching English as a second language, which is often required in most schools across rural India today.

Through these mechanisms, and more, Continuous Professional Development helps teachers stay at the forefront of an ever-evolving education landscape, and help young learners realize their full potential. 

Anganwadi workers are women who work in government-run childcare centers across India. A large number of these women come from low-income households themselves, and therefore face financial constraints when it comes to completing their education or acquiring new skills that could help them improve their quality of life. Square Panda India’s Anganwadi Workers Upskilling Program aims to empower Anganwadi workers, enabling teachers to upskill their talent and knowledge to help them deliver better services, while our Educator Empowerment Programs equip teachers with the skills and knowledge required to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. 

To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in

Here are some useful videos to explore the topic further:
Prerequisites of a Preschool Teacher
Supporting Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development with Edtech
How To Support Educators In Their Changing Roles

You may also be interested in reading some of our blogs on teacher training:
3 Things Teachers can do to Improve Teaching Kindergarten Online
4 Ways Formative Assessments Can Enhance Your Teaching
Creating Self-Paced Classrooms through Curriculum Design

We hope that you enjoyed our post on National Curriculum Framework. If you have any tips or suggestions please leave a comment below. If you would like to collaborate with us, you can drop us a mail on marketing@squarepanda.in.

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Empathy is a critical skill for every human being to have. It is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. To be empathetic, one must be able to imagine themselves in another person’s shoes. Thus feeling what that person is feeling. Anyone can learn empathy through practice and experience. We are all born with the capacity for empathy. But we often need to nurture it to grow into a full-blown skill.

Empathy maps are visual tools that explore the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of a particular population. We can use them to learn how a particular population processes information and makes decisions. They are based on the principle that we humans make decisions based on our emotions, not our intellect.

In education, an empathy map is a simple, easy-to-understand visual that captures knowledge about a student’s behaviours and attitudes. Using empathy maps, educators have a better chance of relating and connecting with students, which leads to more effective teaching practices. The empathy map consists of four quadrants: 

• thinks/says
• feels/needs
• does/goes/seek
• hears/sees

As a teacher or adult interacting with the student frequently throughout the day, you can capture insights about them in these different quadrants. We can use it to understand a student with whom you have a troubled relationship. We can employ empathy maps to build a relationship with any student you don’t know well yet.

For example, what does this student say to his or her peers? How does he or she act when her team is struggling with a problem? What does he or she look like when she is happy? 

Empathy Maps allow teachers to put themselves into the shoes of their students. They can then better understand what students need from them. A teacher may ask students questions about their learning experience and then record their responses on a map to make it easier to analyze the data.

How do Empathy Maps help Teachers?

Empathy Maps do not replace in-depth assessments or other methods for understanding students’ needs. They provide a framework for educators to go beyond conversations with students and generate more meaningful results. These results contribute to improved design, courses, and programs. 

These maps help teachers see things from the perspective of their students. They also aid in developing an emotionally supportive learning environment. By understanding what they need and want, teachers can provide more engaging lessons that cater to the specific interests and goals of their learners.

It is essential for educators not only to know how students feel, but also why they feel this way. Thus, Empathy Maps should include reasons behind emotions expressed by students during classes. With such information at hand, educators can adjust their lesson plans accordingly to address students’ needs and promote a positive classroom atmosphere.

Benefits of Using Empathy Maps:

The use of Empathy Maps promotes the development of emotional intelligence in students. They become more attentive to others and get new skills in communication. In addition, this approach encourages interpersonal relationships and personal growth and development.

This benefits learners in many ways, including:

• It helps learners put themselves in someone else’s shoes, and see things from another person’s perspective. By developing greater empathy, learners can better understand the world around them and work collaboratively.
• It helps them get to know each other better as team members. Having a learner complete his or her Empathy Map can help other members understand that person better. 
• You may be asked to work with someone who is not part of your usual team. They may have a chance to see your perspective in a new way and generate ideas about how best to work together.

By using a variety of unique approaches and pedagogical tools, Square Panda India helps people across the education ecosystem realize their full potential through the transformative capabilities of EdTech. To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in

We hope that you enjoyed our post on empathy maps. If you have any tips or suggestions please leave a comment below. If you would like to collaborate with us please reach out to us on marketing@squarepanda.in.

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Here is a list of our other blog posts that may interest you:
Six Tips to Help Children Cope with Stress
Overcoming The Gendered Digital Divide Through Education In India
3 Ways ICT Labs Can Equip Students To Be Better Learners

Teaching kindergarten children online is no small feat—so much to consider and so many challenges. First, there are few restrictions as with in-person classes, so teachers must always be on their toes. Second, children can be distracted by far more things than physical teachers are used to. Add video calls, various methods of communication and chatting, or simply spending too much time trying to figure out the technology involved, and it can be pretty challenging to keep students’ attention focused on classwork. An online survey revealed that 84% of teachers experienced challenges during online classes, such as maintaining discipline, keeping parents from interfering, and figuring out online etiquette.

Many factors come into play with an online class, and teachers must be prepared to change how they teach. As an educator, you must be aware of how these factors affect your teaching style and how you can make the best adjustments to serve your students best. Aside from being creative in your teaching style, it’s also vital that you establish a good rapport with the students and their parents. That said, here are three challenges virtual learners may face and suggestions on how to overcome them.

🤔 Challenge: Students Passiveness

Anyone who teaches has faced the challenge of converting passive learners or disengaged students into a state of active learning. They are present only physically, with their mind elsewhere. They don’t read the materials, do the homework and don’t ask questions, or engage in discussion. Instead, they just watch or listen and let knowledge wash over them. The challenge of teaching passive learners is especially apparent for kindergarteners, who have not yet developed independent problem-solving skills or exhibit autonomy over their own study habits.

💡 Solution: Formative Assessment

There are various ways this can be beneficial, such as allowing students to receive ongoing feedback throughout the learning process. Classroom assessment practices should be designed to enable students to practice the course material under low-stakes conditions before the final assessment. It also helps educators gain insight into whether their students understand the content. Rather than testing what students think they know about the topic, formative assessments allow you to determine how well students comprehend content and guide instruction based on that information.

🤔 Challenge: Limited Interaction

The lack of interaction between teachers and students impacts learning in many ways. If a child is struggling with a particular concept or activity, a face-to-face interaction would help quickly identify and remedy the problem. An online instructor cannot see when students are confused and cannot provide help individually, hindering learning progress. Additionally, some children may feel reluctant to ask questions or admit they are struggling with a concept because they will be embarrassed to ask questions in front of their peers.

💡 Solution: Constructive Feedback

Since online coursework is self-paced, it raises questions about how to give effective feedback quickly yet reasonably. By explaining the reasons behind the evaluation and suggesting ways to improve, you can encourage students to think about their current progress and what they can do to move forward positively. Effective feedback loops are crucial to helping impactful learning happen, no matter which platform you teach on. Without them, distance learning either goes nowhere or runs the risk of being a student’s least favourite class. You may need to use examples and stories or react to a student’s assignment to get your point across in an online course.

🤔 Challenge: Lack of Collaboration

The need to communicate successfully is another essential element of successful online education. Unfortunately, one of the pitfalls of teaching kindergarteners online is that collaboration may be challenging to achieve when children are not physically present together. Children may have issues communicating with other children because of their young age and inability to express themselves properly.

💡 Solution: Frequent Communication

Give your students a chance to give each other feedback and receive feedback from their peers – it’ll help improve classroom participation. You’ll also be helping them build their communication skills, which will pay off throughout their school years and beyond. Model good feedback techniques during mini-lessons before students practice assessing each other’s work.

Encourage your students to share their ideas with each other and then get back in the loop with you. For example, if you notice that feedback from peers is conflicting, or if you hear something from one student that makes you think of something new to try in class, use that opportunity to get feedback from all of your students. You’ll be amazed at how much information you can gather by doing this.

In an effort to aid teachers in teaching online courses, various technologies have been designed to help improve the student experience and effectiveness of online learning. At Square Panda India, we are committed to creating a learner-centric education ecosystem. We understand both challenges and possibilities of technology in classrooms. Our experts collaborate with educators, parents and children to build online solutions that use the power of technology to improve learning outcomes. To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in

With the vast proliferation of digital tools and the growth of online learning platforms, blended learning has gained traction as the go-to instructional strategy for teachers and students in early classrooms. Today’s digital-age learners have grown up amidst technology that would have been almost unimaginable a decade ago, which is why they have found it much easier to transition to a blended learning class as opposed to a classroom in which they do not use any form of technology. 

A study has suggested that when blended with face-to-face instruction, online learning can help preschoolers develop a deeper understanding of course material, promote creativity and collaboration, and result in a greater sense of student engagement.

Blended Learning: A Modern Imperative

Although most early childhood professionals would agree that blended learning is the ideal teaching method for pre-K, it can also be one of the hardest to implement. Finding ways to foster creativity in your classroom will help you build a thriving blended learning environment that will be better than ever before.

Connecting with your students is a vital part of the blended learning framework. By getting to know each student one-on-one, you better understand their personal needs and interests. When you know your students, you can then decide how to bring that learning into the classroom. Creating a dynamic classroom where individual learners are challenged according to their strengths and weaknesses is the foundation for blended learning. As preschool teachers, you can introduce a few concepts of blended learning throughout the year. It’s crucial to constantly break new material down into smaller bits before teaching 4-year-olds who learn new material faster.

Blended learning integrates various learning styles and strategies—such as digital learning, independent study, and project-based instruction. The use of technology enables teachers to assess each student’s skill level and align lessons around their specific interests, needs, and abilities. A teacher can use these methods to determine how well a student is progressing throughout the course, then offer further lessons that target differing needs for each student.

One of the most popular blended learning models, the station rotation model, requires teachers to split their classes into smaller subgroups. Students are given a schedule that prioritizes learning activities, including an online or digital component, which are rotated through on a timed schedule. Another way to implement blended learning in a preschool setting is by a flipped classroom. It is educational training that allows students to go home and review the coursework online. Teachers then meet with individual students to further develop an understanding of the course content. The class time is spent applying material by working through simulations or other hands-on activities. Research has shown that using these modes provide better opportunities for individual instruction and more frequent feedback to the student.

The Impact of Student Engagement in Early Childhood Classrooms

With the pressure to meet academic standards implemented in early grades, such as preschool, teachers need to help their students focus on the tasks at hand. One strategy to help promote engagement is blended learning. This type of learning combines face-to-face instruction with digital tools to provide personalization and differentiated instruction based on student needs, encourage technology integration, and motivate students toward desired ends. It combines the individualized attention of traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms with the adaptability and flexibility of digital tools to facilitate lively, engaging learning sessions. Through blended learning, teachers will meet each student wherever they might be, students will be able to learn what they need outside the classroom setting, and students will have more opportunities to collaborate with their peers.

Screen time in the form of technology and interactive media has provided opportunities for our students to grow in ways we could never have imagined. This, however, raises concerns due to the ever-growing concern of overuse and misuse. This has brought on the need to switch up teaching style in an effort to understand how to use blended learning effectively and what dangers might arise from its use. 

However, when students and teachers embrace technology in the classroom, everyone wins. Students gain access to a more diverse curriculum, and teachers are able to reach more students. With a comprehensive learning platform, teachers can help students bridge educational gaps and set individualized learning goals. Blended learning provides educators with the tools they need to engage students so they are empowered to create an inclusive learning experience, and through it, begin a hopefully lifelong love for learning that stands one in good stead.

Square Panda encourages the use of blended learning in classrooms and beyond, giving students access to the personalized learning they need to succeed. Children learn at their own pace using interactive programs, giving them the self-confidence to realize their full potential. 

To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in 

With schools closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the government advocated for online learning to ensure the continuity of academic work. The integration of online learning platforms and digital technology in education has revolutionized how modern kids learn. Online platforms like Zoom, Google classrooms, and Microsoft Teams made it easy for teachers and students to stay connected, collaborate, and get things done. However, the shift from conventional learning to online education has been challenging for some traditional institutions, especially in rural India, which have found the transition to be challenging. They are still devoid of all the online learning advantages.

Even almost after 1.5 years of lockdown, providing digital classrooms to remote areas is one of the challenges. While it is possible, in many villages and rural areas, there is a vast digital divide in education in India. Although many basic infrastructure requirements have been developed, rural India still struggles to transition to an entirely online or digital education model.

Below are some challenges faced during this transformational period.

⚈ Limited Access to Technological Devices

Available digital content does not reach a sizable population due to the limited availability of technologically advanced devices, such as personal computers and mobile phones. Most families from underprivileged areas do not have access to these devices, limiting the accessibility of the learning materials. In addition, the cost and availability of data plans and devices can restrict teacher and student interaction. Since students cannot participate in live sessions, they cannot learn the material independently, which may be difficult due to the absence of appropriate teaching aids. 

⚈ Unfamiliarity with Digital Technology

While urban schools may thrive with modern methods and easy access to technology, rural schools in developing countries often lack the same advancements. Remote regions often lack internet access and simple digital devices. This transition from traditional techniques to digital ones is a slow-moving process that cannot be rushed. If you observe the level of digital literacy in classrooms, teachers and students alike are still lagging. The challenge here is to train them to get comfortable using Smart Classrooms and Digital Learning facilities.

⚈ Shortage of Teachers

The shortage of teachers in rural areas is another challenge in achieving complete digitization of education. To overcome this barrier, teachers need to be equipped with the latest skills and pedagogy to enable them to teach online. Moreover, online classroom solutions are only effective when teachers are present to guide students in an interactive learning environment. This is one of the areas where Square Panda is making efforts to upskill teachers in rural India. 

We started by understanding the landscape and then developed a deeper understanding of the problems. With this knowledge, we developed our programs to fit the needs of learners and educators who want to bring about a positive change for the next generation of students. Through these workshops, teachers from different language schools will be able to refine their pedagogy and better impart learning to their students.

The Way Forward – A New Normal

The changing school paradigm requires new strategies for engaging students in their education and the development of interpersonal skills. However, existing non-availability of equipment, lack of trained teachers, and network connectivity issues prevent learning on a wide scale in India’s rural areas. We need to ensure that teachers are able to return to work so that the learning journey continues uninterrupted. Square Panda India’s programs are designed to help teachers transition into the digital age easily, and supports their continuous professional development. 

When schools reopen, children cannot return to school immediately. School leaders and government will have to have a staggered plan to assimilate students back into normal classes without stretching resources too thin. One of the most significant drawbacks to returning to school is that students will be unprepared for traditional standardized tests. We should take this time to allow students to reinforce the learning they already know, and mould them into well-rounded people. Additional time should be spent on skill-building, career development, and emotional growth.

In the past couple of years, India has made great strides toward advancing rural education. While some see online learning as an ephemeral trend that offers little value to students, others believe that the hybrid learning models will be the future of education. Advancements in government policy, technological innovations, and asynchronous learning programs can make online learning more equitable and accessible for communities across India’s hinterland.

The advent of digitisation in education is helping create new education possibilities for a generation of Indians all across the nation. Know more about our work, and how Square Panda has been making significant strides towards growing India’s education ecosystem. Click here: Our ECCE Empowerment Programs

We all know that teachers have the most significant impact on student learning. For this reason, it is crucial to recruit and retain qualified teachers as we seek to build up the proficiencies of the next generation. However, the staggering shortage of teachers has created an imbalance, leaving schools with thousands of vacancies each year. Data has shown that this ongoing shortage is adversely affecting the education system in India.

Teacher Shortage in Rural India

Teacher shortages are defined as a diminished teacher-to-student ratio that affects access to education for many children. In other words, though positions are open, there aren’t enough candidates applying for them. But the shortage of teachers in government schools has reached alarming levels. Even some reputed private schools are struggling to fill their vacancies each year. In public schools, as teachers retire, they’re not being replaced fast enough by younger applicants. Because of this multi-generational gap in the workforce, students may not get the quality education they deserve. Many schools lack the infrastructure, resources and the required number of teachers. Studies show that this has resulted in more than 500,000 elementary schools nationwide lacking teachers, and 14% of high schools employed non-state certified teachers or contractual teachers. These are pre-pandemic numbers, with a recent study showing that a total of 19% or 11.16 lakh teaching positions in schools lie vacant in the country, 69% of them in rural areas.

Key factors contributing to the teacher shortage

Salaries and compensation

Teacher compensation impacts the supply and quality of teachers. Salary levels affect the distribution of teachers, which affects the level of schooling and the quality and quantity of individuals pursuing a teacher-training program and becoming teachers. Higher wages may also influence teacher attrition; teachers are more likely to leave low-paying positions than high-paying positions. Teachers who work in districts with low salaries may be less experienced or qualified than those who work in districts with a higher salary schedule.

Lack of Preparation

School districts and private schools alike have tried homogenising and easing standards for teachers because of surging demand for well-trained instructors. As a result, some school districts have had to hire graduates without the requisite certification or classroom experience. Complete preparation for teachers means more than just solid pedagogical knowledge. Increased confidence, support, and collaboration improves the likelihood that a teacher will remain in the profession.

Working Conditions

The different norms and rules of the school and treating teachers as professionals can play an essential part in decision-making for leaving teaching in a particular school or district. In particular, teachers’ feelings of being treated as professionals are strongly associated with the administrative support, resources, and influence over policy within schools. Education systems must pay attention to the fact that teachers are not held accountable for how they spend their time at school and have a sense of being heard.

Impact of Teacher Shortage

A shortage of teachers hurts everyone involved in our educational system. Not just students, but also teachers and the public education infrastructure itself. It is important to remember that this isn’t just about getting more teachers in classrooms or just improving teacher pay. It’s really about improving teacher quality, so the learning experience matches the rising expectations for student achievement in today’s world. The quality of teachers has a direct impact on academic achievement. Low retention rates delivered to the teaching profession reduce teacher effectiveness and morale, diminishing student learning outcomes. 

The teacher shortage makes it difficult to build a solid reputation for teaching and increase the profession’s prestige, both of which hinder the goal of professionalizing teaching. Moreover, the uneven distribution of teachers means that specific parts of the population are not receiving the same educational opportunities as others. The teacher shortage hinders sustainability and challenges the vision of providing a quality education for all students from a diverse range.

Ways to Redress the Teacher Shortage

A strong public education system is key to fostering economic growth and innovation in any state. Raising teacher pay is one way to cultivate a talented workforce to support it. When teachers feel a sense of belonging, they become more engaged and feel empowered to share their voice. On the other hand, teachers who feel uncared for and whose voices aren’t heard often “burn out” by leaving the profession.

In light of the widespread effects on public education and society at large, it is imperative to understand this crisis and address it immediately. To design policy interventions or plan institutional action, we must first understand the factors contributing to the growing shortage of high-quality teachers. Only then can we help the next generation of students across India realise their full human potential, and the entirety of their aspirations.

Square Panda aims to tackle this problem by leveraging technology and world-class training to transform under-resourced schools and Anganwadi centres into learning spaces. Know more about our work. Visit ecce.squarepanda.in

Although English is accepted as a global language, in most Indian schools, English is not the language of instruction. Because of this, students in rural India face difficulty learning it at school. Moreover, using incorrect English remains a problem for students, even in urban areas. While they try their best to grasp the subject, they often fail at sounding correct, mainly when speaking. Moreover, there is a general trend of students losing interest in English by the time they finish class XII because of excessive rote memorization of rules. Storytelling helps develop English proficiency – a basic understanding of how language works, acquire new w ords, phrases, and aptitudes as they build their communication skills.

Importance of storytelling

Throughout history, stories have been a way to pass on traditions and beliefs across generations. From Ramayana, Puranas, Panchatantra, and Jataka tales to Mahabharata, stories from Indian epics have helped children learn the nuances of a language. And since stories have been the most effective way of propagating a linguistic tradition, learning English through stories can help children learn the language in a fun and engaging way. 

Telling stories is more than just writing out what happened in chronological order. It requires children to use their imagination and convey emotions through words alone. This helps develop their communication skills, especially when writing essays or giving presentations where they need to convey information interestingly.

Storytelling allows students to express themselves freely by discussing things that interest them or make them happy or sad. It is an effective way to build empathy and understanding between people. With the right encouragement, children can speak out and express themselves clearly. Telling a story in English helps children develop their vocabulary and grammar skills as they use new words while communicating with others through stories and anecdotes.

English Storytelling in Classroom & Home

Stories are full of new words. From character names to locations, from verbs and adjectives to nouns and adverbs — all serving a specific purpose within the narrative. And because there are so many different words in a single story, it provides lots of opportunities for students to practice their reading and listening skills. Thus, stories can be used in many ways in the classroom – read aloud, acted out, dramatized or used as models for writing activities. Educators should consider several factors when selecting stories for the classroom. The stories chosen should appeal to their students, be appropriate for their purpose, and provide opportunities to practice the language.

Here’s how storytelling helps develop English proficiency:

The purpose of storytelling is to enable children to enjoy hearing English in a dynamic and often stylistic way. It is very participatory and immersive, giving the children an awareness of rhythm and structure. In addition, storytelling can be a very effective method for introducing new vocabulary and phrases.

• Accustomed to short bursts of language in the classroom, students are hungry for more stories. As they listen to you include some details about characters or setting or give some background information on context, they become motivated to do the same thing when speaking in English. 

• When children tell stories in English, they learn to describe intonation patterns, natural expressions, phrasing, and interactions between indigenous speakers. For older young learners, the activity gives them practice retelling stories or paraphrasing or rewording them.

• The use of stories also allows young learners to link their reading experiences in the classroom to those at home. For example, students have books at home, which can be read with a parent or other family member. In addition, the child can identify household vocabulary, which will ease the understanding of the English language within their household.

• Storytelling is one way that teachers can inspire language learning through discussion and activities. Moreover, parents can help their children at home by reading stories in English, especially ones with interesting characters who do unexpected things or someone who solves a problem.

The following are ways that teachers can use Storytelling helps develop English proficiency:

Use storytelling in conversation class.

Ask your students to share personal experiences or discuss their favorite books, movies, or TV shows. This will help them become more comfortable speaking in English and allow them to use the vocabulary they already know.

Have students tell a story in pairs or small groups.

You can do this as part of a warm-up activity before class starts or after class ends as a way to review everything children have learned during the lesson. This can be especially helpful if you teach elementary school students who often struggle to speak in front of others!

Tell stories that involve your students.

This allows students to see how the story is told, which helps them understand the context of the sentences and phrases. You can also ask them questions about the story after reading or listening together so they can think about their answers before speaking out loud.

The Bottom Line

Adding storytelling tactics to a teacher’s established array of teaching skills can boost student engagement and retention of their material. Square Panda India’s programs focus on the art and strategy of using exciting stories to help students understand new concepts at a deeper level. Our programs give teachers a solid foundation in delivering joyful education that engages and connects with students and inspiring change that impacts communities. To know more, visit ecce.squarepanda.in