LIFE Trust to teach Dharavi teachers English via DVDs

The Landmark International Institute for Empowerment (LIFE Trust) will use technology to teach English to the Anganwadi school teachers of Dharavi.

LIFE Trust is conducting a 2-month pilot project in the slums of Dharavi for 25 Anganwadi teachers. Based on the success of the project, LIFE Trust plans to extend the same to 950 teachers during 2009.

The organization, with its team of 2D Animators, has created a unique ‘English DVD’ for this initiative.

The teachers will be trained using ultra-modern portable DVD players. LIFE Trust has created these DVDs with visuals and a voice-over so as to make English learning interesting.

The classroom sessions would be interactive with discussions, role-plays, and quizzes to sustain the interest of teachers and deliver quality learning.

The organization has said that the initiative replaces the traditional blackboard with a modern, technologically advanced medium of education.

LIFE Trust said that with this project it aims to make every child in India school-ready, in a more fun-filled and modernised atmosphere.

The eligibility criterion for an Anganwadi teacher is a Class X pass certificate. The LIFE Trust has identified the need to further empower the teachers in language usage. To start with, it has developed a project around English.

LIFE Trust will also conduct oral and written tests by the end of the course so as to acquire a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the project.

Additionally, the organization will also record all the teaching sessions over the 30-day period, which will help enhance the module when they introduce it to the 950 Anganwadi teachers later in 2009.

The body monitors as many as 475 Anganwadis in Bandra and Dharavi slums, which cater to 9500 students and 950 teachers.

The aim is to equip teachers with the necessary skills to develop interesting teaching aids for their students, and create a level playing field for pre-primary students from private and public education institutions.

Over the years, LIFE Trust has formed a close association with the Education Department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Council (BMC) in Mumbai in providing non-formal and creative teaching aids.

LIFE Trust undertakes multiple projects for the 49 BMC secondary schools, such as Career Counselling, Effective Study Habits, Math Made Easy, English Made Easy, Value Education, Education on Wheels, Chill-Zone, Industrial Trips and Intervention with schools for the Mentally Challenged.