Breaking news: Palestinian teachers take IATEFL by storm
In today’s blog, Palestinian teachers Haneen Jadallah, Rana Musallam, Amal Mukhairez and Samir Salama talk about their experiences presenting on a variety of topics at the 54th IATEFL conference.
Sharing our stories with the world through remote theatre - Haneen Jadallah
Attending and participating at IATEFL conference is usually a kind of dedication to our profession and a way of seeking continuous professional development. That wasn't only the case with me, but also a kind of spreading love to the Palestinian kids in Gaza to get their voices heard loudly and clearly in the outer world. The conference was held virtually but somehow managed to remain inspiring, and it was great meeting other people all around the globe and spending time learning from other colleagues. Above all though, it was about presenting the amazing work of those young learners in Palestine sharing their stories, creating their plays and sending their wishes and dreams across the horizon to perform their plays to the world through the Hands Up Project.
Haneen demonstrates some remote theatre techniques during her presentation.
The workshop started with a beautiful picture of an amazing Palestinian girl holding a candle closely to the camera while she was performing a play. That was a lively application of what remote theater is about. Then it moved on to the various stages of the process of creating plays in my drama club in Gaza – Palestine. The whole workshop rotated around empowering the students to write plays of their own interest and ended up with audience performing one of the plays that is originally created and performed by Palestinian kids. This has to do everything with not only teaching the language but also building up a generation that is well equipped enough to lead the world one -day. Doing such a workshop has offered me a lot more than the opportunity’ to experience a major ELT Event.
The main thing I have taken with me is that no borders, no time zones, no challenges and no obstacles can stand in the way when those kids start flying across the globe sharing their story and celebrating their glory. IATEFL brings people together from all over the globe. In IATEFL, you meet people, even if it is virtually, from a wide range of backgrounds and you hear a lot of new things in your field. Although, the participants have many different topics of talk, we are all united by a single broad topic which is teaching.
Improving teenagers’ long-term attitudes towards English through online linkups - Amal Mukhairez
My talk in IATEFL focused on my experience with the Hands Up Project as an attractive and powerful teaching tool that provides learners with safe real opportunities to learn English. I explained how the live online interactive activities we do through the Hands Up can positively affect students' attitude towards learning English and I showed some real examples from our teaching sessions, drama sessions and intercultural exchange sessions.
Amal and her students chat with Palestinian-Canadian volunteer Rim.
Talking in IATEFL made me more confident about my work and gave me new perspective about Hands Up sessions because people asked questions and made comments that made me think differently about the project and provided me with new insights. It is different to get feedback on your work from people who have never seen it before.
Today, after my experience in IATEFL talking about the Hands Up, I am convinced more than any other time in my 17-year career that the Hands Up enhanced my professional and personal development and I feel privileged to be given an opportunity to be part of the project.
Developing Response Able Learner through Improvisation activities - Rana Musallam
Hello, I am Rana Musallam. It was such a big honor to participate in the 53rd IATEFL Conference presenting my topic Developing Response Able Learner through Improvisation activities in Gaza. My experience was quite amazing and impactful as it was my first virtual experience in IATEFL
The Simon Greenall ‐ Hands Up Project Scholarship winner Rana Musallam talks about the benefits of improvisation in English language learning.
I was hoping to be able to deliver my presentation face-to-face but, of course, due to the situation with the pandemic, plans had to be changed. However, I learned a great deal from the experience of other brilliant participants whose ideas will help to develop my teaching skills with my students in the coming years. What I loved about the conference is the diversity and creativity that can be applicable to the classrooms.
Deeper Learning through Remote Team Teaching - Nick Bilbrough & Samir Salama
Attending and presenting at the IATEFL Conference and Exhibition has always been a far-fetched dream of mine. I remember I applied to take part in this conference a number of years ago, but not all you wish for would come true. However, volunteering at the Hands Up Project paved the way for this great success and participation. It goes without saying that not only it takes two to tango, but you need a good person as well. My co presenter, Nick Bilbrough, and I did some outstanding mutual work. We talked over Deeper Learning through Remote Team Teaching. We discussed the online activities we did together before the COVID-19 pandemic in which we covered two main areas; the classroom- based teacher activities and the remote-volunteer activities.
Samir gets the language on the board (and on Nick’s face!).
We showed great examples of some activities we did with Palestinian students in Gaza which reflected on the good improvement on student's fluency at English. Next, Nick and I presented the post COVID-19 activities that we did together. Actually, there was a massive change in the plan and it was a really difficult task to tackle, but great work always takes time and effort. This pandemic resulted in a complete change in the way we used to do the online sessions. Students and teachers would this time stay in different places due to the safety measures followed and recommended by the World Health Organization, and we needed to implement new activities that would motivate and keep our learners on the go. The Hands Up Project volunteers, thankfully, sustained, supported and brought this idea to life, and it was a new success added to the record of honour of this project. During the IATEFL conference, we had a good number of participants who to a great extent engaged in the discussion. We received much admiration and appreciation because of this fruitful and productive piece of work. All thanks go to the Hands Up project founder, board of trustees and volunteers who did their best to help Palestinian learners improve their English language. I am very much grateful as well that I was nominated by the Hands Up Project to present at the IATEFL conference.