GLXi-Certified Educators Learn New Teaching Strategies in Workshops

Last year, Guatemalan students and teachers gradually transitioned back to face-to-face classes. 

Since then, Global Learning Exchange Initiative (GLXi) has been actively responding to a learning crisis that was only made more significant by COVID-19. 

In October 2022, GLXi teachers assessed students, hoping to identify areas where they needed reinforcement and immediate support. At that time, GLXi set a new goal - to train teachers in broad strategies and methodologies, aimed at improving the literacy learning process of students impacted by the two-year gap in face-to-face classes. 

To achieve this new goal, we developed a cycle of monthly workshops designed to address specific areas.

In January, teachers who trained in and graduated from the GLXi Open Books, Open Minds (OBOM) program began participating in these workshops as part of our Open Minds in Action Center. 

“The workshops have a very positive effect on students, as teachers improve their specific skills, which in turn improves the learning process,” said Jaime Velman, GLXi Executive Director – Guatemala.  

These workshops have become an important component of the OBOM process. More importantly, teachers are enthusiastic and committed to applying what they’ve learned in their classrooms.

Attendance by teachers at the workshops has been 90%! Eighty percent participated in the live session via Zoom, while the other 10% participated in pre-recorded workshops on YouTube. 

After each workshop, participants evaluated what they learned, and the results show that 95% of participants found the topics to be very useful and appropriate to their immediate needs.

The workshops have focused on different topics, such as:

Curricular adaptations: This workshop, held on January 28, focused on curricular adaptations for students with learning difficulties in literacy. The topics included school inclusion, types of learning problems in literacy, types of adaptations, strategies, and tips to apply in class.

Detection of learning disorders: This workshop, held on February 24, focused on detecting possible learning problems in reading and writing. The topics included learning difficulty warning signs, areas to evaluate, possible causes and consequences, evaluation of learning channels, and CNB (National Base Curriculum – Guatemala) competencies.

Playful strategies for writing development: This workshop, held on March 30, focused on writing development through games and playful activities. The topics included the necessary skills for writing acquisition, stages of writing development, calligraphic stages, games and activities to develop writing skills, the importance of spelling and grammar, and the power of written words.

In the workshops, teachers receive guidance and detailed information on the specific topic during the training, using resources such as videos, photos, case studies and infographics. All this material is provided to facilitate learning and improve understanding of the content by teachers.

Each teacher receives a certification for each workshop they participate in and all the teachers are invited to participate in the workshops. 

More workshops are planned for the coming months on topics that include school inclusion, playful strategies for teaching reading, development of emotional intelligence, educational strategies for reinforcement at home, learning disabilities, and art and music in the reading process.

You can help support Global Learning Exchange Initiative’s work to promote literacy in Guatemala. Donate to GLXi here.