Reach Out To Asia (Rota) has once again joined hands with Hamad Bin Khalifa University for Adult English Literacy (RAEL) initiative in partnership with Qatar Petroleum (QP) to help low-skilled workers improve their English language skills.
The RAEL initiative kicked off its 2013-2014 programme with a two-day course for new volunteer student tutors.
This year, 36 volunteers representing Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Texas A&M University, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University, and Rota, were trained in RAEL ‘training of trainers’
last week.
After completing the course developed by Qatar Milestone Training Solutions (QMTS), qualified literacy trainers will go on to deliver a specially created curriculum to low-skilled workers employed at four Education City universities
and Rota.
“Being part of the RAEL programme is one of the best parts of my job. Since 2009, I have been involved in RAEL as the curriculum developer and teacher training, and it has been a very rewarding experience,” said Silvia Pessoa,
curriculum developer.
“With the new revised curriculum developed in collaboration with Natalia Gatti, we hope that the experience of teaching and training will be even more meaningful.”
Rota’s Adult English Literacy initiative enables workers to achieve personal goals and improve life opportunities. By teaching labourers who work within their own campus, student volunteer tutors also affirm each university’s commitment to social responsibility and lifelong learning.
“We have held a successful RAEL ‘training the trainer’ course. The courses are held twice a year (September and February) for each group of trainers delivering Rota’s
literacy training programme.
“Course topics include learning to teach the Rota literacy curriculum, understanding the issues affecting low-income migrant workers, methods to facilitate adult learning, and the use of facilitation and community-based learning tools,” says Abdulla Albakri, community
development manager at Rota.
“It is such a great honour for us to develop and deliver RAEL ‘training the trainer’ courses for Rota. Such programmes match our vision where we aim to give an opportunity for all who live in this country to contribute to nation building and at the same time to be able to develop and realise their potential,” said Waseem Munla, of QMTS.
Rota’s Adult English Literacy classes are taught during a 16-week period split into two terms. The first term begins in September 22 and ends on December 22, with the second term starting in February and concluding in April 2014.
Inaugurated in 2009, the Rota’s Adult English Literacy programme was created to develop the English literacy and language abilities of Qatar’s low-skilled migrant workers.
During the 2012-2013 season, 73 university students taught basic and intermediate level English classes to 130 workers employed across the four universities, with cleaners, pantry staff and other support staff among the Education City workers learning improved English language skills.
“I think that the Rota training helped me a lot in preparing myself mentally for my first ever teaching experience with adults. I plan on using the skills imparted to me by the trainers in the best possible manner to positively impact the lives of migrants who have chosen to enter this programme to improve their skills,” said Ahwaz Akhtar, one of the student volunteer tutors from Georgetown University-Qatar.