TESOL Society of Bangladesh organises national symposium on English teachers’ professional development 

TESOL Society of Bangladesh (TSB) and the National Academy for Educational Management (NAEM), with support from State University of Bangladesh (SUB), recently organised a daylong national symposium on English teachers' professional development.

The initiative titled "Pathways to Teaching English: Innovative Pedagogies and Techniques in the 21st Century" was held on Saturday (15 October) at the NAEM Auditorium in Dhaka, reads an official press release.  

Professor Dr  Md  Nizamul Karim, Director General, NAEM graced the event as the chief guest. 

Touhida Easmin Humaira, assistant professor and head of English department, SUB, was present at the event as the special guest. 

Professor Dr Prabir Kumar Bhattcharjee, director, Training Wing, Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) and Dr Tahsina Akter, director, Training, NAEM were the guests of Honour at the national symposium. 

The acting president of TESOL Society of Bangladesh, Md Hamidul Haque, assistant professor and head of American International University of Bangladesh (AIUB), delivered the welcome speech and shared the vision of the society to the different stakeholders present at the symposium.

All the 11 sessions of the symposium aimed at exploring the essential knowledge and pedagogy of the teachers by exposing them to a range of English language teaching techniques and strategies through expert trainers from various academic institutions.

The keynote speaker for the event, Dr Lawrence N. Berlin, professor emeritus, Northeastern Illinois University, and English language specialist for the US Embassy Dhaka and NAEM conducted his session on "A Participatory Approach for a Socio-Critical Age: Responsive and Innovative English Language Teaching in the 21st Century."

The symposium also featured a presentation on English programs by the British Council Dhaka.

The workshops in this symposium were conducted by experienced educators and teacher trainers from the TESOL Society of Bangladesh and the National Academy for Educational Management (NAEM). 

Some 150 English teachers from government and non-government schools, madrasahs, and universities from all over the country participated in this symposium. 

The daylong symposium became an animated platform of knowledge exchange and experience sharing for the participants as well as the trainers. After the session, the participants shared their positive reflections regarding the program. 

The programme was concluded with a vote of thanks from the convenor of the symposium Tamanna Maqsood, Director, CEL, SUB, followed by the certificate-giving ceremony. 

The programme was anchored by Nushrat Ara Oishe, lecturer, SUB and joint secretary, TESOL Society Bangladesh.