Training Well, Teaching Well : A three day Pragya Teacher Training at Tripura

Vision Empower revived its offline teacher training after a long time of conducting numerous online teacher training. The three-day Pragya Teacher Training was conducted in Tripura from 30th March to 1st April 2022 by VE facilitators Devidatta Ghosh, Meghna Chowdhury, Sudipta Ray Chaudhury and Rajagopal N. A total of seven teachers from two different schools attended the training that aimed to equip them in Digital Literacy, Math and Science teaching-learning processes using various resources such as Tactile Diagrams, Geometry kits, Braille books integrated with diagrams and the Hexis-Antara usage.

Day 1 of the training included two sessions of Hexis Usage and Digital Literacy respectively. During the first session, each teacher was given the Hexis Braille Device and was taught the usage practically using the 4 buttons and reading the Braille text in the display area. The teachers were also given Braille handbooks to help them understand the device’s features and functions effectively. In the second session of Digital Literacy Training, the teachers learnt to access EPUB files in Bangla after downloading the KIBO app and were delighted to read the content easily.

On Day 2 one session of Digital Literacy and Math was conducted where the teachers were taught the usage of the Antara app through practical demonstrations. They learnt how to upload textual content on Antara and use the Hexis device to download and read it. A VICT (Computational Thinking for Visually Impaired) session was also conducted with students from grades 3 to 9. The CT games played during this session were I see 10, Race to 27, Go Fish and Connect Four. The students thoroughly enjoyed playing these.

The last day of training focused on introducing the geometry kits to the teachers and the students. The session also equipped the teachers to teach using tactile diagrams given in the science braille books. The tactile diagrams of the Water cycle and Excretory system were used as examples for the training. Another VICT session was conducted on this day with the students who were engaged in playing CT games like snake and ladder, pebble sorting and card games.

The teachers who attended the Tripura Pragya Teacher Training found the sessions very useful in equipping them better as they continue to teach science and maths to children with visual impairment.

The three-day event was also accompanied by a few Anubhav sessions where the children indulged in fun and interesting activities. Stay tuned to read more about it!