Call for Mentors for British Council Action Research Mentoring Scheme

Individuals are invited to apply for funding to work as mentors with teachers at primary, secondary or tertiary level. Together with your cohort of 10 teachers, you will identify their classroom challenges and support them in identifying potential solutions related to one of the following prescribed themes:

1. Assessing learning 

It involves: 

• Applying the principles and practice of assessment to design tasks for measuring my learner’s progress.
• Utilising a range of different types of assessment and feedback.
• Using assessment at different points in the learning process to monitor my learners’ understanding and inform subsequent teaching.
• Defining appropriate assessment criteria and/or apply assessment criteria consistently.
• Analysing learners’ errors and providing constructive feedback.
• Engaging learners in self and peer assessment and develop their self and peer assessment skills.
• Preparing learners for formal assessment.
• Administering, grading and keeping records of assessment.
• Sharing assessment data appropriately with parents, guardians, and learners, and others.
• Reflecting on the effectiveness of the assessment of learners’ progress.

2. Using multilingual approaches

It involves:

• Recognising and valuing the multilingual nature of societies, schools and classrooms.
• Using pedagogical strategies that encourage inclusive education within a supportive multilingual learning environment.
• Being aware of beliefs about speakers of other languages and how they can impact on establishing and maintaining an inclusive learning environment.
• Assessing individual learners in a manner that takes their linguistic background into account.
• Giving my learners appropriate opportunities to use their home languages to support and demonstrate their understanding of learning content.
• Making pedagogical choices that respect and capitalise on my learners’ linguistic diversity.
• Reflecting on how effective my implementation of multilingual approaches is in promoting learning.

3. Integrating ICT

It involves:

• Developing effective strategies for locating appropriate digital content.
• Following guidelines for e-safety.
• Evaluating the potential effectiveness and appropriacy of digital content, tools and platform for achieving desired learning outcomes.
• Using technology in the production of teaching and learning materials.
• Setting up activities that support learning by exploiting appropriate digital content, tools and platforms.
• Developing effective strategies for resolving potential technical issues.
• Using technology for administrative tasks in accordance with data protection guidelines.
• Promoting autonomous learning by exploiting digital content and technologies inside and outside of the formal learning environment.
• Promoting collaborative and participatory learning by exploiting online communities, tools and platforms.
• Reflecting on the effectiveness of my integration of ICT into the teaching and learning process.

4. Developing 21st-century skills 

It involves:

1. Developing an awareness of and proficiency in critical thinking and problem solving, critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and communication, creativity and imagination, citizenship, digital literacy, student leadership and personal development
2. Selecting appropriate methodologies and resources for introducing, developing and evaluating my learners’ skills in the above areas
3. Demonstrating the value and importance of 21st-century skills to and for my learners
4. Reflecting on my strengths and weaknesses in relation to my own proficiency in 21st-century skills and my ability to develop my learners’ proficiency in these areas

5. Inclusive teaching and learning 

It involves:

• Recognising and valuing diversity among my learners in relation to areas
• Using pedagogical strategies that encourage inclusive education within a supportive learning environment.
• Supporting my learners in identifying, addressing and assessing realistic individual learning goals based on the reasonable adjustment.
• Being aware of my beliefs and how they can impact on establishing and maintaining an inclusive learning environment.
• Assessing individual learners in a variety of ways that allow them to demonstrate the progress they are making.
• Treating all my learners equitably and with respect.
• Developing positive attitudes towards diversity in my learners.
• Involving parents, learners and other relevant individuals in creating an inclusive learning environment.
• Reflecting on how inclusive my learning environment is and taking steps to improve it.

Funded mentors will also receive extensive feedback, mentoring and support from classroom research specialists.

If you are interested, identify a group of 8 or 10 teachers from your community to work with, then download the application form from the downloads section and submit it to editor@britishcouncil.org.np