
I am Ahmed Al-Khadher Moqa’as, a ministry of education and a British council trainer who have been working with them since 2007 in different Education development programs and projects. We have been testing and delivering lots of workshops as well as courses that facilitates and cascades training workshops to serve English language teachers. We have been trained on how to scaffold and train new trainers for developing English language teachers due to the need for more trainers to cascade the knowledge and the new up to date methodologies, approaches of teaching and learning process which all depends on the latest research done in the education filed.
I have been chosen to be an education consultant in ROOTS program representing Yemen. The program was consisted of a pre-Trip, Trip and post-Trip. We are on the post- Trip now and I can say that we experienced a gamified learner experience journey through the whole trip. In the pre-Trip we experienced the needed preparations in order to be ready to understand and practice the content and knowledge that will be facilitated in the Journey which is FIRST Framework and its principles. FIRST framework is simple, flexible and applicable, it contains all what I learnt and experienced with the British Council but it was designed in a creative and outstanding way which makes it applicable and easy to be projected on any content needs to be facilitated. Although FIRST framework only contains five letters but it contains all the latest and up to date researches about education development.
The amazing thing in FIRST Framework is its principles which are learner centric and focus on every individual learner as well as all learners. FIRST helps facilitators makes sure that their learners are involved, and motivated through a variety of activities and games that are all designed according to purpose. Every step a facilitator does have a meaning that leads to engage learner through an active deep learning experience.
I am talking from my experience after facilitating active listening topic to a university doctors, instructors and lecturers, they were all engaged and motivated with the workshop. In my facilitation I had done my best to follow the facilitator’s guide and make sure that FIRST framework principles are applied as it is designed. My participants were engaged in an active deep learner experience, through gradual varying activities and games that are all linked, sequenced and reflected by learners, and through assessment for activities to make sure that participants are in their way towards transforming and change.
In the end, I would like to thank NAMA Foundation, and Sega Group, for such an amazing and outstanding program which allows us to achieve such an instant impact from the first and only one day workshop, shown through participants feedback and the change that started taking place on every individual. I received lots of shared experience about how this topic which is active listening affects their personal life as well as working one and you can read some of them below.
I will list bellow glimpse of the feed backs I received during and after the applied experience from my learners.
Ms Rady Abdo Saeed Kassem:
“Being creative and multitask teacher is a hardship for every instructor. However, Yemeni roots have showed us through this workshop with Mr. Ahmed that everything is possible. You can be creative and teach your students how to listen empathetically. Being trained under his hands made me realize that listening is not only being capable of getting the right content of the information but it is a skill beyond that. Understanding and feeling the people around us allow us to enhance the quality of our relationships which on its hand would achieve a greater possibility of better communicative and interactive skills between People.
Ms Rady Abdo Saeed Kassem,
BA Degree, English Language Instructor and TEFL Lecturer, Aden University, Education Faculty, English Department
Mona Abdurrahman Hashem:
“Thank you so much for the opportunity to attend the Active listening workshop. It was beautifully executed to bring together research and practice at the same time. I loved the step-by-step nature of the activities. It was entertaining while also highly informative. There were lots of “light bulb ” moments for me, and It greatly expanded my understanding of listening and how it can be a powerful tool, not just for us as educators, but most importantly as HUMAN BEINGS.
Indeed, communication is the most powerful tool we possess, but it can only work if we put ourselves in the others shoes, to attempt to look at things through their eyes not ours. This workshop has reinforced my beliefs that communication can only work when the speaker feels that the listener will understand his feelings and respect his thoughts without being judged or advice. I also learned that body language is very important to give the others the impression that you are really listening to them, this includes the posture, nodding the head and maintaining eye contact. I am eagerly looking forward for more of these brilliant workshops.”
Mona Abdurrahman Hashem,
Master’s degree in applied linguistics.
Amall Farhan:
Active listening workshop of Roots program was one of the most informative, enjoyable and outstanding workshop that I have ever attended. I have learnt interesting concepts, new information and different levels of listening that I have never known or passed through before. The activities that we were having during the workshop were well planned, prepared and delivered by the most talented, awesome and skillful trainer ‘Mr. Ahmed ‘. I was really moved and touched by his capturing and outstanding personality and his way of training was a thing that attracted me the most. Knowing about active listening and emphatic listening made me rethink of the skill of listening and how to be a good listener. Consequently, I started to think deeply about it and how l can imply it in both personal and professional life.
I started applying what I learned with my student’s complaints, my headmaster orders and I frankly admit that it was the first time for me to rethink teaching listening skill, however, as a teacher of 8years modest experience in teaching I taught nearly all subjects but when it comes to listening I avoid and hesitate but not anymore.
I got rid of the phobia of teaching listening due to your enlightening workshop and the motivational talks I have obtained via the second to none trainer. My words of thanks and sincere gratitude to both Mr. Ahmed and Roots program are not enough, looking forward to have more of such innovative workshops.”
Amal Farhan,
Instructor and Master in Applied Linguistics Task Based Instruction.
Samih Ali Ahmed Al-selmy:
“The workshop “Active listening” was one of the most amazing and unforgettable experience. In the workshop we learnt how to listen more to people, how to understand people’s feelings and emotions just by listening deeply to them, we learnt that we have to listen more and speak less; we learnt that we can communicate by listening not just by speaking. We will listen more to people especially our families, and friends.
Finally, I would like to offer my deepest gratitude to those who supported and helped to make this workshop a great success, and I mean SeGa group, NAMA foundation, Al-AWN foundation and we wish it never stops here we hope they continue their great work in this field.”
Samih Ali Ahmed Al-selmy,
Bachelor’s degree, ELT Methodology teachew.
Rana Almarfd:
“Active Listening Workshop of Root Program, was the first workshop I attended. It was extremely great and incredibly helpful and informative. I have acquired some tips and ways of being “emphatic listener”. For the first time I realized that “to listen” is not only an action, it is a way of being human towards the people who choose you to be their sympathetic listener. Knowing how to be an empathic listener was a change point in my life, as a teacher and as a person who interacts with others. Accordingly, I have decided to listen to others, family, student’s friends and strangers, with a total care as if I am actually in their shoes. For that, I owe all my thanks first to Mr. Ahmed, for being a good trainer, and the Roots for giving us such a great opportunity. I am looking forward to having more workshops regarding the four skills.“
Rana Almarfdi,
Instructor at the Faculty of Education, English Department.
Luisa Ahmed Nagi:
“An amazing day, Saturday, March 17th was. Having a workshop always sounds great, how come when that workshop is on “Active Listening”! Challenging! The workshop was presented by Mr. Ahmed Al-Khadher, the one who really grabbed our attention using many techniques and strategies to pave us the way to a good learning process. Through the activities we have been involved in, we could recognize how Listening could be easier than we what we used to think. Due to its challenges, most people make obstacles that avoid them making progress. Through that workshop a lot of concepts have been changed to better esp. at managing listening classes and getting to use new ways and methods to convey educational messages to students or listeners, in general. Listening isn’t only a matter of catching words. Actually, it’s a kind of feeling, behavior, and emotions; that’s why this skill is acquired spontaneously by nature and absolutely It’s not taught. So, thanks a million sir, for that ton of information you have delivered which opened many close, narrow windows to such a new world of Listening, where Listening is not just a skill, but a daily habit. All your efforts are appreciated, sir. We look forward to having other workshops to enlighten our abilities in all English Skills and make our future bright as teachers.”
Luisa Ahmed Nagi,
English Instructor and lecturer / Teaching Literary subjects – Poetry, The Academic Assistant of Cambridge Aden Institutes.
Dr. Lamis Abdulrahman Hasan:
It was a great chance to join such a workshop which raised my motivation to support my listening skill as well.as my communication skills. Before this workshop I was only looking to listening skill without paying attention to the emotional side. How we can listen without caring! Of Course we cannot. My future plans are to mix my feeling with listening skill feel people, understand them through their responses. I am looking forward to have another workshop to develop my other skills. Thanks for my trainer and Brother Mr. Ahmed for being helpful and supportive.
Dr. Lamis Abdulrahman Hasan Abdullah,
Fourth year teacher (small-scale research project), Instructor at English department. University of Aden- Yemen.
May 17, 2022, 9:34 pm
This a unique chance for me
May 17, 2022, 9:38 pm
I need to have new information to improve my career