Ansa Sathyadas is an EFL tutor and a course coordinator in Arab Open
University Oman. She is given the position of acting head of Foundation Studies Unit in Spring 22. She has over twelve years of experience in tertiary level in
Oman and previously taught in schools in Oman and in India. She was an English Language teacher in Ministry of Education, Oman for
seven years. Her past work experience in teaching English for
high school students has helped her to use interesting learning strategies that
help students master language skills. Her interests include presenting in
professional development seminars organized by Foundation Studies Unit and in
participating in professional development seminars and webinars. She shows
great commitment to develop question papers and online assessments for foundation students. Her educational background
has helped her to use teaching methods to assist learners from different
specializations. Her main area of interest while dealing with high school
students in Oman included extensive reading. There she developed tutor prepared
graded readings with text- based questions for students to work at their own
pace. Later this was converted into Graded English Reading Corner. Talent
Enhancing Program was introduced both at school and at the tertiary levels.
Achievements: CELTA, MA in English, Bachelor in Education in English, Master of
Philosophy in Family Resource Management, Master of Science.
The main objectives of my teaching are to :
·
maintain good and uniform standards for face-to-face and
online teaching,
·
administer
comprehensive assessments and exams,
·
create an ambience conducive for learning and
·
counsel students.
My
areas of expertise are teaching, coordinating and conducting examinations,
developing comprehensive continuous assessments, monitoring tutors and
submitting reports.
I plan
lessons regularly incorporating self-study skills and independent tasks for
learners.
A
variety of teaching methods are chosen to make the teaching and learning
process entertaining.
I use a
combination of traditional teaching methods and learner – centered approach
that suit the level of my learners.
I focus
on starting the lessons with interesting warm up sessions.
Encouraging
students to meet deadlines by maintaining a schedule helps me to inculcate in
the learners the importance of time management.
I
involve students in activities of university so that they develop a sense of
responsibility and team spirit.
· Experience as Assistant Head of English
Experience as Acting Head of FSU.
Experience in teaching all foundation levels (EF001, EF002,
EF003) at Arab Open University and post foundation courses (EL111 and EL111E).
·
Experience of preparing question papers for different levels.
·
Member of Examination Committee.
·
Supervisor of English Society and coordinator of Peer
Assisted Student Support (PASS) during summer semesters.
·
Member of Standard 9 of the ISA.
·
Preparation, invigilation and consolidation of results of the
placement tests for new cohorts
Ø As a course
coordinator since Fall 2013, I prepare course calendar for the course book, develop
an assessment system and align it with the outcomes stated by the Ministry of
Higher Education
Introducing new assessments to suit online teaching/learning
is the responsibility of the course coordinator.
Ø I make an
assessment schedule for tutors, and coordinate with them regularly through
face- to- face meetings and email/ WhatsApp.
Ø Peer
observations are regularly made, and reports sent to the Program Coordinator.
Ø Prepare and
conduct Tutor Induction for Level 3.
Ø Utmost care is
taken to administer quizzes /exams and deal with challenges and issues related
to both tutors and students.
Ø Results are
analyzed and sent for approvals before confirmation.
Ø Responsible for
managing marking of final examination scripts for the levels.
Ø In-charge of
conducting Foundation Exit Tests for Level 3 students as well as consolidating the
results.
Ø Handle grade
appeal cases for foundation students.
Ø Organize and
upload practise sheets on the learning platform (LMS) for students regularly.
Ø Lists of
foundation students who need academic advising are prepared and sent to tutors.
Ø Am a part of
Online Job Training program. Prepare a detailed schedule for the trainees.
o observe and assess the teaching capabilities
and skills of the interns in this OJT program
o evaluate their
strengths and
o suggest ways to
enhance their teaching skills to suit Arab Open University learners.
Participation in PD programs. Interested in sharing best practises
INTERACTIVE LEARNING AS A TOOL FOR
MANAGING STRESS IN LEARNING ENGLISH
AND MATH COURSES AT HIGHER
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN OMAN
(published in “JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT (JOM), Volume 10, Issue 1, January- April 2023, pp. 43-51; ISSN Print: 2347-3940 and ISSN Online: 2347-3959)