SINGAPORE – For the first time since the pandemic started, teachers are invited to The Straits Times newsroom to learn how to engage students using local and global news.

This is part of a workshop – The News and YOUth: How You Can Bring The News Closer To Your Students – which is among the media outlet’s efforts to help teachers infuse more current affairs and contemporary issues in their lessons. The session for secondary school teachers will be held on Thursday, while the one catering to primary school teachers will be on Feb 9.

“Current affairs can be the best resource in the classroom, and perhaps even a teacher’s secret weapon to get her students reading widely, thinking deeply and learning independently,” said Ms Debra Ann Francisco, the news-in-education specialist with the ST Schools team.

Teachers can expect to get tips and activity ideas on how to use news in their classrooms, as well as various youth and current affairs trends relevant to students, during the forum.

There will also be a sharing session on how oral exam videos are recorded and tips on using these resources to improve students’ communication skills.

“Engaging with the news should not be seen as extra work in the classroom. Instead, it often is the best medium or even trigger to get students talking, reading and writing more,” said Ms Francisco, 46.

Incorporating current affairs in the classroom can equip students with the ability to form opinions about local and global events. It also teaches them to talk about how the issues affect their own lives and relationships with people around them, she added.

Both sessions will run from 3pm to 5.30pm in the ST newsroom.

They are free for all Ministry of Education teachers.

Interested teachers can sign up using the following links:

For secondary school teachers, go to: https://www.gevme.com/STINTeachersForum

For primary school teachers, go to: https://www.gevme.com/STLRDTeachersForum