A teacher-training workshop featured in the Spring 2004 issue of Word Alive magazine is proving to be a valuable tool for equipping national partners to teach adults in a variety of contexts—including Bible translation and other language-related ministries.

Developed by SIL's Dr. Roland Walker, Learning That L.A.S.T.S. (LTL) is a five-day workshop that has been used effectively in the U.S. and U.K., as well as Africa, Asia and Eurasia.

Walker adapted materials pioneered by author and educator Jane Vella, who believes that education is most effective when students are actively involved in the learning process.

Prior to launching the course in 1998, Walker served in SIL as a linguist and translator in Southeast Asia. He studied with Vella in '95 and '97 and has since led more than 20 LTL workshops. Over 600 people have attended training courses worldwide, held in English, French and one Southeast Asian language.

Develops confidence
Using dialogue as the basis for discovery and learning from one another, participants work in pairs to design and teach two modules, using principles learned in class.

As they plan lessons, they must assess the needs and strengths of learners and set measurable objectives.

Trainees then design interactive learning activities that engage the body and emotions, as well as the mind. Methods include the use of skits, role-plays, videos, music, writing, reading aloud and more.

"In [Southeast Asia]," Walker notes, "participants have created their own teaching teams with a vision to spread this liberating way of learning to churches and schools throughout the nation.

"Learning through respectful dialogue appeals especially to people who are rapidly moving from oppressive political forms toward democracy," he adds.

One participant expressed fear about leading workshops for her people group, even though she had attended many workshops. She thought her own people would not accept her as a trainer. Eventually, she found the courage to lead a teacher-training workshop and was well accepted by participants. Some of her students planned to return home and lead their own workshops.

Other applications
Walker foresees a number of applications for LTL training, similar to a recent workshop in Germany that brought together 12 participants involved in crisis management. Using principles from LTL, they learned how to teach adults more effectively while designing a dozen crisis management learning modules.

Similar applications could include leadership, management and mentor training.
Word of the course's impact has led to many requests for LTL training from other SIL field locations and from various Christian organizations.

"A mission agency just wrote me asking for a LTL course for their staff ," Walker says. Two of his colleagues also plan to present LTL to the National Missionary Training Forum in Richmond, Va.

"We have begun to pray," Walker adds, "for the right people to form an organization that can take this kind of training to other Christian organizations and churches."

"The exciting thing for me," Walker writes in a five-year report, "is that there are a growing number of leaders for this movement. I am not running around the world teaching workshops, as fun as that has been.

"Leaders I have had a part in training are carrying the load, and, because there are 20 LTL workshop leaders, the load is not too heavy for any one of us. Even though the flock continues to expand exponentially, the shepherds are multiplying at a rate fast enough to care for them."