A Virtual First Train-the-Trainers Workshop The original plans included a trial run of the TTTW component in Cambodia scheduled for 23-25 June 2021, followed by a repeat run in Sri Lanka a couple of weeks later. Travel restrictions precluded face-to-face workshops over the three days so it was decided to run virtual test-drives rather than postpone physical trials to an unknown later date.

Three afternoons-only on-line sessions were run. Fifteen participants were selected by each of PUC and UC and included a cross-section from education faculty, teaching staff of selected regional teacher-training centres and selected primary school teachers.

• First Mirjam Brodacz-Geier of UG provided an overview of the structural approach of the CONTESSA project, including the concept of producing a ‘reflective journal’ to document their initial thoughts and updates about what constitutes good teaching practices based on insights from the material covered in the workshop.
• Thereafter, Andreas Dürrschmidt of TUD led a workshop on Professional Development through increasing participants’ knowledge and understanding of different teaching strategies in response to various challenges originating within and outside the classroom. This included a case study developed by PUC on ‘Having a Hard Time’, on how to counsel students confronted with financial problems.
• Mentoring was the focus of the final afternoon, led by Christian Müller (TUD). After his overview of what can fall under the term ‘mentoring’ and various downstream aspects, participants were asked to join randomly assigned groups to discuss a case study related to the problem of dyslexia, ‘Reluctant Readers’, developed by the UC team.