Learning, Laughter, and Hope: Our Weekly Conversation Classes for Gaza

Sahar, who taught English to students at a UNRWA Centre before the outbreak of war teamed up with me and other fabulous TEFL teachers, Vanessa, Sonja, Donal and Liz to facilitate online classes for 13 -16 year old students in Gaza. These sessions started in April 2025 - during the height of the war in Gaza - when many of the students - and Sahar herself were displaced and unable to attend schools. The objective was to create a fun learning environment to distract the students from the horrors which were going on around them. We 'meet' twice a week on Sundays and Wednesdays - and classes vary according to the teacher in charge. I normally start with a fun game like "Teacher says" - a version of "Simon says" - followed by Spot the difference games  and "describe the picture", followed by creative writing games and activities. After each class, I set written homework tasks and the students write poignantly and enthusiastically. The highlight of the session is when the students get the opportunity to read their homework out in class. The Hands Up Project intends to publish some of these stories - and this has encouraged students to produce prolifically.

True or False Activity - One of our most engaging activities: Reema (a student in Gaza) shares five statements about herself, and the class works together to guess which is truth and which is a lie. It's a brilliant way to build language skills, critical thinking, and a wonderful sense of connection and fun across the miles!