Shalini’s teaching career began in 2012 when she started teaching English to underprivileged children in Government schools in association with NGOs. During these years, she understood that most of the children, irrespective of urban or rural background, has difficulty in reading English which led to milestone delays in their academics. Her quest for an effective reading programme that has simple, step by step, fun-filled approach to learning led to Jolly Phonics - a UK based child-centric reading programme that teaches literacy through phonics.
Shalini, an accredited Jolly Trainer, is now actively involved in training teachers and has trained 5000 + teachers in Jolly Phonics & Grammar from 300+ private schools and teacher training institutes. She also serves as academic consultant and curriculum planner in many of these schools and takes great pride in helping these schools move from rote learning to Jolly Phonics scientific English learning methodology. And now, she has extended her services to other areas of literacy such as creative writing, comprehension, all about the English Alphabetic Code, reading - spelling intervention & assessments and evaluation of existing literacy programmes in schools.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS
• Successfully completed Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT) course through British Council, specially designed by Cambridge University for English Teachers.
• Frequently attend various Workshops, Conferences and Seminars on Phonics / Literacy Development programmes in India and abroad.
• Has attended the 51st RELC International Conference on Teaching Literacies – Emerging Pathways and Possibilities in Language Education, held at Singapore, where delegates from various countries participated and shared the best practices in Language Teaching across the globe.
• Attended Workshops on “Creative Thinking – The 21st Century Skill” by Allen Davenport, ELT Consultant, ASEAN for Cambridge University Press.
• Was conferred “The Best Women Entrepreneur – Inspiration 2016” at the conference for teaching society by Project Brand India.
Twelve years of hands-on teaching experience and her understanding of Jolly Phonics methodology has given Sharmila the confidence to cofound Phonics Power with Shalini and to chase her dream of taking Jolly Phonics teaching methodology to every child.
A postgraduate in Commerce, Sharmila started her professional career with an International Bank. A PG Diploma in Early Childhood Education at Kothari Academy for Women, Chennai enabled her to work as a kindergarten teacher in a reputed CBSE School in Chennai, which gave her the opportunity to enter into the realm of kindergarten education and eventually discover the joy of learning and teaching.
Sharmila has successfully completed the official Jolly Phonics Teacher Training Course conducted by CPD College, Ireland.