“Our Voices Have Been Heard”: First Trainings for Armenian Literature Teachers at Visual Armenia

Another new beginning at WorldView: 205 literature teachers have joined the Literature teacher trainings with the expectation of starting the new academic year “with fresh tools, methods, and inspiration”—and with the hope of “surprising their students.”

Their willingness to undergo training on the very eve of September 1st speaks volumes. It shows that our teachers are ready to do everything possible to bring educational innovations into the classroom—when the opportunity is meaningful, well-targeted, and enables them to take a real step forward toward quality, modern education.

Why Literature?

Since WorldView’s earliest days, Literature has been among the most requested subjects. As early as 2022, when the History trainings began, literature teachers joined the meetings and persistently voiced their demand: “Literature deserves its place in WorldView—especially since we are the largest teacher community in Armenia.”

Today, their voices have been heard. With its full training package, Literature now takes its rightful place alongside History and Geography—completing the chain of Armenian Studies subjects.

Welcoming the participants, Hovhannes Ghazaryan, Executive Director of Visual Armenia and the visionary behind WorldView, said: “Dear teachers, welcome to the world of WorldView. As history has proven, the nations that thrive are those that embrace the technologies of their era and find innovative solutions to long-standing challenges. True innovation begins in our schools, built on the foundation of dedicated teachers. By empowering you today, we are making a crucial investment in the future of the hundreds of thousands of children you guide every single day…”

Inside the Training

The two-day session unfolded in a spirit of dialogue. Teachers raised key challenges, explored WorldView’s new teaching tools, attended a model lesson, and reinforced their learning through workshops. Among the main challenges highlighted were:

• Declining reading habits: while books were once a shared passion in the classrooms of the 1980s, today often only one or two students read regularly.
• The need for concise yet engaging materials to spark students’ interest in reading.
• The lack of inspiring classroom environments—with missing portraits of authors, innovative resources, and teaching aids.
• Limited access to books in rural communities, where library shelves are often bare, sometimes even without Tumanyan’s works.

At the same time, teachers expressed confidence: with new resources—attractive environments, interactive materials, modern teaching methods, and technology—reading and learning can once again become inspiring experiences for students.

Literature in WorldView: Bringing Authors to Life

Ani Yeghiazaryan, head of the WorldView Literature team, shared the vision behind the subject:
“We want to present the writer not only through their works, but also through their world—relationships, public role, hobbies, as a friend, as a family member… Our materials are designed so that students see the author as a living person and walk their journey—supported by texts, maps, and carefully marked life paths.”

Then, Meri Makhsudyan, teacher at Zolakar School No. 2 in Gegharkunik region and consultant for the Teach for Armenia Educational Foundation Teaching Support Specialist program, together with Astghik Avetisyan, Literature teacher at UWC Dilijan and Central Schools and content developer for WorldView Literature, led practical sessions with the teachers. These workshops ranged from mastering modern teaching methods to presenting strategies for student engagement. They emphasized that “the teacher’s highest mission is to inspire, amaze, and captivate the 21st-century student—after which the student can confidently dive into the WorldView platform and find all the information they need.”

Voices of the Day

• “This is the only program, the only platform, the only training, and the only team that works with real purpose.”
• “Finally, alongside History and Geography, we too can teach with innovation and revive our subject. Shoulder to shoulder, we can move mountains.”
• “It’s my first time at such a training—an emotional flood. So much care, so many discoveries. I just want to get home, open my laptop, and start working.”
• “It’s incredible that this is free, inclusive, constantly updated, and aligned with curriculum requirements. I’m certain this platform will help us manage time better, motivate students, and develop 21st-century skills—for both our students and ourselves.”
• “In WorldView, I saw pure patriotism. Only patriots could do such enormous work and create this kind of environment.”
• “We were amazed at how much content there is on one platform. I’m thrilled that we can create presentations directly there, and I look forward to seeing every author represented.”
• “Please add exercise books and an assignment collection too, so there’s never a need to look elsewhere.”

Completing the Armenian Studies Chain

With Literature now fully integrated, WorldView becomes a comprehensive treasury of Armenian Studies subjects—complete, age-appropriate, and tailored to the needs of both teachers and students. It opens new opportunities, fresh inspiration, and new ways to transform learning.