Buddy-Adik way to reading-writing proficiency
Buddy guiding Adik at SK Tatau.
IF it weren’t for their ‘Study Buddy’ programme, they might still be unable to read now.
Previously, they had problems with reading but today, although they may not have reached a satisfactory level yet, they know how to read — thanks to the Buddy Read With Me Programme from the Dyslexia
Association of Sarawak (DAswk).
“I have improved in my reading. Letter sounds and bottle caps are helpful. I am happy to have joined this programme because it helped me read in English,” said Jerryfer Tevay Awan from SK Long Loyang.
Another participant Jennifer Edik from SK Tatau said not only was her reading better but she could also write now.
“Bottle caps and letters sounds are good. I learned the most through these two methods.”
Ryand Lanying, who also followed the programme, said he could read English now but admitted his writing in English still needed improvement.
“I like the letter sounds method which is easy for me to remember. Bottle caps are interesting too,” said this Adik from SK Batu Keling.
Harisson Natanil Seliman, a former pupil of SK Ba Kelalan, has also benefitted from the letter sounds and bottle caps method.
“I couldn’t read and write until I left school but my reading and writing in English became better when I joined the programme in May this year. The use of letter sounds and bottle caps has helped my reading immensely. I learned a lot through this method and I am glad I took up this programme,” said Natanil who flunked his UPSR because he was weak in reading and writing.
The 14-year-old was brought to Kuching by DASwk president Dr Ong Puay Hoon after she discovered Natanil’s disability. Subsequently, Ong sent Natanil for special education class at SMK Tabuan Jaya State Sports School every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and for the intensive reading intervention programme in maths, English and Bahasa Malaysia on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Before coming to Kuching, Natanil could not even do his alphabets properly, let alone spell and read.
Buddy guiding Adik at SK Batu Keling.
Buddy and Adik benefit
The Buddy Read with Me Programme benefits not only the Buddy but the Adik as well.
Buddy Geovanni Julan from SK Batu Keling said he has improved in his reading and writing skills, adding that the letter sounds and bottle caps were easy to follow and understand.
“I’m so happy I joined the programme because it has enabled to teach an Adik who needed help l like I once did.”
Vivien Junior from SK Long Loyang enthused: “My English has improved since I became a Buddy. I now know how to say and write a long word. Learning through letter sounds and bottle caps was really good. I not only learned to read English words correctly but also helped to teach the Adik.”
Rundy Batok Batang from SK Batu Keling concurred, saying the programme not only taught him to read and write but exposed him some to teaching experience as well.
“My Adik can read now. I find the experience very rewarding,” he added.
Another Buddy Irmynna Marcela from SK Tatau has also improved her reading and writing in English since joining the programme.
She credited the use of letter sounds and bottle caps for her progress.
Pairing of students
The Buddy Read With Me Programme pairs older students with younger ones in reading activities. The idea is to provide one-on-one guidance to help the latter improve their reading and comprehension abilities, their vocabulary and overall command of English.
Teacher-facilitators have also found the programme effective in helping students with writing and reading disabilities.
According to Mohd Muizzudin Mohdzain from SK Tatau, the programme not only helps to improve the Buddy’s reading proficiency but also the Adik’s grasp of both reading and writing.
“The use of bottle caps and sound letters is really useful. For one, it helps to speed up the learning process,” he said, noting that activities such as solving puzzles were also good as they prevented the students from feeling bored.
According to Enggan Embi, a teacher at SK Long Loyang, the use of letter sounds is both practical and beneficial.
“As an English teacher, I find it is easy for pupils to understand more by using bottle caps,” he said.
He hoped the programme would continue and teachers would apply this method in teaching weak pupils.
Enggan, who is also the school’s senior assistant (pupil affairs), believed the programme is appropriate, especially for students in rural schools to improve their English.
He said as facilitators, teachers could also gain more knowledge in teaching English from the programme.
“SK Long Loyang is so fortunate to have been selected for the programme. The English used is simple and basic. The presentation techniques used by DASwk are very interesting. The students can understand them quite easily.”
Enggan said overall, the programme has kept the students interested in learning and improving their English.
Progressive test for Adiks.
Fun way of learning
Azimah Abdul Rahman from SK Batu Keling also praised the programme, saying it helped weak students learn English in a fun way.
“The use of letter sounds is interesting. It helps the students to remember the sounds of letters. Using bottle caps is creative as it can keep students interested in learning English,” she added.
According to Chin Hui Chiat from SK Ba Kelalan, the programme uses different techniques to help weak pupils with reading.
“Letter sounds give students a basis for reading and writing, especially in spelling words. Bottle caps encourage students who are weak to start reading as it involves phonetic reading.
“The programme is an eye-opener. Although schools have been teaching phonetics in class, this programme has given me the motivation to work further with the students’ reading skills,” Chin said.
School administrators are grateful to DASwk for selecting their schools for the programme.
SK Tatau headmaster Janudin Abdul Rahman thanked Ong, the DASwk staff and the State Education Department for choosing his school, saying the programme had proven successful in helping students weak in English to improve in reading and writing the language.
“On top of that, it helps the Buddies to teach their Adiks with confidence.”
Janudin said his school would extend the programme to all its pre-school teachers and Literacy and Numeracy Screening (Linus) teachers.
He revealed the school was also planning to organise a special workshop with DASwk, parents and children involved in Linus.
Head of the programme Wallace Lee said he was proud of the team for coming up with a workable, cost-effective and structured educational programme in English not only for dyslexics but also all children with learning difficulties.
He said witnessing the programme evolve from infancy in the MIUSA Empowerment Programme to the present Buddy Programme had been very exciting.
“Now we have a good and effective teaching and learning method for children with problems reading, spelling and comprehending.
“We like to thank the US State Department and the US Embassy Kuala Lumpur for their on-going support and assistance in the development of this programme.”
Lee said the programme’s continuity and constant development would ensure children receive the best learning method.
“The best present for a child is literacy and what better way to provide this gift than through an easy and proven programme developed to suit us. I would like to thank the trainers, teachers and participants undertaking this programme which has seen so much improvement over the duration of the programme,” he said.
Training session at SK Long Loyang.
Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/11/22/buddy-adik-way-to-reading-writing-proficiency/#ixzz3sMkDj0Pq
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