The first training workshop in the series kicked off in Penampang, Sabah.
Organized by Edulife Berhad in collaboration with the Kadazandusun Language Foundation (KLF) and the Penampang Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah (PPD), the 8 hour workshop took place at the Sabah State Library, Penampang Branch.
A total of 47 teachers and training staff from schools and volunteers with NGOs in Education in the Penampang district participated in the workshop on how to facilitate Reading Comprehension.
The Training Workshop, titled “Strategies in Reading Comprehension: Empowering Students for Life Learning Workshop” was conducted by Adeline Cruz, the writer and designer of this entire programme.
The following are comments from a few of the participants: –
Sim Bee Cheng of SJK(C) Hwa Shiong, Putatan, said, “The method is new to me; that the role of being a facilitator is way different from that of a teacher. In facilitating, the students take charge of their learning and I am very lucky to be invited to attend this course.”
Another participant, Marilyn Bernard Lojingau of SK St Joseph, Penampang, declared the training workshop informative and that there was a lot of input of knowledge. “I enjoyed it very much and I am going to use it for my Year 4 and 5 students.”
En Jerry Philip, who is the Language Officer of PPD Penampang, said, “The idea is refreshing because the Reading Comprehension Programme is student centred. Facilitating in lessons is something that we have encouraged our teachers to do, but it is difficult for teachers to suddenly change the techniques that they have been taught and been using all these years.”
“There have been no right materials that actually promote facilitating as a package. I hope that the schools and teachers will take the chance to implement the programme. Start with good intentions and it will lead to good results.”