Spurring brilliant young minds
PART of a society’s wellbeing revolves around mental and intellectual stimulation.
“To stimulate young minds, we strongly believe that the best way remains through reading,” said Sri Kota Specialist Medical Centre hospital director Tan Suet Guan, after handing over The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (NiE) pullouts to SMK Methodist (ACS) Klang principal Raman Annamalai.
The hospital sponsored RM10,000 worth of the education pullouts, which will benefit SMK Methodist (ACS) and Methodist Girls’ School, Klang.
“Star-NiE allows us to realise this ambition through their comprehensive and holistic approach of using newspapers to teach English in the classroom.
“The approach helps students improve their reading and writing skills as well as be engaged with the community,” he said.
Raman said that he hopes to bring back the glory days of SMK Methodist (ACS), as it is the oldest school in Selangor, and the third oldest school in Malaysia.
“I’ve been told that, in the past several years, NiE has contributed to the betterment of students by enhancing their language through the use of newspapers in the classroom.
“It is a wonderful gesture by Sri Kota Medical, as we are not fully aided by the government. I hope teachers and students make full use of the newspapers in classrooms,” he added.
The school’s English panel head Elizabeth Rajantheram said that the school has been using Star-NiE and students respond well to its activities.
“NiE helps teachers in encouraging students to communicate and interact in English.
“The activities effectively do that even though the class has low proficiency in English.
“Teachers are always asking if the newspapers have arrived. They look forward to receiving the newspapers and are making use of it.
“Moreover, in the 21st century teaching, we are encouraged to use authentic materials. NiE is also based on the syllabus set out by the Education Ministry,” she said. — By EMILY CHAN