It's been more than 2 months since we started with the STEPS Phonics Program, and we are happy with the progress made. Most of the children, all 1st to 3rd graders from the nearby Doljo Elementary school, didn't have any computer skills whatsoever, but all of them have learned the basic skills it takes to run the educational computer game that teaches them English phonics in 54 lessons.
We have from Monday until Friday daily 4 groups of 10 students each that walk, accompanied by volunteer parents, the 10 minutes it takes from the school to our mission center. Once they have arrived, they say a short prayer for the good progress of their class, and off they go to their respective computers where they spend the next hour reading and writing words and sentences. The course is a complete phonics and reading curriculum that introduces letter sounds to reading complete stories. It's an adaptation of the time honored McGuffey reading method that comes to life in this rich interactive learning experience.
Here are some pictures:
We have from Monday until Friday daily 4 groups of 10 students each that walk, accompanied by volunteer parents, the 10 minutes it takes from the school to our mission center. Once they have arrived, they say a short prayer for the good progress of their class, and off they go to their respective computers where they spend the next hour reading and writing words and sentences. The course is a complete phonics and reading curriculum that introduces letter sounds to reading complete stories. It's an adaptation of the time honored McGuffey reading method that comes to life in this rich interactive learning experience.
Here are some pictures:
Reflections of teacher Stefan
August 10, 2015, Doljo, Panglao
In the beginning of June I started working together with Manny and Eveline of Bellevue Mission and presently help over 200 students of the Doljo Elementary School to enhance their reading and spelling skills by teaching them phonics. For many of them this is a jumpstart in their education and will likely help them to come out ahead later in their lives. In light of the fact that 40% of all public school students in the Philippines don’t know how to read, any efforts to improve the literacy amongst the pupils, are greatly needed and appreciated.
But lets get back to the beginning of my story:
End of May my dear friends of Worldwide Familia Missions asked me to have a closer look at 10 used and donated office computers and get them ready for an upcoming teaching project that is aimed at increasing literacy among local elementary students.
“Sure, I’ll do it”, I agreed and one quiet Saturday did a thorough hard- and software check and installed a highly effective English phonics program. I thought to myself, “well, that’s it, I did my job and can go home now”, but really started thinking after my friends told me more about their vision – their plan was to offer the program to students grade 1, 2 and 3 of the nearby Doljo Elementary School as a reading skills supplement – but they were still in need of a project manager and teacher with IT skills to oversee such an endeavor. Since I was looking for a career change, I spontaneously decided to take on the responsibility to see the project through from beginning to end. Manny and the teachers of the school drew up a schedule for the 216 participating children, divided them up in groups of 10 and assigned overseers to walk the students to the mission center and help them on the computers.
2 days before project launch Manny and I held a short training seminar for 40 of the overseers and taught them how to operate the PC’s and the software. Finally the inauguration of the project took place with the first week being immensely busy and challenging, as I basically had to teach 20 groups of students how to use computers and the phonics program. Thankfully though, most of the children were very fast learners. Although many of them have never used a computer nor touched a mouse before, all I had to do was show them how to do the first click and from then on the majority “picked up the ball and ran with it”.
It’s been now 8 weeks into this truly rewarding project. Every week I am overseeing and evaluating the 200+ students that come to my computer classroom and it is fulfilling to see how many of them eagerly apply themselves to learn reading by using the phonics way.
The phonics method is probably the best known and widely used way to teach reading and writing in the English language. The program we use is a complete course featuring phonics, spelling, and sight word practice, lots of animations and sounds, full color illustrations and guided reading practice.
Thanks to all involved, namely Manny and Eveline of Bellevue Family Mission, and the many overseers and parents that are tirelessly volunteering their time to make this project possible, literacy is on the increase in Doljo, Panglao Island.
August 10, 2015, Doljo, Panglao
In the beginning of June I started working together with Manny and Eveline of Bellevue Mission and presently help over 200 students of the Doljo Elementary School to enhance their reading and spelling skills by teaching them phonics. For many of them this is a jumpstart in their education and will likely help them to come out ahead later in their lives. In light of the fact that 40% of all public school students in the Philippines don’t know how to read, any efforts to improve the literacy amongst the pupils, are greatly needed and appreciated.
But lets get back to the beginning of my story:
End of May my dear friends of Worldwide Familia Missions asked me to have a closer look at 10 used and donated office computers and get them ready for an upcoming teaching project that is aimed at increasing literacy among local elementary students.
“Sure, I’ll do it”, I agreed and one quiet Saturday did a thorough hard- and software check and installed a highly effective English phonics program. I thought to myself, “well, that’s it, I did my job and can go home now”, but really started thinking after my friends told me more about their vision – their plan was to offer the program to students grade 1, 2 and 3 of the nearby Doljo Elementary School as a reading skills supplement – but they were still in need of a project manager and teacher with IT skills to oversee such an endeavor. Since I was looking for a career change, I spontaneously decided to take on the responsibility to see the project through from beginning to end. Manny and the teachers of the school drew up a schedule for the 216 participating children, divided them up in groups of 10 and assigned overseers to walk the students to the mission center and help them on the computers.
2 days before project launch Manny and I held a short training seminar for 40 of the overseers and taught them how to operate the PC’s and the software. Finally the inauguration of the project took place with the first week being immensely busy and challenging, as I basically had to teach 20 groups of students how to use computers and the phonics program. Thankfully though, most of the children were very fast learners. Although many of them have never used a computer nor touched a mouse before, all I had to do was show them how to do the first click and from then on the majority “picked up the ball and ran with it”.
It’s been now 8 weeks into this truly rewarding project. Every week I am overseeing and evaluating the 200+ students that come to my computer classroom and it is fulfilling to see how many of them eagerly apply themselves to learn reading by using the phonics way.
The phonics method is probably the best known and widely used way to teach reading and writing in the English language. The program we use is a complete course featuring phonics, spelling, and sight word practice, lots of animations and sounds, full color illustrations and guided reading practice.
Thanks to all involved, namely Manny and Eveline of Bellevue Family Mission, and the many overseers and parents that are tirelessly volunteering their time to make this project possible, literacy is on the increase in Doljo, Panglao Island.