Learning English through fun!

Before I joined ATOVA, I was not really confident about teaching. I knew some ways to teach English, but I was still not sure about how to make a class interesting, especially for teenagers. I often thought, “How can I make students enjoy the lesson instead of just listening to me?” Then, a friend inttroduced me to ATOVA. At first, I did not really know what ATOVA was. I became curious about the programmes, the people involved, and what they actually did. So, I started looking at the ATOVA webstie and learned about its three main programmes:

ATOVA Ranger Training Corps (ARTC)

Fit for the Future Program (F4F)

Empowerment Through Education Program (ETE)

ETE was the programme that caught my attention the most because it gives children a chance to learn English in a different way. It is not only about teaching grammar or vocabulary. It is also about helping children become more confident when they use English.

mY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH ETE

During my first week at ATOVA, we had the opportunity to visit SMA Astika Dharma in Pempatan. The school is quite far from the busy areas of Denpasar. I still remember the atmosphere when we arrived. Bali is often known for its hot weather, but hte area around the school felt cooler and fresh. The view of the hills and the warm sunlight made the place feel very different from what I expected.

We prepared several activities for the students, including energizers and games. One of the games was the Whisper Game. At first, some students looked nervous. They were worried about making mistakes, especially with pronunciation. One student even said “You go first, I’m afraid I’ll say it wrong” I understood why they felt that way. Speaking in front of otther people can be scary, especially when speaking in a second language. I told them not to worry too much about being wrong. I encouraged them to enjoy the game because learning English does not always have to feel serious. It can also be fun!

After a while, I noticed a change. The students started to become more comfortable. Some of them were willing to stand at the front, while others wanted to be at the end of the line and say the message they heard.

Confidence before perfection

The moment that stayed with me the most was when one of the students came to the front of the class and introduced herself in English. Her grammar was not perfect. But honestly, that was not the most important thing for me. What impressed me was that she was willing to stand in front of everyone and speak. That moment made me think differently about teaching. Sometimes, we focus too much on whether students are using perfect grammar or pronunciation rather than supporting them to build the confidence needed to speak a second language and introducing grammatical accuracy later. At ATOVA we work hard to build confidence and make studence feel comfortable, as much as develop their language skill.

My experience with the Empowerment Through Education programme has taught me that learning English can be more enjoyable when children are given the space to play, communicate, and try. I also learned something about myself as a tutor. I do not always need to ahve the perfect way of teaching. Sometimes, I just need to create an environment where students feel brave enough to try. For me, that is one of the things that makes ETE meaningful. It does not only teach children how to speak English. It also helps them find the confidence to find and use their voices.

Written and edited by:

Fauzi Bin Abdul Majid - Project Intern ETE

Fieldbase II - Bali, Indonesia.