PROVIDING free tuition to needy students ("Needy students get more private tuition help"; Monday) and recognising that schools should maintain their central role ("Free tuition good, but schools still main resource" by Miss Eden Chua; Tuesday) as a multi-pronged approach is a good one.
Schools can also implement a study buddy system.
My former primary school had a Buddy Reading Programme, where language-proficient Primary 5 and 6 pupils were selected and trained to help weaker Primary 1 and 2 pupils improve their reading skills.
These reading sessions took place approximately half an hour before our assembly time, twice a week during normal school days.
In order to sustain the learning, programme participants were also invited to return to school for extended sessions during the holidays. There was good response from both buddy tutors and "tutees", despite the voluntary nature of the programme.
At the end of the day, the "tutees" showed marked improvement in their reading abilities, thereby successfully fulfilling the purpose of the programme.
Furthermore, the tutors picked up essential teaching skills along the way, and were duly credited with community service hours in their portfolio. This "reward" was not previously made known to them, meaning that they joined the programme out of interest and a readiness to help.
Such a system could be easily translated to other subjects, so long as there are willing participants and a usable venue.
Cheong Wei Qi (Miss)
Schools can also implement a study buddy system.
My former primary school had a Buddy Reading Programme, where language-proficient Primary 5 and 6 pupils were selected and trained to help weaker Primary 1 and 2 pupils improve their reading skills.
These reading sessions took place approximately half an hour before our assembly time, twice a week during normal school days.
In order to sustain the learning, programme participants were also invited to return to school for extended sessions during the holidays. There was good response from both buddy tutors and "tutees", despite the voluntary nature of the programme.
At the end of the day, the "tutees" showed marked improvement in their reading abilities, thereby successfully fulfilling the purpose of the programme.
Furthermore, the tutors picked up essential teaching skills along the way, and were duly credited with community service hours in their portfolio. This "reward" was not previously made known to them, meaning that they joined the programme out of interest and a readiness to help.
Such a system could be easily translated to other subjects, so long as there are willing participants and a usable venue.
Cheong Wei Qi (Miss)
