Read to Speak Out Campaign (RSOC)
Quality Education
Language proficiency among rural school students is usually found to be below average, compared to students from urban and city schools. Student self confidence level to speak is relatively low. During the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, the situation becomes worse as students spend most of their time at home, without regular contact and supervision of their teachers. Activities related to enhancement of communication skills such as public speaking competition, motivational camp etc. are limited. From our observation, participation in speaking related competitions such as storytelling and debate are dominated by students from city schools. The other issue related to poor language proficiency is lack of reading culture among the rural school students. Our plan is to conduct a program, namely the Read to Speak Out Campaign (RSOC)at one of the rural schools in Perlis, SK Jelempok. The initiative is to benefit around 30 Standard 4 to Standard 6 students. The program involves setting up a speaking and reading corner at the school, mentoring sessions with UniMAP students and a public speaking competition. From our brief conversation with the headmaster of SK Jelempok, some students need help in improving self confidence to speak in front of a big crowd. The school is supportive as this initiative is in line with their aim to improve leadership and communication skills among students. The students can be prepared to represent the school in any related competitions at state or national level. It is hoped that this inaugural program will be a great success in improving student language proficiency and confidence in delivering their thoughts on current issues. Similar ideas can be replicated in other rural schools.
Overview of Issue / Background
Language proficiency among rural school students is usually found to be below average, compared to students from urban and city schools. Student self confidence level to speak is relatively low. During the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, the situation becomes worse as students spend most of their time at home, without regular contact and supervision of their teachers. Activities related to enhancement of communication skills such as public speaking competition, motivational camp etc. are limited. From our observation, participation in speaking related competitions such as storytelling and debate are dominated by students from city schools. The other issue related to poor language proficiency is lack of reading culture among the rural school students.
Our plan is to conduct a program, namely the Read to Speak Out Campaign (RSOC)at one of the rural schools in Perlis, SK Jelempok. The initiative is to benefit around 30 Standard 4 to Standard 6 students. The program involves setting up a speaking and reading corner at the school, mentoring sessions with UniMAP students and a public speaking competition.
From our brief conversation with the headmaster of SK Jelempok, some students need help in improving self confidence to speak in front of a big crowd. The school is supportive as this initiative is in line with their aim to improve leadership and communication skills among students. The students can be prepared to represent the school in any related competitions at state or national level. It is hoped that this inaugural program will be a great success in improving student language proficiency and confidence in delivering their thoughts on current issues. Similar ideas can be replicated in other rural schools.
Project Objectives (Vision & Mission)
Our vision is to prepare students to be confident in expressing their thoughts and ideas publicly. Mission and goals are summarized as below:
- To provide a speakers’ corner in cultivating public speaking culture among the school students
- To provide reading materials for in improving students’ proficiency in Malay and English languages
- To create awareness among the students towards leisure reading in developing ideas
- To conduct mentoring sessions with the students in practicing their public speaking skill and improve confidence
- To develop volunteering spirit among UniMAP students in providing education to others
- To develop essential communicating skills among UniMAP students for better future employability
Project Details (Activities and Tasks)
This program is planned to be conducted both physically and via an online platform. Changes of the project delivery mode (Plan B) will be made accordingly subjected to the current MCO situation.
- Phase 1: Development of Read to Speak Out Corner (Shows on Appendix A and B): We will survey for a space in the school and develop the space by painting and decorating. Furniture will be purchased via online shop. Suitable reading materials will be fund raised from possible sponsors such as Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka, Katapilar Books etc. RM 400 or the project allocation will be used to buy books for the shelves
- Phase 2 – Public speaking workshop: A module will be created prior to the workshop. The workshop will be held one hour, once a week for a duration of 4 weeks through Google Meet. There will be two categories i.e. Malay language and English language, where each category will be participated by 15 school students. One UniMAP student will be appointed as a coach for one or two school students. The coach will assist the mentee in enhancing their speaking skills based on the module. Students are encouraged to use reading materials provided at the corner to develop their ideas.
- Phase 3 - Speaking competition: The competition is based on the concept of Pitch 90 and will be carried out at the corner. Students’ performance will be graded. Prizes are given to the winners. Survey or assessment will be conducted among students to assess their proficiency and confidence before and after the project.
Expected Project Result & Outcomes
- The school will have a space dedicated for leisure reading and public speaking activities.
- Students’ proficiency and confident in using the languages will improve
- Public speaking culture is initiated and will be further continued by the school management
0% of RM1.00 Goal
Project Information
| University name | : | Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) |
| Project leader name | : | NOR AISYAH BINTI MOHD NOR |
| Instagram link | : | http://www.instagram.com/rsoc.my |
| Project implementation date | : | 2021-07-01 |
| Location of project held | : | Online Platform and Sekolah Kebangsaan Jelempok Arau |
| Beneficiary | : | 15 UniMAP Students and 30 Rural Primary School Students |
| Number of beneficiaries | : | 45 students |
Section I
- Project goals
To increase the confidence of rural students in public speaking through reading activities, students ’confidence levels can increase.
- Did other fund-raising efforts contribute to your projects? What were they?
- Universiti Malaysia Perlis
- Katapillars Books (book funding)
- Public People (Book Funding)
- Provide details about how your project actually worked.
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Public Speaking Short Course For coaches with Dr Sia |
Meeting with SK Jelempok Team (Cikgu Sham , Cikgu Junita, Cikgu Nora and Cikgu Azizah) |
RSOC Opening ceremony by Cikgu Sham (SK Jelempok Headmasters) |
Coach and mentee session every saturday |
Mock Practice with Dr Sia |
Pitch 90 Competition for Read To Speak Up Campaign |
- Difficulties
movement control order due to covid-19, we have run plan B which is to run coach and mentee sessions in online platforms like google meet, zoom and whatsapp. it creates a problem that is the problem of internet connection among school students as they live in rural areas. some of the coaches have taken the initiative to go to the students' homes to teach face to face.
for budget problems, we got money later from the university treasurer due to procedural problems as the university vice chancellor has changed and a new fund needs to be opened as this is the first time unimap has received a grant from khind starfish foundation
- Language or cultural barriers?
although 2 categories were competed in Malay and English. but there are some coaches who take the initiative to teach in Malay for the English category for the convenience of the students. but this method yields results because they are still able to speak in English on stage.
- Beneficial person
Initially, we only targeted 15 UniMAP students and 30 SKJelempok students as beneficial persons. but if viewed as a whole, the RSOC corner has been made a local reading center to the surrounding villagers. the school has given them permission to borrow books while donating books at the RSOC corner.
- Future
the sustainability of this program is placed on the students of SK Jelempok as they make them more confident to communicate in public. there are some students who have the potential to go to higher levels. for example, a student was chosen as an actor at one of the local broadcasting stations.
The RSOC team is planning to make RSOC 2.0 next year with the addition of several urban and rural schools at the Perlis state level in collaboration with the Perlis State Education Department. the experience gained through Project For Happiness will be used as a guide for future programs.
Section II
● How does or will your project contribute to happiness? Short-term? Long-term?
this project will increase the self -confidence among SK Jelempok students through reading and speaking in front of people as a result of his reading. with the oft-chanted slogan of “successful reading nation”, we can see when students read, they will become more open and confident in turn will be more successful and enjoy more happiness.
for the coaches, such a project allows them to feel happy through the 'adopted siblings' system so they can channel words of encouragement to school students to study hard even if they come from a difficult family. apart from learning sessions on public speaking, they were also given motivational words by the coaches.
happiness like this we will continue in the future with more schools so that we can increase confidence in more students.
● Has your project changed the way you think about the world? How has it changed you?
as someone with type 2 bipolar disorder, the RSOC project changed my mind a lot especially when I saw students coming from rural areas, I could see their enthusiasm to get out of the comfort zone. although at first some of them did not want to speak at all. but with the help of a mentor, they were able to speak on stage. their inner strength is stronger than their own strength. I learned a lot from them.
besides that it changed me to learn how to communicate with children. because I was used to being with people my age and also people older than me, so it forced me to get out of my comfort zone.
(B)
" I believe that we should always channel our knowledge/skills/talent especially towards the younger generation as their future reference or guidance and this amazing campaign (RSOC) has helped me to making that a reality. The best part of it (RSOC) is getting to see such great potentials in the children becoming our future leaders through such program, it's remarkable. "
-(Syeeta Izleen)
" RSOC taught me that teaching & learning is a beautiful sharing knowledge process. Anyone can teach or learn, but in order to maximize learning process, staying committed and working towards it are the only ways."
-(Siti Halimah)
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