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http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_361175.html
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Improving reading skills <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Jalelah Abu Baker
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->PRIMARY school pupils stuggling with the English language will receive help in the form of Reading in Sync with Experience (RISE), a reading programme launched by the Singapore Indian Development Association on Wednesday.
The programme aims to improve the skills of 320 students whose abilities are below their reading age and was launched as part of SINDA's Response Plan to the Recession, channeling about $1 million into skills upgrading, family support and education.
Dr Balaji Sadasivan, newly-appointed president of SINDA's executive committee emphasized the importance of the English language.
'We use English not just as a language of communication, but as a language for learning Science and Maths. Without English proficiency, the ability to acquire knowledge is less,' he said.
The programme is designed to engender an interest in reading through activities like drama and poetry among lower primary pupils who already attend the association's STEP classes, a highly-subsidised tuition programme.
Pupils identified through a screening test will attend the programme for free.
Tutors trained in the areas of of story-telling, poetry, drama techniques and literacy skills will use worksheets developed by the Julia Gabriel School of Education to teach the pupils how to read better.
Said one of the RISE teachers, Mrs Vani Tharan, who has had more than 30 years of experience teaching the English language: 'Children don't get exposed to storytelling as much as before. They prefer to watch TV. By telling them stories in a fun way, we hope to rekindle an interest in reading in these children.'
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Improving reading skills <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Jalelah Abu Baker
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->PRIMARY school pupils stuggling with the English language will receive help in the form of Reading in Sync with Experience (RISE), a reading programme launched by the Singapore Indian Development Association on Wednesday.
The programme aims to improve the skills of 320 students whose abilities are below their reading age and was launched as part of SINDA's Response Plan to the Recession, channeling about $1 million into skills upgrading, family support and education.
Dr Balaji Sadasivan, newly-appointed president of SINDA's executive committee emphasized the importance of the English language.
'We use English not just as a language of communication, but as a language for learning Science and Maths. Without English proficiency, the ability to acquire knowledge is less,' he said.
The programme is designed to engender an interest in reading through activities like drama and poetry among lower primary pupils who already attend the association's STEP classes, a highly-subsidised tuition programme.
Pupils identified through a screening test will attend the programme for free.
Tutors trained in the areas of of story-telling, poetry, drama techniques and literacy skills will use worksheets developed by the Julia Gabriel School of Education to teach the pupils how to read better.
Said one of the RISE teachers, Mrs Vani Tharan, who has had more than 30 years of experience teaching the English language: 'Children don't get exposed to storytelling as much as before. They prefer to watch TV. By telling them stories in a fun way, we hope to rekindle an interest in reading in these children.'
