READER’S DIGEST
to their classrooms, leaving their
sandals neatly lined up outside. They
sat on plastic chairs at wooden tables
in groups. “Good morning Teacher,”
they’d greet me when I walked in.
“Good morning, Grade Five!”
I’d reply.
All my lessons were in English,
translated by the teacher. I spoke
in simple English, instructing with
simple commands, “Hands on
head, hands on shoulders, knees
and toes.” We all sang happily with
actions: “Head, shoulders, knees
and toes”. The students responded
enthusiastically. The teacher
watched and learnt how to make
lessons more interesting and fun.
Cambodian schools teach by
drill. The students copy from the
blackboard, writing directly into
their books. When a foreign teacher
comes into the class, the world
opens, not only for the students but
for the teacher as well. The children
gain confidence in English as they
learn new songs, stories, numbers,
days of the week and prayers.
The teachers and students are
keen to hear and speak English. The
lessons are from 7.30am to 11.30am,
when the staff and students go
home for a quick rice lunch before
returning to start the afternoon
lessons until 5pm. Some of the staff
would stay in their classroom and
practise their English with me over
a lunch of rice and soup. Here, I’d
be quizzed: “How do you say jam?”
“Autumn?” “Thursday?” “Thumb?”
“Throw?” The English language
would frustrate their tongues just as
Khmer did my own.
Art and craft lessons are not part
of the Cambodian curriculum so I
would bring the craft supplies from
Australia. Most of the children had
never used scissors, glue sticks, or
coloured felt pens to create patterns
and pictures. The students loved
colouring, cutting and pasting and
their finished work was proudly
displayed on their classroom wall,
much to their delight.
My first trip to Cambodia was in
2015 and I have since volunteered
six times over the past four years.
Cambodia is hot, humid and dusty
and when the rain pours, the roads
flood as the city lacks infrastructure.
But while the students in the
bamboo-thatched hut classrooms
become soaked from the heavy
downpours their enthusiasm to
learn never dampens.THE CHILDREN GAIN
CONFIDENCE IN
ENGLISH AS THEY
LEARN NEW THINGSDo you have a tale to tell? We’ll pay
cash for any original and unpublished
story we print. See page 8 for details
on how to contribute.14 Augus t 2019