Levelling the playing field

Pfizer Thailand Foundation have partnered with World Vision Foundation of Thailand since 2013 to sponsor the participation of students from Baan Pi Yai School and Baan Tu Tae Ram School in a Thai Language Skills Development Camp. The company's CSR project is appropriately titled "Dawn Of Learning The Language For Fun: Journey Into The 21st Century."

The scope of the project includes upgrading school libraries and reading materials to encourage and inspire children to read more, a more structured development of Thai language skills after school, and life skills camps and field trips to broaden their horizons.

Competent and highly experienced educators have been sourced to instill a comprehensive knowledge of the Thai language, which includes brushing up on their diction.

Puppetry turned out to be a successful learning tool in helping children learn through play.

Seventy-five students in total have attended the once-yearly camp. Regular attendees have shown considerable overall improvement say their homeroom teachers.  

Tirapong Narksungha, a fifth-grade homeroom teacher at Baan Tu Tae Ram School, said experts in the field of language development have played a crucial part in honing his students' skills through creative learning and skill-enhancing activities.

"Their diction has improved, so has their ability to think out of the box,'' remarked Tirapong. "These children are sharp, all they need is the right set of tools to get them started. Being Southerners, they have a heavy accent that affects their diction when they speak in Thai. The opportunity to participate in this camp has benefited them immensely. As their teacher, I have also observed that their overall knowledge of the Thai language has improved. For some, their newfound knowledge has made them determined to become Thai language teachers, which I believe is a step in the right direction. It is not just about sharpening their language skills but also encouraging them to look to the future with promise.''   

There was anticipation in the air as students listen attentively to the instructions being given to them by trainers leading a workshop on ‘Instilling Unity and Discipline’.

Pornapa Boonprasert, who teaches high school students at Baan Pi Yai School, said it was not just students that benefited from attending this language programme, but also teachers. A veteran of 20 years, she decided to compile the information she gathered from the workshops in a book, which she now shares with other teachers in her school.

Outdoor activities, held in a thick forest opposite a scenic beach in Trang, was a favourite.

"In a number of language enhancing activities they used poetry and puppetry, which our students enjoyed immensely,'' shared Pornapa.

"I felt these are great tools to not just get the attention of our children but also instill in them a love of poetry."

"Compiling this knowledge in a book will help teachers who weren't able to attend the camp to use it in their lessons as seen fit. Attending such a programme has also encouraged us to search for new educational tools to increase the interest of our students to polish their knowledge of the Thai language.''

Students had a similar story to tell. Patcharee Bara and her younger brother Nutharan have both been attending this camp since its inception. They agreed that the language workshops had helped their enunciation and vocabulary immensely, as their heavy Southern accent had affected their diction when they spoke Thai.

"Our trainers make the lessons we are taught so much fun,'' mused Nutharan, 12. "Besides making friends, I have taken a liking to poetry. When the camp was held in Krabi we even got to try our hand at meditation and mindfulness, which kind of helped me to focus better.''  

Brainstorming and working in teams is a common theme during camp activities.

Besides improving their written and spoken Thai, Patcharee found she has a passion for puppetry. "I was instantly drawn towards puppets, and the way they can be used to convey a message,'' said the talkative thirteen year old.

"I have had numerous memorable experiences during my time here. One I will remember for many years to come was the time we visited a cable channel in Krabi, where I got to try reading the news in front of the camera. Afterwards, I was commended by the news anchor for my enunciation. It was a moment of great pride for me."

Sharing her take on the CSR pilot project was Dr Kittima Sriwatanakul,

a senior manager at the Pfizer Thailand Foundation, who spearheaded the plan.

She was over the moon with the positive feedback she received from the students, saying further that the project proved beyond doubt that rural children have great potential to succeed if given the opportunity.

The executive said she believed in the practice of paying it forward because everyone is given opportunities in life to improve their situation. She remarked that if the public desires to see positive change in the country, it is crucial to start with building up Thai children from all walks of life. 

Speaking on the objectives of the CSR project, Dr Kittima said: "We came into this project with a clear directive: to provide life skills along a developmental timetable for our youngsters by supporting them in developing skills in self-awareness, a sense of self-worth and respecting others."

"Our ultimate goal is to see our students develop the essential life skills such as critical thinking, decision-making, creative problem-solving and building relationships. We have focused on age-appropriate reading and writing skills in the Thai language to help them reach these objectives."