Tales of adventure

Sunday December 11, 2011


STORIES about the adventurous journey of a team of trainers captivated the participants of a special English lesson at KJ Generation Resources (KJGR) in Gua Musang, Kelantan recently.

About 55 participants listened to the fascinating experiences shared by the team of eight young adults from the United States. They shared their stories, photos and video clips over several sessions according to the participants’ age group.

“The students were glued to their seats and their eyes stayed focused on every word and image presented to them by the trainers,” said KJGR principal Josephine Kumar.

Team leader Lindsey Gay said the group — which had travelled to India, Nepal, Romania, Moldova, Swaziland, Mozambique, South Africa, Thailand, Cambodia and Australia over 11 months — ended their journey in Malaysia.

The participants listening to the trainers’ stories at the workshop.

“We took turns to share our adventurous stories which included social work and community development programmes which we conducted around the globe,” she said.

“Throughout these 11 months, we served in orphanages, helped the poor and the needy, lived with villagers and worked in farms and helped rehabilitation centres,” she added.

Team member John Hearn said the group had the chance to construct new homes, care for children living with HIV/AIDS, dig a fish pond, and play with street children as they travelled to the 11 countries.

Zakira Imana Zamri, 20, who attended the special lesson, said it was a great opportunity for her to converse with English native speakers and to receive first-hand information about different cultures and social needs around the world.

Wong Pei Leng, 36, and Siti Maziana Muhamad, 27, said that the special programme had helped them overcome their fears to meet and talk to foreigners and native English speakers.

They said they were eager to participate in similar English learning programmes in future to improve their proficiency and confidence in the language.

KJGR focuses on conversational English and character building programmes.

Sikap Pentingkan Diri Sendiri Punca Kesesakan Di Musim Perayaan

PENDAPAT

Khamis November 10, 2011

Oleh B. KUMARATHEVAN

SETIAP kali menjelmanya musim perayaan, kebanyakan laluan utama di negara kita sudah pastinya akan mengalami kesesakan lalu lintas yang teruk dan akan bertambah teruk jika hujan.

Walaupun ini adalah senario yang biasa tetapi apa yang paling memalukan adalah sikap sesetengah pemandu kita.

Pemandu-pemandu yang tidak bertimbang rasa sering memotong deretan panjang kenderaan (di kedua-dua belah jalan iaitu kiri dan kanan) dalam usaha mereka untuk sampai ke destinasi dengan lebih cepat.

Sebenarnya nekad mereka itu menambahkan lagi kesesakan lalu lintas. Ramai pemandu juga didapati jarang menggunakan lampu isyarat semasa memotong kenderaan lain.

Sikap mementingkan diri menjadi punca ancaman bahaya kepada pengguna jalan raya yang lain dan sudah tentu kepada diri mereka sendiri.

Tiap-tiap musim perayaan, ramai orang maut akibat kemalangan jalan raya di negara kita kerana pelbagai sebab termasuk kecuaian pemandu.

Ia amat menakutkan terutamanya di jalan-jalan kecil seperti jalan dari Gua Musang, Kelantan ke Raub, Pahang yang saya dan isteri saya gunakan sehari sebelum Hari Raya Aidiladha baru-baru ini.

Pemanduan yang berbahaya oleh beberapa pemandu yang meredah lorong kami secara tiba-tiba itu benar-benar menakutkan.

Malahan mereka juga bersedia untuk mengambil risiko yang tinggi dengan memotong lorong garis berkembar (double line) dan sudut-sudut tajam dengan tindakan tergesa-gesa mereka di jalan raya.

Walaupun terdapat beberapa kemalangan sepanjang jalan raya yang melibatkan kereta, motosikal dan lori, tetapi ini sama sekali tidak membawa keinsafan kepada pemandu-pemandu yang tidak bertanggungjawab ini.

Mereka seolah-olah seperti tidak peduli langung malapetaka yang berlaku di hadapan mata mereka.

Jalan di antara Gua Musang dan Raub yang melalui kawasan terpencil, ladang-ladang kelapa sawit dan getah serta beberapa kawasan kemalangan di sepanjang jalan berkenaan terdedah kepada bahaya terutamanya pada waktu malam kerana ia sempit dan tiada lampu jalan kecuali di beberapa tempat tertentu.

Saya berharap pihak berkuasa akan meluaskan jalan tersebut dan memasang lampu jalan kerana ia juga diguna oleh pelbagai kenderaan berat termasuk bas ekspres dua tingkat dan treler dari Selatan untuk ke Kota Bahru.

Polis trafik dan Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) harus mengawasi jalan berkenaan serta jalan utama yang lain sebaik-baiknya dengan motosikal mereka (pada musim perayaan misalnya) dari semasa ke semasa.

Tetapi walau bagaimana sekalipun pihak berkuasa menjalankan penguatkuasaan, tetapi jika tidak wujud kesedaran dan pemanduan secara beradab, rakyat kita akan tetap terdedah kepada ancaman kemalangan maut.

Learning English with Arts & Crafts

Draw, cut, paste, pencil, colours, stick, glue, scissors, underline, paper, object, look, erase and much more were among the vocabularies used to help participants to bring out their hidden talents and creativity.

About thirty participants were enthusiastically drawing, colouring and were learning the ways and means to create some beautiful arts and crafts.

“Though it looks like an art class but it is actually an English programme with a difference.They were given the opportunity to learn and express their desires, emotions and creativity as they become so engrossed in the special programme.

“Simple instructions in English were used as part of language learning process,’’ said Josephine Kumar, Principal and assistant Manager of KJ Generation Resources (KJGR). 

The event was a two days school holiday programme themed: “Learning English with Arts and Crafts” organized by KJGR at its premises in Gua Musang, Kelantan. 

The participants age from three to 28 years old consist of nursery kids, school students and young adults. 

According to Josephine, the participants from various background and culture including Malay, Chinese, Indian and Orang Asli took part in portrait and cartoon drawing including different facial expressions, colouring and creating crafts using old magazines, books and cut outs.  

The participants also learned many vocabularies during the sessions conducted by a group of twelve professional trainers from USA, Australia, Finland and South Korea.

English was used continuosly as a form of communication to teach arts and crafts which made the langguage programme active and alive within the classroom.

Team leader, James Alen who is an artist said, this programme is another creative way to stimulate the imagination and the creativity of the individuals which subsequently helps them to learn English easily and effortlessly. 

"In this way, it can also help them to develop communication ability through teamwork. Whilst receiving compliments and praises in English for their artwork, the participants will also learn to respond by saying some basic greetings," he said. 

Josephine believes, using profesional trainers, mostly from English speaking countries occasionally will help improve the linguistic competence of the participants because they are forced to listen attentively, receive instructions from those trainers and respond to them intelligently. 

"This is our continues effort since we began our English training centre one year ago,'' she said adding, besides their normal English class, KJGR have successfully organized few programmes such as, "Towards Destiny", "Fun English Lessons with Native Americans" and "Using Music to Learn English".

She explained, KJGR wants to impart and achieve three most important elements in these students through all their programmes, one is to improve the students communicative skills, next is to build confidence in each one of them and finally to shape their character to be better citizens.

She said that the event is also to promote understanding and building relationship with one another from various background, cultures and traditions inline with the 1 Malaysia aspiration.

A participant, Rokimin Uda Din, 28, who desires to travel abroad said that the event has help boost his confidence and self esteem. "I want to improve my English in order  to be able to communicate boldly and fluently with English native speakers".

Another participant, Chong Tao Ying, 14, who loves to draw said, it is impressive to know that he could learn English through arts and crafts. 

For more information or update on other events, email KJGR at kjgenerationres@gmail.com or contact 016-4734313 or 016-4687414.

ends.

Kids learn English while drawing and colouring.

Anis Aqilah (student): "I know..this is the forehead. Am I right?"

One of the trainers, Aaron (middle), a doctor of chiropractic become the human anatomy for the children to learn about body parts.

Foreign trainers are observing and giving instructions in English to participants as they are working on their artwork.

 Professional trainers from overseas are having discussion in English with Orang Asli participants.

Kids and trainers enjoying "parachute ball game". It's an outdoor activity to learn English.

        Yes we did it! Kids showing thumbs up after finishing their drawing.

  

Todd (second from left) and Dave (right) helping the participants to draw sea animals.

        

      James teaching participants the method of how to draw human face.

Participants showing their drawing - human face.

Kids enjoy drawing on the floor at KJGR entrance.

Some of the participants and foreign trainers posing for the album at KJ Generation Resources, Gua Musang, Kelantan.

end.

Photos & Story by: B.Kumarathevan 

Gua Musang, Kelantan, Malaysia.

016-4734313 or 016-4687414

Suspense-sion bridge

It’s 4pm – do you know where your children are? They’re up to fishy business, hanging precariously off the edge.
by Kumarathevan Balakrishnan

Published in THE STAR  
http://thestar.com.my/

TUMBNAILS

Sunday, 6-December-2009

(Fishing from this suspension bridge in Gua Musang, Kelantan can be enjoyable but do these children know that their life is at stake?)

Suspense, suspense

                                                    
Is this bridge in Gua Musang   safe to use?
by Kumarathevan Balakrishnan
Published in The Star on Friday, 4-December-2009
Thumbnails