It is always a great thing when students participate in class. It gives them a chance to practise their English as well encourage others in English. Another great thing is when the topic being discussed is a lifeskill, and the students talk about how they can work on improving that lifeskill.
During the English in the Wild summer camp I had the privilege of talking about forgiveness in an English Corner. The students did a great job talking in class. Some of them had some very thought-provoking ideas as to how they were going to practise forgiveness with their friends or family members.
A few days later the students had a chance to practise the lesson of forgiveness. A prominent student was participating in a game in front of the whole camp. He and several other students were to blow up balloons and keep blowing until the balloons popped. Mysteriously this young man’s balloon popped when it was fairly small. The reason was that he used his finger to pop the balloon. Later that day the young man thought about his wrong and wanted to correct it. In order to make things right he went to every class and asked for forgiveness.
What a great opportunity for the students to practise what we talked about in English Corner. To some of us it may have seemed like a small thing. It was just a game. But for this young man it was something much bigger than just a game—it was more about life. The students in the classes reached out to him with forgiveness and love. How wonderful it was for this young man to be forgiven. Now when the young man looks at his classmates he holds his head up and knows the great value of being forgiven. What a great illustration to all those who were in that English corner.