Sing Your English (SYE) is a Goducate program for teaching English through song. It was launched in two schools in Batam, Indonesia, in August 2012. It has since been introduced in more schools not only in Batam, but also in Pekanbaru, Medan, Bandung, and Jakarta.
Last month, all the schools offering SYE held their culminating activities for the program. The culminating activities showcased what the students had learnt in the previous 8 months. The students, who came from levels 1 to 4, performed in front of their parents as well as students from higher levels. They sang their songs and impersonated the SYE Phonics characters. Games were included as part of the event.
The atmosphere was joyful. There was much laughter, and teachers could be seen enjoying the presentations by mimicking the kids’ actions. One parent who spoke on behalf of other parents said in her closing remarks, “Thank you SYE. Thank you for the facilitators who patiently teach our child English. My kids are enjoying the class and even speak English at home”.
One of the strengths of SYE is that students lose their inhibitions about speaking English and use it outside of the classroom. Students enjoy this fun-filled and exciting program and bond well with the teachers.
*Our guest writer is Cindy Presquito, an SYE teacher