Classroom learning alone is insufficient for learning a language effectively. A person who depends on classroom learning only tends to speak very formally. To pick up the conversational form there is nothing like practicing with the locals.
A batch of Goducate community development workers who were trained at the Goducate Training Center in Iloilo, Philippines, are now at the Goducate Language Center in Batam learning Bahasa Indonesia (the Indonesian language) before they are sent out to work among the needy in Indonesia. To enable them to practice conversational Bahasa Indonesia, while at the same time doing community work, these language trainees visit an orphanage regularly.
This orphanage houses some 40 children ranging in age from 1 to 14. Each trainee has been assigned 5 of the children, to whom they act as older brothers or sisters. At each visit they play with their “siblings”, listen to their stories, and help them with homework.
Initially the trainees were scheduled to visit the orphanage for an hour once a week. Seeing how the children are so delighted by their visits, the trainees have squeezed time out of their busy schedule to visit the orphanage twice a week.
Guest writer Mel, Staff from Goducate Training Center