Activities promoting reading

More than 80 secondary school students from three schools, namely SMJK Sam Tet Ipoh, SMK Methodist (ACS) Kampar, and SMK Malim Nawar had an elevating learning experience during the “Reading Campaign” at the Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS), UTAR Kampar Campus on 15 April 2016.

A group photo of participants, schools teachers, UTAR staff and students

Organised by FAS’s Department of Languages and Linguistics, the campaign aimed to make English learning simple and interesting for the secondary school students. It further aimed at encouraging them to take interest in reading, learning, and using the language on a daily basis. The campaign is part of the UALN2023 Teaching of Reading subject which was supervised by the English Education (ED) lecturer-cum-campaign advisor, Geetha Veerappan.

Students learning the basic speed-reading technique

With the objective to create awareness as well as to instil the love for reading among young students, the campaign also engaged more than 30 ED undergraduates as facilitators of the campaign. A total of 10 reading campaign booths with 10 different themes, namely ‘Date with ‘R’’, ‘Reading Saves’, ‘Today a Reader, Tomorrow a Leader’, ‘Reading is Sexy’, ‘Rad Reading’, ‘Summer Camp Bookworms’, ‘Share a Book, Share a Life’, ‘Dare to be a Bookworm’, ‘Read It!’, ‘Take a Look’, and ‘It’s in a Book’ were all set up by ED undergraduates.

Students enjoying language games at one of the booths

The booths were filled with various exciting language games such as tongue twisters, riddles, interpreting ambiguity sentences, word association, scrabble, idiom guessing, word search puzzle, speed reading, story reading, and slogan search. All games focussed on areas related to reading strategies, ways to cultivate a lifetime reading habit, the importance of reading and the implications of not cultivating reading habit.

An ED undergraduate explaining about the importance of reading

Present to welcome the school students and teachers were Head of DLL Christina Ong Sook Beng, Head of Programme (Bachelor of Arts (Hons) English Language) Siti Ummaizah binti Meor Musa, campaign advisor Geetha, DLL lecturers, staff and UTAR students.

Ong welcoming the participants

In her opening speech, Ong said, “I am glad to have all of you here at UTAR Kampar Campus today for this half-day enrichment campaign. I hope all of you will enjoy the rest of the programme and learn something new.” She also expressed her appreciation to the schools for travelling all the way from Ipoh and Malim Nawar to UTAR Kampar Campus.

Shubashini Nambiar, a teacher from SMK Methodist (ACS) Kampar complimented the organising committee for organising such an educational and beneficial programme for school students. She added, “The campaign was really interesting and it was a good platform for school students to be aware of the importance of reading as well as to cultivate the reading habits through simple and enjoyable techniques. It was really amazing and I truly feel contented bringing my students here today.” 

SMK Malim Nawar Form Four student Nur Sholehah Adwiyah binti Mohd Fauzi said, “I thoroughly enjoyed the fun-packed reading campaign because it changed my perception towards reading. I learnt that reading can be fun and great, and I wish for the organising committee to organise more of such programmes in the future in order to educate many more students.”

Another participant from SMJK Sam Tet Ipoh Chew Khai Xing enthused, “The campaign was positive and beneficial. It taught us about the importance of reading as well as some ways on how to nurture a lifetime reading habit.” The enthusiastic learner also hopes for more mind-stimulating activities in the future in order to create greater awareness on reading amongst the school students.    

A group photograph of organising committee

The campaign ended with a group photograph of all the participants, school teachers, UTAR staff and students.