Ms Kang of Singapore Polytechnic mentioned the scenario “has pressured us to suppose on our toes, be adaptable and affected person, and depend on non-verbal communication comparable to hand gestures, drawings and demonstrations.”
His group additionally discovered fundamental Lao phrases, which helped construct mutual respect and deeper bonds with their friends.
In addition to language barrier points, rural colleges lacked entry to digital instruments usually utilized in Singapore, such because the game-based studying platform Kahoot!.
Soh’s group due to this fact needed to suppose outdoors the field to interact college students past textbooks, whereas additionally utilizing the restricted sources accessible.
While learning upcycling, for instance, college students reworked plastic bottles into piggy banks and previous newspapers into paper bowls.
The NUS group additionally improvised by utilizing laminated paper as a reusable whiteboard.
Ms Yu, in the meantime, added that the terrain in some areas of Laos made transport and logistics troublesome for the YMCA’s volunteer groups, who then needed to search assist from native companions.
NOT ONCE
Under NUS’s Sabaidee challenge, Lao lecturers have proven curiosity in adopting Singapore methods to make lecture rooms extra vigorous and interactive, Soh mentioned.
The group will make one other journey there in May 2025, to construct a nursery with the intention of serving to youngsters progress extra easily to main college stage.