Latest news with #NiE
The Star
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Teachers embrace fun newspaper lessons
Pasir Gudang teachers taking part in the Star-NiE workshop at SMK Taman Daya 2 in Johor Baru. — Courtesy photos OVER 100 teachers immersed themselves in fresh and engaging English language activities during The Star's Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) workshop. One of the participants, SMK Seri Kota Puteri teacher Siti Nadia Saff'ai Hanan, said she had never used newspapers in the classroom. 'It was our first time being exposed to activities like a newspaper scavenger hunt and even making songs from articles. 'We never knew such creative teaching methods existed. 'It really opened our eyes to how fun and flexible English lessons can be,' she said. Inspired by the workshop, Siti Nadia said she wasted no time in putting into action the ideas she had learnt. On that very day, she went on to conduct the same session with all six English language teachers at her school in Masai. 'I decided to share what I had learned from the session with English teachers from my school as I believe it will also help them make learning the language fun,' she said. Siti Nadia has shared what she learnt at the workshop with her fellow teachers. B. Subash, from SJK (T) Ladang Mount Austin, Johor Baru, expressed hope for similar sessions to be made available to all English language teachers. 'I've always heard about the NiE workshop, and we have been requesting for it since last year after having getting positive feedback from teachers in other districts. 'True enough, the workshop activities captured everyone's attention and got both senior and new teachers on our feet. 'The only drawback was the limited time of the workshop, as we only managed to try out two activities together,' said Subash, who has been a teacher for 20 years. Pasir Gudang School Improvement Specialist Coach Plus officer Nurulha Abd Rahman, who invited The Star to conduct the workshop, said the training was especially relevant for new teachers working with students struggling in English. Subash hopes all English language teachers can benefit from Star-NiE. 'With 21 years of teaching experience, I have seen how difficult it can be for students with Tahap Penguasaan 1 or mastery level 1 (TP1) and TP2 for English, especially those who cannot read or write in the language. 'NiE is practical and engaging as it offers real-world content that makes learning meaningful. 'It is helpful especially for teachers who need a different approach,' she said. Held at Dewan Imtiyaz in SMK Taman Daya 2, Johor Baru, the workshop was organised in collaboration with Pasir Gudang District Education Office (PPD). The morning session was attended by 37 secondary school teachers while 75 primary school teachers joined the afternoon session. Nurulha: Teachers are eager to put what they have learnt into practice. Nurulha also noted the importance of incorporating newspaper-based English teaching, especially with the growing number of new teachers in the district. 'The hands-on activities introduced by Star-NiE trainer Shoba Rani Dev created a fun and interactive environment. 'Even the teachers were as excited as children. They are eager to try out what they have learnt with their students,' Nurulha added.
The Star
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Star
Making science fun to attract the students
PETALING JAYA: Evangelene Teoh was told by her relatives to stay away from the science subjects – but she went ahead and took up biology in Form Four. The 17-year-old has no regrets. And she has her teachers to thank for it. 'My Physics teacher often conducts simple yet relatable experiments that connect to our everyday lives, while my Biology teacher is like a 'walking biological dictionary', always ready with answers, even beyond the textbook,' said the SMK Assunta student. Teoh and her fellow students say the government needs to step up efforts if it wants to attract more students to learn science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Teoh said she finds students are often discouraged by the stereotype that the science stream is the hardest path in school. 'But that's far from the truth. To combat this, I think the government could organise free educational science fairs or even workshops that could emphasise how exciting and relevant science is, helping to break those stereotypes,' she said. She added that platforms such as TikTok or Instagram can be used to promote science using trends, relatable content, or even interesting short video clips. 'When students see science being presented in a fun, relatable and engaging way, they might be more enthusiastic. 'My curiosity and determination to prove others wrong outweighed my fears. 'Also, I've always been fascinated by how things work, and I grew up watching medical dramas with my family, which later sparked my interest in forensics,' she said. Fellow Biology student Lim Xi Ying, 16, also said the government plays an important role in nurturing the passion for STEM among students. 'The government should invest in modern lab equipment and tools to make learning science more engaging, especially for schools in rural areas. 'Scholarships or financial incentives for science students should also be provided to reduce economic barriers and prevent a situation where students avoid taking up science due to higher costs,' she said. She added that teachers who are supportive and passionate are equally important, adding that her science teachers make lessons engaging and easier to understand by relating concepts to daily life applications. Both Teoh and Lim are participants of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star's Newspaper-in-Education (NiE) team. Meanwhile, Nurul Aisyah Munawarah Asan Mohamed, 17, said the government can attract more students to the science stream by promoting the wide range of career opportunities that come with it.
