English for the Future

WE need enthusiastic Teachers to teach a few hours each day. We have books, course materials and resources. This is a rural community which has little, but is full of natural beauty and an enthusiasm to learn.

We are working towards creating the Tun Mustapha marine park near the Tip of Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia and part of the management of the park requires that the local community becomes involved. One of the things TRACC are doing for the community is improving their English so that they may be more involved in the eventual tourist industry.

Volunteers who do not speak Malay (national language) or Rungus (local language) are assisted by our staff who speak both languages and by our easy-to-follow teaching aids and programme which does not require the teacher to speak in the children’s language. Children attend classes in the various villages and they need to practice and learn writing, reading, and speaking. We have available curriculum, lesson plans, and books.

Schools in rural Sabah have issues teaching English well and yet there is a large and increasing demand for young people who speak English to work in many sectors of the tourism industry. We work to increase vocabulary, improve confidence in speaking and help the children with writing and reading. School instructors often do not have the support or training to teach more than the basics.