WHA Group Holds First English Boot Camp for Community School Students

As a staunch supporter of education for children, WHA Group has been proactively attending to the various needs of schools, teachers and students in neighboring communities through different activities to enhance the educational experience. Aside from providing material and financial support, the company aims to give students and teachers alike the opportunity to expand their horizons and knowledge.

Developing the communication skills of the children in English has been a priority for WHA from the start, engaging in activities and programs such as Adopt-a-School, Teachers’ Camp, etc., which help ensure the youth today with the right tools to seek fresh opportunities and get good jobs in the future.

Young teachers bring language skills through English Bootcamp for Students

Through the initiative of Ms. Siyaphas Chantachairoj, Director – Corporate Marketing, WHA Corporation PCL, the English Boot Camp was born in August this year, bringing a fresh approach of learning the language outside the classroom. This year, Ms. Grace and Ms Frang, two young volunteer teachers on school break in Thailand, contributed their English skills and made learning fun at the Ban Khao Hin School in Chonburi province. During the 2-day activity, the WHA team and the young teachers accepted the challenge to host the Boot Camp for approximately 150 students a day from P 5 and P 6, divided into different groups. They organized a series of practical games and educational activities that effortlessly merged fun with learning.

The games and activities were light and enjoyable, making the children learn the vocabulary in a practical way that they can relate to daily situations. Among the main themes were “cooking” where the names of food and ingredients were learned while the children prepared sandwiches and other snacks. The “shopping” activity consisted of enriching their vocabulary by purchasing everyday items such as fruits, food and school materials, using the correct phrases and sentences. Another exercise was “My Dream,” where the children were asked to match pictures that focused on different jobs and occupations such as teacher, nurse, doctor and others. They were also encouraged to express themselves verbally while playing games to enhance their cognitive skills. In all the activities, vocabulary and grammar were emphasized, as well as self-expression and basic cognitive skills.

One of the most fun-filled activities involved learning to give and follow directions in English. The children were divided into groups and asked to "guide" their blindfolded teammates by giving instructions to reach the "finish line".

Each student received a booklet prepared by WHA Team containing the English vocabulary that they could short note and review of their learned that day.

"Being able to communicate in English, even at a basic level, can lead to opportunities as it gives one an edge over others. The aim of this WHA English Bootcamp is to make the children feel comfortable in English, so that they learn to express themselves. The teachers motivated them by organizing interesting activities in a fun atmosphere, to enrich their vocabulary, improve their grammar and support their communicative skill development.” Ms. Siyaphas commented. “WHA would like to see them get better opportunities in life if they can communicate in English. Education is an important factor in our daily lives and one that is particularly important in helping children from neighboring communities."

Learning beyond the classroom is a great way to impart listening, reading and writing skills to the young. With the goal of creating sustainable relationships with local stakeholders, WHA has been playing a proactive role to become an essential partner for schools located near its industrial estates, and to support learning so that the students can achieve more and enjoy their learning experience at the same time.