Self-study and classroom lessons based on newspaper feature stories

This column is for self-study or classroom use and gives guided help with reading the wide variety of writing styles and topics that appear as feature articles in the Bangkok Post. The lessons include background information, skill-building practice and vocabulary explanations.

May 25, 2004

A heart-warming tale

INTRODUCTION

In our last ever feature focus, we take a look at a scheme to build a library in a remote rural area of Thailand. Stories like this are often referred to as ‘heart-warming’ because they make us feel good inside. We usually get this feeling when we read about someone helping people in need or when those who act selflessly help to improve a desperate situation.

Here you can read the first part of the story where the writer, Vasana Chinvarakorn, tells us about the origins of the library. We learn that local people worked hard to build the library with only limited materials and most of them didn’t get paid. What other details has Vasana included that make you feel good (or ‘warms your heart’ – opun jai)?

A few weeks ago, we looked at ‘emotive’ words that are used when writers want to convey strong emotions like anger or love. Here, Vasana tries to show compassion by using words and phrases like “reason to be proud” and “touched”. Can you find others?

In the rest of the story, Vasana goes on to tell us how the children react to the books – they love them – and explains how this shows that children want to read when given the chance. It is clear that the children in Ban Nong Kham would not have that opportunity if it was not for the hard work of others.
Tell your own tale

We all know of stories when people have helped others in times of difficulty. Perhaps you have done a good deed recently for a friend, relative or even complete stranger. You could write the tale in a similar way to the article or even as a short story. Remember to try and make us feel warm by using ‘emotive’ words and don’t forget to include a brief background to the situation. You could the show it to a friend and ask them if they have a ‘warm heart’ after they have read it!
Next week ‘feature focus’ will be replaced by ‘student centre’ – lesson plans based around the concept of learner-centred education. More details in next week’s cover article.

OUR STORY FROM THE BANGKOK POST

Reading and succeeding

The construction of a small library
in Ban Nong Kham
was no small matter

VASANA CHINVARAKORN

The early monsoon rain was beating against the half-finished structure of a small building set to be the first public library of Ban Nong Kham village. The construction had to be called off for the day, but the whole community was eagerly looking forward to the opening ceremony, a time to celebrate the first library built by and for the villagers themselves.

“People keep dropping in, sometimes on the pretext of collecting mangoes from the trees nearby,” said Duangruethai Sornsena with a smile. She is known as “Teacher Sod” by the little children of this Khon Kaen community.

“Our library is already famous. Perhaps it is because we have advertised it a lot,” she chuckled.

Teacher Sod had reason to be proud. The Ban Haed Children's Library, as it is called officially, may be modest in appearance, but it is a common property for a village where the nearest place to buy newspapers is 19 kilometres away.

It is also a big step forward from the early days. The village’s preschool centre, of which the library is to be an extension, did not even have space of its own during the first days of operation. Originally located in a temple compound, the centre, Teacher Sod’s office, eventually acquired a one-storey building, thanks to a fund-raising campaign initiated by rural villagers themselves. The same tactic was repeated last month when a religious affair was organised to solicit donations from the lay public and local businesses. Some of the locals subsequently took an active role during the construction: They pooled their labour and skills working together after their daily chores in the fields were over.

“Now I've learned how to lay cement bricks,” laughed Rachanee Phramuang, Teacher Sod’s colleague. “[Before] I had to ask the mason every time whether or not I had lined up the bricks correctly.”

Perseverance seemed to be the key. Theerawong Dhanitweth, director of the Tai Wisdom Association, recalled the initial seed that finally grew into the Ban Nong Kham Library project that his organisation is supporting. In 1999, Theerawong’s Khon-Kaen-based office organised a workshop on how to read story books. One teacher from the Ban Nong Kham village wanted to attend, but she could not afford the 1,000-baht registration fee.

“She later got the money from the temple's abbot, who in turn, borrowed it from his relative,” Theerawong said. “When we learned the story, we felt so touched that we offered her story books for the same price value so that she could use them at the daycare centre.”

One thing led to another. The teacher introduced the novel reading techniques - which help the preschoolers under her charge to enjoy the adventurous tales - to her colleagues. Teaching staff from nearby villages followed suit, and currently five communities have formed their own network, with regular meetings during which they exchange tips and information. Ban Nong Kham has been chosen as the site for the central library.

Upon the completion of construction, Theerawong said his Association will donate 1,000 books to the library. Many titles are exclusively for youngsters aged up to six. While some may say that the glossy, full-coloured books may not be suitable for rural children, Theerawong has found the opposite.

“People say these pictorial books portray lives remote from the daily experiences of children here. But we have learned that good books can appeal to any child anywhere. We decided once to take back the books that we’d loaned to a certain community, after learning that the teachers there rarely read to their children. However, the little boys and girls there were crying after our boxes of books.”

SOME VOCABULARY HELP

selfless
thinking more about others than yourself

compassion
sympathy

pretext
false reason that you give for doing something

modest
not very large, expensive, important, etc

extension
new room or structure added onto an existing building

compound
an area surrounded by a fence or wall in which a group of buildings stand

initiated
to make something begin

tactic
particular method used to achieve something

pooled
to group all of something together for the benefit of everybody

perseverance
to keep trying even in the face of difficulty

network
closely connected group of people who exchange information

exclusively
aimed at or used only by one group of people

glossy
smooth and shiny

pictorial
containing a lot of pictures

• This lesson was prepared by Neil Stoneham,
an experienced secondary school teacher and trained journalist.

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