The world of Tzu Chi December 2024 (Vol.152)

12 2024 • 12 Making learning fun with board games By Sia Ah Tong Translated by Yi-Qin Photo by Ho Wei Mee Inspired by fellow teachers, Yap Jia Jun implemented a reward system in his classroom while incorporating board games to make learning fun and engaging. His student Princy Dayanitha shared, “I hope to continue attending ‘i • didik’ classes for a long time. It is a learning platform I truly enjoy.” S itting before his laptop, Yap Jia Jun carefully prepared his teaching materials for his Malay language class under the “i·didik” online tutoring programme. By weaving board games into his digital teaching materials, he aims to spark his students’ interest in learning. Educational board games offer both challenges and joy. Students get to explore and solve problems in a fun and interactive way, which helps them absorb knowledge more effectively. The games have also become a highlight in his classes, with students eagerly asking each time, “Can we play today?” Through regular interactions with his students, Jia Jun gained a deeper understanding of their lives. Noticing that some students faced issues like low self-esteem, he made a conscious effort to empathise with their situations and adjust his teaching methods accordingly. Among his students, Princy Dayanitha left a particularly good impression. He shared, “She takes her studies seriously and never skips a class. Moreover, she always turns on her Yap Jia Jun’s passion for helping others fills his life. He only hopes that the students can acquire knowledge and cultivate humanistic values.