Bonding through Language

Joan Ling is an avid example of a senior volunteer who is making use of her knowledge and skillsets to contribute back to society.

 

For the 58-year old, who is fluent in Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese, it felt like an obvious fit the first time she heard about volunteer opportunities with the “Learn My Dialect” programme, which seeks to encourage interaction between seniors and the younger generations through the teaching of dialects.

 

Joan explains, “Teaching is my passion, and I think not many youngsters are able to speak dialects. This was a good way for me to contribute to society.”

 

In addition to playing an important role in ensuring that the knowledge of dialects is being handed down to future generations, Joan also finds the programme meaningful as it contributes to maintaining Singapore’s rich heritage. “It gives our youth an understanding of how our diverse society came about,” says Joan.

 

So far, in her interactions with the youth who attend her classes, Joan has been encouraged by the youths’ genuine interest in learning. She says that classes are fun and often full of laughter, brought out especially when sharing anecdotes or examining the subtle nuances of the various dialects.

 

She adds that for most of the students, they are often able to pick up some simple conversational dialect within just a few lessons, due to its similarity with Mandarin. But, it’s not just students with a background in Mandarin that have joined her classes. There are also those with no prior knowledge of Mandarin. “For them, we need to go at a slower pace,” she says.

 

Fortunately for Joan, she is also able to draw upon her experience as a professional trainer to conduct her classes. Additionally, as a performer in a Cantonese opera troupe, she exudes much confidence when speaking to a crowd. Indeed, all of her experience has helped her to not only teach the course, but also contribute to the development of course notes, as well as serve as a role model for new volunteers.

 

Whilst her students have certainly benefitted from this more than capable teacher, Joan says that she too has benefitted from this volunteering experience. “Teaching dialects is a satisfying experience. It allows me to stay active and remain useful to society even during my golden years.”

 

About Learn My Dialect and Other Volunteering Opportunities

 

Learn My Dialect is a volunteer programme that is supported by the Council for Third Age (C3A).

 

It is facilitated by Viriya Community Services, which also regularly organises group meetings for senior volunteers to share their teaching experiences and discuss students’ feedback. Through these sessions, seniors not only help each other to improve their teaching methods, but also provides them with a platform to enlarge their circle of friends.

 

For those who are interested to join the programme, all you need is the ability to speak English and one or more other dialects. If you would like to find out more about Learn My Dialect or sign up as a volunteer, visit www.viriya.org.sg or contact Eddy Teo at 62934339.

 

To check out other volunteering opportunities for seniors, visit https://www.c3a.org.sg/volunteer.

 

Source: Viriya Community Services. Reproduced with permission.