Going for the goal

Updated on: Tuesday, September 27, 2011

In a bid to generate interest in honing communication skills among the younger generation, CEDAR (Centre for Education Development Action and Research) in association with Global Community Sports, United Kingdom, has designed a novel strategy. Behind the idea of promoting rural community sports and sports exchange programme, a new sports education methodology has been formulated.

Aussie coach

Rick Shrowder, an Aussie Football coach and Founder of Global Community Sports at a demonstrative session of the game at Arya Vaisya School, Kovilpatti, recently, said making the children to write a sports manual is a participatory teaching method, which would ensure an interest in sports. After analysing the game, students could write and speak about its activities.

Apart from the linguistic component, they could also draw pictures of the game. Promoting sports in schools and the community, especially among the underprivileged children would provide a life enhancing experience rather than winning medals, he added.

Darryl Humble, a Development Educationist from the U.K., said besides communicative skills, the learners could get an exposure to team work against a backdrop of football.

As part of the sports exchange programme, guests from the UK were keen to learn to play Kabadi, a traditional Indian game, in countries abroad through a sports manual from Indian students. The programme was designed to impart sports education to students at the grassroots level and to inculcate sporting acumen, T. Chinnaraj Joseph, Managing Trustee, CEDAR, said.

Encouragement

Since sports activities had been sidelined in the academic curriculum of educational institutions, a holistic education was required. Students at an early stage need encouragement to face challenges. CEDAR would establish a Sports Outreach Centre either at Madurai or Kovilpatti to train volunteers. Plans were also afoot to represent this new sports education methodology with the State government to implement in schools across Tamil Nadu, he added.

S. Sakthivel Murugan, Headmaster, G. Tamilarasan, representative of Child Rights Monitoring Committee, and others attended.

Going for the goal

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