I’ve been meaning to write a post about the English lessons that Dan and I have been giving the Yaya Girls, but Dan beat me to it. So thanks, Dan, for letting me snag your post from http://yayagirls.wordpress.com:

English teaching is perhaps the second most important aspect of the Yaya Girls Running Program after the running itself and certainly one of the most rewarding for everyone involved!

We aim to provide 15 hours per week of tuition and the arrival of Becky Wade has made it very easy to hit that target. We have been following the guidelines of the Natural Way of Learning and aiming to teach two lessons per day. I have been teaching classroom style as we have realized that the most effective way of learning a new word is repetition and intense practice.

Becky had the idea to make flashcards with the girls which has gone down extremely well as they see it more as a relaxed time with their new friend! It is great to watch the girls smiling and concentrating on drawing and colouring while also developing a skill that has the potential to improve their opportunities.

If the girls make it onto the international athletics scene a basic knowledge of English will be important for understanding pre-race information and giving interviews which could increase their marketability and chance of receiving sponsorship.