‘i want to go to school but …’ The case of the Penan and Orang Asli Children of Malaysia

This paper argues that one of the main contributory factors is ‘dysteachia’, a term coined to refer to the inappropriate methodology used by teachers in schools to teach language, in particular, Malay and English languages. Primary schools in Malaysia have the tendency to use the whole word approach to teach reading and writing in English, and the syllabic approach (letter-name) for the Malay language (Bahasa Melayu). Students with reading difficulties have problems with these approaches. Through its experience of teaching students with reading difficulties, the Dyslexia Association of Sarawak (DASwk) have created a phonics-based program with special features: it is structured, cumulative, multi-sensorial and utilises an array of tools and activities to stimulate interest, attention as well as cultivate appropriate skills progressively. For the English language program, it is called SMARTERphonics and the Malay program is called foniksPINTAR. The application of these two programs through one-week literacy camps, showed that SMARTERphonics and foniksPINTAR have proven to be effective learning strategies to enhance the reading skills of Penan and Orang Asli Temuan children who participated in these programs. In addition, these phonics-based programs also serve as advocacy tools to inspire these children to want to go to school, to remain in school and to acquire an education through the confidence they have acquired through their ability to read and write.