Learnclusive: A Year 9 Literacy Initiative at Royal British International School
This article was featured in the BSME Newsletter 2024-25 | Edition 3
As part of their involvement in the British Council's Your World Competition, Year 9 students at The Royal British International School in Cairo started a meaningful literacy project called Learnclusive. The competition's theme: Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4): Quality Education, encourages youth to get involved with global issues. "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all", is the stated objective of this global goal. Motivated by this objective, the students aimed to significantly impact their own school community.
Learnclusive was created with two goals in mind. The initiative's first and most important component is Year 9 student volunteers teaching English to the school's matrons, who are important support staff members. By strengthening their reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities, these classes hope to give the matrons the tools they need to succeed in both their personal and professional lives. The students themselves have meticulously prepared and delivered the twice-weekly classes. Volunteers demonstrate commitment, empathy, and a strong sense of social responsibility by missing their Physical Education (PE) classes to make room for the lessons.
Learnclusive's second component is a peer-mentorship program run by Year 8 students. These volunteers help younger primary students with reading, writing, and comprehending important concepts during their English lessons, particularly when they are having difficulty. In order to reinforce classroom learning and boost the confidence of their younger peers, the Year 8 mentors attend Primary classes to offer one-on-one support and encouragement. In addition to helping the primary students, this mentorship approach aids the mentors in honing their teaching, leadership, and communication abilities.
Learnclusive started out as a competition project but has since grown into a long-term initiative. The students chose to carry on the project, beyond the competition, because the pilot phase was so successful and impactful. The current Year 9 cohort is getting ready to transfer the initiative to the next generation of Year 9 students in order to ensure sustainability. By doing this, they intend to establish Learnclusive as an enduring custom that fosters literacy, inclusivity, and service learning in the classroom. It displays a culture of empathy, leadership, and the conviction that everyone should have access to education.
Our competition entry can be viewed on YouTube here!