The Communication & Leadership Advancement Program (CLAP) participants met for the third (out of 4) sessions at the beautiful SDA Language Institute at Silang, Cavite during the Lunar New Year holidays.  The program began on schedule on Monday, February 15 when all 34 participants arrived from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and Taiwan.  As part of the orientation, the participants took time to renew their friendships.  Classes started bright and early after a morning devotion where CLAP students take turns to speak.  This time we were privileged to have 18 Filipino English tutors work with our group on an individual basis for conversation classes.  The tutors were guided by our English consultant, Mrs Erica Hole, to encourage the students to speak most of the time and they were only to act as listeners and facilitate the conversation by asking questions.

Leadership classes were run as well by Dr. Chek Yat Phoon.  Our assistant teacher, Mrs. Maike Stepanek, helped with interviewing students regarding their challenges coping with assignments in between sessions.  This has proved to be most difficult especially for leaders who already have their plate filled to overflowing.  Nonetheless, all of the students have tried their level best to attend to their homework in order to achieve the improvement in their English.

Our final session will be held in Korea at the end of May to the beginning of June climaxing in a graduation ceremony for all who complete this one-and-a-half-year program consisting of 4 sessions.  Up to now, most of the participants have made  considerable gains in their ability to speak English.