ADVANCED
Peer Influence
NiE Activity 1 Critical thinking l Identify
l Reason
Creative thinking l Imagine l Connect
l Invent
Communicating l Oral
l Written
l Non-verbal
l Aural
The right crowd
-NiE ,
15 March 2017
11
POSITIVE peer influence can go a long way in shaping an individual’s attitude, behaviour and values. Mix with the right crowd and some parts of their personality will rub off on you. For example, the head prefect and student leaders of school clubs are often seen as role models for their peers. Who do they usually go around with? If you observe closely, you will notice that their friends or those in their social circle usually practise the same values as them. Look in The Star for a picture of someone who appears dejected or defeated because of an arising situation. Cut it out and paste it on a sheet of A4 paper. Imagine that you were a friend of the individual. What are some words of encouragement you would say to your friend? Write down your message, which must not be less than 150 words.
Words of encouragement:
Paste the picture here
Read the following passage, which is adapted from an article published in Star2 on Sept 27, 2016. Answer the questions that follow and then discuss the answers in class.
NiE Activity 2
Starting young When she was four, Leah Choy taught herself to bake through YouTube. Impressive? Well, wait until you hear why she did it. Choy was baking for a cause – to raise funds for her younger sister Adele, who was born with cerebral palsy. She managed to raise US$6,000 (RM24,000) for Adele, who requires half-yearly visits to the Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia for treatment. It costs RM50,000 per trip. “I decided to sell cupcakes and cakes because people love to have parties and people love to eat!” she said charmingly. Choy is one of a growing number of child advocates and activists – none old enough to drive or vote, but still doing their bit to make a difference in society. “Malaysia is experiencing a new wave of youth advocacy,” said WOMEN:girls
1.
programme director Abby Latif. “A lot of people are starting to pay attention, and many organisations now recognise child participation.” Besides raising funds for her sister, Choy has extended her work to help others in need as well. To date, she has raised funds for causes including the Rohingya boat people as well as food aid foundations. She baked around 15,000 cupcakes in the past year, raising close to RM30,000. Still only seven, she’s now also a social media whizz, using Facebook and Instagram to promote her baking business, with the help of her mother Tay Mei Yean. On top of inspiring advocacy through social media, Choy has even started giving talks and workshops. She recently went to Indonesia to teach disabled children to bake and decorate cupcakes, and was given the opportunity to speak at the closing ceremony of the Asean Work-Life Balance Conference. “Leah has always been our biggest motivator,” said Tay, bursting with pride. “There’s no such thing as ‘let’s give up’ in her dictionary.” Youth advocacy is important because peer influence works, said Abby. “Peer influence is very important because youth advocates can relate with others their age, through the language they use or the references they make,” she said.
___________________________________________________________ 3.
Besides baking to raise funds, what are some other ways to be involved in a cause you
Creative thinking l Imagine l Brainstorm
l Connect
Problem solving l Question
l Research
Communicating l Oral
l Aural
l Written
___________________________________________________________ 4.
Choy is engaged in causes which include the Rohingya boat people as well as food aid foundations. What is a cause or issue that you would advocate? ___________________________________________________________
l Measure
l Reason
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2.
l Identify
care about (such as the one you chose in Question 2)?
Choy is only seven but has done much to help her family, and make a difference in society. As a student, what are some of the things you have contributed to your family and society? ___________________________________________________________
Critical thinking
According to Abby, youth advocacy is important because peer influence works. Are there any youth who have inspired you? If so, in what way? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________
5.
Do you agree that youth should be encouraged to be advocates? Why or why not? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________