ENGLISH TEACHING/LEARNING

PA Team

2011-12-23T05:36:00.000-08:00

Peer Assistant (PA) , I believe, it's not a new concept
Unfortunately, our knowledge about "peer assistant" is merely a "knowledge".

In fact, most teachers do not notice the power of peer assistant concept for their students, especially when they are teaching teenagers.

As we know, teenagers have closer "bound" with their mates...well, at that age, we understand it, right?

PA, creates more comfort for them to learn, cause they can "stay" with their mates, instead of their teacher in "formal" manner. Of course, as teachers, we have to make sure that the comfort won't lead them to "chat" instead of "study". However, this will make them learn more about commitment and responsibility (believe me, I've tried it. It takes time, but worth it)

PA team gives more chance to the member of the group to learn the materials more intensively. And if the team has any problem, the teacher also has chance to give guidance more effectively, cause she simply talk to smaller groups.

Of course, as always, teachers should be able to decide, what kind of materials are suitable using this concept. Besides that, make sure that before starting the concept, we give enough motivation to the students who are good at our class/subject, so that they would be happy to join any PA team and be the "helper" for the other students (especially for those who belong to the slow-learners groups). I myself, call them as my assistants. And I always say to them that a teacher is getting improved in skill and knowledge when she should face/treat "difficult students", so they do not need to feel pity to share and help others. That is not only "good for their character building--as a person", but will also good for their mastery and competencies. So far....it's worked. :-)

Teaching and Learning With More FUN

2010-03-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

Life's changing

Teaching - learning process has developed

IT got advanced

We can't stay the same

to make teenagers excited in studying...

So, why don't we change ourselves, as teachers

get involved in this multimedia-world

and feel the youth-sensation

when you "play" with it and keep your students in your class, anytime? Join here...

Chatting Camp- An Introduction

2010-01-21T22:29:00.000-08:00

Chatting Camp was inspired by our activities lately.
Chatting has become a popular activity for people, especially teenagers. Nowadays, we can find sites to create social networks that make communication easier. Chatting itself has become a full-of-fun-activity that we cannot ignore.
Camp is also interesting for teenagers. It allows them to get a lot of fun and outdoor activities or games as well.

So, chatting and camp sound great to be combined to improve students' interest and motivation to join foreign language class, in this case--an English class.

The logic is--chatting camp will be effective to arouse students' willingness to speak up with various games and outdoor activities as the approach.

This effectiveness is proved and seen from the students' improvement in speaking. They are able to speak more fluently, more spontaneously, with more self confidence. Besides that, because during the activity they work together with the whole team members, the students have chance to learn to be compatible and take care of each other. The ones who are good at English will help the slow-learner-students.

HARD...???

2009-02-28T04:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome English teachers, welcome English teaching Class,

English teaching to reach well English always faces obstacles ...One of the ways to get over it is by joining http://wel-english.blogspot.com
Yes....but then....what about the problem of "reading laziness"?

Is that so hard to ask students to read?
Is that so hard , even harder? to tell them to write?

I really dream of this--when Indonesia will get better....
Will we make it....while it is really hard to let the youth motivated and responsible towards their own needs and lives?

So, English teaching will not only end as an English class which teaches English, but also teach about life, for our life...

You are allowed to copy or to be inspired by the content/materials published here but you should link to the source:
http://englishTL.blogspot.com

START from the students!

2009-02-22T05:06:00.000-08:00

Welcome English teachers, welcome English teaching Class,
Sometimes, teachers do not know what to do, when the students do not give positive response to the class. It is so hard...
There should be some reasons...
One of them (although it does not mean the only one) is....
They need to be listened to...
So...(sometimes, not always, I guess),
we'd better start from what they need, who they are, what they are, what they are longing for, ...hhhmmm...so many?!?!?! Don't you think...you'll always have so many things to start with (it seems not so hard anymore?)....which are wanted by the students, every single day...in any lessons..

Just try it , and you'll find the answer...as well as the "problems" which (I believe) will make us (teachers) better, wiser, and stronger...

You are allowed to copy or to be inspired by the content/materials published here but you should link to the source:
http://englishTL.blogspot.com

CIA (Comparison In Action)

2009-01-28T05:45:00.000-08:00

Welcome Degrees of Comparison,

What kind of activity is it?

The idea is ....I'd like to help the students to apply degrees of comparison, especially when we need to use adverb of manner. As we know, adverb of manner includes verbs, and verbs will be more easily understood or imagined when they are acted out.....

So, the good points of the activity are:

1. students get "real experience" in "comparing" how certain actions/daily or common activities are carried out....such as: run more quickly, study harder, swim better

2. helping the students to be (more) expressive, self confident

3. "act out" games are always interesting. It was so FUN to see how students/classmates acted out!!! We've got some students who are talented in acting! Wow!!

4. More laughter in the air! So cool......Check the pics out!

You are allowed to copy or to be inspired by the content/materials published here but you should link to the source:
http://englishTL.blogspot.com

My blogs---GET ME!!!! (hehehehe)

2008-12-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

You can find me here

http://wel-english.blogspot.com
if you want to read simple materials in English or if you are interested in learning English

http://edulife-agatha.blogspot.com
if you want to share about life, love, education....anything, but of course, still, in English

http://mariaf309.dagdigdug.com
if you do not like English, do not understand English, feel tired of reading or writing in English (hehehehehehe)---bisa kok ngobrol di sini pake bahasa Indonesia (hahahahaha)

You are allowed to copy or to be inspired by the content/materials published here but you should link to the source:
http://englishTL.blogspot.com

TEACHING:READING-gain scores

2008-11-29T08:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome Reading Class,
Reading comprehension is a problem, always.Most students tend to be inactive. If the materials are too easy, they are not motivated. If they are rather hard, they will stop reading and feel discouraged. If we choose "medium level" materials...the smart students feel that they have no such challenge to read dan comprehend the materials.The method? Most reading classes will tend to use that common technique....I know....that's our problem.

But then I did it....
I have combined some tecniques that we have already been familiar with, ...I chose some stories/passages.
I split the class into some groups. Each group was responsible for certain passages. Well, you guess...They had to read and comprehend the passages.

The next step was, of course, they had to present some points of the passages the discussed on:such as the main idea and this one which was interesting-- the most interesting part that they loved/the part that had made the passage funny, interesting, exciting, or even....boring....anything! as long as that 'special part" was needed to share with..

After that, they invited comments and questions from other groups.
In case, I were worried about certain groups's competence in comprehending their passages, I allowed 2 or even 3 other groups to discuss the same passage(s) (it depends on our class' competence)

When I did it....I could let the group to have any help from other groups with the same passage(s) when they weren't able to counter the comments or reply the questions...What's my job?Of course....I was the moderator...but not talk too much.

However, I let them to keep the discussion running.....or even STOP it?????And ....take their scores!!The idea is.....If you keep the discussion running, pupils, and keep talking....you'll get scores. If, the discussion stops....(no questions/comments/replies)...no scores for everyone... (wow! I just knew later on, that my words on that affected the class much, oh thanks God)

You must think...it was very very hard, reading and speaking (discussion) at the same time?
And how to let the students keep the discussion running by themselves?

Here are the rules:
1. everybody should speak out! You'll gain scores for that, and....of course no score, if you just keep silent.
2. your english should not be perfect, cause the stress of the activity is on reading comprehension, not the speaking competence. They even may speak in their first language for certain cases (we decided it together before the discussion started)
3. everybody may speak out, even for the simplest thing.....such as asking "what's the meaning of this word", "what does it refer to?"......so for such simple questions, they will be more confident in speaking simple English.

You may disagree with this technique before you try it, but let me tell you the result of that activity:
1. the class was lively
2. students were competitive
3. 90% , even more, students SPEAK OUT!
4. they were proud of gaining scores, comprehending the passages, being able to ask questions and of course.....answering their classmates' questions--correctly
5. here is the most unbelivable part.......most of them said (shouted, actually).......aaaaaaaa(dissapointedly) when I said...."okay class, I'm sorry....time is up."....or..."let's do this again next time-- from now on, we have to stop"
6. for me.....as the teacher????? wow! I just can't believe...that actually I've got such wonderful class--although most of the students inside, are not really good in English!!! I'm proud of them more and more...I appreciate their attempt to learn English more and more....and that makes me MOTIVATED more and more to do my best to make my classess lively, exciting, motivating, gaining "something" when the class is over.....and of course give better and better score to students who have shown their improvement in their performance and attempt!
I love being a teacher....such thing is a happy and satisfying moment of being a teacher.

also read http://wel-english.blogspot.com/

You are allowed to copy or to be inspired by the content/materials published here but you should link to the source:
http://englishTL.blogspot.com

TEACHING: Sentence Reproduction Table

2008-11-29T08:35:00.000-08:00

Welcome writing class!
Writing Class! Phew! In English? Ughh...even in our first languange....writing is a serious problem (????)

But, not anymore....in my class...I've found a very simple and effective way for my students.Although it has not worked for "all" (?????) students, but at least for "many or may be most" students, when they are ready to write....My secret is....what I call SENTENCE REPRODUCTION TABLE

I used the technique in preparing my students to join a writing and speaking competition (and the result was, they got the first prize!!!).However, competitions are not my only destination. The most important thing is...by applying this way--SENTENCE REPRODUCTION TABLE--I let my students start "feeling" the CORRECT basic sentence in ENGLISH, which most foreign English learners have failed in gaining it.

Although my students haven't been succesful yet in making very good writing, AT LEAST, they have started being aware of the basic structure of simple/plain English sentences. That's an important "starter" to write in good English, I believe.

also read http://wel-english.blogspot.com/

You are allowed to copy or to be inspired by the content/materials published here but you should link to the source:
http://englishTL.blogspot.com