Third week: Children Approach Life with Eyes of Wonder.

Monday 26th July 2010

Guess what??? It's a group work this time around and my group members are:

1. TEH

2. HEW

3. FLORA

4. SIAW LING

5. CHRIS

6. SARAVANAN

The main activity of the class for this week will be based on the first chapter of the book entitled ‘Teaching English in Primary Classroom’. So, my reflection will be on ‘Working With Young Learners’.

First of all, we were divided into 6 groups because there were 6 subtopics in the chapter. After that, we have to read with our group and prepare a Power Point Presentation within an hour. Then, we have to explain our understanding on what we’ve read.

In general, this topic is explaining on the child psychology towards learning another language. Basically, it’s more on ‘what and how they perceive language to be’ and ‘in what way they learn language best’.

My group has been assigned to explain on the first subtopic of the chapter: Children’s Ability to Grasp Meaning.

After reading and a short discussion with my group members, I realized that children do not come to school 'empty handed'. Their mind is a treasure of something that is extremely powerful. This is what we address as ‘prior knowledge’ and ‘experience’. Even though they might have not heard of the lesson that a teacher is going to conduct, but they are really good in making predictions and they have a passion in discovery. 

mind is a wonderful treasure

Now, I do agree to this saying: ‘discovery is a state of mind’. Children’s mind is very sensitive. A sensitive mind is an intelligent mind. They are eager to learn new things. So, as teachers, our role is to stimulate and manipulate this treasure.

How?? 

This can be done by making full use of paralinguistic features such as gestures,

intonation,

demonstration,  

actions 

and

facial 

expressions.

Thus, meaning can be conveyed in a rather enjoyable manner. So, it does not necessary for a teacher to become so rigid and explain meanings through dictionary anymore.Try giving some clues and let them discover and predict. This will involve and engage them in an active learning environment. 

 After an hour, we have a presentation and I'll be reflecting more on other groups' presentation in the next post. For the time being, think about the capacity of children's mind...Then,we won't be saying that children are innocent anymore...

Second Week: 'ToUcH iT,sEnSe It !!!'

Monday, 19th July 2010

The 3-hours class starts over with a nice greeting by Pn. Foziah. It's time to be diligent again.

She has currently introduced us to the 5 modules that we are going to complete throughout the course. They are:

1. Internet and computing skills

2. Photo Editing Skill

3. Audio Editing Skill

4. Video Editing Skill

5. Software Editing Skill

After that, we saw a thick sample of module done by her previous student, obviously from one of our seniors. It was frightening as we have never submitted any assignments of such thickness from the past 4-years of study in college. But, then we have to agree that no pain, no gain.

Then, comes the time to reveal the truth when Pn. Foziah asks us, "Do you know, what is touch typing?" For the past years of using computers for typing, I've never known that there is a skill required to type. Anyway, better late than never.

Touch typing is a technique that can be defined as (this definition is retrieved from wikipedia):

- typing without using the sense of sight to find the keys

A person who uses touch typing is known as 'Touch Typist'. A touch typist knows the location through muscle memory.

Obviously, we can't make an omelette without breaking eggs, right. So, there are some tips and rules for us to really master this skill.

Typing Tips

1. Your wrist, elbows and keyboard should be on the same horizontal plane, and at a 90 degree angle to your upper arms.

2. There should be at least two inches between the front of the seat and the back of your knees. Your feet should be flat on the floor.

3. The top of your screen should be near eye level.

Right sitting position

Wrong sitting position

4. Place your hands on the keyboard. Hold your thumb on the "Space Bar", first finger of left hand on the "F" and first finger of right hand on the "J".

5. Don't look at the keys when you type. Just slide your fingers around until they find the home row marking.

6. Don't hammer on the keys. Try using the minimum force possible.

7. To switch between upper/lower case use always opposite hand.

8. Try to type with a constant speed.

If we really analyse the way one should be sat during typing, we could say that typing does not jeopardise our body posture. It's just that most of us do not know the tips and started to put the blame on this innocent tool, this day. So, let's master it, then.

First Class: 'ShE iS No OrDiNaRy PeRsOn!!!'

Monday (12th July 2010)

This date marks my first class and meeting with Pn.Foziah, the lecturer for this subject. As the lady introduces herself to 75 of us, I realised that she was no ordinary person. She looks so firm, yet gentle in nature.  She begins her introductory speech with a huge smile on her face.

Then, she continues talking about the course. Why 'resources'? She explains that in this course we are expected to collect and compile our teaching aids, task sheets, work sheets, videos such as songs and movies, to be used later, for our teaching practice. First and foremost, we were asked to buy an 8gb pendrive, bring a photograph (passport-sized photo would be better) for the next class, download a copy of photoshop cs3 and get a copy of the book 'Preparing and Using Visual Aids for English Language Teaching'.

Looking at the list of the 'must have things', I am so sure that, this is just going to be a hectic semester. It's like testing us whether we have technology at our fingertips or not. Frankly speaking, I have a very little skill in this field. It's like so much of things to get familiarised with. And all these things are still 'strangers' for me. But things are moving so fast that I will not even have time to get to know them very well. It's like I'm being invaded by this knowledge and the speed. Being a bit slow all this while does give my life a massive impact. It's like there are so many things happened within a second. And one thing that is compulsory is 'Get updated!!!'. So, I'm adapting to changes and somehow the expectation of the course changes my routine. It's not book anymore, it's all about venturing the virtual world.  The more you explore, the more you gained.

'Why keep a dog and bark yourself'. This sayings really explains what Pn. Foziah tells us. Technology is a tool. It aids learning. Teachers who can make good use of it may find teaching and learning becomes more effective and exciting. When it is there to assist, why can't we grab it and use it, so that things become easier and knowledge spreads faster than we could imagine. So, I need to do some homework in order to move on with the speed. But, I'll make good use of this moment to explore and learn more as I believe we must strike while the iron is hot.

 So, that's all I have to reflect and write for the moment. Looking forward to seeing you on the next post. 

(16th july 2010) first time in blogger.com as a blogger!!!!!!

Dear Pn. Foziah & friends,

NAME: Rafidah Bt. Ibrahim Gani

MATRIC NO. : PEH 080061

it seems like each 'first time' moment in life seems to be special to me.. so, this first day as a blogger will be one of the very special days in my life...
my hope is just that i'll be keeping in touch with the blog all the time (though i'm not a good writer)...
so, just so sorry if you just feel so boring reading those lines of words...