Second Language Writing Issue: Process Vs. Product

Have you got writing assignment? If yes, how often that assignment given? how long you finish your writing? Then, have you consulted your writing to your teacher/lecturer so that you can improve your writing? Or just keep writing in the last minutes without any disruption to get a good product? What do you think about that?

Talking about the final product of writing and its process may become the pro or contra of the students, even the teachers. Some of them maybe just only want to achieve the product without considering the process, on the other hand, some others just focus on the process which result nothing. How about you? As a student or teacher candidate, what will you choose?

Both of them are actually one of the issues that happen in second language writing. What are they actually? Let’s see one by one.

 

School Visit (3): Learning by Teaching

For this second week, the classes we entered were XII and X grades and they were very challenging. What I previously found in the class situation, the students were allowed to bring their cell phones, laptop, i-phone (used to listen to the music while they did the work) into classroom in term they used them properly. In English lesson, students mostly used their cell phones as dictionary, however not all students did that. Besides, I always found 1-2 students in every class who were sleeping during the lesson. When I asked them, they answered that it’s because they stayed up all night and mostly they said “sorry, I really feel asleep”. My master teacher was never angry with them, and he just gave them advice and motivated them. For me, it didn’t matter for them to bring their own tools unless they engaged, understood and didn’t disturb others in the process of learning.

 

School Visit (2): As A Teacher Assistant

Let me share my experience as a teacher assistant during school observation program !   .. The school I observed is actually still same with the previous posting I mentioned. Have enjoy!!

Based on the classes I observed, the teacher use direct instruction and individual study as his strategy for students learning. Teacher began by explaining the topic using presentation, after that he gave the task to the students individually to describe their product then presented it to the teacher. When I asked to the teacher, actually, the main purpose of the task is students could practice their English speaking and listening skill. At that time, teacher gave about 30 minutes for students to prepare their own product and presentation, after that students should speak to present it about 2-3 minutes to me and my friends as the teacher assistants who divided into six blocks. However, when there were no us (teacher assistant), students would only present to my master teacher one by one.

During the preparation, some students seemed enthusiastic to the task, while some others seemed lazy to do it. The condition of the class was very noisy because there were some students who talking with other students and making joke by themselves. Nevertheless, all students did the task. As a teacher assistant, I had a duty to help the students, for example, answered their questions, helped to find idea and monitored them by moving around. So did my master teacher. Then, what was the result? When I listened to their presentation one by one, I found their great idea of the product and their enthusiast to try speaking English well. However, the class became noisier because students who had done presentation didn’t have any tasks anymore so that they seemed free to do something even taking photo together in front of the class.

 

School Visit (1): How LCD used in English Classroom

In this third semester, I got teaching experience in SMAN ** Jakarta. This school is well-known as prestige school because besides it carries A accreditation, its students come from middle up to high class economy background. This condition, in fact, really influences the complexity of school facility, especially to support teaching and learning.  In this reflection, I just would like to stress my observation result about the technology which this school uses in the field of English subject only.

Based on my observation  and the data I got from this school, the technology tools which support English lesson are LCD and sound system that both of them are provided in each class, laptop, radio type and language laboratory whose a monitor in each two tables. Those tools are in good condition and can be operated well.

 

My Teachers, My Inspirations

Learning from experiences is something extraordinary. That experience may be came up from our previous or our current teachers. Here, I want to share why I really appreciate my teachers as my good teachers. At that time, I considered a good teacher as a person who can make their students understand about the lesson only. That’s the point of view I thought. Even I didn’t care about what approaches my teachers use to make their successful teaching. In fact, I had never identified why my teachers could make me interest in and understand about the lesson. Thus, they are my inspirations.

As the teacher candidate now, it is important for us to analyze why a teacher can create successful teaching. Just share, guys.

 

MI Could be Solutions…

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of Education at Harvard University. This theory suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. As Gardner said, the intelligences are languages that all people speak and are influenced. These intelligences are also tools for learning, problem solving, and creating throughout life. In this paper, I intentionally don’t list those eight intelligences because we all knew what they are in the previous lesson, didn’t we?

Source: http://paultilley.net

Hence, I would like to show how the best those eight multiple intelligences when they are integrated into teaching, activities and assessment, even establishing student’ learning with all their diversities. Anyway, teachers are really encouraged to be critical and creative in designing teaching and learning. Then teachers’ creativity can be expressed through all those intelligences.

 

Skype for Learning

Skype is an application that allows the users to make voice calls, using voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) technology. This application is commonly recognized as P2P (peer to peer) technology. The application is free (can be downloaded free of charge). Millions people use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages, video conferencing, and share files with other Skype users, especially individuals and businesses. Every day, people also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Skype for Teaching and Learning

Skype provides an easy way to communicate with people around the world with low cost even at no cost. By using this application, teacher and students wiil open to a wide range of activities that can improve student engagement and comprehension. Learning becomes more authentic as it goes beyond the walls of a classroom.