Teaching Strategies

1. INTRODUCTION

An effective but inexpensive programme when students are asked to read 3 sentences for the weekend. They are to recite the 3 sentences at the end of any English Lessons.

2. RATIONAL

2.0 Students lack reading

2.1 If a student is given a book a teacher is unable to find out if the student has really read it

2.2 If a student is asked to find out the meaning of the words. The student may copy it from a dictionary.

2.3 If a synopsis is has to be written, the student may also copy it from the book.

2.4 Students always write down what they say:

Example: My name Ahmad (spoken English)

My name Ahmad (‘is’ is missing)

In written English too

The 3 sentences that the students read, memorize and recite are in the correct structures. Thus students are exposed to the correct structural English sentences.

3. GOAL

To make students read and have greater usage of English and improve their oral and written skills.

4. GENERAL OBJECTIVE

4.1 To promote interest in the language.

4.2 To increase exposure to the language.

4.3 To encourage greater use of English and improve skills in the language.

4.4 To improve and increase their vocabulary.

4.5 To inculcate a love of reading.

4.6 To improve their communication skills.

5. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE.

To ensure 100% excellent passes in the English Language Examination (UPSR,PMR).

6. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

6.1 Informing the principal of the programme.

6.2 Informing and briefing teachers of the programme.

6.3 Implementation of the project.

7. MAIN ACTIVITIES

7.1 Identifying a reading passage from the textbook.

Example: Year 5 Text books 9 pg. 27

7.2 Students memorize them first, second and third sentences for the weekend.

Note: In order to memorize the students have to read the sentences. Thus the

Emphasize on reading

7.3 The students are asked to recite the 3 sentences in the last 5 to 10 minutes at the end

of their English lesson

Note: 1. While a student is reciting the sentences the other students listen and

some may read the sentences again to remember them.

2. Good students may acts as ‘junior teachers’ and help the teacher to check

the recital.

7.4 As the programmes progresses more complex sentences can be introduced. Students may be given more sentences to read.

8. DURATION

Throughout the year

9. TARGET GROUP

Primary school: Level 2 Year 4,5

Secondary school: Form 1,2

10. RESOURCES

Teachers teaching Year 4-5, Form 1-2

Text book

11. EVALUATION

11.1 Throughout oral and written exercise

11.2 Monthly test and examination.

12. REPORT

At the end of the year

PROGRAMME: Basic skills of writing compositions

GOAL : Students are able to write sentences structurally correct in

Composition

RATIONAL : It is found that nearly 90% of them appear to be ignorant on

how a particular structure should be constructed.

OBJECTIVES : 1. To improve their listening and speaking skills.

2. To train them to be constructive.

3. To increase vocabulary bank and sentences structure.

DURATION : Two Months

TARGET : Year 4, Form One weak students

INTRODUCTION: 1. Students are given step by step guidance to construct

sentences,from their simplest to their compound and

complex ones.

2. Every sentence written consist of SUBJECT and

PREDICATE with NOUN and VERB

3. The process of expanding and transforming of sentences

should be done in stages.

4. Students will construct sentences under teacher’s guidance.

Implementation modules are determined before starting the lessons.

ACTIVITIES: MODULE 1

1. Explanation of a simple sentence which consists of SUBJECT and PREDICATE

The subject is either Noun or Pronoun.

The predicate is the Verb or Action.

2. Listing 20 Nouns or Pronouns

3. Listing 20 Verbs or Actions

Example: Hasnah sings

“Hasnah” is the Subject

“sings” is the Action

4. Students match subjects to the action to construct a simple sentences

EXERCISE 1

Underline the action and circle in each of the following sentences.

MODULE 4

1. Expanding a sentence with adjective

1.1 Adding an adjective with the subject

Example : a) The boys broke a window

b) The naughty boys broke a window.

“a” is a simple sentence and “b” is the same sentence expanded use of an adjective (underline)

1.2 Adding adjective with the object.

c) The naughty boys broke a window

d) The naughty boys broke a glass window

2. Listing 20 adjectives.

EXERCISE 4

Rewrite each sentence below adding a suitable adjective to noun underlined. You may use the adjective given in brackets or one of your own.

1. He bought a table. (square) She bought a square table.

2. They ate chicken. (fried)

3. Puan Aminah gave away his clothes. (old)

4. Children like stories(young, funny)

5. Workers carried the piano.(strong, heavy)

6. The girl got a present. (happy, birthday)

7. The man boarded a bus.(fat, green)

8. The mouse deer is an animal. (cunning, intelligent)

9. Rama speaks English. (fluent)

10. The dog chased the boys. (ferocious, frightened)

EVALUATION : Through students sentences in composition

After every test and examination.

REPORT : To be done after the trial Examination and after the final year.

Ref: The Composition workbook

By UPSKOL Publication.

1.WAYS AND MEANS

You do not need to be a good singer yourself to introduce songs into your lessons. You can write out or say the words, and hum the tune. Better still, use songs record on tape. Songs prepared specially for students are available comercially.

Often the tune is known by some of the students and sometimes you are lucky enough to have a student who plays the guitar.

Songs often provide good pronunciation practice and unconscious repetition of useful words and phrases. Students often want to know the words of English pop songs, and to study these in classcan be highly motivating.

Singing produce a lot of laughter and enjoyment, so we should all introduce songs in the classroom from time to time.

Two possible methods of using songs in class are:

a. Tell students briefly what the song is about.

b. Play or hum the tune (without the words).

c. Sing or play a tape recording of the first two lines. Pictures on the board or flashcards can form prompts for each line.

d. Ask students to repeat, several times. Sing with them.

e. Play lines 3 and 4. Students repeat.

f. Play line 1 to 4 again. Students repeat.

g. Proceed to teach the rest of the song more quickly.

h. Finally, let them see the words. Explain where necessary, but not in great detail.

i. The class sings the complete song, eventually without looking at the words

As an alternative to h, give students the words in the form of a close test. Students listen again to the song and fill the missing words

A POP SONG MOST THE STUDENTS HAVE HEARD

a. Play a tape recordingof the song.

b. Let the students study the words.

c. Play the song again.

d. Practice the song three or four lines at a time, building up to the complete song.

Adapted from

TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

FROM COLIN DAWSON

3. USING CLOZE PROCEDURE

Purpose: listening practice

Preparation: Printed sheet with every fifth word deleted

Level: lower intermediate and above

Time: 15 to 20 minutes

The cloze procedure is to delete every fifth word in a passage and then distribute the passage to the students. They then fill in the words that they think will fit the grammar and the sense of the passage; The teacher can use the exercise as a diagnostic test to see how much of English the students have internalized. This is usually done by simply distributing the passage and having the students fill in that words they can. Another use of the cloze procedure is to read the passage to the students while they fill in the missing words. In the case of using song, the students listen to a recording of a song and try to fill in the missing words. The teacher should first play the song through and just have students listen. The second time the students should try to fill in the missing words. If there are no reproduction facilities available, the teacher can write the exercise on the blackboard. Here is an example of a song with every fifth word deleted.

“Blowing in the wind” Bob Dylan

Answers

How many roads must _____ man walk down a

Before ____ call him a _____ ? they,man

How many seas must white dove sail the

Before she _____ in the sand sleeps

______ many times must the balls fly How,cannon

Before they’re ______ banned? forever

The answer my _______ is blowing in the friend,wind

The answer is blowing ______ the wind. in

How many ______ must a man lock ______ times,up

Before he can see ____ sky? the

How many ears ______ one man have must

Before ______ can hear people cry? he

_______ many deaths will it ______ till he knows How,take

That ______ many people have died too

_____ answer my friends is ________ in the wind The,blowin’

The __________ is blowing in the wind. answer

3. MARKING WRITTEN WORK

1. Marking is a chore which few teachers enjoy. You can reduce marking in number of ways.

· Prepare the students thoroughly for written work.

· Make sure that they know exactly what they have to do, for example: homework instruction should be written, not verbal.

· Make sure that your students have a good dictionary to refer to and how to use it.

· Ask your students to write on alternate lines, so that you and they have space to make corrections in the blanks line.

· Tell them to read over the work carefully before handing it in.

· If most of the students have made mistake, accept the fact that you are to blame for bad preparation and mark selectively – i.e don’t mark every single mistake.

· Indicate errors clearly so that no time is wasted by the students trying to understand your red biro. Some teachers like to use an easy code: SP =spelling, G=Grammar, for example. Others prefer to underline grammar and vocabulary mistakes and to cross out spelling mistake by underlining one, two or three times.

· Write in the correct version only when you know that the students will be unable to correct the mistake themselves.

· Award marks regularly but not for all written work.

· Written work can often be checked by the students themselves. It is better to ask them to do this than to take in work when you are unable to mark it for the next lesson.

2. Mistakes in spelling are sometimes due to the students poor pronounciation. Grammartical mistakes may be due to interference from the students mother tongue. The more that is known about the cause of the mistake, the more likely it is to be avoided.

3. Insist that corrections are done as soon as written work has been handed back.

4. Keep a record of the student’s marks and, in the last six months before an external exam, write down exactly what the marks are for, so that weaknesses in any area can be spotted and worked on.

Faridah binti Abd Manan

54, Taman Cheneras Jaya,

27200 Kuala Lipis,

Pahang.