Tuesday 24 April 2012

More learning takes place when kids are having fun!


Games to play with teenagers in the English classroom.

A great vocabulary revision game:
  1. Divide the class into two teams each standing in line at the board.
  2. Give them a topic like food and drink, sports, countries etc (they must be very large lexical sets).
  3. The student at the front on each line runs to the board and must write a word in this lexical set beginning with A on the board.
  4. She then hands the chalk or pen to the next person in the row (and runs to the back of the line), who adds a word beginning with B until they reach Z.
  5. If they cannot think of a word beginning with a particular letter they can leave a space, but the team with most words at the end is the winner.
Example of a board during a game:

Thursday 19 April 2012

An activity for all levels and forms....


Playing games can distress both teachers and students. In fact the kids learn more through games. Try the game below to increase vocabulary but most importantly just have fun.   

Chain Spelling (Shiri-tori)

Level: Easy to MediumThe teacher gives a word and asks a student to spell it, and then a second student should say a word beginning with the last letter of the word given. The game continues until someone makes a mistake, that is, to pronounce the word incorrectly, misspell it or come up with a word that has been said already, then he/she is out. The last one remaining in the game is the winner.
This game can be made difficult by limiting the words to a certain category, e.g.. food, tools, or nouns, verbs, etc.

Wednesday 18 April 2012

"BENGKEL TEKNIK MENJAWAB SPM" for English (of course)

It is that time of the year, when all the schools are busy looking for speakers for the annual program "Bengkel Teknik Menjawab SPM / PMR" for the students. Every year I get a number of calls from many of you to speak to your students which I simply have to decline because of reasons that can't be disclosed. But this year I have my teachers in my school who are "willing" to carry out this session. Do contact me at 0193528502 (Pn.Shantini) for further information.

If you still need me to help you out, I might be able to do it under the banner of "Creative Writing"  for your A students who are aiming for A+.

Hope this lights up some of your paths.

SUBSTITUTE CAREER

From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for the Young at Heart

Substitute Career

By Emily Parke Chase
The best substitute for experience is being sixteen.
~Raymond Duncan

"Yes! We've got a sub today!" The grin on the student's face told me all I needed to know. I was in for a challenge and first period hadn't even begun. After years of traveling around the country as a motivational speaker, I had retired and turned to substitute teaching. The advantages seemed numerous. Instead of entering a new school each day, I could settle at a single local high school. The work schedule was flexible; if I wanted to spend time visiting with my grandkids, I could say "no" to teaching. And instead of speaking on the same topic day after day, I could branch out and teach English, Chemistry or Spanish.
Returning as a teacher, however, made me realize just how much of my high school studies I'd forgotten. Was I really smarter than a tenth grader? Pulling algebra and geometry from the recesses of my brain was a challenge. And in history class, what did I know about life in ancient Greece? The kids thought I was old, but not that old!
Students, of course, switched seats as I took roll. Classes attempted to convince me that their teacher hadn't announced the quiz I was to proctor. And of course, I learned never to send more than one student to the restroom at a time.
When Colby saw a large cardboard refrigerator box as he entered Spanish class, he got a gleam in his eye. He enlisted the help of a crony across the room to distract me and then jumped inside the container. I spotted him, so I moved to the front of the room, stood next to the box and gently pressed my hand on the top flaps, forcing the boy hiding below to crouch down in a cramped position. I turned to the class and announced, "Today we have access to a new classroom teaching tool: the latest version of Xbox 360. The software inside is programmed to give correct conjugations of common Spanish verbs. Each time I thump the side of the box, it will conjugate one of the verbs listed on the whiteboard. Of course, if the box's answer should be incorrect, then you will input the correct form so the box remembers the next time."
Colby thought his crouched position was awkward, but conjugating verbs in front of the entire class made him even more uncomfortable. Out of sight, this class clown was unable to distract his classmates, and by the time I released him from his cardboard casing, he had reviewed all his verb forms. Who says a sub can't teach outside the box?
Next Aidan needed my attention. He kept getting out of his seat in order to talk to his friend on the other side of the room. When I reminded him to return to his desk, he explained, "I speak Arabic and need to get help from my friend."
Chicken Soup for the Soul
Pointing at his desk, I pronounced firmly, "Bito d uk ni'ida!"
With a look of shock in his eyes, Aidan turned to his classmates. "She speaks Arabic!"
I don't. Speak Arabic, that is. But since he didn't know the language either, what difference did it make? Aidan never knew my words were from an obscure Mexican indigenous dialect, but he dashed back to his seat. Obviously I still have gifts as a motivational speaker.
Subbing may have advantages but, believe me, it's no job for sissies.
Reprinted by permission of Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC (c) 2011. In order to protect the rights of the copyright holder, no portion of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

Thursday 12 April 2012

LESSON STUDY : A Professional Way Of Teaching

Right now, I assume that majority of us are all busy with our Lesson Study. Please bear in mind that this is not a burden for us. Actually it's nothing new with it. All this while, we planned our teaching and of course we then go to the class and teach. It's exactly the same with Lesson Study. It just that this time the lesson plan has to be prepared collaboratively and later proper reflection will be carried out! It's just a cultural shift...a mind shift! Take this thing positively...SMILE!
Here I have attached a video on Lesson Study. Enjoy!

Monday 9 April 2012

PBS

Dear teachers, PBS might seem distant and impossible at the moment, but rest assured that we will do everything possible to help. Please share your problems so that we may find solutions together. Do check the PBS material posted. We will be calling for KP meeting soon to enlighten all. Have fun.

PBS English Form 1

Herewith the link for you teachers to access the necessary materials related to PBS. Have fun!!
1.DSP Bahasa Inggeris Form 1
Check List for Standard Prestasi