Today is the third day for the class PBEY3102 Using and Developing Resources for the ESL Classroom. After Puan Foziah greeted us, she distributes the books. Each one of us gets a copy of a book entitled Teaching English in the Primary Classroom by Susan Halliwell. She directs our attention to look at Chapter 1: Working with Young Language Learners. Next, Puan Foziah introduces to us 6 qualities of young learners. There are:
WORKING WITH YOUNG LANGUAGE LEARNERS
1.1 Children’s ability to grasp meaning
1.2 Children’s creative use of limited language resources
1.3 Children’s capacity for interact learning
1.4 Children’s instinct for play and fun
1.5 The role of Imagination
1.6 The instinct for interaction and talk.
At first, I thought I will be listening to a mass lecture conducted by Puan Foziah. But, my prediction is wrong. Puan Foziah informs us that she is not going to explain to us all the subtopics of chapter 1. But, she tells us that we have to discuss and prepare presentation. She divides us with 6 groups. So, each group will need to discuss a subtopic from Chapter 1 assign to us. Today’s lesson is interesting as I realize that Puan Foziah implement some practice of Constructivist approach. We have to construct our own meaning by discussing in our group. At the end of product, we have to prepare power point presentation and share what we have understood to the whole class. This is interesting approach as we are not merely passive recipient of knowledge. This ultimately makes us be active and engage in discussing.
SELF-REFLECTION
My group comprises of me, Kumar, Fazlin, Arina, Shuhada and Husni. My group is assign to discuss about 1.5 The role of Imagination.
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“Children delight in imagination and fantasy. It is more than simply a matter of enjoyment, however. In the primary school, children are very busy making sense of the world about them. They are identifying pattern and also deviation from that pattern. They test out their versions of the world through fantasy and confirm how the world actually is by imagining how it might be different. In the language classroom this capacity for fantasy and imagination has a very constructive part to play”
(Susan Halliwell, 1992)
From this, I realize that the role of imagination is crucial in in the language classroom that promote students to construct their understanding. This is because, with imagination/fantasy it provides very powerful stimulus for real language use. The example of activity is when teacher asks children to draw a monster. Children like to draw and imagine the monster in their own imagination or in their own fantasy. Next, teacher can ask children to share with their friends their drawing. When they are talking about the monster, this ultimately will make them ‘talk’ in English language. This gives me significant realization about the important role of imagination in children in ESL classroom.
In a group, we manage to prepare a PowerPoint presentation and download a video regarding this subtopic.
PRESENTATION SESSION
There are two groups that present today. The groups discuss about 1.3 Children’s Capacity for indirect learning and 1.6 The instinct for Interaction and Talk.
Presentation 1: 1.3 Children’s capacity for Indirect Learning
From this presentation, I realize that children are also acquiring knowledge via indirect learning subconsciously. Children can internalize things in their own from their environment. I personally believe that, children should learn and construct their own understanding from the experience. I also think that forcing children to acquire something or knowledge can make them stress and not practical. Thus, form the presentation. I realize that children has the capacity for indirect learning, so teachers can plan many activities that promote indirect learning. The examples of activities are:
Hangman
Charade
Guessing games
Puzzle
Presentation 2: 1.6 The Instinct for Interaction and Talk
This presentation makes me realize that the children are curious and like to engage in interaction by simply talking. In the ESL classroom, teachers should not stop them from talking because talking can help children to develop the use and the practice part of English language. This is because talking or speaking plays an important role for language development. Teacher also must aware that INTERACTION play major role here. From this presentation, it also gives me ideas about how teacher can promote talking in English in the ESL classroom. There are many activities teacher can conduct such as:
Storytelling
Sharing session about their drawings/experience
Dialog/situation
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Moreover, Puan Foziah also comments that we should always remember:
“Each and every student is different. They are unique in their own way”
Thus this makes me aware that as future teacher; we should force and expect them to engage in talking. This is because, every child has different capability. Thus, teacher should not stop them talking or force them. But, teachers should give them opportunities and let them learn and engage actively in their preference way.
In conclusion, I leant about specific qualities of children that teachers should aware of. This ultimately will help us as a future teacher to design activities that promote English language that in line with children’s capacity and qualities. Moreover, today’s lesson gives me great opportunities for me to engage in discussion about today’s topic. I also manage to read the chapter 1 today. So, thanks to Puan Foziah as she photocopy for us a quality book written by Susan Halliwell.
Next week is my group turns to present 1.5 The role of Imagination. So, wish us luck!
