Thursday, November 11, 2010

Blogging....


1. What I like about blogging?
Blogging is like a personal diary for me of what i want or have to say. One thing I like about blogging is that I'm free to voice out any dissatisfaction, sadness or happiness through written words. Moreover, I can create my blog using of my choice from the template to the layout even the content and so on. I can even include anything that i want in the blog. Thinking is associated with blogging to me. why because when you blog, you need to think of the content first.

2. What I do not like about blogging?
Basically, there nothing that i do not like about blogging because this is my first time and I felt very anticipated.

3. What i have gain from blogging?
4. How?
One thing creativity. I can create the layout of my blog, edit here and there to make it more attractive and eye-catching although my current blog does not look that creative because it follows the template given set but still I can include anything I want and where I want to place them. Secondly is language skills. I felt good that blogging helps me to improve my language skills particularly writing skills when I post ideas, information or even share feelings. This has made me to develop myself to be a good writer, I mean in my position as a student. Moreover, critical thinking is also another advantage that I've gained through blogging in which I need to make a reflection as well as need to think of what to write as what I am doing now. Soft skills such as leadership in which i gain full control of the blog because it is mine. I can do whatever with it. In fact, by sending in post, it has helped me a lot in developing keyboarding skill in which i can type faster with much lesser typing errors. I learnt to share information with my friends. This is because sharing is caring. It is not the matter of what you lose but what you've gained. That is what matter most.

5. What I like about this course?
I getto know many applications as well as different sites with different purposes and functions. Besides, I develop three skills that I myself never attempt to do so that is photo editing, audio editing and aslo video editing. The other thing is that I learnt about e-book. Before, i have only heard baout it but now I know how to do it.. It would be helpful to me when I am teaching.

6. What I do not like about this course?
A the beginning, I thought this course will teach us how to develop non-technological resources and how to use resources that are already available in daily life in teaching and learning process. The task set for us is not direct to educational purposes. I understand that we need to gain the initial skill first but we should be thinking about developing resources for educational purpose not for the sake of the task only. Another thing is too much of technological usage in which made me feel like I'm in a Technology course.

7. What I have learnt from this course?
From this course, I have learnt which softwares or application or web sites that I can download or convert. I also learnt how to edit photo, video and audio clip. In fact, e-book is the one that interest me alot. Although it is basically PowerPoint presentation, but the inculcation of a genre that is story make it interesting as though as you are reading storybooks online. The presentation in groups with regards to different topics also gave me some information about learners, about teaching language, about teacher in developing resources as well as resources in relation to language.

8. What i do not expect but have learnt in this course?
I do not expect that this course will be technologically inclined because there is another course that we need to take for this semester. However i learnt editing skills such as photo editing, video editing and audion editing. Not to mention, e-book is the also one new thing that I've learnt.

9. What I expect but have not learnt from this course?
I expect to learn about authentic materials in which how are we going to eveluate the materials if we want them for teaching purposes. From selecting to editing and lastly using the materials. But that is the one that I have not learnt in this course.

10. If I can change anything about the course, state what it is and explain.
I want to have this course to not to be oo technologically inclined. This is because resources do not only involve technological resources. Things that are available in daily life are also resources. It only depends on the teacher how he or she selects , evaluates and uses them for teaching purposes. I will want to have non-technological resources being brought into this course as well and to teach on how to develop materials without using technology but appropriate for teaching and learning purposes for instance, flash card, word cards and so on. I am also in favour of being to learn how to select, evaluate and use authentic materials that is available in daily life such as newspaper, brochure, poster and so on for teaching and learning.

Comments regarding modules:

1. Internet and computing skills

a. What do you like about this module?

I like to learn on how to use internet. I have been able to learn on how to upload and download files from lots of sources though internet with the help of this module.

b. What do you not like about this module?

Lots of things i have to download and it makes my computer becomes messy and chaos.

c. What do you like about the task given for this module?

It gives me practical on downloading and uploading files from the internet by using lots of methods.I hvae noproblems to search for materials from internet now.

d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?

I do not like because it takes time to get the task done as to upload and download the files requires extensive buffering time.

e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?

I have acquired the skills of using internet at it best benefits which is sharing.

f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?

Through the skills I acquire from this module, I am now having extensive amount of materials which I can use for teaching and learning, and that is what best about sharing.

2. Photo Editing

a. What do you like about this module?

I realized that pictures can be used in in my future teaching and learning. As most of the pupils are visual learners, this module can helps me to be able to manipulate this benefit to the education purposes.

b. What do you not like about this module?

There are so many pictures I need to download in my computer, and sometime it get messed up and corrupted. I need to manage my files critically each time I am doing the task, and it takes time.

c. What do you like about the task given for this module?

I am able to practice in edit pictures for educational purposes as well as my personal purposes. I have been able to use Adobe Photoshop.

d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?

The steps that I have to follow were very complicated and it is not as easy as I can see.

e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?

I know how to convert pictures and the most important thing is, i have been able to modify a picture.

f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?

It can help me to produce many interesting teaching aids.

3. Audio Editing Skills

a. What do you like about this module?

This module is all about music. That is why I love this module.

b. What do you not like about this module?

I can only say that everything being taught in this module is so beneficial for me in every way and I do not have anything that I don’t like about this module.

c. What do you like about the task given for this module?

I love to edit a music file. Combining two music files is very interesting.

d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?

It takes time for me to be able to master the skills.

e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?

The best specific skills I have acquire in this module is that I can mix the audio files into better sound product.

f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?

We will be able to produce our own teaching aids that suitable for our pupils. So, we will not depend on others source to teach our pupils.

4. Video Editing Skills

a. What do you like about this module?

I love to convert and combine videos. Instead of that, many pictures also can be combined to produce a video. So, this is very useful as I can make any video that I want using suitable pictures according to the syllabus.

b. What do you not like about this module?

The thing which I do not like about this module is that, I have to download lots of software for video-editing which requires large space in my computer. This has lead my computer to be lag.

c. What do you like about the task given for this module?

I feel much mature to be able to create my own video and able to post it up on Youtube especially with the educational purposes. With my product being upload in the internet for thousands of other user to see and use, I feel much mature in my professional development as a teacher.

d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?

It takes so much time to upload the video up online because of the lack internet coverage, with this I take so much time to complete the task.

e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?

The one skill which I have acquired through this module is that, I am now able to edit and combine video to get better product.

f. How the skills learn in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?

As a future teacher,I can make use of video in whatever way I intend to especially in getting the message delivered.

5. Software for ELT

a. What do you like about this module?

I learn on how to use Microsoft Publisher in order to produce brochure, invitation cards, letterhead and so on. Honestly, before this, i do not know how to make it.

b. What do you not like about this module?

Overall, this module is good because it just simple as wee just put the information on the document. Nothing I do not like about this module.

c. What do you like about the task given for this module?

The task give me chances to try on my own on how to create items through the usage of this software such as banners, posters, business cards and etc and I am now have getting better on using it.

d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?

Most of the task are simple and easy but I can easily get me bored as not much interesting stuff can be used in this software.

e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?

I am now getting better at producing various printed document materials especially for teaching and learning.

f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?

Printed material can benefit teaching and learning at it best especially in teaching language. Through this module I can create my own material which can get the pupils to see printed materials which suit real life experience, such as business cards, banners, posters and so on.


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

It's all about materials..




This week's class is basically about materials. Materials is the physical substances used as inputs for production or manufacturing. So, when we relate this to the teaching field, the physical substances will be the teachings aids brought in by the teacher, the input will be the content of the lesson which is reinforces by the teaching aids and lastly the production will be pupils acquiring the four language skills whereby they are able to use and practise the skills accordingly and meaningfully. So this has gave me an outlook in which materials are vital in language learning in which they play the role to assist language learning. Anything could be the materials as long as there are language used in the material. However, the materials should be be taken baldly and being used as teaching aids because of certain reason. First is the suitability, whether the material is suitable for the topic and it have the content that needed for language learning. Second, is the exploitibility factor in which the material can be exploited further for the use of learning activities in class. Third will be the readability whereby it touches the language difficulty in which suits the pupils' level of proficiency. Lastly, familiarity factor in which it does not look akward to the pupils. Not to mention, the material used should gain pupils' interest and lend their eyes till the end of the lesson. In fact, the material selected too should trigger pupils' mind and helps them develop their thinking skill. Before making decision of which material to be used in class, the teacher should first collect few sample of materials and then evaluate them. Factors that should be taken into considerations are mentioned above when evaluating. During this process, the teacher might consider adapting or adopting the material or probably develop a new material based on the actual one. This involves teacher's creativity as well as judgement. I realized that selecting and developing materials to be used in class in not as easy as it is. This is because the material should be functional and useful in language learning. This indirecly influece the teacher's planning of a lesson. So, for all the teacher-to-be, we should always be prepared and always be aware of the challenges ahead and one of them is this which is selecting, developing and using materials. This is because i realized that materials used as teaching aids serve as a bridge to connect pupils with the content. Thus, it shows how heavy the duty played the material in order to make language learning successful for the pupils..

Monday, October 18, 2010

New delivery...







Honestly, i am confused and blurred about the 3rd assignment. As far as I am concerned, in Malaysian context, a single period is only 30 minutes while double period is 1 hour which is 60 minutes. But, why does we were ask to develop40 minutes and 80 minutes lesson activity? It does not make sense. Sometimes the teacher could not even carry out all the activities planned in an hour. This is due to some factors such as the time taken up to set up the teaching aids, pupils settling down, previous subject teacher takes extra time and many more. Planning a lesson in a vital element for a teacher. Hence, during that progress, the teacher should take into consideration of many factors as mentioned above other that pupils' ability, previous knowledge and so on. In fact, the teacher should even prepare extra plans as options in case of difficulties or changes that occur suddenly. Not only that, teacher should be prepared in terms of the teaching aids, how to manage the class, what solution to apply if a sudden problem occur and so on which will not affect pupils' learning negatively. Basically, the teacher should be mentally, emotionally and physically prepared for the lesson. This is so that the teacher will be able to carry out her or his responsibility in imparting knowledge meaningfully to pupils.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Assesing and Manipulating Resources...


This assignment is quiet hectic I would say. I have been working with my partner since last week but still we have not complete it fully.. Oh GOD!! it is going to be due soon..no more time to waste...need to warm up and speed up..time flies very fast..no way i'm going to lose to it. IT is really difficult deciding on what activities to be created using Michael Jackson's The Earth Song. We were lost at first so we did on our second video first. The second video is much more easier to think of what activity can be done from that video. This showed me the reality of how difficult is it in manipulting a resource because as usual need to consider many factors such as suitability of the video, canbe exploited or not and so on. After cracking pur heads on the second video, we then moved on to The Earth Song video. We had to really squeezed our brains to search for the appropriate activity to be carried out through the exploitation of this video. Huh..luckily, our brain do work.. we were able to come up with activities. Consideration on the appropriateness of the activities and usefullness have never been missed out when making decisions on the activities.
Till the end of the day, both of us were tired already...

At last...



At last, my partner and i have decide the second video to be used for the second assignment. It was difficult at first because we need to watch the video first and scan through the video what is appropriate to be used of teaching, what is not appropriate, whether the video has educational purposes, what is the theme of the video, it is interesting and will it gain children's attention and so on. and so on. It is important to consider the video by relating it to many factors as this video is meant to be used for educational purposes and this means that the children will learn something from there. I agree that this activity does make me aware of the challenges that will face in future when I'm in school teaching. Thus, it gives me a hint that i must be prepared all the time starting from now on.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Completion of task..


There is a sign of little relief in me after completed the four language skills task. I'm glad that my group members cooperated well and each of us did help each other in sharing opinion and guiding. Talking about groups, group work is an essential criteria in order to complete successfully a task set for a group. Group members should be able to guide each other by sharing or exchanging ideas. Then, the work can be improved if there are any weaknesses as combination of ideas from different people provide a stronger quality of the idea rather than individual idea. Elements of creativity might come in when many brains work together. Although it is done individually, we managed to work as a group and completed it on time.
With regards to the task, it is essential for a teacher to be able to choose a material or resource that is appropriate with the lesson depending what is the focus of the lesson, whether the language skills, vocabulary or grammar. Careful consideration should be carried out when choosing the resources or even developing one as it should be appropriate for the learners' level of proficiency or one level higher as suggested by Krashen's comprehensible input hypothesis. This is because the input should be comprehensible as well as understandable to the learners in order for learning to take place in a meaningful way.

4 language skills task..

Regarding this task, I'm responsible to complete the task focusing on reading skill. As we all know, all these four skills are important to be developed in children in order to achieve the objectives of the KBSR syllabus. In fact, English language is now a very important mean of communication whereby most countries communicate in English whether in education, business, conversation and so on. So, it is undeniable that Malaysians need to cope up with the the usage of English language. This means that the development of language skills should start since young. Children especially are still fresh and their mind accept most of the things they learn through exploring and manipulating although there might be some slow-learners. But it is good to train them since they are young and still fresh. Their mind is like a "blank state", so what ever they learn might not be understandable to them unless they explore and manipulate it. As for English language, by all means they need to have contact with the language if they want to successfully grasp the language. Teachers and not to mention parents also play important role to create the opportunities to children to learn and communicate in English. However, it should be done in a proper way. As for reading skill, the teachers should instill in them proper reading strategies through contact with various forms of reading text. They should know how to read, scan or scheme, classify or make association when they encounter a text and also different types of text. In fact, when they read a lot, their store of vocabulary increases and this will eventually help them in writing skill. As in school, reading comprehension questions are reinforcement of children's understanding towards a text. This will tell the teacher whether the child reads and understand the passage or just merely reading with no understanding towards the passage.

i hope with this activity, it will give me a clearer idea on how to develop resources that are appropriate to be used for reading activities.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

What a day!

E-book task has been handed in. I felt relieved. Although completing the task is not as hectic as the one where we have to do video editing on "So you think you can dance", but there many factors to be considered in preparing the e-book. For instance, first, what we need to consider is what story do we want to do, how is the story going to be (the plot), what pictures to be used for that particular slide, text including the size and type of font, background colour and so on. These are all in the planning stage where the storyboard comes in. Careful planning is good in order to organize our work hence complete it in a satisfactory way. Moreover, time management is important as well because this involve organization of our work and also ourselves. I always believe that "time waits for no one." That is why I like to do my work bit by bit but all the time so that i will not lose my time and also my work will be completed before the due date. The effort we put in also plays important role in the completion of a task. No matter how, we must always give our very best in doing a task and do not give up easily. Coming back to this e-book task, i've learnt something out of this task. One that is very significant is how to prepare an electronic story book to be used as teaching aid in the teaching and learning process. It is a very good knowledge and also skill for me to learn as i have never known of this and i'm glad that i am able to create one now. I hope apart from gaining the knowledge of how to prepare an e-book, i will be able to creat more interesting e-book for future usage in the classroom. From this task also, there are many things to be considered when preparing the e-book. Empathy is being instilled whereby i have to put myself in the shoes of a teacher and think like them -target audience, interesting topic, font type and size, colourful pictures, interesting music and so on. These all had made me become more mature in thinking with relation to the teaching field as well as the reality of teaching profession.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Keep It Up Guys!!!

I felt better after Puan Foziah explained and clarified all about the assignments that we need to complete for this course. At the beginning, things were quite messed up when there were additional task that we need to do for example the e-book. Some of my friends were asking me whether the e-book is an assignment or not. Then, came a few more asking me what to do, how to do and so on. All this question been bugging me and I myself want to know what is exactly should be done. So, with courage, I went and approached Puan and asked her. Glad that by approaching her, most of the things, that have been creating enquiries to these people, have been cleared an clarified to them as well as I. Now that I've know what to do, i need to buck up..Time is important and time waits for no one..so why should i wait anymore..I should get started with my draft for assignment 2. Need to collect things bit by bit. I never want to do things last minute because I will get panic as my job is not done when it's almost due. This is one of my characteristics that i'm very clear of myself and I'm glad that i know that.


I've been in a boarding school and i've been trained to follow time tightly. This has taught me to manage my time very well in doing my things so that's why,whatever i do i must do it in an organized way if not i will be lost. Thus, i always need to start collecting materials or plan for the assignment set so that i will not be left behind or get lost..

Monday, October 11, 2010

Work.. Work... WORKLOAD!!!!




Eventually, my pair, Fatin and I have done our task.At first, we planned to do a video related to love. Since that many of our friends are doing that, so we decided to change. It's good that both of us agreed easily in discussion. We brainstormed on ideas. This is good for students like us because we need to always develop our thinking skill through brainstorming and discussing as we learn or gain better understanding in whatever topic being discussed. We did about what friendships means to us...somehow, doing this task did give us a thought that being a friend is so wonderful.It also provides us with information about what we would like to do to make them happy.Somehow, this task made me ponder back when I was in secondary school with my friends..
I really miss that moment!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

New Task Done!!!



At last..done my task...

i've learnt something new. now i know how to combine two songs..by cutting certain part of it...

Nero WaveEditor is one friendly audio softwares i would say but you need to explore it to gain better understanding.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Audio Editting?? hmmmm...



Hmmm.....
What i've known of is to cut some part of and convert audio..But i never try any editing on the audio yet..should give myself a chance...It would be nice if i can edit the songs of my own choice. But still i need to acquire the skill first. Song is so close to my life. I listen to song everyday. I would say that music is almost part of my life. Sometimes it is the cure to my boredom. What is more interesting is that songs can be used to teach. This is because most of the songs have underlining meaning. They convey message that sometimes evoke feelings in you. How interesting yea! So, music is fun. I hope i can do something good for this task.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

First Trial...

Yippie!..At last, my first trial came to success..I wanted to edit an image and put it into a different background..done!
This are the original images...















Then, here's the result....





How was it? Still need to be refined....

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Photo Editing in Progress...


I have decided on what image to be used and to be editted..however still have not done any trial..

I must move faster...as time flies very fast....better catch the bird before it flies off...

Monday, September 20, 2010

New Task!!!



Today's task is not easy I would say...however i still do not have idea what photo to edit...
Photo editing, the word itself gave me an impression that it is not going to be easy. I'm worried though whether I am able to do it. Why? This is because I do not have the software . If would be easier if I have that software but I only have paint and so on. Well, I hope I should be able to do it.

I must think quick!!!!!!




Time waits for no one...


Wednesday, September 15, 2010

First Job Done!!! Yeahhh!!!

We did it!!! Credit to Afidah!!! It's been my honour to work with you Fida... Feel free to see what we have done...



Friday, September 10, 2010

First Assignment...

My partner and I have decided on the topic for Year 4, 5 and 6.I've downloaded a video that can be used, hopefully as well as some picture of occupations.We will gather all together tomorrow when we meet...How have i downloaded the video? Of course through the use of this web site KeepVid. It is good that I learnt about this so that I can download videos from YouTube site and so on.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Learnt New Things

Thanks to my group members i have learnt how to download video from KeepVid and what programme to view.Before this I never heard or realize at all of the existence of this web site..After knowing about it, I tell to yourself that Im lucky to have friends that want to share information with me. There were so many other web sites that I've learnt in today's class and the worst thing is that most of them I have never heard of before. So sad... Even the word print screen, this is the first time I encounter such word..I made me ralized though that I must brush up my language as well as technology skills. Not to forget, I also learnt from Annukman especially how to print screen. Hahahaha..

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Still Wondering...


This week, Puan Foziah introduced us to Halliwell's six well-established set of instinct, skills and characteristics which will help them to learn another language. There are:

-children's ability to grasp meaning
-children's creative use of limited language resources
-children's capacity for indirect learning
-children's instinct for play and fun
-the role of imagination
-the instinct for interaction and talk

Monday, July 26, 2010

2nd week already..

New week, new things....

The class started a little bit late but it's okay...
Pn. Foziah asked us to elect a leader for our class and i thought I could be the one but Hazwan was better than me. He was the lucky one who has been chosen to be our class leader. Good luck Hazwan!!! Wish you all the best...

Then, we were required to fill in our details and paste our picture on the form given. After that, a set of questionnaire had been given to us. In the beginning, I wasn't really understand what the questionnaire was all about. But when I got through, it was about our prior knowledge on the use of internet such as the knowledge on editing audio files, videos, and photos. The questionnaire made me realized that I was far left behind in technology. Some applications stated on the paper were unfamiliar for me... Ohhh my god!!! How could it be?? But my spirit did not stop there. I took it as a challenge for myself. I will make sure that by the end of this course, I will able to know those applications and practically use it.

Then, Pn. Foziah told us that we could type faster using keyboard if we used the right technique. The information given could be very useful for me as I... (heheheh.. you know what I mean). So, started from there, I kept myself trying again and again using the software called TYPING MASTER. Credit to Pn. Foziah...
Hopefully, I will be able develop myself and please lend me your hand mate!!!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

First day of the class!!!!

Eventually, I'm surprised that this course too deals with technology as I've no idea about it at all. I thought that I will be learning on how to develop resources that can be used in the teaching and learning process. What i meant was non-technological resources. Why? This is so because the title of the course itself gave me an impression that okay I waill be dealing with newspaper, article, brochure and so on. All these can be used as teaching materials so as they must be evaluated first. From the first lesson, it seemed that there are so many things that I've not learnt and i hope to learn more through this course.The terms introduced by Puan Foziah were all that I have never heard of...this indeed made me worry alot..Of course I'm worry because there were so many things mentioned about technology, I only heard of a few..I felt as though as I'm left out so far behind.. But never mind,learning it life long. I can still learn..I hope i could cope up in this course as well as to learn more form this course.