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.

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..

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.

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.

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.