Teaching Writing: Using Games

We were asked to play games which is have educational element in it. So, the games is Inside The Haiti Earthquake.

The game was very interesting. We can see how the earthquake really affect Haiti. We can even feel the experience by playing as one of the three different roles given. I was playing as the journalist in the games.

If I want to integrate this gaming into teaching, what I will do is to ask my student to play this game first. Then, inside the classroom, I will show some pictures of other natural disasters and ask them to compare it with the game that they played. After that, I ask them to write a short paragraph regarding this topic.

Natural disaster	Earthquake	(tsunami,etc..)
How does it happen?
What are the effect of it?
What safety precaution can we take if it occur?

Teaching Writing : Using Songs

Here is another approach on how to make lesson more interesting and fun.
Using songs can increase student motivation to learn and study because music are the most influencing way of life nowadays.

Teaching Writing By Using Technology

Technology is developing with the world. Nowadays, it can be applicable to most field of studies including writing.

Integrating technology into writing lesson can bring a lot of benefits. It can improve team work by doing collaborative work. It is more convenient which refer to the mode of learning. It can be done anywhere and anytime. In addition, the lesson material can be stored easily and time saving. It could be motivating because this type of learning involve wider coverage of community. Many aspects of student can be improve such as creativity, working skill and many more.

Besides that, there are already a lot of tools that are created in order to integrate this technology into teaching. Online tools such as Glogster are really effective in enhancing student creativity. There are also offline tools such as slides which can make learning more fun and interactive.. A lot of website are published regarding this awareness of integrating technology into teaching for example, BUSY TEACHER SHOP.
An example of interactive approaches regarding this topic is e-port folio. E-port folio is referring to electronic port folio which is able to compile student works by using the internet. Blog, Tumblr and Wordpress are some of the most common medium for this purposes nowadays. The student should not have any problem of adapting into this more challenging environment as they are born around it. They are the generation which is known as the 'digital natives'.

However, this topic still have some problems and challenges to be overcome. Most of it are teacher-centered. The teacher need time to get use with this technology before they can applied it to the students. Plus, they also need to be trained and educated because most teacher are only supplied with pedagogy skill which is not incorporated with technology approaches. Then, there also low awareness of integrating technology into teaching which make it hard to achieve the objectives.

In conclusion, there are the benefits of technology in teaching not only in writing but also in other fields. Its depend on how we going to use it and produce a positive results or a negative one.

Lets Do Some Marking !

We're needed to mark some writing work from foreign student.

So here are some comment about this student work.

1. His writing has the idea but not express correctly.
2. A lot of grammar mistakes ( punctuations, spelling, ..)
3. Some sentences are not clear ( words missing, inappropriate usage of words )
4. Nice development of story ( the story have the flow in it )
5. The story is lack in some language aspect but still understandable.

So, basically he is able to write a good story. The remaining problem are only this student is probably limited understanding in English. For the mark, our group gave 10/20 !!

Teaching Writing : Nature approaches

Create Activities by Using Maps

Maps are used to identify the position of something or someone but, instead of that, maps can be also used in teaching but how?

Writing lesson by using maps is usually on giving description. The questions focus on usage of connectors to give order and many more.

Activity 1

One of your friends is going a hotel for his/her class party. However, she did not know how to get there after he/she missed the bus. Write about your phone conversation with him/her on how to get to the hotel based on the map.

Your point may include;

1.       The transportations he/she can use.

2.       The place seen before reaching the hotel

3.       The road use to get to the hotel.

Activity 2

A couple of tourist is visiting your city and did not know where to go. Based on the map shown, complete each sentences to specify the exact location of the places so that you can guide the tourist.

The hotel is ______________ of the mall.

The police station is located behind the _____________________.

Skills in English Teaching : Analytical Skill

You work as an advertiser in a company. Your company succeed in creating a new invention and want to promote it to the public. How would you make the advertisement to attract the attention of the public?