Practise more with less tests

Practise more with less tests /exams        13/9/2013

        I believe a child can learn so much more and better if they are not bothered by tests all the time in language learning.    Learning English in school through stories besides some some planned learning of grammar and phonics.

        Give the school the rights to choose the English curriculum/ programme.  I would recommend Singapore English curriculum.  You may think the British one is even better, so go ahead with it, why not?   It is because all these programmes go in depth and width to learn the language.    Personally, I have gone through Pets series of books and some of another series called In Step.   I have the full set of Pets series and 3 levels of In Step

        For Pets series of books from 1A1B to 6A6B, for example,  each level of the books also goes with workbooks related to each unit and another revisionary exercises also correspond to each topic/unit.  Besides, there are 13-15 readers to view/go with.  You see how rich the language exposure /experience.  

        In this case, children have the chance to learn grammar and vocabulary in contexts in such a natural way.  Grammar is also drilled in isolation, too but related to the topic.   There is always a grammatical item/ two to emphasise in each unit/ topic.

        I taught in an English tuition school using Pets Series of books.   I am convinced that it is exactly as I believe.  Children need to go through all processes to learn the English language.   It is a well-planned learning.    Our Malaysian syllabi lack most of the things for the development of the language.    It was a shock to me then.

        After I resigned from a school, I taught in an English language centre for a year.   They used Pets series of books, workbooks, revisionary exercises and readers for Level 1 and 2.  For higher forms they had the access to the library.   Reading was highly recommended to improve one’s English.   I am convinced that learning a language has to go through all these processes and exposure.  Our Malaysian syllabi lack most of these elements for the development of the language.  I was shocked then when I had the chance to compare the two.

        Ya, the centre also gave them 4 tests in a year.  Other time, children would have the topic to view and exercises to do.  They had a lot of chances to hear spoken English in the language centre.   They had Spelling and Dictation for each unit.

        Once I also gave tuition on my own.  I used the Pets series of coursebooks, some good exercises in the workbooks and the revision exercises, of course all the readers for Level 1 and 2.   Of course, I also gave Spelling and Dictation,  too.

        Believe me, through Spelling and Dictation, we can create the awareness of the clues of  English spelling /phonics in general.   Knowing how to pronounce the words  enables our children to remember the words easily and for life.  For example,

Dictation

        I hear with my two ears.

        I can hear you clearly now, dear.

        Though I am only 7 years old,  I can tell you an apple from a pear.

         That teddy bear near you is mine.

         My mother wears a pearl necklace once in a while.

        

        Before you give them the dictation, give them the spelling of the words and phrases a day ahead.   Of course let them have the chance to learn them.  You may give them 10 minutes to learn in class before you test them.   If they do not score well, don’t worry.

Spelling

1  ear   2  hear    3  clearly   4  dear   5  years                6  pear

        7  teddy bear     8  near      9  wears    10  pearl

        11  once in a while      12   neck    necklace

      Creativity for English  teachers can only become possible when we all forget about scoring good results at the expense of good learning and processes/ exposure / experiences.    Exam-oriented teaching and learning makes life difficult and frustrating for all.  Test less and learn more  for the good of all.   After all language learning or whatever is life-long commitment to excel.

A language to learn

A language to learn    13/9/2013

        To learn a language well, I believe in using the language and reading widely for vocabulary as well as getting familiar with the structures.  Text reading intensively in school is mainly to learn grammar and pronunciation.  Text reading extensively that you can do it at your own pace is to acquire vocabulary and to get familiarised with the structures.    It is reading for knowledge as well as for pleasure.  Constant exposure to the language enables a person to become spontaneous / natural with the language.   You will culitivate the linguistic intuition without knowing it just as how you use your mother tongue intuitively and creatively.

        I  started speaking English to my son when he was a few days old.  Yes, I created the environment for English learning at home though I also spoke Foochow to him at times when I thought I could tell the point exactly culturally to his understanding.    All his friends spoke Chinese and Foochow.

        Besides speaking English to him, I also read English story books to him.   Look, children learn by hearing.   He liked certain books and so there were a lot of repetitions and rehearsals of the books.   He could say them here and there from memory before I came to the points though he did not recognise the words then.    It was the depth and width he explored in the language when he went through the stories by listening to them. 

        When he was about nine years old, you could read books geared to his level on his own.  Ya, I had bought many English story books for him to read.  He enjoyed reading, too.  So, he could cope with the English language quite easily in school though he did not score A results most of the time.   He could not sit still at his desk for long except when he was playing computer games.

        When he was in Form 2, he could read Harry Potter on his own.   My youngest sister’s eldest sister-in-law’s (大姆) daughter just a few days younger than my son could such thickness of books when she was 9 or 10 years old.   She was really good at English and always got good results for her English.  She did not have tuition in the English language at all.  

       The 3 children of my youngest sister also speak English at home and read English story books.  They can also cope with the English language so well.    

        Hence I believe in reading widely to learn a language.   For many who do not have the English speaking home environment, our school should play the part well for the development of the language.    Don’t confine the learning of English to the textbooks and commercially produced workbooks / just workbooks alone.  Exploring the language through stories, to me, is the best way to inspire and get children spellbound and learn the language in fun ways.         

Not surprising at all

Not surprising at all     12/Sept/2013

        It is reported that our locally trained lawyers are not on par with those trained overseas when expressing/ presenting themselves in the English language in the court / not.    Our English teachers  also fall short of this requirement being competent enough to use the language properly for teaching and learning.  It does not come as a surprise to me at all.  

        They , after all are what they “had been fed”.  How had they been trained since small from kindergarten to university in the English language?    Do the survey to find out how well-versed they are in the language knowledge in the forms of grammar, phonetics  and  pronunciation.    

        The intensive part of learning the language in school had not been done properly.   Check around to see how the English is learnt in school.  Don’t be shocked when you find that at least 90% / more focus on exam-oriented workbooks  to learn English.    What can you expect from this obsession to score good results in English?

        Hence it is just natural that our pupils’/ students’ knowledge of English is fragmented.   I can bet  that most of them are blurred with the tenses, be them the Active Voice / the Passive Voice.   For pronunciation, they are not much better.   

         For extensive learning of the language,  ask around to see how many books in English texts have they read so far?  Do they read texts in English every day? 

        To speak a language at will requires a person to experience /be exposed to it in depth and width.   That means you have to read widely/ extensively to acquire enough vocabulary for use and to get familiarised / reinforced with the structures.    

     You got to have the ideas of how a language works to use it properly especially in the written form.  That means our primary and secondary schools must be given enough repetition and rehearsal of the language grammar.  For phonetics and pronunciation, our pupils/ students must also have enough drilling and exposure to learn them.     At the end of the secondary schooling, our students must have acquired the full set of of grammar knowledge and phonetics.   This preparation is for life-long learning.

        Focing on the exam-oriented workbooks to score ends up in nowhere.   The poor command of English in the locally produced lawyers is well-understood as they lack both the competence in the language knowledge and use in both spoken and written English.   As they seldom engaged in the active use of the language during their schooling since small.   Besides, I believe there were very few mental processes and language use in English, too.   

           Our lawyers and teachers are advised to take up some English lessons to brush up.  I wonder what will be emphasised in the lessons.   Am I too arbitrary to say that all they need now is to know the English grammar and phonetics as well as read widely to master the language? 

Psychometric testing

Psychometric testing     9/9/2013

        So…………our education department is going to give a psychometric test to applicants as a requirement to qualify /disqualify for entry into the teaching profession.   Well……m……..en …………..eng………I  really don’t view it positively.  The psychometric test is only suitable for reference, definitely not as one of the tools to select applicants.  It is likely to be abused if it is placed in the wrong hand.

        I don’t trust the psychometric test as much as I don’t trust psycho medicine prescribed by the psychiatrist.   A human being can be simple as well as complex.  A psychometric test may be administered as a procedure like an X-ray for entry but definitely should never be used as a tool to qualify /disqualify an applicant.  Otherwise, I am afraid, this technical skill can really kill.

        I don’t know what 40 questions are so formulated / designed to test an applicant.   I wonder what criteria are considered.  A dog pow-bow; a cat meow-meow;  a cow moo-moo; a goat mie-mie; a donkey hee-haw;………………….are different.  If “pow-bow” sound is the prerequisite sound for entry that means other sounds are all out.  The variety and variation will be left out.   We human beings are more or less the same in many ways but are also uniquely different.   It is  multi-specieses in every kingdom, be it human,  flora / fauna.    I believe  in [Unity in diversity] (Baha 'ullah, the Baha'i founder).  

        I really don’t trust psychometric test much.  I would rather think the test on the general knowledge, common sense, beliefs, interest in reading widely, a strong desire for knowledge,  positive thinking and exposure.   You may also ask candidates to write what they think about a specific topic related to education.

Say "No" to domestic violence

How to say ”No!” to Domestic Violence    8/Sept/2013

        To say ‘”No!” to domestic violence effectively really needs the concerted efforts from different quarters, especially our police and the Welfare Department .  

     When the victim takes the courage to make the police report.  The police must take her/ him seriously.  Then the report is to be submitted/forwarded to the Welfare Department for further actions.  Some investigation is required to find out all possible causes of violence.   Then,  I believe in a series of counselling to be carried out to deal with the problems.   

     Personally, I have come across a case.  The husband turned violent whenever the wife nagged.   The husband boxed her and once even used Ridsect to spray into her eyes and she had to seek treatment in the General Hospital.  Hence, the lady was told again and again  to hold her tongue.   At the same time, she was told to be prepared to lead an independent life if needed. 

     I believe there are many cases of domestic violence going on unreported around our country.   I see the needs of counsellors to be manned at every hospital / wherever for easy access.  

     Someone told me there is no counsellor in the  Sibu  General Hospital to help the victims.    I am not sure whether it is true / not. 

     Besides, I see the need to have a temporary shelter / mid-way home for the victims especially those whose lives are in danger.  We have many cases of deaths from domestic violence.   If these people had had the place to flee, the tragedies like these could have been avoided.

     I understand we have well-instituted laws to protect people from domestic violence but they have to be translated properly through the proper actions.   The most concrete one is a place of refuge in time of need.   Like orphanages we have around the country, I hope our political leaders all see the same need of these victims for a place to take refuge just in case.   

      We have discussed enough about this problem.  Now we want Actions to remedy the situation!   This is the hard fact /truth we have to face up to.   Actions Now!

Note:

My youngest sister’s youngest sister-in-law whose sister was also the victim of domestic violence.  She was killed by her Vietnamese husband in Australia.   Their only son is in her sister-in-law’s custody in Kuching.  They went to Australia to claim for the boy’s custody.