ENGLISH Vocabulary and Writing

Yours truly is in blogging mood 😊 Here's a best-selling book which Jenny Ho and I co-wrote a few years back. I was informed by the publisher (NILAM) that this book is popular with teachers. Many have asked me if this book is the same as Writing (21st century approach). No it isn't. This one deals with vocabulary which later leads to writing while the latest is solely on writing. You can get hold of this book online, in MPH or contact Mr Tee (+60 12-306 2853) 

Happy teaching!

Those who can DO, Those who can do more TEACH

Vocabulary Attack vs. NILAM

Vocabulary Attack versus NILAM 😃

Instead of NILAM why not get your students to do vocabulary work? Aren't all of us tired of the lies with NILAM? How do you get your students to read a book in 1-2 periods and get the report done? At best, they just copy the blurb! We all know for far too long it doesn't work and yet we still so it 😒.  Even reading has to be forced down the students' throats. Parents should inculcate the reading habit at home. Teachers too yes but not the way it's been done all these years. Hmmm...someone is in bad mood today 😆😆😆

Those who can DO, Those who can do more TEACH

A VOCAB LESSON: SHOWING FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS

Here's a lesson plan I plan to carry out in 5 Abu Hanifah dan 5 Al Farabi next week. It is a vocabulary lesson focussing on useful words/phrases to spruce up that essay. After a few weeks of teaching, I noticed that my students' grammar is not too bad but their vocabulary is really basic 😌

Materials used

Lesson plan and materials

Happy teaching!!!





Those who can DO, Those who can do more TEACH

Common Words You Need to Spruce Up That Essay

Some of the most common words you need to write a good composition. Instead of using tired words like 'nice' and 'beautiful' why not try...

pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, 

splendid, magnificent, comely, fair, ravishing, graceful,

 elegant, fine, exquisite, aesthetic, pleasing, shapely,

 delicate, stunning, glorious, heavenly, resplendent, 

radiant, glowing, blooming, sparkling

Here is the list :)
Happy teaching!


 


Those who can Do Those who can do more TEACH

A Vocabulary Activity

Here's a vocabulary activity you can try to add that variety to your lesson. There is no need to use the board for this activity. In fact, the students will enjoy working with their friends on this one. Just print out one handout per group and let them form as many words from the letters given. To make it slightly more challenging, add some 'rules'. For e.g. no two-letter words allowed or you can even make that three if your students are better. In addition, give ten points for words with more than five letters. Tally all the marks and announce the winners. Some chocs for the winning group will be great as motivation. And owh..do allow them to use the dictionary..how often do they use it anyway :)

Happy teaching :)

5 Syafie

the end result!

The Thinking Teacher

A Treasure Trove!

Found these while rummaging the storeroom! These books are hard to come by now and they are still useful. to teach English. What a discovery!

The Thinking Teacher

Vocabulary Learning Module

To Kzee and Anonymous who would like the vocab module, here you are. I've decided to upload for others too. You can also find this link on the left sidebar under "Tried and Tested".

 The 1000 Word Little Language Vocabulary Book
 Key


By the way, I could not find the files for the other modules. Apologies. 
Happy teaching!




The Thinking Teacher

Lexipedia- a great tool for language learners

Got back from Selesa Hotel JB yesterday- mission accomplished. A great session with teachers who were new to item-building. I was more than glad to share. Look what I found today! Lexipedia, a cool software that gives meaning of words. I imagine this to be very useful for teachers and students alike. Happy browsing :)

    

Grammar and Vocabulary Module for Average and Slow Learners

Date: 9 Oct 2010
Venue: PKG Kluang

Fifteen teachers sat together to brainstorm and build two modules for use in 2011- Hafiz, Fuziana, Atifa, Komala, Nirmala, Kavitha, Azura, Izzuan, Muzaffar, Rose, Nurhazirah, Fariha, Rafkah, Farhan and yours truly. We collectively decided to build a module on grammar and vocabulary with a test item after every unit.  The modules are meant for average and slow learners in which we will control the structures to suit the levels of the target groups. We hope to train teachers to use the modules next year and also to collaborate with PKPSM to publish the modules for Kluang district. We are also considering publishing them under Panel Perunding Mata Pelajaran (PPMP) for the state. Thanks to En Mahyudin, Language Officer  PPD Kluang and all! I shall oversee the editing with Fuziana (GC from SMK Simpang Renggam) in November.

The Vocabulary group under me

The Grammar group under Fuziana

Teaching Vocabulary

Some materials I have used for teaching vocabulary. I will need to use them soon judging by my Form 4 class performance in the recent mid-year exam! Boy I need to rethink my strategies!! They can't handle full-length essays so I will need to look at paragraphs instead- which is what my new book is all about.I  hope to design some materials suited to their ability and see how they progress. This will also involve modifying my scheme of work for this class. And don't forget vocabulary too- this reminds me of Wilkins who said,  " Without grammar, little is conveyed, without vocabulary nothing is conveyed."

Vocabulary Lesson: Zodiac

Here's a lesson on vocabulary that I've used in class.
Topic: Zodiac
Target group: form 5
Objectives: 1. Vocabulary
                  2. Speaking

Try  it and let me know if you find it useful.

i) Zodiac lesson plan
ii) Alternative zodiac descriptions ( easier descriptions of the zodiacs)

You can also find the links in the left sidebar under 'VOCABULARY'. Happy teaching :)

Teaching idioms (Part 2)

Jia Hwei wrote in her class journal today that she didn't like the story used in the lesson. The word she used is 'boring'. But it wasn't clear why. Was it too long? Was it too difficult? Too many idioms? Food for thought this. I was pleased though that the girls looked for the meaning online and came prepared. Well, the first part of the lesson was rather tedious I must admit but the second part was better. SS were able to write a short story  using the idioms that they have learned thus far. Some stories were just hilarious but the most important thing is to be able to use the idioms correctly. We will continue tomorrow as time didn't permit evey group to present its story today.

On another matter, I could see my girls so restless with the impending CNY! Well, teachers too you bet. Am so looking forward to this break..I can't deny that. Let's see...I've got two write ups for a Sasbadi series and MGCK, an innovation to complete and this action research. Besides, there's bun-baking (is there such a word?) too during CNY. When am I going to read that Jefrrey Archer book given by Madam Tan (my x-principal) ? And I  hope to visit Meng Huat at his home this CNY too..too many things to do and so little time. Was it Evadne who wrote in her journal last year "24 hours is not enough for me to do all the things I need to do" and I responded " Well, even President Barrack Obama has 24 hours!" :D

Teaching Idioms (Part 1)

Getting my students to locate 29 idioms in a story was not easy (especially after the cross-country event, with them complaining of being tired etc. etc). Yet most of them were able to identify between 20-29 idioms in our English class today. The feedback to the question, "Why did you select those expressions as idioms?" gave rise to the following responses:

• 'because they are strange words'
• 'because they are different from the rest'
• 'because they are interesting'
• 'because I don't know what they mean' (very interesting response!)

 As this was part of my action research lesson, their responses will be useful data for me. As the class was a 40-minute class, the lesson ended with the identification of the idioms only. Their task at home was to look up the meanings of the idioms we had listed. Tomorrow we will list out the meanings of the idioms as used in the context of the story. This is where meaning-making comes into play- literal and figurative meanings.  It would be interesting to see whether they are able to give the right meaning to the idioms.

Explaining 'context' to my students was not easy but extremely important, so that they know what is the intended meaning of the idiom. I've planned some strategies for tomorrow's lesson and hope to achieve the objectives...

Michael Jackson lesson plan

Last Friday, we had a lesson using the video 'Thriller'in 5S2. The aim was listening and vocabulary. The class went well except for the technical glitch at first. Mind you it's not easy handling 40 students when the aim is listening..You can find the materials here All you need to do is download the video from youtube. Another possible lesson is here. All the best!

I just discovered this wonderful site to share with all of you. If you are looking for a dictionary with a difference, then this is the place to go. You can upload a video on your favourite word and share it with others. This will appeal to visual learners. Go to wordia.com

Visual Thesarus

Have you ever come across the Visual Thesaurus? This is an amazing approach for learning and exploring words. For example the word 'mind' on the left could be connected to so many other words related to it. Visit the website to learn more.

Vocabulary Learning

How about brushing up on your prefixes and suffixes? After all they are very important in expanding your vocabulary. If you need a chart on prefixes, you can find it here prefixes and suffixes chart