Fantasy Island - 1 Qayyim

A listening-speaking lesson with 1 Qayyim yesterday. I am so proud of them! Each and everyone of them tried their best to use English in their presentations. Well-done to all and this won't be the last lesson of course. We will have more exciting ones in the future :)

1 Qayyim in action...

Winners as adjudged by their peers:


1. First Place: Cikus
2. Runner-up : Mangosteens
3. Third          : Papayas


Here's the lesson plan in case you want to try it out.

Title: Fantasy Island
Class: Form 1
Duration: Two double-periods (you may need less with older pupils)
Skills:  Listening, speaking, agreeing and disagreeing, writing, presentation skills
Preparations:    1. mahjong papers
                        2. marker pens
                        3. masking tape
                        4. ss colour pencils

Procedures:

1. Teacher explains the task for the day and ss roles.
2. Divide ss into groups of four. ( I used names of fruits and one ss earnestly asked.."Teacher, must we introduce ourselves with the name of the fruit?" Hehehe..)
3. Get one student from each group to get a mahjong paper and marker pens from the teacher.
4. In groups ss draw their fantasy island and what they would like on the island. (I had to give them a double-period as they needed more time.)
5. In the next period, get two students to present their island. (Other ss in the group will get the chance to present and practice their English in the next lesson).
6. Allow the others to ask a few questions based on the presentations.
7. Peer-evaluation and votes tallied to find the best three.



My thoughts on the lesson:

1. Classroom management-  something I can improve upon. ss were used to group work but discipline was lacking. I had to remind them not to drag but carry their chairs and to sit in a circle facing their friends.
2. What can I do with the passive ones? Some were very quiet and did not make any effort to speak the language. But am so proud of Iffah...she really tried her best and it wasn't a bad presentation. She was well-prepared. Fikri and Zamri too deserve praise for their efforts. Perhaps the fear of using English was still strong.
3. Creativity and imagination- There were two groups that (almost) convinced me the volcano on their islands would spew strawberry ice-cream and chocolates!! Oh my!!! Whatever would they think of next :) I love their creative pieces.
4. Confidence- I think I raised their confidence level to use English today and this is surely something positive. A lot more has to be done before they can take off on their own confidently.
5. Potential? A lot! I must tap into that potential...that's for sure.


I rewarded the winners with Van Houten chocolates, eclairs and wafer chocs today and they were ecstatic!

Did we have fun? Yesss!!!

The Thinking Teacher

Nostalgia (2)

I was eighteen I think this summer back in 1981. Retro isn't it? My housemates Azuar (Head of Dept in one SBP in Pahang), Jamaliah aka Jamal and Sallina (now principal) and I snapped this one right in front of our rented house. It was our second year in England while we were pursuing A-Level in Southend College of Technology. We had English with Mr Henry, Economics with what's his name...and Geography with Mr Cheshire. Let me let you in on a secret...I was truly happy to 'escape' Form 6 Geography in English College, Johor Bahru but to my horror, I found out I had to take it in England! We had Physical Geography too- I despised that. Not to mention European Geography. Alas never say die! I made it. And oh! I must add that I initially found it hard to adjust when I first arrived in England because all my housemates except Jamal were not into sports..they were into dancing and choir and the likes. Thank God Jamal was there and we both represented our college in a badminton tournament. We went in a van with other teammates and our coach (Lisa I think) and guess what..we beat them all hehehe...

But I've always had a soft spot for Literature despite it being my first exposure to English Literature back in 1980. Mr Henry had to be so convincing that I still remember some lines from Shakespeare's Othello, the moor of Venice, who in his soliloquy lamented...

She loved me for the dangers I had passed,

And I loved her that she did pity them.

And the Machiavellian Iago who reminded Othello thus:

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock

I just love literature!!

Well, time sure flies...I remember Ruth (the caretaker of the college) who always made us feel welcomed. She would spread her arms wide every time she saw us at the foyer. We used to spend Christmas at Ruth's with Kak Zalina, who's one year our senior. And I remember KK (Tang Kok Keong) strumming the guitar while we were having apple pie and ice-cream. Those were the days!

Studies? I've said it over and over that A-level was the hardest exam I've ever sat for. Honest. My first degree was easier and my masters degree was plain sailing. It's hard to explain but it could be because my ten-year experience as a teacher helped me a lot while pursuing the M.A. Well, more old picts next time :) I've this bad habit of blogging when a lot of work needs to be done. Get your__moving Rahmah!!! O.K. O.K signing out...

p.s My green-striped Adidas sneakers...loved it!

The Thinking Teacher

A lesson on Idioms

Deeply disappointed with 4 Syafie for handing in 14 summaries instead of 29. Even the journals were not the full number it should have been. On top of that it was such a heaty day today and to have the last two periods (1.10-2.30 p.m) was a challenge. Mind you, all English classes for 4 Syafie are last periods. I really have to prepare for the classes because I need to keep them awake every lesson every week. I booked the viewing room which was cooler but I hadn't got my ppt ready so we had the lesson in class instead. At the end of the class, a student stopped me and asked whether he could send his journal next week (offering no apologies) and prior to that one other student said he left his journal in the hostel...sounds familiar? The conversation with the second student went something like this:

(at the corridor after English class...)

SS : Teacher, can I send my journal next week? (smiling)

T  : Why? (in a hurry right after class)

SS : I left it at home. I will be going back this weekend so I   

     can bring it back.

T  : Oh, this morning a Form One student told me the same thing 

     and guess what I said to him? Ask your mum to post it to 

     school!

SS : Post it?

T  : You heard me. POST! (left in a a huff)

SS : Post it? (speaking to himself)

Was I so cruel? They promised to submit their journals today after the weekend they spent at home for Ramadhan. To be honest, I struggled to keep the students focussed today. I don't think they meant any disrespect but sometimes I feel they don't respect me enough! Am I losing my students??? I was at the top of my voice all the time. The week before I had a lesson using a song and that too was met with  indifference.  I'm wondering what to do in future lessons...

Let me share the lesson on idioms we had today anyway.

Topic: Idioms

Time:  Double-period

Preparation:  1. Mahjong papers, marker pens, masking tape, idioms on cards (one idiom per group of 

                       3-4). Choose your idioms carefully so they can be presented visually.

                    2. A worksheet on mixed idioms.

Steps:         1. Show some idioms on board and ask for their meaning from SS.
                   2. Get SS into groups of 3-4 depending on the size of your class.
                   3. Give one idiom written on a piece of paper to each group and inform them not to let the
                       other groups know.
                   4. Allow 20 mins for group to draw idioms on mahjong paper. T explains or confirms SS
                       understanding of the meaning of the idiom given if necessary.
                   5. One representative will explain the picture drawn in front of the class and let the others
                       guess what the idiom is. In addition, the meaning of the idiom is also explained by the
                       representative with T's help if  necessary.
                   6. Stick the SS products on the wall in the classroom for a week or so so they can look at the                               idioms again.
                   7. Provide the worksheet to expose them to more idioms in the second period and discuss
                       SS responses.

                

Each group was given an idiom to draw.

the process..

To let the cat out of the bag.

To make a mountain out of a molehill

Smell something fishy

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush

A red letter day

A picture is worth a thousand words

Blood is thicker than water...cute!

The second half of the lesson...as a way of reinforcement

But you know me being me......(the sentimental fool that I am) I L.O.V.E them all the same :) That goes for 4 Bukhari and 1 Qayyim too ya.

Do share if you have better ideas.
Happy teaching :)



The Thinking Teacher

Nostalgia (1)

Nostalgic...the only word to describe my feelings when I looked at my old photos. I was spring cleaning for a new settee we had ordered for Raya and found many old albums. This particular photo was back in 1998 when I was doing my masters in the University of Birmingham, UK. It was early spring and I think Say Lee was the one who snapped this one. I remember flying business class to London with a group and then taking a bus to Birmingham. We rented a house in Selly Oak..let me see if I can still remember my housemates..Dayang (now Dr Dayang), Suhaila (Petronas student), Intan..Jamuna (who taught me how to make pakora). She's probably a very successful lawyer now. Oh I still remember their names :) after all these years. Sometimes we would frequent the Balti Indian restaurants nearby to try pilau rice, tandoori and the likes. Once in a while we would take the bus to Sainsbury but I usually felt contented with the Indian stores nearby. How I miss the old times...

Shakespeare Institute reminds me of Dr Susan Hunston (dissertation supervisor), Dr Kennedy, Dr Richard, Dr Michael Toolan, Corony Edwards, Prof Malcom Coulthard (THE authority then in Discourse Analysis)...good friends, Say Lee, Rahimah, Mubarak. We made it guys! We made good of the scholarship given to us. Incidentally, I met Mubarak (JPN Kedah) last year twice..so good to see him and oh..Rahimah in JELTA conference last July! Was it pure coincidence or God's will that her daughter (who was two years old in Birmingham) was sitting right next to me in the ballroom!

Thank you God for everything you have charted thus far in my life. I feel blessed :)

Shakespeare Institute, Univ of Birmingham

The Thinking Teacher