“Applied Linguistic (AL) is typically concerned with achieving an end, with improving existing language related-operations, and with solving language related-problem”. (Grade & Kaphan, 1992, p.17). It is one of the most necessary courses for students who wish to be an effective Second Language Teacher because the course aims both to identify issues in linguistics and to solve its problem. In semester two, there are a lot of significant courses in the book such as meanings of language, pragmatics in discourse analysis and describing individual and society bilingualism. Among them, there are a few useful lessons, the meanings of language and pragmatics discourse analysis which I would like to share to all the next generation.
Learning the meanings of language is very useful for me as a future-second language lecturer. The book in-depth explains how morpheme, word, phrase and sentence produce meanings in the language. It enables me to get the correct meanings in a sentence based on its morphemes, words and structure. In addition, it helps me not to confuse or misunderstand the meanings of the words regarding to “–nyms” words relation. To illustrate, tale and tail are different words but it is pronounced identically and if I didn’t learn it in advanced I would infer the meaning in wrong way.
Knowing the pragmatics, how the linguistic knowledge and situational context influent the interpretation of the meaning in discourse, is really helpful for me. Because the interpretation of the meaning of the words differs from one situation to another, it is a good chance for me to know how to interpret the meaning base on the context provided. In addition, the study of maxims of conversation is really beneficial. It gives me an ideal thought of how to produce good or smooth conversation depending on four maxims of the conversation, the maxim of quantity, the maxim of relevant, the maxim of manner and the maxim of quality. All of these maxims are helpful for the speakers to make the conversation go smoothly.
However, I have encounters a few challenges in learning AL. The initial difficulty is about the concept of the course. Most of the concepts in AL require readers to have broad knowledge or comprehension skill to understand it. Thematic roles, for instance, is quite
tough for me to get the actual meaning. I can’t simplify its definition in an easy way to understand even though I have read the books for several times. I still blur how it applies in real world. Furthermore, there are so many difficult terms in this book which requires me to check in advanced otherwise I will not able to understand the lesson or I will not be able to follow the lecturer’s explanation. Finally, it is about the presentation assigned by the lecturer. We are asked to read the journal or research papers for our presentation. It is quite hard for us because we are not familiar with research paper or journal. Also, the length of the paper is quite long (consists of 40 to 60 pages). How can we find the main point to present in class if we are not thoroughly understood that research papers.
In order to deal with those problems occurring in learning AL, I have a few suggestions to deal with the problems. I would like to suggest to editors of AL 401 and 402 AL to produce the book which is not so beyond their understanding or knowledge otherwise they will not be able to follow or learn from the teachers. Besides, I would recommend the next generation students to read book before class and if possible they should manage time to read other materials related to Applied Linguistic in advanced in order that they will have some ideas to share, discuss and ask the doubtful parts to the lecturer. Finally, it is a good idea if they can possess AL dictionary, since it will help them a lot to easily understand the lesson.
Learning AL provides inexpensive knowledge for us as the second language teachers for better-teaching career in the future. The course enables them to find out the problem in linguistics as well as the solution to deal with it. As a result, we will be able to find an ideal methods and techniques to teach the students in more effective and efficient means if we can absorb the knowledge from AL course.
By HIM Sokunthea
IFL graduate
Showing posts with label Opinion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opinion. Show all posts
Monday, August 2, 2010
My Practicum
To apply theories into real practice is very significant for learners. Through the practice, they will be able to know their strengths and weaknesses and the solutions to deal with the problem. Going to the same way, learning to be an English Language Teacher, it is important for learners to have chance to apply what they have learned from classroom into the real world teaching. By doing so, it gives a great opportunity for them to experience and adapt themselves in real teaching practice. As a good example, at the Institute of Foreign Language (IFL), all the year four students are obliged to do the practicum before their graduation. It helps the learners as well as me a lot to do this practicum for the future career as an English Language Teacher.
It allowed me to know my weaknesses. Throughout my teaching experience, I have faced a few problems occurring in my class. First, I couldn’t find good data and interesting techniques for my students. Because it was my first time teaching, I decided to use the data from the textbook. However, the data was not fit with the students’ ability because the level of the course-book was lower than their’ abilities. According to my supervisor, he said that my technique was not interesting, thus the students seemed not to be involved and learned a lot from my class. His comment was correct but it was very tough for me to find the interesting techniques in teaching writing class. Second, I got the problem with my English proficiency. I was told by both of my supervisor and associate lecturer that my speaking ability was a bit low. I produced several mistakes in grammar and pronunciation. More than that, my supervisor says “You give unclear instruction and it makes students confused and don’t know actually what they are supposed to do”. I confess that my voice projection was soft and low, that was why the students found it hard to follow up my explanation and instruction. Yet, how can I change my natural voice? It was quite hard for me. Finally, I didn’t have good rapport with my students. My associate lecturer commented on the evaluation sheet saying that I didn’t have good rapport with the students. Honestly speaking, I neither remembered most of my students ‘names nor their faces. It is because I did only two sessions observing before started my real teaching.
On the other hand, it helped me to know my strength during my teaching. Personally, I think I was confident in teaching. “You look confident in your teaching”, my supervisor said. Actually, I was a bit nervous for my first time teaching, but I tried to hide it. If the students had known that I was nervous and shaky, the students would have thought that I couldn’t teach them well. Second, my time management was good. Every session I could manage my time and finish it on time. To illustrate, when I assigned students to exercise, I set the time for the students and I always reminded them how much time they left so that they could increase their speed to complete the exercise on time. Finally, I was approachable. Whenever the students asked questions or got problems with their learning, I was always there and willing to help them, for instance.
In conclusion, doing the practicum was very valuable experience for me. It allowed me to judge my ability in real teaching, helped me to be aware of my weakness and the way to improve my teaching in the near future. I would recommend the future teacher trainees to be aware of a few important things before their practicum. First, if they can find time working as part time teacher, it is really helpful for them because through my observation many trainee teachers looked nervous and shaky while they were teaching. Second, it is good for teacher trainees to do a lot of observations before starting their real teaching because they can take out good techniques from their classmates to apply in their teaching. Finally, they should talk to their supervisor and associate lecturer before their teaching. Either the supervisor or associate lecturer is really helpful for them because they will give them good advices and suggestions to improve their teaching. More importantly, the teacher trainees should do what they are told because they will get good score if the supervisor and associate lecturer like and satisfy with their teaching.
By HIM Sokunthea
IFL graduate
It allowed me to know my weaknesses. Throughout my teaching experience, I have faced a few problems occurring in my class. First, I couldn’t find good data and interesting techniques for my students. Because it was my first time teaching, I decided to use the data from the textbook. However, the data was not fit with the students’ ability because the level of the course-book was lower than their’ abilities. According to my supervisor, he said that my technique was not interesting, thus the students seemed not to be involved and learned a lot from my class. His comment was correct but it was very tough for me to find the interesting techniques in teaching writing class. Second, I got the problem with my English proficiency. I was told by both of my supervisor and associate lecturer that my speaking ability was a bit low. I produced several mistakes in grammar and pronunciation. More than that, my supervisor says “You give unclear instruction and it makes students confused and don’t know actually what they are supposed to do”. I confess that my voice projection was soft and low, that was why the students found it hard to follow up my explanation and instruction. Yet, how can I change my natural voice? It was quite hard for me. Finally, I didn’t have good rapport with my students. My associate lecturer commented on the evaluation sheet saying that I didn’t have good rapport with the students. Honestly speaking, I neither remembered most of my students ‘names nor their faces. It is because I did only two sessions observing before started my real teaching.
On the other hand, it helped me to know my strength during my teaching. Personally, I think I was confident in teaching. “You look confident in your teaching”, my supervisor said. Actually, I was a bit nervous for my first time teaching, but I tried to hide it. If the students had known that I was nervous and shaky, the students would have thought that I couldn’t teach them well. Second, my time management was good. Every session I could manage my time and finish it on time. To illustrate, when I assigned students to exercise, I set the time for the students and I always reminded them how much time they left so that they could increase their speed to complete the exercise on time. Finally, I was approachable. Whenever the students asked questions or got problems with their learning, I was always there and willing to help them, for instance.
In conclusion, doing the practicum was very valuable experience for me. It allowed me to judge my ability in real teaching, helped me to be aware of my weakness and the way to improve my teaching in the near future. I would recommend the future teacher trainees to be aware of a few important things before their practicum. First, if they can find time working as part time teacher, it is really helpful for them because through my observation many trainee teachers looked nervous and shaky while they were teaching. Second, it is good for teacher trainees to do a lot of observations before starting their real teaching because they can take out good techniques from their classmates to apply in their teaching. Finally, they should talk to their supervisor and associate lecturer before their teaching. Either the supervisor or associate lecturer is really helpful for them because they will give them good advices and suggestions to improve their teaching. More importantly, the teacher trainees should do what they are told because they will get good score if the supervisor and associate lecturer like and satisfy with their teaching.
By HIM Sokunthea
IFL graduate
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The Effect of Alcoholism
Some man believe that drinking illustrate bravery, smart and bride. If a man can’t drink, he is considered not to be a real man or he might be ironically regard as a minority, who is not belong to the rest of the people. Yet, using too much alcoholism instantly effect to other people.
Accident is a common result from drunken people. With too much alcoholism, they can’t control the feeling as normal people do. The amount of alcoholic substance overlaps their feeling. Their eyes blur and they can’t clearly see what is in front of them. Thus they accidentally and instantly hit other people or other vehicles along the road. Moreover, the drunken people drive so fast without much concern about other’s safety. According to the recent news report states that the traffic accident mostly happens by drunken drivers.
Using alcoholism provokes domestic violence in the family. The alcoholic promptly inspire people of anger and violence action. They easily get mad and curious while they can’t meet their demand or need. The husband hit wife when she insists not to give him money or refuse to make love with him, for instance. It happens most to the poor family, who have inadequate earning, insufficient basic need and limited education, is severely suffered domestic violence.
The final effect is the increase of rape case. With alcoholic substance, it makes people with the high percentage of sexual intercourse. In fact, the feeling of making love increases to those who drink alcoholic, thus they rape girls, who is young or who are not able to insist, to satisfy their pleasure.
In short, using alcoholic gives three main swift negative s to other people such as traffic accident, domestic violent and rape case issue. If people still use so much alcoholic, they can make a society in chaos, instability and human right violation.
Accident is a common result from drunken people. With too much alcoholism, they can’t control the feeling as normal people do. The amount of alcoholic substance overlaps their feeling. Their eyes blur and they can’t clearly see what is in front of them. Thus they accidentally and instantly hit other people or other vehicles along the road. Moreover, the drunken people drive so fast without much concern about other’s safety. According to the recent news report states that the traffic accident mostly happens by drunken drivers.
Using alcoholism provokes domestic violence in the family. The alcoholic promptly inspire people of anger and violence action. They easily get mad and curious while they can’t meet their demand or need. The husband hit wife when she insists not to give him money or refuse to make love with him, for instance. It happens most to the poor family, who have inadequate earning, insufficient basic need and limited education, is severely suffered domestic violence.
The final effect is the increase of rape case. With alcoholic substance, it makes people with the high percentage of sexual intercourse. In fact, the feeling of making love increases to those who drink alcoholic, thus they rape girls, who is young or who are not able to insist, to satisfy their pleasure.
In short, using alcoholic gives three main swift negative s to other people such as traffic accident, domestic violent and rape case issue. If people still use so much alcoholic, they can make a society in chaos, instability and human right violation.
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