Latest MUET Reviews - Welcome 2016!

Suggested Speaking Topic for June 2016

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SPOT QUESTIONS FOR MUET... because the subject matter is like everything under the hot sun!

So, just read up and do more sample questions

* Sample taken from MUET My Way blog operated by Audrey Wiles

What is the most important habit a student must have in their studies?
A. Be punctual
B. Be hardworking
C. Be careful
D. Be motivated

Task B: Which is the most important habit?

  

Saturday, February 13, 2016

 

 Our potpourri of  MUET Writing / Speaking Tips

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BELOVED STUDENTS OF SMKA AL-IRSHAD...to begin with, here is a list of speaking expressions that you should memorize to be used in the speaking and writing tests. :) Have a nice day!


Introduction: 
It is often said that...
Many people claim that..
In this day and age of (topic)..
We live in an age where many of us...
(Topic) is a hotly-debated topic that often divides opinion.
(Topic) is often discussed yet rarely understood.
It goes without saying that (topic) is one of the most important issues facing us today.
The following essay examines both sides of the coin, its advantages as well as disadvantages.
In this essay, I will focus on ____________, ________________ and ____________.
There are many facets to this issue, namely ___________, ________________ and _____________.

Expressing Opinion: 
In my opinion,../From my point of view,../From my perspective,../Personally speaking,../In my humble opinion,../If I may be so bold as to state that../
As far as I am concerned, I truly/totally/absolutely/completely/wholly
agree/disagree/think/believe/feel/consider   that...
I agree that../I am in agreement with this issue../I concur that...
I disagree that../I am in disagreement with this issue because../I beg to differ that..
I can consider that../consider both sides of the coin../I partially agree../ I agree to a certain extent../I somewhat agree but have obvious misgivings about..

Introducing Points: 
Firstly, let us take a look at...
To start with...
First of all, it is worth considering that..
Secondly,.. Thirdly,.. Next... Another point is... Another contributing factor is..
In addition/Additionally/Moreover/Furthermore / What is more../On top of that
Another point worth noting is../Another factor to consider is...
Lastly,..Finally,.. Last but not least,...

Presenting Ideas & Giving Examples
According to experts/the website/the author of the article/book/journal etc...
Based on the research/survey/study/case study by (who) in (year) on (what)...
he/she/it/they found/discovered that...
Research has found that...
The study concluded that...
There are those who argue that..
When it comes to this issues.../In terms of this issue../With respect to this issue../ With regard to this issue..
For example,../For instance,../As an example,../To illustrate,../As an illustration,../
..such as.. /..namely../..which are../..in terms of it is..
..and so on./..and so forth./..and many more./..and others.

Contrasting: 
However,../In contrast,../On the contrary,../Conversely,../Even though...
To counter that argument.../Despite../In spite of that../On the other hand,..
..but../..although../..while..

Expressing Reason & Result:
As a result,../ As a result of this study/research/finding..
This theory/result/finding/study/case study has led to.../has resulted in...
This means that.../This is because../This could be due to../This can be attributed to../This could result in../This proves that../This is concrete evidence that..
In lieu of this../Consequently,../Subsequently,../Therefore,../Thus,../Hence,..

Concluding: 
In conclusion,../To conclude,../Conclusively,../In a nutshell,../To sum up,../
In short,../In other words,../In summary,../All things considered,..
Taking everything into consideration,..
After weighing up both sides of the argument,..
The benefits of (topic) far outweighs the drawbacks of..
The advantages of (topic) far outweighs the disadvantages of..
The pros and cons are quite balanced and it is up you to decide which side of the fence to lean on.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

 

Suggested Nov 2015 Academic Essay Writing Approaches

Take a look at the academic essay question last year.

MUET Nov 2015 
Writing 800/4 

Question 2
There is a strong link between reading and academic success. Discuss. You should write at least 350 words. [60 marks]

Upon reading this question, you would first have to determine which is Part A & Part B (read my previous notes on this here). In my humble opinion, Part A is ‘reading’ and you have to prove that there is a strong link between this and Part B which is ‘academic success’.

My personal take on this question:
It looks like a clear-cut argument but besides your command of grammar and vocabulary, your treatment of the issue will determine if you may get a high band or not especially for task fulfilment. Personally, I feel many would immediately jump to agree wholeheartedly with the issue given because how else can you achieve academic success if you did not read and study something, right? However, if you want to score that few marks more than others, you will need to train your brain to delve deeper and argue from the neutral or opposition side. Hence, a neutral treatment of the question would better answer the question because the key term is ‘Discuss’ which means you should discuss both sides of the coin. If you prefer to rock the boat, go for the opposition camp and discuss how in your opinion, reading is a not a strong link, in fact, it is a weak link for academic success. To be a writer with critical thinking, you have to tune your brain like a debater’s. As a seasoned debater, you should know that you should avoid discussing other factors that lead to academic success. Rather, you have to debunk how ‘reading’ is NOT a strong link by providing reasons why reading alone is ineffective.

Below are the three thesis statements for you to ponder. Take note that I have followed my 6 paragraph format as it is definitely better than the previous 5 paragraph format I championed in my earlier days as a MUET teacher.  These answers are not directly affiliated to MPM’s answers in any way as I do not have access to any of their marking schemes. I’m just answering the question as best as I deem possible and there will always be better writers than me. After all that is said and done, my hope is to hone your thinking skills because the main challenge is not to teach you how to write, but to train you to think. Grey matter matters. Polish it.


Ok, here goes.

A) Agree
Thesis Statement: 
Academic success is based on knowledge and reading provides direct access to knowledge, a variety of knowledge and transfer of knowledge.
Argument 1
Topic Sentence 1: 
First and foremost, reading provides direct access to knowledge as it is the most convenient and the fastest way to learn something because doing hands-on experiments for every single theory is too time-consuming.
Argument 2
Topic Sentence 2: 
Secondly, reading has a strong link to academic success because through reading we will be exposed to a huge variety of knowledge, theories and information from various different sources all around the world. 
Argument 3
Topic Sentence 3: 
Last but not least, reading leads directly to academic success because information from all sources is transferred directly to the mind which can then be used to answer examination questions well with excellent results and performance. 
Counter Argument:
Topic Sentence 4: 
However, reading alone cannot guarantee success as academic success also has strong links with a person’s IQ level, hands-on practical training and experimentation as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors to name just a few.  
Conclusion/Recommendation: 
Education ministry should focus more on teaching reading skills in SPM level similar to the MUET format where reading paper is given 40% weighting compared to writing (30%), listening and speaking (15% each) 


B)Neutral: 
Thesis Statement: 
Academic success depends on not just one but a combination of factors which include reading and other factors such as IQ level and hands-on practical. 
Argument 1
Topic sentence 1: 
Firstly, reading provides the fastest and most direct access to information from various sources which saves time because hands-on experimentation is too time consuming. 
Argument 2
Topic Sentence 2:
In addition, reading leads directly to academic success because information from all sources is transferred directly to the mind which can then be used to answer examination questions well with excellent results and performance. 
Counter Argument 1: 
Topic Sentence 3: 
On the contrary, a person’s intrinsic character is a stronger link to academic success as our own IQ, abilities and interests as well as motivation will contribute heavily to our academic success. 
Counter Argument 2: 
Topic Sentence 4:
Furthermore, reading is quite a weak link because it only provides theories whereas hands-on practical experiences will increase understanding and performance as a person’s ability to recall or apply the information just by reading cannot be guaranteed. 
Conclusion/Recommendation:
Academic success is a synergy of factors involving the student himself, his IQ and his ability to master not just reading but writing, listening, speaking and all other softskills that when combined, determines his academic success. 


C) 
Disagree
Thesis Statement:
Academic success is determined not mainly by reading, in fact, it is a weak link because reading refers to only the theories, reading does not determine ability to recall theories and the ability to apply the theories you have read to real life cannot be guaranteed.  
Argument 1
Topic Sentence 1: 
First and foremost, reading is a weak link because it is a two dimensional activity where a person reads the words but may not be able to fully understand what is being read because this is determined by a person’s IQ level. 
Argument 2 
Topic Sentence 2:
Secondly, reading does not mean a person will be able to remember all the information and theories read as again, this depends on a person’s own mental ability. 
Argument 3
Topic Sentence 3: 
Lastly, the act of reading alone is not a guarantee of a person being able to apply the information successfully in real life similar to the fact that reading a flying manual does not make one qualified to fly a plane. 
Counter Argument: 
Topic Sentence 4: 
Conversely, there is still a strong link between reading and academic success as reading is necessary to access to information from all sources in the most cost effective, time-saving and convenient way. 
Conclusion/Recommendation
Reading is an important core of achieving academic success but the ability to read well is determined by each individual’s inner character and their IQ as well as how they handle stressful conditions like examinations in order to achieve excellence in academia. 
 

Monday, November 16, 2015

 

MUET Nov 2015 Report Writing Suggested Answers

Get your copy of Writing 800/4 Nov 2015 here.

Again thanks to a very meticulous fellow teacher... a million thank yous are not enough to sum up how grateful I am as well as the MUET community are for you efforts to come up with all possible versions. Kudos n big pat on the back to you, you know who you are. :)

Word of Caution and Disclaimer: 
This Suggested Answer with blanks is in no way claimed to be an absolutely correct and accurate answer to the November 2015 Writing Question 1. Readers are free to try out the exercise, adapt and share the same with others at their own initiative and risk. Feedback and comments suggesting improvements are most welcome.

November 2015 Writing
Question 1 – Suggested Answer

A. Title
1. Daily Free Time Activities and their Benefits as Rated by Two Types of Students _________ (in 2014/at 2014/on 2014)
2. How Secondary School and University Students Daily Spent Their Free Time _____(at/on/in/of) 2014
3. ___________(Rate/Rated/Rating) of Benefits Gained by Students by Engaging in Free Time Activities in 2014

B. Introduction

1. Figures 1 and 2 _________(shows/show) daily activities during free time by secondary school and university students in 2014 while Table 1 __________(list/listed/lists) students’ rating of benefits gained by engaging in those activities.
2. Figures 1 and 2 show daily free time activities of secondary school and university students in 2014.  _________  (Table/Table 1/Table One) lists students’ rating of benefits gained by engaging in those activities.
3. Figures 1 and 2 show _______(why/how/what)  secondary school and university students  spent /spend their free time in 2014 respectively while Table 1 lists the __________(rate/ratings/rated) they gave to the benefits gained by engaging in those activities.
4. The _____ _______(pie chart/pie charts/bar chart) illustrate  how secondary school and university students daily spent  their free time in 2014 ________________(respect…) while the ________(table/tables) lists the ratings they gave to the benefits gained by engaging in those activities.

C. Overview
1. As the two types of students spent their free time on mostly different activities, their rating of benefits gained by engaging in those activities were also generally __________________(different/the same).
2. _____________(Except/Beside) for surfing the internet, the two types of students had different free time activities and therefore their ratings of the benefits gained were also not the ___________.(different/same)
3. Except for surfing the internet, the free time activities of secondary and university students were different and therefore their ratings of the benefits gained by engaging in those activities also ______________.(different/same/differed)
4. There is a clearer logical link ______________ (with/between)the free time activities of secondary school students and their ratings of benefits gained compared to that of university students .
5. While secondary school students felt that spending most of their free time attending tuition helped them  most significantly to ___________ _____________ __________(benefit), university students who spent the same amount of time ___________ _______ ______________ (free time activity) rated being more updated as the most significant benefit gained.
6. While secondary school students rated obtaining better grades as the ___________(highest/most) significant benefit gained as a result of spending most of their free time on activities related to studies, university students who __________(did/also) spent most of their free time on studies related activities did _________(not/so) rate obtaining better grades as the most significant benefit.
7. There are no clear links between the rating of benefits gained and free time activities of university students as is the case for secondary students. Is this correct?

D. Key Features / Analysis / Synthesis

a. Analysis

1. Secondary school students spent most of their free time (_______minutes) attending tuition classes while university students spent __________ (most/all)of their free time (150 mins) surfing the internet.
2. Both secondary and university students spent the ________(different/same) amount (and most) of their free time (150 mins) attending tuition and surfing the internet respectively.
3. Doing homework (120 mins) and carrying out group discussion (120 mins) were the ______________(top/second/last) most favourite free time activities of secondary and university students respectively.
4. Secondary students spent the _________(least/lowest/smallest) amount of their free time (10 mins) helping parents…
5. …(while) University students’ least prioritized free time activity was taking a nap (20mins) / University students took a nap __________ (for/abou)20 mins making it their least prioritised free time activity/ university students spent the least amount _____(of/for/to) their free time taking a nap/napping (20mins).
6. University students spent the least amount of their free time on napping/taking a nap (20mins) while secondary students spent an ___________(equal/enormous) amount of time (20 mins) playing games.
7. University students spent ___________(more/most) /a significantly higher amount of their free time (2 & ½ more times) (______ mins) surfing the internet _____________ (compare/compared) to/than secondary students (60 mins).
8. The ______________ (second/most)least amount of their free time (30 mins) was spent by university students consulting lecturers. Doing assignments (40 mins) took up an ________ (hour/extra)10 mins.
9. Secondary students _____________(rate/rated/rating) obtaining better grades as the most significant (1) benefit gained from their free time activities…
10. …(while) university students gave it a moderately significant (benefit) rating of ____(1/2/3/4/5) / university students rated ______ _____ __________(benefit) as the most significant benefit (1).
11. ______________(Secondary/University) students gave obtaining better grades as the most significant benefit (rating level 1) while ______________(Secondary/University) students gave /listed being more updated as the most significant benefit gained (1) from their free time activities.
12. Secondary students gave the most significant benefit rating (1) to obtaining better grades while university students gave it a (_____) (3/4) or moderately significant rating.
13. Secondary students rated ________________ _____________(benefit) as the least significant benefit (5) gained from their free time activities. For university students the least significant benefit gained (5) was ______________________________________(benefit).
14. Both types of /secondary and university students gave/rated having better understanding as their _____________ (second/third) most significant benefit (2) gained.
15. Both types of students gave having better understanding the __________(best/same) benefit rating of 2 (as a result of their free time activities).


b. Synthesis

1. ________ (As/Although) secondary students spent most of their free time attending tuition (150 mins), they rated obtaining better grades as the most significant benefit(1) gained.
2. Attending tuition classes during most of their free time (150 mins) could have also contributed to secondary students _____________________________________ (benefit) as it got the second most significant benefit rating (2).
3. Attending tuition classes during most of their free time(150 mins) and doing homework being the _________________ (third/second) most favourite free time activity (120 mins) most probably led to secondary students  rating obtaining better grades as the most significant benefit(1) and having better understanding as the second most significant benefit gained.
4. Obtaining better grades was rated as the most significant benefit gained (1) by secondary students as ____________ (they/their/them) spent most of their free time (150 mins) attending tuition classes.
5. Obtaining better grades and having better understanding were rated by secondary students as the most significant benefit(1) and second most significant benefit (2) gained __________________(together/respectively) as they had spent most of their free time (150 mins) attending tuition classes and the next highest /second highest (most) amount of free time (120mins) doing homework.
6. Obtaining better grades and having better understanding ______(were/was) rated as the most significant(1) and second most significant benefits (2) gained respectively by secondary students as they had spent most of their free time and the second most amount of their free time attending tuition classes (150 mins) and doing homework(120 mins) respectively.
7. Obtaining better grades and having better understanding were rated as the most significant (1) and second most significant benefits (2) gained _________________ (respectively/respectfully) by secondary students as they had spent most of their free time attending tuition classes (150 mins)and the next ______________(highest/plenty) amount of time doing homework(120 mins) respectively.
8. Secondary students most significant benefit rating (1) was for obtaining better grades as _________(many/most) of their free time (150 mins) was spent attending tuition classes. Besides, _________ ____________,(activity) the second most favourite free time activity (120 mins) for 1/3 of their free time could have also contributed to rating obtaining better grades as the most significant benefit(1). Both the above activities that took up 270 mins or 75% or 3/4ths of their free time must have also contributed to their _________________________________(benefit) as it got the second most significant benefit rating of (2).
9. As secondary students spent lesser (just 1/6) of their free time (____ mins) on surfing the internet, they rated being updated as not so significant a benefit gained (3).
10. University students spent most of their free time (150 mins) surfing the internet, and therefore, rated being more updated ______ (as/for/to) their most significant benefit gained (1) from free time activities.
11. _______________ (To be/Be/Being) more updated was rated as the most significant benefit gained (1) by university students as they spent most of their free time (150 mins) surfing the internet.
12. Secondary students who spent most of their free time (150 mins) on tuition rated obtaining better grades as the most significant benefit (1) gained while university students who spent the same _________, (120/150 mins) which was most of their free time on surfing the internet rated being more updated as the most significant benefit (1) they gained.
13. Secondary students _________ (will/who/was) spent most of their free time (150 mins) attending tuition rated obtaining better grades as the most significant benefit (1) gained while university students who spent most of their free time which was the same 150 mins on surfing the internet, rated being more updated as the most significant benefit (1) they gained.
14. Although carrying out group discussion was university students’ second most favourite free time activity(________ mins) as it also took up 1/3 of their free time, yet obtaining better grades was rated as a moderately significant benefit (_____)(1/2/3) gained. However, the 120 min group discussion may have caused them ______ (just/to/have) rate having better understanding as the second most significant benefit (2).
15. __________ (Since/As/Because/Although) carrying out group discussion took up the second highest amount of university students’ free time (120 mins), yet obtaining better grades was just rated as a moderately significant benefit(3) gained. However, the 120 min group discussion may have caused them to rate having better understanding as the second most significant benefit (2) gained.
16. ______(Since/As/Because/Although) carrying out group discussion took up the second highest amount of university students’ free time(120 mins), they rated having better understanding as the second most significant benefit(2) gained. However, the 120 min group discussion may not have translated into better grades as it was just rated as a moderately significant benefit(3) gained.
17. Carrying out group discussion (120 mins) and ________________(activity) (30 mins) may together explain university students‘ rating of having better understanding as the second most significant benefit(2) gained. ________________,(Although/Since/As/However) obtaining better grades was rated as a moderately significant benefit (3) gained.
18. Carrying out group discussion (120 mins), consulting lecturer(30 mins) and __________ ____________(activity) (40 mins) which together took up more than ________(half/three quarter) of the university students’ free time (190) must have contributed to their rating having better understanding as the second most significant benefit (2) but a not so significant or moderate(ly significant) benefit of 3 for obtaining better grades..
19. Secondary students spent the least amount of their free time (10 mins) helping parents and therefore rated fulfilling responsibility as the least significant benefit gained (___).
20. As secondary students spent a negligible ______ mins (of their free time) helping parents, they rated fulfilling responsibility as the least significant benefit gained (5).
21. Playing games daily for just/only ______ minutes (second least amount of time) could be the reason for secondary students rating having a healthy body at level 4, one level ________(higher/lower) than 5, the least significant benefit rating level.
22. While university students rated being updated as the most significant benefit gained(1) as they spent most of their free time (150 mins) surfing the internet, secondary students who spent much __________(of/their/more/less) time (60 minutes) surfing the internet gave being more updated a moderately/less significant beneficial/benefit rating of (3).
23. University students took a nap for 20 mins ____________ (make/making/made/makes) it their least favourite/prioritized free time activity. As a result/Therefore, ___________ (they/them) rated having a healthy body as the least significant benefit (5) gained.
24. As university students spent the least amount of their free time (_____ mins) taking a nap, they rated having a healthy body as the least significant benefit (5) gained.
25. Secondary students who spent a negligible 20 mins playing games, rated having a healthy body at _________ (rate/level)4.
26. University students spent the least amount of their free time on napping/taking a nap (20 mins) while secondary students spent an equal amount of time (20 mins) ________________ ___________(activity). Thus, the former rated having a healthy body as the least significant benefit gained (5) while the ________(latter/later) gave it a slightly better benefit rating of 4.
27. The second least amount of time (_____ mins) was spent by university students consulting lecturers and an extra 10 mins was used for doing assignments (40 mins). Spending such relatively low/less amount of their free time on matters related to examinations may be the reason for a less significant benefit rating of ____ on/for obtaining better grades.
28. For university students spending the second highest amount of free time (120 minutes) on group discussion seemed to have contributed to a ___________(high/higher/highest) benefit rating for having better understanding (2) compared to obtaining better grades (3)
29. For university students spending the second highest amount of free time (120 minutes) on group discussion seemed to have contributed more to having better understanding (2) ________(than/to)  obtaining better grades (3)
30. _________________ (Spend/Spending/Spent) the second highest amount of free time (120 minutes) by university students on group discussion seemed to have contributed to a higher/more significant benefit rating on/for having better understanding (2) compared to/ than obtaining better grades (3).
31. Carrying out group discussion ______(for/of/to) 120 mins may have significantly contributed to university students having better understanding as it was given a benefit rating of (level) 2./level 2 benefit rating.


E. Conclusion
1. As the two groups of students spent their free time on ______________(various/different/same) activities, their ratings of benefits gained (by engaging in those activities) were also different.



Now select your preferred sentences and rewrite the whole report in 150 to 200 words, paying close attention to details and the importance of synthesis above analysis. 

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

 

MUET Reading Nov 2015 Attempted Answers

Get your copy here...

Do remember these are just ATTEMPTED answers. Band 3 is at least 21/45. Good luck!

1. B (Coca-cola's 8% is 'minimal' compared to Google's 26%)
2. B (Apple 129%  = surge)
3. A (Out of top 10 = 11 and 17th rank)
4. A (global economy = export market)
5. C (no info on top brands venturing into new markets/stiff competition)
6. C (no info)
7. C (no info)
8. B (90 mil per season)
9. A (tolerant = not affected)
10. C (no info)
11. C (the herbicide prevents it from spouting)
12. A (a bane)
13. C (competes for nutrients)
14. C (monitoring is not part of the JV)
15. A (same = to this tune)
16. A
17. B (the guidelines campaigned it, not him specifically)
18. C
19. A (concentrated on effects)
20. C (> carb consumption)
21. A (bias = beliefs)
22. C
23. B
24. C
25. C (as the main idea of the previous sentence... but B is possible)
26. B
27. B
28. A
29. C
30. D
31. A
32. C
33. C
34. C
35. D
36. A
37. B
38. C
39. B
40. A
41. D
42. D
43. B
44. C
45. B

 

Monday, November 2, 2015

 

MUET July 2015 Reading Questions & My Suggested Answers.

Hi guys.. I know this has been a long time coming but finally managed to scan all the papers for the July 2015 Reading paper.

Get the complete set here.

Am now working on the answers:

Here goes.

1. C (no data on skin creams)
2. A (2013 data)
3. B
4. B
5. A/C (slow = low?)
6. C
7. A (endorsement paved way for broader acceptance
8. A
9. B
10. C (no infor on 'better')
11. A
12. A
13. A
14. C
15. A
16. C
17. B
18. B
19. A
20. A
21. B
22. C
23. B
24. C
25. C
26. B
27. C
28. B
29. A
30. C
31. B
32. C
33. D
34. C
35. D
36. D
37. B
38. B
39. C
40. D
41. A
42. C
43. A
44. C
45. D

The secret to MUET Writing 800/4, a personal perspective.

Countdown to 7th Nov 2015!

Well, I have not blogged about my school's results for July MUET 2015 yet. Now that I have time to write a nice long post, here goes.

My school's result this year hit the ball out of the park! Home run, baby! Managed to significantly reduce Band 1 to only 4 persons compared to 22 persons last year. If you consider Band 2 your minimum achievement (cos they can enter uni) then this year we got 94% compared compared to 59% in 2014. We also managed to get 1 Band 5, and 5 Band 4s and out number of Band 3s increased significantly. All in all, it was a fantabulous result for a suburban school.

So what's the secret?
The main point could be that the marking scheme is now more lenient because since last year the Banding has been adjusted to have a bigger margin for Band 1. This means that if you consider a script a Band 3, they are entitled to much higher mark compared to previous grading system. (ref to this link for my post on the change of marks: MUET NEW Bands)

A second reason is the fact that I no longer teach my 5 paragraph format which I have championed for many years. The 5 paras of intro, 3 points and conclusion are no longer sufficient to get a convincing pass. Hence, I have now developed a 6 paragraph argumentative essay template that will help your hardcore Band 1s to achieve at least a Band 2 and above. Take note that if you want to get Bands 5 or 6.. you need to go above and beyond my 6 paragraph format to demonstrate HOTS, maturity of thinking as well as accuracy and fluency of the English language. If you just want to ensure students get the basic idea of an argumentative essay, by all means, start with my template as a stepping stone.

So what does it look like and how does it differ from my previous template?
Basically, I have now incorporated Paragraph 5 which is a whole paragraph on Counter-Arguments (CA). The starters for counter-arguing are:
However/In contrast/On the contrary/Conversely,... and students proceed by explaining why they disagree to a certain extent (25%). This shows the examiner that they are able to see two sides of the coin and justify their prior 75% agreement/disagreement.
The conclusion brings the reader back to their initial 75% agree/disagree stand hence rounding up the arguments nicely with a killer closing sentence using the table I have blogged on earlier here.

Anyway, the point is that I have conducted multiple workshops and taught throughout the year using this new 6 paragraph format and the results are spectacular. All 70 of my students got 30/90 (lowest) and above for writing, highest was 66/90 which makes the average 48/90 which is in the Band 3 (160/300) range... so this tells me that the 6 paragraph format is a good idea. my 4 Band 1s scored poorly in the other 3 papers hence they garnered less that 100/300. Numbers talk.

Right. So, happy teaching! I have added the template below. I have also included 2 sample essays. At the end there is also a template for points for 3 essay questions with 6 possible essay structures.

TAKE NOTE!
I do need to caution you about how to tackle the MUET question as it is a bit tricky and most students go out of topic. Previously, I have blogged about 'Part A & Part B' in each question and that you really need to avoid 'Sweeping statements Doc 1 & Doc 2'. Also, grammar is always important, crucial even! So remember to click the links to find out more!

Sample 1
Students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to school.

         In this era of information technology and social media, mobile phones are becoming more of a norm than a luxury item. In fact, more and more students are able to save their money and buy mobile phones of various brands such as Samsung, HTC, Lenovo and Oppo in order to stay connected with their friends and family. In my humble opinion, I truly believe that students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to school because it is good to teach them to be responsible for their own belongings. There are a few reasons for this, namely, easier to communicate (A1), an excellent source of information (A2) and schools can control usage of phones (A3).
Firstly, students should be allowed to bring their mobile phones to school because it will definitely make communication easier for everyone. This means that the mobile phone is a useful tool to make calls or send messages. Moreover, it is very convenient to inform our parents if there are any changes to the timetable. For example, if we need to let our parents know when to pick us up if the school suddenly has a program such as IM1S, co-curricular activities, marching practice and so on. Therefore, if students are allowed to bring their handphones to school it would be so much easier to keep everyone informed about our whereabouts.
Secondly, mobiles phones are an excellent source of information and this is another factor why we should allow students to bring them to school. This is because students who have smartphones will have access to all the information on the internet at the tip of their fingers. In addition, it will help them do their work better and more efficiently. For instance, they can research online for information on projects given to them by teachers such as researching facts on famous people, science experiments, essays, reports and many more. Thus, allowing students to bring mobile phones to school will help them tap into the multitude of information that exists in the world wide web today.
Finally, a final factor why I agree that students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to school is that the usage can still be controlled by the school authorities. The main reason for this is that the teachers have to explain the rules clearly to students that they can only use it outside the class teaching hours such as before and after lessons and during recess. Furthermore, it will teach students to be more responsible for their own things and make them better adults. Take for example the rule that if they use it during lessons the teachers can confiscate the phones, report to the discipline master, call their parents and others. Hence, it is the school’s responsibility to control the usage of the mobile phones so that it can bring more advantages to the students especially in improving their education.
Conversely, there are other factors why mobile phones should not be allowed. This is because some students who do not have mobile phones will feel inferior compared to their rich friends who can afford smart phones. Additionally, handphones can be very distracting to the students because they will constantly want to look at their phones. Some examples are students become distracted when they play games, watch Youtube, make funny videos of their friends and teachers, cheat during examinations and so on. Ultimately, there are always two sides to a coin so we should realise and accept that there will be some disadvantages of allowing students to bring their phones to school.
In short, students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to school because handphones ease communication, allows students unlimited access to online information and the school authorities can still control the usage so normal lessons are not disrupted even though there are some disadvantages. I still absolutely agree that students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to school because it is a useful learning tool. I hope that the government through the Ministry of Multimedia and Communication should spearhead a comprehensive strategy to provide a solution by giving smartphones and providing free Wifi connection to all students in Malaysia.

Sample 2
Money is the most important thing in modern life.

           In this era of modernisation, money seems to be the most important thing in life. In fact, without money, life would be quite a torture because we would not be able to buy what we want including food, clothes or even afford a safe place to stay. People would do anything for money, hence the saying ‘Money is the root of all evil’. From my perspecctive, I totally disagree that money is the most important thing in modern life because we cannot survive on money alone. There are a few reasons for this, namely, family is by far more important in life (A1) followed by religion (A2) and good health (A3).
First and foremost, money is not the most important thing in modern life because family is much more important than money. This means that even though we are poor, we will still be able to survive with the support of our family members. Moreover, parents who love their children will work hard to earn money so that they can all live a better life. For example, we will always turn to and rely on our family members for support when there is a problem, accident, disaster and so on. Therefore, money is not the most important thing in modern life because family always comes first.
Secondly, a strong upbringing in religion is another factor why money is not the most important thing in life. This is because in times of problems and pain, each person normally turns to religion for support because a strong belief will give people strength to face all situations. In addition, it does not cost any money to have a good religious upbringing. For instance, parents can ensure that through religion, their children can differentiate black from white, bad from good and make the right choices in life, love, career, friends and many more. Thus, the keyword is ‘most’ and money is surely not the ‘most’ important because a family with a good religious background is by far more important than having money.
Last but not least, a final factor why money is not the most important thing in modern life is health is wealth and no amount of money can buy good health. The main reason for this is in comparison to money, health is definitely more important because if we do not have good health, life would be very hard to live to the fullest. Furthermore, good health is essential if we want to make money to support ourselves and our family. Take for example a person with good health can get a good job like being a pilot, teacher, doctor and others. Hence, without good health, money is meaningless and all the money earned will be spent on paying for doctor fees and medicine.
On the contrary, there are other factors why money is important in this modern life even though it is not the most important. This is because modern lifestyle is not cheap and there are many bills to be paid in order to survive. Additionally, we are no longer living in the era where we can build a house out of materials from the forest or plant food and hunt or gather in order to eat. Some examples of a modern life are we need money to buy a house or pay rent, purchase food and clothes, pay for school fees and buy books and stationery, travel, eat out in fancy restaurants or fast food outlets and so on. Ultimately, it cannot be denied that money is still very important but it is not the most important thing in this modern life.
In a nutshell, money is not the most important thing in our changing world today because family comes first, religion provides us a solid foundation and health is wealth even though there are some reasons why money is important for our survival in this modern world. I still absolutely think that money cannot be the most important thing in life because family, religion and health will always come first. I hope that the non-governmental organisations such as Sabah Women’s Association (SAWO) should organise an effective campaign to overcome materialism and teach the community that money is not everything by conducting ‘Family First’ talks and raising awareness on ‘Health is Wealth’.

How about you try to write using one of the topics in the outline provided above.. either agree or disagree. Good luck!

 

 

 

 

Let's Discuss

Let's Listen to their discussion

Journal Reflections

The blog MUETIRSHADWAY has been in the net since April, 2014. Now I have published 36 posts and 48 links; mostly on current issues.
The journey...well, it is all about emotion, passion, frustration and devotion. There is a lot of effort being put in the setting up of the blog and maintaining it. I have had some experience setting up a few blogs for my pre-university unit since 2010 but this one is particularly academic--the former ones were just reports.

The Road Not Taken

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;         5 Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,         10 And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.         15 I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.         20 the I have taken  road which spells hardship and frustration and hope that it turns out to be success and accomplishment. This blog is a legacy for Irshadians especially the sixth formers. I hope they would treasure what it has to offer or it will just be a heavenly piece of junk orbitting the net! __________________________________________________________________________ The Teacher and Unprescribed Duties 28 Jan 2015 Left my car at 7.07 in the morning and straight to the office, punched the card and switched on my lappy. The first duty was to check the 5S Organisation Chart, the 5S Guide Committee Chart, 5S Logo and the 5S objectives. And...there it went again, the printer was stuck again. Not a problem, Mr DIY is here. First, switch off the printer and then swith it on again. When the cartridge stops at the middle of the trough, then start the operation: Tadaa! The printer could be used now. Then, I have to make errands to several places to inform my subordinates for the 5S project--that would be a few hundred calories. No announcement, please! Phew! Finally got them all and just in time for my MUET class at 12.30 p.m. The class ended at 2.15 p.m. Knock! Knock! Knock! "There will be Academic Committee Meeting at 3.00 p.m. Attendance is compulsory! Let's reflect: 1. Punch the attendance card 2. Prepare the 5S Organization Chart 3. Repair the printer 4. Run errands 5. Attend class 6. Committee meeting Not bad for Mr Fantastic! Teaching takes just 1 out of 6 chores. Stupid question 1: a) Why don't you ask the technician to repair the printer? Stupid answers 1: a) That's your printer, you repair on your own, ma! b) I have better things to do, sir! Stupid question 2: a) Why not asking the office boy to do errands? Stupid answer 2: a) Sorry, sir. I have to deliver the relief slips to the teachers! b) Who's the boss? ________________________________________________________________________ The abstract for W.A.L.L. (Web-Assisted Language Learning) __________________________________________________________________________________ PRESENTATION OF RESEARCH PAPER, W.A.L.L by Mohd Rosli bin Saidin at Summit Hotel, KL 5 December 2014             Assalaamualaikum and a very good morning I bid to all present. What I am going to share with you today is just a very simple idea--it's about the internet and e-communication. But how do we harness the power of the net which is much simpler, much more practical and cheap?                     The web, yes the web ladies and gentlemen. I'll quote, an ex-college student from UK once said " Everything that I have learned in college is in Wikipedia". Well it must have hit the teaching and learning institution real bad! It's a reality. The internet is undeniably and extremely generous source of information, ladies and gentlemen! Do you agree if I say even among friends, you'll have some sessions of face-to face but later continue through sms or social network? In other words the relationship is further elaborated through e-communication. Even with friends, you would by any chance be talking about using google to find the location of say, Summit Hotel!                     It has become part of our daily routine--the internet is something that we could not afford to live a day without!! What if the teaching and learning institutions turn into an internet routine, just like ours? Even now, some of us are turning to the smart phone to access our what's apps for some information, right--while a paper is being presented!           Well, to certain extent, consulting the net has become part of our daily routine. It has become a trend in the US that teaching and learning happens actively through the net. Right here, in Malaysia? You and I will have to initiate it. __________________________________________________________________________ CONFERENCE/PRESENTATION OF RESEARCH PAPER AND POSTER FOR THE PRINCIPALS AND HEADMASTERS OF HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS, MALAYSIA. 5 DECEMBER 2014   Reflection:   Towards the end of the session, on the last day of the conference, I was expecting some discussion moderated by Dr Rohaya binti Hassan, the Deputy Director of Fully Residential and Excellent Schools Management Division. It did not happen. The following paragraph was what I had in mind to share with all the participants.   Dr  we are here for an event and it's done. Following this, I suggest would be a compilation of all the materials presented in detail, that is, a prospectus. I suggest that SBT should go a step further or should I say advertise ourselves that we are functioning as High Performing Schools in Malaysia.           My suggestions are:   A. have a website or a blog where we can:   i)   post our activities ii)  upload our research papers iii) set up relevant links iv) post newsletters   B. Produce our own newsletter which reports our activities to be shared by all schools         across  the nation. The contents could be:   i)    Events ii)   Research Papers iii)  Innovations iv)  opinions/suggestions by: Mohd Rosli bin Saidin Senior Assistant of Administration of Pre-University   ________________________________________________________________________________   PUSH HARD, REAL HARD!!!                                                          Push hard to head-start! by Mohd Rosli            Wondering how to head-start changing the climate of teaching and learning in the school? Pedagogy is a big boulder planted in the attitude domain of teaching and learning instructors which requires a lot of effort to move. Everybody in the school must understand that we have to apply a huge force in the same direction or else the boulder won't budge!           Likewise, we have to accept changes. Changes are usually painful and there are two types of pain; one which hurts you while the other changes you, for the better or the worse. But worse is better than worst! How do you know that it's going to be worse? Yet the worst is really the result of not willing to bear the pain of changes; no pain, no gain!           I understand that it isn't easy to accept changes. Changes come in tides and sometimes in waves. Waves will strike you flat if you don't start running. If you can't run ahead of the waves, then run with it. But if you kneel, you'll be washed away.           The choice is yours as the changes will come and greet or scare you. Sooner or later you will have to adapt to it. So, let's move; walk and then run--run for you life!   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     Running around with potentially sound ideas without sound responses!!! by Mohd Rosli          You're shouting out loud but people still ignore you!!! What are the reasons for this? I have been blogging for about four years with materials involving English Language for Pre-University students and even those in the lower and upper secondary levels. Why are they not responding much? The Publicising is not done? I did that quite often. In fact I have advertised the blogs by sending links to 'What's Application Groups'. But they seem to ignore them. I only have a few colleagues responding to the blogs. Even students ignore the blogs. I told them that the blog is 'ALL UNDER ONE ROOF'! Perhaps I should include catchy lines or headlines to draw the audience's attention. Perhaps the blog doesn't contain enough sensational elements which are current or trendy. But I have to abide by my principal---remain educational. I have to be more patient handling this kind of blog.   The Power of A Blog by Jason Falls Why are blogs such a powerful communications tool in the arsenal of a company? There are lots of reasons, really. But the explanation I’ve used that normally gives those who don’t quite understand blogging have their “ah-ha” moment is a simple one. To understand the power of a blog you have to compare it to something familiar. Think about your company newsletter. If you’re not that hip to blogging yet, your company newsletter is probably still printed and circulated in everyone’s box in the mailroom. Or maybe it’s mailed to everyone’s house. But in some form or fashion, some printed piece of information is circulated monthly or bi-weekly to everyone in the company. There are pictures of new hires, company softball team news, maybe even some tips and tricks articles for the sales team and a list of birthdays. Image via Wikipedia The problem with that mechanism of communication is that the information has a limited life cycle and, due to costs, the publication has a limited circulation. Only a few people can access it. With a blog, even if just focused on internal news, everyone, in or out of the company, can access it. There’s less hard cost to produce and adding news or information doesn’t add cost to the project. And the information can be updated on a whim, giving it a forever life cycle. Not to mention, the content can be more easily found thanks to the ubiquitous power of search. Those reasons alone make a blog a much more powerful communications mechanism — internally or externally — than a company newsletter. Capitalizing on that same analogy, though, think about how many company newsletters you’ve read that were interesting enough to want to read again. It’s a comparable medium, but not the same. With more power, comes more responsibility. It’s time companies grasped that and made their new newsletter, in whatever form, worth reading About the Author Jason Falls Jason Falls is a leading thinker, speaker and strategist in the world of digital marketing and is co-author of two books, No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide To Social Media Marketing and The Rebel's Guide To Email Marketing. By day, he leads digital strategy for Elasticity, one of the world's most innovative digital marketing and public relations firms. Follow him on Twitter (@JasonFalls).

Starting to Write an Essay

How to write topic sentences

Techniques for Writing: Writing Topic Sentences for Paragraphs

A paragraph is a sequence of sentences that cooperate in supporting one main point. Sometimes that point is so obvious that it doesn't need to be stated, but often a paragraph begins with a topic sentence that states the main point directly. Before you can write a topic sentence, you must decide what you want to say and what you don't want to say in your paragraph. In other words, you must first explore your starting topic and then select your limited topic. The next step is to make a statement about the limited topic. Keep these points in mind:

A starting topic is usually broad, stimulating many ideas.

A limited topic is narrow, connecting a few selected ideas.

A topic sentence makes a statement about the limited topic.

For example, study this progression:

Starting topic: Football

Limited topic: The role that football has played in my education

Topic sentence: If it hadn't been for football, I might never have taken school seriously.

Note: A topic sentence is always a complete sentence expressing an idea about the limited topic. It is not a title (What football means to me), or an explanation of the writer's plan (I am going to tell you about the role football played in my education.) The more clearly it focuses the reader's attention on the points covered by the paragraph that the writer wants to make, the better.

Exercise A: For each limited topic below, select the two items that could serve as topic sentences.

Limited topic: how to train a cat.

1. This paragraph is about how to train a cat.

2. Before a cat learns anything, it first teaches its owner a lesson in humility.

3. Everything you wouldn't have thought to ask about training a cat.

4. Training a cat takes physical stamina.

5. Animal training is a complicated subject.

"HOW TO TRAIN A CAT:"

    Possible topic sentences are #2 and #4. (#1 merely announces the writer's plan, #3 is a title and not a complete sentence, and #5 is too general.)

Limited topic: changes in patients as they settle into convalescent homes

1. Americans are learning how to grow old gracefully.

2. The outside world seems to shrink when seen through the window of a
   convalescent home.

3. Closing up a home and moving to a small room can make even an extrovert turn
   inward.

4. It is important to look at the changes in patients' attitudes as they settle
   into convalescent homes.

5. The increasing delight in daily conversation as patients become accustomed to
   life in a convalescent home.

"CHANGES IN PATIENTS:"

    Possible topic sentences are #2 & #3. (#1 is too general, not mentioning convalescent home, #4 relies too heavily on the vague word, "important," and #5 is not a complete sentence.)

Limited topic: scuba diving

1. The excitement of scuba diving.

2. My childhood fascination with scuba diving.

3. It is very interesting to experience scuba diving.

4. The sport of scuba diving has always excited me.

5. Since I was a child, I've been fascinated by scuba diving.

"SCUBA DIVING:"

    Possible topic sentences are #4 and #5. (#1 and #2 are not complete sentences and #3 relies on the vague word "interesting.")

Exercise B: Below are three sets of notes for developing the topic, the role football played in my education. For each one, select which topic sentence will fit the completed paragraph. Choose a, b, or c from the list above.

1.concentration to learn plays
  discipline to follow through
  flexibility when plan fails
  college classes painful at first
  college pressure like my JV year in HS

2.distractions from high school—social life, job, being cool
  best friends dropped out
  team solidarity, support, tutoring
  State Championship goal, whole school cared
  coach insisted on better than C average

3.coach's weird warm-up exercises
  visualizing ways to overcome hardship
  insistence on accuracy
  team meditations
  application of problem-solving tricks in daily life

1. b     2. c     3. a

MUET Irshadway Statistics (now known as roslimuetmegastation)

MUET Report Statistics from July, 2011 to November, 2013

Audience Statistics as at 27 January 2015

W.A.L.L. Project Report

Project Paper

Title:

To Enhance Teaching and Learning of  English for MUET

Using

W.A.L.L. (Web-Assisted Language Learning)

by:

Mohd Rosli bin Saidin

SMKA AL-IRSHAD

Pokok Sena, 13220 Kepala Batas

Pulau Pinang

                               

1. Introduction

a) Abstract

Teaching and Learning is an ever challenging experience in English classes, I would say. Both teachers and students seem to struggle to find the best ways to bring commitment and interest together. But it seems the only thing that sustains is commitment in trying to stay awake! Not only that, should the lesson lasts for two solid hours, then the teacher will start staring at the clock and wish the lesson would end. There is no doubt that the environment of teaching and learning should come to a compromise—both the presenter and the audience should benefit academically as well as emotionally.

Should we stick to the conventional chalk and talk, the objective of the lesson might not be achieved. Due to this problem, I have suggested an approach where the platform of the whole business is the web; that is a web-based teaching and learning method. Living in the world of information technology, I can see that the benefit of learning online as an option is indispensable. Online learning is not only a supplementary, it can be a complementary to the existing approach.

This approach exploits the students’ interest—the passion of logging on to websites, the joy of interacting with media and the convenience of learning flexibility. In other words, you need not force the students to work—just tell them what to do and the magic will do the rest! This time around the master does not have to bring the horse to the river and force it to drink as it is already there and ready to drink! Exploiting the students’ interest in getting their co-operation to learn the way they like to do things is an assumed credit.

b)

i) Definition

This project aims at using the web as an alternative source of information. Why the web? The web contains amazing volume of information waiting to be tapped by the users at the accuracy of their purpose or request. The intended instrument here is the blog. http://muetirshadway.blogspot.com/ is the platform for pre-university students to experience what online education is all about.

            Besides supplying direct information, the blog provides some links for the students to visit other websites without opening another homepage. The links should cater to the needs and nature of their studies, which must be relevant and user-friendly.

            The learning style of the students in schools should match their interest. The old method of paper-cutting articles could be a history against copy, paste and edit of the W.A.L.L. type. Who would bother to take the trouble of looking for the articles, cut them out and then design a lesson according to the headlines or what the teacher or students had gathered. Teachers should come out with the lesson plan first and then proceed to looking for the materials needed to support the lesson which means that the web is much more versatile medium to use.

            The net serves our needs specifically. Search is based on the words or phrases keyed in. The specific information is therefore obtained in a matter of minutes or even seconds! This is proven when I was coaching the school debates team. The moment they received the motion, internet was their first consultation.

            The main point here is, the web serves as the powerhouse of knowledge which could be consulted at anytime, anywhere—a strength which we should not do away with.

 ii) Project Focus/Issue—a reflection

The programme is carried out to meet the requirements of Form 6 AR (Lower Six) who are mostly low achievers in SPM. They are very different from the mainstream students of SMKA Al-Irshad. They lack confidence in both speaking and writing. Their vocabulary is very limited and irrelevant to the level of English that they should have acquired to sit for MUET. I would want to teach them all the relevant words in describing trends or discuss current issues. But both they and I just do not have enough time to be together—the breach of formal time-table or instructional time by all the events annually scheduled by the school plus the ones organised by the state education department is giving us acute time constraints.

So, how do I came up with an approach where we can interact more and most importantly at any time we choose? That happened only three months ago when I was waiting for my wife and kids doing their shopping on one weekend. I was watching a young girl who was texting on a cellphone. She was so preoccupied with the on-air session with her correspondent. What if that is supposed to be her teacher or classmate? I am not suggesting that we should snatch her weekend away from her family and friends just to contact her teacher! What a cruel thing to do. But what if she likes to do so, voluntarily over the cellphone? I am now suggesting that we exploit her interest—that is substituting her friends with the teacher and her classmates over the smart phone at her own will!

Everybody’s life nowadays is all-the-web stuff—be it the mother, the kids or just anyone. So, why don’t we exploit this round-the-clock interest to draw the kids to their lessons? Well, that’s my answer; the web and the gadgets!

So, I started on setting up a blog, creating all the necessary links to help them meet their goal; acquiring as many words as possible through reading and discussion. Extensive reading is vital in the students’ life so I drew their attention to reading online. Besides reading, questions were also posted up the bog for weekend assignments. Apart from the blog-based activity, the students were also drawn to a group forum where they could discuss their problems over social links like What’s App instantly which is regularly joined by the teachers.

c) Project Objectives

i. It enables access to numerous and varied information.

ii. Information is up-to-date.

iii. Information can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

iv. It is self-accessed which means students are not bounded by certain schedule as in the traditional
     classrooms.

v. Students can be instructed via the web and they could send their
    assignments through e-mail.

vi. Students could interact with teachers on-line, that is through:

    a) Writing comments on the blog

    b) Interacting among themselves and teachers in the group through What’s Application and other
        social applications.

vii. Students could correct their mistakes faster and more effectively through the blog and social
      applications.

viii. Interaction between teachers and students is more flexible—can be
       carried out after school hours as needed.

ix. The teacher could choose to guide the students individually after formal lessons without meeting
     face-to-face or it could even be done while the teacher or the student are on their way in an express
     bus or taxi to Kuala Lumpur!

x. Students could revise their lessons after school hours and anywhere
     they wish.

d) Is Web-Based Language Learning method effective in teaching and learning?

Yes, this method is extremely helpful as an alternative to solve many problems in classrooms. The blog will serve as the main hub for teaching and learning. All information obtained from or through the blog may be discussed further on the computer via the social applications like What’s Application, Telegram or the less dynamic ones like Facebook or Twitter on the cell-phone. The teacher or instructor could choose to interact with his students in groups or individually in private at the chosen or desired time. The correction of mistakes could be done instantly online. Many participants could discuss in a single group chat meaning that some problems could be solved in the virtual presence of at least 50 members at a time! Students could also load or send their assignments via e-mail or simply through social application. How the assignment is going to be sent will be decided by the students or the teachers.

e) Significance of project

This project was initiated to help students who are vocabulary impaired. These students were mostly low achievers in ‘O’ Level English (SPM). To start building up their vocabulary from the very beginning will take a huge effort, time-consuming and might be implausible. Within six months of hard work, success is not guaranteed. The areas to touch in diction is so huge. So, it is wiser and more logical to focus on the relevant words. The blog, as a source of information helps the students to access the net conveniently. The blog with all the relevant links will provide sufficient and accurate compilation of words they need. Apart from that, the students will be assigned with questions and tasks which will help them understand and consolidate their understanding through the web-assisted learning programme. Besides the ideal and interesting learning using the blog, the students get the opportunity to interact with each other through social application like ‘What’s Apps’. So, the subject matter will be often touched by them.

2. Literature Reviews

i) WEB ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING (WALL) AND LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (LMS) IN VIRTUAL CENTRES FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGES

German Ruiperez

Abstract

The Web has had different uses in the teaching of modern languages: (a) as a source of resources: In a very short time, the Web has become the largest source of resources for the learning of any foreign language; (b) as a window of multimedia applications (in this way CD-ROM is replaced by the Web as the main means of storage of multimedia applications.); and (c) as an e-learning platform.

For an institution to create a Virtual Centre for Foreign Language Learning, certain software must be installed in a computer connected to the Internet. This software is called a Learnig Management Systein (LMS). Apart from the basic functions of the majority of the LMS, we should mention the advanced functions of the LMS: voice chats, digital television channel. mobile telephone services.

WAP complementary services and access to the LMS through electronic pocket diaries (PDA). There are many comparative studies of LMS, carried out by consultants, specialist magazines, etc. Despite the proliferation of comparative studies of LMS. they have hardly considered the specific features of CALL software, in which the functions that pronote sound interaction should be more advanced. On the other hand, the subject of standards Iias become relevant. It is logical that the user who introduces contents into a given LMS would want the guarantee of being able to use those contents within another LMS.

Keywords

Web Assisted Language Learning (WALL); Learning Management Systems (LMS); Virtual Centre for Foreign Languages; Web Based Training (WBT); Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL); e-learning

ii) EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

Going to the MALL: Mobile Assisted Language Learning

George M. Chinnery

University of Maryland Baltimore County

Introduction

In August 2004, Duke University provided free iPods to its entire freshman class (Belanger, 2005). The following month, a Korean education firm offered free downloadable college entrance exam lectures to students who purchased an iRiver personal multimedia player (Kim, 2004). That October, a financial trading firm in Chicago was reportedly assessing the hand-eye coordination of traders’ using Game Boys (Logan, 2004). Yet while such innovative applications abound, the use of technology in education and training is far from new, a fact as true in language classrooms as it is in medical schools. Practically since their availability, a succession of audio-visual recording devices (e.g., reel-to-reel, VCRs, PCs) has been used to capture language samples, and myriad playback and broadcast devices (e.g.,phonographs,radios, televisions) have provided access to authentic speech samples. The espousal of audio-lingual theory in the 1950s brought the widespread use of the language laboratory in educational settings(Salaberry, 2001).Influenced by behaviorism, the lab was progressively replaced in the 1960s by drill-based computer-assisted instruction, which decades later was itself surpassed by a more intelligent, interactive and multimedia computer-assisted language learning. The popular acceptance of the Internet in the 1990s advanced the development of computer-mediated communications.

As technologies continue to evolve, so does their propensity to shrink in size. "Other technologies that hold the capacity for language learning include PDAs, multimedia cellular phones, MP3 players, DVD players, and digital dictionaries" (Zhao, 2005, p. 447). Such portable media—referred to in popular and scholarly literature as mobile, wireless, handheld or nomadic—are now social staples. Mobile learning, or m-learning, is a burgeoning subdivision of the e-learning movement, further evidenced by European initiatives such as m-learning and Mobile arn.In this paper, applied fusions of m-learning and language learning follow, after which their benefits and challenges are reviewed.

iii) Research Article

An overview of mobile assisted language learning: From content delivery to supported
             collaboration and interaction

Agnes Kukulska-Hulmea1 and Lesley Shielda2

The Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, UK (email: A.M.Kukulska-
              Hulme@open.ac.uk) Independent E-learning Consultant, UK (email:
              lesley.shield@yahoo.co.uk)

Abstract

Mobile learning is undergoing rapid evolution. While early generations of mobile learning tended to propose activities that were carefully crafted by educators and technologists, learners are increasingly motivated by their personal learning needs, including those arising from greater mobility and frequent travel. At the same time, it is often argued that mobile devices are particularly suited to supporting social contacts and collaborative learning - claims that have obvious relevance for language learning. A review of publications reporting mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) was undertaken to discover how far mobile devices are being used to support social contact and collaborative learning. In particular, we were interested in speaking and listening practice and in the possibilities for both synchronous and asynchronous interaction in the context of online and distance learning. We reflect on how mobile language learning has developed to date and suggest directions for the future.

Keywords

MALL; m-learning; collaboration; distance learning; independent learning

  

3. Methodolgy

 A. Project Strategies—the blog

i) To establish a teaching-learning blog:

a) serves to impart information to students in the web

b) access is not limited to time or situation

c) sources of information is unlimited

d) quality of information is varied and monitored

e) links could be added anytime

ii) To design the blog

a) simple and organized (consists of posts and links)

b) layout could be changed occasionally

iii) To run the blog

a) the administrator will update the blog weekly

b) the material or information is classified and edited

c) the links are set up on choice and certification basis

d) class or subject instructions may be included in a few appointed posts

e) specifically appointed e-mail could be used as an assignment box

iv) To assess the blog

a) the visitors counter and comments will supply the rating

b) data in the live traffic feeds

B. Class Instructions

i) The topics are taught as usual through hand-outs or selected texts

a) The usual style of teaching and learning using printed materials

b) The students will react actively by jotting important points and pose questions

ii) Refer to the blog for relevant information

a) Students access the blog to search for relevant information from the blog articles or the links.

b) Students start to respond actively to what the web has to offer.

c) They are free to download, edit, copy and paste as required by the tasks.

iii) Interact actively through the social application

a) Interact with group members after school hours—the students are not allowed to bring along their
    cell-phones to school.

b) To try solving problems through their interaction with friends and teachers in the social apps.

C. Data Collection and Analysis                      

This is not meant for scientific process. The collection and analysis of data is to monitor the effectiveness of the programme and to see if there are some needs for intervention programmes.

4. Programme outcomes and implication

a) Programme outcomes and Implication

This programme is carried out to ensure active participation from the students in teaching and learning sessions. It will enhance the positive attitude towards second language learning. The programme will also heighten their confidence in using the language at their own pace and fancy. The change in behaviour and attitude towards English is something to celebrate! The students are now seen to voice their opinions in a manner they had not done before—louder and more confident!

5. Conclusion

This project was initiated with a meagre budget. The outcome seems to ridicule the small investment. The result is one of frantic joy and excitement. At least, our once unconfident, scared and shy students are now louder and bolder.

6. REFERENCES

a) Clinch, B.J. (1999). WEB ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING. In B. Collis & R. Oliver (Eds.),
    Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and
   Telecommunications 1999 (pp. 1334-1335). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

b) Agnes Kukulska-Hulme : Will mobile learning change language learning?, ReCALL / Volume 21 /
    Issue 02 / May 2009, pp 157 – 165

c) Ki Chune Nah, Peter White and Roland Sussex: The potential of using a mobile phone to access the
    Internet for learning EFL listening skills within a Korean context, ReCALL / Volume 20 / Issue 03 /
    September 2008, pp 331 – 347

d) David Little : Language, Autonomy and the New Learning Environments, Douglas Allford and
     Norbert Pachler. Bern: Peter Lang, 2007. 287 Pages. ISBN: 978-3-03-910567-0. Price: €58.40,
     ReCALL / Volume 20 / Issue 03 / September 2008, pp 380 – 381

e) WU Hui-qi,XU Ting(Science and Technology College of NCHU,Nanchang 330034,China);The
     Application of Multimedia Technology in College English Teaching[J];Computer Knowledge and
     Technology;2008-06