Learning Log, week 2(June 11, 2013)

           Today is the second week of learning on June 10, 2013 in classroom English subject. There is presentation of each group about “Teaching Method.” Beginning of class, a teacher tells the rule of the presentation, including preparedness, speaking so clearly and having no missed word, posture and contrast, using completed words easier to understand. In addition, there are four topics in presentation-meaning of teaching method, principle, how to teach and application. There are three teaching methods presented today; belief, content-based learning and problem-based learning.

           The first teaching method presented is belief of teaching. The teacher believes that which teaching method is best for needs in learning of students and how to appropriately arrange a classroom with the students. These principles refer to giving examples of attitude, preparing presentation of thought and designing the interaction between the students with the students or the students with the teacher. The students can speak English well after learning grammatical structures as an example by using communicative approach. If the teachers want to teach the large group, they should use co-operative approach because the students with the teacher can interact all the class.

           The second teaching method is content-based learning focused on teaching by using the content on which the students are interesting mostly. For example, the teacher gives the students some worksheets and describes them until they deeply understand about “Past simple Tense”. After that, the teacher gives them to do homework by writing on paper in a topic “How about your last holiday?” by using grammatical structures of past tense correctly. The teacher can teach the students to apply English knowledge with the other subject. For example, the students can apply past simple tense with historical subject in summarizing about WAR I or WAR II that happened in previous era.

             Problem-based learning is the third teaching method presented for this class. It is usually used to teach in science subject as case study. It is interesting teaching method focused on the main problem in motivation the students to learn effectively. They can search therefore new knowledge or experience by themselves and work in pair. There are seven steps in learning, including 1. Clarifying unfamiliar terms 2. Problem definition 3. Brainstorming 4. Analyzing the problem 5. Formulating learning issues 6. Self-study and 7. Reporting. This approach can be applied with the other subject about to save world save life by “reduce, reuse, and recycle.”

           Above all, the teaching methods mostly are better for learning of the students. It is application problem with what the students have learned. Furthermore, they can help together to brainstorm new idea to solve each problem that they are facing. English teachers can use problem-based learning in teaching English. I think that every teaching approach is good for instruction depending on application with need and interesting of individual learners and another factor. Do you agree with each teaching approach all above? What do you think about them? How do you apply with your teaching?