Teaching Listening

             Listening is receptive language skill besides reading. The goal of teaching listening is to help students maximize their strategies in listening to improve their comprehension. This skill becomes one of ability which is tested in some international English test, such as TOEFL, IELTS, etc. if teachers only teach listening intensively in the class, I’m sure it will spend much time as each students has different capability in applying the strategies. Therefore, teachers need to motivate students to learn listening extensively. They can listen news, songs, tips or many things from media, such as radio, podcast, sound cloud, etc.

But if we let them too free to choose their extensive listening, I’m worry that they will be not serious here. Teachers need to be creative in recording some important things that students need to achieve. Don’t be worry to make them bored as teachers can have a vote to decide what topic they want to listen and make them interest. Teachers can record it using mobile phone or anther recording software, such as Audacity. This software provides not only to record our voice in good quality but also to edit it perfectly. Here, I will give you a Tutorial how to use Audacity.Audacity Tutorial

Teachers’ recording can be uploaded in Podcast.com or Soundcloud.com as they are one of the easiest voice link that can be accessed.Souncloud Tutorial Therefore, students can listen what the teachers upload whenever they want. Don’t forget to give students’ task to evaluate their progress in listening. 

Here is the example of soundcloud Culture Shock

Teaching Reading

            Reading is one of language skill that include as receptive skill. It means that this skill is students’ ability to absorb knowledge by using their eyes from a text. Teaching reading seems so bored since the students only sit down and read a text then the teacher will evaluate their understanding by giving questions, etc. Even if technology has given to us some ideas to improve teachers’ creativity to teach reading, the teachers cannot move from this traditional method.

Comic is one of alternative way to make reading class be more interesting. It is not just about text but it includes some pictures so that the students will be not bored to read even if the story is so long. We know that comic has many fanatic fans today. So that in this chance, I want share some websites that allow you to make your personal comic that can adjust the topic that you will teach. This is the example of my own comic.

Do not feel confuse how to make this amazing comic. Here I will give you a tutorial to make your own wonderful comic using Pixton.com. "Comic Pixton Tutorial" You can use another websites such as Toondoo.com, etc.

Teaching Writing

                Writing is one of productive language skill that must be learned by students competently. For me, it may be one of the toughest jobs a teacher faces, especially for teachers in EFL classroom. Effective teaching writing takes so much time: time to practice, time to share writing, time to revise writing, and time to respond and evaluate all of that writing. Many teachers try to avoid teaching writing as it takes a lot of time. In addition, they need to reach all target materials in the curriculum in just a short time. I’m sure in this part, teachers will be frustrated.

                But now, technology can save us. We just need to be aware with technology so it can facilitate us everything that we need with its’ application. Google, as we know, is the most popular search engine. But beside that function, Google provides many things which is very helpful for teachers. One of them is Google Drive. Teachers can use Google Drive for teaching writing media. They can ask students to do collaborative writing by evaluating each others, adding information, etc. This activity will not need to spend much time in the class as students can do it outside the class with Wi-Fi connection. Just give them a deadline to produce a specific theme writing and teachers can evaluate it online. Click this link "Google Drive Tutorial" to know how to start the collaborative writing using Google Drive.