TEACHING METHODS: A GUIDE FOR LECTURERS

            The book entitles “English for Computer: Communication skills in ICT” is designed to achieve the learners’ ability for communication. However, to achieve these goals, lecturers are not suggested only concerned about speaking skills because all basic English skills are interdependent. Learners who enrolled in speaking classes, for example, would also learn how to listen, write, and read because they are interconnected among others. Thus, this book contains integrated language skills.

As English is considered difficult and uninteresting, most learners face challenges when learning this compulsory subject. Thus, as lecturers or teachers, of course, our duty is not only to deliver this material. We have to encourage and motivate the learners to love English and keep positive thinking. Therefore, building the learners’ motivation as a mental defense is the first strategy to teach English for computers. 

Next, teachers or lecturers should create a comfortable atmosphere in the classroom. It is introduced by Talkative and Interesting Classroom (TIC) activities (Pratiwi, 2021). This book consists of six chapters, which are started by teaching guidelines in each chapter.

Each chapter is divided into two meetings. While, each session has its’ stages, target focus, activities experiences, and time allocation. The author provides these guidelines as the reference to do the learning process, which the users can follow or adjust with the learning condition and their own creativity.

To achieve the learning goals, some inputs can be distributed to the learners, such as teaching speaking through reading practice, teaching speaking through listening practice, teaching speaking through a writing exercise, teaching communicating through visual material, etc. Specifically, this book is taught by distributing reading materials related to computers as the input. The reading materials are then created into some activities. 

Teaching Speaking through Reading Material

To master English for communication goals, teachers or lecturers can design the above activities by starting from understanding the reading text. Indirectly, giving reading texts could improve learners’ vocabulary mastery and result in better pronunciation.

In the reading text, there are many words in bold. They are the terms related to computers and ICT. The bold words indicate that they need special attention. In the first activity, the teachers or lecturers can apply the drilling method. Students are required to read silently two or three times. After that, the teachers or lecturers instruct the learners to read the text loudly in turns. Each student read one to two paragraphs and would return to read after the last student had finished reading. The activity of reading aloud is carried out in three rounds. After that, the whole class, both lecturers and students, can discuss the storyline, look for meanings in bold words, and pronounce them well.

Furthermore, the activity can be developed into the speaking area by discussing, drawing conclusions, or verbally answering reading questions. These activities further enlivened the classroom atmosphere because students moved from one place to another and talked from one pair to others because the actions are carried out in couples or groups. At the end of the activity, several students are randomly asked to retell the reading content individually.

Overall, the learning experience will be better when it is started by greeting students, giving ice breaking, and stimulating students’ motivation. Then, closing the class by giving conclusions, delivering thanks, or appreciating the students for the excellent attention, and sending warm regard to students to establish a good rapport with them.

 

Source:

Pratiwi, W. R. (2021). EFL Learners’ Motivations and Speaking Learning Strategies in an English Village-based Immersion Program at kampung Inggris Pare (Unpublished Doctoral thesis), State University of Makassar, Indonesia.