The influence of parents, teacher, school administrator, school cleaner and

friends in the struggles of a student in an immersion programme.

• Giving supports before the examinations.

Parents

• Try to develop students' English language

learning.
Teacher

• Try to give up the students who fail in the

School exam.
administrator

• Encourage the student to study hard.

School cleaner

• Despise him 100% fails in exam.

• Laugh at him.
Friends • Give strength to him.

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The challenges faced by teachers in developing students’ speaking skills in
English.

Syllabus of curriculum

Traditional methods of language instrustion

The discrepancy between teachers'belief and

classroom intrustions

The students' low profiency level

Dilemma faced in the teaching of oral

communication

Demands of the examinations

Different perceptions between teachers and

learners

Students' preferences for communicative activities

were higher than the instrustors' belief

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Task 3: Writing an essay in about 300 words stating your opinion about the statement of
the mismatch between teachers’ beliefs and curriculum that has an impact in the poor
communicational skills in English among students.

In my opinion, I’m strongly agree that the statement of the mismatch between teachers’ belief and
curriculum that has an impact in the poor communicational skills in English among students.
According to the article provided, teachers’ belief as the most important skill in helping students
learns the language is speaking. Our school curriculum focus on is to prepare students for exam
purpose. This seems to be a discrepancy between what the teacher believe and what they
practice in class. Teachers are left with limited choice to empahasis their language teaching,
because they have to follow the syllabus of curriculum. What teacher can do is just prepare their
students in writing and grammar to do well in the exam. This mismatch will cause an impact in
the poor communicational skills in English among students.

First and foremost, students lack of speaking in the class. Through speaking, teacher can
notice the true or false in grammar among students. When the teachers know the problems of
students, they can spend more time to develop students’ communication skills instead of focusing
on teaching of grammar. On the other hand, the students that speak fluent in English can build
up the confidence of a student. Moreover, they will speak more in class and share their thought
while having a discussion. The interaction between teacher and students have to be balance and
this will improve the communication skill of students.

On top of that, learner’ beliefs of language learning will toward reading and writing if
teacher always focus on the curriculum. The students will only focus on the grammar learning and
the ways to write an essay because they think that oral is not an important part if they want score
a higher marks in English examination. This is the reason why a student can score a higher marks
than other in the examination but they are not proficient in the oral communication skills, especially
English. When students are graduate, they actually forget the importance of English language
communication skills where applied for a good job must equipped with the competency in English.

Besides that, English is not our native language but it is very significant because it is the
international language. Academic publications, medicine, science and technology, economics

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and business use English as the leading language. Therefore, teacher has to communicate with
student by using English. We can only through speaking to improve ourselves and learn how
others are speaking. We have to learn from the mistakes people does and find our own weakness
instead to find an effective way to correct it and not to do it again.

In conclusion, learning English is not an easy task for all of us as second language learner.
Practice make prefect, we are not familiar with many terms and words, so we have to improve
ourselves with exercise speaking. My suggesttions is the syllabus of curriculum should be
emphasized. The ministry of education should not put so much weightage on writing in the
examination. As we know, communication makes learning easier, helps students achieve goals,
increases opportunities for expanded learning, strengthens the connection between student and
teacher, and creates an overall positive experience.

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Task 4: Write a description in 700 words on how to be an effective teacher based on your
experience as a second language learner.

What makes a good English teacher? Students, their parents or society, but, first of all, future
English teacher have his answer to this question. The point is that all people consider an English
teacher that with a competent level of English skill is a good language teacher. There are a
common misconception about English teaching. My native language is Malay, and English is my
second language (ESL). As a second language learner, I’ll try to express my opinion in this essay,
how to be an effective teacher especially English teacher. Actually, an effective teacher qualities
are similar with the general qualities of a good teacher.

I think everybody will agree with the fact, that a good teacher, just like any other subject
teacher, should have a talent and love to the process of teaching in general. In order to become
a really effective English teacher, he needs to love teaching and have a talent to languages. In
fact, people become teachers even if it was not their plan, because sometimes talent and love to
teaching comes with time. I really appreciate teachers who are truly passionate about teaching.
There are many skills and techniques that can make a teacher effective.

To be an effective teacher, you should have imaginative. A teacher who is imaginative

can do wonders in the English class. They can develop student’s creative and self-expression.
Teachers who are imaginative explore and create new things can make students take lively
participation in the class. Albert Einstein says that imagination is more important than knowledge.
Education should do more than simply transmit information, moreover it should develop skills
such as imagination that evolve our knowledge. Teachers who are imaginative can teach any
language skill effectively.

Another skills in helping a teacher become effective is attitude. Many people believe that
the teacher’s personality is the most critical factor in successful teaching. If teachers have warmth,
empathy, sensitivity, enthusiasm, and humor, they are much more likely to be successful than if
they lack these characteristics. I definitely believe that true. As I think back when I learn English
in high school, the teachers who had the most pleasant personalities inspired me to want to
learn. Their personalities made such a huge difference when teaching because it made the class

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so much more fun and enjoyable. A teacher’s attitude will have a positive outlook and being a
role model for students will help with the learning process. After all, attitudes are important to be
an effective teacher.

In addition of that, an effetive English teacher do not neglect the teaching of listening. It
is the opinion of many ESL experts that listening is the most important skills to teach students.
While listening to each other and to the teacher will improve student’s overall listening ability. As
much as posibble, a good ESL teacher should try to expose their students to authentic English in
variety of situations. The best way to do this and the most realistic is through videos, but no
subtitiles. Listening to audio cassettes in the classroom also can improve listening ability, but
videos are much more motivating and culturally loaded.

Therefore, an effective ESL teacher also need to teach phonetics in class. Teachers
should teach the more important aspects of pronunciation, but don't only teach the students with
minimal pair drills that cannot be applied to real communication. They don't really understand the
meaning of any of those minimal pairs you teach anyway, do they? A more rational approach
would be to teach pronunciation in context, as necessary. For example, if you are teaching a
section on health, teach syllable stress with sickness words: fever, headache, backache, earache,
constipation. When we teach phonetics in class, we must choose the words or sentences that
students can be applied in their life.

The last skills to be an effective teacher is make sure your students understand what you
teach. Don’t speak and write too quickly. The teachers should give them some time to listen,
understand, copy things down so that students don’t miss the given information. Besides,
teachers must help them absord the lessons, and encourage them to make connections between
topics and outside of class so that they can more fully understand the lessons. For example,
today lesson is about occupation, you can ask them what their parent’s occupation is, what
occupation that students know, and what occupation they want to do while be adults. This can
make sure all the students involve in your activities and understand the lessons that you teach.

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 Lastly, as anyone can tell, becoming an effective teacher is not easy. It takes a lot of skills,
patience, passion, and hard work. The English teachers who are imaginative, have good attitude
and effective teaching skills can be sucessful in the field. I believe that with these skills can
change the lives of students as second language learner, provide them with new knowledge. I
hope one day all second language learners able to communicate or to speak in English for their
real life purpose.

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References

Sheen, Ron. (1994). "A Critical Analysis of the Advocacy of the Task-Based Syllabus," TESOL
Quarterly 28 (1): 127.

Hadaway, N., Vardell, S., Young, T. (2009). What Every Teacher Should Know About English-
Language Learners. Inc. Boston: Pearson Education.

Haynes, J. (2007). Getting Started with English-Language Learners: How Educators Can Meet
the Challenge. Alexandria: ASCD.

Hill, J., Flynn, K. Classroom. (2006). Instruction that Works with English-Language Learners.
Alexandria: ASCD.