Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Blended Learning and Role Playing by Syahyar Ridhana Putra

Blended Learning is a teaching method which combines study in classroom and internet so that the result is  anew method where the process of learning that should be apply in the classroom where teacher and students meet changed to a learning process where both teacher and students can be everywhere but they meet through internet.  This method is a new method and maybe not familiar with Indonesian teachers.

Although the system of the learning process does not insist teacher and students meet directly in the same place, but they still also can meet by using internet so that both teacher and students can freely determine place and time to study. The another advantages of this method is the students can memorize the material longer because the materials are given by creative way. Besides that, students become more attractive to study because internet is an interesting thing for students.

The presenter should benefit audience’s curiosity towards this method which make internet as the media to study. Yet, in fact, the presenter explained the material very limited, only conveyed the definition and the advantages. Whereas, I personally think that there are still may aspects that the presenter must explain such as teacher and students’ role, rules, disadvantages, obstacles, how to assess, etc.

Second method which is presented by presenter is Role Playing. This method is also easy to understand because it is very familiar to be used by teacher in all ages of students. Role Playing can be described as a teaching method where the students participate directly in the material process of the learning. This surely very effective to students to memorize the material. 

This method is appeared because generally students feel bored with the class where teacher reads the material and students only listen and write the explanation. Moreover, the class condition is not effective because the interaction between student and teacher is low and students are passive, But, by applying this method, all students have the same opportunity to participate in imaginative and creative learning. But one thing must be noted, this method insist teacher to create creative situation and atmosphere and not all material of target language can be explained by using role playing.

In general, Syahyar’s presentation about Role Playing method is good and can be easily understood. The presenter was very creative in making his power point, interesting, short and brief. There is only one lack from his presentation, although he made a simulation, by giving some words and ask audiences to act as the words, but I personally thought that this simulation was not effective to describe how a role play apply in classroom. It would be better if he made a narrative text and make a role playing from the text. Or he also can made a dialog about question tags and ask some students to be the participants. I personally thought that it will be more effective to describe a role playing in the classroom because it is related to the material. But in the conclusion of this review, I can reveal that his presentation is good.

Task Based Instruction and Textbook Assignment by Eva Ratna Sari

Task Based Instruction (TBI) is a method special to teach language. Actually it is a traditional method. TBI provides students with task, from structure until vocabularies. In TBI, the role of task is really important so that Ramirez make some specification to task namely the task must have clear content and purpose. Besides that, teacher must clearly in giving instruction how the task is accomplished.

TBI have many advantages namely this method is suitable to teach language and can be combined to another traditional method. However, there are also some obstacles to apply this method namely teacher is insist to be creative and initiative. Students are expected to have high motivation in studying. Then, students sometimes do not feel comfort when they have to do their task outdoor.

The next method which was presented by Eva is Textbook assignment. In this method, textbook is the most important thing that the students must own. The textbook become a guidance for teachers in teaching the lesson. The obstacles of this method is the disability in providing the students textbook. Not all school can give their students textbook. Students forget to bring textbook or lazy to open textbook while studying can also become problems.

I personally still do not really understand both TBI or Textbook Assignment method because the materiala were explained by the presenter are limited so that I do not imagine these method apply in classroom yet. Moreover, the presenter looked do not enough understand about the materials.

Content Based Instruction by Mulyananda Yani

CBI is one method which is the aim is to teach language from instruction. This method comes from Grammar Translation Method, Audio-Lingual Methodology and vocabulary.

In this method, teachers can choose the material as their students’ interest. Subsequently teacher can ask students to make group and share information about according to teacher’s instruction. The last stage, students present their work.

Although this is difficult method to be understood and I cannot imagine how this material apply in classroom yet, actually this method have some advantages which will be a lack of teacher if does not know and apply this method. First, this method offer students an interesting class so that it can motivate students to study. Second, students can develop their knowledge. But there are also some disadvantages of this method. First, teacher is insisted to be more creative in finding the materials and source of information. After that, the use of native language will make the learning process is not maximal and not effective. The last, many instructions make students confused.

Generally, the presenter is good at presenting her presentation but she looked as if doubt about her material, whereas she can master the material. Her attitude makes her presentation did not maximal at the end.

Communicative Language Teaching by Farizal Fadil

According to its name, this method really emphasizes the communication and interaction in learning process. Teacher uses this method to develop students’ ability in communication.

In this method, teacher role as facillitator who establishes a good condition to communicate, supervise and control and answer all students’ questions. Meanwhile students role in communication each other, transferring information with using spoken language that can be easily understood by others.

CLT method have some advantages namely students obtain comfortable and friendly condition that can motivate them to study. Then, students can study quickly without memorizing process because it emphasizes the ability to communicate, not to memorize. After that, by often drilling, then students can increase their accuracy and fluency in using target language.

Although it seemed easy, but the presenter looked do not have many materials to explain, the slides are not completed and he seemed speechless so that he fast end his presentation.