Needs analysis with low proficiency students

Hi Friends,

This year I have to teach a weak form 3 class, 3 Jujur. Counting from A to J, this would  be the 10th class. There are 32 students in the class. The first time I entered the class, I always ask the students the English marks they scored for last year's final examination. This, for me can give me the general idea of the students' proficiency level.

Next, I will initiate a discussion in the class to see how well the students can speak. If they refuse to speak, each of them will have to stand up, introduce themselves to the class and give a little information about their background(Typical, I know). Class streaming is done every year in my school, so this activity actually helps the students to get to know one another. 

I found out that the students could not converse in English although they could understand me sometimes. When I started the lesson for that day, I made some of the students to stand up and read a text. To my surprise, I have a student who could not read at all. All he was saying was "Saya tak tahu bacalah cikgu." I persuaded him. Not wanting him to feel embaressed, I stood next to him, I helped him by whipering the word one by one and he repeated after me loudly for the class to hear. Well, that was for the first day, with one of the students.

In the next lesson, I asked the class to prepare 4 exercise books for English. One of the Malay boys behind was making some noise, trying to attract my attention. It turned out to be that he has not bought any exercise book at all for the year. Well, I let him off this time, but I warned him that he better be ready with the 4 books next time. 

Two days later, I saw the boy (Hafizi) at the school canteen with the discipline teacher. When Hafizi left, I asked En. Hairi what was the boy's problem? Well, he turned out to be a son of a security guard who often beats him until his head bleeds (seriously!). Drinking pipe water is a norm since he has no money to buy drinks. And here I am asking him to buy 4 books for English? What was I thinking?

When I saw Hafizi again in my class, I asked him, "Kalau saya bagi awak buku budak yang sudah pindah boleh tak? Awak tukar nama kat depan, buku tu elok lagi." I was worried if he was offended. But, he looked at me and said, "Boleh lah cikgu". And guess what, since then, he never misses to hand-in his book to me and he completes all his work. (Later I went to MYdin to get a set of exercise books for him).

The point of this story is that, without realizing it, some of the things that I had done with my class are a part of needs analysis research. Getting to know the students' proficiency level and background really help teachers into the heart of the students. And mind you, my needs analysis research will not end here with 3 Jujur. Later, I need to find out the different aspects of language that need to be improved and on and on....

Love Letters and Needs Analysis

So I decided to ask my students who are the new batch - foundation - 1st sem - to write me a love letter. Well, I did the same thing before - when I was teaching in INTEC. And my concern was to get to know what do the students need, what do they expect to get from me and what are they lack of so that I can help them and at the same time making the class more lively - more effective and of course - so that they like me! :)
I didn't do it since.. Until the previous ESP class when Dr.Normah assign us to do a need analysis for our proposed course, it came to my conscience that it actually helped - much! So why did I stop doing the good thing? oh yes, I am still adjusting.

As expected, the students gave positive response towards the idea of me-trying-to-give-them what they need and ask for. They were excited when I told them to write me a love letter - without mentioning their name - and that they can write their expectations towards the class, the lesson and me generally! Some of them, of course would try to kiss-my-arse but as a whole, they know what they want. Basically, they expect:

1. to improve their communication skill (though I suppose their 1st language is English)
2. to expand their vocab and use correct grammar in speaking and writing
3. to have a fun and excited language games in class (students just want to have fun...)
4. not to be scolded if they are late (I have to rethink about this - like...more than twice!)

And to think about it again, I must say it is a good idea though. Besides of getting to know your bunch of new students, you are to get love letters! heeeeeeee... rite?

Ms.Azyyati

I have to agree with both Sara and Kak Fauziah. (Perhaps you could post your future thoughts in new entries so this blog would look livelier. :P)

Yes, Practice makes perfect. I believe so as well. As any great leaders of the world, they would still admit that the butterflies will still be theire, in their stomach, whether it's their 1st or 100oth delivery of speech. Even us teachers still have the nervousness in us before entering the class (especially when we're not so well prepared for the class haha.)

I remember during my short stint of teaching Diploma students in a rural college in Terengganu, I once decided to do the class presentations in the main hall, so the students would have the opportunity to use the microphone hehe. Frankly, I was experimenting on students' responses - whether they'd do better than they used to in the classroom.

The result?

They're either:

a) Sweating throughout the process
b) Getitng paler by minutes
c) Memorising their texts (it's not spontaneous public speaking)
d) Code-switched with BM
e) Lost of words the moment they heard their own voices from the speakers

Some were terrified to the fact that they had to stand in front of everyone (even though it's the same classmates) and delivered their speech. But some did quite well.

Why? Because they practiced.

My 2 cents. :)

Forum on Oral Communication Anxiety/ Apprehension

Hi Classmates,

First of all, I would like to congratulate and thanks Miya for initiating this Class Blog. For the purpose of TSL 756 Forum Participation Assessment, I would like to introduce a simple topic for us to deliberate.
The topic read as follows: Oral Communication Anxiety /Apprehension

To start the ball rolling, let us identify a few possible reasons for students' inability to effectively deliver presentations. Then we can continue to propose some training strategies designed to help students develop a proficiency in the area of oral presentations.

For the records, according to Krannich (2004), the fear of delivering a speech or a presentation ranks as the number 1(one) fear among most people, including students as well as adults from many diverse backgrounds.

OK then. Over to all of you. Feel free to contribute your ideas and where necessary, I shall become the moderator.

Regards.