Blogging: My World

Technology in Rural Areas

2008-09-06T14:32:00.000+08:00

I was hunting for something on computer education and computer in education (yeah, both are different). Guess what? I found an interesting and touching video clip related to the subject that I was looking for. Check it out:

Keep watching and be amazed at how students in the interior could gain access to IT technology despite being inferior in terms of infrastructure. I'm still deeply touched to see how curious the villagers - adults and children - were as they congregated and watched in awe the animation on the LCD monitor. They were probably learning the Nepalise alphabet system judging by the animations that are visible. Inside the wooden classroom, students can be seen tapping on the keyboards learning to type, I presume.

The school environment reminds me of my 3-year stint in the interiors in Sarawak (click to learn more about it), East Malaysia. The Nepalese students, however, are luckier as the school has solar panels to provide electricity while the school in which I taught had nothing. I practically lived there in candlelight daily. There's even networking for Internet access in the Nepalese school.

Gee... good for the Nepalese.

The Writing Problem

2008-09-06T14:30:00.000+08:00

Darn... it's so difficult to teach students essay writing. In this trimester, students are learning three types of essays - argumentative, cause or effect and compare or contrast.

There are numerous websites that provide notes and samples for all the three types, but none catered to the requirement set by our English course. For example, we don't teach compare and contrast, but compare OR contrast which suits students at foundation level. I end up integrating notes from a few websites. Looking for notes can be a tedious process as some websites are not credible, and as instructors, we need to provide materials from reliable sources.

Today's compare or contrast essay focuses on the differences between living in the village and living in the city.

The first thing I did was to get them to discuss with their friends to come up with three topic sentences related to the essay title. Here's what I did (in sequence):

explain the difference between compare & contrast
explain the two methods - block and point-by-point
provide handout for each student - a sample of the outline and the contents
go through the handout - explain each part
give students the essay title, get them to work with their friend and come up with 3 differences
discussion time: what are the 3 differences? what are the supporting details?
provide a sample introduction

I strongly believe that by starting with the topic sentences first, it allows students to prepare the main content and the thesis statements better. As I was supervising students during discussion time, I noticed there was a bit improvement in organising the topic sentences - they're all numbered 1,2,3. This is far better than what they used to do - making a list and not knowing which is the topic sentence, which is the supporting detail!

When I wrote the sample of the introduction on the whiteboard, some students copied it in their book. There is some kind of learning process when they do that - at least I know that they'll read and that my effort is not wasted.

The only major problem I have with most of them is their GRAMMAR proficiency. Sigh...have to find a way to solve this problem before the final exam.

Multilingual

2008-01-07T13:14:00.000+08:00

Dear Students

Ever wondered how important it is to learn different languages? Watch this video.

So, what do you think? :-)

Effective Presentation

2006-08-28T13:31:00.000+08:00

Dear Students

Throughout your study here, there will be times when you have to present whether as an individual, or as part of the group. Prior to your presentation, it is always a good practise to be well prepared for that BIG DAY so that you will not have butterflies in your stomach, and so that your audience understands what you are saying. I'm giving you some tips on effective presentation, with special focus on preparations for the presentation.

Firstly, narrow your topic.

e.g.: The Effects of Television on Our Health

Do not choose broad topics like:

e.g.: About Television

The reason is, when you have a broad topic, you tend to go astray and end up confusing yourself.

Secondly, be prepared

If you don't know how to swim, but still want to jump into the pool, what could happen to you? You will still survive if you are lucky, but it's most likely that you'll have lots of difficulty swimming. Why? That's because learning to swim consists of certain stages that you need to learn. Presentation works the same way. Before you present, you have to learn about the topic that you will be presenting. Don't jump into the topic straight away without doing extensive research on the topic. Besides doing research, you also need to practise aloud either on your own or with a friend. Practise not once or twice, but a few times till you feel comfortable presenting without much hesitation.

Thirdly, have an outline.

Make sure that once you have the reading materials ready, take note of the important points that are related to the topic. Write down the points and see if you are able to elaborate. If you can't, then go through the reading material again and make sure you understand the contents. DO NOT memorize. If you do that, you will be embarrassed when you suddenly forget what the next sentence is. UNDERSTANDING is more important than memorizing like a parrot.

Good luck in your presentations.

Thank you for your invitation

2006-06-30T17:40:00.000+08:00

Dear Kevin,
Thank you for inviting me as a member and for sharing that great ocean of knowledge of yours. This is my first time blogging. I hope it'll get through and this will be THE beginning of my journey with bloggers all around. Thank you for the opportunity! God bless!
Pat

Useful Advice

2006-06-29T11:14:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

This is the second week of the trimester. One of the important subjects that you need to learn is English. Many students have asked me how to improve their command of the language; I've told them the same thing over and over again.

Please click on "How to Learn English" to get some tips on how to be good in the language. Then go to English At Home to check out some additional notes on various English rules.

Ok good luck

A Trip to Penang

2006-03-26T11:05:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

Well, this is specially for the Intensive English Language Programme (IELP) students but Alpha students are most welcome to write something here to share your excursion experiences .

After so much of resistance and challenges, the trip to Penang will be carried out as planned from 14-17 April 2006. You will be staying at Bayu Emas Apartment in Batu Feringghi. This trip will be an educational but fun trip. It is a way of giving students a chance to get out of MMU for a while and go to a place where they do not have much chance of going on their own. The amount that you are paying is very low - RM100 only inclusive of BBQ dinner, accommodation and transportation. So, students who have not paid should pay up as quickly as possible. We have 120 seats only. Hurry!

What will you be doing in Penang? Sight-seeing, beach games and shopping. Hope we have time to go to Penang Hill so you can experience sitting on a funicular train to the top of the hill. The committee has also included language games / presentation which will be held at night. Prizes will be given to winners for the games and presentation. When you come back to MMU, please fill out the Travel Journal and hand in to your lecturers.

Some good advice

2006-01-04T09:08:00.000+08:00

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the Real world.

Rule 1 Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2 The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3 You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5 Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6 If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7 Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8 Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9 Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10 Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs
Rule 11 Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

If you can read this - Thank a teacher!

Welcome Back

2005-10-28T21:04:00.000+08:00

Dear Students

The exam results are out. Congratulations to all who have made it to the new trimester. Keep working hard. Best wishes to all.

-Cheers-

A Note to You

2005-09-30T20:57:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

I know that some of you are still checking this blog. Well, thanks for visiting often. I'd like to inform you that I will not update this blog for a while because I wish to focus on my studies. Yes, I'm also studying for a higher qualification and I'm doing it part time, so it's very tough for me.

Nevertheless, you are all welcome to write comments in the small message box in this blog. I'll check the blog once in a while.

By the time you read this blog, you will have finished your exams. Make good use of your long trimester break by learning more English and doing a bit of preparation for PEN0025, which is a continuation of PEN0015. Go for a vacation first; let your hair down, then get to work, or at least do something useful that will help you be better students.

Whatever you do, and wherever you go, open your eyes and ears so that you'll experience more things.

Finally, do update your own blog although you're no more my students. I'll take a peek occasionally whenever I'm online to read your stories :)

If all goes well, I'll start blogging again probably in November or December.

-Cheers-

The Final Countdown...

2005-09-21T20:19:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

By the time you read this blog, the speaking test will have been completed. To those who believe that they didn't do well, don't cry over spilled milk. Work extra hard to achieve a much higher score in the final exam. On the contrary, to those who think they have done well, don't be over confident. You too have to work hard in order to achieve the highest score and the best grade for PEN0015.

Good luck!!

-Cheers-

My Final Advice to You

2005-09-04T21:45:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

As the final exam date draws nearer, more students are getting panicky especially those who are weak in English. Students have sent me e-mails to ask me how to improve their English; some students say they are still weak although they've done all the exercises in the textbook, and so on.

Let me tell you a story, a real experience:

Before joining this university, I taught in a private international college where most students are from China. One day, a new student joined this college. I asked her, "What's your name?", and she replied, "My name is Michelle." Then I asked her more questions. My next question was, "What games do you like to play?", but she stared at me. She didn't understand the question. She had to ask her friend to translate the question into Mandarin. Her English was much worse than any of you in PEN0015. However, in less than one year, she could make good sentences and was able to speak to me in good English. She could also ask me questions in English although with minor mistakes. Needless to say, she performed well in her English tests, too.

You tell me, how did she accomplish all that when her English was so weak when she came?

It was not the exam or homework that helped her to be good in English. It was her sheer hard work; she spent lots of time reading English books in the library; while other students spent their time sleeping, chatting online or playing computer games, Michelle used her spare time doing extra exercises from books she lent from the library; she also had grammar and conversation textbooks which she had brought from China. She achieved success on her own and with some help from her international friends.

If you know you're weak in English (or any other subject), work extra hard. Each of you have to change your mindset. You're not in the secondary school or high school anymore, and lecturers will not spoon-feed you with every single detail. In the university (any university in fact), you're expected to be independent and think on your own because this is what you have to do when you start work later. If you make a mistake, you've to learn from it and not repeat the mistake next time. Do whatever you need to be better.

The final exam for PEN0015 will be held on 26 Sept. 2005, unless there's a change. Please check the Online Bulletin Board (Student Information Centre) for the latest information.

Never ever give up even if you fail your exam. Failing once does NOT mean that you're a failure forever. You have to prove to yourself that you CAN be successful.

Good luck in the finals!

-Cheers-

Merdeka! A Reflection

2005-08-31T22:02:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

MERDEKA! In English, it means "independence". Every year on 31 August, our nation celebrates its Independence Day, also known as National Day. This year, Malaysia is already 48 years old since its "birth" in 1957. Long before many of us were born, our parents, grand parents and great grand parents had struggled for this nation to see it grow into what you see now--a multiracial country with peace and harmony. We have to thank our first premier, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-haj for making it happen. He and his dedicated team of politicians had worked so hard before the British finally agreed to surrender Malaya (at that time).

This morning, I read the New Straits Times pullout section entitled, "Road to Nationhood". After reading the articles and seeing the photos, I realised how lucky we all are. We do not have to suffer the way our forefathers had suffered during the wars. My hope for Malaysia is to see a more united community and understanding among the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Punjabis, Ibans, Bidayuhs, Kadazans, Bajaus and all other ethnic groups in this country. Only then will our country sustain its independence, and the people enjoy the peace.

What is your hope for this country--YOUR country? Share with us in your own blog or in this blog.

Pandas at Work

2005-08-29T11:28:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

You've already read about "Pandas in Peril" in class. Now, surf the Internet and find out more about pandas. Then, write about it in this blog. Your comments should contain the following:

a. the habitat of the panda
b. a description of the panda
c. your own evaluation of this animal

Important: Make sure you include the website address of the article that you have used to write your comments. Use your own words. Marks will be deducted if you copy and paste directly from the article.

(10 marks)

Don't forget to include your name, Student ID, and Group No.

Happy Surfing

-Cheers-

Some Study Tips

2005-08-25T20:17:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

The midterm exam results are out, and by now, all of you know your results. To those who have passed, I congratulate them; to those who have failed, I urge them to work harder. Do not give up. Remember what you have learnt in class: "Never say die." To those who have obtained a "C", don't be too happy because many of you nearly got an "F".

A few students have asked me how to study or improve English. There's only one answer to this question--use the language, speak, read, write and listen to materials in the language. In short, practise and practise. Success in English will not happen overnight. It takes time. Unfortunately, you don't have time because the final exam will take place in September--that's only one month from now!!

Since time is so short, the best thing you can do now is to go through all the questions in the Exam Compilation book and answer all the questions. I think the answers are at the back of the book, so before you look at the answers, please attempt the questions first. If there are items that you are not sure of, please ask me. This is for my students only. Other students have to ask their own lecturers. In addition, you need to do your own research by trying questions or doing online quizzes that you can find on the Internet. If you need more exercises, borrow books from the library. Make sure you have a good dictionary with you. "Don't leave home without it."

Many students believe that answering all questions in the Exam Compilation book is enough to pass the exam. Well, this is not really true. However, if you don't use this book well, you'll not know what to expect. That is why I encourage students to use the book. In addition to doing the exercises in this compilation book, you need to read other reference books as well so that you'll get more tips or exercises. For example, if you don't understand Word Classes from one textbook, try reading other textbooks in the library. As you can see, working hard doesn't simply mean that you do all the exercises. You need to do extra on your own because you're now a university student.

You are also encouraged to form your own study groups like what you see in the picture below. This will help learning because your friends might be able to help you if you don't understand certain things. That means sometimes it's better to study seriously with your friends; at other times, it's better to study alone.

Paying attention in class is important, too. Remember the L.I.S.A.N. for effective listening? Well, many of you didn't follow that. As a result, you didn't do well in the midterm exam. Moreover, a few students think that the topics which they're learning are too simple because they've already learnt them in secondary school, so they think there's no need to pay attention anymore. This is a misconception. Whatever you learn in class now helps you to recall what you have already learnt in school. You will also learn new things. So, pay attention.

So, students...better work hard. The final exam is your last chance to prove that you can do it although you have failed in the midterm exam.

-Cheers-

More Educational Websites

2005-08-19T23:56:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

Many students have asked me how to improve their English proficiency. My response is always the same--read, speak and practise as much as you can. Ask yourself this question: How do you speak your mother tongue (Malay, Mandarin, Tamil etc.) so well?

I'm giving you two useful websites taken from The Star Publications (Malaysia) online newspaper. Visit these pages often because they're updated regularly, and make sure you LEARN something from the articles. Alternatively, for those who do not wish to read off the computer screen, buy a printed copy of the newspaper from the vendor or bookshop. You won't lose anything by reading.

1. Education Section
2. Mind Your English

Tell your friends about this, and if you find any more interesting educational websites, please don't be too lazy to let us know.

-Cheers-

Verb Tenses

2005-08-15T15:34:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

Do you still remember the verb tenses that you've learnt? Last week, you studied three tenses--the simple present, present continuous and the present perfect. You have also learnt that in the perfect tense, you need to use the past participle. I'm giving you a website that contains a list of verbs (click here) for all the tenses. Print it out and memorise the verbs.

After giving you the verb list, I do not want you to make mistakes like these:

It was very hazy yesterday, so we shutted the window. ( X )
We have drank jasmine tea before. ( X )
The renovation for our house costed $50,000 and we paid in cash. ( X )
They are tired because they have drove for over 7 hours. ( X )
The thief creeped out of the house, jumped over the fence and escaped. ( X )

Can you find the mistakes in the sentences above? Tell me.
If any of you have found websites that contain more list of verbs, please share with everyone.

-Cheers-

Tips on Writing

2005-08-12T08:05:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

By now, you are probably feeling anxious and tensed about the test tomorrow. I'm giving you some additional tips for writing:

If you get a non-literal text, make sure you write about the rows and columns (for a table), the x-axis and y-axis (for a graph) and the sectors (for a pie chart). You also have to include a brief analysis of the non-literal text. When you analyse, you need to include the highest and lowest number/percentage, and you also need to make comparisons.

Example of a comparison:

... in 2001, the number of deaths due to road accidents was 5,000 which is about 2,000 more than in 2000. However, in 2005, the number of deaths dropped to only 2,450...

If you get a literal text, make sure you read the question very carefully. Plan before you write. Make sure you have the introduction, body and conclusion. You must also have a thesis statement and topic sentences. In addition, make your essay interesting. Be careful of your grammar. Finally, check and double check for spelling mistakes, punctuation mistakes etc.

Do not lose marks. Even one mark is important.

GOOD LUCK!

-Cheers-

Samples: Process Essay

2005-08-10T17:01:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

This week, you learnt about writing a process essay. Here are two links that contain samples of a process essay. Read the whole page, and see how the essays are written--the introduction, the body and the conclusion.

Could you find any more process essay samples? Let us know.

-Cheers-

The Speaking Problem

2005-08-07T14:20:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

I believe that some of you are worried about the speaking test. Actually, if you have been reading or watching news and documentaries widely, you shouldn't have much problem in the presentation and discussion. On the other hand, if you have been spending a lot of time playing online games or having empty talks, you might have a problem in the test.

My advice is you start having useful chats about the latest issues with friends. To get more ideas, you should do the following:

Read a lot of materials (newspapers, magazines)
Watch educational programmes (Discovery channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic etc.)
Listen to the news (any channel on RTM or Astro)
Listen to talk shows or interviews

Be active listeners and active readers. Think about what you have listened and read. Ask questions to friends and discuss with them.

-Cheers-

The Speaking Test

2005-08-02T14:59:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

Today is the 3rd day of your semester break. I hope that you've been spending your time wisely by reading more materials in English. You can have lots of fun but don't forget, as students, you still have a responsibility--to study.

There is a speaking test on the 13th and 14th week of this trimester. The test will be conducted in groups. Each group consists of only three or four members. I'll give you the new groupings when I see you again. This test accounts for 15% of the total marks for the final exam, so please take it seriously.

The test contains individual presentations as well as group discussions for a given scenario, situation or topic. Each student has to perform two tasks--one individual, the other group. To help you in the presentations and discussions, you're advised to read widely in the following areas:

Social ills (drugs, divorce, vice ...)
Health (obesity, smoking, alcoholism ...)
Technology (wireless, computing, mobile ...)
Education (language, discipline, teachers ...)
Youth (fashion, music, hangouts ...)
Economy (industries, tourism, problems ...)

Nevertheless, don't limit yourself to reading only the six areas above. The more you read, the more ideas you'll get, and the more you can speak during the presentations and discussions.
Besides reading, you are also advised to listen to the news on TV and over the radio as well as watch educational documentaries. We will be doing a few speaking practises in class so that you will have an idea of what the test is like.

So, make sure you do not absent yourself.

-Cheers-

The Listening Exam for Mid-term

2005-08-01T14:12:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

Many students did not attend class this week, so they missed the important tips which I gave on the listening section of the mid-term exam. Those who have turned up will know what to expect for the listening test.

UPDATE: Make sure you print out a copy of the Sample Test paper (listening) from MMLS so that you know what the format looks like.

Here is some advice:

Listen very carefully to each text.
Listen very carefully to the instructions.
Do not dream or you'll lose some important information.
Talking during the listening test is strictly prohibited.
Read the questions and instructions.
Never assume that the questions are easy; they can be tricky.
Have a good breakfast before you enter the exam hall/room.

What happens if you don't want to listen? Well, see the cartoon strip below.

Good luck every one!

-Cheers-

Sample Analysis

2005-07-29T21:44:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

A couple of students have requested for the analysis sample for the pie chart on Page 96 of the textbook. For the benefit of every one, here's the sample answer:

TASK E (p.96)

The pie chart shows the spread of HIV in Malaysia from 1990 to 2000. From the chart, factory workers have the highest percentage of HIV with 41% of them contracting this disease. On the contrary, students have the lowest percentage with only 1% of them getting HIV.

This chart also indicates that foreigners and long distance drivers have high percentages of HIV with 18% and 14% respectively having this disease. It is also surprising to note that housewives are in the third position with 11% of them getting HIV. However, uniformed personnel, sex workers, homosexuals and students have the least percentage.

Overall, the chart shows a high percentage of people suffering from HIV. One of the possible reasons is their unhealthy lifestyles where they perform immoral activities with partners who have HIV. Another reason is the blood which they have received from donors are tainted with HIV. As such, they are also infected with the disease.

(156 words)

HIV and red-blood cells

Take note: If the exam question asks you to write "a paragraph", then write only ONE paragraph. Otherwise, you can write three paragraphs like what you see in the sample above.

Overcoming Shyness

2005-07-26T09:40:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

Are you like the man and the woman in these pictures? They're afraid of having their photos taken. They probably have "social phobia", also known as shyness.

I've noticed that many of you--both boys and girls--have this problem. It is important to note that although this problem is common among teenagers, being shy will not help you in becoming a successful person. In fact, being shy can hamper many aspects of your life.

How to overcome shyness?

First of all, you have to determine why you are shy. Are you afraid that someone is going to say something about you?
Practise making eye contact when you interact with another person. Talk to strangers about the weather or current issues. Remember that you have to open your mouth first because the stranger might think your mouth is full of gold if you just keep quiet.
Look and learn. Watch how friends or strangers start a conversation.
Be positive about yourself. Don't worry about being criticised when you make a mistake. Think positively. Criticisms can be good for you as they help you learn from mistakes.

When you study English, the worst thing for you to do is to be shy all the time. In order to be good in English (or in any language), you have to speak the language. It doesn't matter if you don't speak well because the teacher is there to help you correct your mistakes.

By being shy, you'll lose confidence, and this will affect your studies regardless of what subjects you're studying.

Do you have any more tips for every one? If you have overcome your shyness, how did you do it? Share the experience here, in this blog, or write in your own blog.

-Cheers-

Tips on Pronunciation

2005-07-23T08:30:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

I have noticed that in your presentations, many words were incorrectly pronounced. When you speak English, one of the important skills that you have to learn is to pronounce words correctly. Imagine when you say these sentences:

"My brother is sick today." instead of saying, "My brother is six today."
"I'm going to pray now." instead of saying, "I want to play now."

Do you see the differences? What problems would occur if you pronounce words wrongly?

Share with your friends other examples you know either through your own experience or through reading.

I've found some interesting websites that teach you more about pronunciation. Make good use of them. The last website exposes you to American pronunciation. Make sure you turn on your speakers.

If you find any more websites that are related to pronunciation, please include them as comments in this blog or write in your own blog. So in future, use correct pronunciations. You don't have to be American or British to speak good English.

-Cheers-

Thanks to these students

2005-07-21T08:39:00.000+08:00

Dear Students

I'd like to thank Hafriz (PM3), Un (PM7) and Wei Xiang (PM6) for writing their comments in this blog. Thanks to all those who have accepted my invitation to join this blog. Their nicknames are in the "Contributors" section. Continue writing on this blog and share your views.

What about the rest of you?

-Cheers-

Road Accidents: Blame the men or the women?

2005-07-20T16:30:00.000+08:00

Dear students,

In today's class, we had a discussion on the topic, "Women are better drivers than men." Let's think carefully about this statement. Most of you mentioned that men/women cause accidents. Are women the cause of accidents, or are men?

Generally, accidents do not just happen out of the blue. When accidents happen, the main reason is carelessness. It doesn't matter whether the driver is a man or a woman, it is carelessness that has caused the death toll to rise in accidents. For instance, a driver (man) is driving along a busy road and he wants to make a left turn. Unfortunately, he forgets to turn on the signal light, so when he turns, a motorcyclist (woman) who has been closely trailing him suddenly crashes into the back of his car. Whose fault is it? The driver's or the motorcyclist , or both? Think about it.

Share your opinions with your coursemates. You may write your comments here, or write in your own blogs. I'd like to hear from all of you.

-Cheers-

The Mid-term Test

2005-07-18T17:07:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

Please be prepared for your Mid-term test on 13 Aug. 2005. You'll be tested on listening, reading and writing. There's no speaking test for now. Go through the exam compilation book that you've bought earlier. It might be able to help you.

If you want to know about the mid-term tests for the other subjects that you're studying, please talk to your respective lecturers. In addition to this, please log into the Online System to get the latest news or updates on examination matters as well as announcements.

Study hard, and good luck.

-Cheers-

Language Games

2005-07-15T14:55:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

I've included three links for language games. Try them. These games are not only fun and exciting, they also help you improve your language. Click on each link.

Can you find any more interesting language games? Include them in your blog and share it with others.

-Cheers-

Comments on your presentations

2005-07-15T10:21:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

Your presentations this morning were alright. However, each of you still need to improve on the way you speak. Take note of the following:

Voice: Your voice must be loud and clear because you're speaking to a group of people. If you speak too softly, those sitting at the back are not able to hear you.
Gestures: Make use of your hands to emphasize the important points of your presentation. The audience will take note of these gestures.
Do not read: When you present, please do not read from your notes. Put the notes in front of you, and then speak to the audience. Look towards the audience.
Each student should talk about only one point and elaborate on that point. I noticed that there were a lot of overlaps where two people in the group talked about the same thing.

To help you be better in presentation, here's one example of a website to help you with presentations.

Elements of effective speech

Are there any more websites for this? Share with every one. If you have any further comments about your friends' presentations, please click on "Comment" and start writing your comments.

Enjoy your weekend.

Samples of Paragraph Writing

2005-07-11T20:28:00.000+08:00

Dear Students,

Remember the two paragraphs that I asked you to do last week? Well, I've checked your paragraphs and discovered that many of you are still not sure of how to write a paragraph. In this blog, I'm providing one sample for each of the paragraph that you had to write.

Sample 1: Movie-watching can be a bad experience

Everyone enjoys going to the cinema to watch movies for entertainment. However, watching movies can be a viewer's nightmare. First of all, we could hear cellphones ringing although viewers are not allowed to switch on their cellphones in the cinema. The ringing is very distracting to us especially when we are trying hard to concentrate on the movie. Secondly, some viewers are restless. They keep shifting the position of their body when they are seated, and sometimes they accidentally touch you. This is very annoying indeed when your viewing is suddenly disrupted by your inconsiderate neighbour. Finally, some viewers often love to talk about the movie even while the movie is playing. They make comments and they even predict how the movie would end. They are directly annoying other viewers who are trying to listen to the dialogues. For these reasons, going to the movies is sometimes not pleasurable.

Sample 2: Benefits of the Internet

The Internet has been around for more than two decades. As time went on, more and more people are connected to the Internet because they have discovered that the Internet is beneficial to them. Firstly, the internet is the best way to communicate efficiently. With the Internet, people are able to send e-mails and the recipients will receive the message in just a matter of seconds. The sender is also able to attach files and pictures, and is able to send copies to as many people as they want at the click of the mouse. In addition, with the Internet, family members and friends are able to have a chat "live" in real time. Another benefit of using the Internet is, vast amounts of information is available 24-hours a day. This is because the Internet never shuts down at night. The information is useful for students, researchers and anyone interested in seeking additional knowledge. Lastly, the Internet also allows lonely singles to look for their ideal life partner via online matchmaking websites. The best thing is, some websites offer free matchmaking services, and it has worked for thousands of people who have used such services. As the result of these advantages, millions of people are now connected to the Internet.

I hope that the examples above will help you write better paragraphs in future.

2005-07-01T12:08:00.000+08:00

Interesting Classes

Well, this whole week has been interesting. The main reason is most classes were held in Chomsky Lab. I've tried to make full use of this expensive facility to teach English, and I think I did okay. The other reason is students paid more attention in class this week than in other weeks--not all of them, but most. Maybe it is because of the music that was aired in the lab that soothed their souls and stimulated their mental faculty.

To all students: Please don't forget to do your homework, okay? It's not so difficult. In fact, some might think it's too simple. Nevertheless, it's part of your course. Look at it on the positive side. Even if you've learnt it before, learning it again reinforces your learning, and this will help you remember better. Keep writing those blogs.

I've just found an interesting weblog on Mathematics. Since all of you will be studying Maths or you are studying Math now, I believe this blog will help you. Click on the link below.

7th Grade Math

After going through the blog, let me and your friends know what you think about it. Read some of the comments that visitors have made. You can even write your own comments there.

-Cheers-

2005-06-26T14:36:00.000+08:00

Another Week Passes By

The 3rd week went by rather quickly.

I went through a couple of my students' weblogs and discovered that some were rather good in creating one. It's also heartening to know that they are able to write fairly well in their blogs. I really hope that they will make good use of the blogs by sharing new knowledge and experiences with their peers and with other Netizens. Nevertheless, many students still either have not created a weblog, or have not even created a profile. Hmm...

From the blogs that I've read, I got to know that students were generally happy with their new experience in MMU. This is a good sign. I do hope that they will continue having a great time here. I also hope they will work really hard. Life in the university certainly isn't a bed of roses, and is quite a different ball game.

To all my students: Please do your best and don't give up. There will be challenges and disappointments. Challenges are good; it's up to you to meet those challenges bravely and persevere to achieve your dreams for your future. Disappointments are expected when you do not achieve your targets or your wishes; however, this is not an excuse to surrender. Start work from now.

"TIME & TIDE WAITS FOR NO MAN"

-Cheers-

2005-06-21T11:51:00.000+08:00

The Second Week

It's the 2nd week of teaching, and I taught my students reading. No, I didn't get them to read aloud. What I did was to guide them to be better readers. I guess after showing them the transparency on tips to improve reading, my students will know how to read correctly. I certainly hope they will use whatever they've learnt today and share it with the others who are not "fortunate" enough to be in my class.

To my students, here are some useful links that I believe will help you to read and to comprehend what you read better (click the links):

My First Week in a University

2005-06-17T11:24:00.000+08:00

Today is my 4th day of classes in Multimedia Uni. The past few days have been terribly hectic for me. Lots of teaching, lots of preparations & lots of replacements for those who were unable to go to class.