Identity among others

By Ira Ernawati

Many problems come around us. It usually happens because of misunderstanding. I think, the basic cause of this problem is because we do not really understand others. As like words ‘Tak Kenal Maka Tak Sayang’ which is very popular in our country. People never know others well if they do not really understand them. Even they are close friend but it does not guarantee that they have understood each other well.

In other hand, I say nothing is impossible. It means that I believe that everyone can understand each other. The differences are just in the way in understanding and also the process of understanding itself. By understanding life will be easy. So we can not be stubborn, because basically we can not live without others.

Understanding others is really important but we can not lie that it is difficult to do. It needs willing to do it. it must come from our heart. Moreover in our country which has different culture, religion, race, and ethnic group from Sabang until Merauke. All the differences that I have mentioned show different identity of everyone.

If we understand the identity of someone. It will make us easy to understand him / her. In the fact, many people can not do that easily included me. When people meet someone whom they do not know yet. It usually makes them having prejudice, stereotype and sometime discriminates him / her because they different. What do you think about it?

For me, it is not really surprising. Many people have prejudice and stereotype to others whom they do not know yet. And I think it is bad thing that we should avoid. So to over come this case, we should change our mindset about differences that difference is not always bad and the key to solve it is understanding.

Here the example of how important understanding is, when Javanese people meet Batak  people, first time they think that Batak are rude and rampageus. It is because they do not understand Batak’s background or behavior. Hence they have own prejudice and also stereotype that Batak are not good people. Then Javanese only feels comfort with their group. Whereas, Batak people are not like what Javanese thought. Ya.. We see that Batak always speak loudly as like angry people. Actually that is just their habit but for Javanese people. It looks impolite because they are not used to speak like that. 

It is just one example of case that happens around us. If we analysis deeply it is only about different habit. It is about different identity but if we do not care to this case, it can be big problem among ethnic. Here, Humanistic Study has big impact to help us in facing and preparing our future. Then as teacher candidate, we should also perceptive to this case even we will meet and have students from different culture and background.

Utilization Technology in Listening and Speaking Skill

By Ira Ernawati

I still remember when I was a student of senior or junior high school, listening was king of boring activity. There was no challenging part of this activity. It was because the teacher just used type recorder and asked student to listen. Hence it is a duty of us as a teacher candidate to create new way in delivering listening material.

Studying Technology Language Learning enriches my knowledge about technology which we can use to teach listening. By using new media that uses high technology. It can make our listening class more interesting. Then the material of listening is various so we can choose based on our need. There are some facilities that we can apply in listening class for instance by video and game. We can find those facilities from blog or you tube.

The other activity is speaking, you know guys? Before joining Technology Language Learning class last Friday, I never thought that we could use technology in speaking class. Based on my experience in junior or senior high school, I never saw my teachers applied technology to deliver their speaking material. Well, maybe it was because the technology which was exists at that time as not advance as right now, and then it could be caused by their limitation in using technology itself. Hence I thought it was very difficult to fine technology which could apply in speaking class. But my opinion was not true anymore. Nowadays, everything is possible. 

By studying TLL, I got much knowledge in utilizing technology especially in speaking class. Today technology can provide some media which can be used in learning and teaching language. It is very good chance. For me it is very important to be understood. So as a teacher candidate, we should be up date in following the development of technology. As we know that technology is a part or our life, every time and every where, we need technology to help our activity as like in teaching and learning English.

There are many media which we can find in internet to aid our learning and teaching speaking process such us Blog, English club and also website. Those media usually provide some interesting facility to help us in developing skill. It is really interesting media.

The kind of blog that we can access is like Kalinago.blogspot.com. this media provides many videos which we can be downloaded. Then we can do some activities in developing speaking skill such us discussion, debate, role play and conversation. The materials of our speaking era shared in that video. I think it is unique way to learn or teach speaking. This media also has benefit because it provides some videos for any level of learner.

The other media that can help us is English club and website. Today there are many English clubs online and website which offer some programs in involving our speaking for example ESL Chat Room in English Club. Usually the program is free.

The ability that we can develop when we use those media and do the activity which is provided is pronunciation, articulation, fluency. As we see, if we use video which has native speaker in it. They can give right example how to pronoun and say the language well. And doing activity as like discussion or debate about the content of video it can support us to speak so it will influence our fluency.

As teacher candidate, we can not believe to all media that we use. We should be selective in using media for our listening or speaking class. Then remember role of teacher is to guide the students.

MALL: Technology and Pedagogy

By Ira Ernawati

Technology develops very fast day by day. Hence it can provide everything than we want easily. It also has many various types. One type of technology which is used in teaching and learning language is MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning). From the word ‘Mobile’, we can see that type of this technology is available and portable.

I think MALL can make our teaching and learning language more flexible especially for student who can not join class directly, do not have face to face learning and also for students who have problem with distance because they study far away.

MALL applications which we can use in teaching and learning language are

1.      Cell Phones

Basically cell phone is often used in communication but nowadays it can be utilized in as the facility in teaching and learning language. The teacher can use it for sharing material or lesson for example by SMS text messaging. The other way, the teacher can use it to help listening class. It also can be use to record teacher or student dialogue in the conversation class. Well, modern cell phone, it usually provides high application as like dictionary and internet access for example Yahoo, Google and blog. Hence student can use it to search the material. Finally, the teaching and learning language can be easily.

2.      IPod

It is one kind of MALL application in teaching and learning language which usually can be use in listening class. It helps the teacher to assess students’ listening skill. It provides high-quality audio and sound.

3.      PDAs

Persona Digital Assistants here is like camera digital. We can use it to record material in speaking class for example is by making a record of students’ role play .

As the teacher candidate, we should realize that all MALL application which I have already mentioned have strength and weakness. So we should understand it well and use it wisely. The strength from those applications is it is portable application. It can be use everywhere and every time and it is usually less expensive. the weakness that we should know that it does not provide good visual and the size is also limited.

Well, today MALL goes to CALL, Computer Assisted Language Learning. It is because CALL has high quality visual and audio than MALL. Even it is really good but it still has weakness. It is not portable application so we can use it outdoor. Whatever the application and technology that we are going to use. The main point that we should realize is technology is not everything. We can not only rely on it in teaching and learning language. Understanding pedagogy is more important thing and it is a basic thing of teaching. It is a study about teaching itself. If we can understand it well it will help us to teach effectively. We also can consider what kind of technology which appropriate to apply in our teaching MALL or CALL.

Hopefully, what I have learned in TLL can help me in preparing myself in teaching someday.

TLL

ICT: Digital Media in Language Learning

By Ira Ernawati

As we know that the students today are digital native. They  have regocnized technology since they was born. They live with technology around them. Hence it  often makes them easy in using technology especially in learning.

One kind of technology that applys in school is called ICT (Information and Communication Technology). There are many digital medias that we can find there as like google, facebook, blog, skype,  youtube and webquest. Those digital media have own use to help us in learning language. Basically they can hepl learners to develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing skill. For example here is blog, we can use it as a place for sharing information about learning language, for helping us to increase our writing and reading skill, reriching our vocabulary and also as a place of having discussion lenguage learning.

One important thing that we should understand even digital media can hepl us. It also has  some weaknesses. So we should be wise in applying it in our class and also understand what kind of digital media which is appropiate to apply in out lesson.Well before digital media is exist,the language learning was supported by traditional media as like prited text and image.

29^th September 2011 was amazing TLL class for me. It was because the lecturer gave difference way in learning TLL. He delivered the material by doing debate. He provided a topic for us. It was about ‘Language Laboratory vs Internet accesses. By this activity, we could share our knowledge about technology and also support us to encourage learner to show up and come up their self and their understanding about the topic.

From our debate, now we know that the use of ICT involves digital media is depended on situation and the need of the school itself. So as the candidate of teacher, we should understand it and protect our students from the bad effect of it. The best way that we can do is preparing our self as good as possible in mastering the technology.

Humanistic Study

Name

By Ira Ernawati

Name is part of people’s identity. It is really important for everyone to differ from other. Well, when I meet people in the first time, they directly ask “what is your name?” I think it is one of the evidence that name is necessary.

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All people in this world have different name. It usually influences by different background as like culture, country, religion etc.  So I believe that every name has own characteristic. Wow... How amazing our name is. Here, I am going to share about my name. Everyone usually call me Ira Ernawati. Ya.. That is my complete name.  When I was child, I ever wondered why this name was given to me then I asked my family. Finally I see that this name was given by my father. When I asked why, he told that it related with a tragedy which is happened in 1991. That was a bout war which happened between Iraq and Iran. At that time, my father was really curious with that war and it was famous thing which was often discussed by many people in the world included my father. So he gave me name Ira. I think it is reasonable whereas Erna has meaning ‘calm, soft’. It was taken from Indonesian word. Then Wati was taken from Java word which has meaning “a girl”. If It is related each other, it becomes Ira Ernawati which has meaning as a calm girl who was born when war between Iraq and Iran happened.

 However the history of my name, I do appreciate that name which was given by my father. I believe my father really gave the best name for me. One thing that maybe is rare for everyone is in the fact, I like when people call me Ira. I do not know why but I think when people call me ‘Ira’. I feel that I have something good in myself, as like motivation and good energy for me. But overall, I like my name. I am proud of having this name.

When some people ask me “do you want to change your name”? Sure, I will say no. I am really comfort with this name. It is a part of my life because most of people who have already known me are used to with this name.  By this name, I have made my story of my life. It is not easy to change my name because I love it.

For some people, name is symbol of pray and hopes. Well, I agree strongly with this statement. Basically, people give name because they have a wish in that name. Every name has each meaning. Even there are some people who want to change their name. Some reason why it happens, it is because they want to get best hope from their name so they look for the best name also.