A Good Grammar Facilitates a Good Speaking Skill

It has been a headline, a hot topic, and an important issue in many books, seminars, talk shows, and others. Grammar can be a delicate issue deciding it is really important or not to have a good knowledge of grammar in order to speak English well. Some experts say that fluency is the most important English skill. Fluency is the ability to speak (and understand) English quickly and easily... WITHOUT translation. Fluency means you can talk easily with native speakers-- they easily understand you, and you easily understand them. Furthermore, we do not get fluency by studying grammar rules. In short, have a good knowledge of grammar isn’t absolutely essential to make us speaking English well.  Other professionals have different opinion. Grammar is really a matter. See and hear grammar errors can feel pretty darned depressing to those of us who care about language, who love it, and who try to use it as well as we can. Both of these specialists have their arguments why grammar isn’t absolutely essential and why grammar is the basic of speaking English well.

People who agree that grammar isn’t really crucial have strong reason. We have been studying English for years but still do not feel good about our speaking skill. How can it happen? Perhaps we focus more on grammar. A lot of research results show when we actually study grammar rules it impairs our ability to speak. We can’t speak quickly, easily, and automatically if we always think of the grammar rules. Once more, native speakers do not study grammar rules when they learn to speak English. The only time they start studying about it is when they enter senior high school as a means of helping to better their writing skills. So, a good knowledge of grammar will not guarantee us to speak English well.

The groups who agree that grammar is really vital have solid line of reasoning too. It matters a lot, for example, when we are applying a job.  In one survey of hiring managers, 75 percent said it was worse for an applicant to have a pronunciation or grammar error on his interview than for him to show up late. It continues to matter when we've landed that job. Good grammar skill will help us to keep the job. It also makes a person seem more intelligent. Employers do not want people who sound stupid. Yet again, to speak English well, it means to communicate well we have to pay attention to context, and yes good knowledge of grammar badly need in here. Language is used to send messages and get responses. How come the receivers understand what we mean if we speak ungrammatically. The way we speak will show who we really are, an educated person or a person who has never been to school.

Even though these two sides have strong reasons, it is more wisely for us to obey the rules, have a good knowledge of grammar. We are educated people who respect the law of a language. Following and applying grammar rules will produce the most felicitous speaking skill.

Hi Lia, this is your dialogue

Our School Discipline

Being on time is a beautiful social ethic and one of great importance, as it creates efficiency in systems and implies respect for one another. However, it is one of the many values that a school must inculcate into its students over time.

Discipline is not something that must be slapped onto a child like handcuffs.

Inner discipline, one that comes from within due to an understanding of the set rules and regulations, is the highest form of behavior. Most excellent schools try to instill this with a loving environment.

Why, even adults arrive late to meetings, works, etc admittedly shamefaced. Here, we are talking about children.

Latecomers should not be shut out. They can be given warnings, most of which are enough to make them want to reach school on time. If this fails, talk to parents.

By closing its gates, the school is behaving cruelly and coldly treatment to which we prefer not to expose our children.

Every school has a responsibility to implement educational concepts in the appropriate context, not just those schools that follow international standards and are generally unaffordable for the majority.

Good schools create competitive students who can organize themselves effectively in society so that everyone gets a quality life as a result of ethics and values imbibed into students for as long 12 years.

Children are precious, and are dependent on adults for guidance and we must not take advantage of this. Understanding them is the key, and to this end, both parents and schools must work hand in hand without playing the blame game.

Since I gave private lesson years ago, even my students didn’t take any private lesson with me; sometimes they still come to ask for help. This is one of the examples. Her name is Lia. She is now studying at SMA 1 Kudus. She got an assignment to compose a dialogue based on the text above. I am happily helped her. Wanna read the result? Here it is.

A   :  I heard yesterday you got punishment for coming late, was it true?

B   : Yeah. I came thirty minutes after seven. How do you know about it?

A   : Relax, chill out! Being late is normal. It also happened to me a week ago.

B   : Really? But for me it was my first and there never will be second or third. Being latecomer is out of my style. Being discipline is a beautiful social ethic and one of great importance.

A   :  So, do you agree if the students who come late must be given punishments?

B   : Not like that. I meant discipline is the highest form of behavior but it is not something that must be slapped onto a child like handcuffs.

A   : Hmmmm you meant that latecomers should not be shut out and should be given warnings to make them want to reach school on time? If like that I can’t agree more. I am 100% with you.

B   : Yeah. That is what I meant. Children are precious, and are dependent on adults for guidance. If schools close its gates, they behave cruelly and coldly treatment their students. What they do won’t fix anything, perhaps make the situation gets worse. Good schools have a responsibility to implement educational concepts in the appropriate context and create competitive students who can organize themselves effectively in society.

A  : Wow. Seems like being late gave good effect for you. Your opinion about discipline and punishment really impress me. Hey, what about taking this issue for our debate club tomorrow, you think it is a good idea?

B   : Yeah. Why not? Let’s find out what our friend think about it. Do not forget to send the invitation for Mr Poltak. He can be our moderator. We all know he has outstanding knowledge and experience.

A   : OK. See you on Saturday at 3 pm then. And thanks for the great chat. Bye.

B   : Bye too.

Juliana Shepherd’s Experience for Your Better English

Many people still blur. We have been studying English for years but have we been successful? Are we able to speak English quickly, easily, and automatically? If not, then we need to ask how come it happens. Well, perhaps it is because we learn in the wrong way.  So, what is the right way? No worries. I will tell you. It is not your fault. You are not the only in earth who experience this same frustration. Lucky me, couple days ago I joined academic writing class and guess who was there? A native speaker from America named Juliana Shepherd. Yes, your eyes didn’t fool you. She happily shared her experience and here I will do the same thing share it with you. Here they are, the three Juliana’s tips that I quote from her  presentation for your better English.

·         Listening, reading, and repeating

Listening is the main point in the process of learning especially foreign language. It has been a habit in western for parents to read simple stories for children before going to bed. While the mother or father is reading the stories, they will listen and get use with the language. It also creates an interest and helps them want to learn the language.

As an adult learning, is it still important for us to do that? The answer is YES. We can listen to an audio book and read the book in the same time. But remember, we must divide our listening time and also practice narrow listening. What is narrow listening? When we listen to similar things such as one chapter of a story book, we do narrow listening. It will lead our skill sky rocket and speak better than the one who listen different kinds of things.

How to memorize it? No needs to memorize it just listen to it several times at least 30 times. Most people must hear a new word 30 times to remember it forever. It calls repetition. The first 10 times listen and read together, then only listen the audio. Don’t forget to write on your note book the new vocabularies and how to use it too.

·         Media: comics, drama, and games

The second tip is very useful for teacher and that is what we will do in the future, right? Why these media are very useful?

ü  Comics, blank comics without words will help the students to make their own dialogue. We only guide them to the right way and help them if they have problem in how to say it.

ü  Drama, give the students a scenario (for example, a rebellious child) and let them act it out spontaneously (all in English). Don’t forget to practice it first to encourage their confident.

ü  Games, “Pictionary”, hangman, crosswords, hidden words, tell jokes. Who hates games? Everyone loves playing games. So, games will really facilitate them in learning.

·      A full book report, presentations, out of class work, and research paper

The third tip dedicate for advanced learner. They will smooth the progress of their learning due to advance learners need more advance activities. Don’t forget that they will write their final project too. Have students read a book at home and then write a full book report including other sources in their report will train them for improving their writing skill. Present their works in the class also part of their training, because they will do that too in the future. When students get use to present and speech in front of their friends and lecturer, there will be fewer burdens to do that with their final projects. Out of class work and research paper make them know and see the real world in teaching such as when they have to practice teaching in such school. They will learn through experiences and will sharpen their soft skill. Soft skill is very important more than hard skill.

As a conclusion, never thinks to give up when you realize your English is not in progress. Many people face the same problem. Now, we already know the great tips from the native speaker and we believe this is the way they study language so no space for failing. Just follow the steps, practice it and prove it. Note that listening, reading, and repeating are the keys of our success. For teachers, never leave the media; use it as much as we can. Lastly, want to finish your study soon? Never get stuck with the final project? Practicing writing in a full book report, presentations, out of class work, and research paper can help you. So, what we are waiting for. Let’s study English better!

Ps: thanks to Juliana Shepherd for the nice presentation and let me be her friend. Hope it will bring many great things in the future.

Ayo Menjadi lebih Cerdas

Kebiasaan yang akhir-akhir ini jarang kulakukan dan sepertinya HARUS aku giatkan lagi adalah membaca.     Memang tidak 100% kutinggalakan, tetapi kalau yang dibaca hanya tweets dan status di facebook sepertinya kurang maksimal untuk mengisi memori otakku. Buku "Jalan Pintas Menjadi 7 Kali Lebih Cerdas" akan menjadi pilihan utama kali ini. Buku yang seharusnya sudah aku katamkan setahun yang lalu, atau seharusnya jauh sebelumnya. 

Di pendahuluan saja sudah banyak hal menarik yang bisa kutemukan. Betapa bangganya si penulis pada ayahnya,  seorang autodidak yang jatuh cinta pada belajar dan secara intuitif mengisi dunia anak-anaknya dengan segala hal yang dipelukan untuk pertumbuhan mereka, jauh sebelum Howard Gardner mendeklarasikan teori kecerdasan ganda. Pernyataan Laurel Schmidt tersebut membawaku terbang ke masa awal aku mulai belajar tentang huruf. Dari ibukulah aku belajar cara menulis namaku. Sekarang aku jauh lebih pintar dari beliau, tetapi biar bagaimanapun pengalaman hidup membuatnya tetap di atas segalanya. Ibuku sangat pandai dalam jual-beli yang sepertinya kemampuan ini tidak menurun pada kami anak-anaknya. Memang beliau tidak sehebat ayah Laurel, tetapi ada banyak hal yang membuatku sadar bahwa beliaulah karunia Allah yang PASTI tidak akan pernah salah dalam memberi apa yang aku butuhkan.

masih berlanjut lho ...................

(Sepertinya aku harus membaca bukunya lagi, dan kali ini lebih bermakna tentunya. Sabar ya ...........)

Mencoba Menjadi Penulis

Menulis sepertinya mudah. Yang sulit adalah saat memulainya.Sekali kita menuliskan sesuatu, tangan dan pikiran kita akn meluncur seperti kereta express di negara Jepang.