FATIMI ESTAR

When we speak in our first language or mother tongue, do we speak in full sentences? No, isn't it? Same goes when we speak in English. Even though at school our English teachers always insisted that we should build our sentences properly with correct grammar and so on, that actually applies for either essay writing or formal type of verbal communication such as a speech or a presentation. I understand well that most of us are having the trauma after being scolded by our teachers for not writing complete sentences when answering our reading comprehension exercises (eg. we shouldn't start our answer with "Because..." ) TIPS NO. 1 Please study the situations below: Do you speak this way in Bahasa Melayu? A: Hai...Nama saya Ahmad. Siapa nama awak? B: Nama saya Ali. Or this way? A: Hai...Saya Ahmad. Awak? B: Ali. I believe that your answer is the second way, isn't it? That is also how you should speak in English. A: Hi...I'm Ahmad. You are...? ...

People are continuously discussing on which approach is the best for teaching English literature in Malaysian school . Some suggested that interesting creative approaches should be used such as dramatization and role play, games, songs, dances, multimedia and so on. On the other hand, some insisted that literature should be taught in the traditional close reading and explanation way. They believe that it is the only way to enjoy the beautiful language of literature. In my opinion, before fussing over the approaches a teacher should first think of the teaching and learning objectives . When we teach our students, I believe that we must have these two main objectives; 1) students will be able to answer exam questions well, 2) students will be able to make use of our teaching as a guidance in their future life. There is no point of applying so many approaches when at the end of the day our students fail to do well in exams. Like it or not, exam results will always determine one'...