since a week ago,
I have been transferring my basic words to these kids whom have been placed in
the fourth class, the weakest amongst all. it's tiring to keep drilling them with
few basic words I want them to remember forever. these kids are all going to
sit for examination in august yet you’ll be surprised to know their basic words
are too limited.
last week I brought a set of flash cards; my first words and drilled
them with spelling and pronunciation. at this age, they are supposed to master words
like table, bag, pencil, belt, sun yet even these are hard enough to majority. so during each class
I use vary ways to make sure they remember the words and understand what it
means. I let them stand and spell the words each in the beginning of every
lesson. sometimes, I wrote misspelt words and let them correct. I allow them to
go back in the afternoon only if they could tell me the meaning of certain words. these have been repeated on daily basis.
this week I added few more new words
and keep repeating them again. I almost gave up when even after hard drilling I
did with them, many still couldn’t get words like in, on, under and behind
correct. forget about using only English in class because translation is a must for
every word I wrote on blackboard. or uttered. you’ll see blackboard – papan hitam,
basket – bakul sampah, table – meja etc. yes, those words they didn’t
and most of them still don’t know until today.
but this strikes me in an instant. a boy in
class in his happy mood told me that he felt like his English is improving and is
very happy about it. when I asked why, he said that he can now understand what
he writes. of course, that happens because translation takes place at all
lesson so it helps him to understand. but for a kid who once didn’t know what
the word table is, it is such a huge achievement to be able to raise his hand
and proudly tell me what the word means when I asked.
it may look impossible,
yet all is possible with hard work. let’s work together.
