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 Learning the first language at home and at school First language, mother tongue or home language is the language spoken at home before a child begins school. Research shows that having a strong foundation in a first language makes acquiring a second easier. Children who have a solid foundation in their mother tongue, develop better literacy skills in other languages that they subsequently learn. It is important therefore, that as parents we spend time talking, reading and developing the first language of our children because as research shows bilingual learners’ brains are more flexible they store two languages simultaneously. Evidence also now shows that bilingual learners are overall better in academic performance than monolingual learners. So how can you help at home? Speak in your first language! You are the best model for your child to develop strong vocabulary, proper grammar, and natural communication skills. If one parent’s first language is English, then speak Englis...

Research in the primary English classroom What is action research? Action research is not unique to ELT, or indeed, teaching. In fact it’s used as a development tool by professionals in many industries, and as such, there are many definitions for action research. However, within an ELT context, it can be characterised as research that is done by teachers to bring about a transformation in their current teaching practices. To explain further, it’s a systematic and teacher-led approach to ‘real-life’ problem solving in the classroom, questioning and critically analysing areas of teaching in their particular context. Action research is not like ‘traditional’ academic research, though, as results are not intended to be generalized. It’s more rigorous than exploratory practice and encourages teachers to act on their initial reflections. By insisting upon reflection, it encourages teachers to take action to change particular aspects of their teaching. Why is it beneficial for teachers? There...

Materials Evaluation and Material Design MATERIALS EVALUATION          After completed our need analysis and course design, the next step that should be done by the teacher is deciding what they will do. Teacher may turn the course design into actual teaching materials. There are three possible ways of turning the course design into actual teaching materials: 1.       Select from existing materials: materials evaluation 2.       Write our own materials: material development. 3.       Modify existing materials: materials adaptation. In this chapter, the writer concerns to discuss the first point “Material Evaluation”. The techniques and a lot in terms of ideas of evaluating the existing materials can be found in this chapter. 1.       Why Evaluate Materials? According to Hutchinson & Waters (1987) stated that evaluation is a matter of judging the...

Learning to Learn  We often hear phrases from the hadith such as: "learn from the mother's arms to the grave" or "Seek knowledge to China", all of these expressions show how important learning is, how important it is to study. The phrase also shows that learning is a lifelong activity, as long as we live. If learning is important, of course we need to know what is the essence of learning?  Learning according to Gagne is a change in the level of behavior that is relatively permanent due to the process of experience. Changes in the level of behavior in question are changes that are open, observable. So if people study mathematics, they must be able to show their learning outcomes, for example, if they are asked 1 + 1, if they answer 2, it means that they have learned correctly. A person is not enough to be called learning if he only says that 'I have learned' without showing a result of his learning. The process of experience in question is a process such ...