Hi.

The well deserved break is coming to an end. I will be back in school next week. Back to the hectic days, full of lesson planning and reflections that to one extend I simply don’t know what to reflect about anymore. Sometimes, there are two reflections to write in a day, and to top it of, a weekly reflection at the end of the week. So that makes it eight reflections that I have to write in a single week.  As a result, the lack of blog updates since I poured all my thinking into those reflections.

Anyway, I have something to ask and I hope that you are willing to share your opinion on this. Every Monday, I will have three Year 6 pupils under my care for some remedial class. The purpose of this remedial class is to give them the support that they need in preparing them for the coming UPSR in September. For your information, these pupils are from the weak class, some maybe dyslexic and at times, they can’t even spell. They are creative, they know how to make sentences but what stopping them is that they do not know the word in English as a result of lack of vocabulary. In order to help them, I usually gave the meaning of the words in BM and asked them to write it down next to the word, or label the picture. My purpose for doing so is to enable them to refer back, look at the words and know the meaning of the words, at least, in BM. I would not want them to look at the words and then not sure of the meaning. However, my supervisor questioned whether is this the best method to teach them, using their first language and this is the second time that she questioned about this. Well, during the class, I did used English, but they gave me a blank look, I know they find it difficult to understand. So I guess that I have to use BM to guide them through the task. The same thing is happening in my class of Year 5. Some of them are dyslexic and some can’t even read. At times, they can’t even understand simple instructions which were given in English. There was once when they did not understand what fold means even though I have demonstrated it a few times. Well, in my mind, why waste time explaining things in English, knowing that it will be hard for the pupils when you can explain something in just seconds, right? I know my supervisor have valid theoretical reasons for questioning my actions and I do not want to be that defensive either, thinking that my action is the best thing to do, practically. So, I really need your opinion on this. Throw in your thoughts, please do. I would really appreciate that.

Although I wished that this week will never end, I kinda miss my pupils. They are always on my mind. I was just wondering what were they doing during English lessons since I am not around for the whole week. Hurm.

Alright then, see you later. Bye.