CURRICULUM STUDIES ASSIGNMENT 2: ORAL PRESENTATION

By Abang Kamaruddin Bin Nasron

INTRODUCTION
I will discuss :
how the roles of a teacher as a curriculum analyst, a classroom decision-maker, and a classroom practitioner function in implementing the teaching of reading skill in the classroom environment. how the aspects of lesson objectives, classroom strategies, and assessment be exemplified in analyzing the skill taught.

1.0

READING

Why teach reading?

Print is all around us, and we use it more ways than we are aware of (Grabe, 2009: p.5) People are expected to read as it is a part of learning.

(Grabe, 2009)
Reading is one of the basic literacy skills emphasized in the curriculum document; the aim is not just to enable learners to read independently a variety of texts, but also to read with understanding to synthesize information

(Curriculum Development Centre, 2001).

2.0

TEACHERS AS CURRICULUM ANALYSTS

How do I interpret the curriculum?

The chosen learning objective 3.8 Read and understand simple factual texts for main ideas, supporting details, sequence, and cause and effect Rationale: English language syllabus - students should be able to read independently for enjoyment, understanding and synthesizing information (Ministry of Education, 2002).

Learning outcomes:

Differentiated LOs to cater different levels of students proficiencies (Low, Average, and High proficiency)
Rationale: To help students with different learning abilities to achieve the lessons goals. National Philosophy of Malaysian Education (NPME) demands for every individual to be knowledgeable and competent in an effort towards the betterment of the nation, family and society (Bahagian Pendidikan Guru, 2003)

What should I include in the lesson?

Scanning an important skill in comprehension a purposeful reading tool for selecting specific information from a text encourages efficient readers who read extensively outside of the classroom: Curriculum Development Centre (2001, p.7): Learners are also encouraged to read extensively outside the classroom for enjoyment and information . adds to students knowledge of How to learn skills; Ministry of Education (2003, p.4): to enable learners to access sources of information more efficiently and help them become independent life-long learners

Thematically integrated reading lessons to use different themes for reading texts which later could be developed into activities that would require students to include and work on the aspect intended. A demand for holistic development of individuals 4 aspects (intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and physical); e.g. Teachers Day reading text ask students to make a card to their mum. Local and global news articles

students would learn to know and become aware of what are current issues and news updated globally and how they could make use of those.
get students to think out-of-the-box where they try to think beyond what they have usually heard or seen.

3.0

TEACHERS AS DECISION-MAKERS

What teaching-learning materials, approaches, and classroom strategies planned for implementation?
Philosophy of Education and curriculum as the basis for selection: The selection is importantly based on how they interpret the philosophy and goals of the curriculum as those provide educators with a framework of how students learn, what methods and materials to use, what activities and experiences to stress, and how to test students and use the test results. (Ornstein, 2011)

Using newspapers and magazines as authentic materials to vary the types of reading texts provided for different reading purposes, give students materials that are of immediate relevance to their lives (Chitravelu, Sithamparam, & Choon, 2005). However, it is important to select those which have appropriate language, content, and illustrations. This would involve reading texts which: provide many sight words, have clear and uncomplicated story line (p.106), are developed within the understanding and experience of children (p.106), have clear and supporting illustrations (Chitravelu, Sithamparam, & Choon, 2005).

Differentiated worksheets

Using the same reading text, teachers could approach the reading lesson by differentiating the worksheets for different reading groups.
Low proficiency - a comprehension chart, on which students transfer short answers from the text the chart helps them arrange their thoughts and enhance their understanding in reading the text; Reading is a strategic process, in which a number of processes and skills involved in anticipating text information, selecting key information, organizing and mentally summarizing information, and matching comprehension output to reader goals. (Grabe, 2009)

Average proficiency & High proficiency True-False questions & Multiple-choice questions (MCQ) Testing & teaching both types raise students expectations of what information is tested, help students to tease out meanings and provoke an examination of the reading (Harmer, 2007: p.274).

Interventions

teachers helping out students with the reading tasks when the tasks seem to be too challenging or have unclear instructions to work on.
Reteach if students could not answer the comprehension questions, perhaps I need to reteach the text and work on it together with the students for better understanding.

4.0

TEACHERS AS CLASSROOM PRACTITIONERS

How do teachers become reflective practitioners?

Being reflective teachers is being able to be flexible in implementing classroom routines in which lie rigorous analysis and social awareness.

(Pollard, 2009)
This involves teachers acting upon actions and decisions they make in relation to: what teaching strategies are effectively working, what teaching learning approaches are possible to implement, how they could control the classroom effectively.

How do I make sure the plan goes well?

Establish a productive and satisfying learning environment through good instructions and pace (Pollard, 2009); explicitly tell students what and how they should work on the reading text; When learners understand the purposes, the contexts of the tasks, and the challenges they are faced with, they would learn most effectively. (Pollard, 2009) give ample time for students to explore questions related to the reading text;

Teachers know how much students understand about a reading text,

leads to more thoughtful and considered responses (Pollard, 2009: p.301).

Establish a caring, democratic learning community, in which; a teacher continuously interacts with students and filters through to student -to-student interactions (Larrivee, 2009: p.78). teachers concern for students learning and try to make sure each member of the learning community to get equal benefits from the learning process. To get different ability students to work together and care for each member in carrying out learning activities could be further extended to mentoring groups from which students could get more support.

Mixed ability reading groups

Encourage motivation teachers need to create a positive attitude towards reading among the learners in order for them to be interested in reading. (Chitravelu, Sithamparam, & Choon, 2005) reading for specific information might seem to sound difficult to be presented interestingly to students - however, it could be taught interestingly by looking at different types of reading texts as the resources.

Make use of available resources in the classroom apart from eliciting ideas from students , make use of the objects available in the classroom to make the reading lesson more engaging; - ask students to create artworks using recycle items they could find in the classroom, - to make the task meaningful, the artworks must be based on the theme students have for their reading.

e.g. Post-reading activity

CONCLUSION
A successful lesson lies on the question whether how successful a teacher plays her significant roles as the curriculum analyst, the decision-maker, and the classroom practitioner. This involves not only teachers knowing what teaching strategies to use, or how they should react upon different situations within the classroom settings, but also knowing and understanding how they could relate and implement what the curriculum requires them to do in achieving its goals. realizing this, teachers should understand their roles as not only implementers of the curriculum, but also as the ones who make it a success.

References
Bahagian Pendidikan Guru, (2003). Sukatan Pelajaran Education Studies for KPLI (Sekolah Rendah). Kuala Lumpur: Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. Chitravelu, N., Sithamparam, S., & Choon, T. S., (2005). ELT Methodology: Principles and practice (2nd ed.). Selangor, Malaysia: Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. Choong Lean Keow, (2008). Philosophy and education in Malaysia . Selangor, Malaysia: Kumpulan Budiman Sdn Bhd. Grabe, W. (2009). Reading in a Second Language . New York: Cambridge University Press. Harmer, J., (2007). The practice of English Language Teaching (4 th ed.). England: Pearson Education Limited. Larrivee, B., (2009). Authentic classroom management: Creating a learning community and building reflective practice (3 rd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Ministry of Education, (2001). Curriculum specifications: English language Year 5. Kuala Lumpur: Curriculum Development Centre. Ministry of Education, (2003). Literacy practice Year 1-4. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media Ltd. Mok Soon Sang, (2005). Education studies for KPLI (Sekolah rendah) : Teacher Professionalism Theme 3. Selangor, Malaysia: Multimedia-ES Resources Sdn. Bhd. Pollard, A., (2005). Reflective teaching (2 nd ed.). London: CONTINUUM.