REFLECTION.

This semester, we have been taught the subject of TSL 3113 which is Developing and

Using Resources for the Primary ESL Classroom. Basically, this subject taught us about

teaching aids and materials. For this subject, we were given a coursework to be completed. The

assignment is divided into several tasks and it is a group work task. The coursework need

us to work in groups of 2 or 3 and create a teaching aids or materials and justify why we choose

that materials. After that, we need to make an exhibition using the materials that we have

created. On the 3rd of October, our group had presented the materials in the exhibition and i am

grateful as it was a success. This assignment is for us to show our understanding about

the materials that we need to use in delivering lessons. Throughout this coursework, there

are lots of experiences and new knowledge that I have gained.

For our group, the teaching aids or materials that we produced is a mask of animals to

teach graphic novel “The Jungle Book”. First of all, through this subject and coursework, I have

learned that materials and teaching aids are very important in delivering the lessons to the

pupils. This is because it plays an important role to make the pupils understand what we want to

teach. It also can enhance their understanding about the lesson. Thus, we need to make good

teaching materials that coherence with what we want to teach. Choosing a good materials is the

most important and crucial part. When choosing and designing materials, we must consider all

factors that can affect pupils understanding. I must admit that my practicum experiences really

helped me a lot in designing and producing the materials.

When doing the assignment, there are a few obstacles that we faced. For example what

we want to teach. What teaching aids that we want to produce. What tools and materials that we

want to use. But after a few discussions, we managed to agree on something and we proceed

to the next step which is producing it. Doing this assignment taught me to be tolerable as when

we do this assignment, there are other assignments to be completed as well. Therefore, we

must be understanding of each other and find a suitable time to complete the coursework.

Apart from that, the coursework had prepared me with the knowledge on how to

select appropriate materials that suited the target group of students. The materials

should be innovatively and creatively made so that the pupils will be interested and

participated in the lesson. For our group, the target group is year 4 and it is to teach the

pupils about the graphic novels. We choose to do mask because this will enhance their

understanding more about the novels. As we can see, the graphic novel is very long

and it can be a bit boring for pupils at this age. Therefore, to keep them in track, we

need something that will make them enjoy the learning. Furthermore, the graphic novel

have too many dialogues and sometime it can be confusing to the pupils because

sometime in the novel which they only show dialogues box thus pupils do not know

which dialogues refers to which characters.

Other than that, I learned that there are some criteria’s to be fulfil to make a good

teaching material. One of it is, the materials must be practical. Meaning to say it can be

use over and over again and it can be use not only to teach that particular subject or

topic. For example, the animal mask that my group did. It is practical because not only

we can teach the graphic novel to pupils year 4 using the mask, but we also can use it

to teach year 3 pupils as there is a topic of “Animals in the Zoo” in year 3 syllabus.

Other than that, we also can use it in Pendidikan Seni Visual (PSV). Another criteria that

make a good teaching materials is exploitable. It means that we can exploit the materials to suit

the learning. This is very important because if the materials cannot be exploited, then it won’t be

very useful to the teachers because it will limit the students understanding. For instance, the

materials that my group did. Although it seems simple but we can use it to cover many aspects

such as listening skill, speaking skill and etc.

After completing both the producing and exhibitions of the materials, I realised that there

are some pros and cons with our teaching materials. There are some weaknesses in our

teaching aids such as it is too simple and not interesting enough, it may consume a lot of time

for the pupils to complete it, and etc. Thus, we need to make some improvements so that it will

be a good teaching aid. I am glad that I found some weaknesses from the materials that my

group produced because from here we can learn more. It is better to make mistake now rather

than we make mistake when we become a real teacher.

In conclusion, teaching materials plays an important role for helping the teacher in

enhancing their understanding. Some prefer to have fancy and expensive materials and some

prefer simple and less expensive materials but it does not matter because it depends on the

teacher how they exploit the materials to teach the pupils. Overall, this task have taught me

many new knowledge’s and experiences that will really help me in my planning and

producing a good materials to be use in the classroom.