We're back again. Let's continue without further ado, shall we?
These are the next 3 sections I had left from presentation slides.
4. Basic English
During the transition from the previous section to this section I got cut off. I'm going tell what happened exactly later on.
Now I would like to explain what is the purpose of this section. Here I was hoping to give some tips for beginners on how to start using English easily. I categorized it into 4 major points which I think are the essences of communication. The 4 major points were reading, writing, conversing, and speaking.
Before I was going to elaborate on each point. Again, I prepared a case where I wanted to bring different perspective which is the learner's point of view.
The usual process of how come people who at least had gotten an English lesson in their life before but could not apply it in current situation. People think of English as a foreign language. Nature of foreign is different or uncommon. Unfortunately whenever something uncommon regarding communication appears, what people do is TRANSLATING the language. Anytime they receive anything in English they would think, "What is the meaning in Bahasa?" As times went on the level of difficulties on the subject itself increased. So many new themes to learn, words to memorize, grammars, and so forth. It got more difficult. Finally, they lost interest in the language.
Now, what if we do not do that? What if we do not differentiate any languages?. Just think that foreign language means new language to learn. We learn so that we can understand and apply it. So, what's the better thing to do here?
We start with basics. First one is from the easiest activity to do in English which is reading. Anyone can read any English text. The alphabets are the same as Bahasa. What people think it's difficult is understanding it. However when you try to understand an English text, it's better to understand it as a whole, NOT TRANSLATING EVERY SINGLE WORD.
What is the text about?
What is its purpose?
What is the main idea?
What does it explain?
What is the conclusion?
Those are the questions that can be used when we read anything in English. Focus on the context and content.
Second is when you write anything in English. Almost similar like when you read, again, let's not tend to translate. When you write you're the one who gets to control on the writing. Have no fear. Don't concern too much if you make the right sentences or not, if you proper words and grammars. Don't think too much about how it's going to be. Just write it first.
What do you want to write?
What's your story?
What are you feeling?
What are you thinking?
Just pour everything from your mind and heart. Make the words appeared.
The third point is tips for when you're in a conversation. Try to grasp what are you and the others talking about? See the context.
Where is the conversation taken place?
Is it a meeting at work or casual hang out in restaurant?
Those are some of the questions that can be used as a guidance.
The last point, the forth one is when you speak.
This is what commonly found as the most terrifying to do by people who just started learning English. In this point I only had ONE SUGGESTION which is JUST GO FOR IT because IF YOU NEVER GO YOU'LL NEVER KNOW.
I was hoping to push everyone who hasn't dare enough to speak up. There are no reason to be afraid. You all got this. You know the words in your head I'm highly sure. Just sound it out loud. Don't keep them in your head. Nothing can be perfect on the first try and that's why we practice.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.
Let me add few thoughts regarding grammars here. I do believe that learning grammars is important. It makes huge different meaning in the language. BUT, do not use grammars as an excuse or as a justification that English is hard. Take it easy. I'm sure as time goes on, technology and people are developing, there are a lot of ways to learn grammars easily. Back then when I was in middle school, I could only rely on my teacher to teach me grammars. It took me years to really understand and able to use them. When I take a look back of what I wrote in middle school, I feel a little embarrass. I can tell you that it is nothing like how I write nowadays.
Let's back to during the meeting. As I mentioned before, I couldn't get everything I was attempted to share out fully due to being cut off in the middle.
As I was going to move on to this section with all those explanation I prepared, someone in the room who is not a moderator suddenly cut me off and said, "Miss Vina, can we please start practicing self-introduction now?"
To be honest I was shocked. My respond then was, "Sorry. Is it because of the duration or what?" After that I just said to everybody who joined that I ALREADY PREPARED materials on self-introduction and I was going to deliver it later. I still had times based on the duration.
After that, I could not think as clearly as before again. I allowed myself to being cut off rudely. The rest that I prepared was just went out the wind.
Finally I was like, "Alright everyone. You can now practice introduce yourself." But inside I still think that it was rude and unacceptable for someone to just cut me off in the middle. If this said person happened to read this, just so you know, that by the time you are reading this, I had moved on; not forgotten because it was memorable and somehow a little funny. But I understood the reason behind that action. I just hope that next time we all can do better than that.
After that, the only thing I thought was JUST GETTING THROUGH THIS. Just get this done because then I had more things to do next.
Finally, some participants were given a chance to introduce themselves and they were all very happy to do so.
In the middle of it all, I tried to slip in some materials I got left that I didn't get to deliver, again, because I was cut off.
The next section on the slides I prepared was supposed to be as follow:
5. Self-Introduction
I was going to explain some easy ways to do it. I prepared some examples I made by myself. I even did couple researches on this.
6. Practice Drill
On the last section was where I was planned to have the practice drill. There was video of self-introduction mentioned but I was honestly just meant that to be a SUGGESTION. They can do that as THEIR OWN PRACTICE.
Due to my shock residue from being cut off, I ended up telling the participants that it was their assignments which then led to yet another ruckus because some participants thought it was too difficult for them. Also because we already announced the they had to make and submit resume for each meeting.
What I gather was that RESUME is the original assignment and it was hard enough to do so that we did not need another assignments.
At the end of the day, the committee decided that it was OPTIONAL. Participant can CHOOSE whether they decided to make and submit resume OR make a video task.
Not that I didn't care anymore but at that moment I honestly just thought WHATEVER 😒. I was relieved it was over😌. I commend the team in their quick thinking and reacting to this issue. I was grateful for that.
PS: Please don't be a silent reader. Any of your comments will be highly appreciated. Thank you.
💖Vina
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