Best Time To Learn Language

Have you ever wonder to teach your children a new language in early age? If so, you have already make a best decision in life. Research have shown that baby's brain is ready to be bilingual. They say baby's brain is like a sponge, and if it grows in an environment where two people speak two languages, it will grow up to use two languages too. Children under five years old have a significantly greater aptitude for language acquisition. A lot of selection of neural circuits goes on in the first few years of life, this pruning is essential for many aspects of behavioral development. The development of the neocortex is largely determined by genetics; however, it is highly influenced by the environment. In many cases it is a use it or lose it proposition, it is not that we completely lose the ability to learn more than one language, it does however get more difficult with age. This same process is why it is very important that infants be raised in a positive stimulus rich environment.

Some specialists in language acquisition also claim that the sooner a child starts to learn a second language the better. It certainly seems to make sense that the earlier you start, the longer you will have to learn, and the more progress you will make compared with someone who started later. However, there is evidence that this is not the case, particularly if the second language comes to take the place of the first language, which has never been allowed to develop properly. In addition, this is true in the sense that children are not at all as busy as adults. Adults only struggle to learn a new language because they are too busy and sometimes too lazy. Adults generally have a more difficult time staying organized, as they have a lot more to worry about than children do. Children don't have any responsibilities, so they can focus more easily than adults can. The challenge for adults is in allowing their selves to ignore their responsibilities once in awhile so that they can focus on the things they want to learn.

One case in my environment have shown that, the children of foreign family who immigrate to my country learn a new language faster than their parents. After looking for any information and interviewed the parents then I know that the children learn a new language from their new friends in their new environment. Their friends who take much control in learning a new language. This case shown that environment has its part in successful of learning a new language.

One researcher* talks of the dangers of double semi-lingualism for early learners of a second language; i.e. the child does not develop full proficiency in either of the two languages. And it has been found that older learners of a language are more efficient learners, so they may need less time to reach the same level of proficiency as younger learners. Also, of course, if more time is spent learning a second language during the school day, then some other subject must be cut or reduced to make way for it. This may not be desirable.

So what is the best time for a person to start learning a foreign language is depend on the situation, ability and motivation. The best situation to learn a new language is when they live with native. A person who has a high ability in learning language will learn a new language easily and motivation of each learners will push them better.

References:

http://esl.fis.edu/parents/advice/myth2.htm

http://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst2903_BEST-TIME-TO-LEARN-A-LANGUAGE.aspx

Curriculum 2013 Isuue

Education curriculum in Indonesia has been changed for many times. In my school year, I've experienced learning using Curriculum Based Competence (KBK) in my junior high school, Education Unit Level Curriculum (KTSP) in my senior high school and today the government has already arrange a new curriculum for better education in all grades. In this new academic year, government trying out to apply a new curriculum design name Curriculum 2013. An ordinary people will think it was only "pencitraan" of the newest administration. But, are they really know what is Curriculum 2013? Why it has to be applied in Indonesia?

In November, Indonesia’s deputy minister of education, Musliar Kasim, explained that changes in the Indonesian educational system curriculum was an absolute necessity because, “Right now many students don’t have character, tolerance for others, empathy for others.” It means, the government really need a new curriculum design in order to make the young generations not only has a broader knowledge but also has a good moral. They know how to be thankful, appreciate what they already have, tolerance for people around, and about cooperativeness. Curriculum 2013 will puts attitude in the higher place than knowledge and skill competence

Curriculum 2013 will make a lot of changes in the system of Indonesian education from elementary school level to senior high school, some lesson will be dismissed. In the coming academic year 2013/201, the changes made will be on the process of learning, the number of lessons, and also the learning time will be longer than before. This new curriculum design causes pros and cons. 

As my observation in the real situation, it says that the teachers itself have not been ready for this coming curriculum. It was a pathetic reality that they do not know the contain of Curriculum 2013 and what is the purpose of this new curriculum. It is really needed to the government and others who has responsibility in this kind of field to give a deep training and prepare them to be a qualified teacher with a new curriculum design.

Here I will share to the reader specially for English teachers about the KI KD 2013 and also the Syllabus Curriculum 2013 of English for senior high school level:
1. KI KD Bahasa Inggris SMA Kelas XI
2. KI KD Bahasa Inggris SMA Kelas XII
3. Syllabus Bahasa Inggris SMA Kelas X
4. Syllabus Bahasa Inggris SMA Kelas XI
5. Syllabus Bahasa Inggris SMA Kelas XII


References:
http://internationaleducation2012.wikispaces.com/Addressing+the+2013+curriculum+in+Indonesia
http://thaliamarten.blogspot.com/2013/05/educational-issues-in-indonesia-newest.html

Listening Strategies

Listening to the audio of listening test is easy if you know its strategies and it will be suffering you if you do not understand and catch up what comes to your ears. I've been searching any materials connected to this complication for your better listening. You may click here and for more information follow this link.

References:

http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/listening/goalslisten.htm

http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/listening/stratlisten.htm

Speaking and Its Problems

Speaking stand in second line of English skill. For many people, speaking is seen as the central skill. Besides, there are lots of obstacles faced by the students to acquire good proficiency. It wasn't a big problem since the expert gives a solution towards this kind of problem. I've already sum up the material concern with this kind of topic. You can read more here.

ICE-breaker to WARMING UP

Icebreaker? Is that a hammer or something else to broke ice cube into pieces? LOL The answer is NO. 

Icebreaker in this case is technique that most teachers use to stimulate their students to have a good cooperation and participation in their group work. There is wide variety of icebreakers in education world which has its purposes. For more information you may click here.

References:

http://insight.typepad.co.uk/40_icebreakers_for_small_groups.pdf

Speaking: Speak Like A Native

If English is your L2 then I am pretty sure you are dreaming of speaks fluently like a native. It wasn't secret anymore if people which English is their L2 speak in their unique accent and most of them trying hard to reduce their unique accent. To learn more about how to speak like native you may click here and for the addition you can read here.


References:
http://www.rachelsenglish.com/videos/sound-native-speaker
http://www.wikihow.com/Speak-a-Language-With-the-Native-Accent

Sentence Classification

What is sentence? How many sentence that used by people all around the world? What kind of sentence that you just utter to your friends today? Are they understand to what you are talking about? 

It is a pathetic reality that only a few people in this world know the classification of sentence and may be they who know about it only them who are learning language. In fact all people use sentence in their daily communication. There is nothing wrong if people do not know the sentence classification, because their goal is only to communicate not to understand the sentence classification. If the people they are communicate to understand about the sentence that they use, means they are success in communicating and DONE. But it will be better if they know and understand about kind of sentence that they use because each situation will use different sentences, of course. I don't have to talk more, here I posted about Sentence Classification and feel free to download. 

The Importance of Enriching Vocabulary

What is vocabulary? What kind of language branches is that? Is it important for education?
Most of learners in learning language will asking the same questions above. Do not worry, the answer that you are looking for is here. I posted a simple explanation why enriching vocabulary become so important in learning language. The answers is here.

Writing Anxiety

Most people become nervous when they faced a blank paper to write anything inside their head. Personally, I believe that every writer has had experience of avoiding a blank paper because some reasons. First, they do not know what to write in the paper and how to write well. Second, they believe it was a complex activity because the writers have to consider the mechanism of writing (spelling, capitalization, and punctuation), dictation (word choice), grammar and the ability to connect the sentence to become unified thought in written discourse. Third, some of them will feel stupid when they cannot find the right words. 

It can be hours, days, or may be weeks when the TV program, movie, party and almost interesting activities be a magnet that pulls you away from writing. Every writer know the frustration of sitting down faced a blank paper. Here are some tips for figuring out if you have writing anxiety and ways you can deal with that anxiety. Feel free to download here.

IT for Teaching: Professional Presenter Use PREZI

A few days ago I just posted another way to make your presentation powerful and attractive. Today, I will share to you the most easy and awesome way in creating your slide so that the audiences will focus in your presentation. It's easier and simpler than Slide Master that I have posted before.  Prezi is a whole new concept on the take of visual aids. Prezi is a newer flash-based application that allows the user to create a presentation using a large, blank page instead of traditional slides. The main differentiation with Prezi is that, unlike PowerPoint, a Prezi presentation is NON LINEAR (a story presented to the audience with multiple paths from point A to point B). Instead of slides, Prezi gives you an unlimited canvas on which to layout your ideas. Most of professional presenter now days use PREZI for the media of their presentation. Why PREZI? Because PREZI give you some benefits that another media presentation doesn't have.

PREZI offers you some of the advantage, they are:

1. Breaks the Mold

Prezi is not your typical slide-based presentation tool. You start with a blank canvas and can add and manipulate content anywhere on the page. There is no such thing as a linear, slide-by-slide display method (unless you design it that way, of course). Break the mold and present in unique ways. It even lets you import your existing PowerPoint presentations for conversion!

2. It’s Free and Web-Based

Prezi is completely free. Compared to PowerPoint, which is both a paid application and not accessible everywhere, Prezi provides access from any web-enabled computer. This is great for students who may not have the Office suite on their home computers. Students and staff can easily create Free accounts on Prezi using their Facebook accounts as well.

3. Link Text and Images to Movement

Prezi has the ability to have movement. For instance, if you are talking about ‘Imagery,’ you can have Prezi zoom in (past the word Imagery) and display examples of the imagery you are discussing. The movement relates to the terms and examples, creating a visual link for the students.

4. Appropriate for All Ages

The web-based software is designed with all ages in mind. The simple icon-based design tools ensures that any age group will be successful in creating and presenting new creations. I have always been a proponent of teaching young kids how to use new technology – and Prezi certainly makes that easier with their simple design interface.

5.  Shows Students You’re “Up-to-date” with Technology

It sounds so simple (and somewhat deflating) but your students really do pay attention to the teaching tools you use. By staying current with new technology, more often than not your students will appreciate the change of pace from the tools they are seeing used in all their other classes (and what they’ve seen for the past few years of their schooling). Take a chance and try something new – if it fails miserably (which it won’t) they will appreciate you for trying something that breaks the mold.

How to create your own PREZI? Feel free to download here.

References:

http://instructionaltechtalk.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-prezi/

http://presentationpanda.com/uncategorized/powerpoint-vs-prezi-whats-the-difference/