Instructional variable

My observation about the teacher’s role:

Teacher did a lecturing about reported speech for the students in 40 minutes in the beginning. There was not warming up activity that could grab students’ attention. I saw almost half of the students were yawn. That activity was not synchronic with instructional variable to develop learning activity.

Next, he gave indirect assessment which is grammar correction. They had to correct the grammar of direct speech in pair. It means that the teacher stress on language grammar form beside of language acquisition. Based on my observation, the students did not interest in that assessment. The phenomenon could be shown by their expression such as some of them did not want to do the assessment and chose to read a magazine; some of them chose to play their mobiles; there were three students who decided to sleep. Consequently, the assessment became useless and there was not input for the students.

That indirect assessment (grammar correction) actually will be better if it is collaborated with indirect assessment because the students need something that increases their motivation to learn language. That statement is according of my analysis and interview from the students. Language learning and acquisition through collaboration of indirect and direct assessment will be comprehensible input for the students.

Theory:

·         Instructional variable explain about a lesson beginning that attracts attention and provides a conceptual framework for the lesson (Santrock in Chameleon, 2004).

·         It refers to Krashen’s hypothesis in Bilash (2009) article about comprehensible input. He declared, “Acquisition requires meaningful interaction the target language – natural communications in which speakers are concerned not with the form of their utterance but with the massage they are conveying and understanding.”

·         Brown (2007) declared about his theory that students have sensory input. Teacher should pepper teaching and learning activities in classroom with physical activity, such as having students act out (games, total physical response, etc.)

·         Brown also said that teenager has longer attention span than children, but they need variety of activities to keep interest and attention alive.

·         There is adverse circumstance in Brown theory that can be avoided when teacher should find a large class. It relates with teacher’s classroom management. Grouping the students will be an effective way to handle it.

Suplement activities:

Teacher can give a warming up activity in the beginning of the lesson which relates with the material that will be delivered. In this case, indirect speech material can be opened by questioning and answering. For example:

 “Who wants to be a journalist?”

“Have you ever been a school journalist?”

“Have you ever reported news from television?”

In addition, teacher can open the lesson with “whisper games”. Students have to whisper information and another student should report it in front of class. It will be interesting for them.

Next, assessment modification is used to supply assessment in above for students. There is an example of indirect assessment that will be suitable for this situation such as TGT (Team Game Tournament). This assessment can be given after the teacher does the lecturing session. One of TGT assessments is Hunger Quiz that students should answer some questions about direct speech in a group.

Grammar correction is good for applying in the classroom after lecturing session. However, as a teacher should know about when it can be applied in the classroom and given to the students. In my opinion, the indirect assessment that is more appropriate such as transforming indirect speech into reported speech. It will be synchronic with objectives of the lesson. 

1. "I drive a lorry," he says.
   
2. "Be nice to your brother," he said.
   
3. "Don't be nasty," he said.
   
4. "Don't waste your money" she said.
   
5. "What have you decided to do?" she asks him.
   
6. "I always wake up early," he says.
   
7. "You should revise your lessons," he said.
   
8. "Where were you born ,"he asked me
   
9. Andrew said "Clean the blue bike!"
   
10. ) Jessica said,  "Write a text message!"
    .
11. Nelly says "Help Peter's sister!"
    .
12. Fred said, "Wash your hands!"
    .
13. Ana asks "Open the window!"
    .
14. Tom asked, "Come at 8!"
    .
15. Tom asked, "Come at 8!"
    .
16. Teacher: "Do your homework!"
    .

Resources:

Bilash, O. 2009. Krashen’s hypothesis. Retrieved from www2.education.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.Bilash/.../krashen.html on November, 8^th 2012.

Brown, H. D. 2007. Principle of language learning and teaching. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.id/books?id=jUF0QgAACAAJ&dq=inauthor:%22H.+Douglas+Brown%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YrKhUILkFYSPrgfFpYC4Dw&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA on November, 2^nd, 2012

Chameleon. 2004. CH. 13-Santrock-motivation teaching and learning. Retrieved from http://chameleon.wordpress.com/2004/11/17/ch-13-santrock-motivation-teaching-and-learning/on November, 2^nd, 2012.