Since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was imposed, there is an abundance of opportunities for learning online. Perky Piung Words Adventure took that opportunities to launch a series of vocabulary challenges to learners of the English Language.

These challenges were presented on Google Forms. The platform was chosen due to its familiarity among users. Furthermore, it has add-ons that enable special features to be used in rewarding learners and data manipulation. I find the platform easy to use and hassle-free.

Here are the challenges that have been presented to the learners since April. Click on the thumbnail, to direct you to the specific challenge. There will be additions so do come back and check out often for new challenges!

Oh! All of these challenges do give away certificates to learners as proof of their achievements! Yay!

This is not genuine, you might have read it elsewhere on how to keep in touch during a pandemic or maintain the relationship with your students remotely, something like that. I consider the articles I have read interesting and perhaps I should record my thoughts on it. I will link the articles I have referred to by the end of the post. 

What does it suggest, holding hearts?

In our tangible classroom, we meet and greet our students. We project emotions; we anticipate responses and we expect feedback. The same goes for online learning. However, emotions are not clearly expressed by emoji and words, let alone being felt. And feedback...

Let's retrace our steps. Before the tasks are assigned, what did we do? Did we merely instruct? Did we give orders? Or simply just a hand over of task? 

We have to understand that the transition from school to home is not easy, let alone is not an enjoyable one. Our students might have a myriad of things to do at home before possessing the time to attend to their learning. They might barely receive the support they require from their parents to accomplish their tasks. Overwhelming!

I think it is not too late to consider this. To hold their hearts. To let them know that we are here, and we care. We care so much about their mental well being, about their challenges and their learning in this new environment. 

So here go, three ways you can hold your students' heart.

1. To broadcast good morning video every school day. 

In Malaysia, we have a programme called "Guru Penyayang" or simply Loving Teacher programme. One of the initiatives is to greet students upon arrival. To wish them a great day ahead and to acknowledge their presence at school on that day. A similar principle goes for a remote classroom. We can say hi, or simply share our morning in a one-minute video. It comforts the students to identify that their teacher is there, ready and accessible for learning to take place. 

2. Make a video call.

Make the effort to call students sometimes, to talk to them and see how they are doing. We can focus the conversation on their daily life so that we can understand their learning challenges. It can be a one-to-one conversation or a small group video call, it depends. Just checking on them like we habitually do at school. 

3. Connect with their world.

Instead of having them perform the task you have given, how about them assigning you something? Or have a class challenge out of the school task? For example, showcasing secret talent, learning a song then performing together online or a photo contest? Students are creative, they can throw you a challenge without much thought. The key point is to have fun together. 



As promised, these are the articles I've read. 

7 Ways to Maintain Relationships During Your School Closure by Sarah Gonser
4 ways COVID-19 could change how we educate future generations
How to stay creative and keep your family sane during lockdown – from one of the world’s best teachers

There are a lot of things you can learn from the novice. First of all, you can admire their curiosity. They are curious just about anything and they are not afraid to ask. Secondly, these people are highly motivated. They go all over for knowledge and don't take no for an answer.

Hello!

These qualities exhibited in the teachers that I came into contact yesterday. A friend from the Microsoft Education requested for a session with his teachers. In my mind, I thought they were those young bubbly just about school leavers who will be in attendance. I got the shock when I realized that most of them were not as I imagined them to be, I was sorry for myself for being a stereotype.

Hi guys!

The session went for 30 minutes with Q&A about my whereabouts (MYSTERY SKYPE, in action!) and a lengthy discussion about the cultures of both countries. We also shared some ideas on how to use technology in the classroom and how it may benefit students.

Isn't she lovely?

This session helped me and the students of Mr. Tien Mai to connect, and Skype helped to personalized that connection. By having a video call, the presence can be felt as we were able to look at each other, understanding cultures by observing how people act and react.

Have you ever Skype in your classroom? Give it a try, you will feel the difference!

I am so excited about our Riddle Skype this year. Alhamdulillah, we have the opportunities to do so. Thank you to Mdm Haruka and her students from Saitozaki Elementary School for reaching out to us.
#skypeintheclassroom   #skypetolearn

The Skype session which will be on schedule tomorrow has undergone 2 training sessions prior to the real session.

In the first training session, students were brief on the flow of the Skype and designation of roles. The students learned how to go about based on their roles. During the second training, the students experienced mock Skype which requires them to simulate the flow of activity. They portrayed their understanding of their roles and were positive throughout the training.

I hope everything will turn out well for Skype and students will gain valuable experiences and ideas about the world around them. I also hope that this activity will motivate them to speak and learn English better. In order to understand this, I have prepared a debriefing activity which I hope to discover new things about the programme and the participants.


Debriefing activity

I have to admit, choice board is certainly new to me. What interesting is instead of teacher-imposed activity on students, choice board allow equal and independence of learning a particular topic or skill. What I learn from my reading and discussion with peers, choice board has several characteristics:

• A choice board may have few choices of activities that caters to different learning styles.

• These activities have the same learning objectives.

• A choice board may have compulsory and alternative activities. For example, do 1 compulsory activity and choose 2 activities. Some teachers would make a nine-choice tic-tac-toe style board because of this. 

• Teacher may prepare different choice board for different category of students. For example, mainstream, special needs, gifted.

• A choice board may be made into end of class activity or integrated into the TnL itself.

• Clear instructions on each activity on the choice board must be provided. 

• Can talk with Japanese people

• Bad connection
• Repeating questions
• Cannot hear
• Cannot understand

• Use sign holders 
• Ask them to repeat

• How to use map
• Communication with new friends
• Working in groups

Keeping up with the trends in education these days, Malaysian Education in context, we are going into the second wave of the National Educational Blueprint (PPPM 2013-2025). In the second wave, educators need to observe the revision of the curriculum. What captured my attention me is the detail description of the items compared to the previous version. It shows that the teachers need to master the foundation of the curriculum, to go in depth, learning about new things that are vital to the effective execution of the curriculum.

For the sake of the discussion, I am interested to look at one item on page 11 of the Document Standard Kurikulum dan Pentaksiran (DSKP) which is Collaborative Learning. Here I quote the DSKP.

Collaborative Learning 

Collaborative learning is a method of teaching and learning in which pupils work together in small groups on a structured activity to explore a significant question or create a meaningful project. The advantage of having small groups is that pupils can share their strengths and also develop their weaker skills as well as their interpersonal skills. They will learn skills to resolve conflicts. Pupils are individually accountable for their work, and the work of the group as a whole is also assessed. 

In order to create an environment in which cooperative learning can take place, teachers have to ensure that pupils need to feel safe, but also challenged. Groups need to be small enough so that everyone can contribute. Diversity is celebrated, and therefore, all contributions are valued. Lastly, the task students work together on must be clearly defined. 

The point itself is self-explanatory. But let us go deeper. We don't want our knowledge to be bound by this description alone thus depriving our learners the opportunity of being the best.

As I was working my way in Microsoft in Education, I stumbled upon an online course on 21 Century Learning Design. There it presented 21st Century Skills needed for students to thrive in their future. Their elaboration on collaboration inspires me on disseminating information to others as I find there are degrees of collaboration in order to fully maximise the learning of content as well as developing the skills of working with other people. This is based on a research by Innovative Teaching and Learning (ITL) Research which is best presented by the rubric shown below.

• Work together
• Shared responsibility
• Substantive decisions
• Interdependent work

Observe the degree of collaboration. The more key words fulfilled the higher the degree will be attained. I will give you an example for easier visualisation.

A teacher assigns a task to a group of pupils (work together) on the topic "Suggestions to keep the School Clean"(shared responsibility). The duration given is a week and presentation format is up to the group (substantive decision on the content and process). The teacher requires every student in the group to present (interdependent work) and they will need to address questions from the audience (substantive decision on the process). Presentation is graded based on content, relevancy, coherency and accuracy (interdependent work).

What do you think of the scenario above? Do you think it qualifies for a stage 5 for collaboration?

and...

What is so important in achieving level 5?

and...

you will discover more and more questions as you ponder on it.


Tell me when you want to try this in your lesson.

or...

If you have tried this, let us ponder on how we can make it better.

On the 5th of December, my Little Kampung Skypers had the chance to meet with a Princess from the Lisbon Zoo Kingdom. The princess had lost her crown and she needed our help in finding them. Together, we 'walked' around the zoo, going from one enclosure to another in search of her dazzling crown.

Click to learn more on the zoo

Isn't it lovely?

We went to the zebra's, flamingoes', giraffes', elephants', meerkats' and chimpanzees' enclosures to look for the crown. While we were looking, the princess shared a lot of interesting animal facts with us. The princess is certainly a knowledgeable person. Brain with beauty! Perfect!

Hello!

We were asked to count the elephants too...

Listening attentively...

Do you know how flamingo has its colour?

The giraffes.

I think the ancient Egyptians had some inspirations from these meerkats' 'eye makeup'.

Are you a real princess?

The little Skypers answered the questions posted by the princess and she was impressed at their answers. She graciously complimented their effort and the Skypers were very pleased. Guess where we found the crown?

I found it! said Khodeejah.

You may take this trip too. Find out more by clicking the image below. Thanks to Microsoft in Education for making it possible for educators to make the world as their classroom. This is our second virtual trip and already I have seen some improvement in my little Skypers. Give it a try, I am sure you will want to take another virtual trip to somewhere again.


We sure had a lot of fun with the princess and hope to see her again soon!