Online Task 1

Folktales

List some of the well-known folktales from Malaysia

1.     The Curse Of Mahsuri

2.     The Legend Of The Two Princesses

3.     The Unfortunate Lebai

4.     Poor Pak Kaduk

5.     The Princess Of Mount Ledang

6.     Bawang Putih And Bawang Merah

7.     Outwitting A Crocodile

8.     Princess Santubong

9.     The Man Eating Stone

10. Si Tenggang

11.Raja Bersiung

List some of the possible issues found in the Son of the Turtle Spirit

1.     Honesty

2.     Obedience

3.     Loyalty

4.     Love

Are those issues universal in nature or are they only relevant in the Chinese culture?

They are universal in nature.

Fables

What are the other morals that can be gotten from the other fables by Aesop? List at least two.

1.     The Dog and His Reflection. 

 It is very foolish to be greedy.

be satisfied with what you have or you may lose it

2. Mercury and the woodman.

Honesty is the best policy.

3.     Two Travelers and a Bear

Misfortune is the test of true friendship.

4.     The Gnat and the Bull

  We are often of greater importance in our own eyes than in the eyes of our neighbor.

The smaller the mind the greater the conceit.

Myths

One well-known literary figure from the Elizabethan age used Ovid’s Pyramus and Thisbe as a model to one of his famous plays. Who is he and what is the play?

William Shakespeare. Romeo & Juliet.

Legends

List some of the popular legends we have in Malaysia.

The legend of Mahsuri, Puteri Gunung Ledang, Hang Tuah and Puteri Santubong.

Le Mort d’Arthur

1.     Who is Thomas Malory?

Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, who wrote and compiled Le Morte d'Arthur.

2.     When was Le Mort d’Arthur written?

It was written in the early 1450s when Sir Thomas Malory was in prison.

3.     How many books/ parts are there in LMDA?

There are 8 books in LMDA.

4.     What is book 8 about?

It is about the death of King Arthur.

5.     Who were the two people who had an affair?

They were Lancelot and Guinevere.

6.     Book 6 has a strong connection to a popular modern fiction which is now a movie. What is the title of the popular modern fiction?

King Arthur (2004) and Merlin: Lancelot and Guinevere.

7.     State three well-known facts about King Arthur/ his time as a King

a.    King Arthur's sword is called ‘the Excalibur’.

b.   King Arthur married Guinevere and got the Round table as a wedding present from her father.

c.  King Arthur’s greatest knight, Sir Lancelot betrayed him and had an affair with Guinevere.

Think of 2 ways in which you can use folktales/fables/myths or legends in the classroom. Explain briefly.

1.     Group activity- Role play.

·        Students are to be divided into groups according to the plots of the story to act out the story. This activity helps the students to understand the story better. They will also improve their analytical skills as they analyze the characters in the story and act it out during the presentation. Besides that, the students will improve their communication skills as they work in a group as well as uncovering their acting talents through the participation in the act.

2.     Pairing activity- sharing.

·        The teacher asks the student to choose his favorite part or character in the story and share with his partner. This activity teaches the students on how to express their thoughts apart from improving their communication skills, be it the speaking or listening skills through their conversations.

Online Task 2

Do we have a canon for Malaysian literary works? Let's say we do, who do you think are in it? Consider the fact that their works are well-known and most importantly included as part of the school syllabus- (both in BM and English)

Bahasa Malaysia

1.     Zakaria Salleh

Limpahan Darah di Sungai Semur for PMR level

2.     Mohamad Kholid Hamzah

Kabus di Perbukitan for SPM level

3.     Prof. Dr. Muhammad Haji Salleh

Anak Global for SPM level

English

1.     Kamaluddin Muhamad (Keris Mas)

Jungle of Hope for SPM level

2.     Datuk A. Samad Said

The Dead Crow for PMR level

3.     Prof. Dr. Muhammad Haji Salleh

Si Tenggang’s Homecoming for SPM level

4.     Lee Su Ann

The Curse for SPM level

The poems by Erica Jong raise some feminist issues. What are they?

The feminist issues raised by Erica Jong in her poems are sexuality, gender difference, freedom, marriage, and love.

Do you think they are suitable to teach at the secondary school level? Explain.

Erica Jong’s writing style can be considered bold in eastern culture and therefore they might not be a very good teaching material for the schools in our country in some people’s eyes. However, as they reflect truth and real issue about gender difference I think that they can be taught at secondary school for students of upper secondary level especially when the importance of sex education in school is genuinely highlighted nowadays.

Is Hillary Tham's poem more suitable?

Hilary Tham’s poem reflects feminism issue too but it is gentler and therefore is a more ‘local taste’ type of reading material. Compared to poems by Erica Jong, Hilary Tham’s would be more suitable to be taught to students at secondary level. Her poem, ‘Becoming a woman’ serves as a very good material for the students to understand better about the role and growth of a woman. It thus allows the female students to know themselves better as well as learning to become a self loving person and the male students to appreciate and respect the woman around them.

The short tale from the Native American group is about a girl who is unsatisfied with her life. How is this universal experience? Can it teach our students anything?

This issue about not be satisfied in life is very common disregard of nations, communities, races and genders. Human are more likely to be not content with what they have in their life as they yearn for perfection and standard living which differ individually. This American native story teaches the students to be grateful and content with the simple things. It also teaches the students not to value things solely on the outward appearance and but also take consideration on the inner beauty of the subject too. Besides that, it reminds the students to be wise and tactful in making decision on very important matters such as marriage in this American native story.

From your findings about his background, tell me about the dilemma he conveys through the poem CROSS.

This poem shows complexity of a person with confusions and difficulties in his personality. It explores the deepest emotions and troubles of a young man who was confused with his heritage as he could not decide whether he is black or white. Hughes, who was born to a black mother and white father, experienced emotional conflicts because of the racialism discrimination during that time when the black was regarded low status and was miss-threatened with injustice by the society.

I find "Dinner Guest: Me" laden with irony and sarcasm. Briefly state if you feel the same.

“Dinner Guest: Me” by Langston Hughes is full of irony and sarcasm and they can be seen from the following lines:

Stanza 1, Line 1 & 2

I know I am

The Negro Problem

Stanza 1, Line 9, 10 & 11

Of darkness U.S.A.—

Wondering how things got this way

In current democratic night,

Stanza 1, Line 14

“I’m so ashamed of being white.”

The irony and sarcasm in the poem was so strong when you read the above lines. And also when he mentioned that the racial issue is a very common and frequently asked question which at the end of his poem he gave the ironic answer to the issue discussed as he said the answer to the answer to the problem is to wait.

The experience in the poem Harlem is one that is true for many people. Do you agree?

Yes, I agree. Harlem’s poem is about the unequal treatment among the blacks and the whites. The case in relation to today’s society is unequal treatment to people in regard with wealth and social status and some who still have racial bias until today.

Langston Hughes fights for the voice of his people. What is the movement called?

New Negro Movement.

Bio-Poem

Online task 3

Nelson,

Ambitious, charismatic, devoted and loving

Son of  Nonqaphi and Henry

Lover of freedom, equalities and justice

Who detests racialism, neither black nor white domination

Who cherishes the idea of democratic, a free society with equal opportunities

Who lives a life that symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit

Who gives hope, inspirations, and motivations

To all who are oppressed and deprived, to all who are opposed to oppression and deprivation

Born in Mvezo, Transkei of South Africa

Mandela.

Speech

Online task 4

1. Think of at least 3 benefits of using speeches by famous figures, in the classroom.
(i) Speeches by famous figures are normally very impactful, that people will understand the messages. Inspiring speeches will definitely a good material to motivate the students.

(ii) These speeches are informative and well structured. The students can learn the history that took place when the speeches were written.

(iii) These speeches are usually written to bring a new mindset to the people. It challenges the reader to have a deeper thought about an issue. So the students are trained to think in a different perspective.

2. Go to www.youtube.com and find the audio-visual on the speech. In not less than 50 words, state would the audio-visual be of any use in helping understand the speech better? State your reasons.

In my opinion, audio visual is definitely the best tool to be used to understand the speech better; this is because the students learn by visual or by audio.

People process information through both the right and left brain hemispheres. Most people, however, use one side more than the other, which makes learning some subjects far easier than others. Everyone also has a preferred learning style, depending on the side of the brain and learning modality that is most developed. Modes or styles of learning include kinesthetic (touching), audio (hearing) and visual (seeing). It is important to be aware of learning styles since they greatly influence learning success.

The students can see the actual situation and feel the energy and power of Martin Luther King by watching how him giving his speech to the Americans.

3. Who is Martin Luther King?

Martin Luther King was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr. helped change America. He brought to the world's attention how unfairly blacks were treated. He had the help of millions of Americans, but his strong leadership and unprecedented power of speech gave people the faith and courage to keep working peacefully even when others did not. This led to new laws that ended the practice of keeping people of different backgrounds apart, making life fairer for everyone.

4. Based on the questions below, analyse the features of the given written speech:
a. What is the purpose of the speech?

The speech was an eloquent plea for a society based on racial harmony. Nevertheless, while King's speech is best remembered for his vision of racial equality, its true import lies in the fact that the renown accorded the speech helped advance the multifaceted goals of the march, thus helping to pave the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The speech had truly inspired the American to stride for a revolution for freedom.

b. What is the tone of the speech?

Determined. Willing. Passionate. Hopeful.

c. What interesting major feature(s) can you see from the speech? (i.e. Repetition of phrases, emphasis on certain things said etc)

 The interesting major feature(s) which I can see from the speech are:-

i.) Repetition of phrases such as “I have a dream”. This phrase was mentioned eight times throughout the speech.

Repetition of phrases such as “one hundred years later”. This phrase was mentioned four times throughout the speech.

Repetition of phrases such as “now is the time”. This phrase was mentioned three times in the speech.

Repetition of phrases such as “free at last!”. This phrase was mentioned three times in the speech.

Repetition of phrases such as “be satisfied”. This phrase was mentioned five times in the speech.

Repetition of the word, “negro”. This word was mentioned fifteen times throughout the speech.

Repetition of the word, “free”. This word was mentioned twenty four times throughout the speech.

Repetition of the word, “freedom”. This word was mentioned nineteen times throughout the speech.

ii.) Emphasis on certain things said.

- Martin Luther King, Jr. states that after a hundred years later, the blacks are still oppressed and marginalised by the whites by emphasizing on the phrase, “one hundred years later”.

- Strong words like ‘manacles’ and ‘chains’ were used to depict the sufferings of the blacks. Their ancestors were once slaves and they were chained and manacled. These words have connotative meanings and are used to show that the blacks were denied social justice and are tied to poverty.
- The phrase, “the bank of justice is bankrupt” is quite sarcastic and funny.
- “Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children.”
By making that statement, he wants the blacks to be given equal treatment and equal opportunities as the whites.

- “In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.”

By making that statement, he is telling all the blacks that the struggle for equality must be done in a peaceful way without using any force as it could spur racial tension.

- “Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s statement above might suggest that many of the black audiences were just released from prisons and lockups. Maybe many of them were released on bail. Meanwhile, the second sentence shows that the many of the blacks were suffering from police brutality where they were beaten up badly.

- “There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
By making the statement above, he is saying that the blacks will never stop fighting for their rights until they are granted equal rights as the whites.
- "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
By making that statement, he means that all human being are equal in god’s eyes and should be given equal treatment.

d. Any interesting facts that you can gather based on the background of the speech?
From the background of the speech, I learned that many black people were marginalized and were denied of social justice and equal rights. Many of the blacks were jobless and they were suffering from poverty at that time. They were fighting for their rights and they wanted it urgently because they were tolerating this situation for more than a hundred years. From it, I also learnt that many of the blacks were suffering from police brutality where they were beaten up badly. They were thrown into lockups and prisons. They felt that all human being are equal in god’s eyes and should be given equal treatment. From the background of the speech, I also learnt that the blacks will never stop fighting for their rights until they were granted equal rights as the whites.

5. Suggest a while-reading activity that can be derived from this particular speech.

Ask the students to find the most interesting part of the speech that capture their attention and share their thoughts about it.

Dear Diary

The joy of writing a diary

Writing a diary or journals is actually a very joyful thing to do especially when you read it at any time of leisure. There is no specific scheme or template in writing a diary. Some write about things that happened to them daily while some others only jotted the most special event in their life. As for me, I enjoy writing down my feelings, both happy and upset, the problems that I have met which always followed by the resolutions and never forgotten some words of encouragement to myself. Nevertheless, I enjoy giving myself some appreciations and compliments too. During my school time, I used to have a ‘to do’ list at the corner of the page and a note of accomplishments beside the list. Whenever I fail to hit my daily target, I will have a short self evaluation and reflection just to find out the reason of the failure. I would also write down some suggestions to overcome the problems. Besides that, I never missed to write down words of self encouragement and appreciation for I think they are far more valuable and stronger than those we get from people around us. We might be fluttered when we receive compliments from other people especially from those whom we wish to get it from but self compliments are those that sustain us in long run. My diary is not only the records of what I had done in my life but also serves as a comfort zone for me. It is my friend, my reference, my teacher and my soul mate too. The joy of writing a diary is indescribable in words. Unfortunately, this hobby has cease as time passed. Kids nowadays enjoy writing down what they do and how they feel in online application such as uploading shout outs and sharing on Facebook.  It may somehow considerable as a record of what they did but it is never as personal and truthful as compared to a diary of their own. As a teacher, I would like to encourage my students to have their own journals too. Apart from improving their writing skills, the students can enhance their vocabulary knowledge and also learn to express themselves literally. The most important thing that they would be benefited from having their own diaries is that they can understand themselves better. The process of getting to know themselves is extremely important in building up their personality while they are searching for their identity and true self. 

To be & not to be 'Simple'

Iroquois: The Girl Who Was Not Satisfied With Simple Things

This story was about a girl named Dahjoh who was not satisfied with simple things. Her parents worked very hard in finding her a husband as she was very picky in choosing a suitable man for her. At last, she decided to marry a young handsome guy not from their village who was actually a serpent disguised in human form. When she knew that her husband was not of the same kind, she escaped with the help of Heno, the Thunderer. The girl returned to her village and finally married a man with a good heart. After that incident, Dahjoh learned to ‘be satisfied with simple things’.

The problem faced by Dahjoh was actually a universal problem happen around the globe. Man has always not easily satisfied with what they have. In fact, most of us only learned to appreciate what we have when we are threatened to lose them. Ironically, being not easily satisfied with simple things is never as wrong as it seems to be as men have always try their best to improve their living when they are not satisfy will their current stage of life. The process of pursuing after perfection has thereafter cultivating good spirits such as ambitious, perseverance, diligence and also building up good confidence level too. In my opinion, Dahjoh might be wrong when she foolishly made her decision solely based on the good outward appearance of her husband but she was not wrong for being picky person and in fact she was rightfully being a picky person. The outward appearance is as important as the inner beauty and it shall not be neglected when it comes to a crucial decision making in choosing a person who we would live together for the rest of our life. Marrying someone with good appearance is important not only to ensure that our descendent inherits the good looking genetics but also to make sure that we will not regret at the end of the day when we found out that the dissatisfaction with simple things has eventually becoming the flaws in the relationship. 

Reality TV shows

Get inspired by their stories. Start watching The Biggest Loser  if you haven't
watch any episode of the show.

Some parents fussed up when their kids get addicted on TV programs. Most of them scare that their children will neglect their studies if they spent too much time in front of the screen. To me, I think I would at the very first place observe what kind of TV shows my children have selected and of course never forget to monitor the time amount spent for TV.  When I was still a student, my English language teacher had always encouraged us to watch National Geographic. National geographic documents myriad of fun and interesting educational topics and it is suitable for people of all ages. Today, a lot of things had changed. The TV programs pattern has evolved so much to feed the demand of the public. Reality TV shows like American Idols, American got Talents, The Biggest Losers and Losing It with Jillian are some of the entertaining yet healthy TV shows that I would not stop my kids from watching it. Everybody likes reality story, most probably because they are closer to the public and thus give more impacts to the viewers. The Biggest Losers for example airs the life changing process of those people who are overweight which at the same time a very common health hazards long lived among our society. The show teaches the public to have great determination and consistency to fight for a healthier physical and at the same time pursue their dream and nevertheless improve their life. There was this episode of Losing it With Jillian that inspired me a lot. It was about a family where all the family members were obese and overweight. They faced not only health problem but also family conflict as well. Trying to restore the happy family relationship, the son finally decided to get his family on the show. At last, not only that they had built up healthy physical and life style but also had mended their family relationship. The broken family ties were rebuild as they participated in the program and won over the battle together as a family. They experienced the hardship together and worked hard to achieve their target for a healthier life. Their story inspired so many people who watched their story from the reality TV shows. Therefore, TV programs not just as a vessel to entertain and educate people but also good counselor and motivator too. As a teacher, I would suggest parents to get involve in their children’s activity such as watching the TV shows together so that they can share with one another what they have learnt from the shows. It would be a very great opportunity for the parents and their children to understand each other better which also at the same time bonding each other closer.