Pengalaman Melatih Kemampuan Menulis Bahasa Inggris (Teaching English Writing Skill Experience)

Selama seminggu yang lalu, salah satu orang tua murid privat meminta les intensif untuk anaknya yang sudah belajar dengan saya sekitar dua tahun lamanya. Mamanya meminta selama seminggu itu untuk melatih lagi kemampuan berbicara dan menulis anaknya dalam Bahasa Inggris karena akan memasuki kelas enam dengan segudang tes. Dari hari Senin sampai Jumat dengan durasi selama satu jam pada setiap pertemuan, secara umum 30 menit saya gunakan untuk ngobrol sambil brainstorm beberapa ide yang nantinya bias ditulis terkait topik tertentu. Sebelum sesi intensif ini dimulai, saya tidak merencanakan secara pasti topic apa saja yang nantinya akan kami diskusikan. Tidak adanya planning ini karena saya ingin memberikan ruang ke si anak untuk menulis mengenai hal yang memang familiar bagi dia.

Seiring berjalannya les ini, yang biasa saya awali dengan berbincang-bincang dulu, telah menghasilkan beberapa tulisan tentang beberapa topic berikut.

1. My last vacation
2. Learning English
3. Comic review
4. School uniform
5. Back to school
6. Writing in English (tulisan ini belum selesai)

Setiap kali saat berbincang, saya sambil menuliskan di selembar kertas dan memetakan beberapa garis besar hal-hal yang sedang kami bicarakan. Catatan ini nantinya akan membantu murid saya untuk membuatnya dalam bentuk tulisan. Setelah saya rasa beberapa ide mengenai topic yang dibicarakan sudah cukup, saya memberikan gambaran format atau penyusunan ide-ide itu dalam tulisan yang pada umumnya diawali dengan Opening (Pembukaan), Main ideas (Gagasan utama), dan Closing (Penutup) atau Conclusion (Kesimpulan). Karena singkatnya waktu, saya tidak mendampingi murid saya itu selama menulis hingga selesai.

Saya memulai pertemuan berikutnya dengan meminta si murid untuk membaca ulang dan memeriksa kemungkinan kesalahan-kesalahan dalam tulisannya, baik secara Spelling (Ejaan), Punctuation (Penulisan) atau Grammar (Tatabahasa). Setelah itu barulah saya memeriksa kembali dan membahas beberapa hal yang bias dipelajari. Memang masih ada banyak kesalahan yang saya lihat, tapi saya tidak mengemukakan semuanya. Diantara beberapa hal yang kami bahas adalah:

- Penggunaan Verb (Kata kerja) dalam Past Tense
- Will can -- > Will be able to
- Penggunaan "because" di awal kalimat
- Penggunaan contraction (don't, I'm)
- dll.

Setiap anak pasti punya kemampuan menulis yang berbeda-beda dengan kesalahan yang beragam pula. Dalam kasus ini, saya tidak terlalu menekankan pada komponen Cohesion dan Coherence karena saya khawatir akan membuat dia overloaded dan kemudian tidak merasa bebas lagi dalam menulis. Oleh karena itu, saya mencoba untuk membantu si murid dengan memberikan format atau template bagaimana sekumpulan ide-ide yang ada bisa disusun dalam sebuah tulisan.

Berdasarkan pengalam ini, terdapat beberapa hal yang saya pelajari dalam melatih kemampuan menulis anak:

- Pilihlah topik yang cukup familiar bagi si anak, jadi si anak punya stok ide
- Pancing si anak untuk mengelurakan ide-idenya dengan mengajukan pertanyaan-pertanyaan
- Catatlah ide-ide yang dibicarakan ke sebuah mind-map sederhana
- Berilah bocoran bagaimana untuk memulai tulisan, menghubungkan gagasan dan mengakhiri tulisan dengan memberikan satu frasa atau kalimat.

Sekian dan semoga bermanfaat. Dokumentasi pengajaran ini bisa dilihat di http://gg.gg/teachingwritingexperience

Creative Activites in Teaching and Learning Hijaiyah Letters

Hello Moms, Dads and Teachers,

Here I would like to share some activities that you might find it helpful in teaching Arabic/Hijaiyah letters. We can see that kids like to play fun games and activities. We can also make some of them in making kids familiar with Hijaiyah letters.

• How do you say it? You can do this activity by showing the complete Hijaiyah letters on a board or big paper (you might provide the letters along with the transliteration in alphabet letters). Provide some small pieces of paper for yourself to draw the letters. Pick one piece of small paper, draw any letter you want, show to the kids and let them find out how to say it. Kids are allowed to look at the poster of complete Hijaiyah letters. It could be more fun when some kids join and try to find as soon as possible.
• Guess what? It is almost similar with the previous activity but we do it in the other way. Give the kids some pieces of small paper to draw on. Showing them the poster of Hijaiyah letters with its transliteration in alphabets letters. Mention one of the letters and let them find out which letter it is then they draw it on one small piece of paper. They must show it to you once they have finished.
• Racing. For this, you need to provide the cards of Hijaiyah letters. Put all cards randomly on the table and/or chair around. Decide one spot as the start point for the kids to start racing. You mention one of the letters and let kids find the card. Once the kids have got it, they must give it to you.

Well, I think this is all for this time. I will share more next time.

For Private Iqro' & Qur'an Lesson, please contact:
Siti Fitriah
Phone: (+62)857-5856-6433
Email: siti.fitriah71@gmail.com
Facebook: Siti Fitriah Musadad

For Parents: How to Start Teaching Kids Qur'an

I'm sure that all Muslim parents want their kids to be able to read Qur'an. Even it's not only a matter of want, but it's parents' obligation to make sure that their kids learn about Islam and be able to read Qur'an, the Holy Book of Muslims. It doesn't take a short time of course. By giving the knowledge of Islam and Qur'an, hopefully the kids are becoming sholih and sholihah who always pray for the parents. For those parents who consider themselves for not having adequate competence in teaching Qur'an, they can take the kids to any TPA (Informal educational institution of Qur'an for kids) or to any courses of Qur'an. However, here is the simple steps that parents can do at home with their kids:

1. Introduce the kids to sounds of Hijaiyah letters. Find out a simple and fun song of Hijaiyah letters on YouTube. Once you search the keywords of "Hijayah Letters Song", you might find a lot of songs there. You can refer to this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7K3B9m2kXM. The more the song is sung with the kids, the more familiar the kids are with at least the sounds of Hijaiyah letters.
2. Introduce the kids to the shapes/writing of Hijaiyah letters. I have got an eBook that parents can refer to. You can print this out and daily guide your kids to trace and write. Here is the link Belajar Menulis Huruf Hijaiyah 1 http://ia600203.us.archive.org/3/items/bam_menulis_613/belajar_menulis_huruf_hijaiyah_1.pdf
3. Become a role model for your kids in reading Qur'an. Take your kids beside you when you are reading Qur'an. Even though you're not sure or confident about your reading, or may be you read so slowly, don't worry, what you're doing already becomes a motivation for your kids to be like you. How wonderful it is looking at parents reading the complicated and difficult Arabic writing in the Holy Qur'an.

Well, whenever we start, it's never late as long as we're still able to take a breath and our heart is beating.

For Private Qur'an Lesson, please contact:
Siti Fitriah
Phone: (+62)857-5856-6433
Email: siti.fitriah71@gmail.com
Facebook: Siti Fitriah Musadad

Where to Learn Reading Qur'an?

I started learning to read Qur'an since I was about 5 year-old. My home was close to a Mushalla where it had TPA (an informal educational institution for kids and teens) in every evening. My parents also became my teachers at home, every time after Magrib prayer.

You too, you can start learning to read Qur'an by joining any TPA, like what I attended. Usually masjid or mushalla has this kind of program for especially the neighborhood. Try to find one around your living area. It is fun to join because we can have such good friends with the people around our home.

If not, you can come to anyone around your home who can teach you. Normally the one who is good in reading Qur'an would be pleased when any one visits her/him to learn Qur'an. Or you can invite her/him to your house. Even if possible, ask your friends to join with you too, so it would be fun to study with friends.

The other option is to join any Qur'an courses. You can find a lot of information about it on the internet and decide the one which is reachable and affordable for you. Here, your schedule will be arranged in particular period of time.

However, it would be great if first you ask your parents to teach you before trying some alternatives above. I am sure your parents know what you need to do next.


For Private Qur'an Lesson, please contact:
Siti Fitriah
Phone: (+62)857-5856-6433
Email: siti.fitriah71@gmail.com
Facebook: Siti Fitriah Musadad

Why Learn to Read Qur'an?

When I was a kid,  I didn't have any idea why my Dad took me to Taman Pendidikan Al-Qur'an (TPA) - a kind of informal educational institution of Qur'an for kids and teens. Not only that, my Dad used to ask me reading Qur'an in front of him after Magrib prayer so that he could correct any mistakes that I made.

Now, I am so grateful for those learning experiences. I am now able to recite Qur'an well, insya Allah. And I have just realized the importance of learning to read Qur'an:

• 10 Rewards for each letter of Qur'an that I read for my saving in the hereafter.
• Reading Qur'an is one of proofs that I love Allah swt. and Rasulullah saw.  
• The ability of reading Qur'an makes me interested in learning more what is in the Holy Qur'an
• Many beautiful prayers that I can practice every day, especially pray for me and my parents
• Many great stories of the life in the past with lots of lesson learned

Let's start learning to read Qur'an. May Allah saw. help us and make it easy. Aammiin.


For Private Qur'an Lesson, please contact:
Siti Fitriah
Phone: (+62)857-5856-6433
Email: siti.fitriah71@gmail.com
Facebook: Siti Fitriah Musadad