Teaching Preposition of Time ‘In/On/At’ to Seventh Graders (Classroom Activity)

By Irfan Nugroho
Teaching preposition of time ‘in/on/at’ would be much more interesting if the amount of the students within a class is less than 40. And it was my unfortunate that I teach more than 30 pupils for the seventh grade, and 40 pupils for either eight or ninth grades.

It is because I divided the class into three large groups, in which each group is named after each preposition – in/on/at. It means that if a group consists of large students, then the effectivity of the activity I used here would be less achieved.

Here is my complete procedure of teaching preposition of time ‘in/on/at. (I modified this classroom activity from a book “Play Games with English 3”).

A. Aim
Students are able to:
- Understand and properly use preposition of time ‘in/on/at.
- Understand and properly use ‘simple past tense, simple present tense, and simple future tense.’
- Understand and properly use ‘WH-question’ especially ‘when.’

B. Activities
- Presentation Stage on preposition of time ‘in/on/at’
- Presentation Stage on WH-Question of ‘when’
- Practice Stage in the form of quiz

C. Procedure
- Presentation Stage
I started the lesson by asking them, “When did you do your homeworks?” Some of them rightly answered it, but the rest kept silent saying nothing because indeed, the level of students’ knowledge vary significantly.

Then, I told them that there is only one preposition of time in Bahasa Indonesia, that of ‘pada.’ Indonesians say, “Pada tahun 1997” (In 1997), “Pada hari Ahad” (On Sunday), and “Pada pukul tujuh malam” (At 7 pm).

Some students will find it hard to properly used them. For that reason, I wrote on the board about the use of ‘in/on/at.’

Since then, I wrote on the board about WH-Question sentence pattern, especially on ‘when.’ Here is what I wrote on the board.

- Practice Stage
I then prepared three cards written ‘in,’ ‘on,’ and ‘at.’ I then divided the class into three groups in. I distributed the cards to each group.

I told the students that I would recite some questions using WH-question when. As they have had their preposition cards, one representative of each group must answer my question based on the cards they were holding.

I set the score as such:
Three points: for the group that could answer the fastest.
Two points: for the group that answer the second fastest.
One point: for the last-answering group.

I did emphasize their answers on the proper use of preposition of time. Likewise, I put concern on the right use of simple past tense, simple present tense, and simple future tense. 

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Teaching “Countable and Uncountable Nouns/ How Much and How Many” to Ninth Grader Students (Speaking Classroom Activity)

By Irfan Nugroho
I did not even predict before that teaching ‘countable and uncountable nouns’ would be very interesting and engaging. Here is my complete procedure in teaching ‘countable and uncountable nouns’ and ‘how much and how many.’

A.    Aim
Students are able to:
-    Understand and further recognize countable and uncountable nouns
-    Understand and further use ‘how much and how many’ in the real life
-    Think about entrepreneurship

B.    Activities
-    Grouping students into 10, each consists of four students
-    Getting them to think of an entrepreneur business
-    Getting them to make a list of; (1) ingredients and (2) equipments they need to have to start the business
-    Getting them to identify which belongs to countable and uncountable
-    Using ‘how much and how many,’ getting them to buy those equipments and ingredients from teacher – acting as a seller.

C.    Procedures
-    Warming up
I did begin the class asking students, “How many students did pass the the tryout examination?” You’re right! They had just done a national examination tryout. Unfortunately, about 50% of them did not pass it.

That is why; I suggested them to be an entrepreneur just in case they cannot continue their study because of national examination failure. I then made a list of 10 most economically promising business.

I then grouped them into ten, and therefore each group must consist of four students. I got them to choose one business I have written on the board. After that, I had them make a list of things they need to have to run their business.

The list must include equipments and ingredients. While the students were busy listing the equipments and ingredients, I wrote “Countable and Uncountable Nouns” on the board with a table of countable and uncountable nouns.

Soon after the students had finished their work, I turned their head to me as I would tell them about “countable and uncountable nouns.”

-    Presentation Stage
I told the students about what countable and uncountable nouns are. I then got them to identify their lists, which belongs to countable and uncountable nouns. It worked very well, most of them could easily notice that ingredients tend to be uncountable while equipments countable.

After that, I started telling them about “how much and how many.” As we know together, “How many” is used for countable noun – even though it can also be used for uncountable noun, I did not telling them about this because the national curriculum does not suggest.

I put greater emphasize on the use of “how much” for asking the quantity of uncountable noun, and “how much” for asking price.

-    Practice/Production Stage
For that reason, I wrote a speaking chart that would be used to ‘buy’ those thing from me – from this I could then gather the students’ speaking score.

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Teaching Modal Verb “Can” to Eight Graders

By Irfan Nugroho
This time, my office syllabus gets me to deliver a lesson about the Modal Verb “Can,” as the handbook I use suggests a topic, “Can you sing?” For some teacher, this subject is considered very easy, and therefore they find it hard to develop it into a conversation in   a class.

So am I. I found it hard to make a conversation to be told to my eight grader students. All of sudden, I was thinking about the criteria of a good leader. It is said that a good leader must have some outstanding characteristics, and I started to figure out some other characteristics of: a good students; a good wife; and a good husband.

Then, why I decided to use the characteristics of a good wife and a good husband. Well, some of my students are now making intimate relationship with the other students. Unfortunately, the relationship is majority imbalance. It means that in some cases, the girl is smart, but the boy is not. The boy is religiously pious, but the girl is on the contrary.

Well, here is my complete procedure of teaching Modal Verb “Can.”

A.    Presentation Stage
I started the lesson by having discussing with my students about the characteristics of a good student. Then, we have some characters of a good student such as; diligent, smart, obey the rules, attend the class on time, and participate in the class regularly.

After that, I turned to female students and asked, “What are characters of a good husband, according to you?” Then they started to mention some adjective and verb such as; pious, handsome, smart, give money to the family, and take care of the family.

The end of the discussion is by asking the male students, “What are characters of a good wife?” They did the same. They mentioned some adjectives and verbs such as; pious keep the secret of her husband, take care of the children, polite, and beautiful.

After that, I started to display a conversation chart to be practiced in the practice stage below:

B.    Practice Stage
B.1. Knowing One’s Skills
The conversation chart requires students to make a conversation with their partner. The chart consists of two questions and two answers. Here are the charts:

As the students have been provided with the charts, then I got them to find five talents as well as skill their partners have. Through that way, they were required to use those charts in simulated conversation.

As they have found five talents or skills of their partners, I wanted to report them to the class. I gave three points for every single student reporting their data.

B.2. I want to marry you!
The second activity of the practice stage is called, “I want to marry you?” At this stage, I got two ‘brave’ students to perform a simulated interview. The two must be male and female because one of them will offer a proposal of marriage to his/her conversation partner.

By this, I tried to educate them to find the best soulmate by asking questions like:
“Can you give money to our family?”
“Can you take care of me and the family?”
“Can you be pious?” and so on.

In the other words, I want them to really care and aware in choosing a boyfriend/girlfriend. I want them to ask such questions when they are offered with a proposal of making intimate relationship.

The score for a couple of student performing the interview is five points.

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Teaching ‘Giving and Asking for Direction’ (Classroom Activity and Powerpoint Presentation)

By Irfan Nugroho
As my eight grade students have learned about the ‘preposition of place,’ teaching about ‘giving and asking for direction’ gets one step easier. This time, I provide the subject of learning in the forms of listening and speaking competences.

Here is the procedures I have used to teach ‘giving and asking for direction’ to the eight grade students of mine.

A.    Aims
Students are able to:
-    Understand how to ask for direction in English
-    Understand how to give direction in English
-    Make note by listening to a conversation on ‘giving and asking for direction’
-    Ask for direction in English
-    Give direction in English

B.    Activities
-    Powerpoint presentation on ‘giving and asking for direction’
-    Role play
-    Writing specific information gained by listening to conversations performed by students

C.    Procedures (90 minutes)
-    Warming up
I started the lesson by telling my personal experience of how I could get to the school where I am working now.

“The first time I came here, I didn’t even know where SMPN I Karangdowo is. Then, I met with a pedicab peddler in Surakarta, then asked him, ‘Where is SMPN I Karangdowo?’”

Stopping at that question, I asked the students, “What will the man answer?” Using the name of street, students will answer, “SMPN I Karangdowo is on Solo-Karangdowo Street.”

Then, I asked them more, “Do you think that I can reach SMPN I Karangdowo only by knowing the name of the street? So what will I ask later?”

Some students got confused while some other understood what to ask: that is about asking for direction. So, I began the powerpoint presentation as included herein. (You may download it free, indeed).

-    Explanation – Presentation Stage
The powerpoint presentation begins with an flashback explanation on Preposition of Place. I did include the explanation on when to use “in/on/at” and four more preposition of place that may be used to explain a direction.

The next slide displays three sentences asking for certain addresses with red-lighted words can be replaced with other destinations. I did as such to help students recognising a new language system of asking for address in foreign language, in this case English.

Next, the powerpoint asks, “How if someone asks you more...?” This is a situation as what I have experienced and told in the warming up stage. Then I provides four varieties of question on asking for direction.

The last page slide displays a set of sentence patterns on giving direction. I wrote them in boxes functioning as template and helping the students recognising that new language systems. The boxes lighted in yellow are the destinations that can be replace with destinations the students would ask in the next stages; that is, practice and production stages.

-    Practice Stage
Now, the students have been introduced with some new language patterns as shown by the powerpoint presentation. Then, I tried to ask four students, “What is your address?” and “Can you tell me how to get there?”

Keep the last page powerpoint on the screen, let the students look at the slide and use that template to answer my questions. Do the same for three students until they have 50% understand.

-    Production Stage
Then, I got two students to perform a role play. They were boy and girl students.

The context of situation was that I was falling in love to the girl but I was not brave enough to ask her address. So, I get the boy to ask for the girl’s address and how to get there.

After that, the boy should report it to me and the other students must make note on how to get to the girl’s home. After performing the simulated conversation, the boy student may go back to his seat while appoint another boy to perform the conversation. The same procedure also implies for the girl students.

Make this simulated conversation for about ten couples. At the end of the class, students have to submit their notes for evaluation on their listening skills.

Download Powerpoint Presentation for Teaching Giving and ASking for Direction to Eight Graders

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Teaching Comparative/Superlative Adjectives (Classroom Activities and Powerpoint Presentation)

By Irfan Nugroho
As of three hours prior to the class began, I kept thinking what the best activity to teach “Comparative/Superlative Adjectives” to the ninth graders. All of sudden, the word “debate” struck my mind, and thus asked myself, “Why not?”

Teaching “Comparative/Superlative Adjectives” is about ‘educating’ students to compare hence there would be a debatable argument on any statement using these kinds of adjective. That is why, I put a great agenda that my students should be trained to think critically.

“Debate competition” I called this classroom activity. After explaining students what “comparative/superlative adjectives” are, I did conduct a small-scale debate amongst the students in my class. The emphasize of the debate is on the use of “comparative/superlative” in real communication.

Here is a complete procedures of “teaching comparative/superlative adjectives” to the ninth graders.

A.    Aims
Students are able to:
-    Understand what “comparative/superlative adjectives” are
-    Differentiate when to use “comparative adjectives” and when to use “superlative adjectives”
-    Use it in real communication
-    Think critically

B.    Activities
-    Mentioning kinds of kata sifat (adjectives) in Bahasa Indonesia and in English
-    Powerpoint presentation
-    Introducing the rules of the debate
-    Debate competition

C.    Procedures (80 minutes)
-    Warming Up (5 minutes)
I started the class by throwing some questions such as “Kenapa orang-oang barat cenderung lebih pintar daripada orang Indonesia?” (Why are Westerners considered smarter than Indonesians?).

“Bagaimana kita merubah pendapat tersebut sehingga semua orang akan berpikir bahwa orang Indonesia adalah manusia terpintar di dunia?” (How do we changed that opinion, thus people would admit that Indonesia is the smartest people on earth?)

Too much exaggerated I think but it’s OK as I was trying to boost up their motivation to study more and more. Since then, I did highlight the use of “lebih pintar” (smarter) and “paling pintar” (the smartest) then started the “Presentation Stage.”

(In another class I used questions like, “Who is the richest man in Indonesia?” and “Can you find someone richer than M. President?”)

-    Explanation – Presentation Stage (25 minutes)
I used the included herein Powerpoint to explain the students about “Comparative/Superlative Adjectives.” You may download it for free.

The first and second slides of the powerpoint read “Adjectives (kata sifat)” and “What is adjective?” As I have finished telling them the definition of adjective, I got each student to mention one adjective in Bahasa Indonesia. I gave them one point to those who can also mention adjectives in English.

There would be about 40 adjectives at the end of that stage. Since then, I continued explaining about “Positive Adjective,” “Comparative Adjective,” and “Superlative Adjectives.” Two table were displayed thus they could see how an adjective can change in such ways thus results in Comparative/ Superlative Adjectives.

The presentation stage is over, continued with introduction to the rules of a debate.

-    Practice Stage (10 minutes)
I began this stage by giving a statement, “I am the most handsome man in this room!” Spontaneously, students reacted in various ways – expressing that they disagreed to what I had just said.

Then, I asked them, “Do you agree with that statement?” and they loudly answered, “ No, we don’t.” If that so, I then introduced them to “I disagree with you,” or “I agree with you” to express an agreement or disagreement.

As they disagreed, I asked them once more, “What are you reasons?” They answered in various ways – unfortunately they did still use Bahasa Indonesia – and therefore I got them to compare me to the one who is “more handsome than” me. I wanted them to express the reason using “Comparative Adjectives.”

Since then, one of them said, “I am more handsome than you!” Once again, all of students laughed at the boy. Another student followed the debate while saying “I am more handsome than you (me) and him.”

-    Production Stage (35 minutes)
I did as such for three statements – or you may adjust to the situation – until the students have understand the rules of the debate. Since then, I wanted one student to deliver a statement using “Superlative Adjectives” and the others responded it in disagreement as saying “I disagree with....” and using “Comparative Adjectives.”

Scoring system was set for those who can deliver statement and responded to the statement appropriately. Two points for them.

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Teaching Preposition of Place (Classroom Activity and Powerpoint Presentation)

By Irfan Nugroho
Teaching Preposition of Place to Indonesians, especially to those who are at the eighth grade (Sekolah Menengah Pertama/Junior High School), can be something hard to do. It is because the Indonesians do only recognise one preposition – that of “di ....” – while in English, we have three basic preposition of place – that of “in, on, and at.”

Below procedure is my experience of how to teach “Preposition of Place” to Indonesian students at the eight grade. The classroom activity will take about 80 minutes and be started by a powerpoint presentation as the file also included herein.

A.    Aims
Students are able to:
-    Understand the concept of preposition of place
-    Use preposition of place – in, on, at, next to, between, in front of, and behind – properly
-    Be familiar with English Preposition of Place and therefore use it in daily life.

B.    Activities
-    Powerpoint presentation on preposition of place
-    Where is X? X is in front of/ between/ next to/ behind.....

C.    Procedures (80 minutes)
-    Warming up (5 minutes)
At this session, teacher asks students, “Where are they?” in Bahasa Indonesia. Then, the teacher asks them, “Where is the painting?” in Bahasa Indonesia. As the students answered in Bahasa Indonesia, they would only use “di” for most of their answers. Since then, the teacher starts explaining the Preposition of Place through powerpoint presentation.

-    Explanation – Presentation Stage (25 minutes)
The powerpoint included herein is what I have used to explain preposition of place. You may download it freely.

-    Practice Stage (10 minutes)
At this stage, teacher asks students question like, “Where is someone?” and therefore will require four students to answer using either “in font of, behind, between, or next to.” (Please notice that I have 40 students within. They face one single screen and I face at them). Scoring is set by giving one point to those who can answer teacher’s question using preposition of place properly.

-    Production Stage (35 minutes)
As they have a little bit understood when to use either “in front of, behind, between, or next to” as well as “in, on, and at,” teacher gets students to carry the activity at “Practice Stage” by themselves.

One student delivers question asking where his/her classmate sits, and he/she must appoint four students to answer his/her question. Remember, the four students must use “in front of/ behind/ between/ next to.” Scoring system is set by one point for those who can propose the right answer and those who deliver questions.

As the class would get really active, you will find that this production stage will take a long time. More than that, it would get crowded if the students have really understood and comprehended the Preposition of Place in English as the teacher explains it clearly and understandably. However, it is all OK because the class is actually speaking class – not a sole grammar class.

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