Tutorial 2: Causes Of Motor Vehicle Accidents

Causes of motor vehicle accidents

Thesis statement:

The causes of motor vehicle accidents are speeding, usage of cell phone while driving and drunk driving.

Topic sentences:

1. One of the causes of motor vehicle accidents would be speeding.
2. The usage of cell phone while driving is one of the reasons of motor vehicle accidents.
3. Drunk driving is also a common cause of motor vehicle accidents.

Game for Writing Topic Sentences

Topic Sentences:

1. By preserving our sea, a better quality of marine food supply can be provided.
2. The preservation of the sea helps to lower the risk of contracting diseases caused by polluted marine lives.
3. The government can promote clean beaches to attract foreign tourists.

Reflection:

During the game, having to find the specific word in pages filled with tiny words, one’s observation skill is greatly challenged. Adding some excitement to the game, we have got to find the word stated in a short amount of time. And if we are unable to do so, we’ll have a limited choice of words to choose from to form the topic sentences. You snooze, you lose? I find it challenging, but it was fun!

The most challenging part, in my opinion, was after the game. I have to admit, the part where we had to form three topic sentences with the limited amount of word choice wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. We had to come out with solid points, different ideas and ways to form the topic sentences. It was quite a challenge.

This game allows a teacher to teach his or her students in an alternative way rather than sticking to the same, boring writing lesson in class. Through this game, students not only get to have fun during their writing lesson, they also get to use and enhance their creative thinking skills. Most importantly, they are able to learn how to write topic sentences that will help them write better essays in the future. I really enjoyed it, and will definitely use this as a tool when I become a teacher! :)

I Have A Dream

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

  Martin Luther King, Jr. - I Have A Dream

Tutorial 1: Article Review Exercise

INTEGRATING SOCIAL NETWORKING TOOLS INTO ESL WRITING CLASSROOM:

STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES

This article focuses on the strength and weakness of integrating social networking tools into the ESL writing classroom. Integrating SNSs enhances one’s creative thinking skills through the collaboration of students and peer encouragement. Students are able to write and voice out their opinion on a certain topic the teacher offers. The comfort and familiarity of SNS builds up the student’s confidence in writing. Not only that, it also fosters a better relationship among the teacher and the students. However, the students’ lack of concentration while using SNSs is a problem that will be experienced by many. Not forgetting the use of informal short forms and the automatic correction in one’s spelling, which leads to the deterioration in one's language skills.

Through my experiences of being a student, it is almost impossible for a student to focus on a task when SNSs are being used. Students will be busy updating their statuses on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, searching for the latest gossips online, and looking up the latest videos on YouTube. Distractions will definitely be present while using SNSs. Besides that, many schools have limited, if not, no access to the Internet. Students who live in rural areas are bound to struggle with no Internet access. Not to mention, not everyone is financially capable to even own a computer, let alone get Internet access at home. With the world of the Internet being so unsafe, the private lives of teachers and students will be affected, if the usage of SNSs is not guarded. When students are able to access the profiles of their teachers and vice versa, one’s privacy will clearly be disturbed.

In my opinion, integrating social networking tools into the ESL writing classroom is irrelevant in many ways. SNSs are meant for socialising and interacting amongst people, it is not a place for students to develop or improve their writing skills. With all the distractions on the Internet, SNSs are definitely not suitable for academic purposes. Teachers should encourage their students to step out of their comfort zone and to be courageous to learn and improve their writing skills, especially through their mistakes. Also, when given topics they are able to relate to, students will be able to improve their writing skills and, at the same time enhance their creative thinking skills. The ESL writing classroom can definitely improve out of the world of SNSs, it only depends on how we use an alternative media to achieve it.

A Letter to Myself

Dear future me,

How are you? I hope you're fine and well. It's been ten days since I've entered University Malaysia Sabah and honestly, it's tough. Being away from the comfort of home is difficult, the weather, the food, the people, it's as if you're in a completely different world. Orientation week was exhausting and frustrating. With talks to brief us-the first years-about the university, one talk after the other, everyone were forcing their eyelids open, trying their hardest not to give in to Mr.Sandman. Not to mention, students fighting for the bus, just to get back to their hostels, desperately wanting rest. And the phrase "survival of the fittest" pops up in your mind whenever you see everyone running towards the bus, people being squished like sardines in a can just to get back to their respective hostels. I'm thankful I survived.

Classes have finally started, which is one thing that got me going during orientation week. The thought of starting class has never, ever, felt so good to me, until now. The thing I dread is the part where you have to line up two hours before class for the bus to avoid the long queue and also being late to class. Oh, and I dread the heat.

Honestly, there are lots to complain about since my arrival here in UMS, but writing this letter made me realise it doesn't help much. Rather than sulking and being bitter about the things I've encountered or am encountering, I've decided to just accept it and embrace all the challenges set before me. To learn, to grow, to mature. There will always be the fear of making mistakes, but be not afraid, because we all learn through our mistakes, and that's how we grow. (Make sure that you don't make mistakes that you'll regret for the rest of your life. You're old enough to think before you act. ;) )

I hope this letter will always be a reminder for you-when you read it-to be brave and courageous in learning, to look at things in a different perspective. And I hope one day, when you look back through your archives, and you find this, you'll be able to see how much you've grown.

Sincerely,
Elucia