Teaching Writing MUET 800/4 - Q2

Teaching MUET academic essay skills is perhaps one of the more challenging tasks of MUET teachers. I have always championed my 5 paragraph template especially for weaker students to achieve at least a Band 2 or Band 3, but as I am NOT an MPM appointed examiner, I can only teach according to what I know, what I have learnt from the available textbooks in the market in addition to my own personal spin on it. i now tell my students to write 6 paragraphs, by adding 1 paragraph for a counter-argument. Some teachers tell me it is unnecessary but I think it helps to show the examiner the students' ability to think critically. I do tell them to leave out the 5th paragraph if they cannot do it well.

If you feel that my teaching style is not to your liking, pls do not read further. I do not wish to be blamed for teaching you the wrong thing. I would like to see more transparency in educating teachers on how to mark according to the marking scheme as most of us are untrained and will not have had any opportunity to mark according to the proper standard. Hopefully the powers that be will have more courses for MUET teachers on this matter.

Anyway, below is my best attempt so far. I am quite proud of my worksheets. If you would like to use them for the benefit of your own students, do email me at muetmyway@gmail.com. As long as you don't sell it and make money from it, I will be happy that it reaches students who need it the most.

The worksheets covers:
1. ideation (3 for, 3 against, two recommendations each)
2. possible variations of how to organise your essay (100%/75:25%/50:50%)
3. 5 HOOKs system and a proper INTRODUCTION (I have written extensively on HOOKS in my past posts, check my archives) which include Hook+Stand+Thesis Statement
4. Sample essay of 100% Agree.

Anyway, you can take a peek here.

NOTE TO STUDENTS: THIS IS MERELY BAND 3 OR 4.. IF YOU WANT BAND 5 AND 6, DO NOT LET THE TEMPLATE HAMPER YOUR WRITING STYLE. YOU NEED TO DEMONSTRATE HIGH ACCURACY AND FLUENCY WHILE SHOWING OFF YOUR CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS... DO WRITE BETTER THAN THIS SAMPLE. YOU MAY EMAIL ME YOUR ATTEMPT AND I WILL GRADE IT FOR YOU IF I HAVE THE TIME.

Take note that when you agree or disagree, you MUST LINK Part A (pollution) to Part B (poor public awareness. Most students get low marks for task fulfillment because they seem to always end up just listing all the reasons for pollution. From my personal observation, agreeing with the topic is far easier than disagreeing because you will need to further prove your stand by LINKING the two parts clearly. Notice that I used the phrase 'although people are aware...' before I introduce my points.

Ok, happy teaching and learning!

I have decided to release this file. Bah, use it to help your students. Softcopy is available here.

PBL - Project Based Learning for MUET

I did my Masters by coursework and have since learnt so much about Project Based Learning (PBL). The actual PBL has many steps and stages and aims to give students a CHOICE and a VOICE in answering or attempting to find an answer for a DRIVING QUESTION. The teacher should no longer focus on the product of this project, rather it is the learning journey that counts. While SUMMATIVE testing helps reveal how much they have acquired, true PBL focusses on continous FORMATIVE assessment and the rubrics and feedback sessions with students are what helps students grow and improve. A lot of times, teachers today think that PBL is just giving kids a project to complete and that's the end of it. I can help guide you on what makes a holistic PBL so do email me if you need guidance on this topic.

You would need to first read all the posts in my MUET PBL blog which I created to document my PBL journey with my current batch of MUET students. The driving question was what kind of project could they do that was interactive, ICT integrated and would help their own English proficiency as well as benefit the local Papar community. The students ended up deciding on 3 different local tourist destinations and created PROMO VIDEOS for them. In the process, they learnt to use PADLET, STORYBOARDTHAT and various forms of MOVIE MAKERS before uploading to YOUTUBE and doing their presentations during out POPCORN MORN. Right, so let me know if you have any questions.

One day, I shall publish a compendium of successful MUET PBL activities that suits pre-university students. I have the ideas, just havent put it down own paper. Hmmm... can I find a publisher willing to invest in this? Who knows, right...

Bah, click this link and do visit my PBL site. Remember to read from the 1st blog post and work your way up. Click here: MUET PBL

Happy teaching! 

2019 - I'm back! New MUET Telegram Support Group

It's been a long haitus but I'm back. I have been utterly busy with my Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning and am happy to announced that I have graduated with distinction in April 2019, University of HELP, Kuala Lumpur. It was an arduous but fulfilling learning journey and I have come out the end of the tunnel with fresh ideas and a better understanding of teaching and learning.

In the year+ I have been away, much has changed. I hv successfully published not one but two academic books focusing on the new Form 3 (PT3) format. Such an amazing feeling to see them on the bookshelves of popular national bookstores. Am working on a MUET reference book as well so look out for that in the near future. 

Right, so now that I am back on the horse, I will be posting more tips for MUET. I hv yet to hear or see the new format of MUET in black and white, so if anyone has any idea for this, do let me know. In the mean time, I will be sharing more of my materials because once the format is out, all of this will be obsolete (maybe.. maybe not) so I might as well help as many as I can from now. 

Have a nice day.. and if anyone needs to contact me just email me muetmyway@gmail.com 

Note that I may not reply to everyone (esp some students/ppl who do not know how to write politely n simply demand this and that), and that I am not at liberty to provide you with whatever you ask for simply because you asked for it. 

For teachers wishing to join the telegram group, I wl be starting a new one. The old one is infiltrated with students and it is quite annoying having to deal with students' questions in an educators' chat group. email me with the subject like MMWSprtGrp n attach a pic of ur name+MUETtimetable. Kindly be informed that I share teaching tips there and expect you to do so too so if you want to be a silent observer this is not a group for you.  

Bah, have a nice day!