Page 345 - KSPK ENGLISH LANGUAGE

9. English today time line and reflections

The English today time line
The English today time line supports the idea that children need a routinized and supportive environment
to learn successfully. The English today time line gives children a visual representation of the activities
they will be doing in English. It comes after the routine opening and will involve the teacher talking to the
children about the activities she has planned for them that day. The English today time line will include any
of the following visual representations:

 Learn something new
 Remember something
 Listen in English
 Speak in English
 Sing a song
 Say a rhyme
 Listen to a story
 Play a game
 Table work
 Read in English
 Write in English

(some examples of TimeLine Images can be seen in Appendix below)

This is the kind of language the teacher will use as she places the images in a line on the board or on the
wall.

Look! What are we doing in English today?
We are going to learn something new.
We are going to listen in English and play some games.
We are going to sing a song.
We are going to reflect then say goodbye.

Overtime the children can be encouraged to join in the conversation:

Teacher: Look! What are we doing in English today?
Children: Belajar sesuatu yang baru
Teacher: Yes, learn something new!
Children: Listen!
Teacher: Yes, listen in English and [pause]
Children: Games
Teacher: … and play some games
Children: Sing a song
Teacher: That’s right! We are going to sing a song, a new song! We are going to have fun today!

Notice that children may speak in Malay or any other classroom language. Teachers should re-phrase
what they say into English. They will also call out single nouns or verbs, which they have picked up.
Teachers should expand on these so they hear the full sentence or phrase. Notice the use of a verb form
to express the future, but this is not a problem. By the end of 5+ children should be quite confident about
these planning expressions and will use them happily. Later in primary they will begin to understand what
tense they are using.

During the English lesson
The English today time line will be on the board or the wall, so the children will see it as the lesson
progresses. They may comment on what is coming next, or remind the teacher about something. Teachers
can also point to the different images and say things like: What are we going to do next? Let’s see. Oh
yes, sing a song!

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