Journal Article Critique #8 (CCU)

Citation: Al-Wossabi, S. A. N.. (Desember, 2016). Promoting Communicative Skills and Cultural Understanding among Saudi EFL Students Joining Summer English Programs at US Universities: A Web-Based Project. 7. 6.

The aim of this journal is to enhance the oral English competence for Saudi Students. The research is conducted to the Saudi EFL Students who is joining summer English program at US University. There are some students enrolled to US University in order to develop their English competence especially in Listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary. The teaching method was used web-based project. The students only attended to the class room only for first 20 hours then they studied through web site for the rest.

The result showed that the web based project can develop students’ competences in sociolinguistics, speaking skill and listening skills because when they lived in US, they lived with the native family and they learnt the culture of them. in this case, the cultural understanding was very needed in order to prevent their cultural shocked. As it is known that Arabic and American have different culture, by learning cultural awareness they can easily adapted with the native people there. And finally they can learn to improve their English skills by living with the native family there because they communicate with them everyday.

Journal Article Critique #8 (CAR)

Citation: Juriah. 2015. Implementing Controlled Composition to Improve Vocabulary Mastery of EFL Students. Dinamika Ilmu. 15. 137-162.

This article has aims to know how controlled composition teaching techniques implemented by English teacher, controlled composition teaching technique improves vocabulary mastery of sixth grade students in SDN 27 Samarinda. This study was conducted in two cycle and each cycle consists of four phases. Using controlled composition technique to improve vocabulary mastery, the researcher had done his research and it was proved that this technique can improve students’ vocabulary mastery in understanding meaning, pronouncing the words well, and spelling the vocabularies.

Controlled composition technique teaching teaching and learning involves students totally in learning process, it also has three aspects; students as learning subject, teacher as mediator and facilitator, and the situation set by the teacher to get effective and planned learning process. This technique makes the students be more active in learning process.

In my opinion, this technique is appropriate in teaching vocabulary to young learners because it has been known that young learners are learning something by experiencing so they call as active learners. 

Journal Article Critique #7 (CAR)

Citation: Dewi. R. S, Kultsum, U, Armadi, A. (December 19, 2016). Using Communicative Games in Improving Students’ Speaking Skills. English Language Teaching. 10. 63-71. 10.5539/elt.v10n1p63

This journal article is a collaborative action research between the researcher and some of the teachers in a junior high school in South Tangerang. They did a research about how the implementation of communicative games in improving students’ speaking skills. As it is known that speaking is one of the skills which have to be mastered in learning English, the fact says that in Indonesia students still have difficulties in speaking English. The problems come from the students themselves and the learning process. For those reasons, the researcher tried a new activity solve the problems by using communicative games.

The method used in this study was a collaborative action research which consists of two cycles and each cycle consisted of four phases; planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. In collaborative action research, the teacher acted as an observer while the researcher acted as teacher who taught by using communicative games. The teacher was as an active participant who was not only functioning as an observer but also taking actions by making lesson plan and giving assessment.

The result shows that the use of communicative games can improve students’ speaking skill. In my opinion, this method is appropriate to teach speaking skill for the junior high school students because they are still categorized as young learners, and young learners usually learn something by doing. That is why using games in the process of teaching and learning is suggested.

Journal Article Critique #7 (CCU)

Citation: Alsamani, Abdul-Aziz Saleh (May 15, 2014). Foreign Culture Awareness Needs of Saudi English Language Majors at Buraydah Community College. English Language Teaching. 7. 6.

This is the seventh article journal which I had read about cultural awareness. In this article, the researcher observed about the needs of Buraydah Community College of Saudi English Language Major in Foreign Culture Awareness. This study aimed to identify which cultural aspects are suitable in teaching English for Saudi students. The study was administered to three main categories of subjects: students, teachers, and experts in the field of teaching EFL. The required data were collected using a Culture-awareness Diagnostic Test and a Culture-Awareness Needs Assessment Questionnaire.

The result of the study shows that it is needed for the Saudi students as the EFL learners need to learn about different aspects of foreign culture to develop their culture-awareness and that they depend mostly on audio-/visual media to learn about the target culture. In my opinion, I agree that learning cultural awareness must be supported by media in order to see the real fact about culture. If learning culture only takes from the theory and explanation, the students become less interested in learning that culture. 

Journal Article Critique #6 (CCU)

Citation: Lumkes, J. H.. Hakket, S. Vallade, L. 2011. Hearing versus experiencing: The impact of a short-term study abroad experience in China on students’ perceptions regarding globalization and cultural awareness. United State. Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

This article is about the impact of short-term study abroad experience in 15 students of agricultural faculty. They participated two part short-term course in different country. The first part of the course was taken in the classroom in March–April 2008 and the second part was a 16-day study abroad course in China in May 2008. The students were studying Globalization, Agriculture and Environment. The result showed that after having two short-term courses in different countries, the students’ experience was increased. the study abroad experience profoundly altered the students’ cultural self awareness and outlook on global political issues.

From this research, it can be learnt that cultural awareness is also caused by the place we learn something. No matter the purpose is, if we learn something in different place and with different people, we can also be affected by the environment around us.

Journal Article Critique #6 (CAR)

Citation: Cuticell, M. Coyne, M. Ware, S. M. Oldham, A. Rattan, S. L. 2014. Improving Vocabulary Skills of Kindergarten Students through a Multi-Tier Instructional Approach. Intervention in school and clinic. 50. 150-156.  10.1177/1053451214542041

Vocabulary skill is a basic skill in learning English. For kindergarten students, it is a must learning vocabulary in order to learn new language. If they have difficulties in learning vocabularies, it will cause their reading skill. This article will try to solve the problem in kindergarten students by using a Multi-Tier Instruction Approach. It is an approach which has a classroom activity in kind of small group discussion. Students are divided into small group and then they were given the instruction which consisted of effective vocabulary instruction (Tier 1) and intensive vocabulary intervention (Tier 2). 

The treatments were given in 4 days activity. It begun with the review target words, tell about the picture, picture score, materials, and example pictures. The result showed that the children who had difficulties in learning new vocabularies could improve their ability after giving the tier 2 instructions. It indicated that instruction is important in learning vocabularies for kindergarten students.