Sunday, December 6, 2009

受访华文教师:要学生喜欢华文 须先走入他们的世界 - 谢婷婷 报道

受访华文教师:要学生喜欢华文 须先走入他们的世界
(2009-12-05)
谢婷婷 报道

  受访华文教师说,为迎合学生学习能力的需要,华文教师这些年来已使用英文和电脑科技作辅助教学,而这么做也有助改变“华文跟不上时代”的错误观念。他们坦言,新加坡今天的语言环境要学生对华文保有一定兴趣和进度的确不易,关键在于“先走入他们的世界,再带他们走到我们要他们进入的世界”。政府领导最近有关华文教学的讲话及所引发的讨论,以及李显龙总理提到华文教学方式需要更新,但语文学习也必须付出努力,都有一定意义。

把握时机不提过去

  新民中学华文部主任郑爱丽(38岁)说:“最近的讨论显示政府和不同社群都重视华文教学。这是最好的机会,华文老师抓紧时机把教学搞好,过去的事就不要再提。”

  郑爱丽向来主张“先走入学生的世界,再引导学生进入我们要他们走进的世界”。如今有更多学生来自讲英语家庭,在教学上适量用英文解释一些华文词汇,可以起事半功倍的效果。例如:“环球化”的概念,用英文的globalisation解释,学生立刻明白,因为英文科目常提到这个字样。而教师这样做,也可以帮助学生提高双语能力,同时让学生明白,华文英文乃至各种语言,都有意思相近的词汇,只是各自的表达方式不同。

  至于让学生掌握电脑输入中文法,有七年教学经验的郑爱丽认为是大势所趋。新民中学的华文教师就让学生用电脑写作文。郑爱丽说:“起初学生会抱怨用电脑打中文很麻烦,但是习惯之后.就发现用电脑比查字典更省时间。”

  她指出,这些年来学生的书写能力确实有所减弱,但让学生以电脑输入中文的好处是可以加强认字能力,巩固他们在小学所学的汉语拼音。

重在因材施教

  柏盛小学华文科目主任林俊玲(38岁)认同李光耀资政及李显龙总理所说的,面对不同背景的学生,重在因材施教,尽量帮助每个学生达到各自的高峰。

  林俊玲任教的邻里中学有约三分之一是外籍学生,包括中国、菲律宾、缅甸、越南、蒙古的学生。中国学生大多被编入深广班,本地学生只有少数华文特好,他们大多是念核心班,而非华族外籍学生则集中在导入班。

  “如果把非华族学生都放在一班,对他们学习华文没帮助,老师也教得辛苦。我们现在把核心班和导入班放在一起教,让不同背景的学生有机会交流。来自讲华语家庭的同学可以帮忙做简单的英文翻译,告诉他们的同学,老师在叫我们做什么。”

  学校也会在明年起推行教育部倡议的“十分华文”计划,让小一和小二生,每天在电脑室上课,并完成上网阅读和答写的作业。

  林俊玲认为,电脑教学可以帮助小一小二学生复习汉语拼音,还可帮助他们学习认字,但传统的抄写练习还是不能放弃。

  另一名有六年教书经验的李老师认为,李显龙总理在受访时指出“每个人要学好一门语言,都必须付出努力,也始终会面对学好的压力”的说法,点出了问题的核心。

可背诵诗词和佳句

  目前在东部一所邻里中学任教的他说,华文B课程允许没有华文背景的学生按自己的进度学习,但正因为没有压力,也没要求,所以他们学得较慢,也较少。他认为要学好语文,一定要付出努力,这方面,中学生还是有必要用听写默写等传统方法。

  他说:“不必让学生死背课本,但可以让他们背一些诗词和佳句。如果不背一些优美的句子,如何发现语言之美?”  

  在东北部一所中学教书的黄老师(28岁)也有同感。

  过去三四年来,她任教的中学废除了听写,结果发现学生的书写能力减弱。“两年前毕业的一名学生对我说,依赖电脑导致她忘记怎么写中文字。我想没有经过听写训练的学生,认字可能也有问题。”

  她说,学校中文部在放假前刚开会决定要在明年恢复让中一至中三学生听写,并把听写分数算在成绩里。但她不知道开学后,校方是否会改变决定。

Saturday, December 5, 2009

乘客投诉德士未必都有理

乘客投诉德士未必都有理
(2009-12-04)

冯荣川
  我是一名德士司机,在这一行已9年,9年来,尽量做好本份的工作,不超速,也帮客人拿东西,老人家也少收钱,尽量做到不求有功,但求无过,连续9年没有被人投诉过。最近半年却不幸一再被投诉。今年10月的某一天下午6点10分,在靠近布业中心的德士站,由于没有乘客,我下车开后盖清洁德士后面,走来一个新加坡人,一个中国女孩,他们匆匆展开一张信说,要去Upper
Thomson,但又接着说要去Kampong Java。我的换班时间是定在6点30分左右。

  我就告诉他,我不顺路,时间上来不及了,我帮你叫一辆德士。德士也很快就叫到了,德士来了以后,他脸色一变,说我"遇到人"了(意思大概是说:我遇到克星了),他要投诉我,用手机拍下了车牌号码。上了德士以后,他还开窗向我比手势,意思是说要置我于死地,我没想到我已经帮他叫车了,他还不领情,只好一笑置之。

  过了几天陆路交通管理局(LTA)叫我去解释,我把详细情形讲出来,换回来的是罚款300元和两个星期"停牌"不能驾德士。

  麻烦公司写信要求,不得要领,我想请问有关部门,如果一些好事者对我们德士司机的无理投诉,都全面采信的话,我们德士司机生活岂不是很难过。如今,路上的德士多如过江之鲫,德士司机讨生活很不容易,如果司机不是有急事或即将换班,那有不载客的道理。

  我不久前也曾被乘客投诉拒载,但当时是因为人有三急,我赶着去上厕所,我当时也照实向陆交局官员解释了,他们也接受了。但这次他们不接受,是否因为上次的"案底",影响了他们对我的印象。

  我太太已有两三年没上班了(近50岁的人被裁后是很难找工作的),因此,两星期没驾车对我影响很大,我也因此失眠了好几个晚上。

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Why not limit a taxi's speed

wilson lim

Updated 10:59 AM December 02, 2009

LOL... probably taxi drivers watch too much racing movies like Initial
D and Tokyo Drift. they may drive reasonably fast, but always with
their passengers' safety as their top priority. they need to be
responsible for their passengers' lives and safety, throughout the
entire ride.

John Potus

Updated 10:58 AM December 02, 2009

There are speed limits on our road, so we don't need more rules and
regulations to govern our lives. And I certainly don't want taxis to
be road hogging.

Anyway, I am a pedestrian. I find private car owners to be just as
guilty, if not more, of speeding than taxis drivers. They often drive
way too fast and recklessly, posing a serious danger to pedestrians.
The public should also not be put at risk from these private car
owners breaking the law.

Why can't private car be fitted with speed limiters? Limiting their
speed would improve safety and fuel economy and improve maintenance
costs.

The fact is that no one should be speeding and not only taxi drivers.

awong

Updated 10:56 AM December 02, 2009

These are some of the taxi drivers that thinks they are the "tai
kor"(big brother) on the road. They drives very aggresive and thinks
other should give way to them.

Some even hogs the right most expressways lane. Even they are driving
within the speed limit, the right lanes are meant for overtaking.

GTUpdated 10:50 AM December 02, 2009

I fully agree. I have quite frequently noticed taxis weaving in and
out of traffic at high speeds and driving very recklessly. I
personally believe that these speed limiters would reduce the risk
caused by high-speed taxis and make our road safer for all.

The cabbie from hell

terence
Updated 11:17 AM December 02, 2009

Seriously, your Mac smell will linger in the car over some time if he
didnt wind down the window. You should be more considerate. He already
got the window up.

Come on, everyone needs to earn a living. Give that man a break. He
just want to get you to your destination fast and to prevent the smell
from lingering in the cab longer.

You're simply wasting your time trying to get an apology from him.
That passerby also got nothing better to do by acting hero ?

Whats more? You didn't get his plate number and driver's name. How are
you going to lodge a complain ?

And if you want to put visitors into view, have you even considered
how the visitor will feel if they smell the stale smell from your mac
dinner in his car ? How will they think ?

Before you want to lodge a complain, please think about it.. Did you
tie up your dinner to prevent the smell from diffusing into the cab?
You're one irresponsible consumer.

wilson lim
Updated 10:49 AM December 02, 2009

note down the taxi driver's name on his dashboard and his carplate
number, and then report him to the police or his taxi company for his
errant and dangerous behaviour. he can run, but he can't hide. don't
argue with him, especially if you are a woman and have little kids
with you. why endanger yourself and your kids in the first place? some
food for thought.

Town council to remove trees

http://hongkahtown.blogspot.com/2007/11/private-gardens.html

http://hongkahtown.blogspot.com/2009/07/from-trees-to-treeless.html