The QLK520 module has been very educational for me as a student teacher. I believe that the module has enhanced my communication abilities, which is critical in my career as a public servant representing the Ministry of Education because the very nature of this job requires a lot of communication with parents, colleagues and most importantly, the students.
Thinking back on the module, I found the lessons on voice production and vocal health the most useful. I have tried the exercises and techniques recommended during my presentations in other modules and found that I was able to project my voice louder and clearer without feeling any strains on my vocal organs. I also appreciate the fact that my tutor, Dr. Angelia Lu, had encouraged the class to share any personal remedies or exercises for the vocal health on the online forum. I had a very good discussion with my fellow colleagues and learnt a few tips that I will definitely try when I get to school in future.
The coverage on oral communication was thorough as it went through the various scenarios, and thus different speaking styles required. While it may be common sense to many of us, the academic presentation of this component of communication reinforced the importance of assessing the purpose, audience and context before launching into a conversation or presentation. In essence, my take away from this section of the module was that how you speak to others depends on very much on the situation. For example, while the professionalism of being a teacher requires the teacher to speak formally in standard English to the students in school, I believe that exceptions do exist. I believe that sometimes, in order to engage the students better, teachers should bring themselves down to the students level and speak in their "lingo". Of course, this does not means to condone the use of Singlish or improper language, but simply as a mean to engage them and thereafter, bring the students up to a appropriate standard expected of them.
The written communication section of this module will stay in my memory as a enjoyable and educational experience. I particularly enjoyed the exercises for writing the students' report card and testimonial because of the challenge of writing strictly in a positive and constructive manner that must serve as motivation to the students and an accurate evaluation of the child's performance to the parents. More practices and exercises in this aspect, for a variation of scenarios, would definitely be beneficial for student teachers.
In conclusion, QLK520 has been a fun and informative module. I am confident that I will be able to apply what I have learnt in this module as a teacher in school.
