Good Communication in Social Interaction

1. The Importance of Communication

Communication plays a very important role in a social interaction. Communication is the conveyance of ideas that are conveyed to others, causing interaction with one another and causing an impact on the idea or information.

In my view, communication is important and key as information. Ideas cannot be conveyed if there is no communication. It is also important to maintain relationships between people, which are also known as social interactions. A person can interact socially with others through good communication. For example, to buy an item or necessity in a traditional market, we need to communicate with the seller by asking for the price then bidding on the price, then buying it by showing how much we want to buy. Another example is when we find ourselves in a new environment, we need to socialize in that environment, just as we socialize by communicating. Communication is important to understand other people or other people understand us. We can understand other people when we communicate with others. We can communicate through verbal and non-verbal communication. For example, we know that people are angry with what they say or express.

Communication according to Mc Cubbin and Dahl (1985) defines communication as a process of exchanging feelings, wants, needs and opinions. Through communication, humans can learn and manage strategies to influence the situation we are going to enter. In order to communicate well, good communication skills by listening, writing and speaking are needed that have been taught to humans from birth.

In fact, humans are social creatures who need interaction with each other. You are sure to communicate every day with coworkers, family, or even strangers that you just met. Communicating well will really help you to understand each other, avoid misunderstandings, and of course make other people happy to converse with you. Even not only that, having the ability to communicate well can open business or career opportunities for you. Therefore, having good communication skills is important.

2. Poor Communication

In this interaction, there are usually obstacles that can cause a communication to not work properly. If good communication does not occur, a common impact is miscommunication or misperception. That will lead to conflict between individuals so that the relationship between individuals is not good. According to Ron Ludlow & Fergus Panton In communication there are always obstacles that can interfere with the smooth running of the communication process. So that the information and ideas conveyed cannot be received and understood clearly by the recipient of the message or receiver.

Different perceptions of each person have different abilities in terms of interpreting a message or expression. Some people interpret someone's yell as assertiveness. However, there are also people who interpret the shouting as cruelty and acts of violence. This difference in perception is the reason why the two parties are in conflict. Sometimes, the same words can be interpreted differently when conveyed to different people. In addition, the factor of lack of trust in the story or message conveyed by the communicator also becomes an obstacle in communicating interactions, and in the end the message delivery process does not work properly.

3. The Cause of Poor Communication

Communication errors can be caused by various factors. These mistakes can lead to conflict and misunderstanding. The following are causes that could lead to poor communication:

1. Differences in Perception 

Everyone has different abilities in terms of interpreting a message or expression. This is one of the biggest causes that can lead to poor communication

2. Less Clear Pronunciation

The first cause is the unclear pronunciation or pronunciation in communication. Where this error will then make the interlocutor or those who are invited to communicate unable to receive all the information. Especially if you communicate with other people who have different accents. Surely this regional accent will affect the pronunciation of the word or sentence he utters.

3. Talking Too Hastily

Everyone has different abilities in digesting information. Poor communication can be caused by speaking too hastily. Where the speed of your speech makes the other person unable to understand what you are saying. The result will make communication not work properly.

4. Inaccurate Way of Submission

The way of delivery is also a fundamental thing that can cause errors in communication. When you convey it in the wrong way, for example using a slightly loud voice. Then people will interpret that you are angry. Surely this condition can trigger the other person to be offended.

5. Information Conveyed Incorrectly

This change in habit will make a big difference, because voice and body language are such a vital part of conversation. For example, too low a tone and volume of speech can also be considered as the main causes of errors in communication. Because when you speak too softly, the other person won't be able to hear. Even if you can hear it is worrying that what they hear is not the same as what you say.

6. Unsupportive Atmosphere

The next cause of errors in communication is not good is where the conditions are not supportive. For example, in an atmosphere that is too busy and noisy. So surely what you say cannot be heard clearly by the other person. Of course this can cause communication to take place improperly.

7. Situational Communication Barrier

In communicating, a communicator should pay attention to the situation. The obstacles that occur are caused by situation factors. That is, if the communicant is in a condition that does not want to listen to an information or message. In addition, a communicator must pay attention to situations related to the condition of a communicant.

8. Cultural Differences

The causes that occur are due to differences in culture, religion and social environment. Culture Cultural differences are also an obstacle to communication, especially if each party does not understand the language used. However, this is not a big problem with poor communication.

9. Basic Character

There are basically 4 basic human characters, namely choleric, melancholy, phlegmatic, and sanguine. The four of them have opposite characters. Choleric is a strong character who can sometimes be offensive.

10. Poor choice of communication channels

If you communicate through communication tools, this is a disturbance caused by the media used in smoothing the communication. For example in everyday life include intermittent telephone lines.

4. How to Improve Good Communication

1. Being able to listen to other people is very important in the communication process. This means not only listening with your ears, but also being able to understand what the person is saying. Giving the other person your full attention when they come up with ideas can go a long way in building a relationship.

2. Empathy is very important for communication. Empathy involves seeing things from the perspective of others. Put yourself in the position of the other person instead of being judgmental or prejudiced by your own beliefs. While this may be difficult for some, empathizing with others can be very helpful in keeping up with your own emotions and ideas.

3. Be clear and concise. When you speak clearly, are good at communicating, and convey clear articulations, it will provide good feedback for both parties in communication. 

4. If the problem is with your speaking speed, the solution is to speak slowly. When you are talking about something that is very pleasant, it is very easy for you to start the conversation and you can even speak very quickly. Try to slow down the speed of your speech, because it will be easier for the other person to listen to and grasp the meaning you want to convey.

5. In communicating, you should not use unfamiliar words if you are forced to use foreign words, the sender must be sure that the meaning of the word is understood by the recipient.

6. Concentrate only on the information conveyed by each party, and the structure must match the communication needs.

7. Be quiet and listen When you are talking to other people, you need not only to open your mouth, but also your ears. When the interlocutor is expressing his thoughts, do not interrupt them but be quiet and listen to the sentences being spoken. This not only allows you to concentrate on listening to what the other person is saying, but also makes him feel valued.

8. Respect what the other person says. Always respect every word, thought, feeling, or input from others, because everyone has their own perspective. Don't just demand respect for your opinion, but also respect the opinions of others.

9. Speak out loud. No need to hesitate, because the other person really wants to hear you. Speak clearly. Don't be like mumbling. Speak in a non-monotonous voice. Engage emotion in your voice. Use pauses. Slow delivery coupled with pauses will make the other person more attentive in listening and the atmosphere becomes more relaxed. Body language. Use good body language.

References:

https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/DiahSuciP/hambatan-komunikasi-dan-strategis-mengatasi-hambatan-kap-1 

5 Ways to Define Good Communication. https://bit.ly/3gVop6V 

TOEFL Test Strategy for Reading Comprehension

International Webinar Resume

Name: Putri Fitriani Khairunnisa

NPM: 1910631060042

Class: 3D

Speaker 1: Bachrudin Musthafa, MA, PhD.

Title: Essentials in TEYL for Indonesian Elementary Schools: An Update for 2020

A. Contextual Conditions

1. English as a local-curricular content in Indonesian Elementary Schools

2. Elementary School Children as Learners of a Foreign Language

As a foreign has consequences of Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL), it is very difficult in elementary school because they rarely use it for social communication.

3. Take it or leave it: the Ina’s government stance to TEYL

B. Challenges in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to Young Learners in Indonesia

1. English in Indonesia has the official status of a foreign language (EFL)

This FL status has consequences: lack of exposure, lack of engagement; and lack of support

2. Issues of teachers’ confidence and capabilities in teaching EFL to young learners

3. Issues of sponsorship

C. Learning from Excellent TEYL Programs and Responding to the Challenges

1. TEYL comes in different forms and intensity of practice.

- Modest time (1-1.5 hours per week)—VERY WEAK IMPACTS

This time mode (modest time) or time allocation will not affect students' English skills because it only uses a short time and once a week, students will not be familiar with this time mode.

- Significant time (20-30% using English to teach other subjects)—STRONGER IMPACTS

It's all about organizational time management. vocabulary and terminology when the teacher explains will be obtained by students. This significant time will be better for students to improve their understanding in learning English.

- Substantial time (50-90% using English tp teach other content subjects)- STRONGEST IMPACTS

This is the best time for the intensity of the student's time in practice. In this type of time, the children can get fully speaking and the teacher is also expected to be able to teach and must be able to use English in the content of other subjects, this must start with the teacher first.

2. Effective Teachers of English can fluently use English for functional communicative purposes, including for instructional purposes (effective English teachers are disciplined in using English)

For example, the students get special instruction such as tutoring or courses because it functions very well so the students are fluent in English and more communicative. Therefore, to make it look useful, students and teachers must be able to speak English first and be diligent in learning, especially basic things such as speaking, writing, listening, and reading.

3. Excellent teachers of English know who children are and how these children learn

-Children learn from direct experiences; students get direct experience, not from lectures or abstraction, but empirically.

- Children learn from hands-on physical activities; students must be practiced or repeated in order to be fluent in English.

- Children’s thinking is embedded in here-and-now context of situation; students should focus on factual and current situations

- Children learn holistically from whole to parts using scripts; in this case the teacher must be more patient in all parts and

- Children have a short memory span; because students are easily distracted and easily bored, the teacher must be able to provide a variety of learning methods.

By referring to these principles, teachers help increase children’s learning motivation because they can see for themselves that English is useful. The teacher challenges in designing instructional variations so that students are more familiar and enrich the situation.

4. Excellent English Teachers to Young Learners Know How Children Acquire a Language

A handy rule is as follows: Exposure– Engagement– and Supports (good teachers know how children learn). These three components represent a requirement for learning to happen:

- exposure to English (where children are exposed to language in use which can serve as examples to learn from). In this case, students must follow the teacher or the teacher applies the rules of "do what I say" can be used in simple terms so that students can understand and have a lot of practice.

--engagement (where children are provided with opportunities to use and work with English; and

--consistent supports (where the learners see for themselves that learning a language is useful and the language they learn is recognized as prestigious)

5. Excellent English teachers take a responsibility to ensure children’s English learning

1. Use English to provide exposure to functional language use

2. Provide print-rich environment in English (e.g., pictures with captions)

3. Focus on functional English for vocabulary development and immediate communicative needs fulfillment.

5. Reiterate often to ensure acquisition.

6. Establish useful, acquisition-promoting routine

D. Can Indonesia Handle the Challenge?

1. Choose only excellent TEYL teachers to be assigned to teach in class.

-- The teachers should be proficient in English (both spoken and written).

--the teachers should be conversant with the notion of who children are and how children learn.

2. Teachers of English should be disciplined in using English as much as possible during teaching-learning process.

3. Apply a merit-system in managing teachers’ work and payment. Introduce contract-based assignment of teachers in the school system.

 

Speaker 2: Asst. Prof. Rolando P. Quinones, Jr. LPT, MA Ed English, TESOL

Title: From Traditional to Digital: Quality Instructions and Materials Preparation for Online English Instructions for Distance Learners

A. THE DAWN OF THE PANDEMIC

 COVID 19, the current pandemic, caused disruption of many engagements across the globe and the academe was greatly affected by this.

 Most institutions had to cancel the submission of the remaining requirements for the term.

 Consideration of the teachers’ and learners technical, financial and physical capacities and limitations must always be weighed.

B. THE USUAL ISSUES IN ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

− Connectivity Issues

− Weak signal for mobile connection

− Insufficient data

− Paid subscription for online academic platforms are off and on too

− Failure to adjust to online mode of learning and/or instructions

− Mismatch of learners’ learning style to the online mode

C. HOW DO WE MANAGE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC

1. We need to ensure that we are still able to deliver quality instructions with the help of technology

2. Technology use will be maximized with considerations to the capacities and limitations of the situation most especially, of the students and the teacher/instructors

3. Run a quick survey or conduct an informal interview (online) to have an audit of the students’ capacity to connect online.

4. The survey may also be used for knowing the learner’s preferred online activities in learning English.

D. SUDDEN SHIFT AND VISIBLE DIFFERENCES

a. Before pandemic, Students had to go to the schools, students had to submit tangible outputs/projects and students used their pen and paper exams

b. After pandemic, Students need to go online, students have to upload and send their academic outputs via e-mail or drives and online examinations/virtual outputs

E. HYBRID ONLINE LEARNING

a) Synchronous Learning, activities that happen in real time, usually via video-conferencing

b) Asynchronous Learning, online learning activities that students can do on their own and at their own pace, within a reasonable time frame for example Google Classroom

F. MACRO SKILLS FOCUS IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG LEARNERS IN THE PHILIPPINES

There are five macro skills in teaching English such as listen, speak, read, write, view.

1) Listening

Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication. Without the ability to listen effectively, messages are easily misunderstood. As a result, communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated. There are three main types of listening and most common in interpersonal communication are:

- Informational Listening (Listening to Learn)

- Critical Listening (Listening to Evaluate and Analyze)

- Therapeutic or Empathetic Listening (Listening to Understand Feeling and Emotion)

 In teaching speaking English there are six components:

l Partner paraphrase

l Listen for words

l Attend to the ”inner person”

l Turn and talk

l Teach reflective listening

l Tell a group story

WHAT DO WE NEED TO CONSIDER IN CHOOSING THE MATERIALS IN PREPATION FOR THE LISTENING ACTIVITIES?

Ø Choose what’s accessible to you and your students so they do not need to go out of their homes.

Ø Choose affordable materials, if not, free ones

Ø Make sure that your learners have quality headphones/headsets so they will hear you clearly

Ø Make sure that your microphone is not static or grounded

Ø Make use of available online resources but make it sure that the sites are working at the time of your lesson.

HOW TO DEVELOP ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS?

 Speaking skills are the skills that give us the ability to communicate effectively.

 These skills allow the speaker, to convey his message in a passionate, thoughtful, and convincing manner. Speaking skills also help to assure that one won't be misunderstood by those who are listening.

2) Reading

Reading is a multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. Learn how readers integrate these facets to make meaning from print.

a. SYNCHRONOUS READING ACTIVITIES

l Silent reading followed by group discussions (student to student / student to teacher)

l Line-a-child (each student reads a line of the story aloud)

l Think-a-loud (the teacher pauses at some parts of the reading material then asks the listeners to predict the next event)

3) Writing

Writing skills include all the knowledge and abilities related to expressing ideas through the written word. Writing skills are important because they allow people to get a point across without being physically present. 

 

Speaker 3: Evi Karlina Ambarwati, S.S., M.Ed

Title: Experiential Learning for EFL Young Learners in Time of Pandemic

 01. Theoretical Background

A. Experiential learning

“my aim for experiential learning theory was to create a model for explaining how individuals learn and to empower learners to trust their own experience and gain mastery over their own learning” (David Kolb 1984). Many education level use this modal.

- holistic learning theory, thus highly interdisciplinary

- Dewey (higher education), Lewin (professional development), Piaget (children)

- children’s learning is highly influenced by Plaget's cognitive development and intelligence is shaped by experience

B. Experience: dual meaning

- subjective and personal: one’s inner state (experience: happy) students must have their experience

- objective and environmental, it is mean factual/gain the students experience

02. Characteristics (Kolb, 2015)

a) Concept

− Learning is as a process of adaptation, not in terms of outcomes

− learning is a continuous process grounded in experience

− Learning is an holistic process of adaptation to the world or,

− Learning involves transactions between the person and the environment

− Learning is the process of creating knowledge

b) Grasping to transformation

The process of learning requires the resolution of conflicts between dialectically opposed modes of adaptation to the world

c) Benefits (according to Fragoulis)

1. Real and authentic communication activity

2. Low performers seems to build intrinsic motivation

3. Grammatical and sociocultural competence showed small improvement

d) Young learners (moon, 2004)

a. Creative: understand, express differently, and have opportunity to speak

b. Going for meaning: concrete and chunks of language

c. Having fun: repetition

d. Joining the action: curious and active

e. Talking their heads off

f. Feeling at home: happy, secure, feeling safe physically and psychology

03. Education in time of pandemic (Always questioning what to do)

Silver linings : shift in education perspective. in this pandemic, everyone is confused.

A. Emergency curriculum

- distance learning

- school and teacher’s creativity

- students’ and parents’ perspective

B. Parents’ involvement

- passive to active

- not finish the assignment for the children

C. Learning objective

- not finish the book , meaningful learning

04. Experiential learning for young English learners in time of pandemic

1. Experiential learning

- learning by doing

- holistic

- active and real-world

2. Young learners

- going for meaning

- joining the action

- having fun

05. becoming an experiential educator

Kolb, 2015 an experiential educator:

1. Creating spaces for learning

- capitalizing students experience in learning

- practicing the language (transforming the knowledge)

2. Dynamic matching of individual learning style and subject matter requirements

- realistic hands-on or learning by doing

- balance subject matter (grasping) with practice (transforming)

3. Focusing on the development of learning skills

- instilling other learning area: physical, emotional, cognitive and life skill development

Modern and Traditional Dance

Name: Putri Fitriani Khairunnisa

NPM: 1910631060042

Class: 3D

Modern and Traditional Dance

A. Modern Dance

    Born in the early 20th century, modern dance is a dance style that focuses on a dancer's own interpretations instead of structured steps, as in traditional ballet dancing. Modern dancers reject the limitations of classical ballet and favor movements derived from the expression of their inner feelings.

    During the 1900's, European dancers began rebelling against the rigid rules of classical ballet. Turning against the structured techniques, costumes, and shoes of ballet, these dancers favored a more relaxed, freestyle form of dancing. For example, modern dance pioneers often danced in bare feet and revealing costumes. In the United States, several dance pioneers paved the way for American modern dance, including the legendary Martha Graham.

B. The Characteristics of Modern/Contemporary Dance

    Modern dance encourages dancers to use their emotions and moods to design their own steps and routines. It is not unusual for dancers to invent new steps for their routines, instead of following a structured code of technique, as in ballet.

    Another characteristic of modern dance, in opposition to ballet, is the deliberate use of gravity. Whereas classical ballet dancers strive to be light and airy on their feet, modern dancers often use their body weight to enhance movement. This type of dancer rejects the classical ballet stance of an upright, erect body, often opting instead for deliberate falls to the floor.

C. Modern Dance Type

Hip-hop dance refers to a style of street dance performed primarily with music that emerged in the 1970s and was popularized by the Breakin' Beat community in the United States. With this new dance style, a classical dancer choreographed a hip-hop dance performed on the streets to jazz-punk music. Along with the times, hip-hop dance is practiced in the studio or outside the room. The difference between hip-hop dance and other dances is that it uses freestyle improvisation seen in competitions called battles or in the community it is called battles. Hip-hop dance can be a form of entertainment or a hobby based on crew, freestyle, and crew battles.

D. Popular Styles of Modern Dance

    Modern dance from 1990 to the present has taken a very different approach. Some choreographers and dancers include in modern dance styles hip hop, lyrical, free style and fusion, a combination of dance forms like tap, jazz, modern and ballet.

    Since modern dance is usually performed in themed choreographic sequences, it projects a message. Choreography of hip hop, fusion and free style dance tends to be improvisational and without specific themes. Lyrical dance may have a choreographed theme. It leans more toward interpretative dance. Today, modern dance choreography may or may not be interpretative.

E. Characteristics of Modern Dance

- Use of space: While ballet dancers typically face the audience directly, modern dancers use all orientations, even completely turning their back on the audience.

- Relationship to music: In ballet, the dancer's movements correspond harmoniously with the music, but in modern dance, dancers may dance off-beat or in contrast to the music, ignore the music completely, or dance on a silent stage.

- Performers: Contrasting the large casts and strict hierarchy of ballet, modern dance choreographers often also perform. They may work alone or with smaller dance troupes. Women also gained recognition and influence as choreographers.

- Movement: Ballet has a very strictly defined set of movements that get pieced together to create different dances. In modern dance, however, dancers create a new language of movement with every piece, experimenting with how they can manipulate the body.

F. What is Traditional dancing?

    Traditional dancing can be another term for folk dance, or sometimes even for ceremonial dance. The term ‘Traditional’ is more frequently used when the emphasis is on the cultural roots of the dance. A Traditional dance will therefore have arisen from a people’s cultural traditions, for example, the folk dances of indigenous populations of Europe. However, dances that have a ritual origin or purpose are not usually considered to be Traditional dances. These are known as ‘Religious dances’ instead. Traditional dancing is generally more of a social activity rather than competitive, but it is normally choreographed. Depending on the dance type itself, Traditional dancing can be either partnered or solo, and are mainly danced in formation.

G. Three Indonesian Traditional Dance

1. Saman Dance, Aceh

Having originated in Aceh, from a plateau called Gayo, Saman dance is one of the most famous traditional dances in Indonesia. There are many values, principles, and philosophies of Acehnese imbued in the Saman dance, such as wisdom, faith, manners, heroism, and togetherness. The Saman dance was originally performed to celebrate important occasions of the Acehnese community, such as the celebration of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.

Saman dance uses two basic movements, hand-clapping and shoulder-clapping, to make body percussion sounds, which are synchronized to create music and look fascinating at the same time. The Saman dance is performed by an odd number of people who have made their way to foreign countries. The uniqueness of this dance can be seen from the use of the dancer's hands to create solid sounds. If most of the other traditional dances, the dancers move freely, the Saman dance is performed by the dancers in a sitting manner. Apart from using hand movements, the dancers also share tasks, some roar, sing songs, and so on.

2. Kecak Dance, Bali

    Not only famous for its natural beauty, Bali is also known for its cultural diversity. One of them is the Kecak dance. This dance, which features dance dramas from the Ramayana story, is one of the attractions of tourists in Bali. Kecak dance is also called the Sang Hyang dance which is performed during religious ceremonies. Known internationally as the "Ramayana monkey song", the Kecak Dance is a form of Balinese Hindu dance and musical theater performed mainly by men in temples and villages throughout Bali. Developed during the 1930s in Bali, Indonesia, this dance is considered one of the most spectacular traditional performances in Indonesia as it is generally performed by 150 dancers consisting of 150 dancers wearing plaid around the waist while shouting "chak" in percussion while moving their hands and arms.

The uniqueness of this dance is that it does not use an artificial backdrop or stage and does not use any musical instruments. It has to be done at sunset, in the open air, usually on a cliff overlooking the sea, as the show relies entirely on the natural light of the day. As the sun sets, the story continues with the orange sky getting darker over time. This dance depicts a battle from the Ramayana, where monkey-like warriors known as Vanaras, led by Hanuman, assist Prince Rama in fighting the evil King Ravana.

3. Tor-Tor Dance, North Sumatera

Tor-Tor dance is an ancient traditional dance originating from North Sumatera which consists of the North Tapanuli, Humbang Hasundutan, and Toba Samosir areas. Initially this dance was usually performed at ritual events such as funerals, healing, and so on. Historically, the Tor-Tor dance was part of a ritual associated with spirits, who were summoned and "carried" into stone statues that symbolized ancestors.

Tor-Tor dances are of three types. The first type is the Tor-Tor Pangurason (cleansing dance) which is usually performed at large parties. The second type is Tor-Tor Sipitu Cawan (Seven Bowls Dance) which is usually performed at the inauguration of a king and depicts the story of seven heavenly daughters who bathe in a lake on the top of Mount Pusuk Buhit. . Finally, there is Tor-Tor Tunggal Panaluan, a cultural ritual dance that is usually performed when a disaster strikes a village.

The Tor-Tor dance movement follows the Margondang flow, the traditional music that accompanies the dance. Tor-Tor dance is no longer associated with religious ceremonies or mystical ceremonies. Currently, it is performed on certain occasions such as weddings and welcoming ceremonies for visitors.

H. Characteristics of traditional dance

Traditional dance has several characteristics that lead to the categorization of traditions. Some of these features include:

- Have a standard or basic movement rules that must be followed.

- Accompanied by traditional local music.

- Wearing traditional costumes typical of the local area.

- Taught and studied orally or by word of mouth directly from the old generation to the next generation.

 Sources:

http://www.dancecentral.co.uk/DanceNtral/Articles/traditional.htm

https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-modern-dance-1007279

https://study.com/academy/lesson/modern-dance-history-types.html