Sunscreen Lotion of Miana Leaves (Coleus atropurpureus Benth)

Sunscreen can protect the skin from the UV radiation. One of the plants that have the potential to be utilized as active ingredients of sunscreen lotion is miana leaves (Coleus atropurpureus Benth). Lotion made in 3 formulas F1, F2 and F3.  Lotion tested its stability with a freeze-thaw method, and evaluated organoleptic, homogeneity, pH, viscosity and scatterness and tested sunscreen activity of lotion preparation. The preparation shows good homogeneity, and has oleum rosae odor and a thick consistency with the lotion color is brown (F1), dark brown (F2) and slightly greenish brown (F3). Spreading, viscosity, and pH of the lotion meet the Indonesia Standart requirement. The lotion formula comes in the category of fast tanning (F2) and extra protection (F3) sunscreen

Mengadaptasikan gaya pembelajaran pelajar ESL: satu kajian kes pelajar tahun satu di UKM

Most instructions at the tertiary level in Malaysia are given in an auditory and visual manner in which students have to listen to lectures, class discussions and presentations.The main focus of this case study was to discover whether less proficient students of Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies (B.A ELS) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia can “stretch” their learning styles outside their preferred modes namely the auditory and visual styles, and working individually over two semesters (eight months) of practice. The tools in collecting the data were Reid’s (1984, cited in Reid, 1995)perceptual learning style preference questionnaire, journal writing, semi-structured interviews and observations. The findings from this study were: 1) the majority of the students in this study had at least kinaesthetic and/or tactile as their major perceptual learning style and the majority of them had also chosen working in a group as their major learning style; 2) all the students had the same common reactions in terms of having difficulties in completing visual or auditory tasks, normal way of studying, and the abilities to make the new ways of visual and auditory techniques of learning work when introduced and practised in class. They also had the same negative reactions to incongruent style

MENINGKATKAN DAYA INGAT SISWA DALAM MENGHAFAL ASMAUL HUSNA MELALUI STRATEGI INDEX CARD MATCH PADA SISWA KELAS II SEKOLAH DASAR NEGERI 013 TELUK AIR KARIMUN

Prinsip-prinsip dasar dalam proses belajar dan memori, meliputi: kebermaknaan, organisasi, asosiasi, visualisasi, perhatian, minat dan umpan balik. Salah satu hal yang menentukan sulit tidaknya suatu materi dipelajari, adalah besarnya makna materi tersebut bagi orang yang mempelajarinya. Jika materi itu tidak masuk di akal, ia sulit untuk mempelajari. Semakin besar makna/arti materi itu bagi seseorang semakin mudah orang itu mempelajarinya.Oleh karena itu sudah banyak yang menyadari bahwa untuk mengingat, orang harus berusaha membuat materi tersebut bermakna, demikian halnya pada materi pembelajaran Pendidikan Agama Islam dalam meningkatkan daya ingat, guru harus membuat materi tersebut lebih bermakna. Karena apabila dengan mengetahui maknanya dan mengetahui materi itu, maka semakin mudah siswa mempelajari materi baru tersebut. Tujuan dilakukan penelitian ini adalah untuk mendeskripsikan perencanaan strategi Index Card Match dalam meningkatkan daya ingat siswa dalam menghafal materi pelajaran Pendidikan Agama Islam tentang Asmaul Husna pada siswa kelas II SDN 013 Teluk Air Karimun. Penelitian yang penulis lakukan ini adalah termasuk dalam penelitian tindakan kelas (PTK). Dalam perjalanan pengumpulan data, yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah hasil tes, dan observasi. Sedangkan untuk analisisnya, penulis penggunakan teknik analisis deskriptif kualitatif, yaitu berupa data kualitatif dan data kuantitatif yang penulis peroleh selama melakukan pengamatan langsung di lapangan. Dari hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa metode Index Card Match dapat meningkatkan daya ingat siswa khususnya pada mata materi Asmaul Husna. Ini terbukti bahwa daya ingat siswa dalam menghafal materi pelajaran Pendidikan Agama Islam mengalami peningkatan dari siklus I sebesar 61,76% meningkat menjadi 88,91 % pada siklus II

Understanding English speaking practice in public schools in Kazakhstan: a case study in Almaty

Teaching and learning of English as a spoken language in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) still remains a major concern in Asian context as evident from recent studies. The situation is similar in Central Asian classrooms where it received little attention. Specifically, this study investigates a classroom in a local public school in Kazakhstan through the lens of a teacher and the students during speaking activities. A case study qualitative approach was employed using interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis as data collection methods. In total, 21 individual interviews and 30 hours of classroom observations were conducted and recorded. Analyses and interpretations of data show that firstly the speaking activities lack in negotiation of meaning as they are predominantly aimed at predetermined monological performance-based speech. Secondly, out-of-school learning was prevalent among the majority of students at private learning centres. Also, self-learning at home was practiced by male students via interacting with foreign players in online video games and by female students via watching English movies. Thirdly, classroom interactions were accountable in facilitating and inhibiting the practice of speaking. Finally, there was a mismatch between the perceptions of the teacher and the students on the challenges of the speaking practice. The teacher indicated insufficient teaching hours and students’ limited background knowledge, while the students emphasised the teacher’s unwillingness to use English as a language of instruction and to practice impromptu speech in class. In summary, the findings highlight some of the apprehensions faced by the teacher and the students which reveals the current English speaking practice in Kazakhstani classroom

Foreign language speaking anxiety of Jordanian freshman English learners

Mastering English language skills is significant, particularly with respect to speaking for Jordanian undergraduates because the English language is becoming vital in some sectors in Jordan like tourism, foreign affairs, and higher education. Generally, it has been acknowledged that foreign language (FL) speaking anxiety hinders the attempts of language learners to become involved in speaking activities. Nevertheless, some studies have been conducted to probe language anxiety in general and anxiety pertaining to other language skills in Jordan. However, none of these studies was designed intentionally to address the specific FL speaking anxiety. Thus, the current research was meant to address the factors contributing to English FL speaking anxiety in the Jordanian context. To do so, in-depth, one-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty freshman students attending Jadara University in Irbid, Jordan. NVivo software was used to manage the coding procedure in analysing the data, and respondents declared twelve factors leading to an increased level of speaking anxiety. All were like the findings of previous empirical studies except four new sources: fear of being perceived as showing-off, cultural barrier between male and female students, fear of impromptu questions and previous experience in school. The first two of these factors highlight the importance of considering the cultural backgrounds of learners when teaching English in an Arabic and/or Muslim context like Jordan. The other two factors reveal the inadequacy of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching in schools, and universities too. The results support the theory that cultural differences are significant in addressing the issue of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA). Identification of these factors could lead future research, language teachers, and educators in better understanding of English language learning in the context of Jordan and move forward to develop strategies and tactics to overcome the difficulties triggered by speaking anxiety

Interdiscursivity of pedagogic discourse in the ESL classroom in primary school

The analysis of pedagogic discourses in the classroom can reveal a great deal about teachers’ interpretation and implementation of the curriculum. Studies by previous scholars have mainly described pedagogic discourses at the surface level but neglected addressing its relevance to the curriculum. As a result, discourse practices underlying pedagogic discourses are neither identified nor explained at the fundamental level. The study reported here was carried out to identify and interpret the practices of interdiscursivity in pedagogic discourse and to relate these discourse practices to the demands of curriculum implementation. Data comprising six recordings of pedagogical discourse during ESL teaching and learning sessions in four primary schools in the state of Kelantan, Malaysia was analysed using the discursive practice dimension. Results reveal five types of discourse used by teachers in the classroom, namely requirement, argumentation, notification, description, and narration. However, only one type of discourse was used by the students in the classroom that is, responding. Overall, teachers were found to dominate the pedagogic discourse in the classroom. This indicates that the demand of the current curriculum for a student-centred classroom culture does not seem to have been implemented. This study is expected to provide a new dimension in pedagogical discourse analysis, specifically for teachers

English oral communication in public secondary schools in Kazakhstan: understanding its practice and challenges

The teaching of oral communication (OC) has been addressed in different ESL and EFL contexts, though mainly in a university setting. However, it has received little attention in the Central Asian context. This paper will provide preliminary insights into the practice of teaching English OC and the challenges associated with it in public schools in Kazakhstan (KZ), a country in Central Asia. For the pilot study reported here, data was collected from 18 KZ learners from 9 different schools via e-mail interviews. The study was guided by a theoretical model representing three levels of influence on OC practice: micro, meso, and macro. The current OC activities were found to be lacking in spontaneity, too teacher-centred and individual-oriented. At the micro level, emotional constraints were considered to have a greater impact on female students’ oral performance, while limited linguistic repertoire affected male students’ oral production. At the meso level, females found a lack of emotional support from their teachers, while males preferred to have out-of-class help from their friends to practise English. At the macro level, males were found to be more influenced by a wider sociocultural context than females. Firstly, the findings reveal the gap between the actual and preferred OC practices in KZ public schools, which can be further addressed by the stakeholders. Secondly, they illustrate how gender influences the way learners engage in OC activities. And lastly, they underline the importance of examining OC in relation to learners’ self, their social communities and the overarching context that shapes their attitude towards a language

Social variation Of malay language In Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia:A study on accent, identity and integration

Language variation is conveyed through its regional or social dimension. In line with that proposition, this paper discusses the social variation of Malay language spoken in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia focussing on their accents. As part of the Malay language society, the Malays of Kuching have their own accent which is different from other Malay accents or the standard national accent. This paper analyzes the status of national standard accent and non-standard accent among the Malay informants in the city of Kuching. The discussion is based on a sociological urban dialectology research. For the analysis, five phonological variables are chosen. They are open-ended vowels (a), such as kita ‘we’, close-ended (i), such bilik ‘room’, close-ended (u), such as masuk ‘enter’, initial (r) or (r)1, such as rumah ‘home’, and final (r) or (r)2, such as pasar ‘market’. Issues on accents are studied through four different degree of formality of speech styles, namely reading word list style (WLS), reading passage style (PS), conversational style (CS) and story-telling style (STS). Three social contextual variables - socio-economic status, sex, and age groups of the informants will be considered in the analysis. The use of national standard accent compared with the non-standard accent will be linked to issues of identity and integratio