Teks Pidato Pelantikan Presiden Obama dan terjemahnya (20 Januari 2009)

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.


Saya berdiri di sini hari ini terhenyak oleh tugas di depan kita, berterima kasih atas kepercayaan yang anda berikan, dan teringat akan pengorbanan oleh leluhur kita. Saya berterima kasih kepada Presiden Bush atas jasanya pada bangsa kita, dan juga atas kemurahan hati dan kerjasama yang ditunjukkannya pada masa transisi ini.

Sudah 44 warga Amerika yang diambil sumpahnya sebagai presiden. Kata-kata dalam sumpah jabatan itu telah diucapkan di masa kemakmuran dan di masa damai. Namun, ada kalanya sumpah jabatan kepresidenan itu diambil di tengah-tengah situasi gawat dan badai yang berkecamuk. Pada saat-saat demikian, Amerika terus melaksanakan tugasnya bukan hanya karena ketrampilan atau visi mereka yang memegang jabatan tinggi, tetapi karena kita rakyat Amerika tetap setia pada cita-cita leluhur kita dan setia pada dokumen-dokumen yang dirumuskan oleh para pendiri negara kita.


So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.


Demikianlah adanya, dan memang selalu demikianlah yang harus dilakukan oleh generasi orang Amerika yang sekarang ini.

Memang sudah dipahami bahwa kita sedang berada di tengah krisis. Bangsa kita kini sedang terlibat perang, Melawan jaringan kekerasan dan kebencian yang jauh jangkauannya. Ekonomi kita sangat lemah, akibat ketamakan dan tindakan tidak bertanggung jawab oleh sebagian pihak, tetapi juga karena kegagalan kita secara kolektif untuk membuat pilihan-pilihan sulit, dan kegagalan kita mempersiapkan bangsa bagi abad baru. Banyak rumah yang disita, lapangan kerja menurun drastis, bisnis gulung tikar. Asuransi kesehatan kita terlalu mahal, murid-murid sekolah kita banyak yang gagal, dan setiap hari terlihat bukti bahwa cara-cara kita menggunakan energi justru memperkuat musuh-musuh kita dan mengancam planet kita.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.


Semua itu merupakan indikator krisis, yang didasarkan pada data dan statistik. Yang kurang bisa diukur tetapi tidak kurang pentingnya adalah melemahnya keyakinan di seluruh pelosok Amerika – kekhawatiran terus-menerus bahwa kemerosotan Amerika tak terelakkan lagi, dan bahwa generasi berikutnya harus mengurangi harapannya.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.




Hari ini saya katakan kepada kalian bahwa tantangan-tantangan yang kita hadapi adalah nyata. Tantangan ini serius dan banyak. Tidak akan mudah diatasi dan tidak bisa diatasi dalam jangka pendek. Tetapi ketahuilah ini, Amerika, semua tantangan ini akan kita hadapi.
Pada hari ini, kita berkumpul karena kita lebih memilih harapan daripada ketakutan, kesatuan tujuan daripada konflik dan pertentangan.
Pada hari ini, kita berkumpul untuk menyatakan berakhirnya keluhan-keluhan kecil dan janji-janji palsu, saling-tuduh dan berbagai dogma lusuh yang sudah terlalu lama mencekik politik kita.
Negara kita masih muda, dengan meminjam kata-kata dalam Kitab Suci, saatnya sudah tiba kita menepiskan sifat ke kanak-kanakan. Saatnya sudah tiba untuk menandaskan lagi semangat kita yang tegar, memilih jalan sejarah yang lebih baik, melanjutkan pemberian berharga, gagasan mulia yang diteruskan dari generasi ke generasi: yaitu janji yang diberikan Tuhan bahwa semua kita setara, kita semua bebas, dan semua layak memperoleh kesempatan untuk mengejar kebahagiaan sepenuhnya.


In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.


Dalam menandaskan kebesaran bangsa kita, kita memahami bahwa kebesaran tak pernah diberikan begitu saja. Mencapai kebesaran harus dengan kerja-keras. Perjalanan yang kita tempuh tak pernah mengambil jalan pintas. Perjalanan kita bukan bagi mereka yang tidak-tabah, bukan bagi mereka yang suka bermalas-malas daripada bekerja, atau bagi yang hanya mengejar kekayaan dan menjadi terkenal. Perjalanan kita adalah bagi mereka yang berani mengambil resiko, mereka yang melakukan hal-hal baru dan membuat barang-barang baru. Sebagian mereka menjadi terkenal, tetapi acapkali laki-laki dan perempuan tak dikenal dalam pekerjaan mereka, yang telah mengusung kita di atas jalan berbatu-batu menuju kemakmuran dan kebebasan.


For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.


Demi kita, mereka mengemas harta milik mereka yang tak seberapa dan menyeberangi samudera untuk mencari kehidupan baru.
Demi kita, mereka banting-tulang dengan upah minim dan menetap di Pantai Barat, menahan pukulan cambuk dan mencangkul tanah yang keras.
Demi kita, mereka bertempur dan mati, di tempat-tempat seperti Concord dan Gettysburg, Normandy dan Khe San.
Lelaki dan perempuan ini terus menerus berjuang dan berkorban dan bekerja hingga kulit tangan mereka mengelupas, agar kita bisa mengecap kehidupan yang lebih baik. Mereka melihat Amerika lebih besar dari jumlah ambisi kita secara perorangan, lebih besar daripada perbedaan status keluarga, atau kekayaan ataupun partai atau kelompok.


This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.


Perjalanan inilah yang kita teruskan hari ini. Kita masih merupakan negara paling makmur dan paling berpengaruh di bumi. Para pekerja kita tidak kurang produktifnya dibandingkan dengan waktu ketika krisis ini dimulai. Otak kita masih seinventif seperti pada awal krisis ini, barang dan jasa kita masih diperlukan seperti pada minggu lalu atau bulan lalu, atau tahun lalu. Kapasitas kita tetap tak berkurang. Tetapi masa kita untuk berdiam diri, melindungi kepentingan sempit dan menunda keputusan-keputusan yang tak menyenangkan, sudah harus berlalu. Mulai hari ini, kita harus bangkit sendiri, membersihkan debu yang menempel, dan mulai lagi bekerja memperbaharui Amerika.

Karena kemana saja kita melihat, ada yang harus kita lakukan. Keadaan ekonomi mengharuskan tindakan yang berani dan segera, dan kita akan bertindak bukan hanya untuk menciptakan lapangan kerja baru, tetapi untuk meletakkan dasar bagi pertumbuhan. Kita akan membangun jalan dan jembatan, jaringan listrik dan jaringan digital yang menyuburkan perdagangan dan mengikat kita bersama. Kita akan memulihkan sains ke tempat yang selayaknya, dan menggunakan kehebatan teknologi untuk meningkatkan mutu perawatan kesehatan dan menurunkan biayanya. Kita akan memanfaatkan tenaga matahari, tenaga angin dan lainnya untuk menjalankan mobil-mobil dan pabrik-pabrik kita. Dan kita akan mengubah sekolah dan perguruan tinggi dan universitas untuk memenuhi tuntutan era baru. Semua ini bisa kita lakukan. Dan semua ini akan kita lakukan.


Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

Tentu, ada orang yang meragukan skala ambisi kita – dengan mengatakan sistem ekonomi kita tidak bisa mentolerir terlalu banyak rencana besar. Daya ingat mereka tidak cukup lama. Mereka telah melupakan apa yang dilakukan negara ini, apa yang bisa dicapai oleh laki-laki dan perempuan yang hidup bebas, apabila imajinasi digabung demi tujuan bersama, dan kebutuhan digabung dengan ketabahan.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them— that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Yang tidak dipahami oleh mereka yang sinis adalah tanah tempat mereka berpijak telah bergeser, bahwa argumen basi dalam politik yang telah begitu lama menyita waktu kita – tidak lagi berlaku. Pertanyaan yang kita ajukan sekarang bukan apakah pemerintah kita terlalu besar atau terlalu kecil, tetapi apakah pemerintah kita bisa berfungsi, apakah pemerintah bisa menolong para keluarga mencari pekerjaan dengan upah yang layak, asuransi kesehatan yang terjangkau, dan pensiun yang berarti.
Apabila jawabannya – ya, kita berniat untuk terus bergerak maju. Apabila jawabannya tidak, programnya akan dihentikan. Dan mereka yang mengatur uang rakyat akan dimintai pertanggung-jawabannya – supaya mengeluarkan uang secara bijaksana, mengubah kebiasaan buruk, dan melakukan bisnis kita dengan jujur. Karena hanya dengan demikian kita bisa memulihkan kepercayaan penting antara rakyat dan pemerintah.



Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.


Kita juga tidak mempertanyakan apakah kekuatan pasar bebas itu baik atau buruk. Kekuatan pasar bisa membina kekayaan dan memperluas kebebasan kita. Tetapi krisis ini telah mengingatkan kita bahwa tanpa pengawasan yang ketat, kekuatan pasar bebas itu bisa terlepas dari kontrol, dan suatu bangsa tidak bisa makmur untuk waktu lama apabila hanya mementingkan orang kaya. Keberhasilan ekonomi kita tidak hanya tergantung pada besarnya Produk Domestik Bruto, tapi seberapa jauh meluasnya kemakmuran itu, pada kemampuan kita memberikan kesempatan kepada tiap orang yang mau bekerja, dan bukan karena belas kasihan karena itulah jalan yang paling pasti guna mencapai kemakmuran bersama.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.


Mengenai pertahanan kita bersama, kita menolak dan menganggap palsu pilihan antara keselamatan dan idaman atau cita-cita kita. Para Pendiri Negara ini dihadapkan pada bahaya yang tak terbayangkan, menyusun sebuah piagam untuk menjamin supremasi hukum dan hak setiap orang, sebuah piagam yang diperkuat oleh perjuangan generasi demi generasi. Semua cita-cita ini masih menerangi dunia, dan kita tidak akan meninggalkannya demi mencapai penyelesaian yang cepat. Karena itu, bagi semua orang dan pemerintahan yang menyaksikan pelantikan hari ini, mulai dari kota-kota yang termegah sampai ke desa kecil di mana ayah saya dilahirkan, ketahuilah bahwa Amerika adalah sahabat setia negara dan sahabat setiap lelaki, setiap perempuan, dan setiap anak yang menghendaki masa depan yang damai dan bermartabat, dan bahwa kita siap untuk memimpin lagi.


Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.


Ingatlah bahwa generasi-generasi sebelumnya menundukkan fasisme dan komunisme bukan hanya dengan peluru kendali dan tank, tetapi dengan aliansi yang kokoh dan keyakinan besar. Mereka memahami bahwa kekuatan saja tidak bisa melindungi kita, dan bahwa kekuatan itu tidak memberi kita hak berbuat sekehendak hati kita. Sebaliknya mereka tahu bahwa kekuatan kita tumbuh melalui penggunaan yang bijaksana, keamanan kita berasal dari adilnya tujuan kita, kekuatan contoh yang kita berikan, dan kerendahan hati serta kesanggupan menahan diri.


We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

Kita adalah penjaga warisan ini. Dibimbing oleh prinsip-prinsip ini, sekali lagi kita bisa menghadapi ancaman-ancaman baru itu yang menuntut upaya lebih besar, bahkan kerja-sama dan pemahaman lebih besar antar-negara. Kita akan mulai secara bertanggung jawab meninggalkan Irak kepada bangsa Irak, dan menempa perdamaian di Afghanistan. Bersama teman-teman lama dan bekas saingan kita, Amerika akan bekerja tanpa lelah untuk mengurangi ancaman nuklir, dan mengurangi bahaya pemanasan bumi. Kita tidak akan minta maaf atas cara kehidupan Amerika, tidak akan goyah dalam mempertahankannya, dan bagi mereka yang hendak mendorong tujuan mereka dengan terror dan membantai orang-orang tak bersalah, kami katakan kepada mereka, semangat kita lebih kuat dan tidak terpatahkan, kalian tidak akan unggul dari kami, dan kalian akan kami kalahkan.


For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.


Kami sadar bahwa warisan bangsa yang beraneka warna adalah suatu kekuatan, dan bukannya sebuah kelemahan. Bangsa kita terdiri dari orang Kristen dan Islam, Yahudi dan Hindu, dan bahkan orang-orang yang tidak percaya pada Tuhan. Kita telah dibentuk oleh campuran berbagai bahasa dan kebudayaan, yang berasal dari segala pelosok dunia. Dan karena kita telah merasakan pahitnya perang saudara dan segregasi rasial, dan keluar dari masa kegelapan menjadi sebuah bangsa yang lebih kuat dan lebih bersatu, kita yakin bahwa pada suatu hari nanti semua rasa kebencian akan hilang, bahwa semua garis-garis pembatas antar suku bangsa akan luluh, dan bahwa dunia ini akan menjadi semakin kecil. Kerendahan hati kita akan tampak dengan sendirinya, dan Amerika harus memainkan perannya dalam menyongsong era perdamaian yang baru.


To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.


Bagi dunia Muslim, kami akan mencari cara baru ke depan berdasarkan pada kepentingan bersama dan saling menghormati. Bagi para pemimpin dunia yang berusaha menanam bibit konflik, atau menyalahkan dunia Barat atas kesulitan-kesulitan yang dialami masyarakatnya, ketahuilah bahwa rakyat Anda akan menilai Anda pada apa yang Anda bangun, bukan pada apa yang Anda musnahkan. Bagi mereka yang hendak menggenggam kekuasaan melalui korupsi dan kekejian dan membungkam orang yang tidak setuju pada kebijakan mereka, yakinlah bahwa kalian berada pada sisi yang keliru, tapi kami akan mengulurkan tangan jika kalian tidak lagi mengepalkan tinju.


To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.


Bagi rakyat negara-negara miskin, kami berjanji akan bekerja bersama kalian untuk membuat ladang kalian subur dan membuat air bersih mengalir, untuk memberi makan tubuh yang kelaparan, dan memenuhi kebutuhan mental. Dan kepada negara-negara seperti negara kita yang relatif menikmati kemakmuran, kita tidak bisa lagi bersikap tidak peduli pada kesengsaraan di luar perbatasan kita, dan kita tidak bisa menghabiskan sumber-sumber dunia tanpa mempedulikan dampaknya. Karena dunia sudah berubah dan kita harus berubah dengannya.


As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.


Sambil kita mempertimbangkan jalan yang terbentang di depan kita, kita mengingat dengan rasa terima kasih orang-orang Amerika yang gagah berani, yang pada saat ini, berpatroli di gurun dan gunung yang sangat jauh. Ada sesuatu yang hendak mereka katakan pada kita hari ini, seperti yang dibisikkan sepanjang masa oleh para pahlawan kita yang kini dimakamkan di Arlington. Kita menghormati mereka bukan hanya karena mereka menjaga kebebasan kita tetapi karena mereka menunjukkan arti pengorbanan, kesediaan untuk mencari arti yang lebih besar dari diri mereka sendiri. Dan pada saat ini, saat yang akan tercatat dalam sejarah generasi – semangat inilah yang harus ada pada kita semua.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.


Sebanyak apapun yang bisa dan harus dilakukan pemerintah, pada akhirnya kepercayaan dan tekad rakyat Amerika-lah yang diandalkan negara ini. Misalnya kebaikan hati untuk menampung orang yang kena musibah walaupun tidak kita kenal, atau pekerja yang tanpa pamrih rela mengurangi jam kerja mereka daripada melihat seorang teman di-PHK, yang membuat kita keluar dari kegelapan. Adalah keberanian para pemadam kebakaran untuk menerobos masuk ke rumah yang penuh asap, dan juga kesediaan orang tua untuk membesarkan anak, yang kelak akan menentukan nasib kita.


Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.


Tantangan kita mungkin baru. Alat-alat yang kita gunakan untuk mengatasinya mungkin baru. Tetapi pada nilai-nilai itulah keberhasilan kita bergantung – yaitu kerja keras dan kejujuran, ketabahan dan berlaku secara adil, toleransi dan rasa ingin tahu, kesetiaan dan patriotisme – semua itu sudah lama ada. Semua itu memang benar. Semua itu telah menjadi kekuatan kemajuan sepanjang sejarah. Jadi yang dituntut sekarang adalah kembalinya kepada nilai-nilai ini. Apa yang diperlukan dari kita sekarang ini adalah era pertanggungjawaban yang baru – suatu pengakuan, dari tiap orang Amerika, bahwa kita mempunyai kewajiban bagi diri kita sendiri, bagi negara kita dan bagi dunia, kewajiban yang kita lakukan dengan senang hati, bukan dengan bersungut-sungut, karena kita tahu tidak ada yang lebih memuaskan bagi jiwa kita, yang merupakan definisi karakter kita, daripada memberikan segalanya untuk menyelesaikan tugas yang sulit.


This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence— the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

Inilah pengorbanan dan janji kewarganegaraan.
Inilah yang menjadi sumber keyakinan kita – pengetahuan bahwa Tuhan meminta kita untuk memperbaiki keadaan yang tidak pasti.
Inilah arti kebebasan dan kepercayaan kita– mengapa laki-laki dan perempuan dan anak-anak dari tiap ras dan tiap keyakinan bisa ikut dalam perayaan di lapangan yang indah ini, dan mengapa seorang lelaki yang ayahnya lebih 60 tahun lalu mungkin tidak dilayani di restoran, sekarang bisa berdiri di depan anda untuk diambil sumpahnya sebagai presiden.


So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive ... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."


Jadi marilah kita hari ini mengenang siapa kita dan sejauh mana jalan yang kita tempuh. Pada tahun kelahiran Amerika, pada bulan yang terdingin, sekelompok patriot berkumpul di depan api unggun yang mulai padam di bantaran sungai yang beku. Ibukota telah ditinggalkan, musuh terus maju, salju tampak berlumuran darah. Pada saat itu, ketika nasib revolusi kita sangat diragukan, bapak bangsa kita memerintahkan supaya kalimat berikut dibacakan kepada semua rakyat Amerika:
“Beritahukanlah pada dunia masa depan, bahwa di tengah musim dingin, saat apapun tiada kecuali harapan dan kebajikan – bahwa kota dan negara, waspada akan bahaya bersama, akhirnya bersatu untuk menghadapinya.”


America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America

Amerika; Dalam menghadapi musuh bersama, dalam masa sulit kita ini, mari kita ingat kata-kata emas itu. Dengan harapan dan kebajikan, mari kita hadapi bersama sekali lagi sungai beku ini, dan bertahan dari badai apapun yang akan tiba. Biarkan cucu-cucu kita berkata bahwa kita telah diuji dan kita menolak untuk mengakhiri perjalanan ini, bahwa kita tidak mundur dan mata kita terpaku ke ufuk fajar dan dengan berkat Tuhan, kita meneruskan anugerah kebebasan dan mengantarkannya dengan selamat bagi generasi masa depan.

Sumber terjemah: Kedutaan Besar AS di Jakarta

Lagu:Oh Ibu dan Ayah....

oh ibu dan ayah selamat malam...
ku pergi begadang sampai tahun depan...
selamat begadang nak penuh semangat..
rajinlah begadang agar kau sehat.....
bohongi gurumu pukuli teman..
itulah tandanya kau murid bajingan.

Humor: Lagu tampa akhir

1 ditambah 1, sama dengan 2
2 ditambah 2, sama dengan 4
4 ditambah 4, sama dengan 8
8 ditambah 8, sama dengan 16

16 tambah 16, 32
32 tambah 32, 64
64 tambah 64, 128
128 tambah 128, 256

256 tambah 256, 512
512 tambah 512, 1024
1024 tambah 1024, 2048
2048 tambah 2048, 4096

4096 tambah 4096, 8192
8192 tambah 8192, 16384
16384 tambah 16384, 32768
32768 tambah 32768, 65536
...
...
Silahkan teruskan lagu ini. Jika Anda bisa sampai selesai, anda akan menjadi........................
..................................................
..................................................
G...........I............GI
L...........A............LA
dibaca GI-LA

Humor: tidak ada wakil

Menurut calon pimpinan di Indonesia yad,tidak ada jabatan u/ wakil lagi.Contoh Wakil Presiden jadi Presiden,Wakil Gubernur jadi Gubernur,Wakil Komandan jadi Komandan..dll.Tetapi hal ini di protes keras oleh DPR / MPR,karena mereka semua adalah Wakil Rakyat...Jadi Rakyat.....

Mau Ketemu Presiden Bush

Pak Jamil warga negara Indonesia yang menetap dan tinggal di US, kebetulan dekat dengan White House. Siang itu, dengan berjalan santai, ia menghampiri penjaga gedung putih dan berkata : " I would like to go in and meet with President Bush.” Saya mau masuk dan bertemu dengan Presiden Bush.

"Sir, Mr. Bush is no longer president and no longer resides here.” demikian jawab si pengawal. ( Bpk Bush bukan lagi presiden dan tidak tinggal lagi disini )

Sambil tersenyum Pak Jamil mengucapkan terima kasih, menyalami tentara ini dan berlalu.

Namun keesokan harinya Pak Jamil kembali datang dan mengajukan pertanyaan yang sama. "Saya mau masuk dan bertemu dengan Presiden Bush sekarang juga!"

Dengan cukup heran, penjaga yang sama memberikan jawaban sopan yang sama seperti kemarin. Pak Jamil manggut-manggut, tersenyum, menyalami tentara itu dan kembali berlalu.

Tidak cukup begitu, pada jam yang sama keesokan harinya, Pak Jamil kita kembali datang dan kembali meminta :"I would like to go in and meet with President Bush right now!"

Dengan menahan marah, tentara kemarin kembali menjawab " Pak, seperti sudah saya katakan kemarin, Bpk Bush sudah bukan presiden US lagi dan tidak tinggal disini. Apa Bpk tidak mengerti penjelasan saya??"

Bapak Jamil kembali manggut-manggut dan tersenyum lebar sebelum menjawab " Saya ngerti kok, cuman rasanya seneng aja kalo denger fakta ini tiap hari dan sadar kalau semua itu benar..."

Sang tentara terbengong-bengong dan sontak menyalami Pak Jamil sambil berkata "Kalau begitu, sampai ketemu esok hari Pak, saya tunggu !!"

Humor: Jadilah Suami yang Setia

Seorang pria berusia 45 tahun sedang mendekati ajalnya karena sakit parah tanpa sebab. Yakin waktunya tidak lama lagi, iapun mengaku kepada istrinya yang selalu menemani dan merawatnya. Katanya," Sayang, sudah waktunya kau mengetahui segala kesalahanku padamu...aku bukan suami yang setia.."

"Sushhhh...sudah pa, biarkan yang lewat berlalu saja..." jawab sang istri dengan tenangnya.

Sang suami menangis, "Lihatlah betapa baiknya kamu, kalau saja aku tidak tergoda oleh Susan sekertarisku....atau oleh Siska teman akrabmu sejak lama. Ma, aku bahkan telah meniduri pembantu kita si Iyem sejak lama setiap ada kesempatan...."

"Sudahlah Pa, aku sudah tahu itu semua kok.....Lupakan saja."

"....eh, jadi Mama sudah tahu toh dan selama ini memaafkan Papa??"

"Saya baru tahu bulan-bulan belakangan ini aja....yah sejak aku memasukan racun-racun kedalam makananmu...Sudah ya Pa, istirahat saja n tunggu waktunya....Jangan dipikirin lagi...."

"Hahhhh!!!........!!#$#$#$&^&*"

Kisah seseorang yg kerja di pom bensin

inilah kisah seseorang yang bekerja di pom bensin ..

sambil terkantuk dia liat jam tangannya ,, jam dua tengah malam sudah ..

" waktunya pulang nih " , pikirnya .

setelah berbasabasi dengan pekerja yang lain , akhirnya dia pun pulang dengan berjalan kaki saja .

sesampainya dia di gang daerah rumahnya , dia bertemu dengan teman2nya yang masih asik nongkrong .

si temannya pun bertanya :
" woy , darimana lo ? "

dan dengan tidak sadar dia pun menjawab :
" dari NOL "

Humor: Anak tunggal

Ceritanya ada seorang anak cowok tunggal yang ditinggal mati nyokapnya

pas ngelahirin dia.

Sejak itu bokapnya jadi amat sangat workaholic sekali dan nggak
married2
>
> lagi. Ini anak tapi baik hati dan lemah lembut walaupun cuma diurus
> sama
>
> pengasuh saja.
>
> Pas TK, sementara anak2 laen udah punya sepeda dia masih jalan kaki.
>
> Pengasuhnya ngadu ke bokapnya, "Tuan, nggak kasian sama den Bagus?
>
> Masa sepeda nggak punya...apa tuan juga nggak malu?"
> Iya..nih..bokapnya
>
> tuh tajir banget deh. Punya sekian perusahaan maka dipanggil-lah si
>
> anak, ditawarin mau sepeda yang kayak gimana
>
> merek apa..dan si anak cuma bilang, "Aku nggak mau sepeda, Pi, aku
>
> dibeliin topi item topi putih aja.."
>
> Lho kok gitu? Bingung dong bokapnya. "Kenapa topi item dan putih?"
>
> "Nggak usah diterangin deh pi. Kalo papi punya uang yaa..beliin itu
>
> aja."
>
> Yah, mengingat mereka nggak pernah ngobrol, dan ini anak juga masih
> TK,
>
> papinya pikir ya normal2 aja anak kecil minta topi item topi putih,
> jadi
>
> papinya nerima2 aja.
>
> Nggak berminat lanjutin, maka tetep-lah tu anak dibeliin sepeda
> generasi
>
> terbaru saat itu, yang paling canggih, plus topi item dan topi putih.
>
> Trus ni anak masuk SD lah. Pas itu musim sepatu roda.
>
> Sekian lama pengasuh pratiin, ni anak nggak minta2 dibeliin sepatu
> roda
>
> sama papinya. Sore2 cuma duduk aja. Sepedanya juga ditaruh di gudang.
>
> Lagi nggak musim, katanya.
>
> Pengasuhnya laporan pandangan mata dong ke tuannya hingga si anak
>
> dipanggil lagi. "Nak, kamu mau dibeliin sepatu roda kayak temen2 kamu?
>
> Kok nggak bilang2 papi.
>
> Nggak masalah cuma beli sepatu roda aja...".
>
> Si anak bilang,"nggak Pi, topi item dan topi putih saya udah
>
> rusak..dibeliin lagi aja..nggak usah beli sepatu roda. Lagian lebih
>
> murah topi kan
> Pi?"
>
> Yee..si papi geram dong. Ni anak ngeremehin papinya sendiri, atau sok
>
> merendah?
>
> So, tetep si papi beliin sepatu roda, plus topi item dan topi putih.
>
> Selang beberapa taun, ni anak masuk SMP. Cerita sama terulang.
>
> Sekarang temen2nya musim roller blade. Tren baru. Sementara sore hari,
>
> dia masih setia sama sepatu rodanya. Pas bokapnya pulang dari luar
>
> negri dan ngeliat anaknya doang yang pake sepatu roda, si papi malu
>
> banget. Gila, rumah gedong, perusahaan banyak, keluar negri
>
> terus...eeh anaknya ketinggalan jaman. Besoknya, di kamar anaknya udah
>
> ada sepasang roller blade baru dengan note: "Biar kamu nggak malu".
>
> Malemnya di ruang kerja papinya ada note balesan: "Pi, kok nggak
> beliin
>
> topi item dan topi putih? Aku lebih suka itu."
>
> Weleh, si papi pas liat note itu dongkol tambah bingung. Apaan sih
>
> istimewanya topi item dan topi putih? Emang bisa bikin die beken atau
>
> nge-tren?
>
> Besoknya dan besoknya lagi si papi berkali2 nemuin note itu...hingga
>
> dia nggak tahan dan membelikan anaknya topi item dan topi putih untuk
>
> kesekian kalinya.
>
> Bener, setelah dapet tu topi, si anak nggak ninggalin note-note buat
>
> bokapnya lagi.
>
> Pas SMA, yang jaraknya rada jauh, si anak masih ber-bis ria, temen2nya
>
> udah ada yang bawa motor en mobil ke sekolahan. Suatu hari, tumben
>
> papinya di rumah, si anak pulang dianterin temennya yang mau
ditebengin.
>
> Papi malu banget.. Masa cuma untuk anak satu nggak bisa beliin mobil?
>
> Maka ditawarin anaknya. Si anak nolak dengan alasan mobil kurang
>
> praktis, lagian pengen topi item topi putih aja. Si bapak nggak terima
>
> penolakan. Karna anaknya udah gede, bisa berunding.
>
> Hingga tercetus keputusan si anak dibeliin motor plus topi item dan
> topi
>
> putih tentunya.
>
> Dan si bapak kesel juga duong... Udah berapa taun dia beberapa kali
>
> beliin dua macem topi itu tanpa tau kenapa. Tapi si anak nggak ada
>
> keinginan dan kemauan ngasih tau sih.
>
> Hingga tibalah masa kuliah. Karna seneng dan bangga masuk PTN, si anak
>
> dikadoin mobil. Sampe beberapa bulan si anak masih naek motoor aja.
>
> Kuliah, pacaran, naek motor aja. Pacarnya juga bingung, kan dia punya
>
> mobil? Ditanya sama pacarnya, dijawab, abis papi nggak beliin topi
> item
>
> topi putih. Nggak ngerti anak sendiri sih!
>
> So, pas makan malem bersama, si pacar bilang sama papi, kenapa si om
>
> nggak beliin topi item topi putih.
>
> Si papi sebenernya sensitif sama para topi itu..huh..sampe pacar anak
>
> gue nyuruh2 jadi dia tanya balik dong kenapa. Si pacar bilang kalo
>
> mobilnya nggak akan dipake selama nggak dikasih topi itu juga. Papi
>
> bingung dong, di kamar anaknya udah segitu banyak topi item topi
putih.
>
> Buat apa sih, pikir papi. Tapi demi gengsi, anak orang lho yang nanya,
>
> maka besoknya udah ada topi item topi putih buat anaknya.
>
> Suatu hari anaknya gaul ke Puncak bawa mobil, sama pacarnya. Yah,
>
> namanya anak muda, pas lagi di jalan, sipacar nyium dia en dia jadi
>
> grogi dan kecelakaan!! !
>
> Segera di bawa ke rumah sakit, si papi juga ditelpon sama rumah
>
> sakitnya.
>
> Tabrakannya parah. Mereka berdua nggak ada yang pake seatbelt, yang
>
> cewek mati seketika dan si cowok sudah sekarat. Si papi dateng ke
>
> RS.."gimana dok, anak saya?"
>
> Dokter (dengan tampang empati penuh duka cita):"Maaf pak, kami tidak
>
> dapat berbuat banyak.. sepertinya memang sudah waktunya... sebaiknya
>
> bapak manfaatkan waktu terakhir.."
>
> Perlahan si bapak masuk, nyamperin anaknya. "Pap, maafin saya..nggak
>
> hati2 bawa mobilnya.." si anak juga nangis karna pacarnya nggak
>
> tertolong. Si papi nenangin dia...akrablah dua manusia itu beberapa
>
> saat. Hingga si papi beranggapan ini saat terakhir. Dia inget
> penasaran
>
> dia tentang
>
> kenapa si anak selama ini selalu minta topi item topi putih.
>
> "Nak, maafin papi selama ini yang selalu sibuk..kamu jadi
>
> kesepian..maafin papi, nak. Nggak sempet jadi orang tua yang baik."
>
> Anaknya jawab,"nggak apa-apa pi, saya ngerti kok..Cuma sempet kesel
> kalo
>
> papi punya uang lebih malah beliin yang macem2....saya Cuma minta topi
>
> item dan topi putih aja kan?"
>
> Si papi rasa timing-nya tepat nih, "KENAPA SIH KAMU SELALU MINTA TOPI
>
> ITEM TOPI PUTIH...ADA
> APA DENGAN TOPI2 ITU?"
>
> (pembaca juga penasaran kan..?)
>
> Si anak jawab dengan terpatah2 dan susah banget, habis sudah sekarat
>
> dan masanya sudah hampir sampe..."sebab pi...saya... "
>
> *hep*
>
> Kepalanya rebah dan nafasnya hilang. Si anak sudah meninggal sebelum
>
> kasih tau papinya.
>
> ************ *
>
> Nah, si papi aja yang udah hidup bareng anaknya aja ga tau...
>
> apalagi AKu yang cuma nyeritain ulang?
>
> GIMANA?!! Kesel ga sih?!
>
> Tabokin aja yang pertama kali cerita, tapi maapin yang "forward"-in
>
> karena aKu juga korban, nih!
>
> Nggak enak lho jadi korban sendirian... carilah korban2 selanjutnyaa!
> !!!...hehehehe (",)

KATA MUTIARA CINTA

Cinta tidak pernah meminta, ia sentiasa memberi, cinta membawa penderitaan, tetapi tidak pernah berdendam, tak pernah membalas dendam. Di mana ada cinta di situ ada kehidupan; manakala kebencian membawa kepada kemusnahan.~ Mahatma Ghandi

Tuhan memberi kita dua kaki untuk berjalan, dua tangan untuk memegang, dua telinga untuk mendengar dan dua mata untuk melihat. Tetapi mengapa Tuhan hanya menganugerahkan sekeping hati pada kita? Karena Tuhan telah memberikan sekeping lagi hati pada seseorang untuk kita mencarinya. Itulah namanya Cinta.

Ada 2 titis air mata mengalir di sebuah sungai. Satu titis air mata tu menyapa air mata yg satu lagi,” Saya air mata seorang gadis yang mencintai seorang lelaki tetapi telah kehilangannya. Siapa kamu pula?”. Jawab titis air mata kedua tu,” Saya air mata seorang lelaki yang menyesal membiarkan seorang gadis yang mencintai saya berlalu begitu sahaja.”

Cinta sejati adalah ketika dia mencintai orang lain, dan kamu masih mampu tersenyum, sambil berkata: aku turut bahagia untukmu.

Jika kita mencintai seseorang, kita akan sentiasa mendoakannya walaupun dia tidak berada disisi kita.

Jangan sesekali mengucapkan selamat tinggal jika kamu masih mau mencoba. Jangan sesekali menyerah jika kamu masih merasa sanggup. Jangan sesekali mengatakan kamu tidak mencintainya lagi jika kamu masih tidak dapat melupakannya.

Perasaan cinta itu dimulai dari mata, sedangkan rasa suka dimulai dari telinga. Jadi jika kamu mahu berhenti menyukai seseorang, cukup dengan menutup telinga. Tapi apabila kamu Coba menutup matamu dari orang yang kamu cintai, cinta itu berubah menjadi titisan air mata dan terus tinggal dihatimu dalam jarak waktu yang cukup lama.

Cinta datang kepada orang yang masih mempunyai harapan walaupun mereka telah dikecewakan. Kepada mereka yang masih percaya, walaupun mereka telah dikhianati. Kepada mereka yang masih ingin mencintai, walaupun mereka telah disakiti sebelumnya dan kepada mereka yang mempunyai keberanian dan keyakinan untuk membangunkan kembali kepercayaan.

Jangan simpan kata-kata cinta pada orang yang tersayang sehingga dia meninggal dunia , lantaran akhirnya kamu terpaksa catatkan kata-kata cinta itu pada pusaranya . Sebaliknya ucapkan kata-kata cinta yang tersimpan dibenakmu itu sekarang selagi ada hayatnya.

Mungkin Tuhan menginginkan kita bertemu dan bercinta dengan orang yang salah sebelum bertemu dengan orang yang tepat, kita harus mengerti bagaimana berterima kasih atas kurniaan itu.

Cinta bukan mengajar kita lemah, tetapi membangkitkan kekuatan. Cinta bukan mengajar kita menghinakan diri, tetapi menghembuskan kegagahan. Cinta bukan melemahkan semangat, tetapi membangkitkan semangat -Hamka

Cinta dapat mengubah pahit menjadi manis, debu beralih emas, keruh menjadi bening, sakit menjadi sembuh, penjara menjadi telaga, derita menjadi nikmat, dan kemarahan menjadi rahmat.

Sungguh menyakitkan mencintai seseorang yang tidak mencintaimu, tetapi lebih menyakitkan adalah mencintai seseorang dan kamu tidak pernah memiliki keberanian untuk menyatakan cintamu kepadanya.

Hal yang menyedihkan dalam hidup adalah ketika kamu bertemu seseorang yang sangat berarti bagimu. Hanya untuk menemukan bahawa pada akhirnya menjadi tidak bererti dan kamu harus membiarkannya pergi.

Kamu tahu bahwa kamu sangat merindukan seseorang, ketika kamu memikirkannya hatimu hancur berkeping.
Dan hanya dengan mendengar kata “Hai” darinya, dapat menyatukan kembali kepingan hati tersebut.

Tuhan ciptakan 100 bahagian kasih sayang. 99 disimpan disisinya dan hanya 1 bahagian diturunkan ke dunia. Dengan kasih sayang yang satu bahagian itulah, makhluk saling berkasih sayang sehingga kuda mengangkat kakinya kerana takut anaknya terpijak.

Kadangkala kamu tidak menghargai orang yang mencintai kamu sepenuh hati, sehinggalah kamu kehilangannya. Pada saat itu, tiada guna sesalan karena perginya tanpa berpatah lagi.

Jangan mencintai seseorang seperti bunga, kerana bunga mati kala musim berganti. Cintailah mereka seperti sungai, kerana sungai mengalir selamanya.

Cinta mampu melunakkan besi, menghancurkan batu, membangkitkan yang mati dan meniupkan kehidupan padanya serta membuat budak menjadi pemimpin. Inilah dasyatnya cinta !

Permulaan cinta adalah membiarkan orang yang kamu cintai menjadi dirinya sendiri, dan tidak merubahnya menjadi gambaran yang kamu inginkan. Jika tidak, kamu hanya mencintai pantulan diri sendiri yang kamu temukan di dalam dirinya.

Cinta itu adalah perasaan yang mesti ada pada tiap-tiap diri manusia, ia laksana setitis embun yang turun dari langit,bersih dan suci. Cuma tanahnyalah yang berlain-lainan menerimanya. Jika ia jatuh ke tanah yang tandus,tumbuhlah oleh kerana embun itu kedurjanaan, kedustaan, penipu, langkah serong dan lain-lain perkara yang tercela. Tetapi jika ia jatuh kepada tanah yang subur,di sana akan tumbuh kesuciaan hati, keikhlasan, setia budi pekerti yang tinggi dan lain-lain perangai yang terpuji.~ Hamka

Kata-kata cinta yang lahir hanya sekadar di bibir dan bukannya di hati mampu melumatkan seluruh jiwa raga, manakala kata-kata cinta yang lahir dari hati yang ikhlas mampu untuk mengubati segala luka di hati orang yang mendengarnya.

Kamu tidak pernah tahu bila kamu akan jatuh cinta. namun apabila sampai saatnya itu, raihlah dengan kedua tanganmu,dan jangan biarkan dia pergi dengan sejuta rasa tanda tanya dihatinya

Cinta bukanlah kata murah dan lumrah dituturkan dari mulut ke mulut tetapi cinta adalah anugerah Tuhan yang indah dan suci jika manusia dapat menilai kesuciannya.

Bukan laut namanya jika airnya tidak berombak. Bukan cinta namanya jika perasaan tidak pernah terluka. Bukan kekasih namanya jika hatinya tidak pernah merindu dan cemburu.

Bercinta memang mudah. Untuk dicintai juga memang mudah. Tapi untuk dicintai oleh orang yang kita cintai itulah yang sukar diperoleh.

Satu-satunya cara agar kita memperolehi kasih sayang, ialah jangan menuntut agar kita dicintai, tetapi mulailah memberi kasih sayang kepada orang lain tanpa mengharapkan balasan. (Dale Carnagie)

Kata Mutiara Bahasa Inggris

IDEAS ARE ONLY SEEDS, TO PICK THE CROPS NEEDS PERSPIRATION.
GAGASAN-GAGASAN HANYALAH BIBIT, MENUAI HASILNYA MEMBUTUHKAN KERINGAT.

LAZINESS MAKES A MAN SO SLOW THAT POV ERTY SOON OVERTAKE HIM.
KEMALASAN MEMBUAT SESEORANG BEGITU LAMBAN SEHINGGA KEMISKINAN SEGERA MENYUSUL.

THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO CONTROL THEIR RAGE CAN CONQUER THEIR MOST SERIOUS ENEMY.
SIAPA YANG DAPAT MENAHAN MARAHNYA MAMPU MENGALAHKAN MUSUHNYA YANG PALING BERBAHAYA.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS ARE TOOLS, THE WORKMAN IS CHARACTER.
PENGETAHUAN DAN KETERAMPILAN ADALAH ALAT, YANG MENENTUKAN SUKSES ADALAH TABIAT.

A HEALTHY MAN HAS A HUNDRED WISHES, A SICK MAN HAS ONLY ONE.
ORANG YANG SEHAT MEMPUNYAI SERATUS KEINGINAN, ORANG YANG SAKIT HANYA PUNYA SATU KEINGINAN

A MEDICAL DOCTOR MAKES ONE HEALTHY, THE NATURE CREATES THE HEALTH. (Aristoteles)
SEORANG DOKTER MENYEMBUHKAN, DAN ALAM YANG MENCIPTAKAN KESEHATAN. (Aristoteles)

THE MAN WHO SAYS HE NEVER HAS TIME IS THE LAZIEST MAN.(Lichtenberg)
ORANG YANG MENGATAKAN TIDAK PUNYA WAKTU ADALAH ORANG YANG PEMALAS.(Lichterberg)

POLITENESS IS THE OIL WHICH REDUCES THE FRICTION AGAINST EACH OTHER. (Demokritus).
SOPAN-SANTU ADALAH IBARAT MINYAK YANG MENGURANGI GESEKAN SATU DENGAN YANG LAIN.
(Demokritus).

A DROP OF INK CAN MOVE A MILLION PEOPLE TO THINK.
SETETES TINTA BISA MENGGERAKAN SEJUTA MANUSIA UNTUK BERFIKIR.

WE CAN TAKE FROM OUR LIFE UP TO WHAT WE PUT TO IT.
APA YANG BISA KITA DAPAT DARI KEHIDUPAN KITA TERGANTUNG DARI APA YANG KITA MASUKKAN KE SITU.

REAL POWER DOES NOT HIT HARD, BUT STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.
KEKUATAN YANG SESUNGGUHNYA TIDAK MEMUKUL DENGAN KERAS, TETAPI TEPAT SASARAN

IF YOU LEAVE EVERYTHING TO YOUR GOOD LUCK, THEN YOU MAKE YOUR LIFE A LOTTERY.
JIKA ANDA MENGANTUNGKAN DIRI PADA KEBERUNTUNGAN SAJA, ANDA MEMBUAT HIDUP ANDA SEPERTI LOTERE.


BEING CAREFUL IN JUDGING AN OPINION IS A SIGN OF WISDOM.
KEHATI-HATIAN DALAM MENILAI PENDAPAT ORANG ADALAH CIRI KEMATANGAN JIWA.

YOU RECOGNIZE BIRDS FROM THEIR SINGGING, YOU DO PEOPLE FROM THEIR TALKS.
BURUNG DIKENAL DARI NYANYIANNYA, MANUSIA DARI KATA-KATANYA.

ONE OUNCE OF PREVENT IS EQUAL TO ONE POUND OF MEDICINE.
SATU ONS PENCEGAHAN SAMA NILAINYA DENGAN SATU PON OBAT.

Seven Steps to Vocabulary Learning

Have you ever considered why a learner (even an advanced one) can hear a difficult English word or phrase literally thousands of times and still not use that word in the way that a native speaker does? You might expect that, after having been exposed to a word in ten, twenty, or maybe at the very most thirty, contexts, a learner will gradually piece together the word's meaning and start to use it correctly, appropriately and fluently.

Classroom context

Of course we cannot expect a learner to acquire difficult words in the same way as a young child acquires their first language, but, perhaps as teacher we can somehow help learners to arouse their 'learning monitor' by, for example, providing rich contexts containing the target language and by giving our learners time to reflect on what the language item means. In this way teachers can use the EFL classroom to replicate the real world and nurture strategies to help students understand and produce difficult language items which often seem beyond their grasp.

Seven Steps to Vocabulary Learning

Here are some practical steps that I have used to help my students. As an example I want to focus on one very tricky word ('actually') and suggest ways that a student can understand what it means, and, thereafter, be able to use it more fluently. This model (which consists of seven steps) can be used for any difficult word/phrase.



Step 1

I get my students to listen to the word or phrase in authentic-sounding dialogues
Here are the dialogues I use for 'actually':
Do you want a chocolate?
No, thanks. I'm on a diet actually.
Do you want a coffee?
Actually, I'm a bit pushed for time.
Could I just borrow your book for a moment?
Actually, I'm just about to use it in class. Sorry.
How's John doing?
Actually, he's doing all right!
Ready to go?
Yeah…erm…actually I'm going to take my umbrella. It looks like it might rain.
I see you're still following your diet! (meant sarcastically)
Actually, I've lost a couple of pounds since we last met.

I think the students need at least six contexts to start to understand all the different nuances of meaning of a difficult target item.

Step 2

`I give my students plenty of time to study the word in these contexts, so that they can work out what the meaning / function is. I either get them to study the contexts individually and then get them to compare their thoughts in pairs or groups or I get them to discuss in pairs / groups straight away. I prefer the first option, because, this way, each student gets more time to think for him / herself.

Step 3

I discuss the meaning in plenary. I do this in two stages. First, I simply say "So what do you think?" Then, after having heard their thoughts, I ask concept questions that uncover the heart of the meaning.
Examples of concept questions for actually might be:
Is the speaker saying something quite important?
Does the speaker give the other person the answer they want / expect?
Is the speaker asserting him/herself?
Answers: a) important; b) not; c) standing up for him/herself

After doing such concept question work, I use a summing up concept statement, like this one: "So we use 'actually' after someone asks us a question (often a request or offer), and we don't give them the answer they want or expect."

Step 4

I provide a phonological model (including pronunciation, stress, and intonation) in a surrounding sentence.

Most native speakers devote three syllables to 'actually', the stress is on the first syllable, and there is a rise/fall/rise intonation pattern (which signals the conflict in the situation).

Step 5

I provide a prompt - to elicit use of the word in a natural way.

Here are some prompts I use for actually:
"So what do you think of __________ ?" (London) I use a facial expression to show that I expect a positive response.
"Would you like a cigarette?"
"Shall we go out for a meal tonight?"
"How's your friend Bill?"

If I don't get the response I want, I repeat and try to get another student to help. Then, if necessary, I get individual students to repeat the response until they feel completely comfortable with it.

Step 6

I set up a simulation, providing students with the chance to say the word in a natural situation. I distribute the following scenario and get two of my stronger students to act it in front of the class and then I get all the students to act it in closed pairs (rotating roles). This is an example scenario I have used for 'actually'.

John and Mary are in a pub.

1. John asks Mary if she'd like an alcoholic drink.
2. Mary declines this (as she doesn't drink alcohol).
3. John buys her some mineral water.
4. Mary suggests sitting down.
5. John agrees.
6. John asks if it's OK to light a cigarette.
7. Mary says she's got a bronchial problem. (etc.)



Step 7

I set up a review schedule, in which words are elicited and practiced. It's always important to review such lessons in the future, but each time I do this, I spend less time on it, and insert bigger gaps between the inclusions of this language item in the review sessions. Ultimately, I reach the point where I just need to say to someone "Fancy a chocolate?" and I automatically get the response "Actually I'm on a diet."

Conclusion

Students who are living in an English speaking country are often happy learning what difficult words and phrases mean through their everyday study or work lives, but for the majority of students, learning a language is a slow and painful process, and we must try to do something to accelerate the pace of learning. My students should, I believe, benefit from the teaching procedures I've described in this article. If they learn words and phrases in this systematic way in class, they are not only likely to achieve more communicative success in class but also to become more aware of the how they learn and the knowledge they need to acquire to learn words more successfully.

Seven Steps to Vocabulary Learning

Have you ever considered why a learner (even an advanced one) can hear a difficult English word or phrase literally thousands of times and still not use that word in the way that a native speaker does? You might expect that, after having been exposed to a word in ten, twenty, or maybe at the very most thirty, contexts, a learner will gradually piece together the word's meaning and start to use it correctly, appropriately and fluently.

Classroom context

Of course we cannot expect a learner to acquire difficult words in the same way as a young child acquires their first language, but, perhaps as teacher we can somehow help learners to arouse their 'learning monitor' by, for example, providing rich contexts containing the target language and by giving our learners time to reflect on what the language item means. In this way teachers can use the EFL classroom to replicate the real world and nurture strategies to help students understand and produce difficult language items which often seem beyond their grasp.

Seven Steps to Vocabulary Learning

Here are some practical steps that I have used to help my students. As an example I want to focus on one very tricky word ('actually') and suggest ways that a student can understand what it means, and, thereafter, be able to use it more fluently. This model (which consists of seven steps) can be used for any difficult word/phrase.



Step 1

I get my students to listen to the word or phrase in authentic-sounding dialogues
Here are the dialogues I use for 'actually':
Do you want a chocolate?
No, thanks. I'm on a diet actually.
Do you want a coffee?
Actually, I'm a bit pushed for time.
Could I just borrow your book for a moment?
Actually, I'm just about to use it in class. Sorry.
How's John doing?
Actually, he's doing all right!
Ready to go?
Yeah…erm…actually I'm going to take my umbrella. It looks like it might rain.
I see you're still following your diet! (meant sarcastically)
Actually, I've lost a couple of pounds since we last met.

I think the students need at least six contexts to start to understand all the different nuances of meaning of a difficult target item.

Step 2

`I give my students plenty of time to study the word in these contexts, so that they can work out what the meaning / function is. I either get them to study the contexts individually and then get them to compare their thoughts in pairs or groups or I get them to discuss in pairs / groups straight away. I prefer the first option, because, this way, each student gets more time to think for him / herself.

Step 3

I discuss the meaning in plenary. I do this in two stages. First, I simply say "So what do you think?" Then, after having heard their thoughts, I ask concept questions that uncover the heart of the meaning.
Examples of concept questions for actually might be:
Is the speaker saying something quite important?
Does the speaker give the other person the answer they want / expect?
Is the speaker asserting him/herself?
Answers: a) important; b) not; c) standing up for him/herself

After doing such concept question work, I use a summing up concept statement, like this one: "So we use 'actually' after someone asks us a question (often a request or offer), and we don't give them the answer they want or expect."

Step 4

I provide a phonological model (including pronunciation, stress, and intonation) in a surrounding sentence.

Most native speakers devote three syllables to 'actually', the stress is on the first syllable, and there is a rise/fall/rise intonation pattern (which signals the conflict in the situation).

Step 5

I provide a prompt - to elicit use of the word in a natural way.

Here are some prompts I use for actually:
"So what do you think of __________ ?" (London) I use a facial expression to show that I expect a positive response.
"Would you like a cigarette?"
"Shall we go out for a meal tonight?"
"How's your friend Bill?"

If I don't get the response I want, I repeat and try to get another student to help. Then, if necessary, I get individual students to repeat the response until they feel completely comfortable with it.

Step 6

I set up a simulation, providing students with the chance to say the word in a natural situation. I distribute the following scenario and get two of my stronger students to act it in front of the class and then I get all the students to act it in closed pairs (rotating roles). This is an example scenario I have used for 'actually'.

John and Mary are in a pub.

1. John asks Mary if she'd like an alcoholic drink.
2. Mary declines this (as she doesn't drink alcohol).
3. John buys her some mineral water.
4. Mary suggests sitting down.
5. John agrees.
6. John asks if it's OK to light a cigarette.
7. Mary says she's got a bronchial problem. (etc.)



Step 7

I set up a review schedule, in which words are elicited and practiced. It's always important to review such lessons in the future, but each time I do this, I spend less time on it, and insert bigger gaps between the inclusions of this language item in the review sessions. Ultimately, I reach the point where I just need to say to someone "Fancy a chocolate?" and I automatically get the response "Actually I'm on a diet."

Conclusion

Students who are living in an English speaking country are often happy learning what difficult words and phrases mean through their everyday study or work lives, but for the majority of students, learning a language is a slow and painful process, and we must try to do something to accelerate the pace of learning. My students should, I believe, benefit from the teaching procedures I've described in this article. If they learn words and phrases in this systematic way in class, they are not only likely to achieve more communicative success in class but also to become more aware of the how they learn and the knowledge they need to acquire to learn words more successfully.

Using Mind Maps to Develop Writing

Mind maps can be used for a multitude of purposes. This article outlines how they can effectively be used to help support and develop students' writing skills.

What is mind map?

A mind map, or spidergram, is a strategy for making notes on a topic, prior to writing. It is a structured strategy, which shows the (hierarchical) relationship of ideas, as opposed to an unstructured strategy, such as brainstorming, in which students produce notes at random on paper.
Having an organized display of information from the outset of the writing process may help some students, as it is more easily converted into a draft, whereas in brainstorming, the random recording of ideas might lead to problems with the structure of students' texts.

The advantages of mind maps

Making a mind map should be a spontaneous pre-writing activity. Students start with a topic at the centre and then generate a web of ideas from that, developing and relating these ideas as their mind makes associations.
Mind maps work well as their visual design enables students to see the relationship between ideas, and encourages them to group certain ideas together as they proceed. Mind maps work especially well when created in groups, since the discussion this engenders aids the production of ideas, and makes the task livelier and more enjoyable.

How to make mind maps with your students

Choosing a topic

Traditionally, students are given a topic to write on by the teacher. However, with certain classes, students may prefer to nominate the topic themselves. This can lead to greater interest in the task on the part of the student, as well as, perhaps, greater knowledge of the topic under study.
The mind map strategy can be used to explore almost any topic, though discursive essays and narrative work particularly well as they front students' ideas and lend themselves to discussing ideas in groups.

I usually start by writing the topic on the board. In the last writing class I taught, with a group of upper-intermediate students, I chose a discursive essay with the title "Why do people start smoking?" I chose this genre as we had recently been looking at the language used to give reasons and explanations. The discursive text is useful in highlighting this feature of English, and in raising awareness of the noun phrase, a particularly tricky area for intermediate students.

Note making

Once the topic has been introduced, I encourage my students to close their eyes and think about it for a minute or two, in silence. They then have two minutes in which to note down their ideas. If they do not know a word in English, they can write it in L1 at this stage, as dictionaries or too much teacher intervention tend to halt and inhibit the creative flow.
Then, working in groups, they can compare and discuss their ideas, perhaps adding to their mind maps as they go. This stage also provides the opportunity for peer teaching, as other students may be available to provide the English word for the idea that was noted down in L1.

Feedback

The next stage, in which the teacher makes a collective mind map on the board, is optional, but is useful for students who are new to the idea of mind maps, or for weak classes. It is also in this feedback stage that any remaining language problems can be ironed out. As the teacher elicits students' ideas, and reformulates expressions or corrects, students will learn how to express their ideas in English. Such personalization is said to aid vocabulary learning.
The map is fluid and changeable, and new connections or subgroups can be made, or branches added, as the students make suggestions. The end result should be an organized display of information, showing the central topic, and a number of subtopics and further points that stem from it.

Organizing mind maps

In the next stage the students organize their mind maps into a linear format to decide the best way in which to present their points. They should first think about the overall structure, i.e. the order in which to relay the information, and then focus on the precise function each paragraph will have in their final text, as this helps to clarify their writing. This can be done in groups or as a class with the teacher leading the discussion.
However it is carried out, it is important to provide a context and audience. I told my class, who were writing about drugs, that they were writing for their college magazine. Having an audience in mind helps students to decide which ideas are most important, and also helps students to choose the appropriate style.

Writing

Students should then begin to write their compositions, working in pairs if they wish. After two paragraphs, they should exchange their compositions, so they become readers of each other's work. This allows for feedback, and possible re-writing. Once they have finished, they should again exchange their texts. This gives their texts a communicative purpose, as well as developing an awareness of the fact that a writer is always producing something to be read by someone else, rather than for the display of writing alone.

Continuation

Once students are familiar with the idea of making mind maps, they can be encouraged to use this skill for further writing activities. It is a useful technique and often improves the clarity and organization of student texts.

Planning a Writing Lesson

Writing, unlike speaking, is not an ability we acquire naturally, even in our first language - it has to be taught. Unless L2 learners are explicitly taught how to write in the new language, their writing skills are likely to get left behind as their speaking progresses. But teaching writing is not just about grammar, spelling, or the mechanics of the Roman alphabet. Learners also need to be aware of and use the conventions of the genre in the new language.

What is genre?

A genre can be anything from a menu to a wedding invitation, from a newspaper article to an estate agent's description of a house. Pieces of writing of the same genre share some features, in terms of layout, level of formality, and language. These features are more fixed in formal genre, for example letters of complaint and essays, than in more 'creative' writing, such as poems or descriptions. The more formal genre often feature in exams, and may also be relevant to learners' present or future 'real-world' needs, such as university study or business. However, genre vary considerably between cultures, and even adult learners familiar with a range of genre in their L1 need to learn to use the conventions of those genre in English.

Stages of a writing lesson

I don't necessarily include all these stages in every writing lesson, and the emphasis given to each stage may differ according to the genre of the writing and / or the time available. Learners work in pairs or groups as much as possible, to share ideas and knowledge, and because this provides a good opportunity for practicing the speaking, listening and reading skills.

Generating ideas

This is the often the first stage of a process approach to writing. Even when producing a piece of writing of a highly conventional genre, such as a letter of complaint, using learners' own ideas can make the writing more memorable and meaningful.
Before writing a letter of complaint, learners think about a situation when they have complained about faulty goods or bad service (or have felt like complaining), and tell a partner.
As the first stage of preparing to write an essay, I give learners the essay title and pieces of scrap paper. They have 3 minutes to work alone, writing one idea on each piece of paper, before comparing in groups. Each group can then present their 3 best ideas to the class. It doesn't matter if the ideas aren't used in the final piece of writing; the important thing is to break through the barrier of ' I can't think of anything to write.'

Focusing ideas

This is another stage taken from a process approach, and it involves thinking about which of the many ideas generated are the most important or relevant, and perhaps taking a particular point of view.
As part of the essay-writing process, students in groups put the ideas generated in the previous stage onto a 'mind map'. The teacher then draws a mind-map on the board, using ideas from the different groups. At this stage he / she can also feed in some useful collocations - this gives the learners the tools to better express their own ideas.
I tell my students to write individually for about 10 minutes, without stopping and without worrying about grammar or punctuation. If they don't know a particular word, they write it in their L1. This often helps learners to further develop some of the ideas used during the 'Generating ideas' stage. Learners then compare together what they have written, and use a dictionary, the teacher or each other to find in English any words or phrases they wrote in their L1.

Focus on a model text

Once the students have generated their own ideas, and thought about which are the most important or relevant, I try to give them the tools to express those ideas in the most appropriate way. The examination of model texts is often prominent in product or genre approaches to writing, and will help raise learners' awareness of the conventions of typical texts of different genres in English.
I give learners in groups several examples of a genre, and they use a genre analysis form to identify the features and language they have in common. This raises their awareness of the features of the genre and gives them some language 'chunks' they can use in their own writing.
Learners identify the function of different paragraphs in a piece of writing. For example, in a job application letter, the functions of the paragraphs might be something like;
 reason for writing
 how I found out about the job
 relevant experience, skills and abilities
 closing paragraph asking for an interview
Learners are given an essay with the topic sentences taken out, and put them back in the right place. This raises their awareness of the organization of the essay and the importance of topic sentences.
Organizing ideas
Once learners have seen how the ideas are organized in typical examples of the genre, they can go about organizing their own ideas in a similar way.
Students in groups draft a plan of their work, including how many paragraphs and the main points of each paragraph. These can then be pinned up around the room for comment and comparison.
When preparing to write an essay, students group some of ideas produced earlier into main and supporting statements.
Writing
In a pure process approach, the writer goes through several drafts before producing a final version. In practical terms, and as part of a general English course, this is not always possible. Nevertheless, it may be helpful to let students know beforehand if you are going to ask them to write a second draft. Those with access to a word processor can then use it, to facilitate the redrafting process. The writing itself can be done alone, at home or in class, or collaboratively in pairs or groups.

Peer evaluation

Peer evaluation of writing helps learners to become aware of an audience other then the teacher. If students are to write a second draft, I ask other learners to comment on what they liked / didn't like about the piece of work, or what they found unclear, so that these comments can be incorporated into the second draft. The teacher can also respond at this stage by commenting on the content and the organization of ideas, without yet giving a grade or correcting details of grammar and spelling.

Re-viewing

When writing a final draft, students should be encouraged to check the details of grammar and spelling, which may have taken a back seat to ideas and organization in the previous stages. Instead of correcting writing myself, I use codes to help students correct their own writing and learn from their mistakes.

Conclusion

By going through some or all of these stages, learners use their own ideas to produce a piece of writing that uses the conventions of a genre appropriately and in so doing, they are asked to think about the audience's expectations of a piece of writing of a particular genre, and the impact of their writing on the reader.
If you have any ideas that you feel have successfully helped your students to develop their writing why not add then as a comment below and share them.

Motivating Pupils to Read

This article describes ways to maintain motivation; the first one shows how to generate this motivation.

Motivation

Motivation is one of the key factors that determine the rate and success of L2 attainment. It provides the main incentive to initiate learning a foreign language and later the determination to persevere and sustain the long and often difficult learning process. Without sufficient motivation, even individuals with the best of abilities cannot accomplish long-term goals. Teachers working in state schools are first and foremost supposed to teach the curriculum, but we cannot ignore the fact that this cannot happen without motivating our learners. In addition, adolescent learners come with their own emotional and psychological baggage and interests making the task of motivating them one of the greatest challenges for teachers. Using authentic literature to supplement core materials is one way of motivating adolescents yet the task of reading a short story or novel in a foreign language can be daunting for many pupils.

Maintaining and protecting motivation
Support the reading process.

Presenting while-reading tasks with explicit objectives in a motivating way, and diversifying these by incorporating different levels of support and allowing for different forms of response, can help overcome the problem of mixed level and interest classes, engage all pupils and thereby enhance their self-esteem and confidence. Many publishers provide downloadable task sheets to provide ideas or, if possible, work with colleagues to produce worksheets.

Monitor reading

In the first instance, this involves checking that a certain amount of reading has been done and what has been read has been understood, and building upon that comprehension to motivate further reading. Ideally, this should become interaction with texts read, their interpretation and discussion all of which need to be encouraged. Pupils have to be stimulated to recognize the value of bringing their own expectations and experiences to bear on what they read. Opinions and interpretations must vary, and their exchange and evaluation is a vital part of the interactive learning process, involving language development, cultural awareness and learner growth in overall education terms. Very often there is no one correct answer to a question. The more open that the text is to interpretation, the more rewarding it is likely to be for the pupil.

Have pupils keep a reading diary

Another form of monitoring which encourages pupil rather than teacher monitoring, is the keeping of a reading diary. This has the advantage of being an individual and personal record, while at the same time documenting and reflecting on work done in or out of class. It can be written in the pupils' own language as well as partly in English, but as pupils' language level improves, they should be encouraged to use more and more English in their reading diaries. Negotiate with pupils and set ground rules that cater for and include all levels. Reading diaries can be arranged under several headings such as
 Story: Pupils highlight key moments in the plot and compare expectations before reading with what actually happens. Summary skills will often be useful here.
 Vocabulary: Pupils keep notes of new, unusual, attractive, useful or specialized words.
 Characters: Pupils make brief notes on characters to establish their importance in the plot, how they develop, and what happens to them in the end. Pupils can also record their own feelings or opinions about the characters, their expectations and results.
 Setting: This can cover both time and place. Journeys and voyages can be traced; period details and descriptions jotted down and commented on.
 Narration: Pupils establish the narrative point of view.
 Genre: Pupils determine the genre.
 Illustrations: Starting with the cover, any visual materials in the book can be commented on and it contribution to the understanding of the work and enjoyment value considered.
 Style: This will cover features such as archaism, humor, colloquialism, dialect, specialized language used, register and chapter length.
 Evaluation: An evaluation stage after reading can also be included in the diary
Integrate multimedia
There is no doubt that multimedia adds a motivational dimension. There are many film tie-ins or audio recordings that can be used in combination with a story. In addition, the Internet can be used to research authors, settings and locations, historical details or topic-related information. Software with authoring programs such as Storyboard (a text reconstruction activity) can be used either by the teacher or groups of pupils on short, favorite passages or summaries, for example.
Rounding off the learning experiences
Display final outcomes. It can be very motivating for pupils to see their efforts displayed. Outcomes can be produced individually or by groups of pupils. If appropriate, involve parents.
Encourage positive self-evaluation. As mentioned above, a reading diary can include an evaluation stage to encourage pupils to reflect on some or all of the following:
 Was the book enjoyable for you? Why or why not?
 What was your favorite or least favorite moments?
 Who were your favorite or least favorite characters?
 Was the book easy for you to read? Why or why not?
 Would you recommend it to your friends? Why or why not?
 What did you learn from the book? For example, useful language, factual, cultural, historical, geographical information, etc.
 Would you like to read another story by the same author? Why or why not?


Give honest evaluation. Let pupils know why they did nor did not do well and what they can do to improve. We need to be aware of the dangers of an over-reliance on praise, and of the negative effects of punishments and reprimands.
To conclude, viewing motivation as a process and considering how each of the different stages interrelate, can help our pupils develop the habit of reading by becoming more self-aware, positive, competent and autonomous and, consequently, motivated to tackle the next authentic text. Happy reading!

Reading and Elementary Learners

One of the key issues I've noticed in getting my elementary learners to read is that of self-confidence. When confronted with a reading text, particularly one that's authentic, or semi-authentic, it's easy for them to think; 'I haven't got enough grammar or vocabulary' or 'I can't read English.' There's then a danger that I tune into their fears and give them material which is easy but boring.
If we address this central issue of confidence by using the classroom techniques discussed below, we can help our students to 'attack text' in a way which will help them to become better readers. This article, then, is not so much about what I give elementary learners to read, but how I ask them to do it and the principles underlying those ideas.

Encouraging learners to help each other to construct meaning

I want to look at each of these principles with a view to the pre-reading stage and the reading task (comprehension) stage.

Pre-reading

The key to really building learners' confidence in reading is to prepare them effectively to read. This means 'warming them up', engaging their interest in the subject of the reading text, but also pre-teaching the words they will need to really understand and enjoy the text. Her are some things I do with learners in groups or pairs before they read the text itself.
Does the text you have chosen have pictures? If so, you can photocopy them and distribute them into groups of learners. If not, perhaps you can draw something from the text on the board. Make sure that it will intrigue them. In either case, give them some focus questions. What is it about? How many people are in the story? Let the learners think, share and answer.
Write the headline or title on the board. Ask the learners to work in small groups and think of 5 words that may come up in the text. When they have done this, 'secretaries' can come to the board and write up all the words. Then the learners scan the text and see how many of the words are in the text. Which group got most words right?
Write the title on the board and ask the learners, in groups, to tell simple stories on the subject of the title. Again, they read the text and find out how it's the same and how it's different.

Reading tasks

Here are some ideas I use for motivating my students during the actual reading stage:
Select some simple sentences from different parts of the text and write them on the board. Learners put them in the correct order and predict the story in groups
(Variation on the idea above) If it's an action story, get learners to act out or mime the sentences in groups.
Give students the first and last sentences of the story. Groups come up with the story in the middle.

Post reading

Similarly, learners can work together once they have read the text. Task types which I use to get my students working in groups are:
Learners read and then act out the story.
Jigsaw reading.
Each group has different information from a different part of the text and they must tell other students about the part of the text they have read. This way the learners construct meaning from the text collectively.
Learners read and prepare some true/false questions for the other groups.

This latter activity not only empowers the learners, as they get to write their own questions, but it also helps you to see the areas where they may be having problems with meaning.


Leveling the task appropriately so that it's achievable

It is of course helpful to choose a text which is intrinsically interesting for my learners, because then they will be more motivated to read. Find out what your students like, and then look for suitable reading material. I often find my material on the Internet, or in pop magazines and newspapers.
Choosing really interesting material may mean that the text I'd like to use is slightly above the level of my learners. The key is to set a task which gives my learners a sense of accomplishment, and that doesn't necessarily mean understanding every single word.


Reading tasks

If you level the task appropriately, the learners' reading level will improve little by little, and they will start to understand more of these texts. Here are some low-level tasks which help my learners with their 'text attack skills.' They range from beginner level to upper elementary.
 Finding information about characters from the text and putting it next to
the name of the right character.
 Putting pictures depicting events from the text in the right order.
 Putting cut up paragraphs or segments of the text into the right order.
 Finding the mistakes or differences between a text and an illustration.

Teaching, not testing

This brings me to the principle that developing reading skills in my learners is not about testing them, but about helping them to become better readers.
It's clear that the group work outlined above relies on this principle. If I allow learners to help each other to construct meaning, then we are focusing on the development of skills rather than testing individual students' reading ability.
Another important point here is in setting the task in advance of reading, so that learners know exactly what they are going to do. The key teaching skill is focusing the learners on the task, rather than the text as a whole. One way I've found of doing this is really spending time on the task before reading, and then giving the learners a strict time limit when they read.
Here are some other things I do as a teacher to teach, not test:
Avoid asking 'how many did you get right?' to individual learners.
Avoid giving marks for reading tasks.
Give students ideas about how to read for gist, for example 'Now, read quickly and find the answer to the question on the board. You just have two minutes.'

Conclusion

In conclusion, if we encourage learners to help each other to construct meaning, level tasks appropriately so that they are achievable, and not use reading as a form of testing, the chances are that our learners' confidence will be enhanced and they will become better readers.
Sue Leather, Freelance trainer and writer

Theories of Reading

The first part of this section will look at some of the shifts and trends in theories relating to reading. The second part will examine tips and guidelines for implementing a theory of reading which will help to develop our learner's abilities.
Just like teaching methodology, reading theories have had their shifts and transitions. Starting from the traditional view which focused on the printed form of a text and moving to the cognitive view that enhanced the role of background knowledge in addition to what appeared on the printed page; they ultimately culminated in the metacognitive view which is now in vogue. It is based on the control and manipulation that a reader can have on the act of comprehending a text.


The traditional view

According to Dole et al. (1991), in the traditional view of reading, novice readers acquire a set of hierarchically ordered sub-skills that sequentially build toward comprehension ability. Having mastered these skills, readers are viewed as experts who comprehend what they read. Readers are passive recipients of information in the text. Meaning resides in the text and the reader has to reproduce meaning.
According to Nunan (1991), reading in this view is basically a matter of decoding a series of written symbols into their aural equivalents in the quest for making sense of the text. He referred to this process as the 'bottom-up' view of reading. McCarthy (1999) has called this view 'outside-in' processing; referring to the idea that meaning exists in the printed page and is interpreted by the reader then taken in.
This model of reading has almost always been under attack as being insufficient and defective for the main reason that it relies on the formal features of the language, mainly words and structure.
Although it is possible to accept this rejection for the fact that there is over-reliance on structure in this view, it must be confessed that knowledge of linguistic features is also necessary for comprehension to take place. To counteract over-reliance on form in the traditional view of reading, the cognitive view was introduced.

The cognitive view

The 'top-down' model is in direct opposition to the 'bottom-up' model. According to Nunan (1991) and Dubin and Bycina (1991), the psycholinguistic model of reading and the top-down model are in exact concordance.
Goodman (1967; cited in Paran, 1996) presented reading as a psycholinguistic guessing game, a process in which readers sample the text, make hypotheses, confirm or reject them, make new hypotheses, and so forth. Here, the reader rather than the text is at the heart of the reading process.
The schema theory of reading also fits within the cognitively based view of reading. Rumelhart (1977) has described schemata as "building blocks of cognition" which are used in the process of interpreting sensory data, in retrieving information from memory, in organizing goals and sub goals, in allocating resources, and in guiding the flow of the processing system.
Rumelhart (1977) has also stated that if our schemata are incomplete and do not provide an understanding of the incoming data from the text we will have problems processing and understanding the text.
Cognitively based views of reading comprehension emphasize the interactive nature of reading and the constructive nature of comprehension. Dole et al. (1991) have stated that, besides knowledge brought to bear on the reading process, a set of flexible, adaptable strategies are used to make sense of a text and to monitor ongoing understanding.

The metacognitive view

According to Block (1992), there is now no more debate on "whether reading is a bottom-up, language-based process or a top-down, knowledge-based process." It is also no more problematic to accept the influence of background knowledge on both L1 and L2 readers. Research has gone even further to define the control readers execute on their ability to understand a text. This control, Block (1992) has referred to as metacognition.
Metacognition involves thinking about what one is doing while reading. Klein et al. (1991) stated that strategic readers attempt the following while reading:
 Identifying the purpose of the reading before reading
 Identifying the form or type of the text before reading
 Thinking about the general character and features of the form or type of the text. For instance, they try to locate a topic sentence and follow supporting details toward a conclusion
 Projecting the author's purpose for writing the text (while reading it),
 Choosing, scanning, or reading in detail
 Making continuous predictions about what will occur next, based on information obtained earlier, prior knowledge, and conclusions obtained within the previous stages.
Moreover, they attempt to form a summary of what was read. Carrying out the previous steps requires the reader to be able to classify sequence, establish whole-part relationships, compare and contrast, determine cause-effect, summarize, hypothesize and predict, infer, and conclude.

Conclusion

In the second part of this article I will look at the guidelines which can also be used as general ideas to aid students in reading and comprehending materials. These tips can be viewed in three consecutive stages: before reading, during reading, and after reading. For instance, before starting to read a text it is natural to think of the purpose of reading the text. As an example of the during-reading techniques, re-reading for better comprehension can be mentioned. And filling out forms and charts can be referred to as an after-reading activity. These tasks and ideas can be used to enhance reading comprehension.

Teaching Speaking Skills: Overcoming Classroom Problems

Why should we teach speaking skills in the classroom?

Motivation

Many students equate being able to speak a language as knowing the language and therefore view learning the language as learning how to speak the language, or as Nunan (1991) wrote, "success is measured in terms of the ability to carry out a conversation in the (target) language." Therefore, if students do not learn how to speak or do not get any opportunity to speak in the language classroom they may soon get de-motivated and lose interest in learning. On the other hand, if the right activities are taught in the right way, speaking in class can be a lot of fun, raising general learner motivation and making the English language classroom a fun and dynamic place to be.

Speaking is fundamental to human communication

Just think of all the different conversations you have in one day and compare that with how much written communication you do in one day. Which do you do more of? In our daily lives most of us speak more than we write, yet many English teachers still spend the majority of class time on reading and writing practice almost ignoring speaking and listening skills. Do you think this is a good balance? If the goal of your language course is truly to enable your students to communicate in English, then speaking skills should be taught and practiced in the language classroom.
Dealing with common arguments against teaching speaking skills in the classroom

Students won't talk or say anything

One way to tackle this problem is to find the root of the problem and start from there. If the problem is cultural, that is in your culture it is unusual for students to talk out loud in class, or if students feel really shy about talking in front of other students then one way to go about breaking this cultural barrier is to create and establish your own classroom culture where speaking out loud in English is the norm. One way to do this is to distinguish your classroom from other classrooms in your school by arranging the classroom desks differently, in groups instead of lines etc. or by decorating the walls in English language and culture posters. From day one teach your students classroom language and keep on teaching it and encourage your students to ask for things and to ask questions in English. Giving positive feedback also helps to encourage and relax shy students to speak more.

Another way to get students motivated to speak more is to allocate a percentage of their final grade to speaking skills and let the students know they are being assessed continually on their speaking practice in class throughout the term. A completely different reason for student silence may simply be that the class activities are boring or are pitched at the wrong level. Very often our interesting communicative speaking activities are not quite as interesting or as communicative as we think they are and all the students are really required to do is answer 'yes' or 'no' which they do quickly and then just sit in silence or worse talking noisily in their L1. So maybe you need to take a closer look at the type of speaking activities you are using and see if they really capture student interest and create a real need for communication.

Another way to encourage your students to speak in English is simply to speak in English yourself as much as possible in class. If you are shy about speaking in English, how can you expect your students to overcome their fears about speaking English? Don't worry if you are not completely fluent or don't have that elusive perfect native accent, as Swain (1985) wrote "We learn to speak by speaking" and that goes for teachers as well as students. The more you practice the more you will improve your own oral skills as well as help your students improve theirs.
When students work in pairs or groups they just end up chatting in their own language.

Is the activity or task pitched at the right level for the students?

Make sure you give the students all the tools and language they need to be able to complete the task. If the language is pitched too high they may revert to their L1, likewise if the task is too easy they may get bored and revert to their L1. Also, be aware of the fact that some students especially beginners, will often use their L1 as an emotional support at first, translating everything word for word to check they have understood the task before attempting to speak. In the case of these students simply be patient as most likely once their confidence grows in using English their dependence on using their L1 will begin to disappear.

Are all the students actively involved and is the activity interesting? If students do not have something to say or do, or don't feel the need to speak, you can be sure it won't be long before they are chatting away in their L1.
Was the timing of the activity good? The timing of a speaking activity in a class can be crucial sometimes. How many teachers have discovered that their speaking activity ended up as a continuation of the students break-time gossip conducted in the L1? After break-time, why not try giving students an activity to calm them down and make them focus before attempting speaking activities that involve groups of pair work.

Another way to discourage students speaking in their L1 is to walk around the classroom monitoring their participation and giving support and help to students as they need it. If certain students persist in speaking in the L1 then perhaps you should ask them to stay behind after class and speak to them individually and explain to them the importance of speaking English and ask them why they don't feel comfortable speaking in English in the class. Maybe they just need some extra reassurance or they don't like working with certain students or there is some other problem that you can help them to resolve.
When all the students speak together it gets too noisy and out of hand and I lose control of the classroom

First of all separate the two points a noisy classroom and an out of control classroom. A classroom full of students talking and interacting in English, even if it is noisy is exactly what you want, maybe you just feel like you are losing control because the class is suddenly student centered and not teacher centered. This is an important issue to consider. Learner centered classrooms where learners do the talking in groups and learners have to take responsibility for using communicative resources to complete a task are shown to be more conducive to language learning than teacher centered classes (Long & Richards 1987). Nevertheless, many classrooms all over the world continue to be teacher centered, so the question you have to ask yourself is, how learner centered is my classroom?
Losing control of the classroom, on the other hand, is a different issue. Once again walking around and monitoring the students as they are working in groups can help, as you can naturally move over to the part of the classroom where the noise is coming from and calm the rogue students down and focus them back on the task without disrupting the rest of the students who are working well in their groups. If students really get too rowdy then simply change the pace of the class and type of activity to a more controlled task, for example a focus on form or writing task where students have to work in silence individually. Once the students have calmed down you can return to the original or another interactive group activity.

Conclusion

These are just some of the problems that teachers with large classes face when teaching speaking activities in the classroom. These problems are not new nor are the solutions offered above. Teachers all over the world continue to face the same hurdles, but any teacher who has overcome these difficulties and now has a large class of energetic students talking and working in English in groups together will tell you it is worth all the trial and error and effort at the outset. If you believe in the importance of teaching speaking skills in the classroom but are having difficulties making speaking activities work in your classroom why not contact your local teaching associations or branch of TESOL. Maybe they run workshops for teaching speaking skills, or maybe they can put you in contact with other teachers in similar situations but with more experience teaching speaking skills who will be willing to share their experiences with you.