Bekasi, October 2023, Friends, have you ever created your own piece of writing? Do you enjoy writing short stories, making illustrations, or even drawing your own comics? For those who love writing or drawing, this is certainly nothing new. But for those who are not used to doing such things, it may not be that easy, right?
Do you know why it is so important for us to write, even though it may be difficult? Because by writing, we are recording a piece of history—whether it is something we ourselves have experienced or something that has happened to others. Such writing may prove valuable one day if someone needs information about that event.
That is why, let’s start creating our own “historical record”, this time in the form of an English dictionary! You may wonder: isn’t a dictionary different from a piece of writing? True, it is not exactly the same. However, in a dictionary you can still express yourself through writing—explaining the meaning of a word. The benefit is not only for yourself but also for others who may find it useful.
This is exactly what Year 3 and Year 4 pupils of Al Siddiq International Primary School have done. Their Project Based Learning (PBL) task this time was to create their very own student-version English dictionary. They were free to add pictures, colours, notes, and decorations to make their dictionaries more attractive.
The vocabulary chosen for the dictionaries was simple and easy to understand, with words that are often used in beginner English conversations. Designed in the form of a small notebook, the dictionary is easy to carry around. The final products were then presented in front of their teachers for assessment.
Through this project, pupils not only learned new English vocabulary and created a product of their own, but also gained confidence by explaining the process and contents of their work. Congratulations to our Year 3 and Year 4 pupils—may your collection of creative works continue to grow.
Your own dictionary is your own history!
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By Esty Indraswariani, S.Sos