A Discourse Approach in Reading week1

5 January 2016

 Introduction 

The first day of studying in this course [ A Discourse Approach in Reading ]

I go to the university at 8.00 a.m. and arrive to my classroom at 8.25 a.m. So, the class starts at 8.35 a.m. it's late a little bit.

Firstly, Asst.Prof.Dr. Usa Noytim who is the instructor of this course explained the course syllabus to all of students. Then, she told us about the rules of this course which are as follow. 

 Be punctual 

 Pay attention to the lesson 

 Don't use the mobile phone in the classroom 

 Don't cheat 

 Follow dress code policy 

 Listen while the others are speaking or sharing 

Next, she taught us about "RECOUNT" do you know exactly? what does it mean

Actually, Recount is a text which retells events or experiences in the past. Its purpose is either to inform or to entertain the audience. There is no complication among the participants and that differentiates from narrative.

 Genetic Structure of Recount 

1. Orientation : Introducing the participants, place and time

2. Events : Describing series of events that happened in the past

3. Reorientation : It's optional. Starting personal comment of the writer to the story

 Language Feature of Recount 

1. Specific participants (I, my group, our dog)

2. Use of simple past tense (he laughed, I went)

3. Use of action verb (went, climb)

4. Use of linking items to do with time (on Monday, next, later, before)

At my point of view, I think this matter is important for me because it makes me understand the text easily. The important point is focused on a sequence of events all of which relate to a particular occasion including Orientation, Events and Reorientation. The language feature is the significant keyword to understand such as what, when, where, why etc.

After that, she gave us to do the exercise in order to understand about recount by completing the text and finding the language features of this text.

Then, we studied "My Grandpa's Funeral in Toraja" it is about the funeral in Toraja, Indonesia. I also knew that the funeral is performed in two phases. First, they slaughter the pigs and buffaloes, and then move the corpse to face north. After that, the corpse is placed in a sandal wood coffin. Then, it is brought out of the house and placed on an open platform beneath the granary. The next phase of the ceremony is held in this place. The coffin is borne from the house and placed in the lakian. During the day, there are also buffaloes matches. In the night, we are feasting, chanting, and dancing.

The teacher assigned us to find the information about the funeral in Thailand in order to compare with Indonesia.

The funeral in Thailand

When somebody dies, the corpse is kept 7 days in the house before the cremation. During six evenings, monks come and pray. On the coffin, light garlands and a picture of the deceased person can be found.

Guests come, often dressed with dark clothes and sometimes a white shirt. Everybody greet each other. Waiters offer water or coke. From the first to the sixth day, monks come every evening around 7 p.m. On the seventh day cremation happens during the afternoon. Usually 4 monks are coming during the evening prayers. But number can vary depending on the status and rank of the deceased person. Then they summon incantations in Pali language during 30 minutes. When prayers are over, a car brings the monks back to their temple.

Food is offered to every guests. Everybody is chatting. Even during the monks prayers, some people are still chatting. Atmosphere is not so sad, there are no loud tears. Family, relations, neighbors and even unknown people to the family can assist to those prayers. Sometimes an old and famous monk is present but doesn't take part in the ceremony. His presence indicates that the deceased person had a high rank.

On the seventh day, in traditional ceremonies, a funeral procession is organized. First monks go ahead, then the men and the women. The men carry the coffin. Nowadays the coffin is often directly transported by car to the temple.

Then, guests are arriving to the temple. Everybody is giving money, gifts for the family of the deceased person. Next, the corpse is burnt inside the temple.

Finally, she assigned us to do all of exercises in this handout. She will answer the question on next Tuesday.

 It's time to ask question 




 What did you learn today?


The teacher told us about course syllabus and the rules of this class. Then, she explained the RECOUNT to all of students

 Definition of Recount

Recount is a text which retells events or experiences in the past. Its purpose is either to inform or to entertain the audience. There is no complication among the participants and that differentiates from narrative

 Generic Structure of Recount

1. Orientation: Introducing the participants, place and time

2. Events: Describing series of event that happened in the past

3. Reorientation: It is optional. Stating personal comment of the writer to the story

 Language Feature of Recount

• Introducing personal participant; I, my group, etc

• Using chronological connection; then, first, etc

• Using linking verb; was, were, saw, heard, etc

• Using action verb; look, go, change, etc

• Using simple past tense

 What did you find easy?


As far as I see, the purpose of recount is easy for me because its purpose is to tell what happened





 What did you find difficult?


In my opinion, I think that recount is difficult a little bit because I feel confused about Language Feature and Text Organization 






 What did you solve the problem?


I tried to pay attention in the classroom and wrote down the things that I got from the classroom on my notebook and shared on my weblog in order to review and understand as well.






 What are your attitudes towards the lesson?

I think that this course is harder than last course. Thereby, I need to pay attention and read more in order to understand whole of this course.