Congratulations you are already in the Week 2 of EP journey!

Please write, upload pictures/videos (lots of them please!), and share your journey with your friends. Like & comment on others sharing too!

1. Your name, matric number, date

2. How is your progress?

3. Points to remember from week 2!

4. Your feelings & thoughts

5. ONE good thing from what you did that you can practice now!

6. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

7. Your plan for next week (Week 3)

Name: Faris Hamizan

Matric no.: A183584

Date: 04/08/2024

2.     How is your progress?

On the 9^th of August 2024, I had my first class for the BIM course! It was very exciting and a fruitful session. There were a total of 6 students coming from different occupations such as an architect, a banker and counselling student. The class started with a brief history of BIM which explained how this form of sign language first came to be, its development through the years and the current state of BIM today. It was enlightening for me as I honestly did not know anything BIM’s history and it being a distinct form of sign language.

Next, the class proceeded with the theory of verbal gesture communication (VGC) where we learnt how to use gestures as a mode of communication to describe things. For example, we were taught how to describe components of hairstyles using VGC as well as different types of clothing. Then, each of us were given a task to sign specific forms of clothing and hairstyles to the class so they could guess what it was.

Overall, it was a very fun, insightful and interactive session. I’m looking forward to the next class next week!

3.     Points to remember from week 2!

• BIM is a distinct form of sign language used in Malaysia and different from American Sign Language (AIS) or British Sign Language (BIL)

• The movement of our hands and fingers and their positioning is important to be correct when communicating in sign language as it would bring different meaning if wrongly done

• Facial expressions are also a key component when communicating in sign language

• VGCs must always be practiced in order to use it correctly

4.     Your feelings & thoughts

Currently I’m feeling happy that I chose this course as it is very interesting and new to me. Furthermore, our instructor is nice and supportive to all of us and encourages us to keep trying despite being wrong in performing verbal gestures. Hence, this stops us from feeling doubtful or down.

In addition, I feel motivated and optimistic with this course as it is more engaging than I initially thought it would be.

5.     ONE good thing from what you did that you can practice now!

I can use verbal gestures to describe animals, shapes, and hairstyles along with clothing

6.     Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

One concern/difficulty I had was that I was quite slow to learn the verbal gestures and do them correctly. So there was some bit of fear that I might struggle more in further sessions. Hence, it was important to tell myself this is just the beginning and not everyone can pick up a new language quickly. Moreover, other classmates of mine also made mistakes so it is not just me making mistakes. I also have to take it day by day so not to feel overwhelmed with concerns and fears.  

7.      Your plan for next week (Week 3)

• Practice more verbal gestures in front of the mirror

• Finish given task to record myself to sign specific animals for next class

Name: Norjannah Binti Halias

Matric number: A187947

Date: 05/08/2024

2. How is your progress?

Up until the end of the second week of my elective posting, I've covered 6 out of 9 topics, including those from the first week. I started my second class with 3 new topics. The lesson began with greetings, where I picked up new vocabulary such as "faham," "soalan," and "jawab" from the video. Afterwards, I learned how to initiate interactions using signs for "Assalamualaikum," "Waalaikumusalam," , “Selamat pagi”, “Hello”, “Apa khabar” and “Khabar baik”. I was required to participate in the assigned tasks, which involved watching the video of teacher interactions and responding to questions in the designated area. Upon finishing the topic, I had to take a quiz containing 6 multiple-choice questions.

The second topic is about colors. In the video, my teacher taught me how to do the sign colors such as “biru”,”merah”,”kuning”, “kelabu” and “ungu” and  at the same time, I also  learnt another few vocabulary with correct facial expression such as “suka”, “tak suka”, “aman” and “takut”. For the signs of colours, I got a little bit confused at first but after a few times repeating and practice, I managed to remember all of the signs. After watching all the video, I had to answer the quiz and upload two videos of myself telling about my favourite colour and also do sign for describe the colour of four types of object such as “ kereta merah”,”baju hitam”, “tuala jingga” and “kasut putih”  which then will be assessed by my supervisor.

I started off the last topic of the week, focusing on family, by learning some new vocabulary words such as the signs for "belum," "sudah," "cuti," and "sekolah." After that, I watched instructional videos from my teacher on the main topic, which was about family, and covered how to introduce the family tree and its members. To wrap up the third topic, I had to complete a quiz about a conversation between two individuals discussing their families at the end, and then I had to finish by uploading a video of myself telling a story about my family tree.

3. Points to remember from week 2!

• Learning how to sign greetings, colors, and family members is essential in sign language.

• It's important to be patient and persistent when learning sign language as it takes time and regular practice to become fluent.

• Facial expressions are crucial in sign language to ensure clear communication without conveying the wrong information.

• Despite the large number of signs to remember, it's important to enjoy the learning process and have fun while mastering sign language.

4. Your feelings & thoughts

 I previously believed that learning sign language would be straightforward, just involving some signs or "fingerspelling" to initiate communication. However, I've discovered that it's quite complex, as many signs closely resemble each other. Even though it's only been 2 weeks, it feels like I've been learning for a much longer time. I find it challenging to memorize all the signs, especially with my short-term memory. When I move on to the next topic, I tend to forget and mix up the signs I learned from the previous topic. Consequently, it takes me a while to catch up and recall all the signs fluently. Nevertheless, I am confident in my ability to persist in learning sign language, as it presents a valuable opportunity for me to improve my communication, particularly with individuals who are mute or deaf. Although I encountered challenges while learning sign language, I was pleasantly surprised to find that by the end of the class, I still felt a sense of pride and satisfaction in my determination to keep learning.

5. ONE good thing from what you did that you can practice now!

• Greeting others by using Malaysian sign language

6. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

 When it comes to colors, I initially found it difficult to remember the signs for all the colors because the sign for color and numbers from the previous week's topic are a bit  similar. This made it challenging for me to practice multiple times, and I found myself getting more confused as time went on. I'll need to revisit the videos from the previous topic and compare the sign videos for numbers and colors to ensure that I'm practicing the correct signs for the colors. Sometimes It makes me feel frustrated and annoyed. However, it got better over time as I relaxed and kept reminding me that it’s okay to make mistakes and learn it slowly as surely, I can get to master it!

7. Your plan for next week (Week 3)

My plan is to complete another three topic which are about place (topic 7), occupation (topic 8) and weather, schedule and celebration (topic 9). I am looking forward to learning more as the topics on sign language become more exciting. Hopefully in the next class I will focus more and learnt to be patience throughout the learning process.

Name: Alya Izzati Binti Mohd Noor Afanday

Matric number: A187937

Date: 11/08/2024

2. How is your progress?

So far, I have studied three more topics, which are topics 4, 5, and 6. Topic 4 focuses on greetings. In this topic, there are several videos that teach signs such as "assalamualaikum," "waalaikumusalam," "hello," "selamat pagi," "apa khabar," and "khabar baik." Additionally, there are activities that I need to complete where I have to watch a video showing two people interacting using sign language and then answer the questions provided. Through these interactive exercises, I practice my comprehension and expression of sign language, enhancing my skills in non-verbal communication.

In topic 5, on the other hand, I learned about colors. I studied signs for colors such as red, white, blue, yellow, black, and purple. By learning color signs, I can talk about my favorite colors and describe the colors of objects using sign language. I am also required to upload a video where I have to tell my favorite color using the signs that I have learned. This practice helps me reinforce my understanding of color signs and improve my ability to communicate about colors in sign language.

Topic 6, which is the last topic I learned this week, is about family. In this topic, I learned signs related to family such as mother, father, younger sibling, older sister, and older brother. These signs can be used when introducing myself and talking about my family. To complete this topic, I am required to upload a video where I talk about my family using the signs I learned in this topic. At the end of the topic, I watch a video and answer the questions provided. This topic helps me expand my vocabulary in sign language and improve my ability to discuss family-related topics using sign language.

3. Points to remember from week 2

Greetings (Topic 4):

• Key greetings learned: "assalamualaikum," "waalaikumusalam," "hello," "selamat pagi," "apa khabar," "khabar baik"

• Activities involved watching videos of sign language interactions and answering questions.

Colors (Topic 5):

• Important colors learned: red, white, blue, yellow, black, purple.

• Ability to describe favorite colors and objects using sign language.

Family (Topic 6):

• Family member signs learned: mother, father, younger sibling, older sister, older brother.

• Additional signs studied: man, woman, single, married, siblings.

• Practice in storytelling about my family using the signs learned in a video upload task.

  
  

4. Your feelings & thoughts

Throughout my sign language classes, my emotions have been a rollercoaster of nervousness, excitement, fun, and moments of stress. At the beginning, I felt nervous about learning a new language and communicating in a different way. However, as I delved into the topics and started learning new signs, the excitement of being able to express myself in a unique way took over. However, there were also moments of stress, especially when I entered topic 6 - family. I had to do challenging signs that required extra practice for me to remember especially because the signs in this topic was a lot more than previous topics. Despite the ups and downs, the journey of learning sign language has been rewarding, and I feel motivated to continue improving my skills and expanding my knowledge in this beautiful form of communication.

5. ONE good thing from what you did that you can practice now

One good thing from my sign language learning journey that I can now practice is the ability to communicate basic greetings, colors, and family relationships using sign language. This newfound skill allows me to engage in simple conversations and interactions with individuals who are deaf, fostering understanding in the communication. By practicing these signs regularly, I can enhance my proficiency in sign language and become more confident in expressing myself non-verbally.

6. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

Throughout my sign language classes, I encountered a mix of difficulties and challenges that tested my perseverance and determination. Topics 4 and 5 were quite easy to me, as I quickly grasped the greetings and colors taught in these sections. However, as I went into topic 6, focusing on family-related signs, I found myself facing a tougher road ahead. The abundance of new signs to learn and remember in Topic 6 was a challenge for me. The complexity of the signs for family members, relationships, and related vocabulary required extra effort on my part. To cope with these difficulties, I adopted various strategies such as practicing consistently, seeking help from my instructor and classmates, and dedicating extra time to review and reinforce my understanding of the signs. Despite the initial hurdles, I remained resilient and committed to overcoming the challenges in topic 6. Through patience, persistence, and a positive mindset, I navigated through the difficulties and eventually made significant progress in expanding my sign language skills.

7. Your plan for next week (Week 3)

My plan for next week is to finish the last three topics in this course which are topic 7, 8 and 9. I also planned to practice and revise all the topics that I have learnt so far, from topic 1 until topic 6 to enhance my skills and memory.

Name : Nur Izzatun Najwa Binti Mokhtar

Matric Number : A188550

Date : 8th August 2024

2. What have you done?

After a few of practice sessions on pilates, I began to feel more comfortable with the exercises and noticed some improvements in my strength and flexibility. The initial soreness from the previous week had started to fade (still there), allowing me to focus more on my form and breathing. I noticed that my core was beginning to engage more naturally during each movement, making the exercise more effective. The sequences that once felt challenging were becoming more manageable, and I was able to hold positions longer and with greater control.

3. Points to remember from week 1!

Here are some points to remember from previous week :

▶️Proper posture and alignment are crucial in pilates. Always pay attention to instructor’s cues to ensure I  perform each exercise correctly.

▶️ Breathing correctly and coordinate my breath with movements.

▶️ Start slow and don’t rush through exercises to maximize the effectiveness of each exercise.

▶️ Listen to my body and don’t push myself too hard and do take breaks if I feel fatigue.

▶️ Expect soreness as the body adjusts to the new movements. It is a good sign that my muscles are being activated and strengthened.

4. Your feelings & thoughts

Overall, it is still challenging for me to adjust to the new movements, but I get used and started to feel more familiar. ON second week Pilates was a period of growth and adjustment. I could see the beginnings of positive changes in my body and mind. I am really excited to looking forward to next week and see how much more I can achieve in the upcoming weeks.

5. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

▶️ While the initial soreness from the previous week may have diminished, but I do still experience some muscle discomfort. I hope this is normal and will gradually decrease as my body adapts. Hence, before and after I did pilates, I include some simple stretching snd foam rolling exercises into my routine.

▶️ Increased intensity of exercises. My instructor has introduced me to more complex movements and ask to hold positions for longer period. This is really challenging and I feel overwhelmed at times. As usual, my legs tremble like crazy. So what I did was focusing on one exercise at a time and break down the movements mentally, and it’s okay to take a brief rest if needed. Don’t push myself too hard.

▶️ Comparing progress with others in the class, which can lead to feeling of inadequacy as I am not advancing as quickly. It is always important to set in mind that everyone progresses is at their own pace. celebrate my own milestones and resist the urge to compare myself with others in the class.

6. 2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

Consistency

Contentment

7. Your plan for next week (Week 3)

Increased confidence in advanced movements and hopefully I can combine core, flexibility and strength exercises in a balanced workout.

Name: Erin Erisha Binti Rudzuan

Matric number: A188549

Date: 6/8/2024

2. How is your progress?

After taking my second Pilates class, I can definitely feel some progress. The exercises are becoming more familiar, and I'm starting to engage my core more effectively. The exercises are becoming more familiar, thanks to the extra time I've spent at home practicing mat Pilates through YouTube videos. This added practice has made the movements feel more natural, and I'm gaining confidence in my form and technique.

Ms. Nik introduced new routines this week aimed at improving our balance by targeting stabilising muscles, such as the core, glutes, and lower back. To be honest, I’m still struggling to maintain my balance during these new routines, especially when standing on one leg or holding certain poses. I wobbled and had to reset several times. However, the initial soreness has subsided, making each session more enjoyable. I'm also becoming more aware of my posture throughout the day, a result to how these classes and extra practice are positively influencing my daily routine.

3. Points to remember from week 2

   a. Controlled Breathing: Coordinate my breath with movements. Inhale deeply to prepare and exhale as i perform the exercise, which helps in maintaining focus and control.

   b. Find a Focal Point: When balancing, Ms Nik advise us to pick a stationary point in front of us to focus on. This helps stabilize our body and reduce wobbling.

   c. Re-center if Needed: If i ever feel myself losing balance, Ms Nik advised us to not hesitate to reset our position and try again. It’s better to pause and regain stability than to push through and lose form.
   

4. Your feelings & thoughts

At first, I was nervous about doing the balance exercises in class because I tend to lose my balance easily, especially being tall. The thought of trying to stabilize myself on the footbar felt daunting, as my height sometimes makes it harder to control wobbles. So, I opted for the easier variation, using the platform instead of the footbar. It felt safer and more manageable, allowing me to focus on maintaining stability without the fear of toppling over. Ms. Nik assured me to stick with what was comfortable rather than risk injury, so I haven’t tried the more challenging option yet. I’m hoping to work my way up to that in the coming weeks as I build more confidence and strength.

5. ONE good thing from what you did that you can practice now!

One positive outcome from my Pilates classes that I can now incorporate into daily life is improved posture. The core strengthening and alignment techniques learned in class help me maintain a more upright and balanced posture throughout the day. This awareness can reduce back and neck strain, enhance overall comfort, and improve my presence whether I’m sitting at a desk or standing.

6. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

Given my initial nerves about the balance routines in Pilates (thanks to my height and tendency to wobble) I decided to tackle the challenge in a more relaxed way by practicing at home. The footbar looked intimidating, and I wasn’t quite ready to dive into it in class. So, I figured a bit of home practice might help ease my fears.

I started with simple balance exercises using a sturdy chair for support. This way, I could practice without worrying too much about falling over. Gradually, I worked on single-leg stands and other balance drills, making small adjustments as I went along. It was a low-pressure way to get used to the movements and build up my confidence.

7. Your plan for next week (Week 3)

For the next class, my plan is to continue working on my balance and gradually incorporate more challenging elements into my routine. I aim to start with the exercises that I’ve practiced at home to build up my confidence. I’ll focus on maintaining good form and stability, and if I feel comfortable, I might attempt the footbar exercises under Ms. Nik’s guidance. I'll also pay attention to any feedback from Ms. Nik to ensure I'm progressing safely and effectively. Overall, I want to make the most of each session by building on what I’ve learned and pushing my limits just enough to continue improving.

3. My key points to remember are to concentrate on the bhols and rhythm. These elements are essential as they form the foundation for my future progress in the dance. By honing my understanding and execution of bhols, and maintaining a consistent rhythm, I am setting the stage for more advanced techniques in the coming weeks.

   
   

4. In week 2, I have a mix of excitement and challenge. I really enjoy it when it's not just basic footwork and when I incorporate the hand gestures. It feels like I know something now compared to week 1, where I felt more like a beginner.

   
   

5. One good thing I did that I can practice now is paying a lot of attention to details. I record my classes and watch my teacher's dance to see how I can make slight improvements, so I don’t look too awkward while performing the steps.

   
   

6. One difficulty I face is that it can be very tiring to repeat the steps multiple times, and sometimes it feels a bit frustrating. Thankfully, my teacher helps by breaking the steps into smaller sections, which makes it easier for me to master them.

   
   

7. In week 3, I'll be learning items, which are short songs, and I'm really looking forward to it. We’ll be working on two songs, which should be exciting!

   
   

Matrics num : A181350

Date : 6/8/2024

2. How is your progress ?

   Entering my week 2, i felt my progress was better compared to last week. I started to master the basic posture and allignment , maintaining correct posture and acheiving balance. Continuous practice and repetition of fundamental movements and exercises that build coordination between the hands , feet and eyes. This week was crucial for me to establish rhythm , muscle memory and build my stamina. My master also focused on choreographing a new song. So we managed to learn new steps and tried to sync with the music at the same time build our stamina.

   Besides the dance class i also practiced with my friend outside my dance class period. We trained our basic steps and corrected our posture plus choreographing new short songs . That too helped boosting my creativity and build my stamina.

3. Points to remember from week

   • Continous training and belief in yourself helps to build a strong foundation .

   • Extra effort out from my dance class is really important in order to create a proactive learning session and nourish my creativity in class.

   • Training to move in with the music , learning to keep time with beats and tempos.

4. Your feelings & thoughts

   I felt really satisfied this week as last week i was very down because i could not catch up with the other dancers. But this week i relly can see my improvements and my master was satisfied with my progress. When you start to belief in yourself , you will actually glow and ace in whatever you do.

5. ONE good thing from what you did that you can practice now!

   Proactive learning in clinical years will really help me to ace in my osce . Do not depend on your lecturer to learn but also put extra efforts to clerk the patient and practice physical examination.

6. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

I would still consider my stamina as my main concern because no matter how graceful someone can dance but stamina is the basic thing to make sure i acheive the perfect posture and complete my full song during a performance. I managed it by practicing extra time with my friend to slowly build my stamina.

7. Your plan for next week (Week 3)

   • Should not miss my dance class no matter what because i would miss the new lessons and steps.

   • Join extra night class as we will be performing a promotional video for Jabatan Kesenian dan Kebudayaan Negari Kedah.

   • Continue practising with my friend to maintain my stamina.

   
   

📌A181295

📌11/8/2024

My progress ✅

Same goes to week 2, we are required to complete another 3 topics. This time the topic was involving greetings, colours and family. Just like ourselves, deaf community has their own unique ways of greeting peoples such as Assalammualaikum (for muslims), hello, good morning, how are you and thank you. Their sign language was not only express through body movement as facial expression also plays an important role. For example if you say hello with sad face, of course your colleagues will be worried and awkward, so technically both must align with one another. Honestly, I do feel a bit hard to catch up at first but after a few revision and replay, I finally got it. Next thing that we learn are COLOURS! Firstly, I never thought that we will learn about colours. I can still remember my smile when I learn my favourite colours (purple) in sign language, quite weird smiling on your own but its like bring back your kindergarten memories where you learn all the colours for the first time. This topic for me no problem at all! Lastly, we learn about family. Overall this topic is interesting as the way our sign language teachers teach us through video can easily be understood even though it is complicated. I end my sign language learning this week by recapping topic 1 until 6. Surprisingly, I passed the quizzes with flying colour (no incorrect answer at ALL!).

Points to remember from this week ✅

👉🏻 Sign Language is FUN!

👉🏻 Hand or body gesture + facial expressions = Excellent sign language

👉🏻 Replay video 5 times a day can help strengthen my sign language and understand more.

👉🏻 Recap from first topic before answer the quizzes.

Feelings & thoughts ✅

Sign language not only trigger my decision making but also my memories. Their topics keeps on surprising me which allow me to have a lot of fun while learning new sign. So far I don't feel any burden at all even though I gain a lot of new sign. I hope my learning will be going smoothly as it was for next week even though I expect it to be a lot more harder and trickier.

1 good thing that I did & I can practice now ✅

Say thank you in sign language (quite similar to giving blow kiss). Thank you is the first sign language that stuck in my head and I able to practices in real life Last time, I accidentally met a deaf old lady in supermarket. She help me with my groceries, I knew she was deaf because she try to communicate with me through notes in her phone. She quickly walk away after helping me, fortunately I able to give her smile and said thank you in sign language. She was shock and look so happy. I felt very proud of myself too.

Difficulties/concern and how do I cope ✅

The only concern that I have is to memorise the new sign language without forgetting the old one. Fortunately, I able to overcome it by practice them more frequently. Therefore it becomes a muscle memory like my ABC skills.

Plan for next week ✅

Recap topic 1 until 9 before answer quizzes.

🔎 https://youtu.be/8bpbu5fLUXw?si=7XwhDz7jKtjoAsKT

Cuba teka (part 3)

🔎 https://youtu.be/5MNKFFTXoBg?si=5omvz356GshrIzZf

Cuba teka (part 4)

🔎 https://youtu.be/hN95b2EEaiI?si=SS1O1aZkPie7skXE