by Peter Legrove
Teaching reading is not easy and it takes time and commitment so having some fun with phonics will help. There are many ways to have fun with phonics. Ranging from games on the computer to board games and worksheets. My favorite is playing around with Montessori sandpaper letters as kids seem to love the feel of the sandpaper as they trace the words.
For free online games I go to starfall.com as they have a very good selection but you have to play around on the site to find the games your child will like. Another site that has a lot of free stuff is Genkienglish. This site is from a school in Japan and it's in English. Some of the phonics games and songs are very simple but I think they are very effective.
Teaching your child to read with phonics will take time so the more fun you can have with your child will make it easier. With modern technology you can buy a phonics program and after you have shown your child how to use the program, you can let your child go it alone. For busy working parents this situation is ideal but if you are homeschooling and want to spend time with your children you could try out the sandpaper letters.
The Montessori method has been teaching kids for a hundred years, it might be old fashioned but it's effective. And you, the parent, have to get involved with teaching reading as you have to make up the words and phonic sounds with the sandpaper letters. Also when your children trace the letters you have to show them the correct way to write the letters.
Giving your child a head start with reading at school is possible one of the best things you can do for your child and first grade phonics is a good place to start. If your child is good at reading then school life is easier. But what first grade phonics do you teach your child when it comes to reading. I like to teach them what they are already learning at school.
I use the same book they are using in the classroom but I add Montessori sandpaper letters. This way the children can trace the words and phonic sounds they are learning in the classroom. When children trace the sandpaper letters they feel the shape of the letter therefore when it comes to learn to write they already know how to write. Also feeling the texture of the letter with the sandpaper helps to implant the letter in the child's mind.
The Montessori sandpaper letters are a good add-on to any lesson as they help reinforce the letters the child is already learning at school. But like all books and courses it is not the book that teaches your child to read, it is the time you put in with your child. First grade phonics takes time and commitment and a lot of reading to your child, especially reading in bed. So if you want your child to get ahead in reading you have to make the effort.
About the Author
I'm Peter Legrove and for the last 15 years or so I've been standing in front of a primary school classroom. Now I'm nearing retirement it's time to pass my knowledge on. http://www.animalsdinosaursandbugs.com/Teaching-Reading.htm This article is copyright © Peter Legrove. But you can use it as long as you keep the bio box intact.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tips To Help You When Learning English
by Tong Lin
When you start learning English it is important for you to have a reason for doing so. For example, you may want to emigrate to an English=speaking country and knowing how to speak the language is often a requirement. You may have to learn to speak English as part of your job because you have to deal with English speaking customers. When you have a specific reason that is important to you, then you have something to focus on during the learning stages. In order for you to stay focused, it must be something that you want to do.
When you start to learn English, you should set goals for yourself. These goals should not be too high because if you don't attain them, then it is easy to get discouraged. Approach the learning in small steps and then celebrate every accomplishment. For example, if you already know some English words and phrases, your goal may be to learn to pronounce them correctly and be able to use them in the correct situations. Make an agenda for your goal. You need to have an idea of how long it will take you to reach this milestone. Then when you achieve it, you can make another goal. Start off slowly, but make a commitment. You don't want to spend all of your time studying, but you do need to study and practice.
When you start studying English, it is essential that you have a balance of the four English skills in your classes - reading, writing, listening and speaking. It is not enough just to be able to speak the language. You have to be able to understand what others are saying. You also need to be able to read the language so you can enjoy the literature, read the newspaper and understand signs. It is equally important for you to be able to write in English so that you have a good grasp of the skills of English grammar.
There is no one skill that is more important than the other because all of them rely on each other. When choosing a course of study, you should look for one that incorporates all of these elements. Along with being able to learn vocabulary words, there should be passages that you listen to and read and practice exercises where you get an opportunity to write the language.
Try to use the language as much as you can. This means listening to English songs, reading books written in English and watching English television programs. Adults can learn a lot from watching cartoons and educational programs for children, so they should be part of your learning experience.
The most important thing is to have fun. If you don't enjoy learning to speak English, then you won't be able to keep your focus uppermost in your mind. If you get tired or discouraged, take a short break and then go back to it. You have to be prepared to make mistakes and be able to learn from them.
About the Author
For a great learning English visit http://www.the EnglishSubject.net, the best place to learn English online.
When you start learning English it is important for you to have a reason for doing so. For example, you may want to emigrate to an English=speaking country and knowing how to speak the language is often a requirement. You may have to learn to speak English as part of your job because you have to deal with English speaking customers. When you have a specific reason that is important to you, then you have something to focus on during the learning stages. In order for you to stay focused, it must be something that you want to do.
When you start to learn English, you should set goals for yourself. These goals should not be too high because if you don't attain them, then it is easy to get discouraged. Approach the learning in small steps and then celebrate every accomplishment. For example, if you already know some English words and phrases, your goal may be to learn to pronounce them correctly and be able to use them in the correct situations. Make an agenda for your goal. You need to have an idea of how long it will take you to reach this milestone. Then when you achieve it, you can make another goal. Start off slowly, but make a commitment. You don't want to spend all of your time studying, but you do need to study and practice.
When you start studying English, it is essential that you have a balance of the four English skills in your classes - reading, writing, listening and speaking. It is not enough just to be able to speak the language. You have to be able to understand what others are saying. You also need to be able to read the language so you can enjoy the literature, read the newspaper and understand signs. It is equally important for you to be able to write in English so that you have a good grasp of the skills of English grammar.
There is no one skill that is more important than the other because all of them rely on each other. When choosing a course of study, you should look for one that incorporates all of these elements. Along with being able to learn vocabulary words, there should be passages that you listen to and read and practice exercises where you get an opportunity to write the language.
Try to use the language as much as you can. This means listening to English songs, reading books written in English and watching English television programs. Adults can learn a lot from watching cartoons and educational programs for children, so they should be part of your learning experience.
The most important thing is to have fun. If you don't enjoy learning to speak English, then you won't be able to keep your focus uppermost in your mind. If you get tired or discouraged, take a short break and then go back to it. You have to be prepared to make mistakes and be able to learn from them.
About the Author
For a great learning English visit http://www.the EnglishSubject.net, the best place to learn English online.
Learn How To Write Sad Love Poems And Love Letters
by Richard
Many famous people have written sad love poems for their girlfriends and wives while away in battle, or extended trips, with 'The great Napoleon Bonaparte' being one that has written beautiful and captivating words truly expressing his love in beautiful love letters and sad love poems that would melt even the iciest of hearts. Today; this is still definitely one of the best ways of expressing true love to your partner and making any woman, or man, weak at the knees. No one really needs any special gift to learn how to write love letters or sad love poems to their partners because the heart really does it all for you; and all you really need to do is write these feelings down onto paper. The easiest way on how to write love letters and sad love poems is by taking examples from some of the many classic love letters written by famous people, or from books of poetry, and rewriting them to suit your feelings much the same way one would do with a private label rights article. When we talk of sad love poems this does not mean lyrical poems; though these are still extensively used by lovers worldwide. You know the common example 'Roses are red and violets are blue, honey is sweet and so are you'
Finding ideas on how to write your own sad love poems.
Sad love poems strike a chord deep in our hearts, and are a far more effective way of expressing your love. You can use sad love poems equally effectively to both express your love, and also use them to make up when you have broken up or even to win someone's heart once and for all. Sad love poems are in abundance during Valentines Day, can be found in guides on making up for relationships in trouble, and are also sent to wives and husbands from lovers that are away on business trips or traveling in other countries. If you struggle to express your love and desire the best way to learn how to write sad love poems and love letters, then visit your local library. Sure you can get lots of ideas for learning how to write sad love poems on the internet, but you will probably find better examples in the poetry section of the library, and the librarian will surely be happy to help you find a few examples you can use as guidelines.
Love Letters and sad love Poems make expressing your feelings easier
Many men and even women that may have been hurt by previous relationships; or have been raised to hide their true feelings, will find expressing love a lot simpler by means of writing love letters and sad love poems to show the man or woman how much they mean to them. It is a lot easier than you think learning how to write sad love poems and love letters and with a little practice you will have the hand of it.
When learning how to write sad love poems, it is not necessary for them to completely written in old style English from Shakespearian times, because that is unnecessary and sometimes hard to read for certain people. There are thousands of descriptive words you can use as alternatives, but it can look great by throwing in a few words like Thou and thee but do not overdo it' example: How much do I love Thee? Let me count the ways'.
You can also throw in a few words like eternity, sweeten, honey, bittersweet, forever longing, deep etc, and you are there. Happy or sad love poems are equally effective but you will probably do well rather using sad love poems if you are temporarily separated , trying to make up with an ex after breaking up, or trying to win trust your partners trust back. Read the poem after you have written it a few times over so that you can get an idea of how it sounds. Make sure you are satisfied with your sad love poems or love letters first before sending them. Although technology like emails, text message and voicemail are great for sharing your love poems, nothing beats the post, and a beautiful colored envelope from you which will be the first post opened. Once you have practice learning how to write sad love poems the sky is the limit in your relationship. Write them for anniversaries, valentines days, and special occasions you want to remind your partner of.
Nurture relationships with love Letters and sad Love Poems.
Women more so than men treasure their love poems sent by you when you were sweethearts forever, and if you have been married for many years you will find that they are still kept somewhere special and secretly read. This goes to show how special the written word really is when it comes to love. Expressing your undying love through learning how to write sad love poems and love letters, is a great way of cementing your relationship, renewing your bonds, for wedding vows, for making up after breaking up, and for showing that your are a person with deep feelings. These are surely reasons enough to learn how to write sad love poems of your own
Many famous people have written sad love poems for their girlfriends and wives while away in battle, or extended trips, with 'The great Napoleon Bonaparte' being one that has written beautiful and captivating words truly expressing his love in beautiful love letters and sad love poems that would melt even the iciest of hearts. Today; this is still definitely one of the best ways of expressing true love to your partner and making any woman, or man, weak at the knees. No one really needs any special gift to learn how to write love letters or sad love poems to their partners because the heart really does it all for you; and all you really need to do is write these feelings down onto paper. The easiest way on how to write love letters and sad love poems is by taking examples from some of the many classic love letters written by famous people, or from books of poetry, and rewriting them to suit your feelings much the same way one would do with a private label rights article. When we talk of sad love poems this does not mean lyrical poems; though these are still extensively used by lovers worldwide. You know the common example 'Roses are red and violets are blue, honey is sweet and so are you'
Finding ideas on how to write your own sad love poems.
Sad love poems strike a chord deep in our hearts, and are a far more effective way of expressing your love. You can use sad love poems equally effectively to both express your love, and also use them to make up when you have broken up or even to win someone's heart once and for all. Sad love poems are in abundance during Valentines Day, can be found in guides on making up for relationships in trouble, and are also sent to wives and husbands from lovers that are away on business trips or traveling in other countries. If you struggle to express your love and desire the best way to learn how to write sad love poems and love letters, then visit your local library. Sure you can get lots of ideas for learning how to write sad love poems on the internet, but you will probably find better examples in the poetry section of the library, and the librarian will surely be happy to help you find a few examples you can use as guidelines.
Love Letters and sad love Poems make expressing your feelings easier
Many men and even women that may have been hurt by previous relationships; or have been raised to hide their true feelings, will find expressing love a lot simpler by means of writing love letters and sad love poems to show the man or woman how much they mean to them. It is a lot easier than you think learning how to write sad love poems and love letters and with a little practice you will have the hand of it.
When learning how to write sad love poems, it is not necessary for them to completely written in old style English from Shakespearian times, because that is unnecessary and sometimes hard to read for certain people. There are thousands of descriptive words you can use as alternatives, but it can look great by throwing in a few words like Thou and thee but do not overdo it' example: How much do I love Thee? Let me count the ways'.
You can also throw in a few words like eternity, sweeten, honey, bittersweet, forever longing, deep etc, and you are there. Happy or sad love poems are equally effective but you will probably do well rather using sad love poems if you are temporarily separated , trying to make up with an ex after breaking up, or trying to win trust your partners trust back. Read the poem after you have written it a few times over so that you can get an idea of how it sounds. Make sure you are satisfied with your sad love poems or love letters first before sending them. Although technology like emails, text message and voicemail are great for sharing your love poems, nothing beats the post, and a beautiful colored envelope from you which will be the first post opened. Once you have practice learning how to write sad love poems the sky is the limit in your relationship. Write them for anniversaries, valentines days, and special occasions you want to remind your partner of.
Nurture relationships with love Letters and sad Love Poems.
Women more so than men treasure their love poems sent by you when you were sweethearts forever, and if you have been married for many years you will find that they are still kept somewhere special and secretly read. This goes to show how special the written word really is when it comes to love. Expressing your undying love through learning how to write sad love poems and love letters, is a great way of cementing your relationship, renewing your bonds, for wedding vows, for making up after breaking up, and for showing that your are a person with deep feelings. These are surely reasons enough to learn how to write sad love poems of your own
Monday, October 13, 2008
Plan Your English Lesson
by: George Williams
It is not easy to plan a fresh and new class for your English students every week. Even though your teacher book gives you some great ideas not all of them are practical enough for your classroom. You often have to come up with a few exercises and ideas of your own to fill in as needed.
You may try to get away and find some quite places that can help you focus and concentrate on your planning. Do not forget to take a notepad and some pens. That is about all you will need for now.
First, take a moment to clear your mind of all other distractions and prepare yourself mentally for the task at hand. Okay! Are you ready? Good! Now think about the first group of students you need to plan for. Think about their needs. What do they know? What do they need to know to become more fluent and proficient speakers of the English language? How can you teach them what they need to know?
Just brainstorm for a few minutes and write everything down. No idea is too crazy or unimportant. Once you have drained your brain...write out your best ideas on a separate sheet of paper. These are the ones that you will implement in your classes during the following week.
Remember that every idea that comes up are valuable and do not throw away the ideas that are left over though. Save them in a safe place for you to refer to during future planning sessions. This will keep you from having to think so hard the next time.
It is wise to do some research on the Internet. Take each of your ideas to the next level. Drill down into each one of them vertically. Go just as deep as you can. Then find other ideas that you can add on horizontally to broaden your lesson plans. These are all ideas that complement your original, brainstormed ideas.
If you have made it this far...then the rest is a piece of cake. Just pick out the best of the best of your ideas and add them to your lesson plans. Prepare the materials and resources you will need for each exercise. Make copies of any handouts you intend to pass out to your students.
Do this for each group of students you teach. Once you are done, organize everything in a handy place like a folder or filing cabinet. Do a quick check to make sure you did not forget anything.
With this plan, your class will be well organized and you can make everything turned into a system which will allow you have even more time.
It is not easy to plan a fresh and new class for your English students every week. Even though your teacher book gives you some great ideas not all of them are practical enough for your classroom. You often have to come up with a few exercises and ideas of your own to fill in as needed.
You may try to get away and find some quite places that can help you focus and concentrate on your planning. Do not forget to take a notepad and some pens. That is about all you will need for now.
First, take a moment to clear your mind of all other distractions and prepare yourself mentally for the task at hand. Okay! Are you ready? Good! Now think about the first group of students you need to plan for. Think about their needs. What do they know? What do they need to know to become more fluent and proficient speakers of the English language? How can you teach them what they need to know?
Just brainstorm for a few minutes and write everything down. No idea is too crazy or unimportant. Once you have drained your brain...write out your best ideas on a separate sheet of paper. These are the ones that you will implement in your classes during the following week.
Remember that every idea that comes up are valuable and do not throw away the ideas that are left over though. Save them in a safe place for you to refer to during future planning sessions. This will keep you from having to think so hard the next time.
It is wise to do some research on the Internet. Take each of your ideas to the next level. Drill down into each one of them vertically. Go just as deep as you can. Then find other ideas that you can add on horizontally to broaden your lesson plans. These are all ideas that complement your original, brainstormed ideas.
If you have made it this far...then the rest is a piece of cake. Just pick out the best of the best of your ideas and add them to your lesson plans. Prepare the materials and resources you will need for each exercise. Make copies of any handouts you intend to pass out to your students.
Do this for each group of students you teach. Once you are done, organize everything in a handy place like a folder or filing cabinet. Do a quick check to make sure you did not forget anything.
With this plan, your class will be well organized and you can make everything turned into a system which will allow you have even more time.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
learning problems in children
by: Dev Sri
Children can experience learning problems because of several reasons. Some children excel at studies while others strive hard. In this article, we discuss the different behavioural and learning problems that students aged 5-15 face.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is reading problem. The children find it difficult to read what they have written. Dyslexia is characterised by the difficulty of brain in separating and processing written and verbal language. These children find it difficult to learn spelling and to read fluently. They also confuse between similar looking letters like b, d, p, q, etc. They also tend to skip letters, words or sentences while reading.
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is the difficulty to write. Students with this problem may be smart at reading and memorizing. Such students also show signs of diminished motor coordination and find the tasks like tying a shoelace.
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is problems associated with numbers. They interchange the places of digits. This problem makes it difficult for the children to learn mathematics.
Dysnomia
Dysnomia is characterised by lack of ability in memorizing names or words. Pupils with this problem find it difficult to remember the word for objects, places or things.
Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia is characterised by lack of or poorly developed skills in skilled tasks like typing, sewing, etc. Such children can also show signs of difficulty in controlling sound and speaking and can be slow at eating or drinking.
Children with these type of disorders may be smart at one or more special skills. For example, Ernest Hemingway is believed to have suffered from Dyspraxia.
Helping the children and instilling in them a sense of confidence is essential for the development of such children and to help them lead successful lives.
Children can experience learning problems because of several reasons. Some children excel at studies while others strive hard. In this article, we discuss the different behavioural and learning problems that students aged 5-15 face.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is reading problem. The children find it difficult to read what they have written. Dyslexia is characterised by the difficulty of brain in separating and processing written and verbal language. These children find it difficult to learn spelling and to read fluently. They also confuse between similar looking letters like b, d, p, q, etc. They also tend to skip letters, words or sentences while reading.
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is the difficulty to write. Students with this problem may be smart at reading and memorizing. Such students also show signs of diminished motor coordination and find the tasks like tying a shoelace.
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is problems associated with numbers. They interchange the places of digits. This problem makes it difficult for the children to learn mathematics.
Dysnomia
Dysnomia is characterised by lack of ability in memorizing names or words. Pupils with this problem find it difficult to remember the word for objects, places or things.
Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia is characterised by lack of or poorly developed skills in skilled tasks like typing, sewing, etc. Such children can also show signs of difficulty in controlling sound and speaking and can be slow at eating or drinking.
Children with these type of disorders may be smart at one or more special skills. For example, Ernest Hemingway is believed to have suffered from Dyspraxia.
Helping the children and instilling in them a sense of confidence is essential for the development of such children and to help them lead successful lives.
learning tips for students
by: Dev Sri
Long ago, there was a time, when parents told children to read slowly and loudly to understand everything they read.
A lot of things have changed. Today's children have bigger syllabi to learn. Now, learning experts and teachers ask students to read faster and grasp important points.
Here are a few tips for students who have a lot to learn, but very little time.
Make a Timetable
Your timetable should have separate time for eating, playing games, exercise, reading newspaper and study materials. You should not only make a timetable, but also should stick to it.
Give priority to leisure and games in the afternoon, but separate early morning time for studies. Make sure you read all the class notes before you go to bed.
While allotting time to different subjects, allot more time to difficult subjects. You need only less time for the subjects that are easier for you to learn.
Taking Notes
Taking notes is an important part of learning. You need to take lecture notes (classroom notes) and notes from your textbook.
- Go through the lessons on the day before your teacher would teach it in the class. This gives you an idea of what to expect.
- Write down important ideas as bullet points. One word or a phrase is enough to include an idea.
- Give prominence to important ideas by underlining them in your notes.
- Leave lot of space in each face of paper. This will help you add new points later.
- Organize your notes into separate files. Each subject should have a different file. Label the outer page of the file with name of the subject and your teacher. You should also neatly organize each file according to chapters and topics.
- Read the notes (important points) in the night, before going to bed. Read only once. This helps you memorize the lessons clearly.
- While taking notes from a book, label the name of the book and author. Also, note the page number next to your notes. It makes it easy for you to refer to the book three or six months later.
Reading Techniques
You need to read fast and grasp more things. Here are some pointers to fast reading.
- Note the name of the book and its author in the reading log.
- Take a quick look from cover to cover to identify the important chapters.
- Take a quick look over the chapter, identify the important points, and note them down.
- Read the lesson fast. To increase the speed of learning, pass your eyes through the top of the letters and not through the centre. For example, while reading, pass your eyes through the area where the dot above the letter i appears and not through the loop of the letter o.
- Don't take notes while reading.
- Don't go back to read a word or a sentence. If you don't get the idea of the subject, you can come back to the sentence after you finish reading the chapter. Never look up a dictionary while in the middle of reading a chapter. Refer dictionary only if you don't automatically understand the meaning of a word after finishing the paragraph and the chapter.
- Note down the points you remember. Now check if you have taken all the important points, with another fast reading.
How to increase memory
Try to understand completely what you read or hear.
Repeat what you hear or read in your mind.
Make notes of what you learn at school or read from books. A single word can help you remember a whole idea.
Give number to the points.
Don't try to bring to memory all the things you have learned. Learn the technique of bringing to memory one thing at a time.
How to increase concentration
Mental concentration is important to memory and better learning.
Stick to your reading timetable. You should separate a specific place and specific time of the day for reading.
Sit erect. It increases your concentration.
Don't allow disturbances like phone calls, music etc while reading.
Concentrate on the lessons you read. Don't think about the next book you have to read while you are reading a book. A better way is to make an order of the books and lessons to read and arrange them in order before you start reading.
Immediately after reading a paragraph, try to recall the idea from that paragraph. This helps you concentrate more on your reading.
Ideal conditions for reading/learning
A silent location that you don't use for sleeping, eating or leisure purposes is the most ideal condition for reading.
Install a fluorescent tube light in the reading room. This helps mild light to fall evenly all over the room. Don't sit in the darkness while reading. If you use table lamp, arrange it towards your left if you are a right-hander.
Arrange the papers, pencils, boards and books on the table before you start reading.
Never try to read while you are tired or ill.
Eat healthy food rich in carbohydrates, proteins and fibres. Replace fast food, pizza, burger, chocolates, ice creams, etc with fresh fruits, whole grain food items (like chapatti), milk, fruit juices, etc.
Exercise daily. Swimming, cycling and jogging are good for students. Practise yoga. It increases concentration and willpower.
Don't watch TV. Instead, play some games in the outdoors. While TV makes you dumb, the games make you smarter.
Read lot of books. Read classic stories, fables (like Aesop fables, Panchatantra stories, etc), etc. Don't spend too much time on comic cartoons.
Long ago, there was a time, when parents told children to read slowly and loudly to understand everything they read.
A lot of things have changed. Today's children have bigger syllabi to learn. Now, learning experts and teachers ask students to read faster and grasp important points.
Here are a few tips for students who have a lot to learn, but very little time.
Make a Timetable
Your timetable should have separate time for eating, playing games, exercise, reading newspaper and study materials. You should not only make a timetable, but also should stick to it.
Give priority to leisure and games in the afternoon, but separate early morning time for studies. Make sure you read all the class notes before you go to bed.
While allotting time to different subjects, allot more time to difficult subjects. You need only less time for the subjects that are easier for you to learn.
Taking Notes
Taking notes is an important part of learning. You need to take lecture notes (classroom notes) and notes from your textbook.
- Go through the lessons on the day before your teacher would teach it in the class. This gives you an idea of what to expect.
- Write down important ideas as bullet points. One word or a phrase is enough to include an idea.
- Give prominence to important ideas by underlining them in your notes.
- Leave lot of space in each face of paper. This will help you add new points later.
- Organize your notes into separate files. Each subject should have a different file. Label the outer page of the file with name of the subject and your teacher. You should also neatly organize each file according to chapters and topics.
- Read the notes (important points) in the night, before going to bed. Read only once. This helps you memorize the lessons clearly.
- While taking notes from a book, label the name of the book and author. Also, note the page number next to your notes. It makes it easy for you to refer to the book three or six months later.
Reading Techniques
You need to read fast and grasp more things. Here are some pointers to fast reading.
- Note the name of the book and its author in the reading log.
- Take a quick look from cover to cover to identify the important chapters.
- Take a quick look over the chapter, identify the important points, and note them down.
- Read the lesson fast. To increase the speed of learning, pass your eyes through the top of the letters and not through the centre. For example, while reading, pass your eyes through the area where the dot above the letter i appears and not through the loop of the letter o.
- Don't take notes while reading.
- Don't go back to read a word or a sentence. If you don't get the idea of the subject, you can come back to the sentence after you finish reading the chapter. Never look up a dictionary while in the middle of reading a chapter. Refer dictionary only if you don't automatically understand the meaning of a word after finishing the paragraph and the chapter.
- Note down the points you remember. Now check if you have taken all the important points, with another fast reading.
How to increase memory
Try to understand completely what you read or hear.
Repeat what you hear or read in your mind.
Make notes of what you learn at school or read from books. A single word can help you remember a whole idea.
Give number to the points.
Don't try to bring to memory all the things you have learned. Learn the technique of bringing to memory one thing at a time.
How to increase concentration
Mental concentration is important to memory and better learning.
Stick to your reading timetable. You should separate a specific place and specific time of the day for reading.
Sit erect. It increases your concentration.
Don't allow disturbances like phone calls, music etc while reading.
Concentrate on the lessons you read. Don't think about the next book you have to read while you are reading a book. A better way is to make an order of the books and lessons to read and arrange them in order before you start reading.
Immediately after reading a paragraph, try to recall the idea from that paragraph. This helps you concentrate more on your reading.
Ideal conditions for reading/learning
A silent location that you don't use for sleeping, eating or leisure purposes is the most ideal condition for reading.
Install a fluorescent tube light in the reading room. This helps mild light to fall evenly all over the room. Don't sit in the darkness while reading. If you use table lamp, arrange it towards your left if you are a right-hander.
Arrange the papers, pencils, boards and books on the table before you start reading.
Never try to read while you are tired or ill.
Eat healthy food rich in carbohydrates, proteins and fibres. Replace fast food, pizza, burger, chocolates, ice creams, etc with fresh fruits, whole grain food items (like chapatti), milk, fruit juices, etc.
Exercise daily. Swimming, cycling and jogging are good for students. Practise yoga. It increases concentration and willpower.
Don't watch TV. Instead, play some games in the outdoors. While TV makes you dumb, the games make you smarter.
Read lot of books. Read classic stories, fables (like Aesop fables, Panchatantra stories, etc), etc. Don't spend too much time on comic cartoons.
5 Ways to Improve YOUR English without even Trying! for people who speak English as a second language
by: Kim Rogers
Learning a second language can be a very stressful and arduous task if you let it. Somehow, the words you learn in the books don't seem to apply very well to real life situations. Those small and seemingly un-important elements the show a person to be in command of not only the language, but the culture of the people who speak it cannot be adequately expressed by words on paper.
So, how do you learn these little secrets of mastering the ability to articulate yourself in another language?
Here are 5 proven techniques that will help you improve your English without even trying, if you are learning to speak English as a second language. Do they really work? Yes. I've tried them myself as I've had opportunity to live somewhere where English wasn't the primary language. I found it to be a fun, exciting, and painless way to learn both the language and the culture. The culture is simply learning the way the natives express their own words. The genuine accent, facial expressions, hand gestures, sighs, moans, groans, laughter, smirks, and other things that go along with everyday conversation.
Regardless of how extensive or not your vocabulary is, if you master the ability to "sound" like you know the language and can speak it, people will be more than generous to assist you.
1. Watch Movies!
Watching movies is always a fun thing to do. In order to get the most out of your movie watching experience, if your vocabulary is limited, watch a movie in English that you are very familiar with in your own language so you always know what's going on. Try not to translate as you go because you lose blocks of conversation this way. Instead, watch the picture and listen. Hear all the words, but determine what's going on by the pictures you see and the words you're hearing that you already know. Believe it or not, other words will sink in too, and so will the accent and everything else that went with what you saw and heard.
As your vocabulary grows, expand your movie selections to other movies you'd like to see but are only available in English. Try to be able to see the film more than once if possible.
According to the location and type of film you intend to view, you will be able to experience different accents, and other cultural expressions of the English language. Pick and choose the things that you think will suit you best. If it doesn't work out, pick and try something else! Have fun with yourself and your efforts.
2. Watch Soap Operas
The place where extreme expression and limited vocabulary meet! This is such a fascinating way to learn a foreign language. Every accessory that goes with the expression of a word is demonstrated on a soap opera. "Outrage" expressed with a word, facial expression or two, and perhaps even a subsequent face slap, all of that being understandable in any language. "Love", another universal subject, or violence, good versus evil can all be discerned quickly and easily on a soap opera. Plus, soap operas are naturally designed to allow anyone just tuning in to pick up the story quickly. The characters are easily loveable and deliciously "hate-able" so you turn to it again and again to see what's going on, and not only improve your English each time, but reinforce what you've already learned.
3. Read the Comics/Funny Papers
Very non-stressful! Pictures with words, or words with pictures, however you want to look at it, it's a great way to learn! For each thought presented there are words that match a picture, and vice versa. It doesn't matter if you read comic books, or the comics in the Sunday newspaper, read whatever will make you laugh and cause you to enjoy learning at the same time.
4. Read Children's books
If you know any little kids between the ages of 5-8, try reading one of their books to them. Usually little kids know their favorite books by heart, so if you stumble a little, they'll be able to help you.
If you enjoy this method of improving your English, and you find yourself to be pretty good at it, then try reading a few Dr. Seuss books. The rhyming will challenge you, but once you master it, your pronunciation of English, and your delivery will have been considerably refined and improved.
5. Take a service job like waiter or waitress; bartender, or sales person.
This type of job can be done if you have a decent vocabulary of verbs, and know how to say "I, we, she, he, they", etc. The only other thing necessary is a working vocabulary of things relevant to your specific tasks and goals.
For example, as a breakfast waitress, you want to be able to ask if they want their eggs, "scrambled or fried", if they want "more coffee", if everything is "alright", do they want "anything else", and the total of their bill in their own language!
If you sell real estate, you'll want to incorporate words like "mortgage, loan, co-sign, 30 year fixed", etc.
If you sell shoes, you need words like "how does that feel", are they "too tight, too loose, to short in the toe, to big", etc.
The longer you work at your job, the more your working vocabulary will improve.
6. Learn these two sentences and you'll be set for life . . . seriously!
"How do you say (blank)", in English (Spanish, French, etc.), and "What is that called?" (Point if you have to, and smile too). Smiling is a universal language. Once I learned how to ask these two questions, I was on my way to being conversant in the language of my choice!
I could use my limited vocabulary to ask the question and then when I got my answer I would repeat it a few times to make sure I was saying it correctly, and "BAM" I had a new vocabulary word. And, because I asked my question to the best of my ability in the native tongue, the natives realized my sincere desire to learn, and helped me!
7. What happens if you make a mistake?
Nothing. The world won't come to an end, and you haven't embarrassed yourself to the point where you can't show your face again. Just apologize if that's what's called for, or laugh at yourself, make the correction, and count it as a learning experience.
Once I was in a restaurant and I wanted to ask the waiter for a "to go" box, however, I was speaking to my kids in English, and trying to think of what I wanted to ask for in Spanish, and I promptly and incorrectly asked him for a "house to go". He looked at me kind of funny, but he was very courteous, and didn't laugh until I laughed.
I've committed other language faux pas as well over the years, all of which have been a learning experience, and if given enough time, will become a humorous story as well.
Learning a second language can be a very stressful and arduous task if you let it. Somehow, the words you learn in the books don't seem to apply very well to real life situations. Those small and seemingly un-important elements the show a person to be in command of not only the language, but the culture of the people who speak it cannot be adequately expressed by words on paper.
So, how do you learn these little secrets of mastering the ability to articulate yourself in another language?
Here are 5 proven techniques that will help you improve your English without even trying, if you are learning to speak English as a second language. Do they really work? Yes. I've tried them myself as I've had opportunity to live somewhere where English wasn't the primary language. I found it to be a fun, exciting, and painless way to learn both the language and the culture. The culture is simply learning the way the natives express their own words. The genuine accent, facial expressions, hand gestures, sighs, moans, groans, laughter, smirks, and other things that go along with everyday conversation.
Regardless of how extensive or not your vocabulary is, if you master the ability to "sound" like you know the language and can speak it, people will be more than generous to assist you.
1. Watch Movies!
Watching movies is always a fun thing to do. In order to get the most out of your movie watching experience, if your vocabulary is limited, watch a movie in English that you are very familiar with in your own language so you always know what's going on. Try not to translate as you go because you lose blocks of conversation this way. Instead, watch the picture and listen. Hear all the words, but determine what's going on by the pictures you see and the words you're hearing that you already know. Believe it or not, other words will sink in too, and so will the accent and everything else that went with what you saw and heard.
As your vocabulary grows, expand your movie selections to other movies you'd like to see but are only available in English. Try to be able to see the film more than once if possible.
According to the location and type of film you intend to view, you will be able to experience different accents, and other cultural expressions of the English language. Pick and choose the things that you think will suit you best. If it doesn't work out, pick and try something else! Have fun with yourself and your efforts.
2. Watch Soap Operas
The place where extreme expression and limited vocabulary meet! This is such a fascinating way to learn a foreign language. Every accessory that goes with the expression of a word is demonstrated on a soap opera. "Outrage" expressed with a word, facial expression or two, and perhaps even a subsequent face slap, all of that being understandable in any language. "Love", another universal subject, or violence, good versus evil can all be discerned quickly and easily on a soap opera. Plus, soap operas are naturally designed to allow anyone just tuning in to pick up the story quickly. The characters are easily loveable and deliciously "hate-able" so you turn to it again and again to see what's going on, and not only improve your English each time, but reinforce what you've already learned.
3. Read the Comics/Funny Papers
Very non-stressful! Pictures with words, or words with pictures, however you want to look at it, it's a great way to learn! For each thought presented there are words that match a picture, and vice versa. It doesn't matter if you read comic books, or the comics in the Sunday newspaper, read whatever will make you laugh and cause you to enjoy learning at the same time.
4. Read Children's books
If you know any little kids between the ages of 5-8, try reading one of their books to them. Usually little kids know their favorite books by heart, so if you stumble a little, they'll be able to help you.
If you enjoy this method of improving your English, and you find yourself to be pretty good at it, then try reading a few Dr. Seuss books. The rhyming will challenge you, but once you master it, your pronunciation of English, and your delivery will have been considerably refined and improved.
5. Take a service job like waiter or waitress; bartender, or sales person.
This type of job can be done if you have a decent vocabulary of verbs, and know how to say "I, we, she, he, they", etc. The only other thing necessary is a working vocabulary of things relevant to your specific tasks and goals.
For example, as a breakfast waitress, you want to be able to ask if they want their eggs, "scrambled or fried", if they want "more coffee", if everything is "alright", do they want "anything else", and the total of their bill in their own language!
If you sell real estate, you'll want to incorporate words like "mortgage, loan, co-sign, 30 year fixed", etc.
If you sell shoes, you need words like "how does that feel", are they "too tight, too loose, to short in the toe, to big", etc.
The longer you work at your job, the more your working vocabulary will improve.
6. Learn these two sentences and you'll be set for life . . . seriously!
"How do you say (blank)", in English (Spanish, French, etc.), and "What is that called?" (Point if you have to, and smile too). Smiling is a universal language. Once I learned how to ask these two questions, I was on my way to being conversant in the language of my choice!
I could use my limited vocabulary to ask the question and then when I got my answer I would repeat it a few times to make sure I was saying it correctly, and "BAM" I had a new vocabulary word. And, because I asked my question to the best of my ability in the native tongue, the natives realized my sincere desire to learn, and helped me!
7. What happens if you make a mistake?
Nothing. The world won't come to an end, and you haven't embarrassed yourself to the point where you can't show your face again. Just apologize if that's what's called for, or laugh at yourself, make the correction, and count it as a learning experience.
Once I was in a restaurant and I wanted to ask the waiter for a "to go" box, however, I was speaking to my kids in English, and trying to think of what I wanted to ask for in Spanish, and I promptly and incorrectly asked him for a "house to go". He looked at me kind of funny, but he was very courteous, and didn't laugh until I laughed.
I've committed other language faux pas as well over the years, all of which have been a learning experience, and if given enough time, will become a humorous story as well.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
motivating children to learn english
Motivating Children: Going beyond Bribery
How to Motivate Children to Want to Learn English
I'm sure you've all been there. You're standing in front of a class of glassy-eyed children, or, even worse, a class of students who are just plain ignoring you. How can you motivate the children and get them back "into" your class? One sure-fire way to get your students to be motivated is to offer then small prizes or treats to do the task at hand. Oh yes! You will have a class full of highly motivated, participating children. They might even learn something from the activity. However, by giving the children prizes and treats to motivate them you'll end up with an empty pocketbook and a class full of students who are only motivated for the material prize, not because they want to learn (which means they probably aren't getting much out of the activity in the first place). There are many other ways to motivate your students and you won't have to keep a stash of "prizes" in your classroom to do it.
Be More Than Just a Teacher
No matter what your class demographics are, there is one sure way to motivate your class into participating: Get them interested in you as their teacher and the interest in your subject matter and class activities will soon follow.
You're not just a teacher, you're a person too. Sometimes children tend to have the mentality that teachers are just teachers. They exist in school and nowhere else. However, if you let them see you as a person and not just a teacher, you might see a change in how they react to your class and class activities. If they respect you, they will respect the class and be motivated to participate in whatever it is you have for them to do. Of course, that is so much easier said than done. Here are some things you should think about when trying to figure out how to show your human side:
Keep Yourself Motivated
Think back to what classes you like best and why. If the teacher was bored and didn’t make the subject interesting, then the children often didn't like the class either. To keep yourself motivated, change your activities to things that you are excited about. If you’re not excited and motivated about the activities you have planned for your students, it’s time to get some new ones.
Be an Individual
Don't be afraid to talk about your interests outside of school. Look for commonalities between you and your students and capitalize on them. For example, if you like the same types of music as a lot of your students, bring in some CD's and let them listen to music when they are working on projects. Make sure the words are in English so that the children can take in some English language into their subconscious.
Have fun and be silly
Seriously. Talk in a crazy voice or be daft and make them wonder what you'll be up to next. Some teachers frown upon the idea of playing the clown and having fun because they think it is time-wasting and that it is not their role to be an entertainer. If it is not in your personality to be a big kid, then you cannot fake it, and that is OK. If you use fun games and ideas your classes will still be enjoyable. However if you are a big kid at heart then you will find that joining in, playing with the children and generally acting up and being enthusiastic will come naturally to you and is all part of the fun of teaching. It is not clowning around for the sake of it, it servers to keep a fun and happy learning environment, and this alone can motivate your students. If your children can laugh with you, and if they LIKE you, they'll be interested in what you're doing up there in front of the class.
Encourage
When you're frustrated with your class because they don't seem interested in participating, it's quite easy to forget that even when they do something small, you need to keep encouraging and to stay positive. The number one way to demotivate children is to have a negative or neutral attitude. If the children do not feel encouraged and good about learning then they will not feel motivated to learn.
Make your students Active Learners
Think back to when you were in school. Did you like to sit at a desk and listen to the teacher drone on and on. This type of passive learning is BORING and demotivating. Active learning doesn't mean the children need to by physically active throughout the class period – it just means that you design your class period around having them actively participate in the learning process. There are lots of things you can do:
Play Games
Implement games that have the same outcome that you might have them reach by doing a worksheet. For example, if you might normally give them a worksheet to write the correct verb next to the picture illustrating the action, have them instead practice their verbs by doing the action for the word you say or the word on a card that you hold up. Likewise, you could do the action and have them write down the word. You may access free samples of fun classroom games in the resource box below.
When you play games, you can use points and competition as a motivator, but not for kids under six who may find the competition too stressful. For them, just playing the game is motivating enough. You can also sometimes award extra credit, but use it sparingly so that it remains "extra" and a special reward. Also if you use it too much, children can have so much extra credit that it sways the actual grades too much.
Get Them Moving
Movement is a vital component to motivating children. The best way to prevent children from zoning out is to get them up out of their seats at least once each class period. Even if you just require them to come up to you instead of you going to them for help, the movement can help get them out of the trance that they sometimes get from sitting in one spot too long. Grouping the children for study projects and activities helps as well. If you can, let them move the desks around or sit on the floor to change things up as well. Many games involve movement without the children needing to leave their seats, such as miming, moving certain body parts and passing things around as part of a game or race. Therefore even teachers with large classes and no space to move can use this technique, albeit to a more limited degree.
Get Their Hands "Dirty"
Well, not literally, but the more hands-on activities you can do the better they will learn and the more likely they will stay interested in the activity. If you're talking about the words to describe fruit, have each student bring in a piece of fruit and use the fruits in games. It is much more motivating and effective to be handling real objects, or learning with pictures than copying down lists of words from the board. If you are discussing how to put a sentence together, have them construct their own sentences (alone or with a partner) and write them on the chalkboard. You can also intentionally make mistakes to encourage them to look for the "right" way. If you do this you should warn the children so that they are on the look out for your deliberate errors, otherwise you could do more harm than good.
Stick to a Schedule
Creating a schedule for your students help them know what to expect in the class and will help them stay organized as well which will lower the frustration level for children who sometimes struggle in school. It is very difficult for frustrated children to stay motivated. If they know that every Friday is a vocabulary quiz, then they won't have to wonder on Thursday if they were supposed to study last night. If they have weekly assignments due on every Wednesday, then you don't have to spend the majority of the class time reminding them that the weekly assignment is due. This schedule should be clearly explained to the children as well as posted in the classroom.
You can also have a mini-schedule that outlines how each class period will go. For example, each class period you might do vocabulary exercises and games for 15 minutes and then move on to the main activity of the day. It also helps children if you post a daily "plan" on the chalkboard so they know what will be expected of them each day when they walk into the classroom.
Variety is the Spice of Life!
With that all said, it's also important to change things up within the schedule. For example, if you spend the first 10 or 15 minutes each day doing vocabulary activities, make sure you vary these activities so they don't get boring and stay motivated. If you see that the children of one class don't respond to an activity, avoid it in the future and stick to the ones they like. It's also important to realize that some groups of children will be motivated by certain activities that the next group of children will literally detest. For example, one group might really like role playing activities while another group would rather have a tooth pulled.
Another way to create variety is to keep changing the pace. Play a game that wakes the children up and follow it with a calm game so that the students do not get too excited. Then play a fast game so the children do not become so calm that they start to become restless and misbehave or drift off.
Give Them Options
If you spend long periods of time with your class, or if you have a mixed ability class and have to split your teaching time between groups, then the following ideas may help when the children have some free or unsupervised time in your class. Having a collection of fun learning activities for them can motivate children that like to waste time and be a time-filler for children that like to make trouble.
Get a variety of activities for the children such as educational board games, crossword puzzles, sudoku puzzles, art projects… anything that they can learn something from that they would also find fun. For older kids, you can make a competition to complete a packet of activities to get extra credit points or put them on a team to be the first to complete a series of tasks.
If you have a facility where you can send children to watch a film in English that would be most beneficial. Otherwise have suitable English reading material such as comics, or teenage magazines about cars for the boys and dating and makeup for the girls! If discipline is a problem then the children will have to work individually at their desks in silence, but at least they will be engaged in the activity.
One Last Idea… This really motivates younger classes of children up to age 12, but it can work with all ages. Plan an end of the term program so the children can show off what they've learned to their parents and anyone else who attends the program. You can do it right in the classroom and have the children play games, recite poems, whatever you can come up with to have them showcase what they've learned to their parents.
Because this is such a successful strategy you can even put on two performances, one in the assembly hall in front of the whole school, and one in front of the parents, perhaps in the evening or immediately after school. You should find that your head of school is very open to this as it gives him or her an opportunity to show off too!
So, there you have it. There are lots of ways you can motivate your students to WANT to learn and to pay attention without bribing them with tangible gifts that become more important to them than learning the material.
From:www.teachingenglishgame.com
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