This week in Technology in Music Education, we learned how best to record and video a performance, something that would be helpful for HSC projects and for documenting progress of students.
First we recorded our song, “Hey Dude” into Garageband using condensor mics as a whole group. This audio recording went alongside three video recordings in different angles to edit together later. After we had one basic recording to use as a guide, we recorded the parts seperately with a person conducting along to a click track to make sure it stayed in time with the original recording. Once all the parts were recorded they could be edited within Garageband to they would mix well and have a better acoustic.
Though our final music-video was never actually finished, the process of creating it was invaluable for use in the classroom.


Canadian researchers from York University reported that the verbal intelligence of 4- to 6-year-olds rises after only one month of musical training. The study suggests that early music education stimulates a child’s brain, leading to improved performance in an entirely different arena – verbal intelligence.
This finding echoes the results of a 2009 study of second-graders, which found the reading skills of those who received structured musical training were superior to those of their peers. Such research suggests cutting music education to concentrate on “the basics” is based on a misunderstanding of the way young minds work.
Cambridge University Centre for Music & Science:
|TARGET GROUP:||Young people|
|MUSIC TYPE:||Structured musical training|
|TYPE OF STUDY:||Academic research|
|PERIOD OF STUDY:||1 month|


Play is the foundation for children’s learning in all areas of their lives. It is our job to provide exciting, stimulating and interesting resources for play, and to support and extend children’s learning through the activities they choose to participate in. All aspects of the Early Years curriculum can be covered through play, and in a way that is meaningful and long-lasting.
The curriculum at Chandlings Nursery is comprised of seven areas of development in line with DFES guidelines: Personal, Social and Emotional, Communication and Language, Physical, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design
Children are taught, guided, supported and challenged in each of these areas of their development as they progress towards the Early Learning Goals. Creativity is fundamental to successful learning. The aspects covered in expressive arts and design include art, music, dance, role play and imaginative play.
Being creative enables children to make connections between one area of learning and another and so expand their understanding.
Communication, language and literacy development depends on learning and being competent in a range of key skills, together with having the confidence, opportunity, encouragement, support and disposition to use them. This area of learning includes speaking and listening in different situations and for different purposes, reading a range of simple texts and writing for a variety of purposes.
Young children grow rapidly at this stage of their lives. They develop confidence and control of the way they move and the way in which they handle tools and equipment. They need to be active and to move about in order to develop many of these fundamental skills.
Successful personal, social and emotional development is critical for very young children in all aspects of their lives. It is also a pre-requisite for their success in all other areas of learning. It is essential that settings provide the experiences and support which enable children to develop a positive sense of themselves.
Understandling the world develops childrens skills, knowledge and understanding that help them to make sense of the world around them. This forms the foundation for later work in science, history and geography, design and technology, information and communication technology.
Mathematical development, including later numeracy, depends on becoming confident and competent in learning and using key skills. These include counting, sorting, matching, seeking patterns and working with numbers, shapes, spaces and measures. Mathematical understanding should be developed through stories, songs, games and imaginative play, so that children begin to enjoy using and experimenting with numbers.


Together in Harmony
Combining Orff Schulwerk and
Music Learning Theory
General music educators are always striving for ways to improve instruction and become better teachers. By combining the learn-by-doing approach of Orff Schulwerk with the sequencing of musical skills in Edwin E. Gordon’s Music Learning Theory, Diane M. Lange truly shows that these two visionary methods work Together in Harmony.
In the first three chapters, Lange covers the basics of Orff Schulwerk, Music Learning Theory, and how they can be coordinated for maximum learning. Chapter 4, the hands-on portion of the book, includes songs and activities that put these ideas into practice. Each activity includes information about suggested grade level, objectives, and instructions for harnessing both Orff Schulwerk and Music Learning Theory.
When the ideas of Orff Schulwerk and Music Learning Theory are combined, each class becomes a musical adventure. These two approaches efficiently achieve the main goal of every music educator: to develop independent musicians who can intelligently communicate their musical ideas.
Diane Lange is Assistant Professor and Division Coordinator of Music Education at the University of Texas at Arlington where she oversees music education and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Early Childhood and Elementary Music Education. Lange has taught elementary music for ten years in both Michigan and Nevada. She received her Orff Levels and Master Class at the University of Memphis and GIML Levels I and II at Michigan State University.


EXAMINING TRANS-SYMBOLIC AND SYMBOL-SPECIFIC PROCESSES IN POETRY AND PAINTING
Alexander, Patricia A
MetadataShow full item record
There is a growing interest in multiliteracies and the processes by which nonlinguistic and multisymbolic compositions are understood. However, as indicated by Unsworth (2008), there is currently no "trans-disciplinary" theoretical framework robust to these examinations. This study investigated the degree to which the Trans-Symbolic Comprehension framework (TSC; Loughlin & Alexander, 2012; Loughlin et al., 2013) might serve this purpose. The TSC posits that every act of comprehension, text or otherwise, entails both trans-symbolic and symbol-specific processes. Trans-symbolic comprehension processes are general processes that are necessary for understanding information encoded in a variety of compositional forms (e.g., text, paintings, musical score, physical formula), while symbol-specific processes are particular to a given symbol-system (e.g., text-specific processes). This study used the symbol systems of language and visual array to determine the viability of the TSC framework. Offline and online comprehension processes measures were administered before, during, and after studying a poem and a painting to capture the comprehension processes used by 12 English and 12 Art education majors. Verbal protocol analyses of these data resulted in the identification of 7 poem and 8 painting comprehension processes, which manifested in 48 associated subprocesses. The 48 comprehension subprocesses were then compared to determine degree of trans-symbolism. It was determined that a significant portion of the comprehension processes and subprocesses were shared; that is, iterative manifestations applied to both poem and painting. However, processes that did not appear to iterate were also identified (e.g., inferring mood). The discovery of these apparent trans-symbolic processes and symbol-specific processes is in line with the predictions of the TSC framework. Implications of this study for education research are discussed, specifically with respect to the burgeoning literature on nonlinguistic literacies. Preliminary implications for educational practice are also drawn in relation to the growing praxis of teaching literature, including poetry, through visual art in middle and high schools, and ongoing policy efforts to expand this type of instruction.


The Prime Minister of Somalia is the head of government and wields considerable power in the affairs of the country. In the recent past, the country has experienced enormous political instability since the collapse of the government led by Mohammed Siad Barre in the early 1990s. To this date, it experiences armed conflicts among militia groups most of which work towards the downfall of the government and seeks to control the main cities such as Mogadishu. However, since the creation of the position of Prime Minister, there have been sixteen of them. There was no recognized government from the year 1991 to 2000 when the order was restored in the country.
Prime Ministers Of Somalia Since 1960
Abdirashid Ali Shermarke
He was the Prime Minister of Somalia from the July 1960 to June 1964. He was later elected the President of the country and served until his assassination in 1969. He was born in 1919 in Harardhere region. He completed his elementary education in 1936 after which he embarked on trading and later joined civil service with the Italian colonialists. He completed his secondary education while serving in the civil service in 1953. He then obtained a scholarship to study political science in Rome, Italy. Upon his return, he was elected to the legislative assembly and on independence; he was appointed the Prime Minister. He then vied for the Presidential elections in 1967 and won. He served as President until his assassination in 1969.
Abdirizak Haji Hussein
He was born in December 1924 and died in January 2014. He served as the Prime Minister between 1964 and 1967. He was largely self-taught and was fluent in both English and Italian. He had an Islamic scholarship background having been taught by his father who was an authority in the religious studies. Early on in his life, he served as an officer in the British Military as a clerk and an interpreter. He also served six months in prison for agitating for the independence of Somalia. Having been elected to the parliament upon the attainment of independence, he served as the Minister of Interior and Public Works and Communication. In the elections of 1964, he was appointed the Premier. When the government was later deposed, he served as a political prisoner.
Mohammad Ali Samatar
He was the Premier from 1987 to 1990. He was born in 1931 and had a military background having studied in the elite Russia Academy. Having served as a Lieutenant General, he served as a minister of defense. He later served as the Vice President and then got nominated for the position of Prime Minister and served for three years.
Muhammad Hawadle Madar
He was the Prime Minister for just a few months starting from September 1990 to January 1991.He had served as a member of the Socialist Party before his appointment. A full blown civil war then erupted after his time in office and another candidate in Umar Ghalib was appointed.
Political Stability in Somalia
The history of the country’s political leadership has been characterized by assassinations and coups that have negatively affected Somalia. However, since the return to democracy in 1990, the government has worked to stabilize the political situation in the country.
|Prime Ministers of Somalia Since 1960||Term(s) in Office|
|Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal||July of 1960; 1967-1969|
|Abdirashid Ali Shermarke||1960-1964|
|Abdirizak Haji Hussein||1964-1967|
|Mohammad Ali Samatar||1987-1990|
|Muhammad Hawadle Madar||1990-1991|
|Umar Arteh Ghalib||1991-1993|
|Ali Khalif Galaydh||2000-2001|
|Hassan Abshir Farah||2001-2003|
|Mohamed Abdi Yusuf||2003-2004|
|Ali Mohammed Ghedi||2004-2007|
|Nur Hassan Hussein||2007-2009|
|Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke (Incumbent)||2009-2010; 2014-Present|
|Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed||2010-2011|
|Abdiweli Mohamed Ali||2011-2012|
|Abdi Farah Shirdon||2012-2013|
|Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed||2013-2014|


Shoes have been polished, name tags carefully ironed on to uniform labels and healthy lunchboxes packed with delicious treats. While you could be forgiven for thinking you have everything ticked off your back to school to-do list, it might be worth adding one more thing.
This week, the Association of Optometrists (AOP) highlighted the link between good vision and academic developing – urging parents to ensure their children are on a level footing this term by booking a sight test.
Recent studies have shown that visual ability can affect reading and writing levels. One particular study published in the British Medical Journal discovered that children with lower visual acuity (a measure of how well we view details) had significantly reduced literacy development even when other factors - think cognitive skills and background - are taken into account.
Optometrist Henry Leonard explains:
"A whole range of things can be affected by poor vision, including schooling and social development. Yet many children will not know if they have a vision problem. With few reference points they may believe the way they see is perfectly normal. While parents should look out for signs, in some cases no symptoms will be apparent so regular sight tests are essential."
"It is estimated one million children in the UK have an undiagnosed vision problem… It's particularly important to detect and correct these problems during early childhood, to ensure that vision develops normally, as it can be difficult or impossible to correct once a child reaches the age of eight or nine. Parents are often quite shocked to realise their child has been struggling with schoolwork due to a visual problem, which can often be corrected with a simple pair of spectacles. It's very rewarding to see a child who was previously struggling, starting to enjoy reading and writing for the first time."
When should you take your child for a sight test?
Experts recommend children are taken for a sight test around the age of three and then every two years, or as advised by your optometrist, so any vision problems can be treated early.
Children under the age of 16 are entitled to NHS-funded sight tests, plus an optical voucher, which entitles parents or carers help towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses, if required.
What happens during the sight test?
- At the beginning of the appointment your optometrist will ask about your family history, your child's health generally and if you have any concerns about their sight. If your child is old enough the optometrist will also speak to them about their vision.
- Several tests will be carried out in the test room to check your child's eyes are healthy. These can include shinning a light into the child's eyes, asking them to follow an object with their eyes and asking them to identify images, words or letters whilst looking through different lenses.
- The optometrist may also include a stereopsis test to check how your child's eyes are working together and a colour vision test to detect colour deficiencies.
- The test will normally take around 20 minutes and you can stay with your child at all times.
- Your optometrist will then let you know if your child would benefit from glasses, or any treatments, and advise when to return for their next sight test.
- It's also worth noting, there are many tests that an optometrist can carry out which are designed to engage children from a very young age or need no response to make the test easier for the child.


Working to Improve Health and Financial Literacy.
Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.
Health literacy is dependent on individual and systemic factors:
Communication skills of lay persons and professionals
Lay and professional knowledge of health topics
Demands of the healthcare and public health systems
Demands of the situation/context
Interested in a GED?
Bainbridge College EC Campus
Health literacy affects people’s ability to:
Navigate the healthcare system, including filling out complex forms and locating providers and services
Share personal information, such as health history, with providers
Engage in self-care and chronic-disease management
Understand mathematical concepts such as probability and risk
Health literacy includes numeracy skills. For example, calculating cholesterol and blood sugar levels, measuring medications, and understanding nutrition labels all require math skills. Choosing between health plans or comparing prescription drug coverage requires calculating premiums, copays, and deductibles.
In addition to basic literacy skills, health literacy requires knowledge of health topics. People with limited health literacy often lack knowledge or have misinformation about the body as well as the nature and causes of disease. Without this knowledge, they may not understand the relationship between lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise and various health outcomes.
Health information can overwhelm even people with advanced literacy skills. Medical science progresses so rapidly that what we learned last year often becomes outdated or forgotten, or it is incomplete.
Why do we care?
Only 12 percent of adults have proficient health literacy, according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy. In other words, nearly nine out of ten adults may lack the skills needed to manage their health and prevent disease. Fourteen percent of American adults (30 million people) have below basic health literacy. These adults were more likely to report their health as poor (42 percent) and are more likely to lack health insurance (28 percent) than adults with proficient health literacy.
Low literacy has been linked to poor health outcomes such as higher rates of hospitalization and less frequent use of preventive services. Both of these outcomes are associated with higher healthcare costs.
We must work together to ensure that health information and services can be understood and used by all Early County residents. We must engage in skill building with healthcare consumers and health professionals. Adult educators in our GED program can be productive partners in reaching adults with limited literacy skills.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) defines financial literacy as: “The ability to make informed judgments and to take effective actions regarding the current and future use and management of money.”
The ability to understand financial choices
Plan for the future
Manage the challenges associated with life events like: -Job loss-Saving for retirement-Paying for a child’s education
An international survey recently found that American teens scored in the middle of the pack when it came to answering finance-related questions. The survey found that 18 percent of the American 15-year-olds surveyed could not answer basic financial questions or handle simple tasks, like understanding an invoice.
The United States has one of the most developed financial markets in the world, and a country with the most developed financial markets should not be average, given the decisions young people are already asked to make, like whether to take out student loans. Just as students learn math and English, they should learn financial literacy because it is also a basic skill that young people need. Although research on the effectiveness of financial literacy courses is mixed, that doesn’t matter….In other words, personal finance is so important that it should be part of a curriculum, regardless of whether it’s proven to influence later financial decisions or not.


To inspire students to reduce their own and their community’s use of single-use plastics in the form of bags, bottles, and other packaging.
Made possible by the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation and Patagonia, Bag It is offering 300 educational DVDs and curriculum packets free of charge to schools around the world. We encourage you to watch the film and then submit a Plastic-Free School Project: a creative, inventive project that reduces your own and your community’s use of single-use plastics.
By creating a project, you will delve into the world of social impact and learn how rewarding it is to make a difference and create real change. We are partnering with the Story of Stuff and Algalita Marine Research to offer you more resources to get involved!
Visit the Student Projects link to see what projects students took on after watching Bag It last year!
(See How Can We Participate? for more on these programs)
Funding for the Plastic Free School Project has been provided by Patagonia and the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation. The Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation founded by Jack and Kim Johnson to support environmental, art, and music education now and into the future.


This term I have used some amazing tools, online and 'manual' to support me in my teaching of comprehension strategies.
- Our school has adopted the First Steps program. This staff development program comes with comprehensive manuals and great resources. The trainers are professional, experienced and inspirational. The resource books include heaps of fun teaching ideas, games and guidelines. Unfortunately, the program is not online or interactive, but still a fantastic teaching and planning resource. The program is in line with the new NZ curriculum, but I'm sure is adaptable to most international curriculums, and is being used world-wide.
- In our reading resource room, I came across a long-forgotten gem: SRA Reading Laboratory. I remember using it as a child, and I believe that my life-long love of reading can be directly attributed to this program. Although our set is a bit out-dated, it's still relevant and interesting for my pupils. How do I know? Well, they love it. I haven't seen kids so enthusiastic about written comprehension tests for ages. Even the boys have taken to the self-evaluating 'Power Builders', and work independantly and steadily, with very little motivation from me.
- My all-time favourite online tool this term has been Into the Book. I have downloaded beautiful posters, songs and worksheets from the Teacher's Area. The Student's area is colourful, interactive and exactly on the right level for my Year 5's. The kids love the songs and we have been using the videos each week on the Smartboard as a whole class activity to introduce the strategy of the week. There are usually 3 or 4 interactive lessons to support each strategy, so I've been using them as follow-ups during our daily warm-up lesson before we break into groups. They focus on eight research-based strategies: Using Prior Knowledge, Making Connections, Questioning, Visualizing, Inferring, Summarizing, Evaluating and Synthesizing. Your class can watch their engaging 15-minute videos, and try the online interactive activities.
- Another favourite website is Busy Teacher's Cafe. This cute website is jam-packed with teacher-friendly tools. It has a special area for Language Arts, with links to a variety of great resources.
- If you haven't found Woodlands Junior School's website yet, check it out now. This award-winning British school site is fantastic! Although the interface is a bit staid, and not as flashy as some sites, it is not only super for Literacy, but also really useful for Maths and other learning areas. They have a link to some very handy comprehension tests, which are great for kids to do in their literacy computer time.
- For excellent, colourful posters on Reading Comprehension strategies, try the Santa-Maria Bonita Schools website. I have downloaded and laminated these posters, and am filing them in a ring-binder for use with guided reading lessons.
- For loads more links check out the comprehension tag on my Del.icio.us bookmarks!
In Room 24 we all agree: Reading Rocks!


Read Well by Third Grade
As written in MN Statute 120B.12, a school district must adopt a local literacy plan to have every child reading at or above grade level no later than the end of grade 3. A local literacy “plan must include a process to assess students' level of reading proficiency, notify and involve parents, intervene with students who are not reading at or above grade level, and identify and meet staff development needs. The district must post its literacy plan on the official school district Web site.”
Reading well by third grade is one of many developmental milestones in a child’s educational experience. Literacy development starts at an early age and is the basis for all academic success. Reading well by grade three ensures that a student has a solid foundation of literacy skills to continue to expand their understandings of what they read, make meaning, and transfer that learning across all subject areas. Instruction that provides the basis for all students to read well by third grade and beyond will help close the achievement gap and ensure that all students are ready for the demands of college and the workplace.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN?
The purpose of this Literacy Plan is to provide an overview of how our dedicated 318 Staff will; continually work to improve the academic achievement of all students by identifying needs, implement research-based instructions, engage in on-going study and self-reflection to improve the shared practice of teaching, and involve parents and the community in a joint partnership to stay actively responsive to the needs of our children.
Click here to review the ISD 318 Read Well by Third Grade plan.


Kindergarten Science Projects Video for Kids
Don’t miss a great chosen and really easy to understand Kindergarten Science Projects science kids video:
About this Kindergarten Science Projects Video
In this video, you will be able to see a fun kindergarten science project. This video shows an experiment with different kinds of soda and Mentos as kindergarten kids try to find out which of the sodas is the fizziest. Watch how the kids have fun with this easy and messy experiment as they try mixing Mentos with diet soda, generic cola, generic lemon-lime soda, generic orange soda and root beer.
Watch this excellent Kindergarten Science Projects for kids video and quickly enhance your young children’s all about Kindergarten Science Projects.
This Kindergarten Science Projects video is truly excellent for kids, from those partaking in early learning programs for Kindergarten children, till national school children, certainly alongside young youngsters and children educated at home.
Well then, deepen your youngster’s comprehending our available cost-free educational videos for kids, personally selected by our deputy editor. These videos are a comprehensive selection of science for kids videos freely available on our science kids website. Explore numerous more remarkable and useful albeit enjoyable science facts on our children’s science enrichment website about many more intriguing topics, and let your kids learn more by doing our lots of FREEBIE enjoyable worksheets, interactive online quizzes with a rating system and complimentary children games online.
Appreciated this Kindergarten Science Projects video? Find extended info about Mentos and Soda Projects.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Kindergarten Science Projects Video for Kids - ." Easy Science for Kids, Jul 2017. Web. 28 Jul 2017. < http://easyscienceforkids.com/kindergarten-science-projects-video-for-kids/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2017). Kindergarten Science Projects Video for Kids -. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from http://easyscienceforkids.com/kindergarten-science-projects-video-for-kids/


Piano and Keyboard
Learn the Berklee Piano Method
Develop your piano technique and gain a greater command of the keyboard in a variety of musical styles including blues, rock, and jazz.
Courses are best for students who are looking to meet a specific need, or simply want to get started with Berklee Online. No application necessary.
Learn the Berklee approach to keyboard in this 12-week course. Master the basics of technique and chord voicings, and gain an understanding of more advanced concepts including interpretation of lead sheets and improvisation.
Learn the art of Jazz improvisation from Gary Burton, one of the most renowned improvisers in the jazz world. Learn different types and styles of compositions from the perspective of the improviser, and take an in-depth look at how mental, harmonic, and melodic processes contribute to the instinctive skills that an improviser puts to use when taking a solo.
Study the theory and harmonic concepts common to blues and rock styles, and learn the licks, techniques, patterns, and improvisation styles associated with shuffles, New Orleans piano, rock and roll and modern rock piano, and solo blues piano.
Learn a step-by-step approach to improvisation that applies to all styles and any instrument. Develop your solos by studying the riffs and licks of legendary players, and learn to incorporate the inflexions, feel, and nuances of the masters into your own playing!
Strengthen your command of the melodies, harmonies, and rhythms that make up the rich art form of jazz on the piano or keyboard.
Certificate programs are 3-18 months in duration and are designed for students who want to gain a deeper proficiency in a chosen area. No application necessary.
Master Certificates (8-12 Courses)
Professional Certificates (4-6 Courses)
Specialist Certificates (3 Courses)
The courses in this music theory certificate program will help you gain the foundational knowledge necessary to read, write, and understand music's inner workings, and deepen your understanding of rhythm, scales, chord progressions, and harmony.
In this music theory program, you'll learn how to turn your musical impulses into concise information that you can share with anyone. Gain a concrete musical foundation in rhythm, chords, scales, and progressions, and the musical tools ready at your disposal to create your next music project with ease.
Degree programs are the most affordable and flexible option for earning your music degree from Berklee College of Music. They are the best option for students who want a music education degree and the full Berklee experience.
“Build your own” music major by selecting coursework from a number of disciplines that align with your personal career goals.
This major is geared specifically for new and entering students who are not yet ready to declare their major.
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The performing arts include music, theater, and dance. The art of
music is all about sound. Its elements include rhythm, pitch, and
dynamics, as well as texture and timbre. Music, as an art, involves
musical performances as well as music education and composition.
Musical compositions and performances may be intended for ceremonial or
religious purposes; other music is composed simply for entertainment and
The art of theater involves actors who perform and play out stories in
front of audiences. Theatrical performances may include dialogue,
dance, and sound. Dramatic plays, ballet performances, and operas
are all examples of the performing arts. The Library of Congress
features an online Performing Arts Encyclopedia.
Musical instruments, used in many artistic performances, are devices that
produce musical sounds. The primary types of musical instruments,
based on how they produce sound, are percussion instruments, stringed
instruments, and wind instruments. Many types of musical instruments
are used in various cultures throughout the world, but guitars and
musical keyboards are the
most popular musical instruments in the United States.
Our performing arts-related video resources include a musician
playing an acoustic guitar and a teacher and student
playing a piano duet together.
- Acoustic Guitars
Guide to acoustic guitars, acoustic bass guitars, and guitar packages.
- Bass Guitars
Guide to bass guitars, especially electric basses.
- Electric Guitars
Electric guitar guide and guitar manufacturer directory.
- Guitar Amplifiers
Guide to guitar amps, reverbs, digital effects, and pro audio equipment.
- Music Keyboards
Learn about digital pianos, music synthesizers, and organs.
Copyright © 2008-2016 Chosen Sites™. All rights reserved.
Chosen Sites > Performing Arts Products And Services


EARLY MUSIC EDUCATION CAN AID IN DEVELOPING DISCIPLINE AND FOCUS AMONG CHILDREN
By Anna Tham
WHEN is comes to music education, there are parents who are divided about its benefits to their children’s development. Should it be given priority equal to that of academic subjects like history, mathematics and science for example?
Many studies have been done over the years and the general conclusion is that music is good for children. However, research and tests are still on-going to determine the specifics of its benefits.
A study done in 1993 by scientists at the University of California at Irvine, found that listening to classical music before a test could improve one’s memory.
However, this study, known as the ‘Mozart Effect’, has been conducted by other researchers could not provide the same findings. While there is no evidence that music enhances memory, it does not mean that music education is not important.
According to Kindermusik, a popular children’s music programme, learning music “encourages self-discipline and diligence traits that carry over into mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history and geography”.
Findings from a study conducted at Sam Houston State University in Texas reports that early music training can improve intelligence.
It’s said that “strong correlations were found between musical abilities in young children – particularly the ability to match vocal pitches and reproduce rhythmic patterns – and abstract reasoning abilities”.
Apart from intellectual benefits, I personally think that music education helps children develop discipline, focus, self-esteem and confidence.
My daughter is currently enrolled in a junior music course. Like most children, she has problems concentrating. However, she knows that in order to receive praise and applause, she has to focus and practice consistently, and does try to do that sometimes.
At the end of each semester, there is a mini concert where each child sings and plays individually for the audience. They also perform an ensemble. This develops confidence and team spirit. Even the most reserved and shy child can be seen performing without any problem.
Music also helps the child develop his fine and gross motor skills and rhythm sense when he participates in music and movement activities, for example jumping and skipping to music and using his fingers in action songs.
Research ahs found that the human brain has specialized parts to process music. As such, exposure to music developed cognitive skills, visuo-spatial capabilities, and perception, thus improving intelligence.
According to a youth arts project by the US Department of Justice National Endowment for the Arts, arts education has a measurable impact on youth in deterring delinquent behaviour and truancy problems.
It also increases overall academic performance among those youth engaged in after school and summer arts programmes targeted towards delinquency prevention.
If you do not wish to spend too much for music education initially, you could simply start at home by more consciously engaging your child in singing and moving to music, and listening to various types of music from ethnic and classical to jazz and rock.
Bouncing your baby on your lap in a rhythmic way while singing is already exposing him to music. Make musical instruments such as drums and shakers in craft projects, clap and dance to different rhythms. Find free and useful resources from the Internet to help you get started.
Bringing up children
Tuesday, September 23, 2008


Developing Better Reading is a concentrated phonics course of 30 lessons. Students who missed phonics instruction in the first two grades would benefit from this study taken slowly through the year. Poor readers in the upper grades or adult level could also benefit.
The first five lessons present five basic understandings—the alphabet, the consonants and their sounds, the vowels and their sounds, the meaning of a syllable, and the meaning of an accent. Syllables and accents are important because many pronunciation rules are based on syllabication and accents.
Included in this course are lists of words that are to be used as oral reading tests, thus permitting a teacher to check each pupil's progress.
Definitions and rules of pronunciation, spelling, and syllabication are simply and clearly stated and distributed throughout the book to provide for a systematic and logical learning process.
The teacher's manual includes answers and detailed instructions for class procedures, review, and testing mastery of the material. Use of the phonics flash cards (from the Bible Nurture and Reader Series) is woven into this course.
Table of Contents
- Instructions for the Teacher
- Exercises for Ear Training
- Flash Cards Introduced in Each Lesson
Daily Lesson Instructions
- 1. The Alphabet
- 2. Consonants
- 3. Vowels
- 4. Syllables
- 5. Accent
- 6. Short a
- 7. Short e
- 8. Short i
- 9. Short o
- 10. Short u
- 11. Words Ending With s
- 12. Adding Suffixes ed and ing
- 13. Two-Syllable Words Ending With y
- 14. Long and Short Vowel Sounds
- 15. Long Vowel Sounds
- 16. Vowel Digraphs
- 17. Consonant Digraphs
- 18. Initial Consonant Blends
- 19. Final Consonant Blends
- 20. Two-Syllable Words Ending in le
- 21. Other Vowel Sounds and Compound Words
- 22. Vowel Blends--Diphthongs
- 23. Vowel Sounds With Certain Consonants
- 24. How Some Letters Sound With Certain Other Letters
- 25. Irregular Vowel Sounds
- 26. Irregular Consonant Sounds and Silent Letters
- 27. Sounds That Letters and Letter Combinations May Have
- 28. Prefixes
- 29. Two-, Three-, Four-, Five-, and Six-Syllable Words
- 30. General Review
- Glossary of Phonetic Terms, Rules, and Sounds


Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Geography in a connected primary school curriculum
Related sites to the Spatialworlds project
21st Century Geography Google Group
Australian Geography Teachers' Association website
'Towards a National Geography Curriculum' project website
Geography Teachers' Association of South Australia website
Where am I??
Adelaide, Australia: S: 34º 55' E: 138º 36'
YouTube video of the trial at .
Is connected curriculum the way to go for geography in the primary school
Listen to Sue Toone, Principal of Nuriootpa Primary School, talk about the connected curriculum Geography trial conducted at her school in October 2011.
The trial focussed on the integration of the draft Australian Curriculum: Geography into the schools connected curriculum. A thematic curriculum focussed in 2011 on the theme of Past, Present and Future, with geography being integrated into the learning modules from Foundation to Year 7.
Thanks to the generosity of the Nuriootpa Primary School students and teachers in giving permission for their teaching materials and reflections to be part of this blog. In particular, thanks to Principal Sue Toone for supporting the Australian Curriculum: Geography trial at Nuriootpa Primary School.


"Music can help people relax. It's one of those activities that lets the mind wander freely. We need to let go sometimes and just go with the flow, that's music's main purpose. It can transport the listener to other places, different times in their lives and even give them hope and courage," says Lampert. "Music can also help people focus. My 12-year-old cousin used to tell me how, if he practiced his instrument 30 minutes before each hockey game, his performance [on the ice] was better. Music helps wash away the cobwebs and clear your mind."
"Find an instrument you feel attracted to and buy it," says Lampert. "Try to learn it on your own first (through friends, books, YouTube, etc.), then take lessons. A professor at York University [in Toronto] told his class something years ago and I still spread the message today: 'All you have to do is practice five minutes a day to become a good musician.' I believe in this message and promote it because I know it works."
Music is fun. It's easy. And anyone can play. Music can be silly and different and there is no right or wrong way to create it. Lampert says music can also help build relationships among people of all ages and social standings. "We do team-building workshops for major corporations where the CEO plays drums with mailroom staff. This really breaks down walls and helps promote a healthy work environment. It also increases productivity."
We've all heard the stories about arts budgets being slashed in schools. Lampert says that's a bad idea, because music helps kids establish a sense of well-being and community. "Playing drums or music in an ensemble brings everyone onto the same level. Kids will start to understand that every individual is important to creating the band's sound." Playing an instrument can also build character, helping build self-esteem and confidence, he adds. "Each time you do it, you get better and therefore feel better about yourself. Aristotle wrote, 'Music has a power of forming the character and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young.' That's why I've created Mystic Drumz."
Mystic Drumz provides world music education to people of all ages. They travel to schools and corporations and have performed more than 2,500 shows in four countries, reaching more than 500,000 people. To learn more about music and how to add it to your life, visit www.mysticdrumz.com.
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There are many toddler activities that focus on gross motor skills and permit for child development to occur during play, such as it is found in a daycare environment. At the same time, these activities allow for professional assessment of a child with respect to any potential developmental road blocks.
Here we look at couple effective and simple techniques that do not require the purchase of equipment or tools.
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Color on the Floor
There is nary a toddler who does not enjoy coloring; subsequently, it is one of their favorite activities. Make coloring a gross motor activity by placing a large sheet of paper – such as what may be ripped off a roll of butcher paper – onto the floor.
Encourage the children to color, but have them do so on their hands and knees. The motor skills exercised in art activities such as this one deal directly with spatial self-awareness as well as visual spatial execution.
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Color on the Wall - With Your Toes!
Older toddlers still greatly benefit from gross motor activities, but their motor skills are more advanced. For this exercise, tape the butcher paper to the wall, and show the children how to place a crayon between their toes. Encourage the children to color onto the butcher paper, but only use crayons held with their toes.
This activity actually combines visual spatial execution, spatial self-awareness, and also motor planning. It may also be used to improve fine motor skills as well. You will find that this is one of the toddler activities that leads to a lot of hooting and hollering in addition to sound child development.
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Understanding the Need for Gross Motor Activities for Toddlers
Bright Hub’s own Mayflor Markusic penned an important article entitled “Identifying Problems With Gross Motor Skills." Within it, she underscores the importance of utilizing gross motor activities in toddler playtime to ensure normal child development. In her article, Ms. Markusic also outlines examples of such motor skills, including bodily locale awareness, motor planning, and visual spatial execution.
Another Bright Hub writer, Donna Cosmato, goes back even further in the article “Infant and Toddler Gross Motor Skill Development," which addresses gross motor activities for infants and very young toddlers, showing that it is never too early to start reinforcing these skills.
Playtime should always be fun, but by incorporating some purposeful developmentally appropriate activities, you can further healthy child development at the same time.


Bacci, F, Melcher, D. (2009). Art and the Senses. New York: Oxford University Press.
Beech, J. (2014). Special Educational Needs. Available: http://www.art-education.org.uk/special-educational-needs/. Last accessed 6th April 2015.
Bell, M. (2006). Visual Journaling. [Online] [Accessed on 23/03/2015] http://visualjournaling.com
Cooper, S, L. (2013) Special Education Needs in Practice (Revised Edition): A step-by-step guide to developing a SEN inclusion policy and delivering the requirements of Early Years Action Plus. No place of publication: Andrews UK Limited.
Davalos, S, R. (1999). Making sense of art: sensory-based art activities for children with autism, Asperger syndrome, and pervasive development disorders. Kansas: Autism Asperger Publishing Co.
Deaver, S, P, McAuliffe, G. (2009). ‘Reflective visual journaling during art therapy and counselling internships: a qualitative study’ Reflective Practice. Vol 10 (5) pp. 615-632.
Gardner, B. (2015). The joys of learning outside the classroom. [Online] [Accessed on 24/03/2015] https://www.senmagazine.co.uk/articles/articles/senarticles/the-joys-of-learning-outside-the-classroom
Gurung, R, A, R, Chick, N, L, Haynie, A. (2009). Exploring signature pedagogies: approaches to teaching disciplinary habits of mind. Virginia: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Herne, S, Cox, S, Watts, R. (2009). Readings in Primart Art Education. Bristol: Intellect Books.
Hodge, D. (2008-2014). What is art journaling? Art journaling defined. [Online] [Accessed on 23/03//2015] http://debbiehodge.com/2010/03/defining-art-journaling/
Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Kyriacou, C. (1998). Developing your Teacher Skills. In: Simon, S Essential Teaching Skills. 2nd ed. London: Nelson Thornes. p16-20.
Lotc. (2009). Benefits for Early Years of Learning Outside the Classroom. [Online] [Accessed on 24/03/2015] http://www.lotc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Benefits-for-Early-Years-LOtC-Final-5AUG09.pdf
Malchiodi, C. (2010). Cool Art Therapy Intervention #4: Visual Journaling. [Online] [Accessed on 24/03/2015] https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/arts-and-health/201006/cool-art-therapy-intervention-4-visual-journaling
Persky, B, Golubchick, L, H. (1991). Early Childhood Education. 2nd Edition. London: University Press of America, Inc.
Rohloff, R, P. (2008). Life Excavation Through the Imaginarium: An Emancipatory Model of Arts-based Inquiry. Ann Arbor: ProQuest LLC.
Scott, E, M, Modler, D, R. (2010). The Journal Junkies Workshop: visual ammunition for the art addict. Devon: David & Charles.
SensoryArt. (2012). What is sensory art therapy? [Online] [Accessed on 31/0/3/2015] http://www.sensoryart.ca/about.php
Thompson, K. (2011). Therapeutic journal writing: an introduction for professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Thong, M. (2006). The art of caring – creative interventions for children with social, emotional and behavioural needs. Available: http://www.collegeofteachers.ac.uk/content/art-caring-creative-interventions-children-social-emotional-and-behavioural-needs. Last accessed 7th April 2015.


Orphan Impact equips disadvantaged students with the critical thinking and technology skills they need to succeed in the future. Orphan Impact has already trained over 600 Vietnamese children in 20 different orphanages. $48,000 of this year’s grant will go toward expanding the program in Vietnam to 10 more orphanages, bringing the total to 30.
The international expansion of the program will enable Orphan Impact to establish computer classes in 2 Chinese migrant schools. The pilot program will be started in Shanghai in partnership with Stepping Stones. Stepping Stones is a nonprofit charitable organization with a mission to improve the education and welfare of underprivileged children in China.
Mr. Liu is the principal of the other school, which was started in 2000. They have 600 students from 7-15 years old, and although there are 26 teachers, none of them specialize in technology.
The grant will enable these migrant children to receive new computer equipment and lessons from trained teachers on how to use technology. These foundational skills are essential to helping the students eventually make a livelihood.
The classes will benefit middle school students, who have been selected for the pilot program because they are at the end of their educational road. At the end of grade 9, they will go out to work, or at best receive vocational training—they won’t be able to continue to high school or college.
The tech education will be taught in lieu of English, which the students have no motivation to learn. Orphan Impact’s educational model will give the youth more consistent attention and support. A computer training based around practical skills and focused on broader life skills can make a big difference in the future of these children.
The grant was officially given to Orphan Impact on March 12, 2016 at the Evening of Hope gala. The dinner and auction event was hosted by Kidspire (Orphan Impact’s parent organization) in Portland, Oregon.
“With their previous grants, Chao Foundation and Transparent Fish Fund have already helped us double our impact in Vietnam,” said Tad Kincaid, Orphan Impact’s Project Director. “We’re excited that this year’s grant will enable us to not only reach 300 more orphans in Vietnam but to also start helping 1300 children in China too.”
About Chao Foundation
Chao Foundation was founded in California’s Silicon Valley in 2005 by Ping and Amy. The foundation was established to fund nonprofit and public welfare initiatives that (1) improve children’s health in developing countries; and (2) nurture a spirit of philanthropy among the younger generation in China and of the greater Chinese Diaspora. While the Chao Foundation is based in the Bay Area and has local projects, many of its programs focus on developing countries in East Asia.
About Transparent Fish Fund
Transparent Fish Fund is a 501(c)(3) US non-profit organization founded in 2011 in Palo Alto, California, established exclusively for charitable purposes to connect credible Chinese and East Asian grassroots NGOs with individuals from the West. The greater mission behind this work is to foster a sustainable long-term NGO culture in East Asia, and in doing so, spread a global spirit of philanthropy.


Value of Literature-Based Instruction for All Students
There is growing evidence favoring literature-based programs for students
experiencing difficulty. Literature offers a rich background from which to
learn vocabulary, to accumulate knowledge about written language, and to
develop literacy skills (Morrow, O'Connor, & Smith, 1990). Literature-based
programs provide a meaningful basis from which to learn skills and strategies
(Tunnell & Jacobs, 1989). Literature-based programs can lead to increased
use of literature for independent reading and improved attitudes toward reading
for students experiencing difficulty in learning (Morrow, 1992). Literature-based
programs can also result in higher test scores for those students (Roser, Hoffman,
& Farest, 1990).
Gifted and Talented Students
Gifted students benefit from an environment that encourages risk taking,
learning by trial and error, and finding solutions to real problems.
Teachers can meet the needs of gifted students by equipping them with strategies
for locating resources, by observing and facilitating students' independent work,
and by finding ways for them to contribute to the larger community of the classroom
and school (Cohen, 1987). Within the context of literature-based programs, there are
many such opportunities.
Students Acquiring English
Students acquiring English need a strong and supportive context for learning, one in
which they can experiment with language without fear of failure, one in which the
acquisition of literacy in a second language is seen as an exciting and meaningful
endeavor (Rueda, 1991).
Teachers can encourage students to enhance their oral and written communication with
activities such as dramatization and art. In conversations, they can focus on the message
students are conveying rather than elements of form, grammar, and pronunciation (Allen, 1991).
Literature and literature-based instruction provide a rich source of language, vocabulary,
and syntax in a way that oral language alone cannot. A thematic organization of literature
offers ways to extend linguistic support and to offer a variety of reasons to read, write,
and talk (Allen, 1991).
Students of Diverse Cultural Backgrounds
Students learn best and are more highly motivated when the school curriculum reflects their
cultures, experiences, and perspectives (Banks, 1989). Studies demonstrate that the school
performance of students of diverse cultures can be increased when steps are taken to create
for them culturally familiar and comfortable classroom situations (Heath, 1983). Perhaps the
best documented example of this is the Kamehameha Elementary Education Program (KEEP), with
native Hawaiian students (Tharp & Gallimore, 1988). One of the features of traditional
Hawaiian culture is that storytelling is a group rather than an individual activity. When
classroom practices were restructured to include this type of cultural interaction pattern,
dramatic gains in student literacy were seen.
In addition to the academic gains that can be achieved by motivated students with healthy
self-concepts, addressing diverse cultural backgrounds in literature also helps students to
develop social sensitivity to the needs of others and to understand the similarities as well
as differences among people (Norton, 1990). This, in turn, helps students better understand
See also Multicultural/Diverse Perspective Instruction
Go on to Meeting Individual Needs of All Students References
Back to Organizational Patterns
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The research and science we considered
in the development of CAPIT Reading.
Research has established that the development of reading comprehension is highly dependent on a student’s ability to read written words accurately and fluently. Moreover, research shows that automaticity of word reading is directly related to cognitive resources devoted to constructing meaning from text (e.g., Jenkins, Fuchs, van den Broek, Espin, & Deno, 2003; Walczyk, 2000). Therefore, reading researchers view word reading and listening comprehension as the essential skills required to comprehend written text. This view is the central tenet in the Simple View of Reading framework (Gough, Hoover, & Peterson, 1996; Hoover & Gough, 1990), wherein reading ability (i.e., reading comprehension) is the product of a reader’s decoding (or word reading) skill and linguistic (or listening) comprehension.
As decoding skills are best taught through an organized synthetic phonics program, it should come as no surprise that:
Findings have provided solid support for the conclusion that systematic phonics instruction makes a bigger contribution to children’s growth in reading than alternative programs providing unsystematic or no phonics instruction. (NRP, 2000, 2-92)
Students taught phonics systematically outperformed students who were taught a variety of non-systematic or non-phonics programs, including basal programs, whole language approaches, and whole-word programs. (NRP, 2000, 2-95)
And wherein reading comprehension is the product of a reader’s decoding skill and linguistic (or listening) comprehension, it should not surprise that:
Growth in reading comprehension is also boosted by systematic phonics instruction for younger students and reading disabled students. These findings should dispel any belief that teaching phonics systematically to young children interferes with their ability to read and comprehend text. Quite the opposite is the case. (NRP, 2000, 2-94)
Given these conclusions, CAPIT Reading’s PK-2 approach to learning to read is a phonics based approach, which is based on the English sound system. For example, the word “cat” has three sounds, /c/ /a/ /t/. Each “Sound” in English can be spelled in multiple ways. For example, the sound /r/ can be “r” as in rake, “R” as in Run, “wr” as in wrench, and “rh” as in rhino (see Figure 1). No other language in the world has so many “Spelling Patterns” for its Sounds of speech. This is why the English writing system is harder to learn than almost any other.
Figure 1. The /r/ Sound and its four Spelling Patterns in CAPIT Reading.
A comprehensive curriculum for English would, by necessity, teach each and every “Sound” of the English language—all 46 phonemes—and then teach how each of these “Sounds” are spelled. The work of reading researchers and in particular Dr. Diane McGuinness guided our instructional design decisions. But to our knowledge, no comprehensive effort has ever been made to properly categorize the entire English sound system, and to layer-and-stack these spelling patterns into a coherent curriculum. In our estimation, the 46 Sounds of English can be spelled in about 180 Spelling Patterns. The CAPIT Reading curriculum teaches students to read English by first teaching the 46 Sounds, and then teaches them how to spell those sounds, one
The CAPIT Reading curriculum puts into practice the recommendations from the NRP (2000) Report and does what no other English curriculum has attempted before: a synthetic phonics program that teaches the entire English alphabetic code, without omitting a single Sound or Spelling
Additionally, to help facilitate Sound to Symbol correspondence, CAPIT Reading provides a “visual mnemonic” for every single letter in the English alphabet, both lowercase and uppercase. These visual mnemonics (see Figure 2 for two examples) help establish an objective association in the student’s mind between the Sound and Spelling, unburdening the student’s memory, and easing the learning process.
Aside from the visual component, CAPIT Reading provides physical toys, so the students can physically touch the sounds and hold them in their hand. Each letter comes with a corresponding toy. We call them: Tactile Visual Mnemonics™ (CAPIT Toys). The NRP (2000; see also
Researchers have reported that in their 1st and 2nd grade cohorts, oral language (i.e.
A systematic phonics program that employs a consistent and singular approach in the teaching of Sound to Spelling associations can help fill the decoding gaps in student’s reading ability.
Figure 2. Example of the use of Visual Mnemonics in establishing sound to symbol correspondence.


The Profile of Phonological Awareness (Pro-PA) was developed for the purpose of evaluating and describing the phonological awareness skills of children. Phonological awareness skills are related to speech sound and literacy development and should be assessed in children with difficulties in speech, language and/or reading (Catts, 1993; Gillon, 2002, 2005). Describing phonological awareness skills in students can make it easier for educators and clinicians to target early, and even later, reading difficulties as these foundational skills are strongly related to early and later reading skills (Catts, 1993; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000; Stanovich, 2000), writing skills (Clarke-Klein & Hodson, 1995), and speech and language skills (Carroll & Snowling, 2004; Gillon, 2000, 2002, 2005). This evaluation can be considered as part of a full speech, language, and/or literacy evaluation or can be stand alone.
The Profile of Phonological Awareness can be used to:
-Collect information regarding an individual’s phonological awareness skills.
-Help educators and clinicians choose areas of skill development to target, if required;
-Measure treatment effectiveness and skill growth over time;
-Ability to enter students’ information and track their progress overtime;
-Tests most areas of phonological awareness development with separate information about consonant clusters;
-Offers ability to choose which sections to administer and ability to skip sections without compromising totals;
-Ability to see students’ skill levels at a glance with colour coded scores;
-Ability to see a group of students’ average skill levels at a glance with colour coded scores;
-E-mail and/or print test results immediately after its administration;
-Color changing counter included to help students visualize segmenting and provide support to students when attempting segmenting;
-Automatic analyses of the following skill areas:
1. Rhyming – Identification and production
2. Blending – Syllables and sounds in words (including consonant clusters)
3. Isolating – First, last, and middle sounds in words
4. Segmenting – Words, syllables, and sounds (including consonant clusters)
5. Deleting – Syllables and the first sound in words (including consonant clusters)
6. Substituting – First and last sound in words
-Compatible with iPad running iOS 4.0 or later;
-Add notes throughout the assessment, with prewritten common errors or answer patterns available for faster administration;
The Pro-PA aids in obtaining a complete picture of a student’s individual skills in phonological awareness by assessing and analyzing errors and providing information about the approximate skill attainment in each individual area. An understanding of the profile of skill attainment as well as specific types of errors made by a child, which can be outlined in the notes, will result in an intervention plan that can more appropriately and specifically target the child’s phonological awareness difficulties.
The Pro-PA was developed by Tanya Coyle, a Canadian speech-language pathologist, and published by Smarty Ears. It can be used with individuals of all age groups.
A full manual is available at www.smartyearsapps.com.


What is the first letter of the alphabet that most young children learn? The first letter of their name. Why? Because they care; it means something to them. This concept kind of defines natural, functional literacy. It's natural because it's part of the child's everyday life and it's functional because it serves a purpose. The child can say "This is MY name."
Our question as early educators is how to maximize the opportunities for natural, functional literacy development in our programs. We have to provide a print-rich environment. We should set up an attractive class library that is in a quiet part of the room and offers a wide variety of books that cover the range of the reading abilities of the children in our care. Ideally, some of these books will stay the same to provide continuity and repetition, but some of the books will rotate, perhaps according to the season or according to concepts being taught.
Your dramatic play / housekeeping center probably already has food boxes with printed labels. How about simple recipe cards and blank cards for children to write their own recipes? Long strips of paper for children to create shopping lists? A telephone book? If you change this center out occasionally, how about a menu and an order pad for the customer and server in your restaurant?
Your writing center is a great place for a simple dictionary. It may include stationery, envelopes, cards and postcards so that children can write letters to parents, grandparents or friends.
Your block center can include books about architecture or particular interesting buildings. Or paper and pens so that children can label their buildings. How about graph paper so that they can draw "blueprints" of their creations? Did they build a McDonald's or Home Depot? Let them make a sign for the building. Adding cars to your block center? How about including maps, auto repair manuals, or receipt books for those auto repairs?
Look around your program and think of other ways in which you can make language more meaningful for the children in your care.


The excerpt below is taken from the paper, “A Mathematician’s Lament,” by Paul Lockhart. Lockhart also has a recent book by the same name, that is based off of the original paper. This excerpt is a little less than what you get when you sample the book on iTunes, so I believe it is safe to share here.
I must say I don’t agree with Mr. Lockhart’s perspectives on how to fix the problems prevalent in math education. However, he does an excellent job of giving you a mathematician’s perspective on the problems. It is clear that he feels very passionate about this issue, as do the rest of us who are paying attention. That is why I share this here.
A musician wakes from a terrible nightmare. In his dream he finds himself in a society where music education has been made mandatory. “We are helping our students become more competitive in an increasingly sound-filled world.” Educators, school systems, and the state are put in charge of this vital project. Studies are commissioned, committees are formed, and decisions are made— all without the advice or participation of a single working musician or composer.
Since musicians are known to set down their ideas in the form of sheet music, these curious black dots and lines must constitute the “language of music.” It is imperative that students become fluent in this language if they are to attain any degree of musical competence; indeed, it would be ludicrous to expect a child to sing a song or play an instrument without having a thorough grounding in music notation and theory. Playing and listening to music, let alone composing an original piece, are considered very advanced topics and are generally put off until college, and more often graduate school.
As for the primary and secondary schools, their mission is to train students to use this language— to jiggle symbols around according to a fixed set of rules: “Music class is where we take out our staff paper, our teacher puts some notes on the board, and we copy them or
transpose them into a different key. We have to make sure to get the clefs and key signatures right, and our teacher is very picky about making sure we fill in our quarter-notes completely. One time we had a chromatic scale problem and I did it right, but the teacher gave me no credit because I had the stems pointing the wrong way.”
In their wisdom, educators soon realize that even very young children can be given this kind of musical instruction. In fact it is considered quite shameful if one’s third-grader hasn’t completely memorized his circle of fifths. “I’ll have to get my son a music tutor. He simply won’t apply himself to his music homework. He says it’s boring. He just sits there staring out the window, humming tunes to himself and making up silly songs.”
In the higher grades the pressure is really on. After all, the students must be prepared for the standardized tests and college admissions exams. Students must take courses in Scales and Modes, Meter, Harmony, and Counterpoint. “It’s a lot for them to learn, but later in college when they finally get to hear all this stuff, they’ll really appreciate all the work they did in high school.” Of course, not many students actually go on to concentrate in music, so only a few will ever get to hear the sounds that the black dots represent. Nevertheless, it is important that every member of society be able to recognize a modulation or a fugal passage, regardless of the fact
that they will never hear one. “To tell you the truth, most students just aren’t very good at music. They are bored in class, their skills are terrible, and their homework is barely legible. Most of them couldn’t care less about how important music is in today’s world; they just want to take the minimum number of music courses and be done with it. I guess there are just music people and non-music people. I had this one kid, though, man was she sensational! Her sheets were impeccable— every note in the right place, perfect calligraphy, sharps, flats, just beautiful. She’s going to make one hell of a musician someday.”
Waking up in a cold sweat, the musician realizes, gratefully, that it was all just a crazy dream. “Of course!” he reassures himself, “No society would ever reduce such a beautiful and meaningful art form to something so mindless and trivial; no culture could be so cruel to its children as to deprive them of such a natural, satisfying means of human expression. How absurd!”


A recent article from The Atlantic highlights a new trend in neuroscience research that is investigating the role of music education on children’s cognitive development. While previous studies have simply inferred that music education led to improvements in brain structure and cognition, these new studies are taking a longitudinal approach. Working with non-profit organizations like the Harmony Project, which provide low income students with instruments and musical education, researchers are following kids year after year to see how music education is impacting their brain development and functioning.
Early results from these studies are promising. Results show that music education is improving children’s communication skills, memory, and attention. Another early and striking finding is that music education may help to close the achievement gap between rich and poor students. At-risk youth who participate in the Harmony Project have shown an improvement in their ability to hear speech in noise. This skill is typical of musicians and those who have received musical education. It can be a key skill for students who are trying to hear the teacher in a noisy classroom. These students also made grade appropriate improvements in their reading skills as compared to a control group that had not studied music. A similar study in San Diego’s underserved Chula Vista school district have also seen improvement. School administrators have been so impressed with how music education is helping students that the district has committed to providing all of its schools with a full time music teacher over the next ten years.
The preliminary results from these studies highlight the contributions that a music education can make to student development. As school district budgets are being cut all across the country elementary school students are losing access to music education, and students in low income districts are being disproportionately affected. Further research in this growing field could help to provide further context for the importance of music to school children’s cognitive development.
Faculty Associate Lisa Huisman Koops also studies childhood music education. Her work focuses on the importance of family in early childhood music development and education. Click here to download a policy brief on her research on the importance of culturally-informed music education.
Read more about these studies in The Atlantic article.


this paper uses ethnographic data from elementary school music classrooms to detail music education curriculum as it develops in practice. Compulsory music education in United States public schools is developed out of two ideal types, formal or relational pedagogy. The practice of each attunes a captive audience of novice students to a dominant classification of sound, vis-à-vis music. Here’s the abstract:
Sociologists argue that we learn evaluative skills, such as those to distinguish qualities of music, through practical knowledge. Yet sociologists have not asked how we understand those sonic events as musical in the first place. Through nine months of semi-structured observations in six elementary school music classrooms, I examine how music education draws symbolic boundaries around musical sound. I find that variations in curriculum produce different organizational practices in the classroom. These practices develop what is a basic sensory skill – listening – in very different ways. I identify four dimensions of teacher performance that support these differences: authorized sound-makers, constrained movement, enforced perspectives, and selected attention. These variations in music education produce contrasting performances for recognizing musical sound.


Agua SALud: Partner Organizations
Engineers for a Sustainable World - Berkeley is an organization at the University of California at Berkeley interested in engineering issues surrounding appropriate technologies in development. To that end, ESW-B has three primary goals:
The National Council for the Promotion of Education (Consejo Nacional de Fomento Educativo, CONAFE) is the organization in charge of elementary education at small rural communities in Mexico. In the state of Baja California Sur, CONAFE has a cadre of 15 Supervisors and 160 Community Educators. These educators teach a total number of 1,000 preprimary and elementary students who live in 150 communities located in places of difficult access or with migrant population.
The Community Educators, who are responsible for the pre-primary and primary education at the CONAFE schools, are students who have finished high school and who are doing a social-service of 2 years. This social-service will qualify them to receive a scholarship from CONAFE that will give them the opportunity to carry through with their studies.
Apart from fulfilling its educational goals, CONAFE has often been a driver of community-development programs such as PV rural electrification. In these programs, CONAFE has assisted development agencies by serving as the community’s voice and by introducing educational kits that promote sustainable paths.
Currently, with funds from the Inter-American Development Bank, CONAFE plans to introduce sanitary facilities, latrines and solar panels to its educational facilities that require so. Again, these efforts will be reinforced with educational packages discussing the importance of sustainability and proper health practices in the community.
CONAFE has reported the lack of access to potable water suffered by the instructors and students of most of the communities where it operates. Water contaminated with microorganisms is one of the leading causes of instructors’ and children’s absentee in rural schools. Water with high salinity levels may produce chronic health effects that reduce the individuals’ future quality of life. The access to microorganism-free and low salinity water both have potential to increase the time-in-school of instructors and students, and the quality of life of CONAFE communities.
The main role of CONAFE in the project is to promote, via educational programs especially targeted to children, the basic sanitation practices and the importance of drinking water from adequate sources. CONAFE instructors also play a key role in the dialogue between the community members and the Agua SALud team.
The National Water Commission (Comisión Nacional del Agua, CNA) goal is to: Manage and preserve the national water assets with the participation of society in order to achieve their sustainable use.
The Agua SALud team worked with the staff from CNA’s Water Quality Lab (Laboratorio de Calidad del Agua). The lab provided space and equipment necessary to run the Sodium analysis; as well as sample bottles, distilled water and an incubator needed for the microbial analysis. The staff’s experience was of extreme importance for the optimal development of the project.
Niparajá is a non-profit organization, established in 1991 in La Paz, Baja California Sur, that is focused on conserving the natural capital of Southern Baja California through collaborative, science-based actions for the present and future benefit of local communities.
Future website: www.niparaja.org/


Improvement in literacy and numeracy is one of the greatest challenges of our time. And African children are aware of the nature of the problem because learning English as a second or third language is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Nevertheless, they are beginning to get a better grasp of the extremely liberal teaching and learning culture in Australian schools – a culture that is vastly different from the African school system where punishment for a wrong answer is the order of the day.
For the African child though, making sense of the new system is the real challenge; it is also part of the fun!
But the main objective is to develop an educational program that equips African children with the basic skills necessary to gain access to mainstream education and employment opportunities.
Although research in this area is still in its infancy, anecdotal evidence increasingly points to the link between literacy levels and long-term unemployment in the emerging African communities in Australia – a fact that should be of major concern to educational planners. And parents alike!
In fact, African children are great learners; they come to Australian schools with an open mind - wired to learn; so to speak, but with different cultural and linguistic experiences to begin with, as well as different levels of readiness for school work. It is, therefore, the responsibility of parents, teachers, and the school system (working together) to support their development of literacy and numeracy skills.
The Gentle Neophyte
9 years ago


“ I have been struggling for the past 16 years without understanding how words are pronounced!…To me your program is priceless because after 16 years I have found the proper way to learn and improve English.“
Lew/Singapore (Select link above to read entire letter.)
Learn English as a second language (ESL) with our online phonics program.
English language learners (ELL) learn to read, spell and pronounce words.
English is a phonetic language – letters represent sounds. It is critical for English Language Learners (ELL) or students who are learning English as a Second Language (ESL) to learn the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent. Our program starts at the most fundamental level by teaching the sounds represented by the individual letters of the English alphabet.
Gradually additional information is introduced – short vowel sounds, consonant blends, consonant teams, rules governing syllable division, and rules that identify the basic syllable patterns of English. Students learn to read and spell and pronounce one-syllable words and then two, three, four, five and six syllable words are introduced.
Our online program is designed to allow students to work independently at a computer whether at work, school, or in the home. A subscription provides unlimited access to all 644 of our online lessons which combine video, audio and text. Our first ten lessons are free for anyone to access; no registration of any kind is required.
Our online license provides access to a complete ESL phonics program – no additional purchase of any kind is necessary. Our online license includes the following elements. And you don’t even need a computer! Access our lessons on your smartphone or tablet.
1. 644 lessons that combine audio, video, and text – all lessons are printable!
2. All 141 lessons from our Supplemental Fluency Reader – all lessons are printable!
3. Over 400 consumable worksheets
4. Forty plus hours of video content
5. More than 115 hours of audio content
6. 165 quizzes are embedded in our online program
7. Our first 10 online phonics lessons are free
Students hear every word in our online program pronounced clearly and repeatedly. Students after hearing the words pronounced, then spell those same words. This process of first reading words accurately, then reading the words fluently, and finally spelling the words is a systematic, structured and proven method to teach the underlying foundation skills of English phonics. By mastering English phonics, students will quickly be able to learn to read, write and comprehend in English. English phonics is the core, foundation skill necessary for ESL students to master in order to be able to achieve success in learning English as a Second Language!
Most ESL programs do no teach English phonics in a thorough and comprehensive manner and instead teach English phonics in an arbitrary, hit-and-miss fashion. Our program is effective because we present our phonics instruction in a tightly-sequenced, systematic manner, and we teach English phonics in its entirety. Students need to start at the beginning and learn the entire English phonics code or else they will have critical gaps in their understanding of the relationship between letters and sounds in English.
Phonics is a skill and requires a great deal of practice to master. Our online program makes it possible for students to work as long as is necessary in any given lesson to gain mastery before proceeding to more advanced lessons. Many ESL classes are crowded; sometimes classes are not even available. Students find it difficult and/or expensive to receive the one-to-one, intensive instruction necessary to gain mastery. Our online program solves this dilemma by making it possible for an individual to learn and practice English reading and spelling skills at home with our online program. Subscribing to our online program is like hiring a full-time reading specialist available to work with you individually at school or at home twenty-four hours a day/seven days a week. Our online reading and phonics program really does work by providing a critical foundation in phonics for individuals who are learning English as a Second Language!
Feedback from ESL Students
” The program has been working very well for me. With this program I can know the exact pronunciation of each word, so I am very happy using the program.”
Alejandro Santoyo/Querétaro City, Mexico (Select link above to read entire letter.)
“I would love to thank you for the book you’ve written. Thank you for the great job.”
Gennadiy L. Antonovsky/ Russian currently living in USA (select link above to read entire letter.)


The Observation, Assessment and Record keeping form an important part of delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. We consider observation, assessment and record keeping as a continuous cycle to judge how effectively the curriculum is delivered, and how well the children are progressing and reaching their milestones.
According to EYFS Framework, the Characteristics of Effective Learning are listed as follows:
Playing and exploring – Engagement.
Finding out and exploring.
Playing with what they know.
Being willing to ‘have a go’.
Active learning – Motivation.
Being involved and concentrating.
Enjoying achieving what they set out to do.
Creating & thinking critically – Thinking.
Having their own ideas.
Choosing ways to do things.
Based on these characteristics, learning experiences are provided by the Lead Teachers and the Assistant Teachers, and they observe the kids continuously. The Reporting is done at the end of every month. That will be a brief reporting, to give an overview of the child’s progress.
There will be a development check every term end, where the observations are consolidated and reported.
The Assessments will be based on the EYFS milestones, and the levels of the slow pacers are discussed in the individual Parent interaction sessions.
EYFS Profile is broken down into Seven Areas of Learning.
The Seven Areas of Learning are divided into two: Prime Areas and Specific Areas. Each area has its own Early Learning Goals.
The assessments are done through teacher observation of children’s learning as they take part in everyday activities, where teachers spend time on a particular activity, with a kid or a small group.
1: Physical, social, and Emotional Development : ( PSED)
Under this Learning Area, Self Confidence and self-awareness, managing feelings and behavior, and their way of making relationships are monitored.
Personal, social and emotional development (PSED) supports children to move with others and make friends, understand and talk about feelings, learn about ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, ‘good’ and ‘bad’, develop independence and ultimately feel good about themselves.
Children’s early PSED has a huge impact on their future, learning performance and economic well being too.
2. Communication and language
As children develop speaking and listening skills, they’re building the foundations for literacy and learning. Also they’re learning the important skills of how to express themselves and make friends.
The development of the kids is observed in the areas of Listening and attention, Understanding and Speaking.
They learn language better, when they’re engaged in interesting activities that challenge and excite them. And they need to hear and say new words often, to strengthen the connections in their brains and to keep building their vocabulary.
Building Vocabulary in the early stages is very important for their successful future.
3. Physical development
Physical development is one of the prime areas in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
The Physical Development of the child is observed by the way they move and handle things, by showing good control and co-ordination in large and small movements, how they move confidently, and handle things effectively.
Physical development includes their Health and self-care too. They are observed if they are able to take care of themselves and manage their own basic hygiene.
Physical activities are provided according to their ages. Fine motor skills, Gross motor skills Mark making etc.; are very important in physical development.
1. Literacy Assessment
They are assessed for their reading skills and phonic knowledge. Their level of understanding is also checked. They are given activities such as Pretend Play, Rhymes, recognizing words etc.;
Children use their phonic knowledge to read. They demonstrate skills in writing basic shapes.
The children are assessed for their developing knowledge in numbers, shapes, space and measures.
Activities are provided through play and their daily experiences, to enhance their Numeracy Skills and support them to be creative, critical thinkers and problem solvers.
3. Understanding of the World
Understanding of the World involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community, people, places, technology and the environment.
They are observed when they talk about people, places, objects, materials and living things, animals and plants similarities and differences. They are also monitored, when and how they use a range of technology.
4. Expressive arts and design
They are observed how they explore and use media and materials by way of songs, music and dance. Being imaginative is also one of the goals where they are given experiences to develop.
The children in the White Fields Nursery are always under observation and those observations are recorded and reported.
Guidance is provided (⇐Click here)for the parents to find the potential of the child or to develop their skills.


An elementary or secondary school system, an institution of higher education or other educational institution. Sections 3(v) and 3(w) of the FLSA define elementary and secondary schools as those day or residential schools that provide elementary or secondary education, as determined under state law. Under the laws of most states, such education includes the curriculums in grades 1 through 12; under many it includes also the introductory programs in kindergarten. Such education in some states may also include nursery school programs in elementary education and junior college curriculums in secondary education. No distinction is drawn between public and private schools, or between those operated for profit and those that are not for profit.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor


The children in this class are at the beginning of Key Stage 2. They are encouraged to become more independent in their learning. Their reading becomes increasingly confident, they are reading for research and for pleasure in addition to their book from the school reading scheme.
The children are building on the knowledge and skills they have acquired in Key Stage 1, and should now be able to write in a range of styles, with many words correctly spelt from memory and with consistent punctuation. We aim to extend their knowledge of grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure to enable them to write more complex and lengthy sentences. Their handwriting is usually joined in most of their work, and they move on to use handwriting pens for most tasks. As part of their homework, the children learn and use 10 new spellings every week, from a differentiated scheme and the recommended common words for their year group.
Most of the children will have learned their 2x, 5x, 10x and some their 3x and 4x tables by the end of Year 2, and by the time they finish Year 4, they should have a working knowledge of most of their tables up to 12x12. We also work on the four rules of number, learning to write and calculate long multiplication and division sums, and use them to solve written problems. The small class size means that children who find their work difficult can have extra support from me, the class teacher, where necessary and from the Learning Support Department if there is a specific problem. It also means that we have ample opportunity to extend those who excel in their Numeracy work.
The Science programme is worked on a two-year rolling programme, covering the topics recommended for study in Years 3 and 4, so that the children do not repeat them in the same class. They are encouraged to approach practical sessions in a methodical way, setting up their own experiments (with guidance), recording results accurately and drawing sensible conclusions from their work.
History and Geography are taught in the form of topics which are planned to be cross- curricular, also using their literacy, artistic and sometimes their numeracy skills.
In Middle School, the children continue to have a full range of specialist lessons, which gives them the chance to develop physically and mentally in a balanced way, making the most of their skills and talents. By the end of Year 4, the children should feel ready and able to meet the challenges offered in Upper School.
Mrs W Lewis
Class Teacher - Lower Juniors, Deputy Headteacher


The NY Times published the article “What’s Lost as Handwriting Fades” by Maria Konnikova discussing the topic many debate, does handwriting matter? In my opinion, it is not necessarily the debate for good penmanship and formal writing instruction, but instead, the process of writing and how that experience positively stimulates the brain.
“The researchers found that the initial duplication process mattered a great deal. When children had drawn a letter freehand, they exhibited increased activity in three areas of the brain that are activated in adults when they read and write: the left fusiform gyrus, the inferior frontal gyrus and the posterior parietal cortex.
By contrast, children who typed or traced the letter or shape showed no such effect. The activation was significantly weaker.
Dr. James attributes the differences to the messiness inherent in free-form handwriting: Not only must we first plan and execute the action in a way that is not required when we have a traceable outline, but we are also likely to produce a result that is highly variable.”
An interesting point made in the article is the difference in brain activity when children participated in free writing opposed to tracing the letters. I am not a fan of dot-to-dot/ tracing pages for letter writing instruction before the age of five due to it not being developmentally appropriate from a physical standpoint. According to the research presented in the article, there seems to be evidence that those worksheets do not support brain development either!
So, how then do we support handwriting and emerging writers?
For actual handwriting, allow for ample movement at home and school. Ensure infants get plenty of tummy time. Let your children climb and play outdoors. Turn off the screens and encourage them to crawl around on the floor and play with blocks, trains, cars, dolls or whatever they choose. Provide materials that strengthen the hand muscles such as puzzles, tweezers, tongs, or any type of manipulative material. By doing this, children’s bodies will be given the opportunity to develop and support the physical demands of handwriting.
As for the emerging writer, allow for plenty of scribbling, drawing, and appreciate the attempt at writing letters freehand when your child chooses to do so. Give your children blank paper and crayons, and let them draw until they are content. When they are finished, don’t ask, “What is it?”, but instead say, “Tell me about this”. Want to extend it further? Write what your child says and make sure he/ she watches you do so. What a powerful connection to see spoken words turn into written words and realize that text carries meaning!
With these developmentally appropriate approaches, children will be able to enter school with strong foundational skills to support successful writing!


|Image: Sug, Wikimedia|
Did you know that old cell phones, even if they’re no longer connected to a network, can often still dial 911? Alex’s parents know it… now.
That’s because Alex used his “play” cell phone to dial 911. Four hundred times.
People can dial 911 in an emergency, when they need the police or an ambulance or the fire department.
So when four-year-old Alex called 911, the operator thought there was an emergency. At least, the first few times.
Alex’s parents had given him an old cell phone to play with, and he was probably very excited to find out that there was a number he could dial to actually get a real person on the other end of the line.
So he kept calling. Again and again and again.
He tied up the 911 line for hours. He ignored the operator’s repeated requests to stop calling 911 or to put his parents on the phone.
The operator shouted into the phone, hoping that Alex’s parents would hear him and take the phone away from the child.
During one call, the operator heard an adult asking Alex if he wanted some pie.
The police think the calls were coming from the area of Highway 21, five kilometers south of Port Elgin, Ont.
In order to understand new information, we use schema. Schema is a person’s background knowledge.
Before your students read the article, have them use their schema to brainstorm everything they know about 911.
Have your students read the article. Ask them to identify how their schema/background knowledge of 911 helped them to better understand the article.
identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before, during, and after reading to understand texts (OME, Reading: 1.3)
identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before, during, and after reading to understand increasingly complex texts (OME, Reading: 1.3)
Capital letters are used throughout the article for the following purposes:
1. At the beginning of a sentence
2. Proper nouns – ex. Port Elgin, Alex, Highway 21
Discuss the different uses of capital letters.
Alex made serious mistakes by calling 911 so many times. Do you think he was old enough to know better? Do you think Alex should be punished? If so, how do you think he should be punished?
Do you think Alex’s parents were at fault? Do you think his parents should face consequences? If so, what punishment should Alex’s parents face?
Many children now have cell phones. Some children have them for safety reasons, while others use them to call their friends and socialize. At what age do you think a child is responsible enough to have a cell phone?