The early years of a child’s life are crucial when it comes to education, and this is a time at which information can most effectively be absorbed. In order to ensure that our children – the future of our society – get the best education possible, it is vital that appropriately qualified, skilled, and knowledgeable educators are available to provide this knowledge and development and deliver it in the most effective way.
An Early Childhood Education Degree offers the ideal solution for those wanting to get into a career in childhood teaching. This can be a very rewarding and enjoyable career, but it is essential that you have the necessary skills and qualifications to enter this career. You will help youngsters to learn and develop skills and knowledge, helping them to succeed and shaping their future. An Early Childhood Education degree will give you the skills and knowledge required to enable you to do this effectively.
Early childhood learning is a specialist area of education requiring specialist skills, which is what you can develop through an Early Childhood Education program. These degrees are ideal for those that want to work with younger children and provide a valuable service in education. With an Early Childhood Education degree you can look forward to a rewarding career in this area and you can improve your chances of progression within childhood education.
You can get different levels of Early Childhood Education degree programs, and the one you take will depend upon your current qualifications and eligibility. You will find a range of institutions offering Early Childhood Education degree programs, and you can also take an Early Childhood Education degree program online.
You will find that these degrees cover a wide range of issues relating to childhood education, from development and growth to learning methods and communication.


MUSC145. Introduction to Music
Musician and Teacher: An Orientation to Music Education
Chapter 7. Teaching Music to Children
126 “Children are inherently musical, but it takes well-trained and perceptive music teachers to design and deliver for them a learning environment and the sequential instruction that brings their musicality…”
127 singing, playing, listening, moving and creating - significance?? (also p. 132)
“All children are musical, more or less, and in a myriad of ways.”
Children “socialize through music, making their own communal 'jams'…”
“…children have a musical lore all their own,…” - explain
128 “How do children behave musically, 'naturally,' while at play or leisure, beyond the direct influence of a teacher?” (e.g.: Children's musicality can be recognized “in the ways they move rhythmically.”)
129 preschool: singing spontaneous songs that sometimes span an octave of imprecise pitches.
Kindergarten: conceptualize durations and pitches as same and different high/low, fast/slow, long/short. (singing range of 5th - d-a)
Primary (grades 1-3): begin to understand notation - melodic and rhythmic (singing range of octave and 4th - Bb-Eb)
130 Intermediate (grades 4-6): understanding of smaller divisions of the pulse, can identify aspects of pitch motion (e.g. steps/leaps, sequence, etc.) (singing range of as much as 2 octaves)
Laminated cards, big books, iconic representations of concepts ????
133 Dalcroze eurhythmics - movement-based pedagogy - kinesthetic reactions to music…hear, process and respond through movements to rhythmic phrases, melodic movements, harmonic changes, musical phrases and form.
Kodaly sequence - well-ordered and logical system of materials and techniques that lead students to development of performance skills, hearing and notational literacy. - accent is on singing.
Orff Schulwerk - weaves that natural behaviors of singing, saying, dancing and playing. Four stages: imitation, exploration, literacy, improvisation. Body percussion (patschen, etc.)
134 Curwen hand signs
137 “…children are not mini-adults but playful little people in the process of exploring their world of sonic and expressive possibilities of finding meaning in it,….”
Three cases on pp. 137-142 - identify with one and compare with your own hopes, dreams, plans, etc.
What do we mean by "sound before sight?" Why is this important?


The Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) has released a cyberbullying study about elementary school students that calls for a change in the way states, districts and schools address online bullying and its prevention.
According to Anne Collier of The Christian Science Monitor, the study is one of the first to research elementary school-aged youth. Collier said she believes that study’s results demonstrate the need for social-emotional learning and media literacy education starting in even lower grades.
The MARC surveyed more than 11,700 students in third-, fourth- and fifth-graders in a variety of schools in New England between January 2010 and September 2012.
Most elementary cyberbullying occurred in online games. Over 90% of third graders reported playing interactive games online, while just 35% of subjects reported owning a cellphone — the device most widely-considered to be a major source of digital bullying. Children at the highest risk for repeatedly cyberbullying others were the most likely to report problems on Facebook, email, or through text messaging.
Cyber education needs to begin well before middle school as students begin using a range of mobile and online devices, according to the study.
MARC suggested that elementary cyberbullying education should probably include lessons relevant to online game-playing dynamics. Also, when a child aged 8 to 11 reports a problem on Facebook, email, or messaging, that should be regarded as a possible warning sign of higher-risk online involvement, MARC said.
Data shows that Facebook use is increasing among elementary school-aged students. The use of Facebook increased among third, fourth, and fifth graders between 2010-2012 especially among girls, according to the study. In 2010, 19% of girls were using Facebook and now this number rose to 49% in 2012.
According to MARC, cell phone ownership increased in every grade. Among fourth graders, 26% owned cell phones in 2012 and increased to 35% in 2012. The study found that 52% of fifth graders and 22% of third graders reported owning cell phones by 2012.
In every grade, smartphone ownership increased and non-smartphone ownership decreased between 2010 and 2012.
Owning a smartphone was a significant risk factor for both being a cyberbully and being a cyberbullying victim. 12% of fifth grade non-owners, and 18% of smartphone owners, admitted being a cyberbully. Similarly, 12% of fifth grade non-owners, and 34% of smartphone owners, reported being a cyberbullying victim. Similar numbers were found for third and fourth graders.
MARC suggested that parents who are considering buying their elementary-aged child a smartphone should be educated in both the benefits and the risks associated with children’s usage.
According to the study, traditional in-school bullying and cyberbullying both increased across the three years. Being a victim actually decreased from third to fifth grade., but the percentage of children who both bully and are victims increased from 15% in third grade to 21% in grade fifth, MARC found.
According to the study, cyberbullying education seems to be having a positive impact in Massachusetts. The study found that the proportion of children who could not define cyberbullying declined from 24% in 2010 to 10% in 2012.
Non-bullies were more likely than bullies to report that their class had been offered education about bullying and cyberbullying (especially among fifth graders). Children who were repeatedly mean online reported the lowest level of education.
MARC suggested that elementary education and awareness about cyberbullying is necessary for school safety and that it can be implemented successfully.


Thomas Hart Benton was born on April 15, 1889 in Neosho, Missouri, USA into an influential clan of politicians and powerbrokers. Benton's father was a lawyer and United States congressman and his great-uncle was Senator from Missouri.
Benton spent his childhood shuttling between Washington D.C. and Missouri. He rebelled against his grooming for a future political career, and preferred to develop his interest in art. As a teenager, he worked as a cartoonist for the Joplin American newspaper.
In 1907 Benton enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago, but left for Paris, France in 1909 to continue his art education at the Académie Julian. In Paris, Benton met other North American artists among whom Diego Rivera and Stanton Macdonald-Wright. Wright's influence gave a strong Synchromist leaning to Benton's work.
Benton returned to New York City in 1913. His work as a draftsman in the United States Navy in 1919 changed his style significantly. His artwork during his navy stint concentrated on realistic sketches and drawings of shipyard work and life—a change of focus that would continue throughout his career.
On return to New York in the early 1920s, Benton declared himself an enemy of modernism and painted naturalistic and representational work today known as Regionalism. Benton taught at the Art Students League, and was active in leftist politics. He was heavily influenced by El Greco.
In 1932 Benton broke through to the mainstream. A relative unknown, he was chosen to produce the murals of Indiana life that would become that state's contribution to the 1933 Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago, Illinois. The Indiana Murals stirred controversy; Benton painted everyday people in an unflattering light, including Ku Klux Klan members. The controversy landed Benton on the cover of Time magazine and made him a household name. The mural panels are currently displayed at Indiana University in Bloomington.
In 1935 Benton left New York, where artistic debates were heated, for a teaching job at the Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. His works often show the melancholy, desperation and beauty of small-town life. Benton's sympathy was with the working class and the small farmer, unable to gain material advantage despite the Industrial Revolution.
Benton's students at the Art Institute included many of the future painters of the Midwest heartland. His most famous student, Jackson Pollock, whom he mentored in the Art Students League, would go on to found the Abstract Expressionist movement—wildly different from Benton's own style. Jackson Pollock often said that Benton's traditional teachings gave him something to rebel against. Pollock never gave up on the idea art needed impact on the audience, in this way he followed Benton.
In 1941, Benton was dismissed from the Art Institute after calling the typical art museum "a graveyard run by a pretty boy with delicate wrists and a swing in his gait" and similar homophobic remarks. Despite this, his work remained popular until the end of the decade, when it was eclipsed by the rise of Abstract Expressionism.
For the rest of his career Benton concentrated on murals in public buildings in the Midwest. Benton died on January 19, 1975 at work in his studio, with a brush in his hand.


About Fine Arts
The high school Art Gallery is one of a kind within public schools, displaying student-produced works of art in a professionally designed exhibit area.
- Visual art lessons are offered to students from the Kindergarten to the 12th grade.
- Elementary School art curriculum encompasses a scope and sequence that includes the study of historically significant world artists.
- Middle School curriculum focuses on cooperative learning in an exploratory atmosphere.
- High School curriculum offers classes in every medium: drawing, oil, jewelry, 3-dimensional design, graphic arts, and air-brush.
In 2007, KPS was designated as one of the best 100 communities in the United States for excellence in music education.
- Music lessons are offered to students from the Kindergarten to the 12th grade.
- Elementary School music curriculum includes research-based music learning theory.
- Middle School curriculum includes Band, Choir, Orchestra, and General Music, and is offered to all students.
- High School curriculum includes 7 choirs, 5 bands, and 2 orchestras that have received superior ratings at festivals for over 30 years.
- High School music classes have been show-cased at the state music conference 10 times since 1993.
There are several theater productions each year, including two plays, story-book theater, children's theater, all-school musical, and summer stock theater.
- Theater classes are offered in 9th - 12th grade.
- Theater curriculum offers comprehensive course work with novice, intermediate, and advanced acting classes.
- Acting classes are taught in a professionally designed "black box" classroom.


Classroom teachers are trained to use rhythm and simple musical instruments to aid in teaching core curriculum. When music is used as a learning tool, students are more engaged in the learning process.
What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
Music programs are being cut across the country - just as the educational community is coming to understand that music is a key to learning and creativity, helping children make connections in math, science and other curricula, thus increasing grade point average, increasing self-esteem and building life skills. The benefits of learning through music are especially important for the under-served children we serve, who may not be good at sitting still.
How will this project solve this problem?
Just one teacher training followed by four visits from a musician throughout the year is enough to transform a classroom into a music room with its own set of rhythm instruments. By partnering with school districts, we are able to stretch every dollar.
Potential Long Term Impact
Music in Schools Today is finding solutions at this time of devastating budget slashing that will increase the amount of music in schools, improve California music education, and serve as a model for other districts nationally.
This project has been retired and is no longer accepting donations.


Music Education Great Britain
A selection of articles related to music education great britain.
Original articles from our library related to the Music Education Great Britain. See Table of Contents for further available material (downloadable resources) on Music Education Great Britain.
- An Overview of Gospel Music
- Gospels refer to the first four books of the Bible’s New Testament. These hymns became integral part of worship services of “Protestants”.
>> Poetry & Fable
- Black Gospel Music
- Black Gospel music is also known as Urban Contemporary Gospel music. Its roots were the Negro spiritual songs that were sang by the African slaves while tilling the rich cotton fields of their white Southern masters in the early 18th century.
>> Poetry & Fable
- Story of the Celts: The Celts in Britain
- The Celts in Britain [ 27 ] What is obvious when studying the Celts, as when studying anything, is that different experts say different things--there are always men of knowledge who have conflicting views about specifics. The dates of when the Celts came to...
History & Anthropology >> Celtic & Irish
- Lynne, Carol
- Growing up surrounded by music, Carole Lynneâ€™s musical education has ranged from the informal training of her parents teaching her how to sing jazz to formal instruction at The Juilliard School of Music, University of Michigan Music School, and The American...
Real Interviews >> Authors
- What day are you born on?
- The day of the month on which the you were born - regardless of which month or year it is - is a key numerological indicator, providing an excellent "thumbnail sketch" of standout traits. It strongly influences your Life Path and is helpful in...
Symbology >> Numerology
Music Education Great Britain is described in multiple online sources, as addition to our editors' articles, see section below for printable documents, Music Education Great Britain books and related discussion.
Suggested Pdf Resources
- Mapping Music Education Research in the UK
- MAPPING MUSIC EDUCATION RESEARCH IN THE UK. - 2 -. BERA REVIEWS.
- Music Education in England
- orchestral music education activities, although these fall outside of Arts Council. England funding. 2.
- Monitoring musical progress: approaches from the UK
- Stephanie Pitts. Monitoring musical progress: approaches from the UK. Defining standards for music.
- State of the Union
- Music Education UK magazine: Summer 2011 | musiceducationuk.com.
- The Music Education Community in the UK
- The Music Education Community in the UK.
Suggested Web Resources
- Music Education Council - Home
- Young people's music making in the UK sets the standard for the rest of the world .
- Music Education UK | Bringing everyone together - Home
- Music Education UK magazine - out now! 'The music education sector is standing on a burning platform', says Marc Jaffrey.
- Music Education UK | Bringing everyone together
- Home · News · Events · musiclearninglive!
- Welcome - Yamaha Music in Education - UK & Ireland
- Welcome to Yamaha UK's education website for the UK & Ireland.
- Music | Education | guardian.co.uk
- Latest news and comment on Music from guardian.co.uk.
Music Education Great Britain Topics
Related searchesactivity series of metals
list of neopets techo
left-handed biological theories
shelling of mainila
dream dictionary engagement


Latest Nell K. Duke Stories
Storia® School Edition Offers 2,000 Fiction, Nonfiction and Classic Children's eBooks for Pre-K to Grade 6 for Group and Independent Classroom Reading NEW YORK, April 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/
By Abdullah, Amal NONFICTION AUTHOR STUDIES IN THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM. Carol Brennan Jenkins & Deborah J. D. White (Eds.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2007. 160pp. $19.00.
By Patterson, Janice Manning, Maryann STANDARDS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LITERACY COACHES. International Reading Association, 2006.
By Long, Deborah OUR HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOMS ARE FILLED WITH STRUGGLING READERS. WE RECOGNIZE SOME OF THEM BY THEIR INTTENTION TO DETAIL, LACK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH TEXT, AND REFUSAL TO USE READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES. BUT MANY OF OUR STRUGGLING READERS ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY.
- The word or words serving to define another word or expression, as in a dictionary entry.


The Secrets of Sight Singing Success Thursday, August 18, 2011
As a music educator, have you ever wondered what you could do to be more successful? Have you ever wondered if there was a resource available that had all the essentials; the secrets that would help you guide your students to become highly proficient, independent musicians? Your search is over!
The Secrets of Sight Singing Success by Nick Long boils down all the methods, approaches, and mountains of research into an enjoyable, easy, and even entertaining read. From building rhythmic and tonal vocabularies to classroom management, The Secrets of Sight Singing Success covers it all. Let’s face it, as a music educator, you’re busy! You’ve got lots to plan for and lots to do each and every day. At the same time, you want to keep improving and expand your horizons in order to help our students succeed. If you will only take the time to read and implement the secrets of the 4S philosophy, you will find much success and enjoyment in the years to come.
To supplement your teaching, try Solfege Circles - a must for any choir director, elementary music teacher or student of music education. Available in both Standard (diatonic with altered tones) and Pentatonic sets, they're perfect for classroom display on any magnetic surface (magnets included) or as tabletop manipulatives.
For more quality sight singing resources for your choir or classroom, please contact us!


RILM™ Abstracts of Music Literature is a comprehensive music bibliography featuring citations, abstracts, and subject indexing. It provides broad yet detailed coverage and facilitates both focused research and browsing for readers of all levels. From hip hop to Händel, from ethnomusicology to music therapy, from elementary music education to advanced music theory, RILM is the first stop for the researcher who wants clear, verified bibliographic information that is fully cited, abstracted, and indexed.
RILM’s coverage spans 1967 to the present, and the database is updated monthly. However, the documentation of conference proceedings goes back to 1835 and further retrospective coverage is planned. Since its first publication in 1967, RILM has covered over 950 journals comprehensively and has located music-related articles in over 11,000 non-music journals. RILM includes over 620,000 records and over 30,000 new records are added every year. Types of publications and media covered by RILM include collections of essays, conference proceedings, critical editions of music, digital media, dissertations, journal articles, monographs, online resources, reference materials, reviews, and technical drawings of instruments. Sound recordings and motion pictures that present the results of scholarly research or fieldwork are also included.
Citations in RILM represent publications in 214 languages, originating in 151 countries. Titles of works are translated into English, and the majority of records have English abstracts. An increasing number of records also feature abstracts in the language of publication. Roman and non-roman scripts are also represented in RILM.
Bring the full force of RILM’s international database and powerful search techniques to bear on your music research projects.


This page is for teachers, tutors and
instructors working with learners of any age
and learning in any context, teaching maths
We hope that this page will provide both a useful overview of the key elements of teaching numeracy and guide you towards useful resources and research both within and outside our site – however we are just getting started so please do help us develop further support as suggested in ‘How you can make a difference’ below.
Being numerate is a crucial lifeskill. Here is our definition of numeracy and our thoughts on numeracy vs. maths - including numeracy versus teaching maths in the classroom. It provides an individual with the essential knowledge, know-how and understanding to let them operate confidently, effectively and independently in their personal, social and work life. For someone to be at least ‘functionally numerate’, they must have the requisite skills and knowledge to understand numerical information, solve problems and make the correct decisions in relevant contexts - see our essentials of numeracy diagram.
A problem-solving approach
For teachers, tutors or instructors, this may present a challenge – they cannot always know what skills and competencies their students will need as they move through life. It is essential to think of people becoming ‘functional’ in their numeracy rather than of there being a vital body of knowledge for discrete aspects of an individual’s life. Teaching numeracy (or teaching maths) therefore needs to be based on problem-solving, where learners can see the relevance of a concept to a range of contexts and know how to apply it in order to find solutions.
For teachers, tutors or instructors, this means helping learners to:
recognise situations and problems in which numeracy skills and understanding can be used
assess the numeracy skills required to address these situations or problems – selecting the right tools and knowledge is a core part of being functionally numerate
use and apply the appropriate numeracy skills to solve the problem or respond to the situation
interpret the outcomes or solutions in relation to the context
describe the results and conclusions.
Learning for life
Becoming – and remaining – sufficiently numerate to respond confidently to the unfolding demands of one’s personal, social and work life is an individual challenge for every learner. It varies according to:
the complexity of the situation or problem needing to be solved
its familiarity to the learner
the technical demand of the numeracy skills required
the independence and confidence of the learner in tackling the situation or problem
Mathematical thinking – pattern, logic, structure
Problems and situations needing solutions come in many forms, so in teaching numeracy teachers need to provide experiences relating to different types of problems and contexts. When teaching numeracy learners should be encouraged to:
organise and order information, deciding what is relevant and what is redundant
ask questions such as ‘what is this telling me?’ ‘would it make a difference if……..?
look for and spot patterns and relationships and generalise from these where appropriate
see the problem as a whole, even though the process of solving it may mean breaking it down into smaller and manageable pieces
recognise – and appreciate – that there is not necessarily one way of tacking a problem or presenting a solution and that there is not always a single right answer. Choices often have to be made and they will need to be justified using a logical or reasoned argument.
In this part of our website, we are aiming to support numeracy teachers, tutors and instructors in meeting the challenges outlined above. We will use the ‘You may be interested in………..’ sections below to provide additional support on various aspects of learning the teaching numeracy for all ages and settings.
These will draw upon research into pedagogically sound and effective approaches and will share materials, resources and findings to support you in helping your students to achieve – and maintain – the level of numeracy they need to function in their own lives.
How you can make a difference
We’re just getting started and we are very keen to work with those involved in the teaching numeracy to do what we can to help remove the barriers or obstacles to success. Please get in touch to:
tell us about key numeracy teaching resources and approaches that you think we should share and promote through the site
point us to important research about numeracy and weblinks it would be useful to add
suggest projects that we should be considering
let us know about public figures perpetuating the ‘I can’t do maths’ attitude


Course Number: 273*/3.0 3L (Course Code Explanation)
Open To: B.Mus. and B.Mus./B.Ed. students, non-B.Mus. students
Area(s): Music Education
Instructor(s): Dr. Julia Brook
Day(s) and Time(s): T: 8.30-10.30, F: 10.30-11.30
Room: HLH 120
An introduction to the historical, psychological, sociological, and philosophical foundations of music education in North America. Three school-based observations may be included.
This course explores theories of teaching and learning, varying philosophies of music and music education, and the historical context of music education in Ontario. Students will be expected to challenge their own beliefs and values, comparing them to the beliefs and values of classmates, selected theorists and philosophers, and the current music curriculum of Ontario.
Class activities include role-play, simulations, small and large group discussion, singing, movement, and creative projects. Classroom observation may also be included, preparing students for MUSC 274 (Partnership Placement). Course evaluation consists of a Thinking Journal, weekly captures of required readings, research project, and a final examination. Grading is based on a mastery system, and each weekly assignment may be re-submitted until mastery is achieved or the end of term is reached.


Paper that analyses the various ways in which the British government has sought to manage the expanding black and minority ethnic communities which now form large proportions of the population in cities. It goes on to argue that government needs to appreciate that there are different modes of integration and that successful integration needs to draw on approaches that go beyond non-discrimination, important though that is.
This page presents findings which may assist the teaching of English to students for whom English is not their first language. This topic is included in the EPPI-Centre knowledge library. The Knowledge Pages facility enables users to search for the key messages within specific subject areas to which EPPI-Centre reviews have contributed.
This page contains the findings of systematic reviews undertaken by review groups linked to the EPPI-Centre
One review has investigated the use of art education in cultural learning (the formation and exploration of identity and understanding of diversity). This topic is included in the EPPI-Centre knowledge library. The Knowledge Pages facility enables users to search for the key messages within specific subject areas to which EPPI-Centre reviews have contributed.
Focus on Religion paints a picture of the different faith groups in the UK today. It looks separately at Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Information comparing and contrasting the characteristics of the main faith groups, their lifestyles and experiences is presented. It draws on information from the 2001 Census – the first time Great Britain included a question on religion – and other sources. Each overview in the Focus on series combines data from the 2001 Census and other sources to illustrate its topic, and provide links to further information.
The moral case for eradicating child poverty rests on the immense human cost of allowing children to grow up suffering physical and psychological deprivations and unable to participate fully in society. But child poverty is also costly to everyone in Britain, not just those who experience it directly. What are the costs to the whole of society of allowing child poverty to continue?
The JRF’s recent public consultation revealed a strong sense of unease about some of the changes shaping British society. This Viewpoint continues the discussion about modern 'social evils' on the theme of ‘a decline in values’. Julia Neuberger argues that we can change society for the better by deliberately rebuilding trust, opening up our institutions, and stopping the ‘blame culture’ from preventing simple acts of kindness and altruism.
This report documents a lecture presented by Professor Ash Amin from Durham University, with a response from Matt Matravers, Director of the School of Politics, Economics, and Philosophy at University of York. The lecture discusses living with diversity and the role of cities in managing cultural difference.
'Black Presence: Asian and Black History in Britain' is a partnership between The National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office) and the Black and Asian Studies Association (BASA), funded by the New Opportunities Fund. This exhibition appears on 'Pathways to the Past', the National Archives' website for lifelong learners. The exhibition covers Black and Asian history in Britain from 1500 to 1850.
The JRF's recent public consultation revealed a strong sense of unease about some of the changes shaping British society. This Viewpoint continues the discussion about modern 'social evils' on the theme of 'inequality'. Chris Creegan argues that until we can reconcile the problems of excessive individualism, consumerism and greed at the heart of contemporary society, life opportunities will continue to be lost, limited and wasted.


Sign Up for Our E-Newsletter
In its publication “Making the Case for Arts Education,” the Ontario Arts Council reported that involvement in music helps young people do better in school and in life. This research tells us that young people exposed to music demonstrate improved reading, writing and mathematical skills. Additionally, their ability to think creatively, work in teams, communicate, solve problems and exercise self-discipline is greatly enhanced. Students say that their commitment to music keeps them focused and motivated in everything they pursue, helping them to attain a higher level of achievement in all areas of their life, as well as a sense of personal accomplishment.
The Sudbury Symphony Orchestra believes in the value of music and music education by offering a variety of programs that are designed to teach and inspire students of all ages. During the 2013.2014 season, over 2,800 people were reached through the SSO’s Outreach and Education programming.


Born in 1925 in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, William Daley, a self-proclaimed "mud man," was raised in a home that valued art and poetry.14 In the wake of Pearl Harbor he enlisted and served as an aerial gunner in the Army Air Corps. After the war he took advantage of the GI Bill and enrolled at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. A class with Charles Abbott, a ceramist from Maine, introduced Daley to the idea of making pots.
Oval Chamber by Daley, 1986. Slab-constructed and oxidation-fired stoneware; height 40 ⅜, width 23 ⅜, depth 20 ½ inches. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D. C., gift of the James Renwick Alliance and museum purchase through the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program.
After graduating, he enrolled at Columbia Teachers College where he received a master's degree in art education. Daley joined the Philadelphia College of Art (PCA), now the University of the Arts, where he taught many now established ceramists. He retired in 1990 and today dedicates himself to a studio practice.
Daley's work focuses on the vesica, a form that is an ovoid at its core. He describes the space that is created by the intersection of two circles as "an ancient icon which informs the mystery of two as a new one."15 Although these vessels are not functional in the strict sense, they are meant as spaces or containers for contemplation.16 His vesicas are steeped in ceramic antecedents but display a structural and spiritual vocabulary that is very much their own. ERA


Getting an online art education doesn’t have to cost you thousands of dollars. Nowadays, there are many free courses and tutorials from universities and other institutions that can be found online.
Here’s a list of 25 educational resources worth exploring:
Art and Technology – The Capilano University of Canada offers this 15-week art history course. The course focuses on the connection between technology and art.
Arts and History – This 16-hour course from The Open University discusses the effect The Enlightenment era has had on the arts.
Art of Color – The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) provides this 15-lecture course that explores the principles of visual design. The Art of Color focuses on the science of color and how it affects visual arts.
Understanding Theatre – This introductory course from Utah State University sets aside roughly 76 hours to understanding and appreciating theatre as an art form.
History of Western Art and Civilization – Connexions, a site devoted to sharing scholarly material, offers this art history course from the Fashion Institute of Technology. The course discusses the history and art of Italy.
Drawing with Lines – Draw Space offers several free tutorials for beginner to advanced artists including this basic drawing class. Drawing with Lines discusses the basics of line drawing and the different forms of lines used.
20th Century Art – This art history course from MIT contains 27 lectures and two papers about modern art. Through this class, art students will cover objects, history, and the context of art after WWII.
Visual Communication Design – This course offered by Carnegie Mellon University explores the visual dynamics of creating technical documents. The course effectively discusses visual hierarchy and grouping.
Introduction to Photography – This introductory MIT course teaches the basics of photography through lecture, video, and hands-on projects. The course covers black and white, digital imaging, camera operation, lighting, and film.
Creating Interactive Multimedia – This 14-week course from the University of Southern Queensland introduces programs, tools, and techniques for creating interactive multimedia.
Art Composition and Perspective in Paintings – This About.com tutorial offers several resources to help students understand and improve painting skills, such as composition and perspective.
Advanced Form – Interactive Art School offers 12 free mini painting tutorials for anyone looking to perfect their technique. This tutorial on Advanced Form uses a 3D generation of the human form to teach light and shadow.
Philosophy & the Arts – This free course from Minnesota State University discusses an interpretation of art through history. The course offers many art form examples.
Introduction to Art History – The University of Utah offers this free online course that explores the changes in interpretation of art through history. Students take an in-depth look at the change in the meanings of art through the ages.
Classic Drama and Theatre – Utah State University’s drama and theatre course analyzes the purpose and function of Roman and Greek drama. The course is presented through a series of slides and book readings.
Starting a Watercolor Painting – Larrysart.com offers several free painting tutorials including this introduction to watercolor painting. The tutorial provides easy tips and tricks to make your first attempt at watercolor successful.
How to Draw People – ArtGraphica provides many free detailed tutorials on technical art and theory. This tutorial is a descriptive discussion of the techniques and tools needed to create a charcoal composition.
Illustrator: Live Trace and Live Paint – This introductory tutorial from Design Mentor Training discusses how to accurately use the live trace and paint tools in Illustrator.
Realistic Clouds – PlanetPhotoshop offers several different video tutorials on the different effects and designs that can be accomplished in Photoshop. This tutorial teaches students how to use Photoshop to create realistic looking clouds.
Color Balancing – This Photoshop tutorial from Tutorialman.com teaches students how to use the color balancing tool effectively.
Effective Text For Web Design – This web design tutorial discusses the key strengths of text over graphics to teach students about basic typography principles.
HTML Tutorials – The HTML tutorials offered by w3school.com are just one of several on-site web design tutorials. This tutorial focuses on the basic, intermediate, and advanced uses of HTML.
Learn To Paint With Acrylics – The first part of this 3-part video tutorial from how-to-draw-and-paint.com teaches the technical application of working with acrylic paint.
Digital Cartography – This 9-part digital cartography tutorial from Art Tutorials Wiki discusses the art of digital line drawing.
Patrick’s Free Art Course – Patrick Lawrence offers a comprehensive art course for free through his blog. The course addresses drawing, painting, and many other art techniques.
The author, Karen Schweitzer, writes about online colleges for OnlineColleges.net.


“The Room for Debate Section” of New York Times (July 3rd) deals with “the Right Approach to Reading Instruction,” and throws the question;
“The student-led approach to reading and writing known as "Balanced literacy" is making a comeback in New York City schools. But critics say students need closer instruction from teachers and more work on "Core Knowledge" focusing on systematic phonics and facts. What is the right approach to improving student literacy?" http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/07/02/the-right-approach-to-reading-instruction?ref=opinion
According to E. D. Hirsch, Jr. professor emeritus of education and humanities at the University of Virginia, “balanced literacy” in primary school includes some phonetics, children’s literature writing, and is the opposite concept to “core knowledge” approach focusing on systematic phonics and coherent content
I understand that “balanced literacy” simply means balanced (unbiased) knowledge, sophistication, education, or culture of individual (more likely of grown-ups) as a generic term. Is it education specific, particularly of elementary education?


CBSE 7679T Teaching Literacy to Students in Inclusive Classrooms
30 hours lecture, 30 hours field experience; 3 credits
Methods of teaching literacy to students in general and special education classrooms, including those who are English language learners. Literacy strategies and programs for reading and related communication skills, and use of literature in settings for students with diverse learning needs. Field experiences. Role of the family, community and culture in literacy development. Focus on instructional technology, current research validated strategies, and New York State Learning Standards.
The City University reserves the right, because of changing conditions,
to make modifications of any nature in academic programs and requirements
of the university and its constituent colleges without advanced notice.
Students are advised to consult regularly with college and department counselors
concerning their programs of study.
Access the college's current and recent course bulletins.


Young Artists Blossom at the Worcester Art Museum This Spring
(WORCESTER, Mass., March 5, 2004) - Springtime classes, March 23 - May 22, at the Worcester Art Museum cultivate creativity in your children.
All youth, not just those with perceived talents, benefit from working with art materials, learning about self-expression, and exploring other cultures. The creative instructors at the Museum help kids tap into their talents and discover their own style.
Weekday classes highlight many varieties of art making, from drawing and painting to sculpting and cartooning. Children ages 3-5 with a caretaker can build their art vocabulary as well as their confidence in Art Together: ARTful Start. Kids 5-7 years old can experiment with paint, paper, and clay during a Sculpture Safari, or learn traditions of ancient cultures through stories and art making in Mixed Media: Stories in Art. Cartooning allows kids ages 8-10 to discover ways to bring characters and their stories to life on paper. Pre-teens learn to tell a story through pen and ink in Pen and Ink Drawing for ages 11-13.
Saturday classes for youth offer more ways to discover art and creative expression. Art, Movement, and Music offers a fun nurturing environment that complements learning with music, movement, and visual art for ages 5-7. A new program, Flash Computer Animation, allows children ages 11-13 to make their creative stories come alive using Flash, a web tool for animation and interactive media.
High school students ages 14-17 can participate in watercolor or figure-drawing classes. A special workshop, The Picture Book: How It Works, is also offered to help teenagers learn to communicate their fairy tale or novel story through pictures and words.
Pre-registration is required for any program. Find more information and register online at www.worcesterart.org or call the Museum at (508) 799-4406 ext. 3129. Space is limited and is available on a first-come first-served basis.
About the Worcester Art Museum
The Worcester Art Museum, which opened to the public in 1898, is world-renowned for its 35,000-piece collection of paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, photography, prints, drawings and new media. The works span 5,000 years of art and culture, ranging from ancient Roman mosaics to Colonial silver, Impressionist paintings and contemporary art. Dedicated to the promotion of art and art education, the Museum offers a year-round studio art and art appreciation program that enrolls over 6,000 adult and youth students each year. Public tours are offered Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m., September through May. Audio tours are also available in English and Spanish.
Museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (evening hours sponsored by Commerce Bank), and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and full-time college students with current ID, and FREE for Members and all youth 17 and under. Admission is also FREE for everyone on Saturday mornings, 10 a.m.-noon (sponsored by The TJX Companies, Inc. and Massachusetts Electric, a National Grid Company). The Museum is located at 55 Salisbury St., Worcester, Mass., easily accessible from the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90), Route 290 and Route 9. Free parking is available near entrances on Salisbury, Lancaster and Tuckerman streets. For more information, call (508) 799-4406.


Nearly 6% of students have some degree of DCD, including up to 50% of students with speech-language disorders. The disability is in the motor domain as these students have average to above average intelligence.
* Presents the basic principles associated with motor skill development
* Examines the possible causes of motor difficulties by examining symptoms such as:
o speech delays
o poor handwriting
o weak gross and fine motor skills
o clumsiness and awkwardness
* Thoroughly explains developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and its link to speech and language disorders
* Identifies the speech-language pathologist’s role in the diagnosis and treatment of DCD
* Explains how motor problems impact functioning in other domains of behavior
* Identifies the types of behaviors associated with poor motor skills
* Explains the types of problems children with DCD may exhibit
* Describes the effect of poor motor coordination on psychosocial development and academic performance
* Supports a metacognitive approach to intervention
* Outlines therapy strategies to help children with DCD
o the four criteria for diagnosing DCD from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Text revision, 2000, from the American Psychiatric Association
o the developmental motor skill milestones to help parents, colleagues, and physicians understand the long-term effects of DCD
o a glossary of terms with examples to clarify meanings
o 24 factors that can influence the acquisition of motor skills and the impact of each one
o valuable summary and list of references at the end of each chapter
o checklists of common motor skill behaviors
o two case studies that demonstrate the importance of an accurate, timely diagnosis of motor difficulties
o description of DCD and AD/HD, learning disorders, nonverbal learning disorders (NLD), Asperger’s syndrome, and the slow learner
o easy-to-read, non-technical presentation with the latest practical information
o various treatment approaches based on the child’s environments including:
+ 3 motor skill training approaches
+ questions to consider before beginning training
+ general recommendations for parents/caregivers
+ strategies for school personnel
+ strategies within the community
+ specific teaching strategies and tips for the professional
My son was slow to learn to stand and walk, and his speech was very delayed. He learned to run, but he can’t yet throw or catch a ball properly.
My student has a poor self-concept. He is clumsy and avoids physical activities. He has very few friends and I’m concerned about him.
My daughter prefers to wear sweatpants and T-shirts because they are easier for her to slip on rather than having to deal with clothes that have zippers or buttons. She writes slowly and awkwardly, and she is having trouble using a keyboard.
These children are exhibiting Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), a serious difficulty in motor skill development that affects the whole child. Associated conditions can include apraxia, NLD, specific language impairment, sensory integration disorder, and mixed expressive-receptive language disorder.
Students on your speech-language caseload may be struggling with DCD, especially those who were late talkers or exhibit dysfluent speech, oral-motor articulation deficits, problems pronouncing word syllables in the correct order, specific problems with word retrieval, or difficulty planning and constructing sentences. Learn how to help these students with the excellent information provided in this Source.
This Source provides you with the latest practical intervention for DCD. Chapters cover basic information on the motor skills development and difficulties, along with intervention approaches and strategies. You’ll be the instant expert on this challenging disorder.
187 pages, references, checklists, CD-ROM
Note: The free CD is NOT software and is not interactive. Instead, the CD contains reproducible pages from the book in PDF Format, allowing you to open pages from the book, view them on screen, and print them from your own printer. You cannot modify or edit the text on the pages.


Children's Program and Services
|Description of Services||html|
Forms and Procedures
|Case History Forms||DOC|
|Family Preschool Manual Final||DOC|
|Family Toddler Manual Final||DOC|
Preschool Phonology Groups
Preschool Phonology Groups are for 3-5 year-old children with speech impairments. The groups meet on MWF or TTh mornings. In these groups children acquire important speech sounds and production skills in the context of fun, game-based activities.
Preschool Play Group
The Preschool Classes are for children ranging in age from 3 to 5 years, meeting on MWF or TTh mornings. Class size is limited to 14 children. Emphasis is placed on the development of basic and more complex speech and language abilities as well as language-based school readiness including listening and attending skills, early literacy and numeracy skills. Language and play form the basis of the curriculum, as children are provided with a rich variety of opportunities for learning important cognitive and problem-solving skills, motor coordination, self-help, and social skills.
Toddler Play Group
The Toddler Play Groups provide language and developmental experiences for children ranging in age from 18-36 months. Children are grouped to minimize age ranges within a given class. These 2-hour sessions are held twice weekly, meeting on MW or TTh mornings. Groups are limited to 8 children. A play-based format serves to promote communication, language, motor, and social emotional skills. Program activities are more structured as children approach age three, providing children with an assortment of props to facilitate participation in defined activities such as art, music, and story time. A play-based format serves to promote communication, language, motor, and social emotional skills.
Supplemental Services for Children with Autism
Individual Speech Therapy focuses on children's unique needs. Goals to achieve functional communication are primary targets. Children also work on increasing initiations and joint attention with their communication partners. Sessions are child-directed with adults arranging the environment to support communication interactions. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to attend each session in order to learn strategies and support generalization of skills.
Parents as Partners Toddler Group meets for eight weeks (1.5 hours/week). The first session is for parents and focuses on strategies that they can use to interact with their children. Parents (or caregivers) and their children jointly attend the remaining 7 sessions so that the parents have opportunities to practice hands on strategies such as Picture Exchange Communication, Pivotal Response Treatments, and communication temptations.


You are here
Berg had almost no formal music education before he started music lessons with Arnold Schoenberg in October of 1904. Studying at first music theory, harmony, and counterpoint, by 1907 he gradually began composition lessons. Some of Berg’s first compositions included songs as well as drafts for piano sonatas, probably under the influence of his studies of sonata form with Schoenberg. It is believed that some of these sonata sketches culminated in his first significant work – the Piano Sonata, Op. 1, completed in 1908 and premiered in Vienna in April, 1911.
Berg enthusiastically embraced Schoenberg’s teaching about “developing variation” – a compositional technique that involves the development and variation of music material derived from a simple musical motive or idea, thus preserving the unity of the musical composition. His Piano Sonata is a perfect example of this process, as the whole composition can be traced back to its opening phrase. It is a single movement work, which although utilizing the idea of developing variation, still bears the structure of a traditional sonata form with exposition, development, and recapitulation.
The Sonata opens with two ascending intervals – a perfect fourth and an augmented fourth – followed by a descending passage ending in an authentic cadence in B minor. After this cadence in the home key, we never really hear the tonic triad again until the closing coda. The tonal instability of the piece is emphasized by Berg’s extensive use of chromaticism, whole-tone scales, and diminished and extended harmonies, which give the Sonata a certain uneasiness, tension, and restlessness. This is further reinforced by dramatic changes in dynamics, with huge climaxes of virtuosic octaves played in fortissimo followed by quiet, dark, and quite gloomy sections. Berg navigates his way through the thick harmonies of the Sonata with the confidence of a mature and extremely skilled composer, never letting us feel relief from the grip of drama and tension. Only after he has completely exhausted all possible ways of development does this restless music finds resolution and peace. The peace of a B-minor chord – the same chord we heard in the very beginning.
Notes by Milen Kirov


MATH102 Mathematics for Educators I
Department of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics: Mathematics
- I. Course Number and Title
- MATH102 Mathematics for Educators I
- II. Number of Credits
- 3 credits
- III. Minimum Number of Instructional Minutes Per Semester
- IV. Prerequisites
- Math Placement Test score of 7 or MATH103 (C or better)
- V. Other Pertinent Information
- A comprehensive departmental final examination is required for this course.
- VI. Catalog Course Description
- This course provides a preparation in mathematics for students interested in elementary education. Topics include elementary logic, sets, relations, functions, numeration systems, whole numbers, integers, and number theory.
- VII. Required Course Content and Direction
- Course Students will:
- solve problems involving elementary logic including inductive and deductive reasoning, patterns and algorithms, set operations, relations and functions;
- define the whole numbers using equivalence classes, define the operations for whole numbers using sets, order whole numbers using sets, calculate multiples and powers of whole numbers, use mental math and estimation;
- work with numeration systems including Hindu-Arabic, Roman numerals, and other ancient systems;
- work with positional numeration systems; perform calculations involving positional numeration systems and other bases; and develop an understanding of the importance of place value and groupings in decimal system and other base systems;
- complete prime factorizations and use this to calculate the greatest common divisor and greatest common multiple of two or more numbers; use divisibility rules to test for divisibility; and
- define the integers from the whole numbers and develop an understanding of the properties of the integers using the definition of the integers.; define the operations for the integers using equivalence classes; order the integers and simplify expressions involving absolute value and negative exponents.
- Core (if applicable) Category I:
- accurately translate descriptive problems into mathematical formulas and solve them.
- evaluate and graph data
- use methods, concepts and theories in new situations(Application Skills).
- demonstrate an understanding of solving problems by:
- recognizing the problem
- reviewing information about the problem
- developing plausible solutions
- evaluating the results
Mathematics or ScienceStudents will be able to:
Critical Thinking/Problem SolvingStudents will be able to:
Planned Sequence of Topics and/or Learning Activities:
- elementary logic
- inductive reasoning
- deductive reasoning
- patterns and pattern recognition
- sets, relations, and functions
- set operations
- artitions as equivalence relations and equivalence classes
- whole numbers
- definition of whole numbers
- properties of whole numbers
- operations for whole numbers using sets
- ordering whole numbers using sets
- multiples and powers of whole numbers
- mental math and estimation
- numeration systems
- Hindu-Arabic, Roman numerals and other ancient systems
- positional numeration systems and other bases
- operations using the decimal system and other bases
- number theory
- factors, factorizations, and prime numbers
- divisibility rules
- greatest common divisor and Euclidean Algorithm
- least common multiple
- define integers from whole numbers
- properties of integers
- operations for integers and their algorithms
- ordering integers
- absolute value
- negative exponents
Assessment Methods for Core Learning Goals:
- Course Students will apply mathematical concepts and principles to identify and solve problems through informal assessment (oral communication among students and between teacher and students) and formal assessment (may include homework, quizzes, exams, projects, and comprehensive final).
- Core (if applicable) Math or Science: Assigned problems require the student to translate a descriptive problem into mathematical statement and solve.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Critical thinking and problem solving skills are required when creating Venn Diagrams and evaluating the information in the diagram to answer questions posed about the problem. They are also assessed when solving Logic problems.
Other Evaluative Tools: Exams, quizzes, class participation, and projects as specified in the individual instructor’s course format are utilized.
Reference, Resource, or Learning Materials to be used by Students:A departmentally selected textbook will be used. Details will be provided by the instructor of each course section. See course format.
- VIII. Teaching Methods Employed
- Section VIII is not being used in new and revised syllabi as of 12/10/08.
Review/Approval Date - 3/06; Core Goals/Objectives added 4/04; Revised 6/2013


Tips for New Teachers
Supporting English Language Learners
English language learners need the same quality instruction as native English speakers. Here are some ways to support the literacy development of your English language learners:
- Encourage students to participate in classroom instruction and practice at all times.
- Ask questions frequently to check for understanding.
- Preteach additional vocabulary to enhance background knowledge.
- Illustrate word meanings and phrases with physical demonstrations and pictures.
- Teach word-analysis skills that native English speaking students learned in earlier grades.
- Provide a variety of texts at different levels of difficulty for the same topic or content area unit of study.
- Select some books with high-quality photographs and limited text.
- Include bilingual dictionaries in your classroom library.
- Provide written reminders of new vocabulary words as your students are learning them, either in the form of student-produced dictionaries, word walls, or an ongoing list on the board.
- Encourage students to use their native language to support their writing in English. This might involve writing some words or sentences in their first language and others in English.
- Ask parents to share information about their culture and language with the class.
- Share information with parents about what students are studying each week. If necessary, have parent memos and fliers translated into their native language. Or, ask students to copy down weekly learning activities and discuss them with their parents.
Next > Put It Into Practice


Her goal was to change the way her participants act towards people, which might save somebody from being bullied. If one person can be saved from the horror that she has seen come after a person is bullied, then all the hours of work would be worth it to her. Bullying is a national issue for school children, and continues into adulthood. Along with the appropriate support from adults, her Anti-Bullying Fair can make a difference and the effects can ripple out into the world. In addition to the elementary school children, the message had the additional benefit of impressing the volunteers.
Krommenhoek started with her Clinton Township troop as a Daisy in Kindergarten. The Gold Award, Girl Scout’s highest honor, was her final project and took well over 80 hours. The project documentation is available at Clinton Township Middle School and Girl Scout Council for students to put on their own Anti-Bullying Fair.
Currently a freshman at Seton Hall University, Krommenhoek is studying elementary education, where bullying is part of the curriculum. Under her six year program, she plans to continue to get her masters in speech pathology.


Friction is what happens when any two things rub against each other. These can be solid things, like your two hands rubbing together, or your skis rubbing on the snow, or a hammer hitting a nail, or they can be gases, like friction with the air slowing down your car, or liquids, like friction with the water slowing down a boat.
Nobody completely understands what causes friction. Partly, friction happens when the rough edges of one object snag on the rough edges of another object, and some of the objects' energy has to be used to break off those rough edges so the objects can keep moving. And when you rub two soft things together, like your hands, sometimes they squish into each other and get in each other's way. But even completely smooth, hard things have some friction. This friction is the result of the molecules in both objects being attracted to each other.
We know how to make more friction or less friction, and how to predict how much friction there will be. There's more friction when the two objects are pushed together harder. If you push your hands together, it's harder to rub them up and down. If you pull the brake lever harder, your bike will stop faster. Because gravity pulls harder on things with more mass, things with more mass have more friction and are harder to move - a cube of iron will be harder to move than a cube of wood. Two solid things usually have more friction than two liquid things, or one liquid thing and a solid - that's why you slip on a wet surface more than a dry one.
When two things rub against each other, they both slow down. Because energy = mass x velocity, if the objects lose velocity without gaining mass, then they have to release some energy to keep the equation equal. One way for them to release that energy is as heat - loose electrons shooting off into the air. You can feel this happen when you rub your hands together and they get warmer. When you are ice skating, the friction between your skate blades and the ice melts little tracks of water in the ice -that's what makes ice skating so slippery.
To find out more about friction, check out these books from Amazon.com or from your library:
Science for Kids home page
History for Kids home page


American Sign Language—moving towards a national standardImagine you are a teacher with a deaf student in your classroom that uses American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. You recognize that it is important to assess all the expressive and written language skills a student uses, but how do you evaluate performance in ASL? For teachers working with deaf and hard of hearing students, there has never been a way to formally evaluate ASL skills, and plan instruction accordingly.
In early 2011, recognizing the need to for of such an evaluation tool, the Clerc Center has awarded a two-year contract to a team composed of university-based researchers renowned for their expertise in deaf education, language and literacy development, and ASL assessment; as well administrators, teachers, and specialists at three elementary and secondary schools for the deaf. The coalition team members come from Boston University; University of Manitoba; University of California, San Diego; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; California School for the Deaf-Riverside; Indiana School for the Deaf in Indianapolis, Indiana; and The Learning Center for the Deaf in Framingham, Massachusetts.
The team has already drafted a synthesis of ASL research and a framework with the proposed standards, strands, and benchmarks of what students are expected to learn by the time they graduate. The standards and benchmarks will go through a multi-phase review process involving linguists, educators, other professionals, and members of the public. After the literature review and proposed framework is approved by the Clerc Center, the next phase is the development of ASL Content Standards K-12. Researchers and school leaders of three select schools, the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, the Indiana School for the Deaf, and The Learning Center in Massachusetts, will be working with teachers to apply the proposed standards in practice and revise accordingly. There will be a feedback group consisting of teachers and educators. The Clerc Center has set a target date of early 2013 for nationwide dissemination of the standards.


Fourth Grade Standards, Fourth Grade Reading Standards, Fourth Grade Foundational Skills Standards, Fourth Grade Reading, Fourth Grade Skills, Reading Standards Fourth Grade
Fourth Grade Reading: Foundational Skills Standards
Phonics and Word Recognition
- RF.4.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
- Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.
- RF.4.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
- Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
- Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.
- Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Fourth Grade Common Core Workbook USB$59.00 Add to cart
Fourth Grade Common Core Workbook Paperback$200.00 Add to cart
Fourth Grade Common Core Workbook DownloadFrom: $39.00 Select options
Fourth Grade Common Core Standards PostersFree! Add to cart
Fourth Grade Common Core Assessment Workbook USB$39.00 Add to cart
Fourth Grade Common Core Assessment Workbook Paperback$50.00 Add to cart
Fourth Grade Common Core Assessment Workbook DownloadFrom: $19.00 Select options


KCC’s Social Science Department offers instruction in a broad range of subject areas which are viewed as essential to building solid employment skills. Our rapidly changing economy needs workers who are able to critically think, analyze, and pursue knowledge to help themselves and their employers thrive. Social Science careers include: teachers, political scientists, social workers, psychiatrists, anthropologiests, religious leaders, sociologists, historians, human service workers, early childhood specialists, and teachers.
Social Science and Education courses support all career paths including: health sciences, education, skilled trades, criminal justice, international travel, business, and creative arts. The KCC Social Science and Education Department supports Service Learning, Early Childhood Education, Elementary and Secondary Education, and International Travel Programming. We are committed to helping people acquire these skills. We study:
Anthropology: helps us to understand how cultures have made meaning of human existence over time
Early Childhood Education: the field of study focusing on children’s growth and development between the ages of birth and 8 years
Elementary Education: helps young children develop important skills in a positive learning environment
Ethics: helps us to understand the guiding principles which can enrich our personal and professional lives
History: helps us to understand what came before us so that we may take advantage of successes and mistakes along the course of human experience
Human Services: helps us to understand the needs of persons on their journey through life so that we may assist them through transitions and in overcoming obstacles
International Studies and Travel: helps us to explore our world learning about new cultures and opportunities
Philosophy: helps us to understand the ideas of the great thinkers past and present
Political Science: helps us to understand the role of leadership and how leaders can help promote economic and social growth
Psychology: helps us understand ourselves, those around us and our relationships with them
Secondary Education: instruction of students in middle and high schools in specific subjects such as math, science, literature arts, music and history
Service-Learning: is a teaching and learning method that engages students in deep academic inquiry and reflection related to their field of study while they are also actively engaged in their own community.
Sociology: helps us to understand how societies have developed and how society influences us


As a teaching methodology, process drama developed primarily from the work of Brian Way, Dorothy Heathcote and Gavin Bolton and through the work of other leading drama practitioners. Cecily O'Neill describes process drama being used to explore a problem, situation, theme or series of related ideas or themes through the use of the artistic medium of unscripted drama. Process drama is a dynamic way of working that requires teachers to reflect-in-action, constantly dealing with unique situations that require novel approaches. It has its roots in dramatic play, where normally-developing children in every culture in the world will create their own imagined worlds, often with the co-participation of an empathetic adult (usually the parent) in role.
Process drama in school settings usually involves the whole class working with the teacher in role in a made up scenario. When they are working in process drama, the students and teachers work together to create an imaginary dramatic world within which issues are considered and problems can be solved. In this world they work together to explore problems and issues such as, "How do communities deal with change?", "How do we accept other people into our community?" or themes such as environmental sustainability, betrayal, truth and other ethical and moral issues. Sometimes the work may begin as light-hearted, but the teacher always layers more dramatic tension and complexity into the work as the teacher is aiming for a pedagogical outcome. Students learn to think beyond their own points of view and consider multiple perspectives on a topic through playing different roles. For instance, if the issue being discussed is logging a forest, they may play the loggers, people who live in the forest community and environmentalists. Playing a range of positions encourages them to be able to recast themselves as the "other" and to consider life from that viewpoint, thereby creating complexity and enabling us to explore multiple dimensions of the topic. Process drama does what the character Atticus Finch advocates: the ability to work for social justice comes from the ability to understand another perspective—to be able to try on someone else's shoes and walk around in them for a while. Process drama allows us to "try on" other people's shoes, to walk the paths they tread and to see how the world looks from their point of view.
Process drama is also suggested as a tool to promote literacy development through opportunities for dramatic play in early childhood settings within which children speak for a range of purposes in role.
In school settings drama is used often as an approach to understanding and exploring written texts and picture books and as a way of providing meaningful and engaging contexts for writing.
- Bolton, G. M. (1979) Towards a theory of drama in education. Longman, London.
- Bolton, G. M. (1984) Drama as education. Longman, London.
- Bolton, G. M. (1992) New Perspectives on Classroom Drama. Nelson Thornes Ltd., London.
- Bolton, G. M. and Dorothy Heathcote (1995) Drama for Learning: Dorothy Heathcote's Mantle of the Expert Approach to Education (Dimensions of Drama Series). Heinemann Drama.
- Morgan, Norah and Juliana Saxton (1987) Teaching Drama: A Mind of Many Wonders. Trans-Atlantic Publications.
- Neelands, Jonothan and Tony Goode (2000) Structuring Drama Work: A handbook of available forms in theatre and drama. Cambridge University Press.
- O'Neill, Cecily (1995) Drama Worlds: A Framework for Process Drama (The Dimensions of Drama). Heinemann Drama.
- O'Toole, John (1992) The Process of Drama: Negotiating Art and Meaning. Routledge.
- Baldwin, Patrice (1991) Stimulating drama: Cross curricular approaches to drama in the primary school.
- O'Mara, 2000
- Schön, 1986
- Sun, Ping-Yun. Using Drama and Theatre to Promote Literacy Development: Some Basic Classroom Applications. Indiana University website.
- Schneider, J. J. and S. A.W. Jackson (2000). Process drama: A special space and place for writing. The Reading Teacher, 54(1), 38-51.
- This is exemplified in Teaching Literacy Through Drama - Creative approaches by Patrice Baldwin and Kate Fleming.


|The Orff-Schulwerk Process
from the Elementary Classroom Teacher Resource Index
German composer and pedagogue, Carl Orff, developed an internationally recognised approach to music education which combines movement, singing, speech, listening and instrument playing. Orff Schulwerk is an approach to music education that includes all facets of music expression. Children learn in an active way, where imitation and exploration lead to improvisation and music literacy. Speech, song, movement and instruments are the vehicles used to teach rhythm, melody, form, harmony and timbre. It is built on the idea that a child must be able to feel and make rhythms and melodies before being called on to read and write music. In the same way a child learns to speak before learning to read and write, he or she must have a musical language in which to feel at home, before technical knowledge is introduced. The Orff Process is child-developmental. Orff believed that a child internalizes and developes ownership of a concept by experiencing the concept first. "Experience first, intellectualize second."
Through tuned and non-tuned percussion instruments, movement, games, singing, rhythmic exploration and drama, the child learns of his own innate musical talents in a way that is immediately successful and rewarding. Orff for the very young child is an excellent preparation for private lessons. For the older child it is an indispensable means toward developing a more complete musical experience as it supplements private lessons.
Teaching an Orff Schulwerk Arrangement
The success of the Orff Schulwerk process in music education is in its community based approach. In other words, every student learns and takes responsibility for every part of the arrangement.
Present the song to the students.
Teach the song as a chant, working phrase by phrase until the students have mastery of each phrase.
Add the melody, working phrase by phrase until the students have mastery of the song.
Move to the accompaniment parts, working on the foundational parts first - often the xylophone/metalophone parts. The use of body percussion is often employed in helping students transfer accompaniment patterns to the instruments. Consider/apply the use of movement to bring about a greater understanding. Encourage creative input from the children through out the process. Encourage improvisation.
Combine vocal/instrumental/movement parts for a final performance.
It's important to remember that Orff Schulwerk songs and orchestrations should always be considered a "framework". Within this framework teachers may freely, add to or discard any part of the materials to meet the needs of the students. Students with experience performing Orff arrangements may even ejoy creating their own.
Sign up to receive the MakingMusicFun.net Newsletter so you don't miss a thing!


Baby Music: Will Mozart Make Your Baby Smarter?
Filed under: Babies
You've got the car seat installed, the diaper bag packed and the nursery is finally painted and decorated. But have you been busy introducing your baby to classical music?
Studies have found playing your baby music composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart may help elevate spatial reasoning during fetal development and in children up to 3 years old. But can showering the womb and your newborn with "Symphony No. 40 in G minor" and "The Magic Flute" really help start your child on a path to genius?
And what about The Beatles? Many consider the Fab Four to be musical geniuses in their own right. Could a serenade of "Blackbird," which incorporates elements of Bach's "Bourree in E minor," have a similar effect?
The so-called Mozart Effect was first conceived at the University of California, Irvine, in 1993 during research on Mozart's effect on college students taking the Stanford-Binet IQ test. Those results showed a temporary improvement in spatial-temporal reasoning by students who listened to Mozart compositions for 10 minutes prior to taking the test. The results sparked a phenomenon of Mozart baby music and government programs designed to expose newborns and infants to classical music.
However, other research, such as a recent University of Vienna study, has concluded that playing your baby music by Mozart, Bach or even Pearl Jam to increase intelligence simply may be a myth.
Yes, some studies have shown increased performance by rats in mazes after listening to a few Mozart sonatas, and plants have behaved differently when exposed to classical and rock music. But babies are neither rats, nor plants.
Parents should be cautious of over-stimulating fetuses and newborns when exposing them to music, some experts warn. Baby development studies have stated that over-stimulation can have a negative effect by interfering with sleep and causing an overabundance of stress hormones in the brain. And, as in most things in life, moderation is recommended.
And, if you like your Beatles and Bach and hope your baby will too, although there is no definitive agreement on the positive aspects of playing your baby music during fetal development, scientists have yet to prove that slipping some headphones on your tummy for some soft in-utero lullabies is damaging.
Experts suggest the best approach may be to just relax and enjoy music as you normally would and let your relaxed state carry over to the baby naturally. Avoiding loud volumes and long listening situations is advised, though.
What seems to be more definitive is an accepted agreement by researchers on the positive effects of music exposure, as it relates to overall brain development. Long-term studies have shown that music education and participation over time have resulted in higher verbal, math, reading and science scores on tests, better overall emotional development and an increased ability in dealing with anxiety issues. Music exposure may even help contribute to your child having a better chance at being accepted into medical school.
Cue "The Marriage of Fiagro." It couldn't hurt.
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
Start by teaching him that it is safe to do so.


Good question! I understand where this teacher is coming from. When I was in teaching college, majoring in elementary education, we were never taught the definition of "phonograms," much less why it is important to teach them to students. And I am sure there are many parents who are trying to figure out the best way to teach spelling to their own children, and who need to know the answer to this question.
You probably recognize these problems from working with students.
Challenge: Kids develop faulty methods for learning spelling, like memorizing words as strings of letters or memorizing word shapes. They soon become overwhelmed.
Challenge: Kids guess how words are spelled instead of being certain of their answers. This problem is compounded by methods that encourage invented spelling.
Challenge: Kids forget their spelling words by Monday. They're able to remember the words long enough to pass the spelling test...but by Monday, they've already forgotten what they've learned.
Challenge: The method of "copying the words ten times" doesn't work for many students. Too many spelling books out there cause failure by just presenting a list of words and expecting the student to learn them.
Our brains like to find logic and structure. When we are taught something that "makes sense" to our brains, we remember it much more readily. The basic phonograms and spelling rules provide the logic and structure that our brains crave.
1. We have 26 alphabet letters, and with those letters we form the basic combinations that we call phonograms.
Instead of having to memorize words as strings of unrelated letters, which results in frustration, children who are taught to spell using the phonograms see it as a doable task.
In the All About Spelling program, these phonograms are taught and reviewed through Phonogram Cards (the student reads the sound on the card) and Sound Cards (the student writes the dictated sound). Several phonograms are taught at a time. Using letter tiles, the teacher demonstrates how the phonogram is used in words, and the student practices using the phonograms in spelling words, dictated phrases, and sentences.
2. There are consistent rules, such as:
The sound of /ch/ is
English words do not
C followed by an
In the All About Spelling program, rules and generalizations are taught through hands-on demonstrations with the letter tiles, and are reviewed until they are mastered.
3. Using the basic phonograms and spelling rules, we can spell most words in the English language. A study of 17,000 words showed that the vast majority followed the rules. Only 3% of the words were completely irregular (such as said and of).1 That leaves a very small percentage of words that the student must learn to spell through repetition and rote memorization.
Why expect students to memorize the spelling of thousands of words, a task which is impossible for many children, when you can teach the basic phonograms and related spelling rules? Show students the logic and structure, work with how our brains are wired, and watch your students achieve success in spelling.
1 Hanna, P.R., Hanna, J.S., Hodges, R.E., & Rudorf, H. (1966). Phoneme-grapheme correspondences as cues to spelling improvement. Washington, DC: United States Office of Education Cooperative Research.


The name Nazarene was adopted by a group of early 19th century German Romantic painters who aimed to revive honesty and spirituality in Christian art. The name Nazarene came from a term of derision used against them for their affectation of a biblical manner of clothing and hair style.
In 1809, six students at the Vienna Academy formed an artistic cooperative in Vienna called the Brotherhood of St. Luke or Lukasbund, following a common name for medieval guilds of painters. In 1810 four of them, Johann Friedrich Overbeck, Franz Pforr, Ludwig Vogel and Johann Konrad Hottinger moved to Rome, where they occupied the abandoned monastery of San Isidoro. They were joined by Philipp Veit, Peter von Cornelius, Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Friedrich Wilhelm Schadow and a loose grouping of other German artists. They met up with Austrian romantic landscape artist Joseph Anton Koch (1768–1839) who became an unofficial tutor to the group. In 1827 they were joined by Joseph von Führich (1800–1876) (illustration above right).
The principal motivation of the Nazarenes was a reaction against Neoclassicism and the routine art education of the academy system. They hoped to return to art which embodied spiritual values, and sought inspiration in artists of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, rejecting what they saw as the superficial virtuosity of later art.
In Rome the group lived a semi-monastic existence, as a way of re-creating the nature of the medieval artist's workshop. Religious subjects dominated their output, and two major commissions allowed them to attempt a revival of the medieval art of fresco painting. Two fresco series were completed in Rome for the Casa Bartholdy (1816–17) (moved to the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin) and the Casino Massimo (1817–29), and gained international attention for the work of the 'Nazarener'. However, by 1830 all except Overbeck had returned to Germany and the group had disbanded. Many Nazareners became influential teachers in German art academies.
The programme of the Nazarenes—the adoption of honest expression in art and the inspiration of artists before Raphael—was to exert considerable influence in Germany, and in England upon the Pre-Raphaelite movement. In their abandonment of the academy and their rejection of much official and salon art, the Nazarenes can be seen as partaking in the same anti-scholastic impulse that would lead to the avant-garde in the later nineteenth century.
Other painters associated with the movement
- Mitchell Benjamin Frank. Romantic Painting Redefined: Nazarene Tradition and the Narratives of Romanticism. Ashgate Publishing, 2001; ISBN 0-7546-0477-2
- Cordula Grewe. "Painting the Sacred in the Age of German Romanticism." Aldershot: Ashgate Books, 2009.
- Lionel Gossman. “Making of a Romantic Icon: The Religious Context of Friedrich Overbeck’s ‘Italia und Germania.’” American Philosophical Society, 2007. ISBN 0-87169-975-3.
- Lionel Gossman. "Unwilling Moderns: The Nazarene Painters of the Nineteenth Century" in Nineteenth-Century Art Worldwide - Volume 2, Issue 3, Autumn 2003.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nazarene movement.|


Between May 1956 and December 1958, John Blacking lived amongst the Venda of the Sibasa district of the Northern Transvaal, a lush, mountainous part of South Africa, directly south of Zimbabwe, which was then still called Rhodesia. During this period he documented the three phases of initiation for Venda girls: vhusha, tshikanda and domba. Though Blacking never produced a monograph based on this material, a four-part study he published in 1969, "Songs, Dance, Mimes and Symbolism of Venda Girls' Initiation Schools," in African Music, volume 28 (1-4), and several other independent articles of the same period provide detailed ethnographic descriptions of these institutions and of the expressive repertoire used in them. While his analyses hint at some of the directions his later research would take, these early publications are more akin to highly systematised annotated inventories of primary field data. Few ethnomusicologists have left such a wealth of accessible material at the disposal of subsequent generations.
Throughout his life Blacking drew upon his original research to formulate many of his ideas about the crucial role of music and dance in human society. Based upon this material he participated in practically every debate that emerged in the field of ethomusicological theory and method, from formal analyses of Venda musical systems to such issues as the biological foundations of music, the anthropology of the body, the study of affect and emotion in music and dance, the political implications of musical performance, music education and many other themes. The aim of this Website/CD-Rom is not so much to outline the way in which the Venda material marked John Blacking's work as it is to re-present his data on girls' initiation schools in the spirit in which it was originally published: as an invitation for further analytical readings.
We enter the Venda girls' initiation schools through the general overview Blacking provided of them in his article "Movement, Dance, Music, and the Venda Girls' Initiation Cycle," which appeared in 1985c. This texts does not only furnish the most concise and vivid overall description of the initiation process in Blacking's publications, it also highlights many of the themes that came to dominate his work on music and dance. This text leads into the early ethnographies, in which each stage of the cycle is described in detail. The final section, 'Venda Music', draws on texts from Venda Children's Songs (1967c) and an article published in 1970 in Ethnomusicology, "Tonal Organization in the Music of Two Venda Initiation Schools." Each section of the Website/CD-Rom is richly illustrated with the wealth of recordings, photographs and film footage Blacking made during his field-work.
This Website/CD-Rom is divided into seven chapters.
They can be navigated by accessing 'Next' at the end of each page in the 'Main
Texts'; to return to the 'Main Texts' from independent 'links', click 'Back' in
The Website/CD-Rom also contains a number of resources that can be accessed from the main Menu. These include:


By combining the kid-friendly Nintendo DS with a proven reading curriculum developed and tested at the University of Colorado, My Virtual Tutor: Reading makes learning reading skills fun, affordable and portable! Through interactive books, school age and grade relevant phonics instruction and fun quiz modes, your child will learn the comprehension, phonics, fluency and vocabulary necessary to become an expert reader, all while having fun with their Nintendo DS.
My Virtual Tutor: Reading greets your child first with a fun story in Read to Me mode, where the story is read by the tutor, accompanied by fun sounds and animations. Once the story is read, your child then accesses the story in Explore mode, which features comprehension questions which assess your child’s understanding of what they read. After Explore mode, I Can Read mode is unlocked, where your child can read the story, play fun word-based minigames and even record and listen to him/herself reading aloud! These minigames offer more practice to expand reading comprehension and vocabulary. After playing I Can Read, your child can unleash their inner artist in paint mode while the story is read to them by the tutor. Once your child completes all four modes in the first book, an additional book is unlocked in their library to read and explore. These books were specially created at the University of Colorado to both engage readers and supply practice to gain fluent reading and comprehension.
At any point your child can also play phonics minigames building the skills necessary to become an independent reader. The phonics games focus building words that start, contain, and end with certain letters and sounds. These games progress along with your child by evaluating performance on the current concept then moving on once that concept has been mastered. In addition to phonics practice, our challenge mode will test your child’s skills with survival-style gameplay.
After your child has explored a story and tested their phonics skills, he or she is ready for quiz mode! Quiz mode tests the skills and concepts your child has learned up until that point in the game. By answering story comprehension questions, word matching, and coloring (just for fun!) your child can unlock 20 great prizes! [Prize Pictures] Parents can access Parent Mode at any time to track your child’s progress and identify areas of mastery and areas needing more focus for deeper learning.
Enhanced Learning – Reading as a fun activity My Virtual Tutor: Reading has fun as a top priority. By experiencing early reading through wonderful, hand-drawn animations and characters, along with fun mini-games, your child will not only learn to read; they’ll learn that reading is fun!
Successful The game is based on the National Education Association standards for teaching literacy, and derived from a system developed by researchers at the University of Colorado. Delivered on the Nintendo DS, learning to read is made fun and portable.
Easy to Play Nintendo DS uses the touchscreen exclusively; no need for long, wordy menus to begin and play! Your child can interact with the words and pictures in the game, and they can even paint a picture of the story while the virtual tutor reads. With the portability of a Nintendo DS, your child can learn to read anywhere, anytime!
Adaptive learning My Virtual Tutor: Reading teaches your child new skills as they master previous ones. The activities are paced to correlate with their learning. As your child performs better and faster, the game will dish out extra challenges to keep them excited and engaged.
Self-Correcting Practices To help develop fluency, your child can read the books out-load using the Nintendo DS microphone. After your child reads, the tutor will play back the recording and compare it to what she reads for self-correcting practice.
A Fun Reward System Animated and interactive quizzes are introduced to test your child''s retention of the skills and concepts they learned while playing the game. As your child learns to read by mastering skills and concepts, fun prizes are awarded. Your child will be eager to accumulate as many prizes as possible.
Parent Mode By tracking your child’s progress, the tutor shows you where your child excels, and where more practice is needed. Up to 3 Users per Game
With up to three possible user profiles, every child in your family can have their very own Virtual Tutor!


Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. The concept of health literacy differs from literacy itself. Health literacy requires basic reading skills, but also the ability to understand oral communication, use numbers and math skills, understand how to navigate the health system on a basic level, as well as the ability to communicate with health care providers and their staff. These skills are imperative for patients to be able to do the following:
Millions of Americans lack adequate literacy and numeracy skills. The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) revealed that 93 million American adults – 43% of the adult population – have basic or below basic literacy as compared to intermediate or proficient levels. People with basic or below basic literacy generally have difficulty performing tasks like reading a bus schedule or bar graph, or writing a simple letter explaining an error on a bill. The problem of inadequate literacy is especially pronounced in North Carolina. Based on the 1992 NAAL survey, more North Carolinians function at the lowest literacy levels compared to people nationally. State level estimates place North Carolina 41st in terms of adequate adult literacy levels. The 1992 estimate likely underestimated the current problem of health literacy in this state as the population of immigrants and elderly continues to grow.
Research indicates that low health literacy contributes to a number of health and health care problems. Low health literacy is associated with:
Strategies to improve the quality of care and outcomes for people with low health literacy involve educating clinicians and community members about health literacy, improving patient-provider communication, implementing evidence-based interventions in health care settings, and designing low-literacy health education, prescription information, and health services forms.
In 2007, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Health Literacy Task Force made five specific recommendations to address the problem of health literacy:


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 19, 2005 -- Psychologists at Harvard Universityhave found that five-year-olds are able to grasp numeric abstractionsand arithmetic concepts even without the formal education or languageto express this knowledge in words. The discovery of these inbornskills among preschoolers could point the way to new teachingtechniques, making arithmetic easier and more pleasant for elementaryschool children.
A paper describing the findings will be published in the Proceedings ofthe National Academy of Sciences and is now on the journal's web site.
"Teaching symbolic arithmetic is one of the primary tasks of the firstfour years of elementary education," says co-author Elizabeth S.Spelke, a professor of psychology in Harvard's Faculty of Arts andSciences. "Some children have enormous trouble mastering this skill,and most children find symbolic arithmetic challenging and, at times,confusing. Our studies say, however, that children already have a basicunderstanding of this domain. I hope our work points the way toimproving mathematics education by building on this understanding."
Spelke and her colleagues asked 16 preschoolers to comparearrays of dots on a computer screen, or to merge two sets of dots andthen compare these with a third set. Even without the symbolicknowledge of arithmetic that formal schooling brings, thefive-year-olds could consistently tell which sets of dots were larger.Further successful comparisons between arrays of dots and soundsreinforced that the children understood the basic concept of amount.
These skills contrasted sharply with the preschoolers' ability tocomprehend symbolic arithmetic, as is taught in school. For instance,children were unable to answer verbal questions about numericaladdition, such as: "Suppose you have 15 marbles and your mom gives you10 more, while your sister has 20 marbles. Who has more marbles, you oryour sister?"
However, the children were able to solve this same problem when it waspresented in non-symbolic form, such as an array of 15 blue dots, thena second array of 10 blue dots, and finally a sequence of 20 tones.When asked whether there were more dots or tones, the youngsters wereable to give correct answers.
"A fundamental question for psychology is, 'Where do abstract numberconcepts come from?'" Spelke says. "Some have suggested they come fromhuman language or are constructed by children during formalinstruction; our studies provide evidence that children have abstractnumber concepts, and that they can operate on these concepts to performaddition, before they start school. We conclude that abstract numberconcepts do not depend either on language or on instruction."
Spelke's co-authors on the PNAS paper are Hilary Barth, Kristen La Montand Jennifer Lipton, all of Harvard's Department of Psychology. Thework was funded by the National Science Foundation, National Academy ofEducation and the Spencer Foundation.
Cite This Page: