The synthetic phonics debate has moved on a long way over the past decade, and in so far as teaching reading in primary schools goes, it is now the accepted norm with full governmental backing.
There seems, however, a distinct lack of advice or academic study devoted to teaching the synthetic phonics system to adult learners, and certainly nothing as influential as the 2005 Rose report which extolled the virtues of teaching young children to read using synthetic phonics as the main focus.
Whilst the debate still drags on about the synthetic phonics instruction in primary schools, there is at least some meaningful evidence to suggest from the numerous studies carried out that synthetic phonics is an effective tool for young children. But what about its use with older learners or those that just didnât learn to read whilst at school for whatever reason.
It seems that the success of using synthetic phonics as the primary approach to teaching young children to read has possibly been to the detriment of older learners. There are commonly held opinions that synthetic phonics is associated with primary school learners, that it could be perceived as babyish by older learners or that adults simply wonât be as engaged by the approach as younger learners, not to mention the fact that many older learners who lack literacy skills have negative and often challenging memories of learning to read whilst at school.
So why hasnât there been as much research carried out into the impact of synthetic phonics teaching on older learners, and why has there been a fraction of the money spent on studies on younger children set aside to investigate how synthetic phonics could improve the lives and prospects of older people? Of course, the issue isnât quite as emotive as dealing with something that affects our own children, but that surely doesnât mean it isnât a worthwhile practice and one that should be explored further.
Naturally, one of the problems, other than funding, of conducting research of this kind is finding a sample group big enough. Whilst there are many adults out there who struggle with reading, many of them may not wish to come forward due to embarrassment or a fear of failure. There is also the issue of vastly different levels of pre-existing knowledge among older learners, as opposed to the relative blank slate you get with foundation phase teaching, making a truly quantitative study difficult to plan and to analyse.
Referring back to my earlier point concerning the perceived babyishness of the synthetic phonics approach, the lack of truly age appropriate resources for older learners is yet another barrier to both research and the actual practice of teaching older learners to read. The vast majority of phonics resources on the market are solely aimed at school children, and I for one would not blame any adult for failing to engage with and embrace such learning tools.
Now, whilst these excerpts and blogs are generally meant open the lines of conversation and to oil the wheels of debate about reading rather than endorse our own products, there really is very little by way of resources on the market to even remotely interest adult learners. I truly believe our approach to reading for older learners will reap great benefits for those who choose to use our resources. We hope that if you're reading this and know someone who would benefit from a new approach to synthetic phonics instruction, then you will give them option of opening up this door to potentially a new life.
Rose report, adult learning., adult literacy, adult reading, age appropriate synthetic phonics, literacy rates, reading for adults, synthetic phonics for older learners, synthetic phonics research,


This is the 3rd of 5 units in Digging Reading, a classroom curriculum for teaching reading comprehension strategies.
Unit 3: Questioning and Predicting
Questioning is at the heart of reading and learning. And, Predicting is often a natural outcome of questioning. These two strategies are the focus of the 12 lessons in Unit 3. Students learn to read with questions in mind, gathering text clues in order to form answers. They also make predictions about what they are going to read and note whether their predictions are correct as they read on.
Students learn the reading strategies through activities and interactive reading of the trade book Frindle by Andrew Clements. All materials are provided except the trade book.
You will receive:
â¢ Teacher's Guide (PDF)
The Teacher's Guide provides step-by-step instructions for four lessons and answers to the Activity Book pages.
â¢ Activity Book (PDF)
The Activity Book is designed with plenty of student appeal! Thematic illustrations enhance the activities, whether students are reading a passage, working with a partner, or recording their ideas.
â¢ 3 Posters (JPGs)
Full-color posters, all with an archaeology theme, provide visual reminders of the strategies and how to use them.
â¢ 11 Transparencies (PDFs)
The transparencies are used to model the strategies, stimulate thinking, and gather class input.
â¢ 3 Quizzes with Answer Keys (PDFs)
Each week of instruction ends with a quiz.


Homeschool electives can be so many different things, that they can take you and your student in many directions. Depending on the elective, you may be less likely to find specific standards and guidance from national organizations and your stateâs department of education. This article will give some ideas about how you might go about elective instruction in homeschool.
What Kinds of Courses Might You Consider for Homeschool Electives?
Some of the courses that are offered as elective courses in public and private schools and online schools include Foreign Language, Music, Speech/Drama, Vocabulary, Keyboarding, Computer Applications, Home Economics, Shop, and Etymology. In your homeschool, you might take different approaches depending on the background you have in the subject and the type of course it is. For example, some courses require specialized equipment or costly supplies, some work best if your child can interact with other students, and some are quite difficult to teach if you do not have experience yourself.
In general, some approaches that can be used for electives include:
- teaching them yourself
- enrolling your child in a public or private school for a particular course or two
- using an online course option
- hiring a tutor
- using a local teacher who works outside of the regular school setting
- enrolling in a local community college course
- joining a community group (for example a childrenâs choir or youth orchestra or theater group)
Ideas for Particular Homeschool Electives
Foreign Language is one of the homeschool electives for which you can find National Standards from the American Council of the Teaching of Foreign Language at www.actfl.org. But while you may feel comfortable teaching a foreign language you know or one you donât know if it doesnât need to be spoken (like Latin and Ancient Greek), a really complete understanding of a language has to involve speaking and listening and culture, not just learning about grammar and vocabulary. This is a situation in which taking advantage of otherâs expertise and the classroom experience offered in local schools or some online schools could prove particularly valuable. When you get to upper levels, the Advanced Placement (AP) materials from the college board may also prove helpful.
Music and Speech/Drama
Music and Speech/Drama are also homeschool elective with National Standards available from the National Association for Music Education and presented on the ArtsEdge site along with the standards for Dance, Theater and Visual Arts: artsedge.kennedy-center.org. Unlike Visual Arts, both Music and Speech/Drama are arts in which ensemble work is necessary or critical to developing certain skills. These aspects of the art are more easily addressed in a setting with multiple children, whether within the homeschool family or outside. This doesnât mean that there isnât quite a lot you can do alone with a single child: only that there are other aspects to the art. Local performance venues, park and recreation departments, community theater and music groups, and performing arts groups may all have opportunities for students to participate in ensemble situations.
Private music lessons are also one of the ways that students often learn about music, no matter what their schooling situation is. Instruments are often available to rent or rent-to-buy, if youâre not confident that music will be a life-long love for your child, or the purchase price is very high.
Vocabulary and Etymology
Vocabulary and Etymology are courses that focus on very specific areas of the language arts, and here it is easy to teach from a book even if youâre only one step ahead of your student. Because vocabulary is important for college application tests like the SAT, and because etymology helps build vocabulary, you will find many resources in this area that have an SAT focus. There are also books for people of any age, word-a-day calendars and websites, and many other tools for helping students expand their vocabulary.
Keyboarding and Computer Applications
Keyboarding and Computer Applications can both be taught through computer software. There are specific programming instructions and games and many computer applications come with videos, tutorials, and manuals, all designed to provide instruction in their use. There are also trade books for all major software applications to extend your training opportunities. Educational pricing is often available for software, so try that route before making your purchase.
Home Economics and Shop
Home Economics and Shop may be classes that fit right into place in your home, if anyone in the household is fairly good at cooking and at shop. Because shop can require tools and equipment that are costly, and because online options donât cover the hands-on experience needed, you might want to look into a course at a school or private lessons. Cooking training is often offered at parks and recreation departments, which have the facilities necessary.


The Orff Approach to music education combines music, movement, drama and speech into lessons that are similar to the childâs world of play. Music helps the children with coordination, dexterity and concentration. The Orff Approach harmonizes with Maria Montessoriâs ideas of how a child learns.
Introducing a young child to a second language gives them a chance at greater fluency and access to countless professional opportunities later on. The time when childâs language skills naturally develop is the ideal time for the child to learn a second language. Spanish is one of the most popular languages for children in the United States to learn and is the second most-spoken language in the world.
The essence of art is self-expression but in children, the process of creating art is the most important aspect. Through art our children will learn better motor skills, language development, decision making, visual learning, improved academic performance, cultural awareness and self-confidence.
All kids ages 4-15 are welcome. The goal of each club meeting is to have fun while learning to play chess. During one of their sessions, the club will meet Fridays after school from 3:45-4:30. The Kansas City Chess Club chess curriculum will guide students from Pawn to King level advancement. Progress will be measured by a chess skills test taken at the end of each level. Ken Fee and his staff of certified chess instructors from Kansas City Chess Club will be teaching players about the important rules, chess etiquette, strategy, openings, endgames, and tactics. Sign up now.
Individual Piano Instruction
Lessons will be offered on Wednesdays. Linda's comprehensive approach to learning the keyboard includes sight-reading, technique, music theory and aural training. There are direct correlations between musical study and verbal competency, motor and auditory skills, reasoning abilities and problem solving. Linda recommends that children as young as 5 years old can successfully learn keyboard skills. Sign up now.
Guitar lessons are available on Thursdays either as a group lesson or an individual lesson. Pete has been playing guitar for all but 9 years of his life. He has been teaching for over 5 years, and truly enjoys seeing the breakthrough moment students have when they master a song, chord or scale. Pete plays all kinds of music and he teaches it all too. These lessons are recommended for children age 9 and older. Sign up now.


Dyslexic writers : what educators can do to improve writing for dyslexic students
Capstone Project (B.A.) Liberal Studies Department
Writing is a complex task that is required in nearly every academic subject area. Often, it involves using a multitude of language based skills such as spelling, vocabulary usage, fine motor skills (physical writing), comprehension of ideas, sequence of concepts, and text organization. Dyslexic students will spend some much of their time in mainstream classrooms performing a variety of writing tasks, such as sentence, paragraph, or essay writing. Students with dyslexia often have weaknesses in these foundational skills that can, at times, impair their ability to succeed in writing. Research suggests that implementing support in the form of academic support, spellchecks, organizers, and editing tools will help dyslexic students make greater progress in writing. It is important for teachers and administrators to continue to find simple and accessible ways to make these types of supports available for students with dyslexia.


(a) As per the District Information System for Education (DISE) the enrolment share of Muslim children in the age group of 6-14 years has increased from 11.03% in 2008-09 to 13.31% in 2011-12 at the primary level. The enrolment data with respect to Muslim children at the secondary stage of education and data on other minority communities for the primary and secondary stage of education are not collected.
(b) The reasons for children dropping out include socio-economic factors and cultural barriers to girlsâ education, differing perceptions on the relevance of education and poverty, sibling care and household duties etc.
(c) Through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the States/UTs are supported, inter alia, to open of new schools, strengthen school infrastructure, appoint additional teachers, intervene to enrol out-of-school children, promote girls education, promote inclusive education for children with special needs, train teachers, and supply free textbooks, uniforms, etc. Minority concentration districts receive focused attention through targeted budget allocation and allocation of school infrastructure. The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) supports the States/UTs for secondary education by providing for school infrastructure like buildings, toilets, drinking water, libraries, laboratories etc. and additional teacher posts.`
(d) & (e) Under the SSA, an independent study was conducted to assess teachersâ absence, which found that average teacher attendance was 81.7% in primary and 80.5% in upper primary schools. A national sample survey was also done to find reasons for the dropping out of children from elementary education. The States are being provided assistance for the retention of children in schools such as MDM scheme, free textbooks, uniforms and KGBVâs.


Art at SAAC
Art provides individuals with autism with a meaningful and enjoyable outlet for the expression of inner thoughts and emotions through the artwork they produce. To that end, art education at SAAC focuses on the holistic development of the individual with autism, emotional modulation, and the cultivation of focus, control and the ability to respond well to one-on-one instruction. It is more about the journey of creating an artwork and leveraging teachable moments in the process for growth than about acquiring skills and techniques.
Individuals with moderate to severe autism require concerted prompting from the art teachers and instructors to draw out and assist in expressing their thoughts through art. Even with this level of guidance, it can take a person with moderate to severe autism anywhere from a month for a simple painting to several months for more complex artwork.


An understanding of phonics is one of the core literacy skills kids need to become fluent readers. As such there is a burgeoning resource of lessons, activities and games that teach kids phonics online. But what is phonics exactly?
Phonics is the ability to link letters or combinations of letters to units of sounds, called phonemes. This is otherwise known as the Alphabetic Principle. There are two types of phonics instruction generally used in early education:
Analytic Phonics â is a form of inferential learning that teaches children to analyse a particular set of words and recognise the common phoneme. For example, a student may be asked to discuss how the following words â run, roll, risk, rant â are alike.
Synthetic Phonics â focuses on linking an individual letter, or letter combination, with its appropriate sound. This allows kids to break words down to their individual letters and sounds. This synthetic approach has in recent years largely overtaken the analytic approach as the preferred method of phonics instruction.
Regardless of the approach taken, educators agree that phonics instruction is less effective when removed from a larger framework of literacy instruction. The same goes for instruction of phonics online. Any phonics instruction, whether face-to-face in the classroom or if delivered online, needs to be couched within a larger literacy framework that delivers instruction in all the key literacy areas, phonics being one of them.
ABC Reading Eggs delivers effective instruction in phonics online by using a synthetic phonics approach. The lessons offer explicit instructions by mapping individual letters and letter combinations with appropriate sounds. Each letter of the alphabet is introduced in its own lesson, focusing on the letter-sound relationship and highlighting the alphabetic principle. The focus of the lessons is on developing awareness of letter-sound relationships, not for their own sake, but so that the knowledge can be deployed in the active and fluent reading of meaningful texts.
ABC Reading Eggs includes a comprehensive phonics program that includes lessons on core phonics skills such as working with beginning and end blends, a variety of vowel sounds, dipthongs, consonant letter sounds such as the soft c and g, y, silent letters, double letter sounds, word families, and learning how to attach multi-syllable words.
ABC Reading Eggs offers instruction in phonics online within a complete reading program. The literacy skills developed in each lesson accumulate into a critical mass of literacy, where after Lesson 9 kids read their first book where they can apply their phonics skills.
My children love Reading Eggs. They enjoy learning to read and spell with the lessons. My son struggled with other phonics programs. But he loved Reading Eggs. Opening a new egg after each lesson kept him motivated to finish the program. My daughter loved the skill bank part of the program. She was glad Reading Eggs had a spelling section. L. Taylor
Our students love this site. It is bright, entertaining, engaging and educationally sound. What a fun way to learn to read! They canât get enough of it and ask regularly âis it our turn on Reading Eggs today?â Katrina Kruger, Elliot Heads State School


Teaching Techniques and Insights
For Instrumental Music Educators
1993 GIA Publications, Inc.
Item #: G-3723
The perfect companion to Teaching Music through Performance in Band ... 135 instrumental music educators tell their secrets! Teaching Techniques and Insights for Instrumental Music Educators-Revised Edition Joseph L. Casey In this mammoth book, Joseph Casey collects the wisdom of 135 of the best and brightest instrumental music educators in the United States, and carefully organizes their ideas by subject. Imagine attending seminar after seminar by the likes of Larry Rachleff, Eugene Corporon, H. Robert Reynolds, Craig Kirchhoff, John Paynter, Frederick Fennell-that is the experience captured in this book. Look up a topic such as "Dynamics" and read about "Problems with dynamic changes," expressing "Intensity at low volume levels," and dozens of other topics. In addition, Dr. Casey writes a number of essays, which themselves lend insight, clarify, and raise questions about some of the thorniest issues in music education. (Revised in 1993.) There has never been a book like this, but its very content is proof of the overwhelming need fot it.
Number of Pages:


Competency 9: Developing Others through Teaching, Coaching, and Mentoring
Teaching, coaching, and mentoring are three primary strategies used to develop others.
Teaching involves designing the learning environment, which includes developing learning
objectives and curricula; providing resources and training opportunities; modeling the process of
effective learning; and evaluating whether learning occurred.
Coaching provides the guidance and structure needed for people to capably examine their
assumptions, set realistic goals, take appropriate actions, and reflect on their actions (and the
resulting outcomes or implications).
Mentoring is influencing the career development and professional growth of another by acting
as an advocate, teacher, guide, role model, benevolent authority, door opener, resource, cheerful
critic, or career enthusiast.
MCH leaders will demonstrate a working knowledge of:
- A variety of teaching strategies and tools appropriate to the goals, context, and needs of
- Coaching as a professional relationship that offers tools for dealing with and leading
change, working with others, and managing conflict.
- Mentoring as a personal, career-facilitating relationship involving private and
confidential interactions to promote the menteesâ professional growth, enhance their
skill sets, and increase their knowledge of relevant resources.
Foundational. At the foundational level, MCH leaders will:
- Use instructional technology tools that facilitate broad participation.
- Give and receive constructive feedback about behaviors and performance.
- Cultivate active listening skills (e.g., attending, clarifying, and confirming).
- Identify appropriate mentor-mentee relationships taking into consideration both
individualsâ backgrounds, disciplines and other relevant factors.
- Clearly set boundaries and define expectations focused on specific tasks and projects in
a mentoring or coaching relationship.
- Develop a rapport so that the mentoring/coaching relationship facilitates the
exploration of new and innovative ideas as well as an exchange of honest, constructive
feedback and encouragement.
Advanced. Building on the foundational skills, MCH leaders will:
- Incorporate evidence-based pedagogy (e.g., universal design learning).
- Consistently draw learners into active learning roles.
- Effectively facilitate learning in groups with individuals of varying baseline knowledge,
skills, and experiences.
- Expand beyond task- or project-focused coaching to career- and professional
advancement-focused coaching and mentoring.
- Facilitate opportunities for learners to serve as teachers, coaches, or mentors.
Â« Previous: 8. Family-Centered Care | Next: 10. Interdisciplinary Team Building Â»


This text reviews both similarities and unique cultural, linguistic, and script differences of Chinese relative to alphabetic reading, and even across Chinese regions. Chinese reading acquisition relies upon children's strongly developing analytic skills, as highlighted here. These 16 chapters present state-of-the-art research on diverse aspects of Chinese children's reading development.
This edited volume presents research on Chinese children's reading development across Chinese societies. Authors from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan, among others, present the latest findings on how Chinese children learn to read. Reading acquisition in Chinese involves some parameters typically not encountered in some other orthographies, such as English. For example, Chinese readers in different regions might speak different, mutually unintelligible languages, be taught to read with or without the aid of a phonetic coding system, and learn different scripts. This book both implicitly and explicitly considers these and other contextual issues in relation to developmental and cognitive factors involved in Chinese literacy acquisition.
One of the clearest themes to emerge from this volume is that, across regions, Chinese children, despite lack of explicit teaching of phonetic or semantic character components, learn to read largely by integrating visible print-sound and print-meaning connections. Rather than learning to read Chinese characters by rote, as is sometimes mistakenly believed, these children are analytic learners. Chapters in this book also cover such topics as Chinese children's reading comprehension, cognitive characteristics of good and poor readers, and reading strategies of bilingual and biscriptal readers. This book is a useful reference for anyone interested in understanding either developing or skilled reading of Chinese or for those interested in literacy learning across cultures.
|Product dimensions:||5.90(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.90(d)|
About the Author
CATHERINE MCBRIDE-CHANG is Associate Professor of Psychology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
HSUAN-CHIH CHEN is Professor of Psychology (Chair Professor) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong where he is also a former Head of the Psychology Department and the founding Director of the Centre for Cognition and Brain Studies.
Table of Contents
Introduction by Catherine McBride-Chang and Hsuan-Chih Chen
Chinese Reading Development in Some Major Chinese Societies: An Introduction by Him Cheung and Lisa Ng
Component Skills for Reading Chinese in Primary School Children by May Jane Chen
A Longitudinal Study on the Effects of Phonological Awareness and Speed of Processing on Early Chinese Character Recognition by Catherine McBride-Chang and Yiping Zhang
Development of Orthographic Knowledge and Its Relationship with Reading and Spelling among Chinese Kindergarten and Primary School Children by Connie Suk-Han Ho, Pamela Wing-yi Yau, and Agnes Au
The Role of Character Components in Reading Chinese by Hwawei Ko and Chia Feng Wu
Response Errors in Reading Chinese Characters: A Developmental and Sociocontextual Perspective Hui Li
Linguistic Awareness in Learning to Read Chinese: A Comparative Study of Beijing and Hong Kong Children by Lily Chan and Lei Wang
The Role of Character Schema in Learning Novel Chinese Characters by Kuan-Chun Tsai and Terzinha Nunes
Combining Phonological and Semantic Cues in Reading Pseudocharacters: A Comparative Study by Anke W. Blote, Ping Chen, Elis Overmars, and A.H.C. van der Heijden
Beginning Readers' Awareness of the Orthographic Structure of Semantic-Phonetic Compounds: Lessons from a Study of Learners of Chinese as a Foreign Language by Nancy Ewald Jackson, Michael E. Everson, and Chuanren Ke
Developmental Characteristics of Eye Movements in Reading Chinese by Hsuan-Chih Chen, Hua Song, Wing Yi Lau, Kin Fai Ellick Wong, and Siu Lam Tang
Metacognitive Beliefs and Strategies in Reading Comprehension for Chinese Children by Carol K. K. Chan and Dois Y. K. Law
The Unitization Effect in the Development of Reading Chinese and English: Evident from Letter/Character-Component Detection by Liang Tao and Alice Healy
Lexical Representation and Processing in Chinese-speaking Poor Readers by Hua Shu, Xiangzhi Meng, and Alice Cheng Lai
Biscriptal Literacy Development of Chinese Children in Singapore by Susan J. Rickard Liow and Tng Siok Keng
Pinyin and Phonotactics Affect the Development of Phonemic Awareness in English-Cantonese Bilinguals by Him Cheung


The benefits of music education has been researched for decades. Most recently neuroscientists have been excited about the significant differences they have seen between the brain functions of musicians, when compared with non-musicians. It has become clear that music education before the age of 7 has the greatest benefits to brain development. Furthermore it has been found that it only takes, at the very lest, an hour a week of structured, formal music education to make permanent and positive changes to the brain functions of every child. This film has been made for music educators, parents, principals and policy makers to help get across the importance of music education in every child's education.


For all those who have never had the opportunity to discover classical musicâand have never known the joy it can bringâwe want to make free, effective classical music education available to disadvantaged children. At the Vareille Foundation, we believe that classical music should belong to everyone, not just a privileged few.
Our program takes its inspiration from the Bridge Project, launched by the London Music Masters foundation in communities on the outskirts of the English capital. Under this marvelous program, music classes become an integral part of the elementary curriculum from age four, and children begin violin lessons in their second year. Starting from the fourth year, instruction becomes optional, and children who choose to continue are given a violin.
The first English school to participate in the Bridge Project was Jessop Primary School, in a southern suburb of London. We visited the school, attended music and violin lessons for four- and five-year-olds, and spoke with their teachers, who were all very enthusiastic about the program. They emphasized its dual benefits:
The children are exposed to music. Some develop a genuine interest in music, and for others it can even become a vocation. Several Jessop alumni are now on scholarship at highly selective secondary schools with dual academic and musical curricula.
The schoolâs academic performance has clearly improved. The instructors are confident that the Bridge program helps children develop discipline and concentration and motivates them to make progress in their musical studiesâwhich also contributes to their academic success.
This kind of project cannot succeed without support and active participation from professional music teachers and from the management team at the host school.


ERIC Number: ED079984
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1972
Reference Count: N/A
Images and Things; Guide and Program Notes.
Schwartz, Alice M.
The National Instructional Television Center provides this guide for teachers whose students will be viewing the Images and Things series. The series, composed of 30 films of 20 minutes each, directs attention to the aesthetic and humanistic aspects of art and seeks to help children develop a sense of art appreciation and an ability for art criticism, and to foster artistic creativity. The guide book is designed to help the teacher set a classroom climate which insures maximum response to and learning from each of the 30 programs. For each film a set of notes for the teacher is provided which covers the theme and content of the film, some suggestions for post-viewing discussion and activities, and a short bibliography of related works. A guide to art works, a pronunciation guide, a list of cooperating institutions, museums, and galleries, and some information on the staffs responsible for the series are also appended. (LB)
Descriptors: Aesthetic Education, Art, Art Activities, Art Education, Art Teachers, Audiovisual Aids, Creative Art, Educational Environment, Elementary Education, Films, Fine Arts, Humanities, Humanities Instruction, Instructional Films, Teaching Guides
National Instructional Television Center, Box A, Bloomington, Indiana 47401
Publication Type: N/A
Education Level: N/A
Authoring Institution: National Instructional Television Center, Bloomington, IN.


Tutoring Help For High School Critical Reading
Students in high school spend the majority of their days in content-area classes, all of which require that they efficiently extract information from their texts and interpret what the author has explicitly or implicitly stated. These added demands may have your teen struggling to keep up. Strong reading skills are crucial as your teen faces higher-level classes, more difficult literary and scientific texts, and a heavier workload. Their ability to rapidly comprehend what they are reading will help them during study time, as well as when they take important standardized exams, such as the ACT and SAT. Plus, strong reading skills will give your teen a leg-up in the workplace as they graduate college and start a career.
The reading skills that high school students need to use in their day-to-day activities are based in the foundational skills learned in elementary and middle school. These include the ability to read a wide variety of materials with ease, for varying purposes, and with comprehension. If your teen lacks these and other important skills, or if your teen lacks strong foundational reading skills, our tutors can help.
Getting Started with High School Critical Reading Tutoring
Whether your teen is struggling in school due to weak reading comprehension, or aspires to stronger performance or better grades, Huntington Learning Center's individualized tutoring programs are the perfect solution. We'll begin with a comprehensive academic evaluation that will pinpoint your teen's strengths and weaknesses. Then we'll tailor a tutoring program to meet your teen's specific needs and help them learn at their pace. Our high school reading tutoring programs will help build skills and confidence for a future of success.
We Offer Tutoring to Improve Skills in:
Taking reading comprehension to a higher level is important for both school success and for your teenâs college studies and future career. Tutoring builds skills in:
- Reading comprehension
- Determining the main idea
- Following directions
- Making inferences
- Retaining details
- Drawing conclusions
- Reading rate
- Critical thinking skills
Students who build a strong vocabulary are better readers and writers. Plus, knowledge of higher-level vocabulary words is important to a high score on college entrance exams such as the ACT and SAT. Tutoring builds skills in:
- Word recognition
- Word meaning
- Words in context
- Multiple meanings
- Synonyms and antonyms
- Root words
Read what our many happy parents and STUDENTS are saying...
"My experience at Huntington Learning Center has dramatically changed my life. Huntington has helped me in all aspects of life, especially in school. I am now a much faster reader, and I am able to conquer the SAT. I honestly donât know what I would do without Huntington. At first I was very close minded and my parents forced me to come here, but Iâm glad they did. I strongly recommend Huntington because your grades will rise, and you will see the difference."
What is Huntingtonâs Approach to Tutoring?
We begin with an in-person or phone consultation to understand your goals. Then we conduct a comprehensive academic evaluation to pinpoint your childâs strengths and weaknesses. Based on the results, we develop a personalized learning plan targeted to meet your studentâs needs. Your child will receive individualized tutoring from one of our certified teachers to build and enhance the skills needed for school success and help your child get the best grades possible on quizzes, tests, and report cards. And, with your permission, we keep you and your childâs teachers informed with regular conferences to discuss progress.
Call us today at 1-800-CAN-LEARN to get your child started on the path to success!
How Do I Know if My Child Needs Help?
Most of the time it will be obvious when your child needs help. Often, you can see when they are struggling. Youâll see warning signs, such as low grades, poor test and quiz grades, struggles with homework, avoiding homework, changes in attitude or behavior, or becoming disorganized or quiet and withdrawn.
Your childâs teacher may also notice issues and tell you that your child is a day dreamer, a class clown, or is acting out. The teacher may be concerned about your child's ability to succeed, or that important school skills are missing.
Call us today at 1-800-CAN-LEARN and we can help you determine if your child needs help and how to take the first steps toward success!


Teaching Reading: The Connection Between Student Literacy and Professional Development
Learning to read can be challenging, and many teachers of reading do not always know how to help students master the foundational skills that lead to lifelong literacy. When teachers are more fully prepared, they can help all learners overcome challenges and improve reading achievement.
In this prerecorded webinar, literacy experts Dr. Mary Dahlgren and Michelle Elia explore how teachers need to be smarter than their programs; detail effective solutions and interventions; and demonstrate how to supplement and strengthen core programs and adapt pacing for individuals.
You will gain knowledge and insights into how:
- Rigid implementation of a core program can create as many problems as haphazard, incomplete implementation
- Teacher judgmentâinformed by knowledge of research and use of formative dataâshould always be a factor in decision making
- To define quality professional development and identify the indicators of strong core instruction
- To monitor and outline goals that are meaningful, ambitious, and attainable
Mary Dahlgren, Ed.D.
National LETRSÂ® trainer
Literacy Consultant, Tools 4 Reading
Regional Early Literacy Specialist
Special Education Consultant
State Support Team Region 5 (Ohio)
Who will benefit: Administrators interested in literacy or professional development. Anyone may attend.


Building a Perspective of Failure
âAgain, again, again,â my 2-year-old son Mason chants as we look at the pile of blocks on the floor. Seconds before, standing before us was the tallest tower ever built (at least through Masonâs eyes). Well, actually, it was the fourth or fifth tallest tower ever, as the previous ones had met a similar fate. Tower construction is fun for Mason, but the falling down part is even more so. I welcome Masonâs excited response, because meltdowns and tantrums enter a parentâs mind in situations in which life does not go as planned.
Thinking about it, I realized I was caught between two worlds: At home, failure was something to be expected and accepted, but in the classroom, it was something to be feared and avoided. So what was the difference? And, more important, how could I make my classroom atmosphere regarding failure more like the atmosphere at home?
Part of the problem, I feel, is that at some point (sometime after tower-building and before 4th grade) students have been programmed to fear failure. We have managed to thrust kids into a world of success versus failure. We have forgotten that they are not all that far removed from building towers on the floor with their parents. They were not born with this mind-set; rather, we helped create it for them. In response, we must shift the view from failure as a result of the learning process to failure as being part of the learning process.
Here are some tips for encouraging students to experience failure as an important part of learning:
1. Highlight people who have persevered. The world is full of people (in both the past and the present) who have encountered failure, persevered, and succeeded. We should highlight these people not only for their successes, but also for their struggles with failure. Although reading full biographies may be too time-consuming for most of us, a more practical way to begin this type of discussion is through the use of quotes about the traits that led the people to eventual success. One suggestion is having a quote of the week for the class for reflection and discussion.
2. Donât overreact to failureâembrace it. This is difficult because our initial reaction when a student fails is usually to offer sympathy, embrace any small success that may have occurred to protect them from failure, make comments connecting their performance to the behaviors we noticed in class, or immediately offer suggestions for improvement. Earlier this year, I learned that these types of comments could be counterproductive. A student who was so unsure about the newly introduced concepts left her entire formative assessment blank. As she handed it in to me, she said, âItâs no big deal, Mr. Parr. Iâll practice more and do it better next time.â Had I reacted to her failed attempt instead of accepting it, the situation would have played out very differently. (A week later, the same student demonstrated proficiency and continued to do so in the weeks following.)
3. Offer multiple opportunities. For students to accept failure as part of the learning process, we must make them believers. This is where teachers need to âwalk the walk.â If we say that initial struggles are expected and that perseverance is key, then we need to show it. We can accomplish this through our grading practices. Whereas basing grades on a single, end-of-unit test only maintains the belief that failure is a result of the learning process, offering students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge supports a growth mind-set that embraces failure.
On a final note, a studentâs perspective of failure affects not only their academic success, but also their success in life. In fact, learning to rebound from failure is one of the most important skills our students will need in their academic, professional, and personal lives. Reminding them that towers can be rebuilt might be the most beneficial thing we as teachers can do.
Kevin Parr is a 4th grade teacher at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School in Wenatchee, Washington. A native of Michigan, Parr earned his undergraduate degree in environmental science from Central Michigan University. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala, he realized his passion for teaching and working with children. Parr earned his masterâs degree in elementary education from Johnson State College in Vermont in 2003. Connect with Parr on the ASCD EDgeÂ® social network, by e-mail, or through his blog.


Art teachers are unique in so many ways. From the manner in which we design and use classroom spaces, to how we facilitate interactions with students and colleagues, we bring a unique and creative lens to the table. When it comes to something like writing curricula, we are often empowered to design our own, and for most of us, we wouldnât have it any other way. Yet, that freedom comes with its own set of challenges. Like staring at a blank canvas, knowing where to start, can often be a struggle.
Designing art curricula involves a series of decisions. This includes establishing program goals, time for significant research and planning, and giving yourself permission to experiment with new ideas. In this course, you will look deeply at curricular approaches in the field of art education and explore real art curricula samples from across the globe. In the end, the result will be a personalized curriculum you will be excited to implement because it is specifically aligned to support your students and your teaching style.


Presentation on theme: "Education Resources in PsycINFO Topics in PsycINFO of Relevance to Education PsycINFO is a research database published by the American Psychological Association."â Presentation transcript:
Education Resources in PsycINFO Topics in PsycINFO of Relevance to Education PsycINFO is a research database published by the American Psychological Association. Educators and education researchers can use it to locate research in the behavioral and psychological aspects of education. Sample Searches in Education Research Scenario: A school psychologist wants to find research about intervention programs for students with autism. Search: Autism AND School Based Intervention Results: Articles on topics including interventions in mainstream settings, peer- mediated interventions, social skills, and college readiness. Prefer to have this information as a handout? For a postcard-sized version of this guide (and others) that you can produce on your librarys color printer, visit http://www.apa.org/pubs/librarians/guides/psycinfo-guides.aspx http://www.apa.org/pubs/librarians/guides/psycinfo-guides.aspx
Education Resources in PsycINFO Sample Searches in Education Research Scenario: A teacher is interested in finding information about effective teaching strategies for an online course. Search: Distance Education AND Teaching Methods Results: Articles on topics such as synchronous and asynchronous techniques, blended learning courses, instructional design, and student perceptions. Scenario: School administrators who create and set state-wide standards for curriculum are interested in the impact of bilingualism on literacy development. Search: Literacy AND Bilingualism Results: Articles on topics including vocabulary development, literacy promotion among bilingual families, and promoting dual language learning in children.
Education Resources in PsycINFO Selected Search Terms The search terms provided here are just a few excerpts from the many relevant terms in PsycINFOs thesaurus. If you arent sure how to use these terms (called Subject Terms, Subject Headings, or Index Terms depending on your interface), check with your librarian or consult the PsycINFO Quick Reference Guide you may also have received at the same time as this handout. Learning Academic Achievement Collaborative Learning Multiple Intelligences Self Regulated Learning Special Education Autism Dyslexia Response to Intervention Speech Therapy Student Characteristics Bullying Musical Ability Student Engagement Study Habits Teaching Methods Computer Assisted Instruction Group Discussion Individualized Instruction Peer Tutoring Team Teaching Method
Education Resources in PsycINFO Educational Administration Boards of Education Parent School Relationship School Counselors Student Admission Criteria Teacher Education Curricula Continuing Education Curriculum Development English as a Second Language Home Schooling Mathematics Education Literacy Language Arts Education Phonological Awareness Reading Comprehension Spelling Writing Skills Educational Programs After School Programs Gifted Project Head Start Study Abroad Upward Bound Educational Testing Cheating Cultural Test Bias Curriculum Based Assessment Entrance Examinations Test Anxiety Testing Methods Academic Environment Charter Schools Classroom Management Mainstreaming (Educational) Virtual Classrooms


Development in the domain of literacy serves as a foundation for reading and writing acquisition.
The development of early literacy skills is critically important for childrenâs future academic and personal success. Yet children enter kindergarten varying considerably in these skills; and it is difficult for a child who starts behind to close the gap once he or she enters school (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008). The components within this domain address phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, print awareness, text comprehension and interest, and emergent writing.
As a growing number of children live in households where the primary spoken language is not English, this domain also addresses the literacy development of dual language learners. However, specific age thresholds do not define the indicators for literacy development in English, unlike most of the other developmental progressions. Children who become dual language learners are exposed to English (in this country) for the first time at different ages. As a result, one child may start the process of developing English literacy skills very early in life and another child not until age four, making the age thresholds inappropriate. So instead of using age, The Standards use research-based stages to outline a childâs progress in literacy development. It is important to note that there is no set time for how long it will take a given child to progress through these stages. Progress depends upon the unique characteristics of the child, his or her exposure to English in the home and other environments, the childâs motivation to learn English, and other factors.
Children with disabilities may demonstrate alternate ways of meeting the goals of literacy development. For example, a child with a visual impairment will demonstrate a relationship to books and tactile experiences that is significantly different from that of children who can see. As well, children with a cognitive impairment may reach many of these same goals, but at a different pace, with a different degree of accomplishment, and in a different order than typically developing children. However, the goals for all children are the same, even though the path and the pace toward realizing the goals may be different. Principles of universal design for learning (UDL) offer the least restrictive and most inclusive approach to developing environments and curricula that best support the literacy development of all children.
While this domain represents general expectations for literacy development, each child will reach the individual learning goals at his or her own pace and in his or her own way.
- Component 1: Phonological Awareness
- Component 2: Alphabet Knowledge
- Component 3: Print Knowledge
- Component 4: Comprehension and Interest
- Component 5: Literacy Development for Dual Language Learners
- Component 6: Emergent Writing


Preschool Program in Las Vegas
The Journey to Kindergarten Readiness
Future academic success is a journeyâPreschool is an essential part of that path to elementary school for active learners. Hands-on early childhood learning experiences allow children to practice and develop key skills. This program focuses on:
- Encouraging independence
- Cooperating and communicating
- Hands-on learning
- Literacy and number concepts
Children have the opportunity to develop skills across a variety of disciplines in our eight dynamic learning centers.
- Music & Movement Center: As they cooperate and communicate with others, children build physical coordination skills through movement, dance, and song.
- Math Center: Early math concepts like number organization, counting and comparing, sorting, and ordering give children a chance to explore new ideas.
- Art Center: In this creative setting, children explore new art techniques, concepts of color, and cooperating with classmates.
- Dramatic Play Center: Children learn to express their emotions and make sense of the world around them through imaginative play that will enhance their early writing and reading skills.
- Block Center: Working with different materials helps children develop hand-eye coordination while they learn to sort, count, and pattern items.
- Science Center: Through the exploration of plants, animals, weather, seasons, and other science areas, children are enabled to build observational and questioning skills.
- Writing Center: Early writing skills, in addition to essential communication, are developed through the exploration of rhymes and sounds, letter recognition and formation.
- Reading Center: Children build literacy skills in this center while they achieve milestones such as print awareness, story comprehension, and listening.
Inspired by the HighScope philosophy, our Young Achieversâ¢ curriculum relies on the foundational principle of active learning. Students have direct hands-on experiences with new ideas, materials and people, all guided by our robust Plan-Do-Review process. Our digital lesson planning tool builds customized curriculum, based on teachersâ observation and assessment of children, so that they can achieve milestones across 10 developmental scales.
- Approaches to Learning: Measure childrenâs ability to set goals, make plans, interact with others, and interact with the environment.
- Creative Arts: Measure the ability to express ideas and feelings through music, movement, visual arts, and drama.
- Language: Measuring expressive vocabulary, receptive vocabulary, and using their vocabulary and conversation skills for effective communication.
- Literacy: Measuring alphabet knowledge, reading and writing skills and comprehension, as well as phonological awareness.
- Logic & Reasoning: Measuring sequencing, problem-solving, and symbolic and critical-thinking abilities.
- Early Math: Measuring the ability to comprehend numbers, patterns, sorting, and ordering, while using numbers for addition, subtraction, measurement, and graphing.
- Nature & Science: Measuring understanding of the natural and physical world, as well as observation, descriptive, prediction, and data-gathering abilities.
- Social Studies: Measuring childrenâs ability for self-awareness, as well as their ability to understand their families, their community, and their world.
- Physical Development/Health: Measuring motor skills, both fine and gross, in addition to understanding health and nutrition.
- Social-Emotional Development: Measuring self-awareness, plus the ability to show respect and empathy for others.


Multimedia for the Educator
This course addresses the basic concepts of word processing, database, spreadsheet, and presentation software, with particular emphasis on their practical application to music teaching and music program administration, as well as the use of digital media (multimedia) in music. This course explores a variety of multimedia and productivity software. In addition, we will explore pertinent music technology and music education related websites, including podcasts, blogs, and wikis. The overarching goal of this class is to create a personal eCase (electronic portfolio) to be used throughout the duration of the major, culminating in ME-475 Pre-Practicum Apprenticeship/Seminar.


Curriculum Tools | News
K-5 Readers Get New Common Core-Compliant National Geographic Program
- By Dian Schaffhauser
A division of Cengage Learning has released new K-5 reading curriculum that uses material from National Geographic and aligns with the Common Core. National Geographic Learning has put together a reading program titled, "Reach for Reading," which uses multiple types of content and technology to get students to read. The new program includes the pairing of content, such as fiction with articles developed by National Geographic, along with access to other content, such as videos.
The programwas built around Common Core State Standards, which were implemented as a way to provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students nationwide are expected to learn. The standards call on students in these grade levels to be able to interpret informational text, such as that found in articles, as well as other kinds of reading, such as fiction, poems, blogs, and fantasy.
Schools that use Reach for Reading will have access to National Geographic texts as well as videos and a digital library with images from the organization through a myNGconnect portal. The feature also provides students with digital editions of the texts, vocabulary games, a word builder app, and a vocabulary notebook.
Instructors gain access to a teacher site with a digital library, lesson planner, and interactive whiteboard activities. A teacher's edition at each grade level allows the instructor to automate the weekly planning process by clicking on a lesson, choosing a unit, and specifying a timeframe for the lesson. The teacher can print out the lesson, share it, or make it accessible to others, such as a substitute.
"The adoption of the Common Core State Standards raises the bar for reading instruction in elementary schools," said Nancy Frey, one of the authors of the new program and a professor of literacy in the School of Teacher Education at San Diego State University. "The standards have resonated with educators and curriculum developers nationwide and presented a challenge: How best to staircase literacy learning in order to meet the college- and career-ready goals articulated throughout? Elementary education is the first step on that staircase, and educators need comprehensive curriculum that addresses the shifts in practice that Common Core requires. The Reach for Reading program was explicitly designed with these shifts in mind."
According to Vincent Grosso, vice president of National Geographic Learning, the Common Core Standards require that reading instruction contain a balance of literary and informational texts. "But recent studies have shown that over 75 percent of titles used for reading were narrative. With Reach for Reading, we are incorporating content and imagery from National Geographic to help prepare children for the world of informational texts. Students will be reading about animals, places, and other topics, while seeing vivid photos and labeled diagrams that correspond with the text, which results in a much more engaging experience."
Dian Schaffhauser is a senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at email@example.com or on Twitter @schaffhauser.


Looking for more articles by TERC staff? Search here.
and Myrna Manly
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) (2006) . Harvard University.
The term "numeracy" is used in the adult education community to include an array of mathematically related proficiencies that are evident in adults' lives and worthy of attention in adult education settings. This occasional paper attempts to describe the complex nature of numeracy as it exists today. All stakeholdersâincluding policymakers, program directors, educators, professional developers and curriculum designersâneed a full understanding of numeracy to know how to provide adults with effective numeracy instruction. While there are large-scale assessments, standards documents, and position papers, there has not been a field-and research-based synthesis of the components required for adults to be numerate, to act numerately, and to acquire numeracy skills. This paper attempts to identify and clarify the nature of these components with the hope that such identification and clarification will guide instruction, contribute to the design of assessments, frame research, and inform policy. Appended are: (1) Reviewed Frameworks and Standards Documents; (2) Context in Adult-Focused Documents; (3) Mathematical Content Strands in Selected Frameworks; and (4) Cognitive and Affective References in Selected Frameworks. (Contains 4 figures.)


Arts Program Overview
âBeauty, under the care of artists, has the ability to transform even the everyday lives of men and women. Architects and painters, sculptors and musicians, filmmakers and writers, photographers and poets, artists of every discipline, are called to shine beauty especially where darkness or gray dominates everyday life.â - Pope Francis (2016)
At Saint Columbkille Partnership School, we believe that school is more than academics. It is a place where children are encouraged to grow as individuals, while learning how to cooperate and respect others. Overall, educating children incorporates three essential areas:
- Students gain knowledge and understanding, which they use to develop the skills needed for future education and employment
- Students learn to be responsible, contributing members of society
- Students develop as human beings â people who feel, love and have the ability to marvel at the beauty in the world
Art education is critical for the development of children. A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation about the visual arts argues that the âintrinsic pleasures and stimulation of the art experience do more than sweeten an individualâs life.â According to the report, they can âconnect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing.â Read more here.
Our Arts Program gives students a basic understanding of the use of various media to create visual art, music, drama and dance. Students appreciate that art can take many forms and that each child has the capacity to create.
Art education is critical for the development of children, and they appreciate that art can take many forms and that each child has the capacity to create.
"Saint Columbkille is an incredible community of students, families and staff members working towards a brighter future. Everyone is in a state of ongoing reflection that drives us all towards growth and positive change. I am honored to be part of such an important mission."Emily Ransom, Grade 4 Teacher


Does a School's Organizational Structure Affect Student Test Scores?: A Comparative Study of Public and Private Elementary Education
Elementary school, education, public school, private school, organization
Curriculum and Instruction | Education | Elementary Education
Education is important for the future well-being of the nation. It is imperative that all students receive the best education money can buy. Since state governments control the money, it is their responsibility to provide excellent education. Education has an impact on a nation'e economy, and "Both business and society are serving their mutual interests by endeavoring to upgrade student education in order to head off a perceived shortage of qualified labor." To compete in the global market it is essential to have an educated work force. The future threat to America's national security may not be external--it may be internal.
Department 1 Awarding Honors Status
Department 2 Awarding Honors Status
Tirsbier, S. (2004). Does a School's Organizational Structure Affect Student Test Scores?: A Comparative Study of Public and Private Elementary Education (Undergraduate honors thesis, University of Redlands). Retrieved from https://inspire.redlands.edu/cas_honors/218


The Preliminary SAT (PSAT) standardized tests provide students with first-hand practice for the SAT. They measure skills in critical reading, math problem-solving, and writing. They do not require students to recall specific facts from their classes.
On Oct. 10, 2018, 11th and 10th graders will take the PSAT/NMSQT and 9th graders will take the PSAT 8/9. The PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), a program co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), gives juniors a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools. The PSAT 8/9 is tailored to what 9th graders know in the fall of their first year in high school. Common reasons for taking the PSAT tests are
- to gain feedback on the students' strengths and weaknesses with skills necessary for college study, so students can focus their preparation in those areas
- to see how students' performance may compare with that of others applying to college
- to become familiar with the kinds of questions and directions students will see on the SAT
- to receive information from colleges when students check "yes" to Student Search Service
- to enter the competition for NMSC scholarships (grade 11 only)


Social studies teachers face a number of disciplinary challenges--for instance, insufficient geographic knowledge, fewer opportunities for critical analysis amid shrinking instructional time--and, in terms of confronting discrimination and disparity, an increasingly racially segregated society. Teachers can, however, make excellent use of historical resources and modern mapping tools to empower students in their analysis of the Jim Crow era and segregation in American daily life. This article describes the use of The Negro Motorist Green Book, a guide produced from 1937 to 1963 for African-American drivers which detailed American businesses which catered to black travelers. Using the data from these books, students can create critical maps detailing both the state off American segregation and the efforts, through the 20th century, to subvert it.
Pearcy, Mark Ph.D.
"The Green Book: Race, Geography, and Critical Understanding,"
The Councilor: A Journal of the Social Studies: Vol. 77
, Article 4.
Available at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/the_councilor/vol77/iss2/4
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Geography Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons


The objective of the Art subject is to enable the child to experience the different processes of the making of a plastic work, to finally put together each of the parts to form a GREAT FINAL EXHIBIT.
DEPARTMENT OF MUSICAL EDUCATION
First Cycle (1st to 4th grade)
In this first cycle of the music education program, the emphasis is given to students to continue increasing their musical repertoire. We work a lot with their singing skills and include melodic and percussion instruments to stimulate their motor coordination. Teamwork and production of artistic messages in our students are also inculcated. Along with this, children acquire knowledge of music theory and music history in a very playful and entertaining way.
Second Cycle (5th to 8th grade)
For this level, the music program principally searches to bring to a higher level. We work in musical groups of various sizes (groups of 4, 10 or the entire course) seeking to improve their vocal technique and skill in interpreting instruments. Once students reach 7th grade, they begin working in âbandâ format, introducing the electric bass, drums, keyboards and guitars to their musical productions. Successively, the program continues with the theoretical contents and history of music, but considering that the repertoire to be played, depends of this.
Third Cycle (High School)
During the final cycle of the music education program at Lincoln International Academy, our class seeks that our students develop to the maximum their concerns and artistic abilities. They work in the form of band or musical group exclusively in order to make annual presentations to each of the levels of High School. In these presentations, they mix knowledge of all artistic and academic areas in order to carry out projects of high quality and artistic value.


The benefits of music education
Music is the universal language and as Beethoven suggested, âMusic can change the world.â Since our goal at Fern Hill is to educate the whole child, instilling a love of music and teaching the theory behind it are vital aspects in our role as educators.
In 2014, The Royal Conservatory released The Benefits of Music Education, a fascinating report based on current neuroscience research. A few quick facts from the report:
â¢ Improves language abilities
â¢ Increases emotional resilience
â¢ Increases empathy
â¢ Increases attention span and focus
â¢ Increases self confidence
The research found âa strong correlation between playing an instrument and academic success.â In addition, âOur data has confirmed a rapid transfer of cognitive benefits in young children after only 20 days of music training â¦ music gives children a means to express themselves, to unleash their creativity, and to be inspired by their own boundless capacity for personal growth.â
The scientific research that forms the basis for this report is fascinating. Read more here: https://www.rcmusic.ca/sites/default/files/files/RCM_MusicEducationBenefits.pdf.
Itâs never too early to let the music take you â¦
Music is a part of life at Fern Hill from the day a student enters Preschool. We teach a knowledge of theory, rhythm, vocals and the various performance aspects .
In Grades 3 and 4, students begin to apply their music-reading ability to the recorder. In Grade 5, we add a wind or brass instrument to their repertoire and students become members of the Grade 5 to Grade 8 band.
The Fern Hill School band
The Fern Hill Grade 5-8 band performs at a variety of school functions throughout the year and its achievements are showcased in an evening spring concert. Students, staff, and parents look forward to this event every year. Students play a range of pieces, demonstrating their abilities with improv moments through their instruments. Itâs an inspiring night for everyone. Watching Fern Hill students confidently take the stage and show off their skills is a credit to our teachers, as well to the studentsâ commitment to mastering their instruments.
At Fern Hill, we hope that music will become a lifelong passion for students, if not for professional reasons, then certainly for pleasure.


Diana Kingâs first ever book specifically for parents provides strategies and an initial teaching plan for a variety of foundational reading and writing skills. She then provides recommended purchasable resources for extending study in each of the areas. If you want to know how to help your child develop good reading and writing skills, this book is for you. If you are the parent of a child who struggles in school, this book is for you. If you want the best teaching strategies for helping your child at home â from a master teacher with over half a century of experience â this book is for you.
From the author, Diana Hanbury King:
What drove me to write this guide for parents is recent encounters with middle and high school students with elementary skills â some even at a first or second grade level. Often the school had been reassuring, claiming that the student was bright, had about sixth-grade skills (survival level in most high schools), and would soon catch up. In essence, they were told there was no cause for alarm. Obviously, the parents were taken aback when I showed the results of my evaluation. Most reading and writing failure can be prevented by early intervention, even beginning before the child enters first grade. For the 20% of children who have dyslexia or other language-based difficulties, the foundational skills Iâve shared in this text are vital, while the child who shows no signs of dyslexia will soar with knowledge of these skills.
Chapters include Sounds & Symbols, Phonology, Motor Component, Closed Syllables, a series of syllables and phonetic concepts, Syllable Division, Oral Reading Practice, Tackling Spelling, Paragraph Writing, Morphology, and Grammar & Sentence Structure. The text also includes a user-friendly glossary as well as recommended resources.


How to expand your childâs oral languageâ¦
As we discussed in our previous article âLiteracy For Childrenâoral language is critical for literacy development and educational success.
Blank, Rose and Berlin (1978) developed a series of questions aiming to facilitate the development of a childâs language use from simple concrete concepts to more complex and abstract language forms.
Courtesy of Blanks research, the following levels of questions were developed as a general guide for stimulating a childâs expressive and receptive language by asking age appropriate questions:
Level One (2-3 year olds)
Questions relate to whatâs happening in the childâs immediate environment.
âWhat is that?â
âWhat can you see?â
âFind one like thisâ
âIs it a â?â (yes/no response)
Level Two (3-4 year olds)
Starting to use basic analysis such as classifying/ grouping objects and describing objects by function.
âFind something that can â¦(jump)â
âWhat is happening in this picture?â
âWhere is theâ¦?â (requires a location response e.g. âon the chairâ not just pointing
âFind something that is â¦(blue) and â¦(soft)â
âHow are these different?â
âWhich one is â¦ (a vegetable)?â
Level Three (4-5 year olds)
Starting to use their own knowledge to make predictions and beginning to âPut themselves in someone elseâs shoesâ.
âWhat will happen next?â
âHow do you think he feels?â
âHow are these same/different?â
âWhat is a â¦?â (definitions)
Level Four (5 years +)
Starting to predict, problem solve and provide basic explanations. A child starts to use their own experience to determine solutions.
Predicting changes: âWhat will happen ifâ¦?â
Solutions: âWhat should we do now?â
Causes: âHow did that happen?â
Justifying: âWhy canât we â¦eat jelly with a knife and fork?â
Explanations: âHow can we tell he is angry?â


About this series:
This series of Agriculture Science textbooks for Infants 1 and 2 and Standard1 for Caribbean Schools has been developed according to the latest primary school curriculum.
Listed below are the important features of this series:
1. Each chapter begins with a theme page that cites the tentative duration for the unit study and provides an overview of the outline, outcome, assignments, resources and assesments. This page helps the facilitators and teachers to understand, plan and prepare materials for the classroom and on - field teaching.
2. The format of the chapters in each unit is practical-based and involves collaborative work. This reinforces understanding among the students.
3. Most of all, the importance of practical work has been emphasized and the students are encouraged to put what they learn on each page into practice and apply in everyday situations.
Forthcoming texts in the series:
Standards 2- 5


The Year 1 curriculum includes 8 Key Learning Areas
- Studies of Society and Environment
- The Arts
- Health and Physical Education
Unlike the other Key Learning Areas the Religious Education Syllabus was created by the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office. It is similar in structure to QSA syllabi and is used to develop units of work across the strands of Scripture, Celebration and Prayer, Morality and Beliefs. The Religious Education Program is connected to the integrated curriculum described below and locates studentsâ learning journey within a Christian context.
Integrated and Negotiated Curriculum
An integrated curriculum is one in which units of work are developed by drawing on content and processes from more than one Key Learning Area. Integrated units of work are used to develop studentâs literacy and numeracy skills, expose them to a wide range of understandings, develop their thinking skills and assist them to become lifelong learners. While teachers have a sound understanding of the content and processes to be developed over time, students are given the opportunity to negotiate the way in which understandings and processes will be learned and assessed. The Early Learning Profile is used to track student learning. It is a comprehensive electronic database.
Health and Physical Education and Music are delivered by specialist teachers who teach across the College. The College Student Support Services team offers specialist support to students requiring support for specific needs. The Support team consists of two Learning Support teachers assisted by a number of teacher aides. A Teacher Librarian maintains and expands an already vast collection and works with teachers in curriculum development.


Now you can teach your child the joy of reading with our teaching guide and use the readers again and again for reading fluency. This easy-to-use teaching guide set includes:
- The Reading-Literature Teacherâs Guide shows parents and teachers an easy to follow literature-based reading program suited to the childâs developmental level. The authors, Free and Treadwell, present very
specific steps, including a lesson-by-lesson plan for beginning reading.
- The Primer, First Reader and Second Reader are phonics-based readers which use quality literature rather than âtwaddle,â as Charlotte Mason termed dumbed-down texts.
Authors Margaret Free and Harriette Treadwell maintain that reading instruction should be a joyous activity. To achieve it the authors use phonics (with some sight words) for early readingâ¦ with one important addition: their reading starts with and continually works from good literature. Phonics instruction grows from the childâs own curiosity and interaction with word-rich literature.
As you learn to use the guide and the three readers that accompany it, you will begin to see that Free and Treadwell had it rightâreading is a joyous activity. Includes four books and 2 sets of Flash Cards.


Girls often believe themselves to be bad at math, in accordance with gender stereotyping, and often experience high levels of anxiety about the subject. That anxiety appears to be driven by social influences, and may be vanishing in early education. Still, identifying its causes could help eliminate it at later stages of education, and prevent it from making a reappearance in young girls.
A new study suggests that elementary school may be a breeding ground for this anxiety. The study found that when elementary school teachers, who are primarily female, displayed a high level of anxiety about math, that skittishness was transmitted to their female students. Those students who spent a year with a math-phobic teacher displayed lower math achievement and an increased belief in stereotypes about female mathematical ability.
As the authors note, anxiety about doing math, particularly in a public forum such as calculating the tip for a restaurant check, has long been known to be an impediment to math performance, independent of quantitative skill. Elementary education majors have been found to be particularly afraid of mathâmore so than any other college majorâbut often have little chance to overcome this fear because the math requirements of their programs are usually minimal.
While their education may be lacking somewhat in math, that doesn't mean they'll never have to deal with it again, which turns out to be problematic, as the authors find that teachers' anxieties about math, even at elementary level, turn out to have consequences for students.
The study in question assessed the math anxiety of 17 first- and second-grade female teachers from a large urban midwestern school district, as well as the math achievement of their students (52 boys and 65 girls). Students' ideas about gender and academic stereotypes were accounted for, including their thoughts on the common belief that girls are good at reading, while boys are good at math.
The students and teachers were tested for the first three months of the school year, and then again during the last two months. During the first three months of school, there was no relation between the teachers' anxiety and the students' achievements or perception of stereotypes. There was also no discrepancy between the math performance of boys and girls. By the last two months of the school year, however, this changed.
Teachers with high math anxiety were shown to have a significant effect on the math achievement and stereotypes of their female students. Girls with anxious teachers scored lower on math achievement tests at the end of the year than girls with more confident teachersâthe more anxious the teacher, the more likely girls were to confirm the stereotype that girls have less math ability when they took the year-end tests. Girls who agreed with the stereotype all had lower math achievement scores than girls who did not agree, as well as lower scores than boys in general, who remained immune to their teachers' influence.
The researchers speculate that the influence of female teachers on their students results from the tendency of children to emulate adults of the same gender. Seeing a math-anxious woman encouraged female students to buy into the stereotype that girls were unskilled at math, thereby allowing themselves to give up on the subject. Meanwhile, boys remained unaware of the influence, suggesting that the problem was not just poor teaching skills, since the boys' math achievement would have suffered were that the case.
The study was somewhat limited in scope, as it didn't look at the effects of all possible gender combinations of teachers and students. There may be, for example, a positive and encouraging relationship between male elementary school teachers and their male students, but the low population of male elementary school teachers (less than 10 percent) makes this hard to study. Females are also more socially conscious than males, so male students' abilities may be more resilient in the face of a math-anxious male teacher.
The fact that over 90 percent of elementary school teachers are female, combined with the high level of math anxiety that many of them transfer to their students, doesn't bode well for girls' future in math. The study's authors acknowledge that the effect was not staggering, and there's plenty of room for influence by other female role models in the students' lives, such as mothers or siblings. Still, the work suggests that when it comes to math, elementary school teachers need, at the very least, to put on a much braver face before they do a math problem on the chalk board.
PNAS, 2010. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0910967107


Making Links between Language/s and Music
Why link language and music?
Societies tell their stories, their histories and their cultural uniqueness through the language of music, with or without words. We make and interpret music using specific literacies. There are particular aspects of music literacy development that have clear synergies with language literacy.
Learning language skills through music
Music and language share many aspects of learning, such as listening, presenting and viewing, and the interpretation of symbols.
Through studying music, language learning skills are experienced and developed. For example:
- through singing â matching rhythm and language;
- interpreting new words and new languages through songs;
- discussing music listened to by using appropriate vocabulary;
- reading and recording words and musical symbols;
- sharing personal interpretations and understandings of music from a wide range of contexts.
The ideas presented in this resource are intended to help teachers integrate music learning with approaches to literacy. In this way, the socially enjoyable, artistic, cognitive and aesthetic aspects of music learning can support language development.
Most importantly, through learning music, personal identity and well-being are enhanced, and the culturally embedded learning of language/s and their contexts are more meaningfully developed.


Elegant Innovation: Lessons from Urban Schools, Part One
The preponderance of school design literature focuses on suburban schools. That was a natural outgrowth of the second half of last century, when school construction for baby-boomers focused on areas where the growth and the funding for construction, were occurring. There is a generational shift, however, due to two factors: (1) a recognition and (partial) correction of long-term urban disinvestment; and (2) a return of middle-class young people to cities as a place to live and raise their families, adding further impetus to revitalize urban schools.
As capital investment in schools has increased in many cities, some themes have emerged. Iâll take a deeper look into three themes Iâve identified including: facility benefits of older schools; educational program innovations; and making the most of small school sites, in a series of Insight posts. From my viewpoint, factors that many architects and planners viewed as deficits can also be seen as assets, and there are lessons that can apply to school planning and design anywhere.
Save, reuse, repurpose
Letâs start by examining facilities. Many schools in older cities were built before WWII, at a time of burgeoning urban populations across the U.S. Those schools were often designed as prominent civic institutions. They were seen as places where immigrant populations would learn to become citizens, and where migrants from rural America would prosper in the new industrial economies of the early 20th century. The scale and features of school buildings from these decades spoke to the importance of public education. In some cities, school systems hired noted architects, or employed highly capable designers on staff. As a result of these favorable conditions, pre-WWII urban schools commonly embody design advantages that are still relevant and can be incorporated into innovative redesigns. Some advantageous features are:
- Generous classroom size: Classrooms were often large enough (850 to 900 SF) to accommodate students in small groups and to allow for project-based learning. Classroom size is very relevant for todayâs project-based educational styles. These large instructional spaces stand in contrast with post-WWII âfactory modelâ classrooms, which are often much smaller.
- Natural Lighting: Daylight was recognized as an essential classroom amenity. Small neighborhood school buildings were often configured so that classrooms were day lit from two sides. In contrast, schools built in the late 60s and 70s sometimes have no natural lighting or views, a condition that can be difficult to correct.
- Vertical scale: High ceilings, with even higher âfloor-to-floorâ heights, were standard before WWII, and can now accommodate modern mechanical systems. This contrasts with many baby-boom era schools, built with only 11â or 12â floor-to-floor heights.
- Ventilation: Popular older passive ventilation systems encased in vertical chases can be retrofitted with modern, healthy, and code-compliant systems.
Past Present Future
Historic school buildings are a public trust. However, as stewards of public education, our first task is to ensure that students of today and tomorrow receive a worthy education, whether their school building is one year old, or 100 years old. It is assuring to know that we can honor our history while at the same time providing a state of the art education for generations to come.
In my next post Iâll share some of the educational innovations and programs that originated in urban schools but can be applied in any district.


What kind of a foundation do you think preschool provides for later learning?
Preschool promotes teaching and learning to ensure childrenâs âschool readinessâ and gives children a wide range of skills and knowledge that provides the foundation for future progress through school and life.
Preschool is vital to laying the foundations for a successful first year at formal school. Our Preschool programme provides a developmentally appropriate curriculum, in which we build on childrenâs existing skills and knowledge.
We place an emphasis on developing our youngest childrenâs personal, social and emotional development as well as their cognitive development and language development. Allowing young children to develop strong and close relationships provides them with a sense of security, which ensures they fully participate in learning opportunities.
Through activities such as singing, rhymes, role-play, drama and read-aloud, children develop fundamental language skills they will continue to build on. We place a strong emphasis on the acquisition of early Literacy and early Numeracy skills. This gives them a head start in their first year of formal schooling.
What makes Avondaleâs Preschool and Junior School unique?
We are a friendly, welcoming school offering excellent, high quality education in a nurturing and caring learning environment.
We take a personalised learning approach with Personal Achievement Targets (PATs) developed for each student, which are designed to stretch each child to their next educational level. Teachers closely assess, monitor and track their development and introduce bespoke activities that will stimulate learning. PATs ensure that teaching and learning experiences are carefully and thoroughly planned, assessed and reviewed regularly, catering for individual needs to enhance the learning outcomes for each child.
It means that your child is always being guided to their next learning stage and will grow into confident learners with good learning habits and a positive attitude towards education.
How do you think class sizes affect learning at a young age?
Every child deserves the best possible start to their learning journey and the care and support that enables them to reach their full potential.
We have a very positive teacher child ratio of 1:8 in our preschool. Itâs deliberately kept low to allow our experienced teachers the time to pay close attention to the academic progress of each child. This is at the heart of Avondaleâs principle of individualised learning.
To what extent do creative activities play a part in Avondaleâs teaching philosophy?
Young children learn best through play. Playing and exploring together with active, creative and hands-on learning experiences, which stimulates creative and critical thinking, ensure our youngest children are evolving into motivated and confident learners.
In our Preschool, the children learn skills and acquire new knowledge through seven areas of learning and development.
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language
- Mathematics and Problem Solving using numbers, shapes and measurement skills
- Understanding the World
- Creativity, Imagination and Curiosity incorporating Expressive Arts and Design
Based on this, children in our Preschool have the opportunity to play both indoors and outdoors in our water garden, mud kitchen and sensory garden. Our climbing areas, together with our bike and scooter area are very popular and they support the childrenâs development of gross motor skills.
What do Avondale kids love most about going to school in Singapore?
We have an exciting line-up of yearly school-wide activities, such as the Easter Hat Parade, Nativity Play and the School Musical as well as educational, fun and exciting trips to enhance learning and extend the childrenâs knowledge and understanding.
Our students also love the âMystery Readerâ each week where we invite a variety of âMystery Readersâ into our classrooms to read aloud to the students. The students have no idea who will be coming in each week to be the surprise reader. We have had Santa Claus, pirates, bears and even a fish!
Students LOVE having their family visit our classroom to share in our learning by reading a favourite story aloud. With the extended Avondale community spread far and wide, we now use Skype to reach family and friends around the world.


WHY SHOULD I TAKE ART?The first reason is that the State of Minnesota requires at least 1 Credit in Art to Graduate High School. Each of our One Trimester courses equals .5 credit in Art. So you would have to take at least two ART classes to full fill your graduation requirement.The second reason is that most Colleges and Universities require at least 1 year of Visual or Performing arts as basic entrance requirements.
Reason number three is this. For more than a decade, studies have shown that having arts in the curriculum improves overall learning and academics.
In research conducted by Dr. Shirley Brice Heath, Stanford University, for Carnegie Foundation for The Advancement of Teaching between 1987 and 1998. Young people working in the arts for at least three hours on three days of each week throughout one full school year, demonstrated the following:
4 times more likely to have been recognized for academic achievement
4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance
4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem
Need More Reasons?
As art educators, we know that art can stand on its own as a powerful stimulant of creativity. Elliot Eisner, Art Education Researcher and Scholar says the Arts teach 10 important lessons to students.
1. The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts, it is judgment rather than rules that prevail.
2. The arts teach children that problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more than one answer.
3. The arts celebrate multiple perspectives. One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to see and interpret the world.
4. The arts teach children that in complex forms of problem solving purposes are seldom fixed, but change with circumstance and opportunity. Learning in the arts requires the ability and a willingness to surrender to the unanticipated possibilities of the work as it unfolds.
5. The arts make vivid the fact that neither words in their literal form nor numbers exhaust what we can know. The limits of our language do not define the limits of our cognition.
6. The arts teach students that small differences can have large effects.
7. The arts teach students to think through and within a material. All art forms employ some
means through which images become real.
8. The arts help children learn to say what cannot be said. When children are invited to disclose
what a work of art helps them feel, they must reach into their poetic capacities to and the
words that will do the job.
9. The arts enable us to have experience we can have from no other source and through such
experience to discover the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling.
10. The arts' position in the school curriculum symbolizes to the young what adults believe is
important (NAEA brochure, 2014, www.arteducators.org)
In a rapidly changing society it is apparent that flexible, creative individuals will be highly valued, if not imperative. Did you know thatâ¦..The arts provide jobs. 1.25 million Americans currently work in the visual arts. Jobs for artists and designers are predicted to increase by 43% by 2016. Research also indicates that high school art programs engage students and keep in school those at-risk of dropping out. (NAEA, 2014) So we think the message is clear.
Art is important and vital in todayâs world.
Why not get a head start on these skills by taking an Art class here at Coon Rapids High School. We have many fun, rewarding, and creative classes to choose from. Click the links above to see what each of the art classes is about, as well as a few samples of the projects taught in the course.
See YOU in ART!!!


English proficiency test is for someone who comes from a non-english background and who has basic knowledge in reading and writing english our aim is to show that the candidate has mastered a certain level and is capable of joining the offered position. The ilrs does not offer a test to determine proficiency level but it does offer self-assessment tools in three of the four skills that comprise language learning (reading, writing, speaking, and. The examination also provides reliable assessment at the level below c2 (level c1) scores between 162 and 179 are also reported for c2 proficiency you will not receive a certificate, but your cambridge english scale score will be shown on your statement of results.
Assessing english language proficiency: using valid results to optimize instruction 6 test specifications, or blueprints, are the cornerstone of quality form construction. In education, the term proficiency is used in a variety of ways, most commonly in reference to (1) proficiency levels, scales, and cut-off scores on standardized tests and other forms of assessment, (2) students achieving or failing to achieve proficiency levels determined by tests and assessments, (3) students demonstrating or failing to demonstrate proficiency in [. Ef set scores the most reliable way to find out your english level is to take a well-designed assessment test there are many tests to choose from, but taking the ef set is a good place to start. Statements at that level, then your ability is probably not at that level if you answer âyesâ to all the statements at one level, and also have a majority of âyesâ answers at the next higher level, then your proficiency may be at a âplusâ level.
Tests for all english levels (european union cefr) the english placement test is free of charge access to all core english proficiency level tests (a1, a2, b1 b2, c1 and c2) and speaking&writing exam can be purchased after the registration more about english cefr levels. The english language proficiency assessments for california (elpac) is the required state test for english language proficiency (elp) that must be given to students whose primary language is a language other than english state and federal law require that local educational agencies administer a. The academic english proficiency assessment (aepa) is an authentic, highly structured english conversation between a prospective university of chicago student, postdoc, or visitor and an english language specialist.
Teachers need to understand their students' levels of english in order to successfully scaffold support in the learning of language to support access to curriculum content initial and ongoing assessment can be conducted using a variety of teaching and assessment tools and must cover a range of. Teachers of all grade levels and content areas should be aware of the various levels of english proficiency for these ells proficiency levels vary greatly and have critical impacts on placement, instruction, assessment, and social development, and college and career readiness. Language proficiency or linguistic proficiency is the ability of an individual to speak or perform in a language as theories among pedagogues as to what constitutes proficiency go,  there is little consistency as to how different organizations classify it.
English language proficiency assessments colorado uses wida english language proficiency assessments annual measure of proficiency the annual test (specific test window) that measures a studentâs progress in acquiring academic english is access for ells 20. Summative assessment is an effective measurement tool used to gauge the learners' level of success or proficiency that has been obtained at the end of an instructional unit, by comparing against some standards or benchmark. A c2 proficiency qualification shows the world that you have mastered english to an exceptional level it proves you can communicate with the fluency and sophistication of a highly competent english speaker.
The initial assessment is a snapshot in time that provides baseline information about an english language learnerâs (ells) level of english proficiency and literacy development. Level5 is the highest proficiency level a candidate can attain on a scale, and level 1 the lowest a candidateis considered to have reached the required level of proficiency (ie level 3) in each of the. This document provides the general performance level descriptors (plds) for the summative english language proficiency assessments for california (elpac) these summative general plds take into account the categories of emerging, expanding, and bridging the language in the description draws from.