1.Standards for Foreign Language Learning - American Council on ...
Council on the Teaching of. Foreign ... Communication is at the heart of second language study, .... language, students can use these skills to access infor-.
2.Teaching Reading in a Second Language - Home - Pearson USA
She is the author of A Short Course in. Teaching Reading Skills and co-author of the Reading Power series. Teaching Reading in a Second Language. AHA!
FINAL-LO RES-MIKULECKY-READING MONOGRAPH
3.ChApter 4 Teaching the Four Skills - MCAEL
skill. Most recent thinking has divided language ability into four separate skill areas; listening, reading, speaking, and ... acquisition is generally this, for both second language ... When you are planning to present a new teaching item. ( sound ...
4.Laborda's review of Teaching Reading Skills in a Foreign Language ...
Reading in a Foreign Language. October 2007, Volume 19, No. 2. ISSN 1539- 0578 pp. 162–166. Reviewed work: Teaching Reading Skills in a Foreign.
5.21st Century Skills Map for World Languages - The Partnership for ...
and Foreign Languages for U.S. Economic and National Security, the ... The language teaching community has reached strong consensus regarding the goals ...
6.Teaching Children Literacy Skills in a Second Language
"Teaching Children Literacy Skills in a Second Language" describes the background factors and issues. inﬂuencing children's literacy development in a second ...
CHAPTER 7, CLL
7.Integrating the Four Skills: Current and Historical ... - EliHinkel.org
instruction. How the Four Skills Became Separated. Contemporary methods for teaching second and foreign languages in the U. S. and the U. K. have followed ...
8.Best Practices of Teaching Foreign Language
Best Practices of Teaching Foreign Language. Teachers of Foreign Language provide the skills necessary for proper understanding and use of a language ...


Former TESOL President Dr. Neil J. Anderson and David Nunan have teamed up together to write a book about practical ways to teach the English language. The following is an excerpt from their book talking about how Reading Horizons can be an effective bottom-up resource.
Practical English Language Teaching
The approach (to teaching reading) that is accepted as the most comprehensive description of the reading process is an interactive approach. This … combines elements of both bottom-up (fundamental basics of letter and sound recognition) and top-down (comprehension is achieved by using background knowledge and making predictions) approaches. The best readers in any language are those who combine elements of both. For example, most readers begin reading by using top-down reading strategies until there is a problem, and then they shift to bottom-up strategies. Have you ever read something quickly and suddenly come to several new words? You are required to slow down your reading to decode the new words. When you do this, you are using bottom-up strategies to understand the words (p. 7)
The best readers in any language are those who use interactive reading, which integrates elements of both bottom-up and top-down reading. In the development of a reading syllabus, it is important to consider the balance that you will give to these processes.
Beginning-level readers should be exposed to a strong bottom-up component. This is perhaps the greatest weakness in the development of many reading syllabi. Little or no attention is given to the explicit instruction of bottom-up reading. A guideline that you could follow in preparing a syllabus for beginning level readers is allocating 50 percent of your syllabus to teaching bottom-up skills, 30 percent to top-down skills, and 20 percent to interactive skills. With a strong foundation in bottom-up skills, beginning-level readers will become more-proficient readers more quickly.
Systematic phonics instruction is a bottom-up approach to reading that should be integrated into reading materials for beginning proficiency-level readers. However, the reality is that most textbooks do not deal with phonics instruction.
There are also effective phonics programs that provide teacher instruction as well as online learning support. Since much of the learning necessary for successful phonics skills is individual, the computer-based learning environment is a particularly good resource for English-language teachers. One such program is Reading Horizons. Reading Horizons consists of 30 lessons. The lessons divide the 42 Sounds of English into four consonant sounds and one vowel sound per lesson and systematically introduce the letters by name and sound. Students then learn how to blend the consonant and vowel sounds. They are then taught Digraphs and diphthongs, followed by Special Vowel Sounds.
Reading Horizons teaches beginning readers Five Phonetic Skills for effectively decoding sounds in English. The Five Phonetic Skills are:
- When one guardian consonant — and nothing more — follows the vowel, the vowel will be short.
- When the vowel is followed by two guardian consonants and nothing more, the vowel will be short.
- When a vowel stands alone, it will be long.
- Silent E makes the first vowel long.
- When vowels are adjacent, the second vowel is silent, and the first vowel is long.
In addition, Reading Horizons teaches Two Decoding Skills:
- If there is only one guardian consonant following the vowel, that consonant will move on to the next syllable.
- When a vowel is followed by two guardian consonants, the consonants will split. The first consonant will stay in the first syllable, and the second consonant will move on the next syllable.
The program can be accomplished in the classroom with a trained teacher who understands the teaching methodology used by Reading Horizons. In addition to explicit classroom instruction, the lessons can be delivered via computer. The computer program guides the students through the lessons and provides auditory as well as visual input for learning the phonics rules.
Anderson, N. J. (2008)
Practical English Language Teaching: Reading (pp.7, 28-29)
New York: McGraw-Hill


Defining music therapy
Defining music therapy is often challenging because the practice is so diverse, but AMTA uses the following definition:
Music therapy is a research-based practice and profession in which music is used to actively support people as they strive to improve their health, functioning and wellbeing.
Music therapy is the intentional use of music by a university trained professional who is registered with the Australian Music Therapy Association Inc. Registered music therapists draw on an extensive body of research and are bound by a code of ethics that informs their practice.
Music therapists incorporate a range of music making methods within and through a therapeutic relationship. They are employed in a variety of sectors including health, community, aged care, disability, early childhood, and private practice. Music therapy is different from music education and entertainment as it focuses on health, functioning and wellbeing.
Music therapists are committed to supporting people of any age and ability regardless of musical skill, culture or background.
Where can you find music therapy in Australia?
There are many public and private settings which offer music therapy including major hospitals, aged care homes and day centres, autism centres, early childhood centres and more. If you are looking for music therapy in such a setting then the best option is to enquire there.
To find a private practitioner please use the Find a Music Therapist search on the right of this page. Alternatively, you can advertise using our website's service. Ads for less than eight hours of work per week are free.
We get an enormous number of requests each year from students doing assignments. Whilst we welcome their interest in the profession, we just don't have the resources to respond individually to a range of questions from each. We recommend that students with assignments check out this website for information and also search the internet where they can find a host of excellent sources of information about music therapy. We also ask students to please be aware that music therapy is a busy profession and many individual music therapists are also unable to respond to these types of requests.. It's not the individual request that's the issue. It's the volume of them and to be fair if we answer one we should answer all, and that's just not possible.
Sections of this website of particular value:


The many benefits of music lessons
The Toronto District School Board is considering cuts to music programs, but experts say there are good reasons to continue vocal and instrumental instruction.
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Flutes, clarinets and violins may be seeing more time inside school lockers according to the Toronto District School Board, who announced last month they’re considering cuts to music programs to help reduce their $30-million deficit.
The proposed cuts would reduce hours of music instruction, decreasing the amount of time elementary students spend playing in bands and orchestras and eliminate a staff development program that provides music training to teachers.
Frank Ricci taught music for 15 years at Kane Middle School (now Silverthorn Community School) and was a principal for 15 years. He says he’s saddened by news of the cutbacks to music programs.
“[Music] affords opportunities for kids who perhaps wouldn’t be exposed to personal music lessons otherwise,” he says. Ricci witnessed a large number of his middle school students go on to study music in secondary school and some even some became professional musicians. “If they hadn’t had exposure to that [at a young age], would they have gone on to make those choices? I’d have to say no,” he says.
But, the benefits of music education go beyond providing career opportunities. Numerous studies have shown that music education improves IQ.
One, a 2004 study by Glenn Schellenberg, professor of developmental and cognitive psychology at the University of Toronto, placed 6-year-olds in four different groups: piano, voice classes, drama classes or no classes. The children were given IQ tests at the start of the study and again after 36 weeks of classes. The children who had taken piano or voice classes showed slightly higher IQ scores compared to the students who took drama or had no classes. The drama group was included to show that it was music and not extracurricular activities in general that improved IQ.
“IQ covers everything [from] vocabulary, language tasks, mathematical tasks, processing tasks and special reasoning,” says Schellenberg, who believes the focus and concentration learned through music may spread to other areas of study, resulting in the higher IQ scores.
A separate study in 2012 also found the cognitive advantage that resulted from music training could be linked to higher emotional intelligence as well.
One other area of learning that has shown promise is language. Dr. Sylvain Moreno, neuroscientist at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute has studied language gains through music education.
Moreno says “music training improves the brain’s executive functions”; general intelligence skills such as attention, memory and focus which have been linked to improvements in verbal intelligence. Music training can also be useful to improve reading skills. “[When you learn to read], you first learn what is a letter and you learn the sound associated with that letter. In music, you learn the same. You learn C [on a staff] and you learn the sound associated with C,” says Moreno.
Through his years as a music teacher, Ricci isn’t surprised at the results of these studies and says he noticed some of these benefits in his students. “The creative part of music and the discipline it requires spills over into other areas of academics,” says Ricci.
Ricci says he’s also seen evidence of music leading to improvements in self-esteem and teamwork capabilities, particularly in shy children. “You’re part of a whole picture. When you’re part of a choir or a band or orchestra, it gives a tremendous sense of accomplishment when the group achieves something and you were a contributor to that group,” he says.
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Introducing your child to music education at a young age offers an incredible array of developmental benefits. more
Lung and respiratory infections
From seasonal flu to a rare case of whooping cough, few illnesses worry mums more than lung and respiratory infections. It's scary when your child is coughing and miserable. Although most of these illnesses are relatively mild, some can cause serious complications, and even death if left unattended. It's important that mums recognise the symptoms of lung and respiratory infections, know how to treat them, and when to call the doctor. Learn more about these common lung and respiratory childhood infections.
Common Lung and Respiratory Infections
- Pneumocystis Pneumonia
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus
- Scarlet Fever
- Streptococcal Infection
- Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Last revised: Saturday, 23 January 2010
This article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.


A long-ish wall of text, and I apologize.
Some background: when I was a first-year university student, my chemistry professor was lecturing and was trying to find the word to describe a shape. A student piped up and said, "that's a rhombus." The professor stopped mid-stride, looked at him squarely, and said, "rhombus? That's a stupid word. What's a rhombus? I don't even think that's a word. The word I was thinking of was 'parallelogram'." This was shocking, because this was an American professor, at an American university, and in my American public education, I was taught what a rhombus was in the second or third grade.
Recently, however, I was thinking that maybe my professor wasn't wrong. Consider the naming system for quadrilaterals. The term "quadrilateral" makes some sense: "quad" from Latin for "four", and "lateral" meaning side. And then you get parallelogram, with "parallel" meaning "parallel" and "gram" from Greek meaning "drawn". But then a rectangle is a special case of a parallelogram where the angles are all right angles, which follows clearly enough, and a square is a special case of a rectangle, and important enough to merit its own term.
But then a quadrilateral with only two parallel sides is a trapezoid, which derives from Greek for "table shaped". And then a rhombus is the complement to the square in the special cases of parallelograms -- its angles are anything but right angles!
Confusing yet? We've got the following suffixes describing shapes: -lateral, -gram, -zoid.
We also have triangles, which makes sense because it's "three angles." Yet a "quadrangle" is a region in a university campus.
Increasing the number of sides in the shape, we go from "quadrilaterals" to "pentagons". Ok, now we've gone from the Latin prefix for "four" and a suffix meaning "side" to the Greek for "five" and a totally different suffix. Sometimes we describe the word using a root that means "drawn", and sometimes we describe it by the way that it looks.
And still "rhombus" fits in nowhere in this crazy, convoluted scheme!
To bring this all back to mathematics, and to ask my original question:
Individually, I can find the etymology of each of these terms. But why did the mathematics community adhere to these terms, particularly in elementary education? Did these terms get translated haphazardly from Elements? Is this one of those consequences of the somewhat insular nature of the mathematical community during the Renaissance era? The mathematics community has evolved to be fairly precise in its use of terminology. Why is the terminology surrounding elementary geometry so fragmented?


Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.
How does the art teacher assess a student's work?
First of all, there is a difference between assessment and
evaluation. Assessment is the "mechanics" of evaluation.
As far as an understanding of evaluation in art education is
concerned you could do no better than read Elliot Eisner on the
Evaluation involves you getting information about the child's work.
You first have to decide *who* will evaluate - you? The child? The
Next you have to decide the context - will you compare the child's
work with a set of standardized criteria, or with other members of
the class, or will you compare the child's present performance with
his/her past performance?
You also have to decide *what* you will evaluate. Will it be skill
development? aesthetic development? creative growth? or what? Skill
development is relatively easy to measure, of course. The other
areas are a little more difficult. Edmund Burke Feldman may help
Whatever combination of these aspects of art education you choose,
your choice obviously has to be based on empirical data. (Otherwise,
The most important point is that, in reality, when you evaluate
children's artwork you are actually evaluating your own art program
and your own teaching.
I believe *every* art program must be based on a firm set of
principles or rationales which demonstrate your understanding of art,
of teaching, and of children. Art programs based on firm principles
are of inestimable benefit to children. Art programs based on little
thought and on little understanding are probably damaging to
children. They are certainly damaging to the status of art in
If you are looking for ideas or thoughts on planning your art program
there is plenty of information available from the Getty Foundation or from your
national association (the NAEA).
To get back to the point: once you have established a sound
philosophical basis for your program you can obviously start
formulating aims/goals for it. For example, if you believe that one
of the rationales for your art program is to foster aesthetic
sensitivity in your students, then you can decide ways in which this
may be achieved - visits, visitors, having children explore artworks
in your classroom, getting children to develop a critical vocabulary
in this area, etc.
Once you've set down these more concrete goals it is easy to see what
you have to evaluate, isn't it? You can now discover whether the
children have developed a critical vocabulary, you can discover
whether the strategies they employ to explore artworks have become
more sensitive, more subtle, and so on. And you can do this for each
of the goals of your program.
Evaluation, then, is a means to measure the effectiveness of your art
program and your art teaching, via the children's artwork.
I hope this has helped you.
(Dr) Philip Perry


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


1.nonsense"I think that is a load of cobblers"
GibberishGib"ber*ish, a. Unmeaning; as, gibberish language.
definition of Wikipedia
État membre de la Communauté Européenne (fr)[Classe...]
drivel, gibber, twaddle, waffle[Dérivé]
Gibberish (sometimes spelled Jibberish) is a generic term in English for talking that sounds like speech, but carries no actual meaning. This meaning has also been extended to meaningless text or gobbledygook. The common theme in gibberish statements is a lack of literal sense, which can be described as a presence of nonsense. One of the more famous examples of using gibberish in literature is the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll.
One etymology asserts it is derived from the root of the Irish word gob or gab (mouth), which the same source asserts is the root of jabber, gibber and gobble. The word may derive from the word "jabber" ("to talk nonsense"), with the "-ish" suffix to signify a language; alternatively, the term gibberish may derive from the eclectic mix of English, Spanish, Hebrew, Hindi and Arabic spoken in the British territory of Gibraltar (from Arabic Gabal-Tariq, meaning Mountain of Tariq), which is unintelligible to non-natives.
Another etymology links it directly to the Irish term Geab ar ais (pron. g'ab er'ash), gab ar ais (pron. gab er'ash), back talk, backward chat; fig. back-slanged speech. Gab, (gaelic), n., to chat or talk a lot. Geab (pron. g'ab) n., chat. (Donegal.) Geabaire, n., a chatterer or blabberer. Ar ais (pron. er ash), back; backwards.  However, this Irish etymology was suggested by Daniel Cassidy, whose work has been widely criticised by reputable linguists and scholars. The terms geab and geabaire are certainly Irish words but the phrase "geab ar ais" does not exist, and the word gibberish exists as a loan-word in Irish as gibiris, defined by Ó Dónaill as "Gibberish. Gibiris chainte - unintelligible speech". (Ó Dónaill, Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, 630). Thus like many of Cassidy's derivations, this proposed explanation appears quite improbable.
The term was first seen in English in the early 16th century. Another theory is that the word comes from the name of the famous 8th-century Islamic alchemist Jābir ibn Hayyān, whose name was Latinized as "Geber", thus the term "gibberish" arose as a reference to the incomprehensible technical jargon often used by Jabir and other alchemists who followed.
Utilizing gibberish whilst acting can be used as an exercise in performance art education.
|Look up gibberish in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.|
|This linguistics article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.|
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Lettris is a curious tetris-clone game where all the bricks have the same square shape but different content. Each square carries a letter. To make squares disappear and save space for other squares you have to assemble English words (left, right, up, down) from the falling squares.
Boggle gives you 3 minutes to find as many words (3 letters or more) as you can in a grid of 16 letters. You can also try the grid of 16 letters. Letters must be adjacent and longer words score better. See if you can get into the grid Hall of Fame !
Change the target language to find translations.
Tips: browse the semantic fields (see From ideas to words) in two languages to learn more.


Education for All Global Monitoring Report
EFA Global Monitoring Report 2012
This 10th edition of the EFA Global Monitoring Report could not be better timed. The third goal of Education for All is to ensure that all young people have the opportunity to acquire skills. The urgency of reaching this goal has sharpened acutely since 2000. The global economic downturn is impacting on unemployment. One young person in eight across the world is looking for work. Youth populations are large and growing. The wellbeing and prosperity of young people depend more than ever on the skills that education and training can provide. Failing to meet this need is a waste of human potential and economic power. Youth skills have never been so vital.
This Global Monitoring Report reminds us that education is not only about making sure all children can attend school. It is about setting young people up for life, by giving them opportunities to find decent work, earn a living, contribute to their communities and societies, and fulfil their potential. At the wider level, it is about helping countries nurture the workforce they need to grow in the global economy.
There has been undeniable progress towards the six EFA goals — including an expansion of early childhood care and education and improvements in gender parity at primary level. However, with three years to go until the 2015 deadline, the world is still not on track. Progress towards some goals is faltering. The number of children out of school has stagnated for the first time since 2000. Adult literacy and quality of education still demand faster progress.
Recent developments ascribe ever greater urgency to ensuring equitable access to appropriate skills development programmes. As urban populations grow rapidly, especially in low income countries, young people need skills to work their way out of poverty. In rural areas, young people require new coping mechanisms to deal with climate change and shrinking farm sizes, and to exploit opportunities for off-farm work. This Report reveals that around 200 million young people need a second chance to acquire the basic literacy and numeracy skills, which are essential to learning further skills for work. In all of this, women and the poor face particular hardship.
We must see the growing numbers of young people who are unemployed or trapped in poverty as a call to action — to meet their needs by 2015 and to keep momentum after then. We can achieve universal lower secondary education by 2030, and we must. Donors’ commitment to education may be waning, and this is deeply worrying. Government budgets are under pressure today, but we must not risk the gains made since 2000 by reducing engagement now. Evidence in this Report shows that funds spent on education generate ten to fifteen times as much in economic growth over a person’s lifetime. Now is the time to invest for the future.
We must think creatively and use all the resources at our disposal. Governments and donors must continue to prioritize education. Countries should look to their own resources, which could be giving millions of children and young people skills for life. Whatever the source of funding, the needs of the disadvantaged must be a high priority in every strategy.
Young people everywhere have great potential — this must be developed. I hope this Report will catalyse renewed efforts worldwide to educate children and young people so they can greet the world with confidence, follow their ambitions and live the lives they choose.
With just three years to go until the deadline for the Education for All goals that were set in Dakar, Senegal, it is vitally urgent to ensure that the collective commitments made by 164 countries in 2000 are met. Lessons also need to be drawn to inform the definition of future international education goals and the design of mechanisms to make sure that all partners live up to their promises.
Unfortunately, this year’s EFA Global Monitoring Report shows that progress towards many of the goals is slowing down, and that most EFA goals are unlikely to be met. Despite the gloomy outlook overall, progress in some of the world’s poorest countries shows what can be achieved with the commitment of national governments and aid donors, including greater numbers of children attending pre-school, completing primary school and making the transition to secondary education.
The 2012 EFA Global Monitoring Report is divided into two parts. Part I provides a snapshot of progress towards the six EFA goals, and towards spending on education to finance the goals. Part II turns to the third EFA goal, paying particular attention to the skills needs of young people.


It is the anniversary of what was called the Revised Code of 1862, which set out how school education was to be funded, with regular tests of how well pupils and teachers were doing. This was introduced following an investigation by the Newcastle Commission, set up, says Howlett, to discover “what was going on in voluntary schools”. Governments had previously adopted a “broadly laissez faire” attitude towards elementary education. But what the commission found was “pretty horrific” – with church and voluntary schooling failing to keep pace with population growth. In some places only 10 per cent of children were being educated.
There were broader reasons too for this new educational agenda. Government realised uneasily that impressive new industrial and military competitors – notably Prussia – were forging ahead with high-quality education. And politically, as Britain moved towards the Reform Act of 1867 and an extension of the franchise, there was a lofty sense among the elite, says Howlett, that new voters should be better educated.
So the Revised Code aimed to create the framework for the extension of effective and affordable elementary education for all social classes. It established a system of payment by results, whereby schools could claim four shillings annually for pupils who attended regularly, and eight shillings if pupils passed specified tests in reading, writing and arithmetic.
Conversely, poor results meant schools lost part of their grants. Such a system, argues Howlett, was seen as the “most efficient way of saving money” as education expanded.
But then, as now, a centrally devised system of testing pupils and teachers, and allocating funding, attracted fierce criticism.
Teachers, says Howlett, “resented that their salaries depended on results” and said the tests were haphazard, failed to allow for variation in how children developed and “did not reflect how well they had been teaching”. Another criticism with a distinctly modern ring was that the system discouraged breadth of education, as teachers felt forced to concentrate on the three Rs to the exclusion of other subjects.
The system of payment by results only lasted until the beginning of the 20th century, when a more decentralised and variable public educational system took hold, run mainly by local education authorities. And a broader curriculum, including subjects such as geography and history, had become more widespread, leaving the narrower focus on core subjects behind.
There was much educational reorganisation in the 20th century, especially of secondary schools as the leaving age rose. But it was not until the 1970s, points out Howlett, that the alarm over educational standards at all levels was sounded again – this time by prime minister James Callaghan. In a famous speech in Oxford in 1976, he raised “the strong case for the so-called ‘core curriculum’ of basic knowledge” and asked, “What is the proper way of monitoring the use of resources in order to maintain a proper national standard of performance?” Successive governments since have followed this agenda and intervened with modern versions of curriculum reform, testing and ranking of pupils and schools, and changes in educational financing.
And so this deep-rooted education debate continues, as does the tension between those stressing competence in the three Rs and vocational skills versus advocates of a broader approach to what and how children are taught. The current education secretary, Michael Gove, is keen both on school reform and more rigorous teaching of national history. He might find the 1862 Revised Code and what followed to be an illuminating special subject.
Chris Bowlby is a presenter on BBC radio, specialising in history
This series is produced with History & Policy. You can find out more about them and read their papers at www.historyandpolicy.org


It’s always fun for runners to choose routes where the scenery is interesting and there is a lot to see. For children with disabilities, this can be difficult to accomplish during the course of a school day.
Achilles Kids: Run to Learn program was developed in 1995 by Achilles International. In 2008, working with elementary education curriculum specialist Keri Schindler, we added a formalized curriculum plan. The program consists of a series of physical and educational activities that integrate educational challenges and games with running, walking, rolling, or other forms of movement to encourage and motivate children to participate in regular physical activity.
It is based on a real 26.2 marathon, but done virtually. In a year-long gym activity, children do a number of laps each week. The laps are counted and converted into miles, and then charted as a 26.2 mile route on a map of their town. While the children are tackling the long-term accomplishment of completing the marathon, they are also realizing short-term achievements based on meeting weekly goals.
But the program goes far beyond the physical accomplishment of achieving their distance goals. It incorporates educational and physical activities, segmented by grade levels K through 6, that provide lessons in math, English, science, and nutrition. We are also in the process of rolling out additional subject areas and curriculum for grades 7-12.
The program is free and Achilles supplies classroom teachers and adaptive physical education teachers with all the training materials, customized virtual marathon maps of your city, as well as ancillary materials including Achilles Kids t-shirts, training log books, lap charts, 5 miler certificates, half-marathoner medals and 20 miler "Achilles Kids Go the Distance" bracelets.
Achilles Kids: Run to Learn is currently in over 200 schools in the U.S. with over 10,000 kids participating.
To request more information about the program or find out about setting up a program in a school in your area click here to email us, or call (212-354-0300 x305).
“When I first started teaching adaptive physical education I worked in hallways, cafeterias and basically any space that the school would allow. When I received this position at PS 222 I was thrilled to know that I was going to get a gym for my program. The first thing I wanted to start was a running program. I trained my children to do laps. They liked it, but it was hard to keep them motivated. I heard about Achilles Kids….I was thrilled to know that there was a program that I could use to motivate the children to run. Well, to say the least I haven''t been able to stop them. “There is something about being able to track their success that they love. I use poker chips to track their laps, and sticker charts to track their miles, and of course the map to plot their whereabouts. They come in every class crazed about running their laps. When I say "last lap" there is a big sigh among them. They love the program as much as I do. At the end of the year when they are given a t-shirt, or a pair of sneakers to commemorate their success and accomplishments, it is the look on their face that tells me how much they really love this program, and what a wonderful tool it is for educators.”
Kim Cori Teacher,
PS 222 Brooklyn


Major new composition resources from SaM
30 January 2014
Following recent scrutiny from Ofsted of the effectiveness of hubs, low expectations in music and the ‘lack of rigour’ in the curriculum, Sound and Music is publishing the results of an action research project, which it says has ‘pinpointed the key elements to teaching composition through bringing together research teams of composers, teachers and researchers in classroom settings’.
Music Teacher magazine will be publishing a series of articles from big-name composers and teachers with resources on how to use the approach in the classroom.
‘The talent of many young British composers is being lost as we are simply not effective enough in spotting and growing the next generation and the ones losing out are our young people,’ says Sound and Music chairman John Knell. ‘Just like instrumentalists, singers, designers, or writers, composers need their talents to be challenged, supported, trained and developed. They need a progressive approach over time to train their capacity to generate original musical ideas which are then developed and explored creatively – skills incidentally which a growing body of evidence indicates can directly enhance wider social and creative thinking skills, and therefore broader school improvement too.
'We have to transform the desiccated musical experience on offer in too many of our schools. How can we make a change?
'Today, we are publishing the results of our action research project Listen Imagine Compose, (executive summary here, project page here) which uniquely has pinpointed the key elements to teaching composition through bringing together research teams of composers, teachers and researchers in classroom settings.
'Listen Imagine Compose is revolutionary in that it takes apart the act of composition itself, in ways that can be applied in the classroom. It gives teachers the tools and confidence to enjoy and explore their own musical creativity as they better support that of their students. It is genuinely progressive, encouraging pupils not only to have ideas but then to develop them into a coherent musical whole, and then reflect and critique the outcome. It helps young people find a compositional voice and creative self-confidence through practical and enjoyable work.'
The approach of Listen Imagine Compose, which was developed and delivered in partnership with Birmingham City University and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, has generated some compelling evidence:
- Pupils who undertook the project became better at composing as a result of it
- Taking apart the process of composition – generating what can be a very simple idea, then developing and reflecting upon it – is not only very effective and rewarding for pupils and teachers. It also takes pupils very rapidly towards higher order thinking. This points to the need for further research to be undertaken around the links between composing and creative thinking.
- Teachers, composers and musicians (or, put another way, hubs and schools) can work together with pupils for more sustained progression. When these different skills are brought together in delivering music education, increased quality of pupil learning results.
Knell added: 'We are excited about these findings and future possibilities, and we will do all we can to ensure that Listen, Imagine Compose plays a full role in enhancing the quality of music teaching in all our schools, strengthening the impact of composition on broader school achievement. It’s time to compose a brighter score for music education.'


Kids are naturally curious about science and the world around them. They wonder about how things are made, why animals do what they do, what makes the sun shine, and other complex questions.
For kids, science is just a question away.
Having a basic understanding of science is an important part of being a well-rounded person. Science can even become a career for some kids. Discover how you can use the world around you to teach your kids about science.
Kids get exposed to science in school every day, but the knowledge will set more deeply if you help them learn at home. So how do you make science for kids fun and interesting? Discover some fun ways to explore science with your kids. You never know what you’ll learn along the way. After you've looked below, check out our science experiments for kids foradditional tools to help you teach science to children.
Animals for Kids
Look for animals in your neighborhood or in rural areas nearby. Think about how many different types of animals there are. Howe do scientists group them? Some are grouped by general categories, like with a backbone and without a backbone. Scientists also group animals with very tiny details, like separating one type of plant spider from another. How is a dog like a bird? How are they different from each other? Which is more like an insect – a spider or an elephant? Why? Look at a dog show and notice that even one species (canine) can have a lot of variety within it. You can also incorporate animal coloring pages to make the learning even more fun.
Earth Science for Kids
What is the weather like today? Watch the evening news or the Weather Channel for descriptions of active weather in your area. Most meteorologists explain why things happen when they broadcast. Take a look at the dirt and geographical features near your hometown. What are they like? How did they get that way? How is it different or similar to other places you have visited as a family?
Human Biology for Kids
Has anyone in the house been sick lately? Talk about how germs work and the white blood cells attack. Ask them why washing hands and covering noses helps. Look at the back of someone’s hands and notice the veins and other blood vessels. Do they look like different colors? Tell them about oxygen from the lungs, blood moving everywhere taking care of each part of your body when you aren’t even thinking about it.
Physical Science for Kids
Show your kids how magnets work, how one side pulls and the other pushes. Describe electricity as a flowing river full of tiny charged invisible things. What makes a good electricity conductor? Wood? Glass? A metal pole? Everything in the universe is on the move, even molecules in so-called “solid” objects. How does a lever work (like a teeter-totter)? Heat can be created by causing friction. Rubbing your hands together will demonstrate this easily. Heat is energy moving around faster – ever wonder why you feel warmed up after you run fast?
Chemistry for Kids
Chemistry describes the “stuff” our world is made of and what it can do. That’s called matter. Anything and everything is made of matter. Randomly pick up 10 things in your house. What are each of them made of? Metals have different types of molecules than organic-based items like paper or food. What is water like when it is a solid, a liquid, and a gas? What else does that?
The lists above are just starting points for discussions about science for kids. Just a few new ideas will have your kids spinning off a full list of questions. When your child is exposed to these ideas early on, they will have an easier time when these concepts are taught in school. You may also unlock a lifelong curiosity about science for your child.


A new World Bank report on education focus on fours main themes 1) make the education’s promise a reality; 2) the need to shine a light on learning and its potential; 3) how to make schools work for all learners; and 4) how to make systems work for learning. In the report the origins of the problem are described in the following way: “Students everywhere must learn how to interpret many types of written passages—from medication labels to job offers, from bank statements to great literature. They have to understand how numbers work so that they can buy and sell in markets, set family budgets, interpret loan agreements, or write engineering software. They require the higher-order reasoning and creativity that builds on these foundational skills. And they need the socioemotional skills—such as perseverance and the ability to work on teams—that help them acquire and apply the foundational and other skills. Many countries are not yet achieving these goals.” Four general reasons for this are identified in the report that all origins from system deficits. The first is that children enter the school unprepared, secondly, where they too often are taught by unskilled or/and unmotivated teachers, where the last, thirdly, depends on that they too much have to work with tasks that not affect teaching and learning, that fourthly, depends on educational system and school management deficits. Interested in more information download the report here. >>> Source: World Bank Development Report 2018
To transform a failed educational system for future success, new report
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Fall Perspective Landscape: Free Lesson Plan Download
Level: K-2 Art Education Lesson Plan
Art Elements: Space and Color
Art Skills: Perspective, Drawing
Art History: Landscape
* Get more free lessons like this, on our Lessons Page
This lesson is a great introduction to perspective. I’ve done it also in 3rd grade and 2nd grade, which seems to be the sweet spot for this lesson. Although drawing the tree is done as a group, students must show their knowledge of perspective by drawing objects of their choice in the foreground, middle ground and background. Horizon Line is also a new vocabulary word for this lesson.


SAS Curriculum Pathways has launched an Algebra add-on to its science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects offering.
Aimed at 11-19-year-olds, the Algebra 1 course launches at a time when the national curriculum is under fire for not providing a well-rounded programme in key skills – particularly mathematics. The Algebra 1 course is designed to tackle some these issues through an interactive learning platform.
Relevant to secondary-level maths, key stages three to five, Algebra 1 guides students though basic equation solving, exploring functions, systems of linear equations, and solving and graphing quadratic functions.
Focusing on core Stem subjects, SAS Curriculum Pathways is free for secondary school teachers and students. Designed for both GCSE and A-level students, the online resource includes interactive tools, web lessons, enquiries and audio tutorials. More than 150 UK schools have signed up for SAS Curriculum Pathways since it was launched in March 2012.
Read more about IT in education
- Students back to school for new e-skills ICT curriculum
- Teachers share concerns and ideas for ICT in 2014 curriculum
- Commission condemns government removal of school ICT curriculum
- If the popularity of ICT is on the rise, why are we scrapping the curriculum?
- Report urges national curriculum include computer games
- Getting school children excited about learning IT
- Can IT investment in schools keep pace with change?
- Schools must replace ICT lessons with business IT
An estimated 15 million adults in the UK have numeracy skills equivalent to or below those of an 11-year-old, according to a study by KPMG. The lack of numeracy skills in this country is costing the UK up to £2.4bn a year, the survey revealed.
Geoffrey Taylor, academic programme manager at SAS UK and Ireland, said the figures were concerning.
“With the growing amount of big data being generated, a strong numerical understanding is vital for providing the basis for many careers within the growing business analytics sector, an area where SAS is a market leader," he said.
“Algebra 1 is providing students with the building blocks to develop a key understanding of maths, which may help to produce the analysts of the future for SAS and its clients.”


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Principles of Learning
Below are three universal principles of learning. This means they apply to all human beings.
(1.) Learning is a stratified process
The first principle of learning is that human learning does not take place on a single level, but is a stratified process. This is accepted all over the world as a didactic principle. The way in which school systems throughout the whole world are organized and structured is an acknowledgement of this. One cannot send a child to university first. He must start in the first class and then progress year after year to the higher levels of education. Unless he has mastered a sufficient amount of the knowledge to form a firm enough base on which to build the knowledge of the following year, he will not make progress in the next class.
Another simple and practical example is the fact that one has to learn to count before it becomes possible to learn to add and subtract. Suppose one tried to teach a child who has not yet learned to count, to add and subtract. This would be quite impossible, and no amount of effort would ever succeed in teaching the child addition and subtraction. This shows that counting is a skill that must be mastered before it becomes possible to learn to do calculations.
This means that there is a sequence that is to be observed in teaching. Certain things have to be taught first, before it becomes possible to teach other things.
The main objective of the Edublox programs is to practice and automate the skills that underlie reading, spelling, writing, mathematics and the learning of subject matter.
(2.) A “pyramid of repetition” has to be constructed
The importance of repetition in the learning situation cannot be denied. There is not a single person on this earth who learned to speak a language, learned to swim, skate, play golf, or drive a car, without repetition.
In recent years, neuroscientists have discovered that repetition is important in the “wiring” of a person’s brain, i.e. the forming of connections or synapses between the brain cells. Without these connections, the brain cells are as useless as batteries standing in a row next to a flashlight. Only when the batteries and flashlight are connected, can they make a shining light.
Mere repetition, however, is not the end of the story. A “pyramid of repetition” has to be constructed. This means that a learner must start by repeating a limited amount of material many times over and over. Gradually, less and less repetition will be necessary to master new skills and new knowledge. Without building this “pyramid of repetition” first, later learning will always be time consuming and prone to failure.
Edublox programs practice and automate the foundational skills of reading, spelling, writing and mathematics by systematically creating a “pyramid of repetition.”
(3.) Opportunities for application
The third principle is that there must be opportunities for application. While a person is learning to master the skills that form the basis of reading and mathematics, he should already be given opportunities to apply these skills. This greatly speeds up the process of automation.
An important point is that these three principles should be looked upon as a whole and should not be viewed in isolation.
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Teaching, Junior High
Junior high educators teach a specific subject while helping students begin to think about their future. Often this includes teaching career-oriented classes and taking on responsibilities beyond the classroom. Read on to see if a career teaching middle school is right for you.
Inside Junior High Teaching
Junior high teachers not only instruct on a given topic, but they also share some responsibility in a students' career development. This may mean teaching classes outside their specialty. Administrative elements are required in any teaching position so junior high teachers must be prepared to monitor halls, supervise extra-curricular activities and conference with students' parents. If you're interested in further exploring this career and its requirements, take a look at the following articles from Study.com.
There are many ways to become licensed to teach junior high. In some states, individuals earning a bachelor's degree in education specializing in either elementary or secondary teaching can teach at the junior high level. Some schools offer degrees with a middle school specialty, which can be taken as an initial certification or as an endorsement to teach junior high for those with a teaching certification. Additionally, some colleges and universities offer bachelor's degree programs in specialty subjects like music or art for grades K-12. In this case, the completion of the degree will prepare a graduate to take their initial certification and teach in junior high. Other institutions offer bachelor's degrees in specific subjects and for certain grades (i.e. 7-12), allowing the graduate to teach at the junior high level.
In order to combat teacher shortages, individuals with a bachelor's degree in a specific subject may get endorsed or licensed to teach that subject. Specialization is also an option for those wishing to teach at the junior high level. Students pursuing an education major may choose to focus on special education or vocational education. Learn more about degree options in teaching education by visiting these links.
Distance Learning Options
Students considering a career path in the field of education have many online opportunities to pursue that goal. Below are just some of the programs available to aspiring teachers.
- Online Associates Degree in Elementary Education
- Online Master's Degree in Elementary Education
- Online Master's Degree in Special Education
- Online Special Education Program Options
Specialization in different areas is possible for those focusing on teaching junior high. Look through these Study.com articles for information on career paths, their requirements and employment prospects.
From 2012-2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected a five percent increase in the number of working vocational teachers and special education teachers in middle schools (www.bls.gov). General middle school teacher employment was projected to increase 12% in the same decade. According to the BLS, the mean salary for middle school teachers as of May 2013 was $56,630. Also in 2013, the average salary for special education teachers was $59,540, while vocational teachers earned a mean wage of $56,830.
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The Works of Phillis Wheatley and Albery A. Whitman. New York: 3m IM Press, 1969. Wheatley, Phillis, 1753?-1784.
MIC FLM PS 866 W5 1969 1 reel. 35 mm.
This reproduces copies of works by two major early Afro-American poets now located in the Schomburg Collection of the New York Public Library.
Phillis Wheatley was born in Senegal and brought to the United States as a slave in 1761. She was purchased by a Boston tailor, John Wheatley, whose name she later took, and was given a strong classical education. She began writing poetry, basing her work on British models, and became the "best known American poet" of her day.
Albery A. Whitman (1851-1901) was born a slave in Kentucky. Orphaned after the Emancipation, he worked as a farm boy. He received about seven months of elementary education, and studied for six months at Wilberforce University, where he began writing and publishing poetry. Although he became the "leading Afro-American poet of his day," his long narrative poems were "essentially imitative," following the models of Byron and Tennyson.
I. Phillis Wheatley.
A. Prayer, June 13, 1779.
B. An Elegiac Poem on the Reverend and Learned Mr. George Whitefield. Boston, 1770.
C. Poems on Comic, Serious, and Moral Subjects. London, 1787.
D. Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. London, 1816.
E. Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley. Boston, 1834.
F. Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley. Boston, 1838.
G. H. Wilson Armistead. "Phillis Wheatley." Liverpool, 1905.
II. Albery A. Whitman.
A. Not a Man, and Yet a Man. Springfield, Ohio, 1877.
B. The Rape of Florida. St. Louis, 1884.
C. Twasinta's Seminoles. St. Louis, 1885.
D. An Ikyl of the South. New York, 1901.


Under the watchful eye of elementary education majors at Western Connecticut State University, high school students are learning to pass valuable skills along to younger students.
Eight Danbury High School students, designated as WCSU-DHS teaching fellows, are spending their summer in the classroom tutoring elementary school students to increase literacy and language skills. The high school students are interested in teaching careers.
The pilot program is a partnership between WCSU and Danbury Public Schools. The fellows are high school juniors and seniors also enrolled in Upward Bound. ConnCap/Upward Bound is a year-round program in which 120 students from grades 9-12 are given the tools to strengthen their academic and leadership skills. Students come from families where neither parent has completed a college degree or that qualify at certain income levels.
The tutoring takes place in small groups in classrooms at Ellsworth Avenue Elementary School. Each WCSU student, including some recent graduates, oversees two DHS teaching fellows as they guide their elementary students through a variety of experiential learning projects. Almost all of the elementary school students do not speak English as their first language.
There are four mentors from WCSU and eight high school students, all bilingual, speaking either Spanish, Portuguese, or in some cases, both. The program aims to eventually provide the education system with a more diverse faculty to accommodate the number of bilingual students in Connecticut schools. Funding for the program was through an award granted by the Connecticut Department of Education.
The theme of the summer program is organic gardening and sustainability. A community garden planted behind the school serves as a hands-on learning tool. Students learned about sustainable farming, as well as high-level vocabulary associated with gardening, such as "photosynthesis" and "fertilizer."
The elementary students are encouraged to use their improving literacy skills in innovative ways. By using new iPad software called Lego Storybuilder, students create comic strip stories in which they aim to persuade farmers to go organic. Through these exercises, students learn to persuade, justify and argue.
Yago Zoccarato, a junior at DHS, has been enrolled in ConnCAP since his freshman year. He is considering a degree in education at Western after his high school graduation.
"I like to help people with things. I like to tutor," he said, seated at a low table surrounded by various Lego bits and excited elementary students. "I thought this was the perfect chance to see if I wanted to pursue a career in teaching. I notice that they actually learn things that we taught them. They have been using those words in sentences and stories they've created."
Recent WCSU elementary education graduate Abby Radzimirski volunteered her time to mentor.
"I want to help students looking to pursue education," she said, adding that it's important that they recognize the impact they have on the younger students. "They see that being bilingual is a positive thing."
In addition to teaching strategies, the teaching fellows are learning how technology interacts with and influences instruction. They also learn how to plan lessons, write curriculum and integrate drawing, reading and writing into everyday exploratory learning.
Dr. Robin James, a WCSU assistant professor in the Education and Educational Psychology Department, said that the program is a great way for everyone to give back to the community.
"It's got a lot of layers, but it's successful because of the partnership between WCSU and Danbury schools," James said.
Because of the number of English-language learners in the program, James said the curriculum is designed to focus on strengthening literacy and English skills. Many of the fellows are bilingual and relate well to the students, James said.
"The teaching fellows remember what it was like to be like them," James said. "And the elementary school students are seeing good role models."
In the fall, the WCSU-DHS fellows will be tutoring their peers at a high school after-school program.
For more information, contact the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.
Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England's best small private universities.


"Field Excursions in Earth Science" is designed as a non-prerequisite field-based course for elementary education majors. Classic Canadian Shield and Michigan Basin outcrops and Quaternary features are used to teach those Earth science objectives considered most important for K-8 teachers by the Michigan State Board of Education and by others. We integrated these objectives into five conceptual pathways rather than presenting them as discrete pieces of information. A variety of teaching techniques based on constructivist educational theory are employed, so that pre-service teachers experience active-learning strategies in the context of how science is practiced. Our learning strategies address the cognitive and affective domains and utilize personal experiences in conjunction with pre- and post-experience organizers to allow students to develop individual meanings. We place emphasis on observations and concepts and we encourage students to explain their understanding of concepts verbally and in a variety of written formats. Activities address spatial concepts and map reading; mineral, rock, and fossil identification; formation of rocks; surficial processes and landform development; structural deformation and plate tectonics; and environmental issues. Students keep field notes and have daily projects. They address the pedagogical structure of the course in a daily diary.
Additional Publication Details
Introductory geology for elementary education majors utilizing a constructivist approach


LANGUAGE! Goes Digital!
Deliver LANGUAGE!® instruction digitally.
With this release, all LANGUAGE! components and proven content have been preserved. Moving the content to the digital platform increases implementation flexibility even more and supports school district technology initiatives.
Provide multisensory, targeted intervention with an intensive literacy curriculum for grades 4–12
LANGUAGE! The Comprehensive Literacy Curriculum® provides intensive intervention. It integrates reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, foundational skills, and spoken English, rapidly advancing students who score below the 40th percentile on standardized tests. Its parallel curriculum, LANGUAGE! Focus on English Learning® is specifically designed for English learners. When delivered as designed, LANGUAGE! documents accelerated literacy gains of two to six years in a single academic year. Download Overview
What Are the Benefits of Going Digital?
With this digital release, LANGUAGE! FOEL and Everyday English Plus materials are available in an eBook platform. Major benefits of this platform are that it enables literacy educators to:
- Teach LANGUAGE! digitally from any device or with a blend of print and digital
- Access and manage all LANGUAGE! content online
- Send notes and assign work to students
- Evaluate and grade assignments and send immediate feedback to students
- Increase opportunities for student self-monitoring
The eBook offers a rich, interactive format of LANGUAGE and works on any device. It provide embedded multimedia links, search capability, pages viewable as thumbnails, and analytics—students can see the time they spend on an assignment in text and percent complete.
Students are able to highlight, make notes, and show their work. They can submit assignments and review feedback immediately.
With the eBook, Collaboration and Sharing is Easy!
Students can "write" on their digital books and share those notes (annotations within text) with other students and teacher
Teacher can share annotated notes with all students or specific students
Students can use keyboard or pen to show work on assignments and then submit to teacher
Teacher can assign annotated assignments to students
Students can view reviewed work for immediate feedback
Teacher can grade assignments online and send back to student
The eBook Provides Easy Access to Lessons and Tools
Watch the video to see the benefits of teaching LANGUAGE! FOEL from the eBook.


Quartz is an igneous rock made out of molecules of silicon and oxygen atoms held together in a crystal pattern. All of the silica and oxygen that make quartz came originally from the insides of stars, and it shot out of the stars when the stars exploded as supernovas. Then the silica formed part of a nebula, a dust cloud floating in space.
Nobody knows exactly how the silica got to Earth from the nebula, but once it did, it sank down under the lighter elements of Earth (oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon) but stayed above the heavier elements (mainly iron). So silicon got stuck in the middle - not in the core, but not on the surface either. In this middle zone, it was hot enough to melt rock. Most of the silica on Earth is still in this melted state. Only a little of it has gotten close enough to the surface to cool down and become solid rocks like quartz or granite.
There are many different kinds of quartz, depending on exactly how it cooled down. Some kinds have large crystals, and some have very small crystals. Small amounts of other materials that get into the stone can give it colors - quartz with a little iron in it is a pink color or a purple color called amethyst. Some kinds of quartz are nearly transparent (you can see through them).
When people want quartz today to make things out of, they often make it themselves in hot furnaces, rather than digging it out of the ground. By controlling the process, people can make perfectly even quartz with no irregularities. People use perfect quartz to make digital watches and computer microprocessors. Most glass is made by melting sand made of tiny bits of quartz. People also use quartz crystals in various religious ways.
Quartz also often becomes a part of other kinds of rocks. Some igneous rocks, like granite, have quartz in them. Some sedimentary rocks, like sandstone and limestone, also contain quartz. And some metamorphic rocks, like marble, have quartz in them too.
To find out more about rocks, check out these books from Amazon.com or from your library:
Science for Kids home page
Kidipede home page


- Undergraduate Program
200-Level Course Descriptions
BIOL 209 Our Living Environment (3)
Environmental problems treated within the framework of fundamental ecological principles. Satisfies the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 215 Genetics and Human Diversity (3)
Genetics and evolution, emphasis on human populations and forces acting to change the genetic structure of human populations; mutation and natural selection. Satisfies the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 220 Ecological Issues and Society (3)
This SLU2000 course provides scientific insights into a variety of popular press topics and everyday decisions about ecological issues. Other topics presented: population harvesting and the collapse of fisheries, the 'destruction' of habitats by fire, pest outbreaks and control, lawn and garden decisions, and global warming; and how ecological principles apply to political and personal decisions. Satisfies the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 234 The Diversity of Life (3)
This SLU2000 course will provide an overview of the diversity of life on Earth, as well as the diversity of the human species. Students will combine lectures and virtual exercises to understand how diversity is generated, maintained, and modified at all levels of the biological hierarchy. Important local, national, and international issues and policies relative to biodiversity and conservation will be discussed. Satisfies the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 236 Concepts of Biology (3)
A one-semester course covering scientific methodology and the basic concepts of biology ranging from the chemical to the ecological levels of organization. Satisfies the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 240 Biology of Health and Disease (3)
Topics include: nature of life, chemical basis of life, basic foodstuffs, vitamins, diseases caused by microbes, plants, and animals, drugs and the mind, and biology and the future of humanity. Satisfies the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 241 Biological Basis of Health (3)
This SLU2000 course will examine the relationships that exist between basic biological information and today's wide range of health-related topics and issues. Topics include: the chemistry of life and nutrition; biologically important molecules; cells and metabolism; common diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, plants, and animals; effects of drugs; and the biology and the future of our species. Satisfies the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 245 Drugs We Use and Abuse (3)
This course surveys the effects that legal and illegal biologically/pharmacologically-active compounds/drugs have on the brain, central nervous system, and other organ systems. Satisfies the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 261 Molecular Cell Biology (4)
Lecture three hours, three hours of laboratory per week. Modern research laboratory topics and techniques will introduce the fundamentals of structure and biochemical function of mammalian cells in this entry-level course for BME students. Lecture and parallel laboratories will stress the determination of cellular function by membrane composition, specific intracellular organelles, intracellular signal transduction, extracellular matrix, and interactions between cells. Prerequisites: CHEM 161 and 162, or equivalents.
BIOL 264 Microbes, History, and Society (3)
Microbes - unseen bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoans - have dramatically influenced history, and they are shaping the future of our society. This SLU2000 course will take an integrative/exploratory approach to examine how microbes have shaped world history, impacted our food chain, posed health threats (bioterrorism and AIDS), and how microbes may guide our future. Satisfies the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 270 Plants and Cultural Diversity (3)
An introduction to economic botany and ethnobotany through the uses of plants in medicine, nutrition, religion, recreation, etc. in different cultures over time, including a minimum of three field trips to the Missouri Botanical Garden. Satisfies the Arts and Sciences Cultural Diversity and the Science Core requirement.
BIOL 280 Biology for Education Majors (4)
Three hours lecture, three hours of laboratory per week. This course is offered for elementary education majors. A variety of teaching methods will be used so that students with different learning styles may master the material. Curiosity and creativity are encouraged.


Let’s Debate: Assessment Anchors
In a recent Assessment in Art Education class, we had a wonderful debate centered around the pros and cons of using anchors for assessment. I decided I would take this discussion to the AOE community in the hopes of continuing this conversation and hearing what YOU all think about this hot topic.
What are Anchors?
In a nutshell, anchors are visual images or exemplars that teachers use to correlate with grading criteria. For example, when I student taught in New Zealand (many, many moons ago) we were required to grade students artwork using a 5-point grading scale (with 5 being the highest). To view a sample Matrix of Curricular Indicators we used, click here or on the image below.
At the end of a particular unit, my co-operating teacher and I had to submit a student example correlating to each of the points on the grading scale to the Ministry of Education along with a written description defending our choices. The Ministry, in turn, audited each teacher’s samples to make sure we were grading consistently and provided feedback if we were not. In the states, this is something you might do at the district level. (Keep in mind, New Zealand has a relatively small population, so it was easier to accomplish countrywide initiatives.)
In your art department, for example, you could determine what specific skills represented mastery of different criteria and share examples of work at each level. This leads to a wonderful, eye-opening conversation about assessment as teachers try to keep their grading consistent. And, by the way, this doesn’t mean that you all have to teach the same lessons. If you grading criteria is Use the slab technique to create a recognizable 3D form, there are many ways to teach this particular standard and therefore, many different exemplars to compare and contrast.
After you have your grading criteria and anchors in place, you can easily refer to them while you are grading and better yet use them to justify grades, should parents, administrators or students require hard evidence. However, the controversy unfolds around this point:
Do you show your students assessment anchors?
Many class participants DO show students examples of student work. Some show only high-end examples, while others show a variety of examples and have student discuss the pros and cons of each piece. Some show only teacher samples, while others show only artists’ work. And still others create and use a visual matrix for each lesson. On the other hand, there are teachers who prefer not to show samples, so that students were more apt to use their imagination and not copy the work of the teacher or other students. The results and opinions were quite varied.
What is your opinion and experience using anchors in the art room?
Should assessment criteria be clear and visible or left open ended in the art room?


MUSIC 121: Fundamentals of Music
Notation of pitch, meter, rhythm, ear training and sight singing, structure of all major and minor scales; key signatures, simple triad construction, and interpretation of chord symbols. Application of these
MUSIC 131: Music for the Elementary Teacher
An introduction to music designed to provide the elementary classroom teacher with music terminology, fundamental music knowledge and the basic hands-on music skills necessary to allow the incorporation of music into general classroom activities. Elementary Education students only .
MUSIC 201: Beginning Class Piano
The Piano Class objective is to provide basic music knowledge and basic hands on piano keyboard skills to the beginning student. The student will be expected to understand, read, and perform (using both hands together) printed piano music and chords. The student will become a functional sightreader at the piano.
MUSIC 221: Music Appreciation
Elements of music and historical developments of Western and non-Western music. Designed to expand the music listening experience through awareness in technique of listening. Listening and awareness of selected recordings, readings, and attending concerts. No musical background necessary. This course meets General Education requirements: Cultural Enrichment.
MUSIC 228: American Pop Music Since 1900
Popular music styles and forms that have developed through world culture stressing 20th century American music with emphasis on ethnic diversity including New Orleans Dixieland, Chicago Dixieland, the blues, ragtime, swing, small group and eclectic jazz styles, country and western, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, rap/hip hop, folk, the Broadway musical and the popular song. This course meets General Education requirements: Cultural Enrichment.
MUSIC 232: Music & Culture
Fundamentals of listening (terminology, melody line, texture, harmony, etc.); the development of musical sound, historically; and listening to music of Western and non-Western civilizations that relates to ideas in life's experiences (nature, love, philosophy, etc.). This course meets General Education requirements: Cultural Enrichment: Global Consciousness.
MUSIC 301: Intermediate Piano
Intermediate and advanced level piano class. Designed for students who have taken beginning piano or who have experience with piano. Provides advanced music knowledge. The student will be expected to understand, read, and perform advanced printed piano music and chords. Prerequisites: MUSI 201 Beginning Class Piano or permission of instructor. Typically Offered Fall and Spring.
MUSIC 458: Music Technology
A survey of the development of music technology. The class includes the study and application of sound reinforcement, electric instruments including guitar, bass, keyboards (synthesis), MIDI, recording techniques and equipment, and relevant psycho-acoustic phenomena. This course meets General Education requirements: Cultural Enrichment. Required for Music Industry Management majors.
For more information on music courses, please contact:
Ferris State University
1030 Campus Drive
Big Rapids, MI 49307
On Main Campus next to FLITE and the Carillon Bell Tower


Here’s a little household science for kids. It’s very simple and lots of fun. Let your child know that you are going to do a science experiment together. Fill the kitchen or bathroom sink with water. Find things from around the house (buttons, bottle caps, etc.) and see if they float. Ask your child before she puts something in the water if she thinks it’s going to float.
Advanced: when you’re finished, put the items on a towel and bring them to the kitchen table. Examine the items while you log the results on a piece of paper. Keep it simple. Just make two columns—‘Floats’ and ‘Sinks.’ Put the chart in a folder. Later, when mom or dad comes home, or a neighbor comes over, get the folder out for your child’s reference. Have your child quiz the person about whether they think each item on the list would sink or float.
Be prepared, your child will want to get the chart out every time someone new comes over. Don’t discourage her from asking the same person the same questions as yesterday or last week. She’s reinforcing her command of a variety of skills by repeating the process. Use repetition as a prompt to advance the experiment. Conduct the experiment over with new items. Make a new chart. Suggest that your child log a person’s correct answers on the back of the chart: Dad: 7/10; Aunt Susan: 8/10; Michael 10/10, etc. This adds a mathematical component to the activity and furthers your child’s grasp of collecting and evaluating data. The important thing is that your child is having fun while navigating scientific procedures.
Read About the author.


Documents created in collaboration with the New York State - Bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL) Technical Assistant Centers (NYS-BETAC) to assist Districts/Schools with the diverse educational needs of English Language Learners
Language standards, resource guide, glossaries, more.
New York State Regional Bilingual and ESL Resource Networks (RBE-RNs)
Provide free technical assistance and resources for designing, implementing and enhancing educational services for limited English proficient/English language learners (LEP/ELLs) for districts in each region.
Bilingual Specialists at Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers (RSE-TACs)
RSE-TACs with Bilingual Specialists
Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers (RSE-TASCs) are located throughout the state and are part of a statewide network that provides resources, information, consultation, coaching and staff development related to the education of students with disabilities. Bilingual Special Education Specialists are available at the RSE-TASCs to provide regional information and technical assistance to communicate compliance and effective practices for bilingual/English language learner (ELL) students with disabilities.
Useful Sites for Educators
Recommended Books & Articles
Online Resources for Bilingual Educators
National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE)
National professional organization devoted to representing Bilingual Learners and Bilingual Education professionals.
National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition & Language Instructional Educational Programs (NCELA)
Information bout curriculum and & instruction development, academic content standards & assessments, as well as Title III.
Center for Applied Linguistics-The Center for Applied Linguistics
Online resources including free downloadable digests, a collection of answers to frequently asked questions, and more.
The Center on Instruction
Links for documents on its web page focusing on English language learners including resources related to literacy and special education, professional development, best practices, serving adolescent newcomers, and suggestions about accommodations and assessments.
Information on second language acquisition and literacy development for ELLs:
Dr. Jill Kerper Mora
Information on Spanish reading and biliteracy, modules on word study in biliteracy classrooms, cross-linguistic transfer in Spanish/English biliteracy, thematic unit and lesson planning, content reading for English language learners. There are over 100 instructional modules on the web site for bilingual and ESL teachers.
K-8 math resources available in Spanish
The Internet Picture Dictionary
Labeled images in Spanish, French, German, Italian and English.
Rethinking Schools Online Bilingual Resource Articles
Dual Language Education of New Mexico
An excellent site for Dual Language resources. There are many sample materials on this web site including a variety that focus on classroom instruction.
For more information
Please contact Melanie Pores, Assistant in Research and Educational Services at (800) 342-9810 ext. 6057 or e-mail Melanie at email@example.com
should you require additional resources or assistance in relation to ELLs.


Allow me to add to Jeff's great suggestions. I've been collecting advocacy articles for a long time. The first two "ART IS" paragraphs came from a posting via Judy Decker, credited to Tina Farrell:
ART IS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Many of the terms commonly used in art originate from a variety of
languages like: Italian, German, Latin, and French. Words such as:
applique, Bas Relief, tromp-l'oeil, chiaroscuro, monochrome, gouache, and
sgraffito. Vocabulary in art is a blend of many cultures and therefore
becomes its own unique language.
Artists speak a foreign language.
ART IS LANGUAGE ARTS
Art is a higher form of communication. As artists translate the world
around them, stories of bravery, heroism, valor, sorrow, and hope emerge
into narratives of imagery, characters, and settings. Artists research,
brainstorm, rough draft, create preliminary drawings, keep journals, date
title, and sign their works, and create works based upon a theme or
series. Artists have made images inspired by poems, music, stories, and
Artists are communicators.
I'm certified in art, reading, and ESL. In Oz, you have plenty of English learners in your classes. Here's something I wrote on art and ESL. You can change "ESL" to "literacy learners" or something that suits your case.
Art is a natural for ESL students. By creating visual and mental images
to go along with all the new vocabulary they're learning, they will
learn and retain it better. Think about any lesson you would teach them
and all the new words they would be learning: colors, line direction,
shapes, orientation on the page; all sorts of common tools (scissors,
pencil, etc.); processes (cut, draw, paint, glue, etc.); following
directions in sequence; composing stories--even simple descriptive
sentences--about their work; discussing a work of art (use a format like
Broudy's Aesthetic Scanning or Feldman's four steps--both start with
describing what is there, which even beginning learners can do).
Creating a bound book to use as a notebook would be fun. Otherwise, I
don't think you'd have to "invent" any lessons just for them, other than
adjusting the vocab and instructions to their level.
My master's thesis dealt with vocabulary development in art education
(combining my love of art and reading). In my research, I discovered
that art has the third-highest distinct vocabulary of any subject, after
math and science. I think Jeff's suggestion to walk them through a
non-threatening, non-studio activity with a reproduction is excellent.


Money Savvy Kids
Could UK youngsters be the silver lining to the nation’s recession cloud?
New research from TK Maxx reveals that the failing economy has actually helped parents nurture a new generation of highly savvy, money conscious young shoppers. The research saw parents of primary school children surveyed and discovered that many money-conscious children now hold their own purse strings when it comes to shopping. Over half (51 per cent) spend, on average, around £365 a year on clothes alone.
But far from thoughtlessly splashing their cash, nearly two thirds (60 per cent) of 5-11 year olds meticulously save up their pocket money and cash received from relatives for Christmas and birthdays, stocking up their piggy banks so they can support their personal purchases.
Born out of the recession these children have grown up with an eye for a deal, using knowledge and financial know-how garnered from their parents to ensure they spend their money wisely.
Most Mums and Dads (71 per cent) believe they have an obligation to the younger generation and the future economy to instil these values in their offspring.
It’s therefore no surprise 60 per cent of parents agree their kids have a greater awareness of money than they did when they were young, with over half (55 per cent) boasting that their children are exceptional bargain hunters.
According to the TK Maxx Young Shoppers study these good money morals are being put into practice by UK kids, as follows:
- More than one in two (55 per cent) 5-11 year olds know how to spot a deal.
- Over two-thirds (68 per cent) of children carefully check the price on labels before making a decision
- Over half of primary school kids (52 per cent) go as far as adding up the cost of their shopping trip
- 43 per cent of kids replace items with something cheaper if they go over budget
In response, kids are enjoying a newfound responsibility, independence and opportunity to shape their own style with a quarter (25 per cent) as young as five being the key decision maker when buying their clothes.
Many parents (84 percent) use shopping trips as an opportunity to teach their children basic numeracy skills, asking them to add up and subtract the cost of their purchases and work out discounts.
They also try to instil appreciation and good spending habits in their young ones by:
- Communicating that some item(s) are too expensive (82 per cent)
- Teaching their kids to appreciate what they’ve been bought by saying ‘thank you’ (70 per cent)
- Telling them the price of items before buying them (64 per cent)
- Ensuring their kids earn their purchases through carrying out chores (36 per cent)
- Limiting their child to a number of items per shopping trip (27 per cent)
A TK Maxx spokesperson, said: "It’s interesting that no matter what age we are, as a nation we have developed a far more sophisticated and savvy approach to shopping. Not only are the younger generation confident in establishing their own style, the research also shows they have a role in helping shape our future economy whilst learning how to save and manage their money from an early age.”
In a live experiment conducted at a TK Maxx store, a group of children were each given £30 vouchers to spend in-store on clothing and accessories. The results showed the children repeatedly seeking out the best and most attractive fashion deals to ensure they got more bang for their buck.
Mrs Moneypenny, presenter of Channel 4’s SuperScrimpers, who hosted the experiment said, “Given the current economic climate it is refreshing to see that parents are instilling such good money values in their children, from as early as five years old. The tactics used to teach kids bargain hunting techniques makes learning and shopping fun whilst ensuring they get more for their money, making any budget go a long way.”
Mrs Moneypenny’s top tips for money-savvy kids:
- Financial education should begin as soon as a child can count so before they even start school. It is never too early; teach them to recognise coins and ask for the price of things. Playing shop is an excellent way of doing this.
- Saving is a vital skill to learn. Deferred gratification – saving up for something rather than buying it on credit – is the single most useful skill parents can teach their children. Open a savings account with a physical book to encourage them to watch it grow.
- Paying children for tasks is a good way to teach them the value of money.
- Saying ‘thank you’ is something which everyone needs to learn. At every age
Do you have money savvy kids? Do you use shopping as an opportunity to teach your children numeracy skills? Let us know by leaving a comment below.


First Nations education takes a step forward
On paper, the highly educated administrators and teachers of aboriginal students have written key words like: rationale, evidence, identity and achievement.
Important words, but they say far less in contrast to what the kids have put down on paper and created: Drawings of aboriginal spirits, memories from first grade, positive thoughts about school, along with handmade drums, paddles, masks and button blankets.
These things speak of pride in self, culture and community, and that makes the educators’ words entirely meaningful.
“Children are at the centre of all we do,” says Greg Johnson, principal of aboriginal education for the Campbell River school district.
It’s Wednesday and Rotary Hall at the Maritime Heritage Centre is decorated with the children’s art and their writings. It’s on display so the educators can see the “fruits” of their efforts to continually improve opportunities for aboriginal students to succeed in the classroom and in life.
“This community, though, is on the right path I believe,” says keynote speaker Ray Wilson.
Representatives from the school district and the local Aboriginal Education Advisory Council – including representatives from local bands – are meeting to work out details of the Fourth Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement. It’s significant because no other school district in the province is on its fourth agreement.
“We’re very proud of that. This group works very well together,” says Michele Babchuk, chair of the board for School District 72.
Several others echoed her comments and are also proud of the fact this school district is taking a leading role in advancing education for First Nations students.
It also couldn’t be more timely.
On Thursday, the Assembly of First Nations released the document “A framework to achieve success in First Nations education” which reads in part: “Canada and First Nations have expressed and advanced the priority of nurturing, enabling and supporting the success of all First Nation children through quality, culturally relevant education. Canada must agree that this can only be achieved through fundamental change starting with the recognition and implementation of First Nations control of First Nations education.”
That’s a national agenda, but here in B.C., the Ministry of Education is advocating a co-operative effort. The Campbell River council is leading the way, but the members aren’t content to rest on their laurels.
“We have great teachers, councillors, education assistants, administrators, support workers and even tutors that are available for First Nations students,” says Wilson. “All of these resources aren’t even being used to their full potential. We need to start raising our expectations for our children!”
Wilson should know. He’s a member of the Lekwiltok Nation, grew up on the Cape Mudge reserve on Quadra Island, went to school in Campbell River, starred on the B.C. champion Carihi basketball team, and then returned to Carihi as a teacher.
He acknowledges the success of the aboriginal enhancement agreements, but says more needs to be done.
“Far too many times I still see our kids lost and wandering the halls, with no connection to school or culture. I want our kids to not only come to school, but to be excited to be in school,” he says.
Since the enhancement agreements began, there have been significant improvements in literacy and numeracy skills for aboriginal students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Just as important, says Wilson, First Nations students and their parents are embracing their heritage and traditions.
“We need to get away from the notion that aboriginal students must leave their culture at the door and adopt Western approaches to education and curriculum to succeed,” he says.