EYFS English worksheets by School Year
What words can you think of that end in /sh/ or /ch? Can you write in the missing sounds in these words?
Use sounds from the three different buckets to make as many words as you can. Write the words on the lines.
Patterning will help your child practise ascending and descending strokes, rounded shapes and more in preparation for handwriting. Get started today with some cake decoration – on paper only!
Handwriting requires good pencil control and precise strokes and movements. Help your child prepare for writing letters, words and sentences with our series of patterning worksheets (very satisfying as well as very useful!).
By drawing patterns your child learns to make shapes that are regular, sized and spaced correctly and placed on the lines they're writing on. There's no better introduction to handwriting, so get the coloured pens and pencils out and get patterning!
By creating patterns your child will learn to hold a pencil, produce shapes with it and train their muscles for handwriting. They'll also enjoy using their 'handwriting' pens and pencils to draw and colour!
Patterning is a vital first step for learning handwriting. Introduce your child to creative, fun doodling and start building their handwriting skills today.
Boost handwriting and spelling skills with this worksheet. The focus is on some of the high-frequency words your child will learn to read, spell and write in Reception and Year 1; letter formation guides and dotted line versions are provided to help them practise.
Keep boredom at bay with some brilliant puzzles for KS1 and KS2! Your child will need to use all their spelling and numeracy skills to solve wordsearches, crosswords, Sudoku and Wordoku – and there are a few extra challenges to keep them busy, too!
Your child will do lots of phonics learning at school – so why not use games to help them put their new skills into practice at home? Our Phonics games learning pack, created by a KS1 teacher (and parent), offers ten games and activities to choose from. Everything you need to start playing, from instructions to game boards and a sound die, is included in your download – print off your bingo counters, sharpen your pencils and have some fun!
What is dyslexia? Who does it affect and what are the key signs a child might be dyslexic? The Resources and support for dyslexia pack offers a complete overview, from how dyslexia is identified to at-home support strategies, expert tips to encourage a love of reading and links to further resources and advice.
This handy interactive phonics sounds worksheet will help you practise the sound of each phonic with your child by the 7 groups they'll be learning them in. See how many other words can you think of that give examples of each sound. Move your mouse over the letters to hear the sounds.
A brilliant bundle of 10 Christmas-themed literacy and numeracy worksheets, as well as fun activities for children of all ages.
This handy phonics sounds worksheet will help you practise each phonics sound with your child by the 7 groups they'll be learning them in. How many other words can you think of that give examples of each sound?
Why are some children reluctant to read, and what can you do to help them fall in love with books? From exploring non-fiction to making reading a feel-good pleasure, we explain how you can turn a reluctant reader into a bookworm. Happy reading!
Can you find the words in our summer holiday wordsearch?
Full stops, commas, semi colons, apostrophes… Whatever aspect of punctuation your child is grappling with, we’ve come up with a bumper pack of 60 activities to help them practise, as well as a parent's refresher guide to each punctuation mark and how it's used.
This game encourages children to think about the shapes of letters within words which will help them with their formation of letters and spelling.
Does your child’s spelling really let their writing down? Have fun with spelling offers you practical and effective strategies to help support your child’s learning at home, based on a real understanding of how spelling is taught and why it’s tricky to master. The bad news? Your child will be beating you at Scrabble before you know it!


More evidence has emerged that the Reading Recovery program, widely used in Australian and New Zealand schools, is ineffective for most struggling readers.
The NSW Department of Education has completed an evaluation of Reading Recovery which comes to the same conclusion as others that have been done in recent years: the program is not helpful for students who are having difficulties learning to read.
Just last year a New Zealand study by Professor James Chapman of Massey University concluded that it does not work for children with dyslexia or who are really struggling to read. This is because it relies more on a "whole word/whole language" approach, rather than the explicit teaching of phonics.
The evidence from reading research and leading reading experts around the world conclusively points to explicit phonics instruction as the most effective way to teach reading.
Although some children will learn to read with no help, this is a very small group (probably less than 5%) and the majority of young students need to be taught to read. And the best way to teach them, according to extensive research, is for them to learn the relationship between letters and sounds and how to sound out words, rather than trying to recognise whole words.
Reading Recovery was developed in New Zealand and has been used in Australian schools since the early 1980s. The other problem with it is that it's expensive - reportedly $50 million a year in NSW alone - because it relies on a high teacher to student ratio.
Can neuroscience help?
There are other effective reading instruction programs to help struggling readers. But neuroscience research over the last decade or so has shown these can deliver better results if the brains of the students having difficulties with reading are restructured to be better able to assimilate the instruction.
Brain imaging studies have show that the brains of struggling readers are physically different to the brains of students who learn to read easily. A competent "reading brain" needs well developed language skills. Reading is a language skill. In adddition it needs four well functioning cognitive skills: memory, the ability to focus (attention), processing speed, and the ability to sequence.
As well as showing how brains differ, the neuroscientists have used their research to develop programs to help restructure brains to make them better able to benefit from reading instruction. The most well know, widely researched and validated program is Fast ForWord.
There are many studies that show a very cost effective way to help struggling readers is for them to do the Fast ForWord brain training programs combined with explicit phonics based reading instruction. Then they can use the Reading Assistant Online Reading Tutor to help improve their reading fluency, comprehension and vocabulary.


Is your child struggling with handwriting skill ? Does your child cannot use a normal pencil grasp ?
Then it is the time to take occupational therapy. A formal evaluation by an occupational therapist is recommended to assess their fine motor, co ordination, strength, sensory processing and visual perception skill.Handwriting skills are an important developmental task and activity for kids. Through handwriting they are able to express themselves and communicate with the world around them.
Writing skills involves the ability to create words, sentences and paragraphs. Handwriting is complex skill. Handwriting requires pre-foundational skills that are essential for the development of handwriting. A child who develops proximal stability (strength of trunk, shoulder, upper arms, and forearms) will have better control of a writing utensil and will be able to develop better formation of letters. When a child progresses through gross motor developmental milestones, they develop the required proximal stability required for fine motor control. Early childhood development programs help children develop the foundational skills necessary for handwriting, but even the children who did participate in such programs may struggle. Some children with AUTISM, ADHD, SPD, and LEARNING DISABILITY also have difficulty in handwriting.
What an OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST can do??
There are many components that an OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST considers when assessing and working with a child with regard to handwriting.
These components include
- Postural control and trunk stability,
- pencil grasp and pressure,
- visual perceptual and visual motor skills,
- pencil control and fluency of movement,
- letter or number recognition and formation (start ,sequence ,sizing, spacing, control)
- spatial organizations
Occupational Therapist will demonstrate proper posture to support the proper use of the arms, hands, head and eyes.
- Analyze fine motor control ,such as the ability to hold a writing utensil
- Develop visual and perceptual ability that influence a child’s ability to form a letter and shapes using a writing utensil
- There are many activities that can develop a tripod grasp such as playing with water guns, pinching clothes pins or squeezing droppers.
- We have some pre-writing skill activities. This development sequence is vertical line, cross shape, triangle etc.,


Elementary educators struggling with Common Core math standards will soon have a block-based solution from Lego.
Lego Group’s education division announced Wednesday that it is preparing to release MoreToMath, a package of 48 block-based exercises that target first- and second-grade math coursework.
The product comes at a time when many elementary school teachers are adapting to tougher standards for mathematics. The new Common Core standards encourage critical thinking, collaboration, technology use and digging deeper into the concepts behind the subject matter.
MoreToMath was designed to help students grasp math problems by modeling them with blocks and solving the problems in creative ways, says Leshia Hoot, Lego Education's senior segment manager for preschool and elementary education.
“We had educators saying they were really struggling with these (Common Core) math practices,” Hoot says. “We designed this to support those practices and real-world problem-solving using Lego bricks.”
Lego's curriculum development team, which is composed of former educators, created the exercises. The instructions are divided into solo and team-based exercises, allowing for differentiated learning. They also incorporate interactive whiteboard software that helps an entire class of students learn together. Using the included Mathbuilder software, teachers can also create their own activities.
In one of the simpler activities, students must construct a snake using only five bricks.
"You quickly realize there are multiple ways of solving this problem, and you have to think through the underlying counting and sequencing to solve it," Hoot says.
In a baking-themed exercise for second-graders, students must use algebraic logic to discover which ingredients are missing and in which order they must be placed to solve the equation.
"It's a system that allows you to make changes quickly and easily," Hoot says of the Lego bricks. "You can try something and see if it works. If not, you can try it again. These bricks unlock the inherent creativity in all of us, especially in children who are still so creative and curious."
Lego Education's MoreToMath 1-2 package comes with instructions and associated bricks as well as teacher training videos, whiteboard software and worksheets with built-in assessments that reinforce the eight practices of mathematical problem solving in Common Core Math standards. It will go on sale in January 2015, according to the company.


There are problems arising from authorities and educational institutions and well-functioning organizations about the need to teach and learn the French subject compulsory in the various educational institutions in Ghana, especially at the elementary school and university level. Ghanas strategic position on the African continent is often cited by many of these advocates for the mandatory introduction of French subjects in educational institutions in Ghana. Neighbors who share the borders with Ghana are largely Francophonic countries, including Togo, Benin, Côte dIvoire and Burkina Faso. In order to improve bilateral relations and social interactions, advocates argue for the compulsory learning of French language, which is the primary way of interacting with members in these countries.
Also, there are often many educational opportunities sometimes wholly or partly funded in many francophonic countries of the world. In order to increase the chances of young Ghanaian elites to pursue further studies in such countries, it would certainly increase their opportunities to place and express themselves in the French language in their educational institutions.
Furthermore, several linguists are more beneficial than individuals for employment and employment placements. This is often true in the area of hospitality and tourism where workers interact with customers from different countries and speak different languages. Being able to speak French aside from the English language would be an advantage. Business tycoons in Ghana who are well-known in the French language often get the opportunity to have transparent business transactions with their French partners without any problems. This ensures the marketing of their companies.
Despite these benefits, there are many obstacles that can hinder the approval of the compulsory learning of French subjects as part of the curriculum that will be taught students in educational institutions in Ghana. The cardinal problem has to do with increasing interest in the learning of French language. The language is seen by many young and mature Ghanaian students as very difficult. This unfortunate picture of the subject is attributable to the contempt of the former French teachers, who lacked patience to address the students learning fraud. As such, many are afraid of just mentioning to learn French. Another big challenge is associated with the low enrollment of teachers who choose to learn the French language in the different higher institutions to learn in education in Ghana. The always staggering numbers of internship teachers for the French subject result in a higher deficit in teachers to teach the many students spread in the various educational institutions in Ghana.
There is also the lack of educational resources and effective technology in education institutions in Ghana to increase interest and reduce stress in teaching and learning the French subject. This has been the ultimate source of the frustrations that are often experienced by teachers and students in the French subject in Ghana.
In addition, because French is a language, many educators are very concerned about language learning difficulties for students of high ages in higher education institutions in Ghana. Thus, they argue that learning of the subject would be very effective if it begins in the early childhood development of the lower education levels.
The teaching and learning of French is very important and the government and other companies must therefore help to arrest the standing blocks for effective teaching and learning of the subject. Schools must, for example, have the necessary resources, such as textbooks, audio and video files that would increase interest in the learning of French language. Trainee teachers must be encouraged and offer incentives in the form of scholarships and scholarships to choose the specialization in French teaching so that the challenge of lack of French teachers would be limited. The teaching and learning of the subject must also start from the elementary education levels, in the students formative steps, so that the interest in learning the subject can be encouraged in the early stages of their education career.


- Start by learning the basics of multiplication, division, decimals, fractions, percentage, charts and tables. Many people start with revising topics like these via a qts skills test book.
- Make sure you use the 4 government tests but don’t overuse them. Once you’ve worked through these once or twice there is no point continuing to sit these papers to check your progress as you’ll start answering the questions from memory rather than method.
- Do as many online practice tests as you can, monitor your scores and revise between each test to make sure you are improving. The QTS Maths Tutor numeracy skills tests are the most up to date tests and resources you can get.
- If after working through 20 practice tests you still aren’t getting to the pass mark, consider getting help from an expert tutor but only if you are really struggling as for some people the resources are sufficient to help them to pass the numeracy skills test.
How do you pass the numeracy skills test
Professional QTS Numeracy Skills Tests and Tutors
21 NUMERACY SKILLS TESTS | VIDEO SOLUTIONS | SAME FORMAT AS THE REAL EXAM
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A fully pragmatic pedagogical approach toward developing complete musicianship in beginning through advanced level string players by incorporating the ideas of Mimi Zweig, Paul Rolland, and Shinichi Suzuki.
Many can attest to the importance of the self-growth that occurs for young people through the arts and their accompanying communities of support, understanding, and caring. Yet even professionals who work
Lynn Brinckmeyer draws on a lifetime of arts advocacy to provide answers to the questions so many teachers have but are afraid or simply too busy to ask. This is a simple, hands-on guidebook for
A perfect approach for students with a passion for music outside of traditional programs, Alfred's Music Tech 101 covers the basics of music technology without heavy technical reading, using
A comprehensive string pedagogy resource covering everything from the origins and history of the string instrument family to advanced-level string techniques. Part I offers an orientation to string
Ed Lisk's publication presents the art of musical expression in a unique and understandable way that is easy to apply to student musicians. Through music study, students experience the beauty of musical
John Jacobson - one of America's best-loved musical personalities - is known for sharing his passion, humor and insights with students and teachers, helping them to revitalize and reenergize. Now, he has
With over 50 years of experience as a teacher and conductor, the author presents strategies to help your ensemble improve technique as well as achieve artistic and musical results. Each chapter contains
This resource is a breakthrough on the topic of assessment for music performance classes in American schools. Written for music directors, administrators, and contest judges alike, the book provides a basis
Parents, early childhood teachers, and classroom instructors will all benefit from this resource that thoroughly explores the way newborns and young children best learn music. This book describes
The Band Director's Guide to Success is the ideal guide for preparing future band directors for the practical challenges and obstacles that they will face in the introductory years of their
The thoroughbass was the basis of composed music for an entire music-history period. To anyone starting to deal with the music of the "continuo age" in terms of study and practice today, the new
Withheld by leading pedagogues in an effort to control competition, the art of reed making in the early 20th century has been shrouded in secrecy, producing a generation of performers without reed making
Baton Basics offers a unique approach to teaching conducting based upon the concept of conveying weight, resistance, and energy in order to communicate a better concept of musical sound to the musicians.
With the help of a team of educators with a wide diversity of experience, this book explores how music educators best empower students of all ages to be musical. The goal of Becoming Musical is to
Becoming a Music Teacher: Student to Practitioner focuses on making the connections between the college music classroom and public school music classroom transparent, visible, and relevant. Award-winning
Learn the nuances of music notation, and create professional looking scores. This reference presents a comprehensive look at contemporary music notation. You will learn the meaning and stylistic practices
Brass Performance and Pedagogy approaches teaching brass students in a musical manner that is both comprehensive and practical. Great emphasis is placed on the importance of genuine musical development as
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In Chances and Choices, Stephanie Pitts surveys the aims and impact of formative musical experiences, evaluating the extent to which music education of various kinds provides a foundation for lifelong
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The impact of music education on children is profound.
Music does more than just make sounds, it changes the way we think and act. The skills your child will learn in music will help them be successful on the stage, in the classroom, and for the rest of their lives.
of admissions officers of the nation's major universities say high school credit and achievement in the arts are significant considerations for admission
points scored higher on the SAT for students involved in public school music programs according to the College Entrance Examination Board.
Lewis Thomas, physician and biologist, found that music majors comprise the highest percentage of accepted medical students.
of respondents (Gallup Poll), believe music is part of a well-rounded education and should be offered as part of the regular curriculum in schools.
What is Band?
Message from the director:
Learn more about the positive impact music through band can have on your child, then fill out a short interest form to get more information about our music program.
Students who participate in music have the lowest levels of current and lifelong use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs among any group in our society.
H. Con. Res 266
United States Senate, June 2000
Students taking courses in music performance and music appreciation scored higher in the SAT than students with no arts participation.
College Entrance Examination Board
College-Bound Seniors National Report
Schools that have music programs have significantly higher graduation rates than those without music programs (90.2 percent compared to 72.9 percent).
U.S. Department of Education
The Be Part of the Music project exists to provide a variety of high quality tools to help music educators attract as many students as possible to their programs. Their goal is to help music educators effectively and efficiently communicate to students and parents what we already know: Music Is A Life Changing Activity!


Bring math problem-solving to life with CueThink!
CueThink® is a new digital tool for documenting and recording problem-solving. Math standards are taught as students apply mathematician George Pólya’s 4 phases of Understand, Plan, Solve, and Review. The phases encourage students to slow down and explain their thinking.
- What do you notice?,
- What do you wonder about?,
- What is your estimate?
- Choose a strategy, and
- Write a plan.
When they have created their solution, checklists help them review their math and their recording.
Click below to watch a video!
4 phases of problem-solving
The CueThink application is based upon the research of George Pólya. The 4 phases of problem solving are Understand, Plan, Solve, and Review. Students are encouraged to follow the order of the phases, but there is fluidity to move between the phases.
CueThink student examples
These student examples of Thinklets, created within CueThink, show how this tool is used to solve and share the same problem in different ways. Students are encouraged to understand the problem by noticing, wondering, and estimating. Students are able to choose the question they are going to answer. In these video examples, the student has chosen to answer the question, “How many gumballs did Charlie start with?”
In Thinklet example A, the student uses counters to create a visual model of the situation. Each pile of counters is labeled and the student creates a pile for each person named in the problem. While the student makes some mistakes, there is a lot of good reasoning. The teacher would not see that reasoning if they only saw the answer of 68 gumballs. In the annotation screen at right, you can see that a fellow student pointed out one error (mom did not get any gumballs) and the student responds (you're right, I'll fix that).
In Thinklet example B, the student uses a number line as a visual representation, something more abstract than the images of counters used in Thinklet example A. There is no equation given, but the verbal reasoning in the video clearly explains the student’s solution pathway.
Portrait of a Graduate White Paper
This white paper, by Sam Rhodes PhD, discusses how regularly incorporating problem-solving into mathematics offers a gateway for teachers to meaningfully integrate 21st century skills, such as those captured by the Profile of a Graduate movement.


Phonics is an intervention that works – at least in Bethlehem, PA, where the portion of kindergarteners testing at benchmark increased from 47% to 84% from 2015 to 2018 as the District moved from “whole word” to phonics instruction. What's more, every kindergarten in the District showed marked improvements, with similar gains regardless of 2015 performance and regardless of the percent of students who are low income. In the graph below, vertical distance above the red line indicates gain in percentage points.
Phonics remains controversial among educators (as does Whole Word). For a good read on this topic, see this article from APM Reports.


Ten Quick Questions is a free program you can download on your computer. It looks quite dated, but is still an excellent tool to use in arithmetic sessions. After using it a few times, I noticed the quick impact it had on my pupils’ numeracy skills.
How do I use Ten Quick Questions?
Click here for the download. When complete, display it to your class using your projector. After, just choose the area of maths and the difficulty level. Finally, click setup and choose the time your students can have to answer each question – then click play!
The questions will pop-up and I usually ask my students to write them in the back of their maths books. As soon as the challenge is complete, the answers are shown. Following this, I ask the class to swap books and peer mark.
What I like most about the program is that it makes the pupils very competitive in terms of their number skills (a perfect example of using technology to gamify learning). It is motivational and some have even downloaded the program at home to practise.
Let me know how you get on with Ten Quick Questions by commenting below.


In the event you love science for kids, there really are a lot of wonderful suggestions for kiddies to learn about the environment and discover the mysteries and wonders of the universe
There certainly are a great deal of tips for kids to know about the organic environment and detect the mysteries and wonders of this universe, In the event you adore science for children. Science isn’t just fun and games for all adults. It can help children build up confidence and their own minds and help them develop and appreciate all of the remarkable things that science offers.
See all of these matters get together to generate this stunning universe we live in and Children really like to know about the world all around them. It’s their wish to learn things such as dinosaurs lived and died and just the way they came to be at the very first location around earth. They wish to learn the way animals like rabbits can survive and be in 1 spot at the same time, or the way the weather functions.
They are able to explain to you tales of things they have heard out of their own experiments when they are young. Additionally you will notice just how they are able to explain distinctive forms of objects. You will find that as kids age, they will be more interested in mathematics and how it can make their life simpler.
A fantastic idea will be to instruct your son or daughter exactly to explore the entire write my essay world around them with toys that are constructed for that. These toys really are crucial as it allows them to build up their imaginations. They learn so much just by thinking.
Dolls and teddy bears are great presents for children. In the event you have no any dolls or teddies obtainable for your own little ones, check out. They create excellent presents for individuals of all ages and all different heights of wisdom.
The www.ntnu.edu ability of research begins in a rather young age and kids start to learn more about the world about them. Using doll houses and toy vehicles , they will be able to help you construct a world where things are attached and you’ll be able to shoot them through a space https://www.masterpapers.com/ and time at which matters are not connected. Through these toysthey will learn how to determine and comprehend the links between everything they see, think, and also learn.
By way of instance, you might wish to teach your kid the exact difference in between a bunny and a teddy bear. Let her explore the whole world by way of this toy to observe the world, including the connections between objects and you might even wish to give her a stuffed rabbit. When she’s old, you can show her the connection between your bear and the bunny, that can be exciting.
Another idea is to introduce them into the notion of this world being round. Learn about each one the truly amazing discoveries and Children really like to explore their own environment and their own world. The point is to build delight and the fascination of exploring that world and if they have become older, they could locate the exhilaration of investigating their world and investigating different planets.
It is also a good concept to show them concerning the appropriate type of toys to their ages. Your kid may enjoy science endeavors, however they will enjoy them more if they have something that is interesting and can train them. As an example, should they are five years older they may love to engage in things like seeds or fishing baits, until they want to devote a lot of time playing them, but they may be curious about insects.
Even though there are plenty of toys it is nevertheless a excellent notion to choose those that relate to this pure world your kid will explore. By way of example, if your son or daughter wants to find out just what that a pterodactyl resembles, you might like to locate some thing like a pterodactyl t shirt which shows the pterodactyl’s head on the front. You’ll find tons of things such as they are wonderful gift ideas for children, especially should they enjoy science and so are interested in just what the planet has to offer.
You’ll find a great deal of unique tactics to teach science. Children with areas is an exciting means to find out specially with fun science. Getting them engaged science is just actually a outstanding way to teach them, As most children really like to research and also have a great deal of items to do.
Science for kiddies’ toys are wonderful for teaching kids about the world around them. And they provide a great deal of methods to get pleasure while teaching them the fundamentals of science. – even the fundamentals that they know about!


Reading dis/ability : interrogating paradigms in a prism of power
The dichotomisation of literacy instruction into phonics instruction versus a whole language approach fails to realise a fundamental tenet of providing equitable educational opportunities to diverse groups of children. Diversity becomes a problem to solve through "inoculation programs" or "special" education expertise. Moreover, children’s individual strengths can fail to realise because they do not fit well with the program of the day. Instead of being appreciated for the value that they may bring in higher-order conceptual and intellectual tasks, these individual strengths may be neglected at great cost to the individual child because they offer cheap reward in the shape of aggregate test scores. This paper is a philosophical piece, which in refusing to prescribe what one should do on Monday morning, joins other strident voices in disability studies in education to question what it is that we are doing today. Whilst not scientific, this is important work – it emphasises the a prior importance of philosophical, moral and ethical questions – reminding science that children are dynamic social beings who cannot be manipulated like genes to "express" themselves in ways more conducive to quick and cheap educational programs.
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These databases contain citations from different subsets of available publications and different time periods and thus the citation count from each is usually different. Some works are not in either database and no count is displayed. Scopus includes citations from articles published in 1996 onwards, and Web of Science® generally from 1980 onwards.
Citations counts from theindexing service can be viewed at the linked Google Scholar™ search.
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|Item Type:||Journal Article|
|Additional Information:||For more information, please refer to the journal's website (see hypertext link) or contact the author.|
|Keywords:||literacy wars, reading the 'right' way, student visibility and invisibility, diversity|
|Subjects:||Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > EDUCATION (130000) > CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY (130200) > English and Literacy Curriculum and Pedagogy (excl. LOTE ESL and TESOL) (130204)|
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY (160000) > SOCIOLOGY (160800) > Sociology of Education (160809)
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > EDUCATION (130000) > SPECIALIST STUDIES IN EDUCATION (130300) > Special Education and Disability (130312)
|Divisions:||Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Education|
Past > Institutes > Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation
Current > Schools > School of Early Childhood
|Copyright Owner:||Copyright 2008 Taylor & Francis|
|Copyright Statement:||This is an electronic version of an article published in [Disability & Society 23(6):pp. 557-570.]. [Disability & Society ] is available online at informaworldTM with http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713393838|
|Deposited On:||16 Sep 2008|
|Last Modified:||29 Feb 2012 23:48|
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All grade levels
Science at Howard Gardner School is an inquiry process. Students wonder why, observe, explore and experiment both in the classroom and in the outdoor classroom of Mountain Lake and Robinson Park in our neighborhood or Nay Aug Park. They may also take field trips related to their topic of study. Classes are held in the “Science Cottage” which is located at the north end of the main building. Just to the west of the cottage is an area destined to become a vegetable and flower garden.
The base of classroom study is the FOSS Kits (Full Option Science System) which were designed by University of California at Berkley. This program is a collection of activities aligned with the national science standards and covers topics in Life, Earth and Physical Science. Students collaborate in small groups on hands on experiments, recording data, creating graphs and reflecting on their results. They have the opportunity to apply skills of measurement and the scientific method. There are supplementary reading texts used after the activities as well as math connection problems.
Since our classes are multi-aged grouped the curriculum alternates years with the exception of Kindergarten which will study trees, leaves, wood and paper, and fabric each year.
Balance & Motion – Insects
Physics of Sound – Human Body
Levers & Pulleys – Mixtures & Solutions
Human Brain & Senses – Weather & Water
Solids & Liquids – Pebbles, Sand, & Silt
Ideas & Inventions – Magnetism & Electricity
Variables – Food & Nutrition
Landforms – Electronics
Students in all classes are invited to suggest experiments to try in the class or to share results of investigations they do at home. At various times there may be mung beans sprouting for the primary class, wildflowers for the upper class or an avocado plant demonstrating phototropism for the intermediate class.
Environment and Ecology concepts are investigated by students during the fall and spring exploration of outdoor habitats. In addition students of the upper and senior classes do more observation of wetlands at Mountain Lake and Roaring Brook. We take only pictures and leave only footprints. (We do pick up garbage and collect data)
Personal interests of students in the upper class are developed through assignments such as current events in science and science careers presentations. They are encouraged to express themselves through nature sketching, writing song lyrics to remember concepts and a keeping a moon journal.
Members of the senior class have research assignments such as creating an advertisement for an element to learn about the periodic table. Students read the Science World magazine for current information on science and technology. They will have an end of the year project depending on the odd or even year, either designing, implementing and presenting an experiment demonstrating the scientific method or creating a personal reflection presentation of their relationship with the natural world.
I earned a Bachelor of Arts from Kutztown University and Elementary Education Certification from Marywood University. I have also continued to take classes in environmental education such as: Project Wild, PA Songbirds, Project Learning Tree, River of Words, PA Land Choices, Forest Stewardship, Project Wet & Wow, Healthy Water, Healthy People and Watershed Education.
My first teaching position was in Quito , Ecuador in 1987 where I taught first grade English and science. I returned to Scranton in 1990 and taught in the Upper Class of the Montessori School which became the University of Scranton Campus School which became the Howard Gardner School for Discovery. I served as interim Director of the Campus School for one year in 2001 and became the dedicated science specialist in 2003. I also serve as the Student Council support teacher.
During summers I I have taught for Carnegie Mellon C-MITES program for gifted students and the HGSD SCAMPS program.
I live in rural Dalton near the Lackawanna State Park and the Zeigler Preserve of the Countryside Conservancy where I enjoy hiking and kayaking.
I believe it is important to model what I teach and teach what I believe to be true so I volunteer with local environmental groups to test the water quality of streams in our community and participate in cleanups.


Understanding that words are made up of individual sounds is the very first step towards becoming a reader. Also known as phonemic awareness, the ability to recognise and recall the sounds in words includes a range of skills that many children only become aware of in a formal setting. Children will start to become aware of these sounds through instructional activities like word games, language play, rhymes and other activities that develop their skill with words, syllables and the sounds within words.
Singing songs and nursery rhymes with your child are a great way to encourage them to hear sounds in words, and are an important component in many children’s learning development, helping them develop their speech and language skills. Not only are they fun and interesting for your child, they also introduce them to the rhythm and rhyme that are fundamental parts of nursery rhymes, and become some of the first simple stories that children can recall and retell, another important component of literacy development.
Along with reading nursery rhymes and songs, when speaking to your child, encourage them to listen to the different sounds in words by sound-talking instructions to them; for instance by saying ‘Go to b-e-d,’ ‘brush your t-ee-th,’ ‘put on your h-a-t’ etc.
As an activity, try writing some words that have only three sounds on separate pieces of card, e.g. cow, bat, dog, lip, sun, pot. Let your child select a card, read the word together and then hold up three fingers. Ask your child to tell you the first sound they hear in the word, then the second, then the final sound.
Visit www.readingeggs.com to see how your child can learn to read while having fun with Reading Eggs!


Through our programmes, we aim to equip young people with LLN skills for everyday life and the workplace.
Our key aims
- Help young people develop important LLN skills such as communicating well, writing accurately and solving work-based numeracy problems.
- Encourage positive attitudes towards LLN – ’everyone can improve these skills’.
At the end of their Trust journey, our young people will:
- Describe themselves as more confident in their LLN skills and recognise that with new strategies, support and hard work, they can improve these skills.
- Regard employment and education programmes which require English and maths skills as within their reach.
To support you in your mentoring role, below are some useful resources for supporting young people with reading, writing and numeracy tasks.
- Practical hints and tips to help young people with reading, writing, speaking and listening, and numeracy tasks.
- Useful online LLN resources and how to find local courses.
We've created a suite of animated videos, to help you when you're supporting a young person with their Literacy, Language and Numeracy skills on a Prince's Trust programme.
Further support for volunteers
Do you have a specific LLN question about a young person you are working with? Do you need some more support on helping a young person with writing? Or perhaps you would like to how to find your nearest literacy or numeracy course. For further help, please contact our LLN Champions at LLN@princes-trust.org.uk.
Champions are Prince's Trust staff and volunteers with an interest and passion for helping individuals develop their literacy, language and numeracy skills. All of our champions have LLN experience or expertise e.g. ex-teachers or trainers, bringing a wealth of specialist knowledge and skills to the champion network.


Story and photos by Crystal Hayduk
(Note: This article is part of a new series about Chelsea School District’s music program. The start of this series is a three-part focus on fifth graders choosing their music specialty area of orchestra, band or choir. The orchestra story published yesterday.)
Band directors Rick Catherman and Katy Steklac demonstrate three types of instruments to fifth graders: brass (trumpet and trombone), woodwind (flute, clarinet, and alto saxophone), and percussion (bells and drum).
Steklac gives students a mini-lesson on how the wind instruments produce sound. Woodwinds, even if made of metal, depend on a reed or blowing air over an edge. Brass instruments create sound through the combination of air and vibration of the player’s lips.
Students have limited choices in fifth grade, but as they get older and become more proficient, they can choose to play other instruments. “We save some of the other instruments until later because they are more expensive and more sophisticated,” says Catherman. “Starting with simpler instruments also helps them to be successful early on.”
Woodwind musicians can move on to oboe or bassoon; brass instrumentalists can eventually learn to play the French horn, baritone, or tuba.
Typically, students should have had recent piano lessons to play percussion. But if a student is highly motivated to play drums and has no experience with the piano, they can choose another band instrument and transfer to percussion after they’ve learned some of the basics, including how to read music.
Students who choose band attend an instrument evening at school, where they and their families can discuss the option of instrument rentals. According to the band teachers, most families participate in a rent-to-own program through Marshall Music Company.
Band instruments come in one size, with the exception of tubas, which come in a half-size option. This “one-size-fits-all” characteristic of band instruments means that family-owned instruments may be more prevalent. The teachers can check these instruments, as well. “Students have a better chance of success with a good instrument,” says Catherman.
He says that students with a strong desire to play in the band should talk to the teachers if they’re concerned about potential barriers. “Some people think that if a child will need braces that it means they can’t play a brass instrument, but that’s not true,” he says. “There may be a transition period, but we work it out.”
Students can participate in other pursuits as well as band. “Band members are involved with nearly every sport and other extracurricular activities.
“Even having a diagnosis of asthma is not a barrier,” says Catherman. “In fact, the breath control they develop can even improve their health status.”
Steklac, now in her second year as director of bands at Beach Middle School and South, as well as assistant director of bands at Chelsea High School, is a 2009 CHS graduate who knows firsthand about the benefits of an early start in music education. “Learning an instrument early provides many opportunities for a student,” she says.
“Not only does it provide many psychological and social benefits to the child, it gives them skills that they can develop over the course of their middle school and high school years,” she says.” The students are members of our ensembles for many years, and they grow up together, creating a sense of family within the group that is tough to get somewhere else.”


born to a slave father and free mother near Berlin, Maryland
Composer of many Christian Hymns including "We Shall Overcome"
which became the anthem for Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's
Known as the Father of Gospel Music.
Charles A. Tindley was born in the Town of
Berlin, in Worcester County on Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore on July 7,
1851. He was born on the Joseph Brindell farm where his father was a
slave and his mother was free born. His mother died when he was
young and he was raised by his sister until he was old enough to be hired
out for work. He worked along side slaves, though he was free and
his free status was recognized.
He had no formal elementary education and taught himself to read and
write. Eventually he worked as a janitor to put himself through
night school while simultaneously earning a Divinity Degree via a
correspondence course. In 1902 he became a pastor at the very church
where he formerly served as a janitor. It had 130 members when he
took it over. The congregation grew to about 10,000 members under
Charles and included both Blacks and Whites.
Charles was a powerful preacher, a superior pastor (known as "the
people's pastor") and a pioneering song writer. His soulful
lyrics, rooted in the depth of feeling that rises from an oppressed
people, chanted love - not hate, patience and tolerance - not revenge or
retaliation. One of his hymns, "I Shall Overcome" was
modified and became the now famous "We Shall Overcome" which
served as the anthem for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and is
widely sung in Christian Churches all over the world..
Charles Tindley's hymns still appear in hymnals and songbooks used by
all Christian Denominations. Technically, he was a musical
illiterate. Evidently, he dictated the tunes and lyrics to a
transcriber. He noted for writing over 30 hymns and is often
referred to as the "Father of Gospel Music."


The term Holocaust has been derived from the Greek word ‘holokaustan’ that means ‘sacrifice by fire’. It was Na-zis’ persecution and planned slaughter of the Jewish people. It began in 1933 when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany and ended in 1945 when the Na-zis were defeated by the Allied powers. Hitler hated Jewish people and blamed them for Germany losing World War I.
He considered them to be less than human beings. The term Na-zi is an acronym for ‘Nationalsozialistishe Deutsche Arbeiterpartei’. It is estimated that 11 million people were killed during the Holocaust and around 6 million of them were Jews. Approximately 1.1 million were children.
Fun Facts: –
- Young Children were particularly targeted by the Na-zis to be murdered.
- Many Anti-Jew Laws were enacted by the Na-zi party during that time. One of those laws was to prohibit marriages between Germans and Jews.
- The murder of the Jews in the Holocaust during World War II took place in Germany and German-occupied territory.
- The Na-zis ordered Jewish people to wear a yellow Star of David on their clothing so they could be easily targeted.
- Approximately 220,000-500,000 Romanies (Gypsies) were killed during the Holocaust.
- Jews were sent to concentration camps where they worked very hard with little food. These camps were actually meant to work and starve prisoners to death.
- One of the first concentration camps was known as Dachau.
- The Na-zis had a total of six extermination camp. These camps were places where Jews were exterminated.
- The camps were also known as ‘death camps’ as they were made to kill large groups of people quickly and efficiently.
- Auschwitz was the largest concentration and extermination camp built. Approximately 1.1 million people were killed there.
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The next generation of learners will forge ahead in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. These skills are a central element of a well-rounded education; however, STEM education should not be an isolated entity. Many institutions don’t look for opportunities to weave science and technology into other coursework when they should. In fact, results from a 2015 GfK Knowledge Panel survey of K-12 teachers nationwide, revealed that approximately half of the respondents dedicated only 10 percent or less time to STEM coursework, or didn’t know what STEM was at all. Education is multi-dimensional, and educators should work to de-compartmentalize science, mathematics and technology from other subjects.
With only 16 percent of American high school seniors proficient in mathematics and interested in a STEM career, according to the U.S. Department of Education; institutions need to get away from the mindset that ‘you’re either STEM, or you’re not,’ and embrace a holistic approach to instruction that weaves STEM elements into other coursework and subjects. There should be a constant stream of STEM influence in students’ daily curriculum.
Take a Holistic Approach
We should encourage students to think holistically about their interests. The way we keep students interested in STEM is to make STEM available to all students, regardless of their interests and strengths in the classroom. If a student is musically inclined, they are just as entitled to a math and science foundation to enhance their music abilities. The University of Florida found that art education can improve overall academic performance. In fact, students who took up music appreciation scored 61 points higher on the verbal section and 42 points higher on the math section of the SAT. Studies suggest that if a student excels at music, there is higher probability they will excel at math.
Educators should choose an area of interest and learn the mathematical framework of that area. It could be a musician who wants to learn harmonics – even the audible sounds in our mobile technology have a lot of grounding in the STEM space and in creativity.
STEM Education Opportunities for Tomorrow
We’ve found that young girls reach a critical decision on whether they will pursue the sciences by the fourth and fifth grades. To encourage girls at this critical time, Samsung has developed an after-school and summer program called emPOWER Tomorrow designed to introduce girls to the people, technologies and processes behind the software and hardware they use in their everyday lives. Throughout the program, students are introduced to computer science and electrical engineering concepts in a safe, fun and hands-on learning environment. Students also meet real-life scientists and engineers from Samsung and explore career possibilities in the STEM industry.
To excite all students about the possibilities of STEM education, Samsung has also started the Solve for Tomorrow education contest, giving teachers across the U.S. the opportunity to raise students’ interest in STEM subjects by awarding their schools with a share of over $2 million in technology products. The contest challenges teachers to use STEM creativity to solve a problem within their community. This opportunity specifically addresses the technology gap that exists in many classrooms across the country today.
After recently being named one of the 100 CIO/CTO leaders in STEM by STEM Connector, I think it’s imperative to encourage students to explore the possibilities in the STEM field. Somehow or another we’ve got to think about STEM in a holistic way. There isn’t a separation, there is collusion. This is why at Samsung we’ve made it our mission to raise student interest in STEM subjects nationwide through innovative programs with our partners that will help us all build a better tomorrow.


The literacy rate among people over 15 years of age in Canada was 99% in 2014, according to World Data Atlas. Canada uses many ways to measure its literacy but Composite Learning Index is the most common.
What is Composite learning index (CLI)?
CLI was developed by the Canadian Council on Learning. It aims to measure the yearly progress of the state of lifelong learning. It was created to assess the national learning conditions locally and regionally.
Multiple data sets and statistical indicators are used to measure how Canadians learn at home, school, and workplace. The CLI is made of 26 specific measures and 17 indicators, which are used to determine the effectiveness of lifelong learning for over 4,500 communities in Canada.
How does it measure the progress?
How do you learn? Do you continue learning after you leave school or graduate from university? CLI takes into account all of that. The indicators are divided into four different categories:
- Learning to know – includes aspects like reading and numeracy skills, problem-solving skills, post-secondary education.
- Learning to do – focuses on hands-on skills like workplace training, access to learning centers, job-related training and so on.
- Learning to live together – includes social and interpersonal skills.
- Learning to be – involves metrics on self-awareness and personal discovery with attributes like media exposure, cultural events, arts, sports, etc.
Additional ways to measure literacy in Canada
Canada also created the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) to measure adult literacy. The survey analyzes the different levels of literacy and establishes the reasons and its economic and social impact.
The Adult Literacy and Skills Survey (IALSS) was also conducted by Canada to assess the skills of the adult population. It analyzed the numerical, prose and document skills of people aged between 16 to 65 years.
The state of lifelong learning
Canadians understand the importance of lifelong learning and the contribution it makes to the success of our nation. There is a comprehensive formal education system starting from pre-school to post-graduate backed by a strong bureaucracy. Informal learning is also available from various sources like television, radio, and the Internet. Parents also understand the value of learning and take steps to promote it at home. Children and younger adults receive formal education after which they can find employment.
There are many formal and non-formal institutions that contribute towards this adult learning. Educational institutes are the backbone of adult training and learning followed by workplace or job-related training. Canada ranks in the middle among OECD countries in its participation in further education.
Lifelong learning is also supported by community resources like public libraries. They are major lifelong learning centers providing knowledge and information to the public for years.
Lifelong learning is carried out by various stakeholders like the government, formal education institutions, informal agencies and numerous NGOs who implement and carry out lifelong learning initiatives.


Acquiring Literacy in English:
Crosslinguistic, Intralinguistic, and Developmental Factors
Subproject 2: Transfer of Reading Skills in Bilingual Children
|Principal Investigator:||Diane August, Center for Applied Linguistics|
|Co-Investigators:||María Carlo, University of Miami|
|Margarita Calderón, Johns Hopkins University|
Subproject 2 consisted of three sets of studies that examined the factors that influence English language literacy development in Spanish-speaking children. Study Sets 1 and 2 were longitudinal research projects that studied children from kindergarten through first grade and second through fifth grade, respectively. Study Set 3 was an intervention that investigated the possibility of “teaching for transfer,” that is, helping children to make explicit connections between their knowledge of their first language and their understanding of their second.
Each study set addressed specific research questions:
- Study Set 1: What is the nature of the development of phonological awareness and spelling in young bilingual children?
- Study Set 2: What is the relationship between language and literacy skills in Spanish and English?
What is the role of home literacy and language environment on bilinguals’ English and Spanish vocabulary development?
Study Set 3: Can interventions be developed that help third and fifth grade children transfer cognate knowledge from Spanish to English?
The sample for Study Set 1 consisted of 102 kindergarten and first grade children, in three groups: 45 bilingual children receiving Spanish literacy instruction only, 35 bilingual children receiving English literacy instruction only, and 22 English monolingual children receiving English literacy instruction. The sample for Study Set 2 included 189 students: 34 monolingual English speakers, 59 Spanish–English bilingual students in English-only instruction, and 96 Spanish–English bilingual students who received initial reading instruction in Spanish and then transitioned into English instruction. The sample for Study Set 3 consisted of approximately 160 third and fifth grade Spanish–English bilingual students.
The main findings from the study are summarized below in reference to the four research questions.
Research Question 1: What is the nature of the development of phonological awareness and spelling in young bilingual children? (Study Set 1)
Findings: Spanish-instructed bilinguals were more likely than English-instructed bilinguals or English monolinguals to treat diphthongs as two units, reflecting the influence of Spanish language instruction on English phonological analysis. Moreover, both English vocabulary and literacy instruction made unique, positive contributions to English spelling, whereas Spanish literacy instruction played a more important role than Spanish vocabulary in the production of Spanish-influenced spelling in English. Only bilingual students in Spanish literacy instruction (SLI) exhibited Spanish-influenced spelling, indicating a strong effect of language of literacy instruction.
Research Question 2: What is the relationship between language and literacy skills in Spanish and English? (Study Set 2)
Findings: Research results demonstrated that first language reading skills are related to second language reading skills, but that children must have first language literacy in the skill for this relationship to exist; oral proficiency in the first language is not sufficient.
Research Question 3: What is the role of home literacy and language environment on bilinguals’ English and Spanish vocabulary development? (Study Set 2)
Findings:Becoming or staying proficient in English does not require parental use of English in the home. Spanish, not English, is the at-risk language for children of Hispanic heritage living in the U.S. Students need early instruction in Spanish and home support in that language in order to become and remain proficient in Spanish.
Research Question 4: Can interventions be developed that help third and fifth grade children transfer cognate knowledge from Spanish to English? (Study Set 3)
Findings: Results indicated that students in both the intervention curriculum and a control curriculum were able to spontaneously apply knowledge of Spanish words when require to infer the meaning of unfamiliar English words. In addition, results indicated no significant difference between the children in the intervention group and those in the control group in their ability to transfer cognate knowledge to words that were not targeted in the curriculum. Further analysis will investigate whether knowledge of the transfer cognate items is related to differences in Spanish frequency and whether this variable might help explain the lack of a transfer effect for cognates among students in the cognate intervention.
Read subproject summary [PDF, 58 KB]
- Cognate Awareness Test (English)
- Extract the Base Test (English and Spanish)
- Test of Phonological Processing in Spanish (TOPPS)
- Diagnostic Assessment of Reading Comprehension (DARC)
- Phonological Transfer Test
- Spelling Transfer Test


Energy is a great subject in science. It covers so many things and I have many other aspects that I hope to share with you soon but one thing that explains energy so well is a simple rubber band; it can demonstrate elasticity, kinetic energy and potential energy and it great to use in some really cool experiments. Here are just a few short facts on the topic.
What is Elasticity?
Elasticity is the ability of an object to return to its original size and shape after it has been stretched or squeezed.
When we pull an elastic object we are applying a force on it called a stress. If we apply too much stress to an object it will eventually reach a limit called its elastic limit.
When an object is pulled beyond its elastic limit is cannot return to its original shape.
All objects will eventually lose their elasticity due to wear and tear, friction and stress.
Potential and Kinetic Energy
Potential energy is energy stored within something. Kinetic energy is energy in motion.
If we take the example of stretching a rubber band…
When we use force to stretch an elastic object, such as an elastic band we are filling it with potential energy. When we let go of the rubber band and it springs back to its original shape, the energy released is Kinetic Energy.
Did you know… kangaroos and other animals use the combination of potential and kinetic energy to save energy while jumping and springing?
Rubber is a material that has very good elasticity. It is a polymer, made up of a long chain of repeating molecules, that can be easily stretched and bent.
Rubber exists in both a natural and synthetic form; the natural form is latex from the sap of rubber trees.
A bit of history
The ancient Aztec and Mayan civilisations are thought to have been the first to discover and use this natural rubber. They used it to make balls for sport and rubber shoes, although the quality of this rubber was sensitive to heat and cold.
Columbus is credited with bringing rubber to Europe.
In 1839 Charles Goodyear discovered that he could stabilise rubber by mixing it with sulphur at high pressure; he called this process vulcanisation.
When Goodyear died in 1860 he was completely impoverished due to constant legal costs regarding his rubber patents.
Did you know… the largest rubber band ball ever made weighed 4,097kg and was made using 700,000 rubber bands?
An experiment to try
Want to try an experiment that combines rubber, elasticity and kinetic and potential energy? Why not make a catapult? Or use elasticity to launch a paper plane. You’ll find out how, and a lot more of the science behind these experiments in this post!
A new venture
This article originally appeared in Science Spin magazine. Although the magazine is no longer in print I am delighted to be sharing some science facts and experiments in a new venture… you’ll find my new SCIENCE FOR KIDS page in each edition of Easy Parenting Magazine. I share one of our favourite experiments in the April/May edition, currently in shops. Take a look…


Demonstration of Kansas Music Teacher Standards
Kansas Music Standard #5: The teacher of music has skills in listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
- The teacher knows technical and symbolic vocabulary of music.
- The teacher understands the organization of sound in musical forms.
- The teacher understands the common elements of music and their interaction through aural and visual analysis.
- The teacher identifies, through visual and aural analysis, composers and music representing diverse styles, periods, cultures, genres, and techniques of musical organization.
- The teacher describes compositional devices and techniques.
- The teacher demonstrates effective strategies for developing students’ growth through a variety of active musical experiences.
As a future music educator, possessing the skills to listen, analyze and describe music, is one of the biggest areas we should be comfortable with. A music educator who can analyze music has the ability to get inside the mind of the composer, be it Schubert, Chopin, Grieg or Debussy with this; we are able to convey our analysis to our ensembles. Once we have an understanding of how the piece was constructed, we can then begin constructing music of our own! By breaking down the music through analysis, when can then have a more structured and focused rehearsals. Being able to listen, analyze and describe music will ultimately help us teach and create well rounded musicians; how will know how to listen, analyze and describe music.
Listening is a big part of music education, but at times, I feel that it is taken for granted and not taken serioulsy. For the most part, music is playing an instrument or singing, but to get to the next level and achieve more; we have to be able to listen. To be able to hear if students are in tune with the ensemble, with their section or even in tune with themselves, takes a high ability to listen. To be able to hear these problems we are listening through layers sounds to get to the problem; which takes skill. It is important to note that, the skills I acquired in my education not only taught me how to listen, most importantly, why to listen.
Listening is one’s key to serenity, a way to take us somewhere without ever leaving the comforts of our home. Listening is what got me hear in the first place. Once we as music educators get past how to teach kids to lesson for intonation, how to play together, and all the other idiosyncrasies it takes to “sound” good; then they can get to the good stuff, the enjoyment of listening to good music by way of performance. When a student begins having the ability to listen critically they may then begin to analyze what they hear.
Once we teachers begin engaging the young student mind to listen, we can further enhance their musical aptitude through analysis; this starts with the teacher. Having an ability to analyze, you can help your develop their listening, by telling them what to listen for. As instructors, once we have analyzed the music inside and out we can then teach with a freer mindset. From this point we can begin asking stimulating questions about the music, and have our students beginning to think critically about the music. When we combine the ability to listen with the ability to analyze music, we can the begin to describe music.
As students learn to analyze and listen to music more and more, the way they describe music will change; this is when aesthetics can be applied in their music. This is we as teachers should really being asking those stimulating questions, “How does make you feel?” or “How can you convey those emotions to the music?” A student can describe what they hear and play, they are more inclined to play better and with more understanding. With this, once the ensemble begins to describe what they hear and play, they are more inclined to play better and with more understanding; leading to a powerful musical education.
So in essences, before a student can have the ability to listen, analyze and describe music, it starts with the teacher. In order to show that I possess the ability to listen, analyze and describe music. The link below displays some of my ability to listen, analyze and describe music as analyze Percy Grainger’s “Lord Melbourne,” movement V from Lincolnshire Posey.
Who Has the Melody
|©2008 Kansas State University Music Education • Contact Us|


Born: July 3, 1901; East Liverpool, OH
Died: November 18, 1953; Chevy Chase, MD
Ruth Crawford was born to an itinerant Methodist minister and his wife. Upon graduating from high school, Crawford entered Foster's School of Musical Art in Jacksonville, FL, studying piano. The Foster School relocated to Miami in 1921, and Crawford enrolled in the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. She stayed until 1929, studying composition and theory with Adolf Weidig. Weidig encouraged her early efforts, and with her first PianoRead more Preludes of 1924 Crawford had already developed her own unique modern voice.
In 1926, Crawford composed her Sonata for Violin and Piano; performed at modern music concerts in the late '20s, it prompted a critic to remark that Crawford could "sling dissonances like a man." She was recognized early on as a woman composer who did not fit the sentimental stereotypes associated with the standard profile. In Chicago, Crawford joined the circle of Djana Lavoie Herz, pianist and ex-follower of Scriabin; through Herz she met Dane Rudyhar, Henry Cowell, and pianist Richard Bühlig. Cowell quickly became a supporter of Crawford's work, arranging for performances of her music in New York and publishing it in the periodical New Music Quarterly. Crawford worked as a piano teacher for the children of poet Carl Sandburg; it was he who first interested her in American folk songs. She contributed arrangements to his 1927 book The American Songbag, and later created significant original settings to eight of his poems.
By 1930, Ruth Crawford was a force to be reckoned with in American modernism. Stylistically, her work stood out in its uncompromising use of dissonance, contrapuntal ostinati, striking choice of texts and tidy formal construction. In March 1930, Crawford won a Guggenheim Fellowship to travel to Europe; the first woman so honored. In Berlin, Crawford composed Three Chants set to a wordless text for women's chorus; this eerie, experimental work has no obvious parallels to any music written before the 1960s. The following year witnessed her most famous work, String Quartet 1931, and with its publication Crawford provided the definitive foil to the old maxim that women "just can't write" classical music with the strength and seriousness of male composers.
In 1929, she began study with Charles Seeger, a key figure in American music as a composer, theorist and musicologist. They married in 1932. She likewise adopted several of Seeger's theoretical methods that mark the works of her most productive period, 1930-1933; however, her composing came to a virtual standstill around 1934. Among her children with Seeger were daughter Peggy and son Mike, both to become renowned folk singers and teachers in adulthood. In 1936, the Seegers moved to Washington, D.C., to work in folk song collecting for the Library of Congress. Crawford acted as transcriber for the book Our Singing Country and, with Charles Seeger, for Folk Song USA, both authored by John and Alan Lomax. As Ruth Crawford Seeger she published her own pioneering collection, American Folk Songs for Children, in 1948, designed for use in elementary grades. This and the other "Crawford Seeger" books are regarded as key texts in primary music education, and were widely adopted and imitated in the field. Crawford only returned to serious composition with the Suite for Wind Quintet in 1952. By the time it was completed, she learned she had cancer. Ruth Crawford died at the age of 52. Read less
There are 21 Ruth Crawford Seeger recordings available.


The superintendent of our district offered to purchase copies of Tony Wagner‘s The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don’t Teach The New Survival Skills Our Children Need – And What We Can Do About It. (That’s a mouthful) The deal was, he would provide the book for us with the expectation that we would participate in face-to-face books talks and contribute to a group created on Edmodo. I have just finished the book and wanted to take this time to give my thoughts about this book.
In summary, Wagner writes that in the “new world of work,” there are Seven Survival Skills that must be taught to our students because they matter for work, learning and citizenship. More and more jobs are being outsourced, not because they’re necessarily cheaper, but because, many times, the employees are better prepared.
The Seven Survival Skills that Wagner presents are: (here is his TEDxNYED talk about these skills, too)
1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
2. Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by Influence
3. Agility and Adaptability
4. Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
5. Effective Oral and Written Communication
6. Accessing and Analyzing Information
7. Curiosity and Imagination
When I first read these skills, I thought to myself, “duh.” We, as educators, recognize that these are skills that are vital for our students to learn. Wagner unpacked each of these in relation to what is the current “norm” in classrooms across the country. I realize that this list of skills is not an epiphany, but we have to think about why classrooms are not effective in teaching these skills….enter, standardized testing. Wagner claims that with the pressures of schools making Adequate Yearly Progress, (yes, I’m using Wikipedia as a source – that’s for another blog topic) teachers are stressed and spend more time “teaching to the test.” This doesn’t leave time, resources, and energy to engaging students in the survival skills.
Wagner does a good job of not putting sole blame on teachers. I think we’ve had enough of that. However, there is blame to be had….even towards educators. If anything, this book has encouraged me to ditch the weeks of ISAT prep. I need to embed the skills and knowledge they need for this yearly test into my everyday curriculum. What should I focus on? Writing and Research. These two topics were cited in the book as the skills that freshman in college wished they had more of in high school.
I teach elementary school. The book focuses on high schools; however, there’s a clear trickle down effect going on. Elementary school is where the foundational skills are taught and practiced. Maybe, the foundational skills need to be revised a bit? Obviously, reading, writing and math are the focus of elementary classrooms, but, the specifics about each should probably be revised. We should be adding more research and oral presentations. Students need to be able to speak in front of their peers and adults in a clear and concise way. These are things I can be working on in my classroom.
Overall, I gave the book a 4/5 stars on Goodreads. The writing was a bit dry in places. Chapter 6 focused on schools that were doing it right and I gleaned a lot of ideas and encouragement from this chapter. I think educators, parents and administrators should read this book. Educators that want a change in how students are schooled in the U.S. will be encouraged; parents will see how they can help their students at home, and administrators can also be encouraged to take risks and really prove themselves to be student-centered.


Book Title: Children's Communication Skills : From Birth to Five Years
Author: Helen L. Bee
Format: Paperback | 280 pages
Publication Date: 01 Jun 2003
Based on a huge body of research in child language and communication development, Children's Communication Skills uses a clear format to set out the key stages of communication development in babies and young children. Its aim is to increase awareness in professionals working with children of what constitutes human communication and what communication skills to expect at any given stage.
Illustrated throughout with real-life examples, this informative text addresses:
normal development of verbal and non-verbal communication skills
the importance of play in developing these skills
developmental communication problems
bilingualism, cognition and early literacy development
working with parents of children with communication difficulties.
Features designed to make the book an easy source of reference include chapter summaries, age-specific skills tables, sections on warning signs that further help may be needed, and a glossary of key terms. It will be of great use to a wide range of professionals in training or working in health, education and social care.


As these authors point out, creativity development is not new in Japan but it is being increasingly regarded as essential in education and training. Yet there appears to be a problem in that many people still find it difficult to exercise their creativity in practice. The authors suggest that the problem may lie in the lack of a creative mindset and they test this proposition with a series of sample groups – high school students, researchers working for a manufacturing company and members of the general public. The results are very interesting and point the way to future actions which need to be taken.
Cultivating a ‘Creative Mindset’ – Our Practice in Schools, Companies and Public Institutions in Japan
In Japan, education in creativity is becoming more and more important. Innovations have been considered increasingly important in Japan’s economy, and the Japanese Government has pointed them out as a major economic growth strategy. Along with that, creativity education is being more and more expected in various target segments. The government guidelines for secondary education have included the nurturing of creativity. Also it has started to be applied even in elementary education. Recently, a rising momentum in ‘Design Thinking’ has fueled the boom even more. Design thinking, started in the West Coast of the U.S., has spread worldwide. In Japan, it has been a hot topic for the last few years. In Japan, creativity education is not a new topic. It has been conducted for the last several decades and studied by many researchers. According to Takahashi’s study, there have been two different approaches: an individual approach and a systemic approach.
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Your subscription helps support the non-profit Creativity & Human Development eJournal project, run by UK charity The Creativity Centre Educational Trust.


Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece. It is located in the Olympus Range on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia. It measures 7,956 feet above sea level. This mountain is a part of the Olympus massif near the Gulf of Thermai of the Aegean Sea. The summit is often snow-capped and has cloud cover.
It has numerous forests and gorges and summits of different heights. However, it has a mild climate and rarely has storms. It is also the most worshipped mountain in Greece. The tallest point of this mountain is called ‘Mytika’ and ‘Pantheon’.
Quick Facts: –
- In Greek mythology, Mount Olympus was the dwelling of the Olympian Gods and it was created after the Titanomachy.
- Titanomachy was the battle during which the Olympians defeated their predecessors.
- Mount Olympus exists both as a physical mountain and a metaphorical place.
- In Greek and Roman mythology, this mountain is believed to be the home of their 12 primary gods.
- The mountain is a part of the Olympus National Park that covers an area of 238,411,000 m2.
- It has has a total of 52 peaks with deep gorges and exceptional biodiversity.
- It has been the first national park in Greece since 1938 and is also a World Bishop Reserve.
- This mountain has an almost circular shape that has been formed over time by rain and wind.
- Olympus expands over approximately 500 km2and covers an essentially circular area with a width of approximately 25 km and a circumference of 80 km.
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An increasing amount of research continues to support play in early childhood development, and there are five primary forms or types of play in which children engage: locomotive, social, object, language and pretend play. Each type of play has its own benefits for the developing mind of a young child, and while each is important, pretend play (otherwise known as imaginative or dramatic play) is becoming an increasingly popular component in toddler and preschool education.
Dramatic play is defined by experts as a type of play where children assign and accept roles and act them out. For example, child who pretends to feed and rock a doll to sleep is engaging in dramatic play, or a child who pretends to fix a leaky faucet in the play kitchen is engaging in dramatic play. This is a time for a child to pretend to be someone or something else, and while pretending may just look like “playing”, it is integral to the developmental learning process.
There are four primary areas under which children learn and develop through pretend play. They include:
- Intellectual – increase in skills such as problem solving, negotiating, creativity, organizing and planning, retelling familiar stories, application of newly gained knowledge, and mathematics
- Physical – increase in skills such as gross and fin motor development, fitness, strength, and coordination
- Social – development of skills such as sharing, taking turns, cooperation, negotiation, impulse control, delay gratification, and deal with disappointment
- Emotional – increase in self esteem, pride and accomplishment, feeling of safety and protection, development of sense of self and individuality, and feelings or purpose
Experts agree that dramatic play is an integral part of a well rounded preschool program as it is healthy for early childhood development. Through dramatic play, children learn a myriad of skills. In fact, the Association of Childhood Education International has stated that play is a natural part of childhood development that cannot be replaced by adult interaction. This means that even adult instruction cannot replace the valuable experience children gain through play, specifically dramatic play. So, let the children pretend!For further reading The Vital Role of Play in Early Childhood Education by Joan Almon The Benefits of Dramatic Play by Ellana S. Yallow, Ph. D. What is Dramatic Play and How Does it Support Literacy Development in Preschool? by Scholastic.com


Tapirs – Where Do They Live
Tapirs look a little like pigs or anteaters, but they’re related to horses and rhinos. These interesting animals have been around for millions of years. Their fossils have been found all over the world, but today tapirs live in only a few places. Baird’s tapir lives in Mexico and Central America. The Brazilian tapir lives in the rain forests of Brazil. Mountain tapirs live in the cold mountain areas of Northern South America, while the Malayan tapir lives in Asia.
Tapirs are peaceful herbivores. They graze alone or in small groups, eating grass and tree leaves. Their long, curved snouts help them gather leaves from high places. Jaguars, crocodiles and tigers hunt tapirs, but their biggest enemy is us. Humans hunt them for their skin and meat. All tapirs are endangered.
Fun Facts about Tapirs for Kids
- Tapir bodies are pear-shaped. Their fronts are narrow, and their back parts are widened.
- Tapirs weigh between 500 and 700 pounds.
- Tapir babies have brown and beige stripes. These stripes help camouflage them from predators.
- Tapirs are good swimmers. They use their snout as a snorkel.
- Tapirs can live 30 years or more.
- Fossils: remains of ancient animals
- Herbivore: animal that eats vegetables
- Snout: nose
- Enemy: someone who is unfriendly or dangerous
- Camouflage: hide
- Snorkel: long tube for breathing under water
Learn More All About Tapirs
Take a peek at this cute tapir video:
Video footage of a playful baby tapir.
Question: Can baby tapirs swim?
Answer: Yes, babies start swimming when they are only a few days old.
Question: Are tapirs dangerous?
Answer: Tapirs are peaceful and shy, but they might bite or kick of frightened.
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- Power of Bleach
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Help your child build a foundation for reading.
This video helps parents of beginning readers understand how a child learns to read, from letters and letter sounds to understanding a story. It explains the five foundational skills of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. It also offers tips on how parents can help their kids practice these skills, and become a better reader. The video is most appropriate for parents of children in preschool and kindergarten.
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- Milton Brasher-Cunningham
- Donna Denizé
- Dirk Detlefsen
Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone
- Sharon Madison
- Pauline Moller
Bridge to Terabithia
- Frazier O'Leary
A Lesson Before Dying
Song of Solomon
- Ashby Reid
Flowers for Algernon
- Diana Russell
To Kill a Mockingbird
- Betty Williams
Things Fall Apart
In Search of the Novel:Teachers & Lesson Plans
Pauline Moller has been a sixth grade English teacher and team leader at Eastern Middle School in Silver Spring, MD, since 1995. She holds a Bachelors degree in elementary education and a Masters degree in reading/writing/literacy. Ms. Moller has served as writer and editor for the development of the Montgomery County's 6th grade English curriculum. In addition, She has conducted workshops in Montgomery on strategies for teaching reading and on the differentiation of instruction. She has presented at the NECC conference and is her school's Technology Committee chairperson. Ms. Moller was nominated for the Sally May First Year Teacher award and Teacher of the Year.
Lesson Plan for Bridge to Terabithia
To transform the text: seeing the setting and hearing the dialogue
Day 1: Seeing the setting
- Read aloud/VisualizationSeeing Terabithia
- How does the author paint a word picture?
- Students find example of words from Chapter 1 that paint a picture. (They work independently and then share.Student recorders use chart paper to record words and phrases.
- Class discussion: How do these words and phrases enhance the story and make it more interesting?
- Teacher reads aloud
from p. 38 while student draw on floor,
List words and phrases that painted the picture on your drawing.
- Gallery posting and walk; follow-up discussion about seeing the setting.
- Hearing the dialogue
- Who Am I? Web for character
(Teacher-directed/student group-work at tables)
- Locate words, actions, and dialogue that tell about your characters personality. (Students find examples using selected sections of the text.)
- Develop Who-Am-I? profiles that present but not give away the character. (Students put sticky notes on paper to indicate their guesses.)
- Students read aloud sections of text that reveal a characters personality and discuss why.
- What can be revealed about a character through description? Through action or plot? Through dialogue?
- Students read in pairs changing the tone and inflection, and adding non-verbal expressions.
- Feeling (using prompts)
Write about a time a friend made you feel good about yourself. Paint a word picture.
- Write letters to Jess or Leslie commenting on the qualities they possess that make them good friends to each other. Share letters.
- Seeing the setting by taking a field trip
- Class discussion: Why do Jess and Leslie become such good friends? Why do they depend on each other? What makes Terabithia so special to them? Why do they work to keep it only to themselves?
trip (to Sligo Creek Park, a wooded area with a stream)
Think about the questions discussed (above) and hear the natural dialogue of people.
Notes: It is helpful to get the students up and active, creating pictures, recording observations, seeing connections, and actively hearing, all so they can feel the story more fully.


New findings from the National Center for Education Statistics show that the gap between Hispanic English learners and their white classmates remains as wide today as it was in the 1990s. In other words, the English learner achievement gap hasn’t narrowed much in the last 20 years.
But solving this problem isn’t about identifying what went wrong. Instead, it’s about discovering what we can do right. “We can say, ‘Well, we tried and we failed, so let’s not try anymore,’ or we can look at the data and say, ‘If 20 to 25 percent of your school system’s kids are not doing well, we need to do something urgent,’” said Raul Gonzalez, director of legislative affairs for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic-advocacy organization.
So what should that something urgent be?
Research shows that one of the most effective ways to help English learners improve their reading, vocabulary, and speaking is to use technology — like interactive software programs. In schools across the country, Imagine Learning English is already helping English learners pull away from the pack and start making real gains in language and literacy development.
Watch this case study to find out how Imagine Learning English helped Chula Vista English learners make impressive gains on state English language development and language arts tests. Then read on to find out what makes Imagine Learning English the perfect tool for English learners.
1. First-language support. By providing support in students’ first languages, Imagine Learning English helps English learners master vocabulary and develop literacy more quickly. Our first-language support feature translates instruction, vocabulary, and feedback as needed; the translation fades as students become more proficient in English. With support available in 13 first languages, Imagine Learning English helps English learners from all over the world speed up their language acquisition.
2. Academic vocabulary instruction. Research tells us that English learners must develop academic vocabulary in order to succeed in future grades. Imagine Learning English introduces students to both basic and academic vocabulary, including valuable cross-curricular words common to social studies, science, and math. By preparing students to learn in all content areas, Imagine Learning English ensures success for future grades and classes.
3. Adaptive instruction with custom-fit feedback. Our TrueAssess™ placement test automatically places students at their ideal starting point in the Imagine Learning English curriculum, so students see only content that best addresses their individual knowledge gaps and learning needs. Through sequenced instruction and customized feedback, English learners receive targeted instruction that drives real progress.
4. Ongoing assessment. We’ve built assessment right into the program so teachers, parents, and students can track progress and celebrate successes. Our comprehensive reports for both teachers and parents help adults know where students need more help. Printouts even include an easy-to-read list of unmastered concepts and vocabulary, and students can see the progress they’ve made in both on-screen and printable reports.
To learn how Imagine Learning English can help students in your school or district, contact us today.