The pace of education reform has gone on for more than 20 years. Can the goals pursued at that time be achieved? Scholars, experts and government departments from all over the world will make a final review in the future. However, since the implementation of the new academic system, it is undeniable that the local mathematics and science education level has been sluggish; although individual top talents have performed well in related fields, the data in research reports and the comments of educational scholars have long pointed out this development trend.
The development of science education is disturbing
Even setting aside all the criticisms encountered in the public, the development of local science education is indeed disturbing. It can be seen from the fact that the number of students enrolled in traditional science subjects and mathematics extension modules published by the Examination and Assessment Bureau is low. The data on the selection of subjects on the middle school campus, the performance of students in mathematics classrooms and scientific experiments; Our society pays insufficient attention to science and science education.
This is also one of the reasons why the previous government proposed STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, mathematical science and technology) education. However, the upsurge of STEM education has promoted the enthusiasm for the application of science and technology in basic education campuses, but the reality of not paying attention to mathematics and science education has actually changed little.
In addition to undergraduate content teaching in mathematics and science education, cultivating students’ abstract thinking, data-based reasoning, logical reasoning, and emphasizing examples are also the curriculum goals of these disciplines; application development can indeed be promoted by the assistance of STEM education, but other parts But it is not as ideal.
The epidemic has renewed respect for science
A wave of new crown virus pneumonia has struck the society full of panic, coupled with the fact that the medical care industry has not yet grasped the treatment method and the global spread of the outbreak, for a while, it feels extremely gloomy. The school’s suspension of classes necessitates changes in the normal teaching process, and students’ learning may also be carried out in a new mode. The suspension of classes is not only a plan promoted by school personnel, but in fact young people themselves will also start learning from environmental and social conditions.
During this period, the media spared no effort to report the development of the epidemic situation in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas. In addition, there were frequent press conferences hosted by doctors and epidemic prevention experts. They received a large number of epidemiological research information, especially tracking research and evidence. The clues collected and the explanation of reconstructing the route of infection are basically living science.
When the epidemic first broke out, the government’s countermeasures might have been inadequate, and as a result, it aroused the voice of society demanding respect for the opinions of scientists. Recent medical experts’ explanations of patients’ conditions, microbiologists and drainage engineering personnel’s explanations of virus transmission investigation methods, epidemiology professors’ recommendations to stop the flow of people, pathologists and doctors formulating medication and medical plans, etc., actually reflect the application A living example of science to solve difficulties. Society rediscovered the importance of scientists in a severe epidemic, and once again demonstrated that science is worthy of respect.
In the past, local society tended to focus on business, economics and finance, which led to the emergence of unbalanced admissions, and indirectly caused young people to ignore mathematics and science in their course selection. The current epidemic has caused a change in society. School teachers can also seize this opportunity to rekindle the motivation and persistence of students in learning mathematics, science and technology.
Mathematics and Physics in Basic Education
Mathematics is regarded as one of the main subjects, but compared with language subjects, mathematics is allocated less class hours; but mathematics thinking relies heavily on symbols and rigorous reasoning steps, and some students have trouble dealing with this kind of abstract thinking skills. More guidance is needed, and unified teaching may be detrimental to these children.
As for science education, the situation is even worse. Science in the local primary school curriculum is included in the subject of general studies. In other words, teachers who have a good chance of teaching science may not have a solid undergraduate qualifications. Therefore, students who have just entered middle school tend to be excited when they first enter the science laboratory. However, the comprehensive science subjects in middle schools have not been able to capture their learning spirit very effectively! The reason for this is also worthy of repeated exploration by scholars and education officials who specialize in science courses, and find improvements in curriculum formulation and development of pedagogy as early as possible. However, from the perspective of the distribution of class hours, science education does not account for much; how to optimize the junior high school curriculum so that learning objects are attracted to the input may be a necessary step.
What is more worrying is that the implementation of STEM education seems to have attracted the attention of teaching and learning too much, but it has obscured the education of traditional mathematics and sciences.


By Paige MacPherson (AIMS Author)
- The Guardian, 04 September 2018
- The Telegram, 08 September 2018
- The Calgary Herald, 20 September 2018
- The Toronto Sun, 15 September 2018
Nova Scotian kids aren’t getting access to the educational choices they deserve. While students in five provinces have a diverse range of partially or fully funded school options, access to unique, independently operated schools in Nova Scotia depends on whether parents can afford it. Usually, Nova Scotian students must attend the public school in their area, even if it’s not the best fit for their learning needs.
Education isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different kids require different kinds of outreach.
Premier Stephen McNeil and Education Minister Zach Churchill can find an innovative solution right here in Canada: charter schools. A new report from the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) shows charter schools have been successful in Alberta for more than two decades, and could deliver big benefits for Nova Scotian students.
Charter schools are autonomous, government-funded, non-profit, public schools which charge no tuition. Each school offers a unique approach.
Alberta has 23 charter school campuses. They’re located mostly in Calgary and Edmonton, but a few are in smaller cities and rural areas. They range from elementary to high school, targeting a diverse spectrum of students.
Alberta’s charter schools focus on everything from academic enrichment to support for students who’ve experienced mental health struggles or trauma. Some offer progressive arts programming or an emphasis on women and girls. One charter school targets students for whom English is a second language; another specializes in science and technology. Others teach intensive music education, promote rural community leadership, or offer Indigenous learning.
Nova Scotia’s public school system has almost no diversity beyond some French programs and the Tuition Support Program, an innovative but limited voucher program for learning-disabled kids. The charter school model allows community groups of parents and educators to start their own charter schools, if approved by the education minister.
Charter schools have developed a reputation for being sought after. The AIMS report shows charter school enrollment is growing relative to total school-age population in Alberta. In 2015, 11,000 students were reportedly on the waitlist for one charter academy.
The schools also deliver impressive academic results. An analysis of grades 6 and 9 Alberta standardized test score data between 1997/1998 and 2016/2017 shows that charter schools on average almost always score better than all other types of schools – including independent schools that charge tuition.
Charter schools aren’t government-run, but the Nova Scotia government can demand a high level of accountability. In Alberta, the government limits which types of charter schools can open (for example, prohibiting them from being religious), and mandates that they be non-profit.
Charter schools can also help students at greater risk of falling through the cracks. Research from the United States shows disadvantaged students have benefited the most from U.S. charter schools.
The Nova Scotia government must look for ways to cut costs long term, to deal with an aging population and health-care demands. Charter schools are significantly less expensive for taxpayers than traditional public schools.
Based on 2015 numbers from the Fraser Institute, the Alberta government’s subsidy for charter schools saves $4,284 for every student, every year, versus public school. Using the Fraser Institute’s 2012/2013 numbers, if 50 per cent of Alberta’s 473,174 public school students moved to charter schools, the savings would be over $1 billion per year.
Alberta has permitted charter schools for over 20 years, so 23 school campuses is a tiny number. A couple of clumsy regulatory barriers make it needlessly difficult to open a charter school, and the government doesn’t fund infrastructure or transportation costs. This saves money in the short term, but likely discourages growth. Nova Scotia has the benefit of learning from Alberta’s experience to design its own policy or pilot project.
Charter schools can shake up the education status quo in Nova Scotia. They could bring more diversity into the public system, at no cost to parents, aiming for better student outcomes at a much lower cost. The proof is in the data – and the thousands of Alberta parents waiting to get their kids signed up, year after year. Don’t Nova Scotian kids deserve the same?
Paige MacPherson is the author of “An Untapped Potential for Educational Diversity”, an Atlantic Institute for Market Studies report measuring the success of Alberta’s charter schools and the potential for expansion into Eastern Canada.


Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Tabraiz
Graphic design is a critical business function for many companies. Part of that skill involves the ability to break down the fundamentals of graphic design into easily remembered, simple-to-apply steps. This course is designed to teach you the foundational skills needed for graphic design. A unique graphic designer firm can always help a person to get the best design.
Design is one of the most important topics in the world of graphic design. However, even the most advanced graphic designers can confuse the fundamentals of design with art. Understanding and applying to the unique graphic designer firm is what it means to truly master graphic design.
1. Color Theory
According to the unique graphic designer firm, A critical part of graphic design is color theory. Understanding the impact of various colors on the human eye, and how to use color to communicate a message, are the fundamentals of color theory. A color theory is the understanding of the relationships between different colors, their primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, and how they interact with each other. color theory is an important topic to understand, as it can help you create visually appealing designs.
A key aspect of graphic design is color theory. color theory is the study of color and how it affects the way meaning is communicated. The primary color is red, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and white. The secondary color is blue, followed by brown, black, grey, and red.
Color theory is the study of different colors and how they interact with one another. Understanding color theory allows you to create effective and appealing designs. It also helps you build a style guide that can be used across multiple projects.
The use of imagery in design is another critical graphic design skill. Images can be used to create powerful impacts and convey complex ideas. Images can be used to illustrate concepts or used as a focal point in a design. Images can also be used as a way to break up text in a design, creating a more dynamic feel.
In a unique graphic designer firm, the imagery refers to the use of images and imagery in design. Images can be used in a variety of ways, such as as a focal point, a background, or a color. Images can also be used to create an optical illusion, such as an image that appears to move when you look at it from a specific angle. Images can also be used to create a sense of scale and depth, which can add meaning to a design.
Typography can be described as the written form of non-verbal communication. It is a language where all the components of the message, including the punctuation and grammar itself, are used to create a cohesive message. Typography is a key aspect of graphic design, as it is a medium that is meant to be legible and easy to understand, therefore learning it is one of the most important parts of any graphic design education.
Typography is the art and practice of arranging type in a way that is conducive to designing and conveying readable text.
Composition is the process of deciding how to arrange visual elements on a page so that they are pleasing to the viewer. It is different from planning how to arrange text on a page. Instead, it is the use of a composition as a way to guide visual decisions, such as where to place a picture, the color or shape of a piece of text, how to align it, where to place the dominant colors, etc.
A graphic designer is someone who arranges, designs, and illustrates visual communications and makes them work for their intended purpose. A graphic designer creates the look of a piece and conveys it through visual and typographic means. They work closely with other designers and artists to tell the story behind the visuals and develop the look and feel of the piece. The best graphic designers are also great communicators.
The best way to learn how to design is to explore the field. Study how the masters used typography, color, and composition to tell their stories. The more you explore, the more you will discover and the better you will get at design. In that case, you can take help from a unique graphic designer firm.
Apart from this, if you are interested to know more about Website Design For Your Business then visit our Business category.


Essential Elements for Strings Book 1, Violin
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A comprehensive string method for violin.
Created by Hal-Leonard to engage beginning string students, Essential Elements for Strings Book 1 offers sound pedagogy that is carefully paced to ensure success with beginning players. Essential Elements (EE) features familiar tunes, warm-ups, and rhythm exercises created and arranged for a group learning setting. Specific exercises are included for each instrument, to show each student the unique characteristics of their own instrument.
The Essential Elements series also includes basic music theory and music history examples and gives you access to Essential Elements Interactive (EEi), the ultimate online music education resource that works on any device that can connect to the internet. EEi gives your students access to helpful beginner videos, Play-Along tracks for all exercises in the books, duet and trio parts to selected songs, and a listening library of great orchestral music. Videos and audio tracks are available at stream or download. Essential Elements for Strings and Essential Elements Interactive are fully compatible with Essential Elements 2000.
- My EE Library - instant stream and downloads
- Music theory and history
- Multicultural music
- Creativity and assessment
- Sight-reading and rhythm pages
|Author||Allen, Michael Gillespie, Robert Higgins, John Tellejohn Hayes, Pamela|


Learning A-Z Introduces Foundations A-Z to support Science of Reading-Based Literacy Instruction
New solution models the engaging, easy to use digital approach Reading A-Z/Raz-Kids customers expect with a deep focus on foundational literacy instruction
Tucson, Ariz. - From the creators of Reading A-Z® and Raz-Kids®, Learning A-Z®, a Cambium Learning® Group company, announces the launch of its new Foundations A-Z™ solution for complete foundational reading skills instruction. This solution will be available for classroom use starting in July 2022.
Built on the Science of Reading, Foundations A-Z delivers explicit, systematic instruction that empowers educators to confidently teach all K-5 foundational reading skills, drive improved student outcomes, and instill the joy of learning. Foundations A-Z bolsters the acquisition of foundational skills for students in Grades K-5 through lesson plans that easily integrate with existing core instruction. An embedded Professional Development Library provides point-of-use resources, including videos, articles, and podcasts to support teachers as they implement Science of Reading-based best practices in their classrooms. Foundations A-Z provides engaging, purposeful learning opportunities for students, including videos, songs, games, and interactive activities, to create a multimodal experience that encourages active learning.
"Reading proficiency by third grade is paramount to the academic success of students," said Lisa O'Masta, President of Learning A-Z. "Foundational skills are the backbone of literacy development and should be a key priority for all elementary-aged children. Through intentionally-designed instructional pathways and content, based on the latest research around Science of Reading best practices, Foundations A-Z brings the best of what you've come to expect from Learning A-Z solutions: effective, affordable, and easy-to-use resources that will help teachers meet students where they are and ultimately create students who love to read."
Foundations A-Z focuses on all foundational reading skills for students in Grades K-5. Learning A-Z's current flagship offering, Raz-Plus®, was built to provide educators with flexible resources that advance reading comprehension skills, support independent reading, and build 21st century skills. When implemented together in support of core ELA instruction, these solutions provide a continuum of learning, from reading foundations to reading comprehension, delivering a complete solution for literacy proficiency. Together, they offer countless opportunities to re-teach, reinforce, and extend reading skills with multiple modalities for learning and practice.
This addition to the Learning A-Z solution portfolio supports the company's mission to inspire curiosity, ensure comprehension, and instill the joy of learning for elementary students with effective, affordable, and easy-to-use supplemental resources. Given the challenges of the past 18 months, providing teachers the means to personalize the learning experience for all students is crucial to maintaining student success in and out of the classroom, even as circumstances in schools continue to evolve.
Foundations A-Z is available for pre-purchase for implementation in the 2022-23 school year. For more information about Learning A-Z solutions, please visit www.learninga-z.com.
About Learning A-Z
Learning A-Z® delivers Pre-K–6 solutions that inspire curiosity, ensure comprehension and instill the joy of learning for elementary students. Its award-winning digital products, which include Reading A-Z and Raz-Kids, are used by more than 12 million students in more than 170 countries. Learning A-Z is a Cambium Learning® Group company.
For information, please visit www.learninga-z.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
About Cambium Learning Group
Cambium Learning® Group is the education essentials company, providing award-winning education technology and services for K-12 markets. With an intentionally curated portfolio of respected global brands, Cambium serves as a leader in the education space, helping millions of educators and students feel more universally valued every day. In everything it does, the company focuses on the elements that are most essential to the success of education, delivering simpler, more certain solutions that make a meaningful difference right now.
To learn more visit www.cambiumlearning.com or follow Cambium on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Medium. The Cambium family of companies includes Cambium Assessment, Lexia® Learning, Learning A-Z,® Voyager Sopris Learning,® ExploreLearning,® Time4Learning® and Kurzweil Education.®


Phonics, if taught within a language-rich curriculum, is one of the key strategies for developing reading skills for younger learners with EAL. However, the development of lexical knowledge is paramount. Explicit phonics instruction gives students the tools for phonological decoding, meaning learners improve their ability to read unfamiliar text in the target language and their aptitude for vocabulary retention, as they can make stronger sound-symbol connections when encountering new words.
Generally, learners with reading comprehension skills in their native language have a distinct advantage, as they can learn this concept with familiar sounds and words. For learners with limited first language proficiency, phonics should not take place in isolation from activities that promote vocabulary building, mean-making, and comprehension.
Christmas-theme phonics for EAL is a great idea because children always look forward to the festive holidays and so they will be excited to engage with the lesson. It is always a bonus when children are learning without feeling like they are learning! Here are just a few Christmas phonics ideas that will give your learners the opportunity to reinforce their knowledge of sounds and letters. Remember that Christmas is celebrated differently in many countries, so we should also give our EAL learners the opportunity to showcase how the festive season is celebrated in their country!
Make a Christmas Card
With this activity, you can tap into both their artistic skills whilst incorporating reading and writing! Pre-teach Christmas symbols frequently seen on cards – snow, stars, tree, elf, bells – as well as vocabulary for writing Christmas cards. For more confident learners, make this more challenging with words to consolidate and refine their knowledge – e.g. ornament, mistletoe, stocking, gingerbread man. Ask them to write a list of the Christmas symbols down on a piece of paper; learners can then choose which Christmas symbol they would like to draw.
Christmas Phonics Race
This Christmas Phonics race is a fun way to add a festive spin to learning phonics in the classroom. There are silent letters (such as the ‘t’ in ‘mistletoe’), double consonants (‘holly’), and consonant clusters (such as those at the beginning and in the middle of ‘Christmas’).
Consonant clusters can be difficult to articulate for some EAL pupils. Some home languages, such as Arabic and Spanish, do not allow two consonant sounds next to each other and therefore EAL pupils from these home languages may add additional vowels in between the consonants (known as ‘epenthesis’). Find out more about how different home languages can affect English proficiency through our EAL learner profiles.
The Christmas Phonics for EAL race is a fun way to practise phonics in the run-up to Christmas, with a blend of consonants, diphthongs, and long and short vowels. The words also make for a challenging spelling test. Download our worksheet for free here.
Spot the tricky word
Poetry is a great way for learners to decode different phonics patterns; fluency practise is supported through reading and re-reading poetry text. It’s important, however, that EAL learners understand the context and so strategies for building background are key. Introduce your learners to the classic Christmas poem, The Night Before Christmas, and accompany it with plenty of clear visuals. For beginner level learners, focus their attention on parts of the poem by asking them to highlight or underline tricky words. For EAL learners in Secondary school, introduce extracts from the Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol alongside this free Victorian Christmas resource.
Help them practise reading and spelling using FlashAcademy! For pupils who need targeted phonics practice, Phonics 1 and 2, found in the beginner category, test phonemic awareness and recognition through a series of challenges where pupils must listen, speak and build sentences to segment different phonemes. The phonemes increase in complexity, looking at digraphs, diphthongs, and consonant clusters. The lessons help grapheme-phoneme recognition, which is especially useful for teaching vowels. The phonics categories also include lessons on tricky words, short words which frequently occur in English and are very useful to learn. Book your free trial today!


Using Classroom Debates to Engage Students
Any teacher or parent of adolescents will tell you, kids love to argue! With some effort, you can harness this natural inclination in your classroom as a way to improve your students’ content knowledge and literacy abilities.
Two of the targeted initiatives in the Common Core standards are a focus on developing students’ speaking and listening skills and a focus on developing students’ abilities to support claims with evidence. Debating is a way to address both of these concepts in a fun and engaging way.
Debates as Formative Activities
Odds are that when you think about a debate, you picture something akin to the prime-time presidential debates on television; there are podiums, timers, moderators, and structured formats. Debating in your classroom does not necessarily need all of these trappings.
While you could certainly opt for more traditional debate formats like a Lincoln-Douglas debate, there is much more to be gained by choosing formats that get as many students involved as possible. Some of the most effective class-wide debate activities include:
Fishbowls are a great way to get an entire class to debate an issue. The classroom is arranged in inner and outer circles of students. Inner-circle students are the “talkers” and can engage with the other students in the inner circle about the topic at hand. Behind each student in the inner circle is a student who is responsible for listening to the arguments play out. At regular intervals, the inner circles and outer circles switch.
In some variations, the outer circle students are required to take notes for both themselves and their inner circle counterpart. Another variation allows the outer-circle student to pass notes to the inner-circle student to help with their arguments. You can even add a “hot seat” for an eager outer-circle student to jump into if they have a thought they want to contribute. Whatever ways you choose to modify the fishbowl framework, student engagement will be up.
In this activity, students express their positions on a multi-faceted issue by moving to the corner of the classroom that displays a statement that they most agree with. One at a time, each student takes a turn defending their chosen position and then calls upon another classmate to respond.
Throughout the activity, students are free to move to different corners to reflect shifts in their positions; this adds a visual and kinesthetic element to the process. What makes a four-corners debate particularly empowering is watching support for a position evolve following a compelling argument made by a student.
One of the hardest argumentative skills to learn is how to defend a position that is not your own. By assigning students particular roles or positions to play out in a debate, you help them consider opposing viewpoints. This can lay the groundwork for writing strong counterarguments in subsequent assignments on the topic.
In my literacy and social studies classrooms, I typically use debate activities like a these to help students prepare for argumentative writing. There is a noticeable bump in quality when students have been given a chance to play with their ideas in a debate activity prior to formally crafting and defending a written thesis.
Debates Help Learners of All Learning Styles
Classroom debate activities give students with verbal, social, and auditory learning styles an opportunity to engage with content in a way that is more comfortable than working solely on paper. Some, like the four-corners debate, even play to your kinesthetic learners’ needs.
By adding a note-taking or written reflection component to your debate activity, you can help not only support your visual learners but build in an extra layer of student accountability. This also gives students something tangible to take with them from the activity as a reference for future classwork; everybody wins.
Ideally, classroom debate activities improve engagement by tapping into a wide range of learning styles and driving up student interest. Give them a try with your own students!
Sheldon Soper is a New Jersey middle school teacher with over a decade of classroom experience teaching students to read, write, and problem-solve across multiple grade levels. He holds teaching certifications in English, Social Studies, and Elementary Education as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in the field of education. In addition to his teaching career, Sheldon is also a content writer for a variety of education, technology, and parenting focused websites. You can follow Sheldon on Twitter @SoperWritings.


The Literacy Support Team is a group of part time teachers and instructional assistants who work directly with teachers, students, and families to provide support for student learning in reading, writing, and mathematics. During COVID19 times they have also supported schools in helping connect children to school services when regular efforts have not succeeded.
The Literacy Support Team accomplishes multiple tasks in a variety of modes. These currently include the following;
- Conducting English Language Arts literacy assessments at teachers’ request.
- Conducting Math assessments engaging teachers and students with Developing Mathematical Thinking Institute (DMTI) with math screenings and follow up learnings.
- Supporting Reading interest, fluency, and meaning making by supporting the use of the Reading Register software tool.
- Conducting Newcomer learning sessions in support of English learners new to the District and country.
- Providing whole class, small group, and one on one learning activities in support of literacy development as requested by teachers and principals.
- Providing small cohort learning support for students identified by schools as disconnected from their covid19 impacted classrooms.
- Providing support and direct service for the 2nd year of the 5th grade targeted math learning project – focusing on fractions, decimals, and percentages interest, fluency, and meaning making.


Graduate Project Title
Date of Degree Completion
Master of Education (MEd)
Franklin D. Carlson
Second Committee Member
Lloyd M. Gabriel
Third Committee Member
George C. Grossman
Simulation lessons and materials were developed to teach concepts on Washington State to a classroom of fourth grade students. The activities in which the students participated were the following:
1) planned trips to the five geographic regions of Washington State;
2) became part of an Indian tribe and held a meeting with other tribes at Sacajawea Park;
3) played a board game, traveling with Lewis and Clark to the Pacific Ocean;
4) held mock state elections and one legislative session.
Students showed an increased interest in social studies through the simulations.
Buettgenbach, Cynthia Louise, "Simulations for Teaching Concepts on Washington State" (1982). All Graduate Projects. 930.
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Elementary Education Commons, United States History Commons
Please note: Due to a scanning error, a horizontal black bar appears on all pages and blocks the text on some pages.
Note: The terminology present in this thesis is a product of its time and may be seen as racist or culturally insensitive by today's standards.


I can introduce a narrator and characters in my own story.
8,000 schools use Gynzy
92,000 teachers use Gynzy
1,600,000 students use Gynzy
In this lesson, students learn about different effective ways to begin their stories. They will be able to distinguish between characters and non-characters, and they will understand the role of the narrator and the main character in a story. Students then use this knowledge to practice writing their own story introductions using the graphic organizer and printable worksheet included.
Students will be able to establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters to their narrative writing pieces.
Begin the lesson by reviewing the role of the author, the narrator, and the characters in a story. Explain that the narrator can also be a character in the story, though this is not always the case. You might have students discuss a story or book they’ve read in class. Was the narrator also a character in the story?
First, describe what characters are in a story. They can include people, animals, creatures, and things that think, feel, and act. Have students drag the images to determine if they are characters or not. After this, read the passage and discuss the main character and the secondary characters. Next, students will read from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” and practice analyzing the main character. Share some ideas for story introductions like describing the setting and asking a question.
Students respond to 10 questions in which they review the key ideas taught during the lesson.
Students will follow the steps presented on the board to write their own story introductions. There is a printable worksheet included for this activity in which students can plan and start their stories.
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.


EdPlace resources are designed to support students throughout their entire academic journey from Year 1 to GCSE which, as you are probably hyper-aware, includes a number of key milestones and exams.
Some kids 'test well', whilst others do not, and we know that exams are one of the major sources of anxiety and stress for both parents, students and educators - don't worry, we're here to support your work with just-right revision resources!
Using EdPlace throughout students' academic journeys will ensure that they have the foundational skills solid and secure which they need to build on for exam readiness. We follow a three-stage process to prepare children for key exams:
We present revision-focused activities in a specific location for you and your students, so that they can be easily identified and used as and when required.
In your educator account on the website, they can be easily found in the 'Browse' menu. There is a specific tab labelled 'Revision' in each year and subject where we have resources, with a toggle between the 'Exam-style questions' and 'Practice papers' lists:
With every student account, they can move between 'Learn' and 'Revise' on our website within each year and subject, depending on what type of activity they are looking for:
On our app, students will need to select 'Browse' then find the subject in the top menu, then their year group, to see the 'Revision' section shown like this:
You will see Revision resources currently available on EdPlace to support the following key milestones:
- Year 6 SATs in English, maths and science (optional)
- 11+ exams in verbal, non-verbal and spatial reasoning, English and maths
- GCSEs in English, maths and science linked to the major exam boards (AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas)
- Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check (MTC)
- Year 1 Phonics Screening Test
Where we offer revision resources tailored to exam board specifications (11+ and GCSE), tutors and students will also be required to choose the correct exam board to make their revision even more useful and relevant.
We are also enhancing our three-stage model shown above with an additional 'Assessment' stage so that tutors and students can really understand how to target their revision and maximise the time available to revise. We are still working on creating assessments for all year groups, subjects and milestones currently, but they are on their way! To see where we currently have assessments available, click on the 'Assessments' tab shown in the views above on our website or apps. To read more about our different types of assessments, please click here.
We hope this article has helped you to confidently locate revision-focused resources on EdPlace so that we are able to best support your students to succeed at the essential academic milestones in their school learning journey.
If you have any questions or need any further help, please contact our friendly Customer Support Team via email at firstname.lastname@example.org. Don't forget to keep an eye on your emails to stay up-to-date with all new resources and developments at EdPlace as soon as they occur!


Orchestration Masterclass, Part 4: Writing for Strings
Mastering every aspect of composing for the orchestra whether you are working with real players or sampled orchestra libraries.
What you are going to learn
The strings are a versatile, powerful force in the orchestra.
When writing for orchestra, a lot of composers assume that if they get a good sample library, they will have a good string sound. But if you aren't writing good music for the strings, the quality of your samples isn't going to matter.
In this series of classes we are going to work on three things:
- Instrumentation: Knowing how all of the instruments in the orchestra work, and how to write for them in an idiomatic way.
- Composition: Using the orchestra to write powerful music. Learning how to blend the different sounds of the orchestra to make a new, unique, sound.
- Synthestration: Using common production software (Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, etc.) to create a realistic orchestra sound using sample libraries.
In this class, "Part 4: Writing for Strings" we are going to focus on the strings as a foreground, middleground, and background instrument. We will explore using the strings for melody, harmony, and texture, while also exploring the techniques that Beethoven used in his string writing.
Dr. J. Anthony Allen
Music PhD, Producer, Composer, Instructor, Professor, Author, & Ableton Certified Trainer.
Dr. Allen is a professional musician, top-rated online instructor, and university professor. In 2017 the Star Tribune featured him as a "Mover and a Shaker," and he is recognized by the Grammy Foundation for his music education classes. He currently teaches at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN, Slam Academy, and Punkademic Courses.
Want a Free Class?
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Think back to your early experiences of playing physical games and sports and describe them in terms of when they occurred, the context in which they occurred, and what was going on in your life as they occurred.
How were those early experiences related to your age, social class, race or ethnicity, family, and neighborhood or community?
When children first play sports (or do not play sports through childhood), they do so in connection with ideas about themselves, about their bodies, and about the meaning of their experiences. Where did these ideas come from in your childhood (ages 4–12)?
How did they influence the patterns of your experiences and the emotions that accompanied them? Have they changed in your life since age 12?
How have they influenced your experiences since childhood up to the present time?
Opportunities to play sports and the character of sport experiences often are different for boys and girls and for children from different racial or ethnic groups and social class backgrounds.
Write about how gender, race/ethnicity, and social class influenced the sports you did or did not play as a child. Have factors related to gender, race/ethnicity, and social class influenced your experiences through your life to the present?
Explain as best as you can. Many young adults say that without their parents, they never would have had the opportunity to play sports as a child or adolescent.
Explain the ways that your parents encouraged/facilitated or discouraged/interfered with your sport participation. Were there differences between the support provided by your mother and the support provided by your father? Write about this issue.
Think about how your experiences related to sports have influenced (or not influenced) your life. Write about this. Your concluding paragraph should describe what you anticipate in the future with respect to sports in your life, and how that future is connected with your past experiences and what may be occurring in your life in the future.
Communicate with an individual who comes from a different background than your background. Ask the individual about his/her experiences and how those experiences were and continue to be related to who he/she is, how he/she is connected with others, where he/she comes from, his/her opportunities, etc.
Elitewriterhelp.com is an online academic writing platform that provides essay and assignment solutions to students from all nations around the world. Based in the United States, Elitewriterhelp.com assists students from over 100 countries with their assignments and essays.
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We teach utilizing the classical method, equipping students with the ability to think and learn for themselves by empowering them with the tools of learning. The student’s whole person is shaped as he interacts with great thinkers and writers of our past, studying language and humanities, math and science, and the arts.
The substance of classical education is the liberal arts curriculum. Liberal comes from the Latin word “liber,” meaning “free.” To the ancient Greeks and Romans, free citizens required an education that cultivated their minds and equipped them to contribute to their society in a positive way. Medieval scholars expanded this idea by seeing these liberal arts as preparation not only to create rich minds and souls for this life, but also to cultivate citizens in God’s eternal kingdom.
Much of contemporary education has turned away from this pursuit. In her 1940’s essay entitled, “The Lost Tools of Learning,” Oxford scholar Dorothy Sayers remarks, “Is it not the great defect of our education today that although we often succeed in teaching our pupils ‘subjects,’ we fail lamentably on the whole in teaching them how to think? They learn everything, except the art of learning.”
Our elementary education emphasizes core knowledge of each subject through intensive instruction in phonics and reading, development of key writing skills, and mastery of language arts, math, science, and Bible.
As students mature into middle and high school the focus shifts to critical thinking, effective communication, and analysis of great ideas across all subjects.
This kind of education has produced many great leaders and thinkers throughout the centuries.


the participants’ understanding of the teaching methods for young learners,
(ii) the development of their ability to choose the most appropriate teaching procedure for a given task, and
(iii) the appreciation of the principles of literacy development.
Course Content (Syllabus)
This course is concerned with the teaching of English as a foreign language to children of primary school age. More specifically, the topics covered will be related to how children think and learn and the implementation of effective techniques for better learning outcomes; therefore, a close look will be taken in relation to worldwide trends to teaching English to young learners, the teaching techniques for young learners, and the assessment undertaken. Furthermore, this course will provide a framework to structure thinking about children’s language learning and consider teaching strategies for effective early foreign language teaching.
young learners, foreign language teaching, skills, study
Additional bibliography for study
Brewster, J., Ellis, G., and Girard, D. 2002. The Primary English Teacher's Guide. Penguin.
Browne, A. 2002. Developing Language and Literacy 3-8. Paul Chapman.
Brumfit, C., Moon, J. and Tongues, R. (eds.), 1991. Teaching English to Children. Harper-Collins.
Cameron, L. 2001. Teaching Languages to Young Learners. Cambridge University Press.
Donaldson, M. 1978. Children’s Minds. Fontana Press.
Driscoll, P. and Frost, D. (Eds) 1999. The Teaching of Modern Foreign Languages in the Primary School. Routledge.
Dunn, O. 1983. Beginning English with Young Children. Macmillan.
Dunn, O. 1984. Developing English with Young Learners. Macmillan.
Dunn, O. 2012. Introducing English to Young Children: Spoken Language. North Star ELT.
Ellis, G. and Brewster, J. 1991. The Storytelling Handbook for Primary Teachers. Penguin.
Gonzalez Davies, M. and Tarrona, A. (Eds) 2012. New Trends in Early Foreign Language Learning: The Age Factor, CLIL and Languages in Contact. Bridging Research and Good Practices. Cambridge Scholars.
Hurrell, A. and Satchwell, P. (Eds) Reflections on Modern Languages in Primary Education: Six UK Case Studies. CILT.
Kang Shin, J. and Crandall, J. 2014. Teaching Young Learners English: From Theory and Practice. National Geographic Learning & Heinle.


Professional Development & Workshops
In these hands-on interactive workshops participants work closely with Dr. J to develop technical skills, historical, and contextual knowledge grounded in culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogies. An area of focus is determined based on the expressed needs of the school or district. Dr. J’s most sought after workshops include:
- Using hip-hop and spoken word in the classroom
- Literacy development with youth of color
- Decolonial approaches to teaching and learning
- Racial equity across the curriculum
- Racial healing for educators and students
- Teaching youth-led research and activism
- Designing tools for advocacy and activism in education
Keynotes are a dynamic opportunity to learn from the most current research, community-engagement, and social action that Dr. J is involved in. Topics are tailored to align with the aims and desired impact of the event.
Facilitated by Dr. J, equity series are an in-depth series of two or more workshops with a group of recurring participants to clarify vision, deepen consciousness, and cultivate concrete skills for actualizing racial, cultural, or linguistic equity in their settings. These may occur weekly, monthly, or over a week-long intensive. The series format is an opportunity to go deeper into a topic with the option of revising curricular materials to align with principles of Liberation Literacies Pedagogy.
Grounded in Dr. J’s Vision-Driven Justice, Dr. J will work closely with leaders at district or school levels to inform goal-setting, clarify vision, mission, and values, and facilitate robust dialogue leading to tangible plans of action.
Curriculum and Program Evaluation
Measured by culturally responsive and sustaining principles, Dr. J will review and evaluate curricular materials at the school or district level.
Hip-Hop and Spoken Word Pedagogical Coaching
At the intersection of art, education, and activism, Dr. J will coach participants to implement hip-hop and spoken word texts and cultivate hip-hop and spoken word literacies across in-school and out-of-school settings.


This week, San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory launched High Notes: The Case for Music Education, a video about the importance of music education in public schools, on University of California TV. The production is a joint effort of San Diego Youth Symphony in partnership with University of California TV, based on the campus of University of California San Diego, and UCTV’s STE[+a]M Channel, which is dedicated to the movement to integrate the arts into the traditional Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math curriculum. The twenty-minute video tells the story of SDYS’ Community Opus Project, which is offered in partnership with Chula Vista Elementary School District. What began in 2010 as an afterschool program for 65 students at two schools, has grown to serve 350 students at 54 schools. The school district was so convinced about the importance of music and the arts as evidenced by increasing test scores, improved attendance, better behavior, and increased parent engagement that it committed over $15 million to fully restore arts education during the regular school day curriculum for all 29,000 students. High Notes: The Case for Music Education can be watched on demand at http://www.uctv.tv/steam/.
Posted April 18, 2017


The Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Young Strings program is celebrating 30 years of empowering local students through musical education and increasing diversity in American orchestras. The program began 30 years ago to give students without access to private lessons and music programs in their schools the opportunity to learn to play a string instrument.
The Young Strings program provides instruments and specialized instruction, free of charge, to hundreds of underrepresented students each year ranging from elementary to high school. The Young Strings musicians rehearse on a weekly basis, many receiving instruction from Dallas Symphony Orchestra musicians.
This program has produced impressive results since 1992:
The Young Strings program has a 100% high school graduation rate, largely due to the connection between musical education and its benefits on academic instruction within the classroom. A study conducted by the National Endowment for Arts, which controlled for pre-existing systematic differences between students who choose to study the arts and those who do not, found that arts students are more likely to find school engaging, attend a postsecondary school, and earn a four-year college degree.
The program has served over 5,000 Dallas students by developing the talents of exceptional and underrepresented strings players by providing free lessons, skill development opportunities, and structured extracurricular activities that enhance the integrated educational experience of its instruction.
The program has maintained relationships with alumni regardless of their career paths. Several alumni of the Young Strings programs are now music instructors within Dallas Independent School District and one alumnus has been a Young Strings instructor for over seven years. Several former students are regular donors and patrons of the program.
Children learning a musical instrument and spending time with the arts has benefits outside of the music classroom:
A five-year study conducted by the University of Southern California has shown that music education increases brain function in students of all ages. This increased brain function is most prevalent in the areas of the brain responsible for processing sound, language development, speech perception, and reading skills.
According to a study by College Board, students who study music and art for more than four years have measurable increases in scores in critical reading, mathematics, and writing sections of the SAT over students who only study music or art for half a year or less. Musical education exercises the skills of understanding a set of rules and logic with an application of abstract thinking which forms a similar thinking pattern for students in their academic studies and standardized testing.
While a majority of Young Strings musicians continue their musical education in college or begin a career within the music industry, the benefits of practicing classical music in adolescence, not only increase academic performance in high school but also create opportunities for higher education within the music industry and beyond.
For those looking to support the Young Strings program and its mission to empower young musicians with in Dallas, through monetary donations, please email Carolyn Jabr at email@example.com.


Welcome to Our Art Class
Christina DeLorey, Art Teacher
Research shows that art education increases student engagement. In fact, students who take art classes have higher overall GPAs than those who don't, and they are four times more likely to be recognized for academic performance. Art helps close the achievement gap, especially for children from low-income backgrounds, ELLs and special-needs students.
The mission of our Visual Arts Class is to foster life-long learning through the arts.
Students will learn the skills that will help them become productive,
expressive members of our diverse global society.
Our visual arts curriculum is centered on a Discipline Based Art philosophy in which students study historical and social aspects of art: gaining a deeper understanding of self, others and the world around them. Students will experiment with many types of art media and techniques. The exploration of the process of art making will give students a forum to express their ideas and feelings in acceptable ways. Higher order thinking and problem-solving skills build our students' self-esteem and awareness, and prepares them for future careers and college.


Using TouchMath to increase math skills of young English language learners with mild to moderate disabilities
Master of Arts (M.A.)
This study examined the effectiveness of TouchMath as a mathematics instructional strategy for English language learning kindergarten students with mild to moderate disabilities to learn basic math skills. The basic math skills examined in this study were oral counting, number identification, missing number, quantity discrimination, addition, subtraction. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the use of daily TouchMath lessons with five students who are English language learners and have been identified with mild to moderate disabilities. Curriculum based measurement probes were used to measure the effectiveness of TouchMath instruction. All participants increased their number of correct responses in basic numeracy skills.
Covarrubias, Anamaria, "Using TouchMath to increase math skills of young English language learners with mild to moderate disabilities" (2012). Capstone Projects and Master's Theses. 419.
Thesis (M.A.) Teacher Education Department


- This event has passed.
IMPLEMENTING “STANDARDS-BASED GRADING” IN MUSIC ROUNDTABLES
August 4, 2020 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 amFree
Roundtable – A conference for discussion or deliberation by several participants; everyone has an equal chance to express ideas.
Here is an opportunity to participate in a Roundtable discussion–to think aloud with other music educators–about a framework for communicating student achievement to students and their families known as standards-based grading, standards-referenced grading, proficiency or competency grading.
What questions do you want to ask others? Or, what experiences could you share?
- What does the music report card look like (one grade/more than one grade; multiple statements, letters or numbers)?
- How do you report effort/behavior/participation?
- How do you manage multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate learning?
- How do you use formative and summative assessments?
- How do you give students individual feedback?
- If students “Meet Standard” right away what do you do?
- Does your district use proficiency or competency scales?
EVENT LOCATION: ONLINE – This is an online meeting. You will receive a link prior to the Roundtable.
- These Roundtables are facilitated by Dr. Wendy Barden, Music Education Specialist at Perpich Center. Wendy used standards-based grading in her classroom for 8 years and has continued to study – and advocate for – this framework.
- A certificate for 3 CEUs will be available at the end of the session.
- There is no cost to participate.
- Registration each day is limited to 19 people. There will be wait list.


Supporting Cultural Infrastructure and Preserving Dying Art Forms
Pala, the ballad singing tradition of Odisha, is a unique form of performing art, which once occupied the space in coastal Odisha as a cardinal source of entertainment. It was a story telling tradition that combined music of classical and folk forms, comedy and drama, epic literature in Sanskrit and lucid metaphors in folk language, erudition with benighted comments, and synthesis of Islamic and Sufi tradition with Hindu tradition. The form which had dominated the scene once had to yield space to cinema and TV to the extent that it suffered near extinction. SEEDS has helped in the creation of a “cultural infrastructure” to revive the dying tradition of Pala by organising workshops and competitions for Pala singers to repopularise and repurpose the old tradition. For example the story telling tradition of Pala was used to bring awareness to social equality and rights of all. Starting in 2009, a five year effort was carried out with statewide participation in Pala competitions with independent judging and impact studies. For more information on the 5-year pala revival effort, read the article by PK Das in the SEEDS Silver Jubille Souvenir Journal.
Support of a terracotta gallery at the OdiArt Museum in Barkul, Odisha is another example of SEEDS promoting cultural infrastructure and art education in Odisha.


Getting into early years education
Getting into early years education
Providing a solid start to a child's education can have a real impact on their future chances. Why not take a look at some of the options for working with young children?
Roles within the sector
As well as reception class teachers, early years education roles also include nursery school teachers, pre-school teachers and teaching assistants. Each of these roles involves working with children aged between three and five, developing and implementing work schemes and lesson plans in line with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.
A career in early years education can be challenging so it’s important you are equipped with certain personal qualities, including:
- Excellent communication skills
- The ability to build strong relationships with children, parents/carers and colleagues
- Organisational and time-management skills
- The confidence to manage classes well and deal with challenging behaviour
- Initiative, patience and a good sense of humour!
Early years teaching
Early years teachers provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment in which children can achieve early learning goals that will prepare them for progression through their primary education.
Typical activities of an early years teacher include:
- Supporting the development of children’s personal and social skills, including language, communication and physical co-ordination
- Motivating children’s learning abilities, encouraging learning through experience
- Utilising learning materials and resources imaginatively, devising and producing visual aids
- Encouraging mathematical and creative development through stories, songs, games, drawing and imaginative play
- Observing, assessing and recording each child’s progress
- Providing pastoral care to children to ensure a secure learning environment
Qualifications and training requirements
To become an early years teacher in a state school or nursery, it is necessary to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) through doing Initial Teacher Training (ITT). There are different ways you can do this:
- Undergraduate – you can gain QTS alongside studying for a degree, which takes three to four years
- Postgraduate – if you already have a degree or equal qualification, you can do a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate of Education), which takes one to two years
- School-centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) – classroom-based, ‘on the job’ training after completing a degree. The course leads to QTS and takes one year
- Work-based – you can gain QTS by working in a school or nursery on a trainee salary as part of a range of other programmes.
If the thought of all that training is rather overwhelming, as an alternative to qualifying as an early years teacher, why not consider becoming a teaching assistant (TA) within an early years setting?
- TAs work alongside the class teacher, often supporting individual pupils or small groups, or helping with tasks that allow the teacher to concentrate on teaching, such as preparing the classroom, setting out equipment or putting together displays of children’s work
- There is no set entry-level qualification for being a TA but you would be expected to have good reading, writing and numeracy skills, strong organisational and communication skills, as well as some experience of volunteering in a school
You can also take a Childcare and education apprenticeship.
Opportunities and future prospects
Most early years teaching jobs are to be found in state schools, but there may also be opportunities within independent schools, private day nurseries or pre-schools, hospitals, schools run by the armed forces or children’s centres.
Experienced early years teachers could progress to the role of curriculum leader within a school or ultimately, deputy or head teacher. Specialism in teaching pupils with special educational needs or a move to private tuition are also options.
Find out more
Get into teaching – support and advice from the Department for Education.
UCAS – information on choosing teaching courses.
This article was first published in 2012 but has been updated to reflect changes in training routes.
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Third Grade Downloadable Resources
Third graders are at the center point of elementary education—significant challenges await as more becomes expected of students.
Make learning fun and engaging with our resource library. All activities can be printed by subscribing, signing in, and hovering.
Not a subscriber yet? Learn more here.
Third grade readers are rapidly growing their reading comprehension in fiction and non-fiction books. Graphic organizers and a book report guide will prepare your student for the next stages of reading.
Practice organized writing with a beginning, middle, and end with these creative, opinion, narrative, and informative writing packets and prompts. These third grade worksheets will help grow their skills with projects including prefix and suffix match-up games to a fun squiggly writing activity.
Push your student to the next level with these third grade math worksheets. Multiplication and division speed drills and word problems will help students gear up for a fun rocket math fluency challenge.


Due to the recent coronavirus epidemic, states have been forced to shut down playgrounds for the growing safety concerns of transferring germs and viruses via playground equipment and the necessity of social distancing. The decision is totally justified as our health is the number one concern; however, our children are losing valuable skills gained through outdoor play and equipment.
The playground satisfies a child’s basic need for social interaction with their peers, fresh air, play, and exercise. It’s a learning place where exploration, imagination, fun, excitement and laughter abound.
Playgrounds let children try new things, feel fear, get a bruise or scrape, experience winning and losing, and prepare for taking risks. On the playground, children can develop the skills to manage conflict, anger, and aggression and apply those skills to relevant situations.
The Physical Benefits of Playgrounds
Playground equipment is also so important for a child’s motor skill development as they play. Kids develop strength and coordination as they climb jungle gyms and maneuver themselves through tunnels.
These activities give children much-needed exercise, helping them to avoid weight problems, both now and later in adulthood. Active play during childhood will help foster an active lifestyle into their teenage and adult years.
Children benefit greatly from the physical play involved with climbing, jumping, and swinging, as well as the open spaces that encourage active play such as running, jumping, skipping, and kicking balls.
Swinging and climbing encourage balance, coordination, and helps the child know where their body is in space. These activities develop the child’s brain to make sense of direction, height, and speed.
As children dig, shovel, and pour sand into various buckets or scoop and grab at the ground cover, they develop dexterity and fine motor skills, as well. Some playgrounds have additional features, including sensory areas with equipment like nets, colorful gears, and spinning elements. Using these tools will help them to focus their attention on an activity and use the small muscles of their hands.
The Cognitive Benefits of Playgrounds
Climbing also encourages problem solving and motor planning, as well as develops their awareness of cause and effect. Practical thinking, such as “how will I get to the other end” and “which foot do I need to use” help them to exercise their creativity and decision making.
Even the free play on the playground can help children learn to communicate with their peers, pick up on social cues, and practice regular conversation. They learn the need to share, take turns, respect boundaries, follow rules, and stay safe.
Self-esteem is also built on the playground as children learn to resolve their own conflicts and practice achieving a challenge that they didn’t know they could.
These Skills Carry Over to Real Life
All of these skills, when practiced and encouraged, will be used in the classroom and in real life situations.
There is a direct correlation between play and academic achievement as an active child develops the necessary skills to learn better in a classroom environment. At such a critical age, the months spent off the playground and out of the classroom can give our children a large disadvantage to their growth and development.
There are families and households that don’t have access to a backyard, neighborhood cul-de-sac, or home play equipment. I’m aware of the safety concerns of our nation and know that our lawmakers are doing their best to keep us healthy. However, keeping these playgrounds closed will have detrimental effects on the cognitive and motor development of children across the nation.
When things do return to normal, make sure your kids get to run, jump, and play all they can. They’ll never take another trip to the playground for granted.


Dibels is an assessment tool that is used to measure a child’s reading progress. It is a informal assessment because it does not involve a lot of structure or administration.
No matter what type of assessment you use, it is important to ensure that it is aligned with your instructional goals. In this article, we will take a closer look at the DIBELS assessment and whether it is best used as a formal or informal assessment tool.
What is DIBELS?
DIBELS is an informal assessment tool that is used to measure a student’s reading skills. It is not a formal assessment, but it can give educators and parents valuable information about a child’s reading progress.
DIBELS is an acronym that stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. It is a set of brief, standardized measures of early literacy development that are administered frequently to assess progress and identify students who may need additional support. Because DIBELS measures are quick and easy to administer, they are often used as informal assessments in the classroom. However, DIBELS data can also be used for more formal purposes, such as making decisions about which students should be referred for special education services or evaluating the effectiveness of educational programs.
What is the difference between formal and informal assessments?
When it comes to assessments, there are two main types: formal and informal. Formal assessments are usually given in a structured setting, such as a classroom or testing center, and often have specific criteria that must be met. Informal assessments, on the other hand, are more flexible and can be adapted to fit the needs of the individual.
So, what is the difference between formal and informal assessments? Formal assessments are usually more standardized, while informal assessments can be more customized. Formal assessments often have set rules and guidelines, while informal assessments may be more flexible. Formal assessments are often given in a controlled environment, while informal assessments can be given in any number of settings. Ultimately, the type of assessment that is used will depend on the purpose of the assessment and the population being assessed.
How can DIBELS be used as an assessment tool?
DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) is an assessment tool that can be used to measure a child’s progress in literacy skills. It is a brief, informal assessment that can be given to any child in just a few minutes. DIBELS is not timed, so it does not put any pressure on the child. The assessments are given one-on-one or in small groups, so the child can feel comfortable and relaxed.
What are the benefits of using DIBELS?
DIBELS is an informal assessment that can be used to monitor the progress of students in reading. It is quick and easy to administer, and it provides teachers with valuable information about how well their students are doing. Additionally, DIBELS can be used to identify students who may need extra help in reading.
Are there any drawbacks to using DIBELS?
Since DIBELS is a relatively new assessment tool, not much is known about its long-term effects. Additionally, because it is a standardized test, some critics argue that it does not accurately reflect students’ abilities or progress.
No assessment is perfect, and DIBELS is no exception. While it can be a useful tool for educators, there are some potential drawbacks to be aware of. First, DIBELS only assesses reading skills – it does not provide insights into other important areas such as math or writing. Additionally, DIBELS scores can sometimes fluctuate from one testing period to the next, making it difficult to track student progress over time. Finally, because DIBELS is a standardized test, it may not take into account individual differences among students – something that is important to keep in mind when using any assessment tool.
Dibels is a formal assessment, which means it is a reliable and valid measure of student achievement. However, it is important to note that Dibels is only one part of a comprehensive assessment system. In order to get an accurate picture of student performance, educators should use a variety of assessments, including informal ones.
It’s difficult to say whether or not DIBELS is a formal or informal assessment without knowing more about the context in which it is being used. However, based on the information we do have, it seems that DIBELS could be classified as either formal or informal depending on the specific situation. In general, though, it seems that DIBELS could be most accurately described as an informal assessment tool.
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How to Start a Narrative Essay for English
The introduction to a narrative essay sets the stage for the story you're about to tell, creating context through details, setting and other relevant background facts. A thesis that introduces the point of your narrative is also a key component of the intro.
Define the Point
The introductory paragraph narrows the focus of your narrative essay. Since this essay style tells a story, narrowing your focus means choosing a specific event to describe. Decide what you want readers to learn from the essay; this takeaway message becomes part of your introduction to prepare readers for what they will read. With that story and purpose in mind, outline the key pieces of information -- the who, what, why, when and where of the anecdote. This framework helps you create an engaging intro that relates directly to the essay content.
Grab the Reader's Attention
Start with a quote, anecdote or fact to engage readers from the first sentence of your essay. If your essay shares your story of being injured and missing out on an important sports event, for example, you might use a quote about overcoming adversity or a description of the injury. Avoid boring or wordy introductory sentences, such as, "I'm going to tell you the story of a time when I had to overcome a difficult period in my life." Get to the heart of the story, keeping your overall purpose in mind.
State Your Thesis
A thesis for an academic or scientific paper typically states a hypothesis or research focus, while a narrative essay takes a more creative approach, but still defines the scope of the paper with a thesis. This statement tells the readers the point of your essay. If you're focusing on the lesson learned, the thesis might define it. For example, "My materialistic view on life quickly faded as I took in firsthand hurricane-ravaged New Orleans." The thesis indicates the topic of the essay and describes what the writer learned from the experience in one sentence. Readers now know what to expect in the body of the narrative essay.
Round out the opening paragraph with details that set the stage for the story you're about to tell. Those detail sentences become the topic sentences for your body paragraphs. This creates an introductory summary of the entire essay, focusing on the key parts of the story. The details also give readers context so the body of the essay makes sense. Readers may be lost as they read the body of the essay if they don't have key information upfront, such as location, people involved and major events. The beginning details provide a framework to make your storytelling powerful and meaningful.
Based in the Midwest, Shelley Frost has been writing parenting and education articles since 2007. Her experience comes from teaching, tutoring and managing educational after school programs. Frost worked in insurance and software testing before becoming a writer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education with a reading endorsement.


I can explain the effects seasonal weather has on communities.
8,000 schools use Gynzy
92,000 teachers use Gynzy
1,600,000 students use Gynzy
In this lesson, students will learn about the unique weather patterns of each season and how it affects people, plants, and animals.
Students will be able to explain the effects seasonal weather has on communities.
Students will recall the four seasons; summer, spring, fall, and winter and share what they know about each season with a partner.
This lesson will review the 4 seasons and describe their typical weather patterns. It will ask students to discuss what they know about the seasons in more detail; including how they should dress. The students will learn about how animals and plants are affected by seasonal weather changes. They will also observe pictures of animals and plants during each season. The lesson will also discuss activities and holidays that are typically associated with each season.
Students will respond to 10 questions, including 4 true/false and 6 multiple-choice.
Students will sort out the effects seasonal weather changes have on plants and animals. Then, they will spin the wheel and draw a picture of seasonal effects based on the season they land on. Students will choose to show the effects on either people, plants, or animals.
You can chart the effects for each season including what people wear and do, and how plants and animals change. They may also create their own booklet with the effects to refer to.
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.


Written by: Eco-Healthy Child Care®
It’s important for children to participate in arts and crafts. It allows them an opportunity to express their creativity and use their imagination. Whether it’s finger painting or drawing a picture, children feel proud knowing that they have created something. As a parent, I love it when my 2.5 year old daughter is creative. We show our appreciation by placing her creations on our fridge. But I also make sure that whatever she is using to be creative is also safe. It’s essential that parents and child care providers take the time to choose art supplies that are healthy and free of chemicals that may cause harm. Some art supplies contain toxic ingredients that when used or stored in play areas create a risk to the health and well being of children. Lead, asbestos and organic solvents are sometimes used to enhance pigmentation, preserve art products, and to improve application. These toxic ingredients can trigger asthma, allergies, headaches and nausea, especially in poorly vented areas. Children are uniquely vulnerable; and it vital to purchase and use supplies that are certified as non-toxic.
As the National Director of the Eco-Healthy Child Care® program, I have these recommendations for safer arts and crafts:
- Use only non-toxic art supplies approved by the Art & Creative Materials Institute (ACMI). Look for ACMI non-toxic seal “AP” at www.acminet.org
- Read labels and identify precautions
- Do not allow children to eat or drink while using art and crafts materials
- Ensure children wear protective smocks
- Wash their hands thoroughly immediately after use
- Provide adult supervision
- Products to avoid
- Solvent-based products (markers, oil-based paints and cements) which can be extremely flammable and release toxic vapors
- Products that contain lead
- Permanent felt tip markers or scented markers
- Products that are not in the original container or without proper labeling (including donated items)
- Products that can be inhaled or get into children’s eyes, such as: clay in dry form, powered paints, wheat paste, and aerosols (spray paint, hair spray)
EHCC helps early childhood learning environments to be as healthy, safe and green as possible by reducing children’s exposure to toxic chemicals. Click here to learn more about toxic ingredients that can be found in art supplies and products to avoid.


TEDxRainier - Dr. Patricia Kuhl
- TEDxRainier - Dr. Patricia Kuhl
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Dr. Pat Kuhl gets to the root of how we communicate and learn by uncovering how early exposure to language alters the brain. Her research on early language and brain development, and how young children learn, has implications across multiple areas -- critical periods in child development, bilingual education and reading readiness, developmental disabilities involving language, and research on computer understanding of speech.
At the University of Washington, Dr. Kuhl is the Bezos Family Foundation Endowed Chair for Early Childhood Learning, Co-Director of the UW Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, Director of the University of Washington's National Science Foundation Science of Learning Center, and Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences. In 1997, she presented at President and Mrs. Clinton's Conference on "Early Learning and the Brain." In 2001, she returned to present at President and Mrs. Bush's White House Summit on "Early Cognitive Development: Ready to Read, Ready to Learn." In her co-authored book, The Scientist in the Crib: Minds, Brains, and How Children Learn, Dr. Kuhl reviews what is now known about children's minds and how they learn, as well as how babies recognize, understand and take part in the building of their own brains.
TEDxRainier is an independently produced TED event held in Seattle Washington.
- Video Language:
- closed TED
|Bianca Oe edited Portuguese, Brazilian subtitles for TEDxRainier - Dr. Patricia Kuhl|


The upheavals in the financial markets have made us newly aware of how much depends on our financial security—and also how little most Americans understand about financial markets, or even personal finances.
It starts in our schools. Younger Americans are deplorably uninformed about economic and financial matters.
In 1999, researchers at the Securities and Exchange Commission concluded that 66 percent of high school seniors could not pass a basic economic literacy test. Things have not changed for the better since.
In 2008, the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy administered its financial literacy test to 6,856 high school seniors in 40 states. The overall score was 48 percent. Only 17 percent knew investing in stocks would probably generate the most return over an 18-year period.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has stated that financial literacy is “vital to the future of our economy” and called for improved financial education. American parents agree—76 percent say schools should be required to teach money management.
But the Young Americans Center for Financial Education recently reported that fewer than 30 percent of students receive even one week’s worth of financial training during high school. In 2004, only seven states made personal finance education a requirement for high school graduation. New York State requires that it be incorporated into other subjects.
Nearly a third of all high school seniors own credit cards, and more have their own ATM cards. But they are not particularly capable when it comes to tracking their spending or understanding the financial instruments they use. A 2007 Charles Schwab study revealed that while 45 percent of teens know how to use credit cards, only 26 percent understand how credit card companies assess interest rates and fees. Jump$tart discovered that more than half of high-school seniors do not realize that paying off a credit card balance more slowly will result in higher finance charges. Only one in three teens knows how to read a bank statement, balance a checkbook or pay a bill.
Colleges and universities also are doing little to address the situation.
Under the Higher Education Opportunity Act, revised and renewed last August, colleges that operate federal programs for disadvantaged students must facilitate opportunities for participants to receive financial counseling. Agencies guaranteeing loans must help colleges develop programs in financial literacy.
But higher ed administrators have found that students breeze through financial aid counseling and emerge as ignorant as ever. Students typically don’t ask for help with finances—and don’t avail themselves of help when it is offered.
Some colleges and universities offer programs such as free and confidential peer counseling sessions or classes that teach undergraduates the nuts and bolts of managing their personal finances. But efforts along these lines are not being made systematically. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni has found that only one of 100 leading American universities requires an economics course.
No wonder that a 2008 Intercollegiate Studies Institute survey revealed stunning levels of economic ignorance among the American people as a whole. Only 16 percent could differentiate free markets from central government planning. Less than 30 percent understood the relationship between taxes and government spending, and less than 40 percent knew what sort of fiscal policy would produce economic stimulus.
These problems are deepened by pre-existing deficits in essential literacy and numeracy skills. Some colleges have no math requirements at all. Even at schools that require quantitative reasoning, it’s often easy to avoid math. At the University of Pennsylvania, to take one example, students can satisfy their quantitative requirement with courses on anxiety disorders, perceptual learning or the family.
Students who can’t do basic math are not likely to make informed choices about spending, debt, investments or retirement planning. Students who do not understand money become adults who are financially irresponsible.
America’s consumer debt now averages almost $20,000 per household—and researchers estimate that 43 percent of American families spend more money than they earn. And we know how important a factor this was in the subprime mortgage crisis.
While colleges and universities struggle to stay afloat during tough economic times, they should also commit to bailing out their students’ educations—to filling in glaring gaps in knowledge and skills, and so to improving our nation’s chances of realizing a solvent, prosperous future.
Maurice Black and Erin O’Connor are research fellows at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. This piece was adapted from the Manhattan Institute’s MindingTheCampus.com.


On this page:
Taking small bytes
This card deck is for early childhood educators. It helps them use technology to enhance children's learning.
- provide access to online resources and experts
- connect families with their children's learning
- improve assessment, feedback and reporting
- bridge the educational divide for kids with additional needs.
View the taking small bytes card deck on
Taking small bytes aligns with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. This framework outlines the knowledge and skills that lead children to become confident, engaged life-long learners.
Early childhood curriculum
The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) is designed to advance all children's learning and development from birth to eight years.
The Victorian Curriculum sets out what every student should learn during their first 11 years of schooling.
Outdoor experiences, such as exploring natural environments, are beneficial to children and contribute to improving their health and wellbeing. For more information visit Bush .
NMC Horizon Project
An ongoing research project designed to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have an impact on learning, teaching, and creative inquiry in education. It produces Horizon Reports each year detailing their latest research and findings. For more information visit NMC Horizon
The Smith Family's Let’s Count program improves the capacity of educators to support parents/families to enhance children’s numeracy skills using maths in everyday life.
This online professional development focuses on mathematics learning for children aged 3 to 5 years. For further information, and to register, visit: Let's
Reviewed 12 October 2022


Preschoolers in Child Care | Learning Outcomes
20 Clock Hours / 2.0 CEUs / $60.00
Lesson 1: Physical Development
After completing Lesson 1, you will be able to:
- describe typical physical growth patterns of young children;
- explain the four phases of motor development;
- describe skills, functions and traits of the brain;
- describe aspects of typical perceptual and motor skill development for young children;
- identify methods for facilitating young children’s optimum motor development.
Lesson 2: Cognitive Development
After completing Lesson 2, you will be able to:
- identify various concepts children need to learn and how to support their learning;
- describe typical language development levels of young children;
- identify methods for facilitating children’s language development;
- describe how to support children’s development through play activities.
Lesson 3: Emotional Development
After completing Lesson 3, you will be able to:
- describe the characteristics of typical 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds’ emotional development;
- explain how temperament, distractibility , approach, adaptability, intensity levels influence children’s behavior;
- describe terms related to emotional development and strategies for meeting children’s emotional needs.
Lesson 4: Social Development
After completing Lesson 4, you will be able to:
- list forms of play that are important for preschoolers;
- identify typical social development levels of children at ages 3, 4, and 5;
- identify characteristics of children who act as bullies and those who are bullied;
- identify strategies for helping children learn pro-social skills.
Lesson 5: Health and Safety for Preschoolers
After completing Lesson 5, you will be able to:
- describe how diet and the environment impacts children’s health;
- identify strategies for teaching children how to stay safe;
- identify guidelines for safe play space and play equipment;
- describe various safety practices, policies, and procedures.
*Learning outcomes are measurable statements that let you know what you will be able to do as a result of successfully completing this course.
Click here to return to the course description page.


Literacy development can begin anywhere, but you can help your child develop literacy skills at home. Taking part in your child’s literacy development can improve an overall interest in reading and can lead to a better attitude towards reading. Below are some ways that you can take an active role in developing your child’s literacy skills.
For younger children
Nursery rhymes are paramount for language development. Setting a time to read aloud to your child every day or playing an audiobook for your child can help increase the language that your child hears. You can also point out words to your kids to see how they sound it out. Maybe have them sound out a word in a newspaper headline to see if they can parse the sounds out.
Labeling objects in your home can also increase literacy, as it shows the importance of language. You can engage in different storytelling exercises with your children as well, telling them the story behind a photo or piece of art hanging in your house. This shows them that background knowledge is just as important as being able to read.
If you speak a different language at home, be sure to speak and read to your children in that language. This will nurture children’s connections at school and can grow their vocabulary. It will also help increase their curiosity towards reading and writing, leading to more opportunities to learn both languages.
For older children
Word games are an excellent way to nurture children’s knowledge of language. Word games can encourage children to learn more about words they don’t quite understand. If you’re reading with your child, focus on words they might not understand. Have them try to guess what the word means by using context clues, learning the root of the word, and checking the prefix and suffix of the word.
Asking children questions about the book before, during, and after reading aloud can help them understand and focus on important details in the text. Before reading a book with kids, you can ask them about the cover and have them guess what will happen in the book based on what the cover is. During reading, be sure to talk about any questions that the child may have about the text. After reading, be sure to let the child sum up what happened in the chapter of the book you read. Let them relate the story back to what your child has experienced in their lives.
Creating a good relationship for reading is essential for a teenager. You can do this by engaging in conversations, offering a suitable environment for teens to read, and even presenting yourself as a robust role model when it comes to literacy. You can create a nurturing environment for reading by having age-appropriate and grade-level appropriate books for your teen to read. Engaging in conversations about the books that they may be reading in school or for fun is also helpful. You can also be a good role model when it comes to literacy by reading yourself.
These are just a few of the many ways that you can help your child develop strong literacy skills.
Dr. Edward S. Thalheimer is the President and Founder of The Tutoring Franchise Corp. For our part, we here at The Tutoring Center® are continuing to provide one-to-one instruction combined with The Rotational Approach to Learning® to prevent children from slipping through the cracks academically. Our programs help children achieve long-term success, build concentration and focus, and, with our outstanding instructors, find the love of learning. Don’t let your child fall behind this school year. If you’re interested in learning more, visit our website at TutoringCenter.com.


Our purpose is to precisely identify the students who are good at music and carry them a step further in terms of music.
Our students who are good at music are supported with a musically intensified program within the scope of IPT courses. This program covers basic music education and musical instrument education.
Our objective is to bring our students in a technique for playing a musical instrument besides the education provided to them. Moreover, we aim at growing up individuals who have advanced auditory and linguistic skills, have a long focusing period, are self-confident, tidy, well-disciplined, can express themselves via music, are creative, highly motivated and have the characteristics of a leader.
The most important aspect of the Suzuki education method employed is that this education is started at an early age.
If started at early ages, musical instrument education helps students be tidier and well-disciplined.


Video is an engaging and relevant way to draw learners in, diversify instruction and model skills. Finding and curating accessible, captioned videos is becoming easier every day. Below are some of our favourite sources for readily available educational videos. Try a few in your teaching. Make sure to cite according to Conestoga APA. Citations are different for subscription based services (the Library) than for open access services (like YouTube and Khan Academy).
Click to expand the below selections.
The Library has something for many disciplines. These sources run the gamut from major motion pictures, case studies, documentaries, trades safety videos, nursing and care videos and more. Chances are, if you’re looking for it, the Library has it. You can also connect with their helpful staff to find videos to suit your exact need.
Learn how to find videos from databases available through Library Services:
Having trouble finding videos at the Library related to your courses or discipline? Connect with a Program Liaison for more help.
Recently rebranded from Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning is another service provided by the Library. It hosts a large collection of how-to and tutorial videos on most software, animation, business, CAD, web development, eLearning, marketing topics and more.
Use LinkedIn tutorials to facilitate your teaching or support students to accomplish a variety of tasks including:
- Learning how to produce a podcast as an alternative assessment item;
- As an alternative or in addition to text based instructions you may already be using;
- To support your own skills development and further your capacity to teach with varied software.
All of the above suggestions were compiled from post secondary educators who contributed to the eCampusOntario publication “Applications of LinkedIn Learning in Ontario’s Post-Secondary Institutions” under a CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 International License.
All videos Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), all in one place. Find tutorials and sample questions on science, technology, engineering and math concepts. Just search – there is no need to sign up, though they’d appreciate if you did.
Use Khan Academy to:
- Support learners struggling with key skills through retrieval practice.
- Spiral back to foundational skills and space out practice, demonstrated to improve retention over time.
- Flip your classroom by using the videos to have students learn a skill before class, so your instruction can cover more in depth skills.
All of these Creative Commons licensed videos are freely shareable and usable in the classroom. TEDtalks feature a variety of engaging and dynamic speakers on a wide range of topics. TedEd Lessons also lets you use any video to make video lessons, which you can use to diversify classroom activity. Ted Talks are also available through the Library, through Films on Demand.
Use TEDtalks to:
Search through a vast number of videos on a variety of topics. YouTube is ubiquitous, and many students see it as a reliable source of information and learning.
Read more about how to Boost Your YouTube Use and using YouTube appropriately for educational purposes.
Our Library staff give great advice when searching for videos online. Make sure you’re aware of your responsibilities when using and citing videos from YouTube.
Have an idea for another video source? Post a comment below!