International Women’s Day Gender Ground Rules – Task Cards
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A set of comprehension task cards to help students summarize when reading.
A teaching resource to help teach your students how to summarize a story.
A teaching resource to help teach your students how to summarize an information text.
A collection of worksheets which enable students to practice applying reading comprehension strategies.
A pack of 10 posters explaining some of the most commonly used reading comprehension strategies.
A set of task cards to be paired with the International Women's Day comic 'Gender Ground Rules'.
A set of 15 finger puppets that can be used to spark the imagination for creative writing or to perform puppet shows.
A worksheet which encourages students to create a new book cover for a shared class or independent novel.
A 14-slide editable PowerPoint template explaining the reading comprehension strategy of summarizing.
A teaching resource to help your students summarize a story.
A set of QR code question cubes to use when working with reading comprehension strategies.
A graphic organizer to record characters traits.
A graphic organizer to record characters traits for Martin Luther King, Jr.
A beautifully designed, 24-page reading magazine written specifically for Grade 4 students.
A set of 14 literature study task cards for upper elementary students to use when analyzing children's literature.
A graphic organizer for students to use when categorizing sensory details.
Choosing your country and state helps us to provide you with the most relevant teaching resources for your students.


EDUCATE, DON'T INCARCERATE!
We bring writing workshops to people who are incarcerated, detained and formerly incarcerated for advocacy, education and literacy development.
"In life we may experience things and go through things that we don’t feel comfortable telling others about. Through experience i realized the more i kept inside the more imprisoned i became. For me writing is a form of liberation. I no longer feel imprisoned by my deep dark secrets of life experiences. Once i express them with a pen and pad i am FREE."
Justin Corney, Prison Writes Blog contributor
Who We Work With
Taconic Correctional Facility
In these workshops with women preparing for reentry, we work with them on resumes, cover letters and expressive writing.
In our workshops with young people in Bronxconnect alternative to incarceration program we use writing to explore themes of community, healing and resilience.
Brooklyn District Attorney's Office of Reentry Programs
In these workshops with young people experiencing reentry we use writing to help participants develop their confidence and social and communication skills.
Rikers Island Jail
We bring writing activities that are fun, reflective and educational to provide a meaningful outlet of expression for our participants who are being held at Rikers.
Close to Home
For our youngest program participants who are being held in detention we bring lots of fun materials, markers, poster board, and comics, to engage youth in experiencing reading and writing as allies in their life pursuits.
About the School to Prison Pipeline
The United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world. The school-to-prison pipeline is a national trend of funneling children out of public schools and into the criminal justice system. “Zero-tolerance” policies that encourage police presence in schools and utilize harsh punishments for minor infractions disproportionately affect racial minorities and children with learning disabilities.
The Incarcerated Youth
Educate, Don't Incarcerate
The higher the degree, the lower the recidivism rate: education for the incarcerated population reduces violence in correctional facilities, significantly increases chances of employment after release, and cuts the correctional budget by millions of dollars in the long term.
(Prison Studies Project. (2018). Why Prison Education? Link)
Literacy Development & Therapeutic Writing: Why it’s Important
Inmates have a 16% chance of recidivism with literacy education, and a 70% chance of recidivism with no literacy education.
(Begin to Read. (2015). Literacy Statistics. Link)
Women and Girls in the Prison System
Understanding that women more often than not enter the criminal justice system as survivors, we create an atmosphere of mutual aid with a strengths based approach. Gender responsive programs take into account that women have different pathways through the systems than men.
1/4 of our participants identify as women.


Aiden Hernandez may only be in the first grade, but he’s already got opinions about things. As in, “yes” to green beans and “no” to broccoli. And he’s not a fan of snow or math, but he does like crickets. As food.
“Not the alive kind,” he clarified. “Cooked.”
Aiden’s decisiveness came in handy recently in Tessa Jurewicz’s Stoney Creek Elementary classroom, where an opinion writing unit recently was launched.
Jurewicz and English-language learner teacher Holly Straight have been helping first-graders home in on what they think via “opinion circle maps.” After that, they come up with reasons to justify their opinions, then construct paragraphs from that information.
First-grade teachers at Stoney Creek worked with Straight to revamp and beef up Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators writing units to create what Jurewicz calls “a pretty impressive writing curriculum.”
“We have seen huge, amazing gains in our students’ writing success, both in our EL population as well as the classroom as a whole,” Jurewicz said.
First-graders also have been introduced to procedural writing by seeing if they could compose directions for drawing a reindeer, and next will tackle informational writing about an animal, which starts with practice taking notes.
Connecting Writing to Reading
With the previous persuasive writing unit, Straight said, students were to write a letter advocating for social change.
Although an important skill, the Common Core objective at this level is opinion writing, not persuasive or argumentative, she said. K-5 standards call for opinion writing, which transitions to argumentative writing in grades 6-12.
“We found that the unit bypassed critical foundational skills the students needed,” Straight said. “Now the units also center around the features and language of that particular type (genre) of writing. This also helps us more intentionally connect writing to reading.”
Straight called students “far more engaged and successful” using the adapted unit.
“Students need to learn how to form an opinion — yes, their own opinion — and support it with strong reasons before they can even approach higher level skills like writing a letter for social change,” she said.
The adapted units also employ thinking maps, which Straight said have helped the students organize their thinking.
Also, Straight said, writing checklists previously provided to students on EL and M-STEP assessments in order to organize their thinking were often not completed, “which is super frustrating, as they typically provide the student with the exact expectations they need to score a proficient score.”
“We need to teach students to really use these checklists. To do so, they need to practice with checklists that are genuinely useful.”
Jurewicz said she loves what she’s seeing from her students. Those who entered first grade unable to write single words are now writing strong opinion paragraphs with supporting reasons, transitional phrases, and a restatement of their opinions.
“It’s amazing what these little people can do,” she said.


Cook Islands Quiz – FREE Online Interactive Geography Kids Quizzes
Enjoy this Easy Science for Kids Cook Islands Quiz – you’ll get your quiz score after completing this FREE online interactive quiz on Cook Islands. You need to answer all the questions to be able to get your score. You can do this fun quiz about Cook Islands again, till you get the perfect score and become a quiz champion!
Tip: To get it right the first time, read the page with fun facts about Cook Islands.
About Cook Islands Quiz & our FREE Online Quizzes
Our kids Geography quiz questions and answers are a free science general knowledge quiz resource for teachers and educators of kids in elementary school, grammar school and preschool. This fun Cook Islands Geography quiz helps your kids learn fun facts about Cook Islands while enjoying this FREE easy quiz questions for kids.
If your kid is enjoying home-schooling, or is enrolled in some extra-curricular program, then this is a fun activity, with reading comprehension benefits for 1st – 5th grade kids.
Kids will enjoy competing against their classmates and friends, to see who scores highest, doing this fun Geography quiz game on Cook Islands.
As a reading comprehension fun activity for your kids, you can set a timer to encourage kids to do the reading comprehension faster and better, or you can simply limit the number of times your kid can read about the Cook Islands quiz topic, before they do the actual earth science quizzes for kids.
Younger kids who cannot yet read or write, such as Pre-K kids, Kindergarten kids or Preschool kids, will benefit from doing this and our other science quiz games, as a listening comprehension activity; you read out to them about the topic and then read the Cook Islands quiz question and answers.
You will select the Cook Islands quiz answer they think is correct, and at the end you get the quiz score.
Your child can try doing the quiz multiple times, till gets the perfect score faster, as your kids learn to listen more carefully and develop a better memory and attention span!
Enjoyed doing this free online quiz about Cook Islands? Check out all our other fun Easy Science Quizzes for Kids and other fun Geography facts for kids. Visit our Easy Geography for Kids all about Cook Islands page. Get lengthy info here.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Cook Islands Quiz - FREE Online Interactive Geography Kids Quizzes - ." Easy Science for Kids, Feb 2020. Web. 25 Feb 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/cook-islands-quiz-free-online-interactive-geography-kids-quizzes/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2020). Cook Islands Quiz - FREE Online Interactive Geography Kids Quizzes -. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/cook-islands-quiz-free-online-interactive-geography-kids-quizzes/
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Posted by Maria on March 7, 2019 at 9:46 am
Early childhood is characterised by rapid brain development and the acquisition of foundational skills and competences. Investment in early childhood interventions accrue long-term economic and social returns, including making the early start fair to all, and the provision of equal opportunities for both girls and boys. Even though teachers, caregivers and practitioners are among the most influential players to ensure equity, access and quality in ECE, various studies emonstrate that the ECE workforce in Africa is one of the most neglected in terms of training, professionalisation, status and working and living conditions. UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) has been working to strengthen and develop the capacity of teachers in the continent since 1999 in order to improve the quality of education. ECE is a priority for both the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Continental Education Strategy of Africa (CESA) 2016-2025. In particular, as a coordinator of the Teacher Education and Development Cluster of CESA 2016-25, we are delighted to write an introduction to this extremely useful, accessible and important toolkit.
African education systems today are being challenged to extend opportunities for quality education and training to all learners, especially the more vulnerable ones.2
aims to respond to the learning needs of all learners and help them reach their full potential. This toolkit can support teachers and school leaders in providing learners with a more gender-responsive learning environment.
The toolkit primarily targets ECE teachers, school leaders, ECE student teachers, ECE teacher trainers, caregivers and any other practitioners who deal with younger children. It is also a useful resource for researchers, school parent committees and governing bodies, civil society organisations, community leaders and education policy makers.
The toolkit offers an introduction to GRP in ECE and serves as a practical guide that can be adapted to any context and the related needs. It is a source of ideas that individual teachers and school leaders can put to immediate use in their classrooms and schools.
The toolkit comprises five chapters. The first gives an overview of gender in education in the African context. The sociocultural environment influences teaching and learning. The first chapter also contains key definitions related to gender and education, and references to international commitments to gender equality in education.
The second chapter, which forms the core of the toolkit, introduces GRP in ECE. It explores how gender responsiveness in lesson planning, lesson delivery, the teaching and learning environment, learning materials, interactions and use of language can foster real learning. The chapter also provides practical insights and tips on play activities and areas that encourage all learners, without hindrance, and on ways to assess learning. A gender-responsiveness reflection tool is included at the end of this chapter. The third chapter focuses on GRP and school leadership, identifying ways to integrate GRP in schools through the different dimensions of school leadership. It explores how school leaders can evelop a gender-responsive vision and gender-responsive values for their schools. It also provides guidance on gender-responsive planning and monitoring. The chapter also suggests ways to restructure the school organisation to foster GRP and ways to strengthen gender-responsive teaching and learning by setting gender-responsive human resources policies, developing the gender-responsive capacities of staff, enriching the curriculum and improving conditions for gender-responsive teaching and learning. The chapter provides insights into the role of gender in relationships within school communities and on child safety and protection. The chapter concludes with a reflection tool for the school leader.
Chapter 4 offers some ideas for practical classroom activities for learners, designed to generate opportunities to talk about gender roles and challenge stereotypes in the ECE classroom. There is advice on questions to ask. Materials are provided for some activities, with a picture book provided as an annex to the chapter.
The fifth chapter consists of guidelines for an interactive game, called Go Gender Go, for teachers and school leaders. Playing this game in groups encourages conversation and reflection on the content of the toolkit.
It is not necessary to read the entire toolkit from beginning to end. Teachers are encouraged to focus on Chapter 2 and the learner activities in Chapter 4. Different sections within chapters can also be read independently. The Go Gender Go game is meant to stimulate discussion and self-reflection, and to encourage players to refer to the content of the toolkit.


Share via Email Photograph: This adds to the news in March that the government plans to drop references to sustainability and climate change from the curriculum for under 14's. According to UK Youth Climate Coalition, which opposes the changes, Gove is determined to restructure education on a more factual basis, without giving students the opportunity to explore wider issues like sustainability.
Nearly everyone enjoys music, whether by listening to it, singing, or playing an instrument. But despite this almost universal interest, many schools are having to do away with their music education programs. Read on to learn why music education is so important, and how it offers benefits even beyond itself.
Musical training helps develop language and reasoning: Students who have early musical training will develop the areas of the brain related to language and reasoning. The left side of the brain is better developed with music, and songs can help imprint information on young minds.
A mastery of memorization: Even when performing with sheet music, student musicians are constantly using their memory to perform.
The skill of memorization can serve students well in education and beyond. Students learn to improve their work: Learning music promotes craftsmanship, and students learn to want to create good work instead of mediocre work.
This desire can be applied to all subjects of study. Students who practice with musical instruments can improve their hand-eye coordination. Just like playing sports, children can develop motor skills when playing music.
A sense of achievement: Learning to play pieces of music on a new instrument can be a challenging, but achievable goal. Students who master even the smallest goal in music will be able to feel proud of their achievement. Kids stay engaged in school: An enjoyable subject like music can keep kids interested and engaged in school.
Student musicians are likely to stay in school to achieve in other subjects.
Music is the fabric of our society, and music can shape abilities and character. Students in band or orchestra are less likely to abuse substances over their lifetime.
Students of music can be more emotionally developed, with empathy towards other cultures They also tend to have higher self esteem and are better at coping with anxiety. Students learn pattern recognition: Children can develop their math and pattern-recognition skills with the help of musical education.
Playing music offers repetition in a fun format. Students who have experience with music performance or appreciation score higher on the SAT.
One report indicates 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on math for students in music appreciation courses. Students who practice music can have better auditory attention, and pick out predictable patterns from surrounding noise.
Music builds imagination and intellectual curiosity: Introducing music in the early childhood years can help foster a positive attitude toward learning and curiosity.
Music can be relaxing: Students can fight stress by learning to play music. Soothing music is especially helpful in helping kids relax. Musical instruments can teach discipline: Kids who learn to play an instrument can learn a valuable lesson in discipline.
They will have to set time aside to practice and rise to the challenge of learning with discipline to master playing their instrument. Preparation for the creative economy: Investing in creative education can prepare students for the 21st century workforce.
The new economy has created more artistic careers, and these jobs may grow faster than others in the future.8 Reasons Why Students Should Blog I honestly believe that blogging begins with good information technology education (IT). In the UK earlier this month it was announced that the current education system for IT will experience a major revamp.
I have earned lot’s of experience + I have learned many minor part of blogging. This would. UK. Australia The Life Lessons Travel Teaches You and Why It's Important to See the World. from the words of the well-travelled, I explore why people travel and what it teaches them.
“Content marketing” (which is really just distributing marketing content) is the hot buzzword for modern marketers.
But there’s already a lot of content out there, and content marketing isn’t nearly as good as “interesting marketing.” Without interesting content, all these media channels are toothless. Education is one of the most important parts of Concern Worldwide's charity work.
Why? Simply put, education is the key to lifting families out of poverty. Blogging regularly can be part of just such a writing routine, and even underpin it.
Blog posts can be finished in a sitting because they are small, self-contained . 1. For a happy and stable life.
If you want to lead a happy life and enjoy the good things the world has to offer, you certainly need to get educated.


Curriculum Intent: By nurturing hearts and inspiring minds, we encourage all pupils to shine in everything they do.
The All Saints Curriculum follows the structure, and matches the ambition of the national Curriculum in England. Our teaching staff have worked collectively to design a coherent, sequential curriculum covering all core and foundation subjects. We intend to deliver this curriculum at the highest standards to enable ALL of our pupils to acquire sufficient knowledge they need to be successful in their next stage of education.
At All Saints, we aim to create happy, successful, aspirational and empathetic young people who are eager for the next stage of their learning and ready to make a valued contribution to society. Our curriculum is designed to: recognise children’s prior learning, provide first hand learning experiences, allow the children to develop interpersonal skills, build resilience and become creative, critical thinkers.
We recognise that every child is a unique individual. We celebrate and welcome differences within our school community. The ability to learn is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, concepts and values with a vision to prepare them for life beyond primary school. We constantly provide enrichment opportunities to engage learning, using our school values and Christian ethos to promote positive attitudes to learning.
Physical and mental wellbeing are prioritised within our curriculum allowing children opportunities to exhibit spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. We aim for our pupils to be motivated about their future, recognising the vast range of career and further education opportunities available to them in their future lives.
Our staff have designed a holistic curriculum which balances the national expectations with a range of experiences allowing our children to flourish. Specific planning allows the curriculum to be delivered in a way which encourages pupils to enjoy, progress, and excel.
The All Saints Primary School curriculum has high expectations to combine deep knowledge and understanding with transferable skills. Its delivery allows pupils to develop a wide breadth of vocabulary and opportunities to apply knowledge and skills. This is supported by stimulating classroom environments which engage quality thinking and reasoning. Teaching and learning is responsive to children’s needs with teachers displaying a deep understanding of effective pedagogy.
Through the school’s approach to home learning, pupils are provided with opportunities to consolidate as well as deepen their learning further.
At All Saints Primary School, we use a wide range of monitoring strategies throughout the year to measure the impact of the curriculum. Our leaders and governors monitor individual subjects: reviewing learning, evaluating pupil voice and providing individual feedback to move practice forward (celebrating positives and highlighting areas of development).
Teachers use assessment for learning strategies to evaluate, adjust, and maximise the impact of the curriculum on pupil outcomes. Our whole school team works together to reflect upon our curriculum and share outcomes driving forward next steps. In doing so, we take into account the outcomes of various monitoring activities together with available summative assessment information.
As a small rural school, we believe our children possess unique talents, skills and qualities. As such, they have the right to succeed, the right to recognise their own greatness and the right to develop who they are in a respectful and nurturing environment.


By Teachers, For Teachers
Homework has become a staple of American education. Students are expected to spend time outside of class on a myriad of assignments that could include reading, short-term assignments, and longer projects. For homework to be worthwhile there needs to be thoughtful planning as to what the assignments are, how they advance student learning, and consideration of the time it will take to complete the assignments.
If done effectively, homework can be beneficial to student learning. One of the main purposes is to give students the opportunity to master skills taught in class. With limited time in school, foundational skills can be practiced at home. In elementary grades, this could be reading books, learning math facts, or practicing handwriting. In middle school and high school, this can be practicing languages, working on math problems, or doing further reading to enhance understanding on a variety of topics. Homework could then provide time to reinforce learning to solidify understanding.
Other ways students can benefit from homework are to help prepare for future classwork or discussions. Reading an article, preparing mathematical proofs, or analyzing data are ways that students can familiarize themselves with material and be better prepared to participate in meaningful ways at school.
Homework can also provide students the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of skills. That way, teachers are able to utilize homework to assess students’ understanding so they can adjust instructional methods in class.
With successful homework practices, students develop responsibility, organizational techniques, and efficient work habits. These attributes, when homework is done properly, bolster self-esteem and allow students to see how they are able to utilize time effectively to support their learning.
Lastly, homework does provide parents and caregivers with the opportunity to see what their children are learning and inform families as to what is currently being taught at school.
The key for homework to have a positive effect is to make sure that there is a proper time balance of teacher-directed work. This is always tricky as students learn and work at different speeds. Therefore, the assignments need to be clear enough that students understand what to do, yet flexible enough to be adaptable for each individual learner.
The general rule of thumb is that children should have about 10 minutes of homework each day per their current grade level. So, first graders should have 10 minutes of homework a day, while sixth grades should have an hour of homework and 12th grade should have two hours a night. High school students sometimes may need to spend more time on their work depending on the classes being taken. This is the recommended amount by the National Education Association and many other educational experts.
Again, the assignments need to be meaningful and appropriate for students’ current learning or foundational skills in order for homework to be effective.
In order to foster a love of learning, time should be given for students to develop an intellectual curiosity and pursue their own academic interests. Educators want students to love to read, but students are motivated differently. A fourth grader may want to independently read a book they love but become sullen when they have to read something assigned to them or create a project based on their reading. This is the challenge of homework.
Too much homework can sap students’ excitement towards school, cause stress and fear that the work may not be completed, or be so pervasive that children do not have time enjoy extracurricular activities. This would have negative impacts upon their health and schooling.
In addition, students that are organized and have effective time management may become frustrated that despite their best efforts, they feel unsuccessful completing the assignments. Students that struggle academically or with structure may feel defeated even before attempting assignments. This would negatively impact students’ desire to learn, their self-worth, and their ability to grow.
When given the proper amount of work, in addition to the right assignments, students are able to further their learning; the assigned material becomes more exciting, and students feel better about themselves. Teachers are able to manage their work load, gain knowledge of students’ growth, and provide effective feedback to students about their work. Homework can play an impactful role, both positively and negatively, and teachers need to take great care at tailoring their at-home assignments for the class’ needs.
Andrew is an assistant elementary school principal and holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction.


In Ireland and the UK today, it is estimated that one in six adults do not have the literacy and numeracy skills expected of an 11 year old. This is costing companies thousands of pounds in lost productivity and wastage.
Group LearnersTM Literacy and Numeracy Assessments allows you to bring together a group of trainees (up to 100 at a me) and assess their English language and numeracy skills. The group is presented with a series of questions (covering Listening, Reading and Numeracy) via a single data projector and screen and then each individual uses their own unique keypad to answer the questions that are presented to them on screen.
This then creates an assessment record which is stored so you can identify employees who are low, medium and high risk in terms of their Listening, Reading and Numeracy skills.
This solution identifies the gaps in knowledge whilst also providing a clear roadmap for improving these skills and competencies for those individuals who fall within the High Risk category.
Key Benefit to You
- Low Cost: You can assess 100’s of people per day using only one PC.
- Improve Productivity: Increase employee productivity through be er communication and
- Health and Safety Awareness: Make sure your workforce understands H&S notices and all social signs.
- Compliance with Regulations: Mi gate against “I didn’t understand” as a defence for personal injuries.
- Identify “High Risk” Employees: Easily identify those members of staff who need additional help with their Literacy and Numeracy skills.


Watch this fantastic chosen and really easy to understand Water Tornado simple science for kids video:
Water Tornado Facts
A water tornado can be defined as a smaller version of hurricane formed over the sea, ocean surface or any other water body. They are quite common and mostly non-destructive. It is more like a narrow tornado that ranges a few feet in width. A vertical wind sheer which is a wind force that changes direction as it goes higher is believed to be the reason why these water tornadoes are formed. This force forms a vertical funnel which is called water spout. These waterspouts can be of two different types tornadic and non-tornadic.
Quick Facts: –
- Tornadic waterspout resembles its land counterpart in terms of its formation and destruction capacity.
- They are generally associated with severe thunderstorms and accompanied by high winds.
- Non-tornadic waterspouts can form when the weather is good and also known as ‘Fairweather waterspouts’.
- They usually form along the dark flat base of developing cumulus clouds.
- A water tornado can occur at any place all over the coastal regions of the world.
- It was once believed that the revolving mass of a waterspout is seawater but actually it is a spray of cloud water.
- The average speed of a water tornado and its associated winds is about 50 miles per hour.
- There are times when water tornadoes can transcend over to land and turn into a proper tornado.
- Water tornadoes create an entrancing sight by combining the swirling power of a tornado with a large body of water.
- They are very unpredictable in nature so their accurate forecast would be a slim chance.


False Bay TVET College recently piloted a reading intervention programme to boost independent reading among first year students.
"Illiteracy is one of the major challenges that African countries grapple with and South Africa is no exception "says Carol Dwyer, E-learning Manager and Russell Chisango Open Learning Centre Co-ordinator at False Bay.
"In 2016 South Africa was ranked last in the International Reading Literacy Study (Pirls) survey. The study found that 78% of South African pupils at Grade 4 could not read for meaning."
Reading is recognized as the foundation of all learning and research shows that most learning difficulties stem from poor reading skills.
"Reading proficiency is one of the most fundamental predictors of academic achievement" ,explains Dwyer and Chisango.
Strong literacy skills lead to academic and career opportunities, yet many students don't have the necessary foundations for success.
In an effort to fight this epidemic False Bay TVET College launched an online reading programme known as Accelerated Reader(AR).
The programme developed by the UK based Renaissance Learning Company was a "whole-group reading management and monitoring programme that aims to stimulate the habit of independent reading among primary and secondary age pupils."
The programme was piloted at False Bay on a trial basis over an 8 month period with the aim of exploring the link between reading skills and academic performance.
"The evidence gathered in this study recognises that literacy is a key issue regardless of the subject taught."
The study called for reading interventions to be implemented in TVET institutions in order to assist first-year students.
"The campus administration needs to envisage ways of integrating Literacy Development programmes for incoming learners into the curricula as the data presented has showed that 18% of the participants achieved a lower reading age average which is between 5-8 years."
The report also stated that the onus fore developing literacy skills rests with educational leaders.
"Academic institutions need to equip learners with the skills needed to immerse themselves in factual information, to internalise this new information into their current body of knowledge and argue and engage with new facts. This encourages flexibility and adaptability in critical thinking skills."
Click link to see the full report


We are the leading and the Best Kindergarten Schools in Gachibowli adapting the best teaching methodology and have an excellent theme structure for every Programme. The Junior-Kindergarten Programme at Kangaroo Kids Gachibowli uses an array of activities like games, songs, creative activities, story-telling, role-playing, drawing, and painting, creating a fun and nourishing learning environment.
The activities and curriculum also focus on helping & developing your little one’s foundational skills in literacy and numeracy. They are encouraged to explore and discover. Manipulatives, pictures, and symbols are also used to help them identify relationships between sets and groups of things to be sorted, counted, shared and represented.
Concept time integrates learning with life, through the use of “themes”. As the children participate in math, reading, science activities; they break the boundaries of the subject matter. Thus, the brain is stimulated to make connections to ‘create’.
Children love music. Whether it’s soft and soothing or loud and lively. Through music and movement, they can perform and recognize pantomimed actions such as ironing, stirring, swimming, or playing the piano and develop
Deals with the ability to detect patterns, reason deductively and think logically. Logical intelligence is most often connected with scientific and mathematical thinking.
Seasons Around the World, Body Parts and Senses – External and Internal Body Organs, On The Farm, Pet Animals and Creepy Crawlies, Festivals of India, Birds and Habitats, Transport, Animal Planet (Wild Animals), Dinosaurs and All About Me, Life in and Around Water.
Language- developing sight-reading; writing in different cases.
Math – Number value systems.
Outstanding Infrastructural facilities.
Class Size: 24
Age of the Child: 3.6 to 4.5 Years
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:8
Timings : 9 AM – 1PM


What’s Bigger Than Rigor?March 19, 2018 July 25, 2019 /
A question we often get from teachers and leaders is, “What is one thing I can do right now to increase student success?” As you can imagine, there are lots of answers to that question, and none of those answers are simple. There are, of course, dozens of strategies that could be incorporated into instruction that will make a big difference in student achievement, but which ones are the best? Which ones are really worth our time to use in the classroom?
Topping the list of the top research-based learning strategies is Higher Order Thinking. Teaching our students how to think critically in a variety of ways is crucial for student success, both in academics and the real world. In fact, there are nine very specific ways that the new generation of standards expect students to think. Students do not always know how to do these critical thinking strategies, and therefore need explicit instruction and support to be successful.
Higher Order Thinking, however, is only one piece of the rigor puzzle. Rigorous lessons also include two other critical components – reading comprehension strategies and writing. And just as with higher order thinking, both of these components top the chart of research-based strategies that raise achievement. While teaching the reading comprehension strategies is primarily the responsibility of the English/Language Arts teacher, the strategies are used in all content areas, simply because students have to read and understand information within all content areas. Writing is also a vital component of rigor, as students must be able to write to show their understanding of concepts. Writing in assignments is the perfect way for students to show what they know, and it’s the best way for us as teachers to determine if students really “get it.”
That’s rigor in a nutshell – higher order thinking, reading comprehension, and writing. So if higher order thinking, reading comprehension, and writing to raise achievement are all top research-based learning strategies, the question becomes, “What’s bigger than rigor?” If you are already planning and teaching lessons that have a focus on a higher order thinking strategy and/or reading comprehension strategy, and students are writing to learn throughout the lesson and writing to inform in their assignments, what’s the next step in increasing student achievement?
What’s bigger than rigor is the incorporation of other top-ranking strategies as well. When planning your lessons, consider the learning strategies that have the biggest impact on students, and make sure that they are part of your plan.


Fun Projects Video for Kids
Watch the finest unique and extremely simple to comprehend Fun Projects facts for kids video:
This video is about some fun projects you can do with your kids; making a Cotton Ball Sheep. This is a simple craft project you can get your kids to try. The video will give a list of materials you will need to make your own Cotton Ball Sheep and show the procedures you need to do step by step. What’s great about this video is that it helps kids be creative and encourages kids to have fun while doing the project. The video also gives tips on what alternatives you can find for the materials needed.
- You can make a jigsaw puzzle with your family picture on it. Take a cardboard and paste your picture on it. Now cut small pieces of it to make a jigsaw puzzle.
- Take a plate and pour some milk in it. Now add two drops of different food colouring in it. Take a cotton swab and dip it in liquid soap. Now dip this cotton swab in the milk and you will get to see a burst of colours in the milk plate.
- Take a metal hair band and wrap some fancy ribbon on it. Now take another ribbon and make a cute bow out of it. Paste this bow to the hair band.
- Take some amount of shaving cream and add some food colouring to it. Whip it well and you will get different coloured foam. Use this colourful foam to create amazing crafts and let it dry.
- Take bottle caps and draw any design of your choice using puffy paint. Allow it to dry. Your colour stamps are ready.
- Take some colored cellophane. Take some laminating film and laminate the cellophane. Now roll this laminated cellophane and attach a torch at one end. Your lighting swords are ready.
- Take some safe paint. Mix some water and colour in a bowl. Now use your finger tips to draw whatever you want.
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MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " All Fun Projects for Kids ." Easy Science for Kids, Feb 2020. Web. 28 Feb 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/fun-projects-video-for-kids/ >.
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Tobin, Declan. (2020). All Fun Projects for Kids. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/fun-projects-video-for-kids/
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Addressing Racism in Toronto’’ is a one-year project to be conducted by Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR). The aim of this community-based research venture is to identify issues of access, equity and inclusion for two highly vulnerable and marginalized groups in Toronto: the Somali Canadian community and racialized LGBTQ persons who are homeless.
Governments around the world are investing to bridge the “digital divide,” which refers to the gap among populations in terms of ability to access digital tools and the Internet. This effort is especially evident in public schools, because education has been identified as one contributing factor of the divide. Thus, it is of great public interest to investigate whether schools are providing enough opportunities for youth to engage with ICT as an effort to bridge the digital divide. This proposed research seeks to develop a deeper understanding of ICT use in Ontario’s public schools.
This project aims to provide crucial and much needed knowledge in the area of "innovative social support resources" for parents of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. To accomplish this, an online parent peer support group, facilitated by experienced professionals, will be established. operated, and analyzed over a four month period, This expertly mediated network will serve as a forum through which parents can offer mutual support to one another via shared experience and knowledge in this domain.
This research will help to unplay and rewrite certain ideas of "assistive" technology by developing methods to engage children and youth in the process of collaborative, multi-media creation where captioning and audio description are used as creative tools. Successful approaches, workshop plans, DIY tools, discovery games and training methods will be accumulated in a playful kit called CLICK (Community Led Inclusive Creation Kits) and shared as an OER (Open Education Resource).
While the use of specific drugs including cannabis cocaine, ecstasy, and heroin by youth 15-24 in Canada decreased in 2011 (Health Canada), the rate of drug use by youth 15-24 years of age remains much higher compared to that of adults 25 years and older. (Health Canada). Early intervention and education for youth has been suggested to provide protective effect (Hurry & Lloyd), and interactive approaches to that education and intervention have been found to be beneficial (Shiner & Newburn).
In 2011, the City of London started developing a cultural resource database and mapping capability to provide a calculation of the economic impact of culture in the city and an assessment London’s cultural facilities infrastructure, with focus on tangible cultural resources. Although potentially more valuable than the tangible cultural assets, intangible cultural resources have not been explored in equal depth as they require specific methodologies and approaches to be captured and mapped out.
Raising the Grade is an innovative after-school program launched this year by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada (BGCC) in 25 clubs across Canada. Through the use of online learning tools, mentorship, and the early promise of a scholarship, the program hopes to engage youth at risk of dropping out of high school and help them graduate from high school and enroll in post-secondary education. The proposed internship is part of a long-term developmental evaluation of Raising the Grade being conducted by the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC).
This internship will extend a research partnership between For Youth Initiative (FYI) organization and the Applied Social Welfare Research and Evaluation Group at the School of Social Work, York University. The internship project will build a comprehensive leadership development model that articulates best and promising evidence-based practices for engaging and building the leadership capacity of youth and youth-led organisations in urban communities. This model will be attentive to the structural constraints that youth in marginalized urban communities experience.
The Teaching Pyramid Model (TPM) was designed as a promotion, prevention, and intervention framework to support the social, emotional, and behavioral development of young children. Successful implementation of the TPM in ELC programs requires staff capacity (e.g., professional development, refresher courses for staff, performance feedback, staff support and family engagement (e.g., providing families with training to teach their children SE skills at home, enhancing parent-staff relationships).
Educational reform will require changing the way we assess for student success. Personalized learning will only become a reality as we transform the way we make meaning of teaching and learning through assessment. This industry partner FreshGrade.com is an educational assessment application for elementary education (Kindergarten - Grade 6) addressing the need for a simple, cloud-based solution to help teachers, students, and parents make sense of learning.


Phone: 610-853-4580, extension 5349
Degrees and Certifications:
Middle Level English grades 7-9 M.S. in Elementary Education
Ms. Angela Settimio
Welcome to Ms. Settimio's Classes:
6th Grade Language Arts
6th Grade Creative Writing
Welcome to the 2019 / 2020 school year.
Learning in the classroom will be filled with many types of activities. Maintaining an interactive notebook, as well as balancing independent learning activities with cooperative group and partner activities will help to engage students' learning at the highest levels. Immersing in fiction and nonfiction literature selections will give ample opportunity for close reading, critical thinking, and written expression. It is my goal that all students will experience joy in their learning and will increase their knowledge and skills in Language Arts.
This week in Language Arts will bring further reading in the "Esperanza Rising" novel and book activities evaluating literary devices and quotes from the story. Additionally, students will research and compare the two settings of the book, Aguascalientes, Mexico and the San Joaquin Valley, CA. A vocabulary test on the next 15 words will round out the week on Friday. See attachment of the new vocabulary list.Homework:Monday: 2/24 - None.Tuesday: 2/25 - Article with Text Dependent questions entitled "The Deportation of Mexicans during the Depression."Wednesday: 2/26 - Vocabulary Sentences.Thursday: 2/27 - Study for Vocabulary Test.Friday: 2/28 - None.


The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an ambitious, aspirational and universal agenda to wipe out poverty through sustainable development by 2030. When it adopted the new Agenda in September 2015, the international community recognized that education was essential for the success of all 17 of its goals. Ambitions for education are essentially captured in Sustainable Development Goal 4 which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.
Through the Incheon Declaration adopted at the World Education Forum in May 2015, UNESCO, as the United Nations’ specialized agency for education, was entrusted to lead and coordinate the Education 2030 agenda with its partners. The roadmap to achieve the ten targets of the education goal is the Education 2030 Framework for Action, adopted in November 2015, which provides guidance to governments and partners on how to turn commitments into action.
The Global Education 2030 Agenda new expanded scope:
- reaches from early childhood learning to youth and adult education and training;
- emphasises the acquisition of skills for work;
- underlines the importance of citizenship education in a plural and interdependent world;
- focuses on inclusion, equity and gender equality;
- and aims to ensure quality learning outcomes for all, throughout their lives.
Education For All
Education 2030 goes beyond past attempts to ensure access to basic education, as set out in the Education For All goals and the education-related Millennium Development Goal 2 of 2000-2015.
The main responsibility for implementing the agenda lies with governments, with UNESCO and partners providing support through coordinated policy advice, technical assistance, capacity development and monitoring of progress at global, regional and national levels.


The Sundarbans is the largest single mangrove forest in the world, which covers approximately forty percent of the total forest in Bangladesh and is listed as one of the World Heritage and Ramsar site.
Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) and Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF) have been trying to promote Sundarbans Mangrove Biodiversity Education Program in Bangladesh since 2013 among the primary school students. BEDS, the environmental initiative lead by Mr. Maksudur Rahman, developed a series of mangrove education materials (booklets, board and card games) for primary school students present in the eighty two primary schools in Bangladesh. Our main goal is to incorporate these developed education materials into the national curriculum as a Supplementary Reading Material (SRM).
To achieve this set goal, on 29 April 2017, BEDS conducted a workshop in Munshigonj union of Shyamnagar, sub district of Satkhira district in Bangladesh. Twenty one Upazilla (sub district) Primary Education Officers from different places in Bangladesh participated in this workshop. The participants provided valuable feedbacks on the developed educational materials and offered to incorporate these materials into the primary school curriculum.
On 26 May 2017, we again conducted another workshop at Khulna District Primary Education Office in Bangladesh and District Primary Education Officers were invited. They also provided their valuable comment and feedback on the developed materials. They opined to provide the educational materials in primary schools to inform students and parents regarding the World Heritage Sundarbans and to make them conscious to conserve the Sundarbans.
Bangladesh observes the World Migratory Bird day
BEDS have been working to establish a bridge between human and nature since the very beginning of its journey as an organization. BEDS have been regularly observing diverse national and international days with honor and pride besides doing different conservation activities. In line with this, BEDS has observed World Migratory Bird Day 2017 on 10 May 2017 with the local community in its own office at Mathurapur Jelly Polly (fishing village), in Munshigonj union under Shyamnagar sub district of Satkhira district and in Green Education Center at Purbo Khejuria village in Banishanta union under Dacope sub district of Khulna district.
The main theme of the day was the future of migratory birds is our future which proceeded into meetings in two districts. After the meeting the local community determined that they will never kill a single migratory bird and will protect them within three kilometers of the village.
Bangladesh celebrates World Biodiversity day 2017
BEDS celebrated World Biodiversity Day 2017 at the grass-root level in Bangladesh with the theme “Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism.” The aim of the celebration is to make people aware about the importance, necessity and conservation of biodiversity through sustainable eco-tourism. We organized a discussion with the local community about the morality of the day and the importance of biodiversity.
At the beginning of the discussion we did some group works on the importance of Sundarbans and how we can carry out the sustainable eco-tourism in the Sundarbans. The conversation on biodiversity centered on the harmful effect of some human activities on the environment and how these effects can be reduced.
Representatives of BEDS delivered their speech on the importance of biodiversity, why it should be preserved and the role of the local community in enriching and conserving biodiversity for sustainable eco-tourism.
A study tour of Dhaka honey value chain
The Sundarbans is very rich in natural resources and is home to many rare flora and fauna. Some of the plants have flowers that attract honeybees creating a jungle filled with beehives. Traditionally, poor communities living around the Sundarbans collect the honey between April to June with permission from the government. But they earn very little money to pay their annual debts because of the interference of middlemen and lack of effective marketing system.
Honey collectors risk their lives facing threats from the Royal Bengal Tigers and pirates, but never receive proper payment for their hard work. Moreover, honey collectors use an unsustainable harvesting practice, thus endangering the ecosystem of the Sundarbans.
BEDS and JEEF have been trying to promote honey business at the Sundarbans region by involving fifty honey collectors. Under the project we have conducted a study tour in Dhaka from May 18 to 22, 2017 for increasing the honey processing, manufacturing skills and developing marketing and business skills of Mowal Cooperative Society members by selling their own honey product in different selling points.
Being a motivated youth leader and YPARD member, Mr. Maksudur and his team received the Government Divisional Environmental Award from Khulna Division, Khulna, Bangladesh for its excellent service on Environment related activities consecutively from 2015 to 2017, on the occasion of world environment day on June 5, 2017.
Photo credit: Md. Maksudur Rahman


Below is a video of Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser’s keynote address to the Houston Arts Partners Conference attendees in 2012. Among the points from his address is that music is not for a talented few. Every child has the propensity to make music. Music education during the early years builds the brain up to be musical. The years before age 10 is when this should happen. After that, a person can still be musical, but he or she will have to work a lot harder at it. Dr. Tim also points out that everyone wins when arts education is strong. Academic achievement goes up, musicality goes up, and lifetime achievement goes up for those who receive a rich arts education. Dr. Tim says it all brilliantly, and backs up his message with research. Listen to Dr. Tim, and share the message.


Newcomb Pottery is considered one of the most significant American art potteries of the first half of the twentieth century. Influenced by the English Arts and Crafts movement, Newcomb pottery was exhibited around the world, sold in shops on both coasts, and written about in art journals throughout the United States and Europe. Newcomb potters (always men) and designers (always women) were awarded eight medals at international exhibitions before 1916.
The Newcomb art curriculum, as well as and its utilitarian philosophy underlying it, were unique among art potteries and women’s colleges of the time. Josphine Louise Newcomb’s gift founding Newcomb College in 1886 stressed an education both “practical and literary.” The Art Department would become the focus of this institutional ideal.
Among the young faculty hired to develop Newcomb’s program of art education was Ellsworth Woodward, who brought with him traditions he learned at the Rhode Island School of Design. Woodward envisioned an ambitious program of vocational training for young women artists. Under his guidance, Newcomb Pottery was established in 1894 after Mary Given Sheerer arrived from Cincinnati to teach pottery and china decoration. Sheerer became a dedicated leader within the early Newcomb community and a respected authority on ceramics.
Based on the visions of Sheerer and Woodward, the distinct wares of Newcomb Pottery became well known in the art world of the day. The students and graduates worked with designs evocative of the American South, inspired by Louisiana flora and crafted from local and regional clay. As the twentieth century opened before them, some students moved towards developing more modern designs, yet still maintained the philosophy that no two pieces of pottery should be alike. During its nearly fifty years of operation, Newcomb Pottery provided employment to roughly ninety Newcomb graduates, and produced some 70,000 distinct pieces of work.


The experience of culture and art belong equally to all.
Culture and art education plan “Cultural Path” is a tool designed for teachers. In cultural path a student who is in elementary school will become familiar with different art forms and their own regions culture. Cultural path is a representation of what type of art and/or cultural content that is split by age group to determine what can be provided to different classes. In South-Karelia cultural path is coordinated by Metku. The activities are funded by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture and municipalities in the area.
Check out the Cultural Paths working in Finland’s municipalities.
Annually published teacher’s guide presents different opportunities and contacts with the municipal’s cultural and art activities.
Luumäki, Ruokolahti, Rautjärvi and Savitaipale are still working on their own cultural pages.


Teaching Technique-“take the show on the road”
This technique will work regardless of the subject matter you are teaching. This concept is valid for any grade level. It has worked for me at grade levels 8 through college.
My explanation to my students was this. We are going to proudly show others what we do, how we do it, how well we do it and particularly how much we enjoy doing it.
Here are some ideas where you can tale your students to do a presentation of what they are learning in your classroom.
1. A senior citizens Home
2. A church Men’s or Women’s organizational meeting
3. A ladies garden club meeting
4. A graduate school’s elementary education class.
5. A PTA/PTO meeting
This concept works best if your class has on similar attire. If possible, a sweatshirt with the class name and class motto silk screen on it. One might say this can viewed as high tech show and tell. The class can use all types of visuals, including multiple LCD projectors and screens. (You might be surprise how high tech some elementary students can be.)
The concept here is we are not learning in class because we have to, but rather we are learning how to best do our presentation so we can look good and be stars of our show.
This works like a charm. It seems to work even better after the first presentation. My students were there own critics after the first time they came up with suggestions concerning how they could do it better the next time. Students in lower grades at the same school were heard saying “I can’t wait until I get in that class!”
I even used this technique on Saturdays to do presentations in local parks with great success.
I would strongly recommend this technique for a high school Biology Class to do a presentation for a 7th grade Life Science Class.
A 12th grade Physics class to do demonstrations for a ninth grade Physical Science Class.
This will work for Math Classes, English Classes, Social Science classes and even Vocational Education type classes. Let your imagination be unlimited.
Keep in mind the Lecture Method is the least productive. The most productive is “learn by doing.” We in a sense are all actors anyway. Try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised


My own children wrote their letters to Santa last night. They read through magazines and online articles, building and revising their ‘lists.’ Then, they wrote rough copy after rough copy, revising and editing to make sure they made their best impression on the big man. When it was time to address their envelopes, we had a mini lesson on how to do that (which clearly one child ignored – lol).
After it was all said and done, they’d spent a good two hours thinking about writing and using the writing process – all of their own volition!
This experience got me thinking – what other Christmas traditions have hidden literacy learning? My thoughts went on overdrive…and this is the result. I even came up with some numeracy tie ins – shocking for my English teacher brain!
Read on for some easy and practical ideas to engage your kids or students in hidden literacy and numeracy learning over the coming weeks leading up to the big day.
Hidden Reading Skills in Christmas Traditions
- reading Christmas related stories, articles and poems – my kids favourites are ‘The Nutcracker” and “The Night Before Christmas”
- reading the “Santa Letter” reply
- reading holiday recipes
- reading holiday cards
- reading special letters, notes and stories kindly left by their ‘Elf on the Shelf’
- reading instructions to create holiday crafts
- reading gift guides/advertisements
- reading Christmas carols as they sing/preparing for a holiday concert
- reading school related activities, texts and worksheets
Hidden Writing Skills in Christmas Traditions
- writing Santa letters
- writing/brainstorming wish lists
- writing messages or letters to their ‘Elf on the Shelf’
- helping an adult write holiday cards or writing their own to their friends
- addressing gift tags
- addressing holiday cards
- writing a prayer of Grace for a holiday meal
- school related holiday writing tasks
Hidden Oral Communication Skills in Christmas Traditions
- singing and listening to Christmas carols
- speaking to Santa at a special visit
- conversing and communicating with friends and relatives of all ages, learning when to use appropriate informal and formal language, make eye contact and hold a conversation at a holiday dinner or gathering
- thanking someone for a gift
- presenting a gift/food/drink to someone, using appropriate language and mannerisms
- using appropriate active listening skills while at Christmas mass
Hidden Media Analysis Skills in Christmas Traditions
- understanding an intended audience for media advertisements while out shopping
- noticing how a Christmas/holiday theme is created through use of colour, images and sounds (at home, school, or in public)
- talking with an adult about how a Christmas ‘story’ (like The Grinch) has evolved intertextually from a poem, to a book, to a film, cartoon and cultural figure
- understanding literal and metaphorical symbols and lessons in Christmas stories and films
Hidden Numeracy Skills in Christmas Traditions
- using estimation in cutting paper for gift wrapping
- understanding shape and geometry to effectively wrap a gift
- counting down the days until Christmas on a calendar or blackboard
- using organizational skills to note holiday activities in a calendar
- doing mental or physical math to figure out ‘holiday sales’
- creating a gift list using a budget
- following measurements in recipes
- estimating weight/balance and physics in building a snowman or snow fort
- completing school related numeracy activities with a holiday theme (i.e. word problems, worksheets)
- calculating Santa’s travels around the Globe on Christmas Eve
As parents and teachers, we need to take advantage of our kids engagement in the holiday season. Why not use this time as active learning? We know that when kids are engaged, they learn.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.


Currently, young people in Zanzibar have minimal access to music education of any kind. Music is part of the curriculum in neither public nor private schools. At best, a child grows up in an environment where traditional music is still part of the social fabric of their surroundings, and picks up skills in the traditional way of learning melodies, instrumental skills and music styles in the oral, rote method.
A rural outreach program has been designed to respond to requests of rural communities to bring music education and music performance skills to the more remote locations. This is especially true for those areas where small traditional instrument groups continue to exist and struggle to survive. Mahonda is a small village about 25 km outside of Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar. Here a small group, “Kizazi Kipya” meets daily to rehearse and practice taarab music. Their resources are very scanty i.e.,they have a few broken violins and drums and the skills of the musicians more than limited. Direct beneficiaries of this project will be musicians who wish to develop their innate musical skills and young people interested in studying music from the rural areas around Mahonda.
The Mahona Center, a branch of the Dhow Countries Music Academy, is targeted for people who already have some skills in music, enabling them to pass on their knowledge to others on a continuous basis, and to train some more serious participants to come to the DCMA in Stone Town for full-time studies leading towards Certificate and Diploma qualifications.


November 6th 2019
Florida State University’s world-renowned Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) today announced a multi-year partnership with Dublin based, kids’ speech recognition technology company SoapBox Labs, to create and deliver next-generation language and literacy assessments that could transform how young children around the world learn to read.
Pioneering Reading Research Center Leverages Speech Recognition for Early Literacy Assessment
Florida State University selects SoapBox Labs in multi-year partnership that aims to transform our understanding of early literacy skills
“SoapBox Labs has developed a unique speech recognition technology that actually works for children,” said Dr. Yaacov Petscher, an Associate Director at FCRR and Associate Professor at FSU. “This collaboration is about harnessing the transformative potential of speech recognition technology to develop next-generation literacy assessments that will enable educators to better understand children’s reading and language skills. Speech recognition holds immense potential, to better identify a child’s likelihood for literacy success, and to reduce the risk of bias for dual language learners or children who speak with a dialect variation. An immersive, reliable, and efficient assessment system like this can hopefully revolutionize the way we think about assessing children.”Dr. Yaacov Petscher, Florida Center for Reading Research @FSU
Developing literacy skills during early childhood is a critical foundation to later student success in school and life, but literacy remains a challenge for millions of children around the world. While literacy assessment is critical to identifying challenges early on, young children are unable to perform the sort of tasks associated with traditional formative assessments.
Unlike the speech recognition technology found in mainstream voice assistants, SoapBox Labs’ speech recognition technology was built specifically for kids and their early literacy needs.
“This technology was developed to identify at a very early stage when kids are struggling with language or literacy development,” stated Dr. Patricia Scanlon, Founder and CEO of SoapBox Labs. “Our technology delivers an interactive process that is accurate, providing immediate feedback to children, parents and teachers on a child’s progress along the journey to literacy.”Dr. Patricia Scanlon, CEO and Founder, SoapBox Labs
FCRR’s pilot studies of SoapBox Labs’ speech recognition technology commenced in September 2019 with assessments of 1,000 students – from kindergarten through 2nd grade – across Florida, Oregon, Atlanta and South Carolina.
The partnership between SoapBox Labs and FCRR is part of the Reach Every Reader initiative, a partnership between the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the MIT Integrated Learning Initiative, Florida State University, and expert practitioners, students and families across the US to develop effective solutions for readers. Reach Every Reader was launched in early 2018 with funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI).
About SoapBox Labs
SoapBox Labs is a speech technology company specializing in kids’ speech recognition. Founded in Dublin in 2013, our mission is to deliver the power of voice to kids everywhere by developing the world’s most accurate, safe, and age appropriate speech technology.
SoapBox Labs technology is proprietary and built using a privacy-by-design approach. Our online and offline solutions voice-enable education focused products (literacy and English language learning) as well as smart toys, robotics, apps, games and accessible tech.
SoapBox Labs was named one of Europe’s hottest startups by Wired UK in 2019. The company was founded by Dr. Patricia Scanlon, one of Forbes Top 50 Women in Tech globally in 2018. For more information, contact Niamh Bushnell at Niamh@SoapBoxLabs.com
The Florida Center for Reading Research is a multidisciplinary research center at Florida State University that explores all aspects of reading research — basic research into literacy-related skills for typically developing readers and those who struggle, studies of effective prevention and intervention, and psychometric work on formative assessment. For more information, please contact Nathan Archer at email@example.com.


About the Course
The course aims to provide the trainees with a strong foundation of the principles of early childhood education. It combines the key aspects of early childhood teaching and emphasizes the various stages of learning which support development during the early childhood years.
This course is immensely helpful for early childhood teachers, course coordinators, curriculum developers, consultants associated with pre-schools, anyone connected with early childhood care, and for those planning to open a pre-school.
This course acquaints the trainees with the basic concepts and theories of early childhood teaching along with the practical teaching skills to get ready to face challenges of diverse preschool classrooms of the 21st century. The course also introduces trainees to the conceptual framework for designing and developing activities that would equip young learners with basic reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Trainees will also be equipped with the knowledge and skills to promote numeracy skills, problem solving and social skills in kindergarten children through block play and math activities.
Optional Online/Distance Learning Attendance
Students are also permitted to enroll in this course on an online/distance learning basis.
About the School
MECAT is a pioneering and innovative training academy that is unmatched in its forward-looking and scientific approach to training and building the creative, well-rounded professional. Active Learning ... Read More


Salmon is super healthy for you. Salmon is rich in vitamins and healthy fats that researchers believe can keep the brain and bones healthy, build strong eyes, and even reduce symptoms of ADHD. Salmon is revered by First Nations people living in Africa and Canada.
- Salmon is loaded with heart-healthy fats that are thought to keep the brain active and strong too. Salmon also contains high amounts of protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, selenium, and phosphorus. Wild salmon is more nutritious than farm-raised salmon.
- Wild salmon live in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, as well as inland lakes and rivers, such as the Colorado River. Most species are born in rivers or lakes (freshwater), migrate to the ocean, and come back to where they were born to lay their eggs. Many species of salmon die after they spawn (reproduce) because they are exhausted from the effort of swimming upstream.
- Wild salmon are most common in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. On the Atlantic coast and in the Great Lakes area, salmon are usually raised by salmon farmers.
- Most wild salmon have orange flesh. Marketers sometimes use dye to color the flesh of farm-raised salmon.
- Salmon are having a tough time surviving. Many of their former breeding grounds have been destroyed. Overfishing is reducing their populations.
- Migrate: when animals instinctually move
- Exhausted: very tired
Questions and Answers
Question: How should salmon be cooked?
Answer: Salmon is delicious grilled, roasted, baked or pan-fried. Don’t overcook it though. 8 to 10 minutes is usually plenty.
Watch a video about salmon swimming upstream.
Learn how to grill salmon.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Amazing Salmon Facts for Kids ." Easy Science for Kids, Feb 2020. Web. 28 Feb 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/salmon/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2020). Amazing Salmon Facts for Kids. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/salmon/
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Resources › For Educators A Definition of Regular Education Share Flipboard Email Print Klaus Vedfeldt/Getty Images For Educators Special Education Applied Behavior Analysis Behavior Management Lesson Plans Math Strategies Reading & Writing Social Skills Inclusion Strategies Individual Education Plans Becoming A Teacher Assessments & Tests Elementary Education Secondary Education Teaching Homeschooling By Jerry Webster Special Education Expert M.Ed., Special Education, West Chester University B.A., Elementary Education, University of Pittsburgh Jerry Webster, M.Ed., has over twenty years of experience teaching in special education classrooms. He holds a post-baccalaureate certificate from Penn State's Educating Individuals with Autism program. our editorial process Jerry Webster Updated January 27, 2019 Regular Education is the term often used to describe the educational experience of typically developing children. The content of this curriculum is defined in most states by state standards, many which have adopted the Common Core State Standards. These standards define the academic skills that students should acquire at each grade level. This is the Free and Appropriate Public Education against which the program of a student who receives special education is evaluated. General Education is used interchangeably with regular education but is preferred. It is better to speak of general education students as opposed to regular education students. Regular implies that special education students are irregular, or somehow flawed. Once again, General Education is the curriculum designed for all children which are meant to meet state standards, or if adopted, the Common Core State Standards. The General Education program is also the program which the state's annual test, required by NCLB (No Child Left Behind,) is designed to evaluate. Regular Education and Special Education IEP's and "Regular" Education: To provide FAPE for special education students, IEP goals should be "aligned" with the Common Core State Standards. In other words, they should show that a student is being taught to the standards. In some cases, with children whose disabilities are severe, IEP's will reflect a more "functional" program, which will be very loosely aligned with the Common Core State Standards, rather than directly linked to specific grade level standards. These students are most often in self-contained programs. They are also the most likely to be part of the three percent of students allowed to take an alternate test. Unless students are in the most restrictive environments, they will spend some time in the regular education environment. Often, children in self-contained programs will participate in "specials" such as physical education, art, and music with students in the "regular" or "general" education programs. When assessing the amount of time spent in regular education (part of the IEP report) time spent with typical students in the lunchroom and on the playground for recess is also credited as time in the "general education" environment. Testing Until more states eliminate testing, participation in high stakes state tests aligned to the standards is required of special education students. This is meant to reflect how the students perform alongside their regular education peers. States are also permitted to require that students with severe disabilities are offered an alternate assessment, which should address the state standards. These are required by Federal Law, in the ESEA (Elementary and Secondary education act) and IDEIA. Only 1 percent of all students are allowed to take an alternate test, and this should represent 3 percent of all students receiving special education services. Examples: A statement in an IEP: John spends 28 hours each week in a regular education third-grade classroom with his typical peers where he receives instruction in social studies and science.


There’s something exciting about opening a brand-new box of crayons. Today’s Crayola crayons come in 152 colors, but the first box contained only 8 colors. A box of crayons cost a nickel back then and children were happy to have 8 colors, since previous crayons came only in black.
- Alice Binney, a school teacher, asked her husband to consider making a crayon to replace expensive European crayons. Edwin Binney got to work with his partner, Howard Smith, and came up with the modern crayon.
- In 1903, their company, Crayola, was born.
- Alice Binney chose the name for Crayola from the French word craie, which means “stick of chalk” and ola, or “oily” from the word
- Today Crayola sells over billion crayons each year.
- For generations, children had used chalk to write their schoolwork on small slates. Before that, children might use bits of charcoal or ashes.
- In Europe, the first crayons were made from oil and charcoal. They were black and were not safe for children.
- Binney and Smith’s company, started by Binney’s father, originally made lamp black, a pigment created from the soot of burnt oil. The company was called Peekskill Chemical Works.
- When Binney and Smith took over, they started making pencils and chalk for schools.
- Instead of making crayons from oil and charcoal, they made crayons from paraffin wax and nontoxic colored pigments.
- Pigment: powdered color that can be added to products
- Soot: black powder left over after burning oil or charcoal
- Nontoxic: safe; not poisonous
Questions and Answers
Question: How do Crayola crayons get their funny names?
Answer: Workers at Crayola often start by looking in the dictionary for ideas. Crayons are often named after traditional artists’ paints. And sometimes, Crayola asks the public for ideas.
Visit the Crayola crayon factory.
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If you have ever had a small child living in your home, chances are there are several Dr. Seuss books lying around. He is, after all, the best-selling children’s author of all time.
Did you ever notice, though, that there are two different types Dr. Seuss books? Quite frankly, until recently, I did not.
In 1937, Seuss published his first story, To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street. It is a great story, one of my favorites, but very different from the book that catapulted Dr. Seuss to worldwide fame and fortune.
The Cat in the Hat, published in 1957, had a very different purpose, scope, and scale than Seuss’s earlier work. It is this book – and the subsequent “Beginning Reader” books by Seuss – that made Dr. Seuss a household name and put him smack in the middle of an ongoing and heated debate.
Seuss’s early work was written like most children’s books – inspired by the author’s experiences and flowing from his imagination to the page.
Seuss’s Beginning Reader series, on the other hand, was commissioned by a textbook publisher in response to criticism of reading instruction in the United States. A prominent journalist had pointed out that the reading materials (i.e. Dick and Jane) used to instruct new readers were excruciatingly boring and out of touch with kids’ lives and interests.
Seuss’s creations, like the Basal readers that preceded them, were intended to support a reading program called the “look and say” method, which taught students to identify whole words by site rather than relying on the principles of phonics to sound out each word.
Seuss was given a list of 348 words that the average six year old should know and asked to choose 225 from that list to make into a story kids would actually want to read.
Seuss found this task extremely difficult and later described it as “being lost with a witch in a tunnel of love.” On top of this difficulty was the fact that Seuss himself did not believe in the reading method he was laboring to support. He felt that the lack of focus on phonics and phonetic awareness was a leading cause of illiteracy in the United States.
Hmm. What is a writer to do?
If you are Seuss, you stick to the parameters of the assignment, add your own style and humor, and sprinkle it liberally with opportunities to practice phonics. Ta da! The Cat in the Hat!
By the time Seuss was finished he was convinced that his creation, The Cat in the Hat, would land him “plumb in the middle of a great educational controversy.” And indeed it did.
Seuss’s comments are often quoted by proponents of phonics instruction, but as the pendulum of education continues to swing between the extremes of relying wholly on phonics training on the one hand and immersion in literature on the other hand, Dr. Seuss’s Beginner Reader series are right where they should be – plumb in the middle.
They provide exactly what a novice reader needs – an authentic and entertaining read-along with a chance to practice the skill of building words out of letter sounds and the repetition necessary to add to a lexicon of words that are solidly known and understood.
The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish, Hop on Pop, and Green Eggs and Ham have an honorary place in American culture as the very first books many of us ever read all by ourselves, and they will most likely remain as the debate rages on.


Music is an important part of the education of a well-rounded student. As one of the arts, it balances the study of sciences and humanities to give students a creative outlet and exposes them to another sphere of learning. Music is taught from elementary to high school, and there are many different components to the subject. Classes can teach students to read and write music, to sing and play instruments, or focus on the history of music. This instruciton seeks to develop children’s musical skills, expand their interpretative abilities and increase their overall appreciation of music.
In elementary school, students learn to play simple instruments such as recorders and keyboards, sing in small choruses and learn the basics elements of music. In middle school, music education will usually continue to be a requirement, but extracurricular activities, such as joining the school chorus or band, are also options. Most schools offer clubs such as these for children to expand their knowledge and appreciation of music. Some school districts also offer more specialized classes in middle or high school, such as music history, music theory, etc. The range of music courses can focus on a variety of subjects, including instruction on basic vocal and instrumental lessons, exposure to different musical styles, introduction to the basics of musical theory and study of music history.
Chorus is a portion of music education focused on the vocal skills of students, improving these skills through performance, memorization and reading of music. Chorus can be a requirement for elementary school students in many school districts, though it is often offered as an elective or extracurricular activity through middle and high school. In elementary school, teachers introduce students to notes, pitch, rhythm and other basic choral concepts. Often, the music instructors will teach children short songs with few notes to introduce the art of singing. Middle School choirs begin to sing more difficult songs and introduce harmony, a method which will be built upon in high school.
Instrumental instruction is a area of music education dedicated to teaching students how to play an instrument through the reading of sheet music, learning of notes and practice. Students are usually introduced to basic instruments, such as the recorder, in elementary school and then decide whether or not they wish to pursue instrumental lessons in middle and high school. Each level of instrumental lessons becomes more involved and skillfully demanding. Most high schools offer band as an elective for the arts, and for students who are more dedicated to playing an instrument, many schools have selective bands that participate in performances and competitions. Instrumental teachers may also serve as general music education instructors and / or chorus teachers.


Statement – the following suggestions are based on years of experience in the field of music education, and are listed
for you to help your child get the most out of his or her band experience.
A. Establish the proper attitude toward music at home. Part of the purpose of your child studying music is that
he/she might gain an appreciation for fine music. Parents can help this cause by encouraging the best music in their
home. Show your appreciation and support for all music at home.
B. Encourage practice at home. Many students often complain of having to try to "fit" their practicing in around the
convenience of other family members. While your child's practicing may prove to be a disturbance in the home, please
realize that if musical growth is to take place, your child must have a time and place to practice. Practice time should be
at least thirty minutes per day. Firmly emphasize the need to practice, but don't force the student to practice. Practicing
needs to be something they want to do, not something they are forced to do. HOURS OF PRACTICE DO NOT HELP;
THE WAY ONE PRACTICES IS IMPORTANT.
C. Speak well of the organization in which your child plays. Show him/her that you respect their efforts and the
effort of the group. Show your child that you realize that being a member of a musical organization is serious work that
demands responsibility and time management skills.
D. Show interest in his/her music and instrument. Ask what music the band is playing, what pieces he/she likes
best, likes least, and why.
E. Question your child occasionally about the condition of his/her instrument. Discuss with the band director
when a new instrument is needed, or if repairs need to be made.
F. DON’T threaten dismissal from the band, or taking away the student's instrument for disciplinary
measures unless the situation has been carefully thought out. Often a student is taken away from the only thing
that he/she does well and allows him/her to feel good. Removing a student from a performance disciplines the entire
group. This fact should be considered in the final decision.
G. Attend the activities in which your child participates. In large and busy families, scheduling for the entire family
is usually difficult. A student likes to know, however, that his/her parents are in the audience listening and watching the
performance. They are most concerned about what YOU think about their performance.
H. Consider private instruction when good private teachers are available and when finances make such study
possible. In general, high school students who are performing to the best of their ability and show an overall passion
and skill for what they are doing should be studying privately. If such study is desirable, and your child wants to study
(an important point), consult the band director for names of people in the area whom he would recommend. Private
study is not only reserved for students who intend to continue playing after high school, but for all students interested in
improving their playing.
I. Become active in the parent organizations that emphasize music and the students involved in the school's music
program. The Band Boosters are organized to assist in the implementation of the best music program possible for your
child. Their purpose is to boost the organization. By taking an active part in his group, your child will see that you are
concerned and interested about his/her musical growth and the organization that supports this.
J. Explore the future, if your child shows an interest in a career in music, take time to meet with the band director for a
list of possible colleges, possible vocations in the music field, entrance requirements, and scholarship opportunities that
K. If you have any questions concerning the music program at Collinswood High School, please feel free to contact
Mr. Joe Lerch at 856-962-5701 x. 6232, or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org.


By Teachers, For Teachers
A child’s social success both in school and outside of school is important. Accepting others, actively listening, resolving conflicts, and taking turns are just a few skills that children need in order to effectively communicate in all their environments. Lack of these skills will negatively affect their success to actively be a contributing member in society.
Social skills should be taught in and outside of the classroom. Parents can reinforce these skills and practice with their children at home. Here are a few teaching strategies on how to improve a child’s social success, as well as a few tips on how parents can help at home.
Students need to understand the need for learning social skills. A great way for them to understand this is to give them a real-world example. Adults use their social skills in the workplace as well as in their community. Talk to the students about what social skills they think their parents use in their everyday lives. Here is a list of ideas to get you started.
Once students get the idea of what kind of social skills their parents use in their everyday lives, have them choose a few to practice themselves. You can do this by partnering students up and having them role play and act out scenarios that he/she would use appropriate and non-appropriate behaviors.
Parents have the opportunity to improve their child’s social skills at home. They can engage their children in different types of activities, as well as emphasize the necessary social skills that are important for the current situation that they are in. For example, when they are at the dinner table, they can emphasize taking turns talking, eating with their mouths closed, and using simple manners like saying “Please” and “Thank you.” Once learned, they will carry these social norms with them for the rest of their lives.
Besides reinforcing skills at the dinner table, parents can talk about social skills and help their child identify what is appropriate behavior and what is not for a specific social skill. For example, the child can role play (just like they did at school with their peers) what is, and is not appropriate behavior for a specific social skill.
Another way parents can build social skills at home is to have their child choose a skill to work on each week. The child can create a chart and record how often they used the skill and if they used it correctly. For example, let’s say that the goal is to work on not interrupting anyone when they are talking. Each day that they child uses the social skill and uses it correctly (which means no interrupting while people are talking) they get a star on the chart. Once they master this skill, they choose another skill to work on, and so on.
Once children and parents have committed to learning and practicing social skills at home, they should review the skills learned. This will help cement what they have learned and help the parents (and the teacher) really know if they understand it. Children can review these skills by having parents quiz them. To do this, the parents would choose a social skill like “Following directions” and have the child utilize that skill in some way. The parent would go down the chart of skills learned and quiz their child one-by-one to see if they have successfully understood each skill.
By teaching social skills to children both inside of the classroom and outside, we are increasing the chances for successful appropriate interaction among students. This will help to maximize our teaching time, as well as encourage students to use these skills at home.
How do you teach social skills to your students? Do you have any tips or activities that you would like to share? Please feel free to share with us in comment section below, we would love to hear your thoughts.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds a Master's of Science in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com, as well as a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com and TeachHUB Magazine. You can follow her at Twitter @Empoweringk6ed, or on Facebook at Empowering K6 Educators.


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The program will allow a standard of literacy and reading comprehension to elementary school students that the Ohio Department of Education introduced last summer. The grant will also fund several literacy development events during the school year 2013-14.
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Programs that provide opportunities for people in the community to acquire the knowledge, skills, desirable qualities of behavior and character, wisdom and general competence that will enable them to fully participate in and enjoy the social, political, economic and intellectual life of the community. Home-Based Education; Home Education; Home Schooling
Programs that provide supervision and safety for young people in the hours after school, as well as provide youth access to computers and technology, provide opportunities to learn and master new skills, prepare children for a productive future, create excitement about learning, and provide tutoring. After-School Enrichment Programs; After-School Programs; After School Programs; Extra-School Settings; Out-of-School Hours Programs; 21st Century Community Learning Centers Initiative Programs
Programs within the context of the formal educational system or offered as an adjunct to the traditional school curriculum which provide instructional services that are individualized or specialized to meet the special needs and interests of learners. Use references: Bilingual Education; Compensatory Education; Cooperative Extension; Correctional Education; Discovery Learning; Extension Education; Extension Services; Independent Learning; Independent Study Programs; Migrant Child Education; Migrant Education; Multicultural Education; Prison Education; Self Directed Learning; Self Instruction; Self Teaching; University Extension