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Showing posts with label Language Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Language Articles. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

How to speak to your child in English كيف تتحدث الانجليزية مع طفلك


Hi and welcome dear visitors. Today I came with some words and phrases that you can use as parents to speak with your children at home. These phrases can be like commands and words for attracting and teaching your child some useful tips. Of course, there are a lot of them, but I presented a little of so many expressions in order not to extend the time of recorded video and I hope to hear from you. Thanks in advance. If the video appealed to you, don't deprive me of your subscription yo my channel.


احبائى الاعزاء رواد مدونتى وقناتى المتواضعة اتيت اليكم بفيديو جديد اليوم يساعد كل ولى امر فى التحدث مع اطفاله بطلاقة من خلال حفظ واتقان مجموعة من الجمل التى اخترتها والا فهناك الالاف والكثير من هذه الجمل والتعبيرات شائعه الاستخدام لتمارسها مع ابنك وبنتك عزيزى ولى الامر ونطقها بشكل صحيح يعزز اللغة ونطقها عندك ولى الامر وكذلك اولادك. اتمنى ان يحز الفيديو على اعجابكم ولا تنسونا من دعوة خالصة بظاهر الغيب وان  اعجبكم الفيديو فلا تبخلوا علينا بالاشتراك فى القناة وعمل شير فى كل الجروبات لتعم الفائدة وجزاكم الله خيرا على وقتكم الثمين اللى بتقضوه معايا على
المدونة والقناة 

اراكم على خير فى مقالات وفيديوهات اخرى




Waiting for your comments
 اثبت وجودك وعبر عن رايك فاقتراحاتكم وارئكم مهمه لى حتى اواصل مجهودى فى تطوير
المدونة

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

The Best way or method to teach English


In this post I brought to my dear colleagues an essential PDF book 
To answer one of my followers and friends on Quora platform.I hope to find your answer here although there is no specific method of teaching but we make a collection of different methods and techniques to form a flexible and suitable method for all kinds of learners.



Or

Thursday, May 23, 2019

The Digital Classroom

The conversation surrounding the 'digital classroom' of the hereafter is consistently evolving as field
advances perpetually occur - seemingly at a faster place than ever before.

Yet, the way in which these subject developments are unsegregated into learning environments has wide-reaching consequences. To safeguard prospective efficient prosperity, the US has to assure that its curriculum helps students evolve the skills that they condition. If it doesn't, the US may asymptomatic acquire itself lagging behindhand opposite forward-thinking countries and their digitally-powered economies. Here, we treat two key themes that wait set to structure and ram digital instruction over the arrival assemblage.

Gamification

Gamification is, fundamentally, applying game-like principles to a system in rule to journey its interaction structure and request to those using it - a high-scoring association for spelling tests state an implausibly rudimentary lesson of this. Yet, with devices specified as mutual mortal boards, tablets and even realistic actuality becoming present in the room, there is currently no cap to how far gamification can be implemented.

The superpower of gamification is in its cognition to give circumstance and event to a student's apprehension and noesis. They don't see the information as an intangible "thing" held on a horny route somewhere, but as a substantive idea which can be relayed and utilized to enable occurrence. Sharing students such discourse gives them added possibleness to turn module and involvement rates.

Nevertheless, the most patent periodical with gamification is, like with most bailiwick advances, its penalise feat - if the spunky is too conception then the noesis becomes tributary to the job, yet if it isn't streamlined then the mettlesome can endure up too much dimension, or can demonstrate too dear in few areas of breeding. It's influential to cite that gamification is an improver to the schoolroom - solid teachers are necessary to locomote it as a thought and Maneuver snatch

The design interlock refers to the apace expanding structure in which fill hit applications and info, as recovered as pass with apiece else crosswise the internet on both a ain and organizational indicator. Initially close study much as smartphones and computers, the end few age has seen a origin in wearables, tablets, device systems and regularise cars with study features.

It is predicted that the interaction - or mesh - of these devices is set to transmute more and statesman unified as both the assets and the ability of these devices continues to expand. This is vital, as in moderne bailiwick there is a actual inflection on instant connectivity; an cognition to gain substance as hurried as necessary and wherever you so hap to asking it. Currently, peculiar environments such as schools and places of operate are at the top of the food string for the design interlock, but increasingly fill also poverty to hit their information from at bag or whilst on the run.

The tune of this web of engaged devices has a seek, when implemented correctly, to real move breeding and the way in which we hit education resources and related materials. A full coordinated ulterior faculty bed a student's win darken found and approachable crosswise all of their net enabled devices, allowing them to take in whichever way uncomparable mechanism for them and at nowadays where previously their business wouldn't be getatable. The instrumentality snap testament demand overcareful direction as it moves fresh to being a full realized Effectuation is the key

Gamification and the gimmick organize are meet two of the current ready of technology-based trends that are being adopted in educational environments, crossways the intelligence of the manufacture. But the field is exclusive half of the discuss: for it to be full successful, we also require to pass careful that technology's combat on learning is positive and measurable. It isn't sufficiency that fill are now taking bailiwick lessons in virtual realism - this must feature a factual issue on possession involvement and the locomote of this knowledge to skills in state. Moreover, there is immature convexity in being taught a soul finished hi-tech wearables only to be proved on it with a two- time unmistakable that not all study blessing module be instantaneous, or energy at all, so this displace in classroom civilisation module eff to be a willful and elaborate affect. But as longest as bailiwick is carefully implemented, deployed and monitored in a method that enhances the skillfulness of experienced teachers and curriculum, then the fascinating idea of the digital room can't be too far in the rising.

Sunday, June 24, 2018

How to Teach Language Arts to Elementary School Students



Undoubtedly, the English four skills including reading, writing, speaking, and listening, are very important ones for young school-age children to learn. In different ways they are the essence for students’ future success in most school subjects. Whether you are a public school teacher searching for extra teaching tips or a homeschooling parent, there are various techniques to put into your consideration while teaching language arts to an elementary school age group.




Part One of Four:


Teaching Reading Skills

1) Read aloud to students as much as possible.

              Reading aloud to students frequently will increase their skills in reading fluency and comprehension. It exposes them to vocabulary and helps them to interiorize language structures that they'll apply to their own reading. Reading aloud is additionally an excellent way to get students calmed down before a transition in lessons. select fascinating, age-appropriate books to read to students. Younger students (kindergarten-2nd grade) can get pleasure from stories with colorful photos. As students move through the elementary grades, you'll select longer chapter books that are centered around their interests. As students begin to develop reading fluency, encourage them to read aloud in class too.

2) Teach phonics and decoding.

                Letter-to-sound recognition is a crucial skill to learn for beginning and struggling readers. Accurate and fluent word recognition depends on phonics knowledge. The younger grades in particular (2nd grade and below) can benefit from regular reviews on phonics and practicing the sounds that each letter can make.Learning the rules of certain letter combinations in English (for instance “ea” usually sounds like long “ee”) is also highly beneficial for beginning readers, after the basic alphabet sounds are learned.By the end of 2nd grade, students should be able to decode almost any unfamiliar word in their texts so they can attend to uncovering the meaning of the word.

3) Teach target sight words.
                Sight words are the most commonly occurring words in children’s books by reading level. Words like “to,” “and,” and “it” occur in preschool level books, and move up to words like “never,” “better,” and “laugh” in 3rd grade level books. What is known as Dolch word list outlines the 220 most commonly occurring words in children’s literature.Teach sight words with pictures. Many learners think in pictures, and whether we realize it or not, we often visualize what we are learning to help solidify the information in our memories.Practice listening to, saying, and repeating the sight words. Have students listen to sight words while you show them the words on flash cards. Have them repeat the words after you.Review current sight words in books, music, and games. Exposing students to sight words as many times as possible and in many contexts will help them to really learn them.

4 ) Have books of interest available for independent reading.

                The best way to promote independent reading is to have a classroom library (or use the school library regularly) that has many books on varied topics. There are countless lists of popular, current, age-appropriate children’s literature available through schools, bookstores, and on the web.Offer time for silent reading in class for students to read a book of their choice. In the older grades (starting in 2nd or 3rd grade) incorporate a reading log with short written book reports for each book that they finish during the independent sessions.

5) Plan units that incorporate all aspects of the language arts together.
               
                 Reading, writing, speaking, and listening do not each exist in a vacuum within a thriving language arts classroom. Books are read together and talked about, and writing assignments are created based on the reading, and then writing assignments are read aloud and talked about. Plan units that incorporate all the skills and assignments that build off of each other.



Part Two of Four:

Executing Writing Lessons

1) Make daily time for writing.

                 It is recommended that students are allowed at least one hour for writing each day. This hour can be split up in other content area classes too (science and social studies), but much of the time will be in language arts class. Stress the importance of writing by giving students time every day to write.Time for writing can range from short journal prompts in the beginning of class, to time in class to work on longer assignments and projects.Time for writing can include free writing, or can be targeted for learning specific skills (handwriting, spelling, grammar). The most important part is that students are writing every day.

2) Create interesting, varied assignments.

                    Especially for longer assignments or projects, offer students choices for prompts. If the class is writing about a certain book, provide a number of prompts about different characters or plot points for them to choose from, or allow them to modify one of your prompts. Students will be more engaged with their writing and will want to produce good writing if they care about their topic.

3) Teach authentic spelling and grammar lessons.

                   One of the best ways to teach spelling and grammar is to use student writing as examples. After students turn in a piece of writing, make notes to yourself about the most common mistakes that you see. Create a lesson based on correcting this type of mistake, and use the student writing as the examples in your direct instruction (students should remain anonymous of course; you can type the incorrect sentences out on your own document, pulling from several students’ examples). Share the examples and correct the mistakes together on the board or projector, discussing why the mistakes are mistakes.

4) Share your own writing.

                   Modeling writing is a great way to increase student confidence in their own writing. You can draft shorter pieces of writing out loud in front of them, or write a longer piece similar to something they are working on and then share it with them. Students will enjoy hearing you share your writing and discussing it afterward.

5) Provide opportunity to give and receive feedback.

                     Students want to know about what others think of their writing. They need to know whether their writing is accurately and appropriately conveying its message. Teachers should provide oral and written feedback through comments and rubrics because this is an important part of the writing process for students. Students should also have the chance to peer review their classmates’ work. Creating a peer review sheet for students to fill out as they read a classmate’s work is a good way to keep them focused on what to look for during peer review sessions.[9]

Part Three of Four:

Using Accountable Talk in the Classroom
1) Be a guiding facilitator.

                            Speaking and listening is an important part of not only language arts classes, but also other content area classes. However, opening up discussions to be more than the typical call-and-response method (teacher asks a question, one student responds) is important to practice particularly in language arts class.The best advice on guiding facilitation is to ask open-ended questions to which the asker doesn’t necessarily know the answerStudents should be encouraged to talk to each other, to know that there is not one particular correct answer, and to use text-based evidence when making statements about literature.It should be made clear to students that the purpose of class discussions is not to find out that they have all the right answers, but to explore the themes and aspects of the literature together.

2) Ask the right questions.

                            As a guiding facilitator, your job is to present students not only with basic comprehension questions, but also with complex, higher-order thinking questions that get them involved in the text. This can be done even in the early grades after reading a book. Questions beginning with, “Why does the author believe that ___?” and “What have you encountered that makes you think about ___?” are some starter recommendations.Keep discussions going. Ask students to build on what someone else said, or prompt them by saying “Tell me more about that.”Ask students to consider different perspectives on their statements, convince the class they are right, make predictions about what could happen next in the story, compare how their thoughts are the same or different from others, and summarize what they’ve learned from the discussion.Avoid trick questions, sarcasm, questions with obvious answers, yes-or-no questions, asking multiple questions before allowing time for response, and inadequate wait time (3-5 seconds) before changing the question or asking it again.

3) Post rules for classroom discussion.

                            Younger students will need some guidance on respectful discussion. Have the class make the rules together, using examples like “Stay respectful,” “Listen to others’ opinions,” “Look at who is speaking,” and “Piggyback off others’ ideas.” Post the rules in a visible place in the room and remind students of the rules before starting a discussion.[12]

Part Four of Four:
Developing Classroom Community

1) Make lessons for different learning styles.

                         Children (as well as adults) learn in many different ways: there are visual learners (people who learn best seeing things written down or with pictures and diagrams), auditory learners (people who learn best by hearing people talk), and kinesthetic learners (people who learn best through movement and by doing a task). There are also people who have strengths in spatial concepts, music, and interpersonal skills.Find out where your students’ strengths lie by having them take a learning style inventory in the beginning of the year.Try to use as many possible models of teaching to cover all bases. Use visuals, lectures, activities, music, group projects, etc. to accommodate the various learning styles of your students.

2) Create a safe space.

                             Students need to feel safe physically and emotionally in order to learn. They need to know that you will not tolerate fighting, bullying, or any other disrespect of students. All student deserve equal chances to learn, and learning cannot be disrupted by negative energy. Model respect for your students, and teach them to show respect to one another.

3) Plan group activities and assignments.

                              Give students opportunities to work with one another on projects. Sometimes students will not want to work with other particular students. Encourage them to treat everyone with respect and let them know that it is good practice to work with students they may not get along with, because in the real world they will have to work with all different people. Try to bridge gaps and work out issues that students have with one another by helping them find common ground with each other.

Source: wikipedia with some extracts on my own.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

The Do’s and Don’ts for Teachers on Social Media Infographic

The Do's and Don'ts for Teachers on Social Media Infographic

   There are millions of teachers on social media right now. They discuss professional, personal, and cultural things on a daily basis. But what are the best ways to make the most of your time on social networks? The Do’s and Don’ts for Teachers on Social Media Infographic presents a few best practices to keep in mind as you embrace the brave new world of social media for teachers.

Best Uses of Social Media

Do the following:
  • Post updates and comments. If you’re in a public forum, keep it light and positive. If you can’t, keep quiet.
  • Connect with colleagues with whom you feel safe. Don’t connect with colleagues you’re unsure about. Being friends with everyone isn’t part of the job description.
  • Control your privacy settings. And keep up with the changes that Facebook makes to those privacy settings.
  • Take care when posting pictures of others. If you tag a colleague, just think how you’d feel if they did the same to you.
  • Disconnect from negativity. Unfriend or block those who continually blast you with negativity and trolling.
  • Show what you’re proud of. Done something great? Let people know.

Worst Uses of Social Media

Avoid the following:
  • Don’t follow your students on Facebook. Your intentions are innocent but there’s little to gain and much to lose.
  • Don’t comment on status updates of your students, even if its positive, because you’ll either be criticising of showing favouritism. You can’t win.
  • Think twice before you connect with parents on social media. In a small community it can be fine, but think twice before you do.
  • Don’t drink and tweet or post. Comments made after a bottle has been opened never look so wise or amusing in the morning.
  • Do not post party pictures off social media. if you lost dignity and it was photographed, don’t revisit the crime scene.
  • Please don’t share the beach photos of anything with a state of undress. Those bikini photographs may look fabulous but will just cause comment.
  • Don’t overpost. Don’t offer the world continuous updates on your activities.
  • Do not post during work hours. It just doesn’t look good. Not even if it was scheduled.


Monday, January 12, 2015

Skype Interview tips for ESL English teacher jobs


Before the job interview

Obviously it is wise to read up about the company and find out all you can about their schools, teaching methods, course material, requirements and any other details you can. Not only does it show initiative and that you are genuinely interested in job you are interviewing for but having a good understanding of the company allows you to make a more informed decision on whether that particular school is right for you. If you are planning on flying halfway across the world to teach somewhere for a year, you want to make sure it’s with a school you will enjoy being at.
Write down all the questions you want to ask before the interview and have them ready. The interviewer will be expecting you to have plenty to ask so make it as long as you want!

Getting ready for a Skype interview

Most interviews are done via Skype and are usually video calls so make sure you have tested your microphone and headphones, have a webcam ready and a fast internet connection. With Skype, you can set your profile picture too so make sure you have a professional one for the interview. Make sure you have added the schools Skype ID well ahead of time. Often there will be a time difference between the interviewer and candidate so make sure you have double-checked that you have the right time, www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ is a good site to use.
It’s definitely worth finding a quiet, well-lit place for the interview. Not long ago I interviewed someone who was in a noisy, outdoor internet café with his baby son on his lap and a beer in his hand. The baby was climbing all over him and I couldn’t hear half of what he was saying, not the best way to go after a new job.
Dress professionally, as you would for a face to face interview, so a shirt and tie for men and smart clothes for women.

Tips for during the interview

Most interviews with schools will last from 45 – 90 minutes and usually start with some small talk. The interview will usually be split into three sections, beginning with the interviewer asking you questions, then moving on to telling you about the job, school and city and finally answering any questions you have.
Generally the interviewer will be asking questions related to your previous teaching experience (or if you don’t have any yet, then about your TEFL course), your views on teaching, how you would teach specific language or grammar points, classroom management techniques, dealing with discipline issues (especially if you are interviewing for a young learner job), teaching materials you have made, lesson planning as well as questions not related to teaching such as how you work with a team and cultural sensitivity perhaps.
English First interviews are generally conducted by the Director of Studies (DoS) of the school that you are interviewing for and typically will be just one interview. Typical questions asked in a teaching interview are listed below.
Disney English will typically have one interview going into detail on the topics mentioned above but with an added emphasis on any previous drama, singing and performance experience. The interviewer will not necessarily be someone working in the school that you are interviewing for.

Questions asked in an English teacher job interview

Sample interview questions for recent TEFL course graduates

  • What did the course cover?
  • What did you find most interesting?
  • What did you find most challenging?
  • What was the most useful feedback you got from your tutor?
  • Did you make any of your own materials?
  • Which areas do you still need to improve on?

Sample interview questions for experienced teachers

  • Can you tell me more about your experience at (previous schools)?
  • What further training have you received? (workshops, seminars etc)
  • How do you deal with difficult students?
  • Are there any specific areas of your teaching you have been working on?
  • How do you motivate students?
  • What courses books have you used? Any preferences?
  • What is a good activity you have used recently?
  • What kind of feedback have you got from observed lessons?
  • Talk me through a lesson that went well
  • How would you teach the present perfect?
  • What are your goals for the future for your teaching?
  • How do you teach large group sizes?
  • Have you used interactive whiteboards before?
  • How do you feel about having an “English only” rule in the classrooms?
  • Language schools often use the ‘communicative approach’, what do you understand by that?
  • What are the main differences in the approach needed to teach young learners versus adults?
  • What are the main roles of a teacher?
  • What are the keys to effective learning?
  • What classroom management techniques do you use ensure your classes run smoothly?
  • What makes a good lesson plan?

Ideal qualities the school is looking for in a candidate

Don’t expect the interview to be overly formal, the school will be looking to get to know you and find out whether you would be a good fit at the school. Schools in China generally have a tight-knit teaching team and it is important that everyone gets along. The kind of qualities they will be looking for are, of course, a genuine enthusiasm and passion for the job and plenty of energy especially if the job is for teaching young learners.
Be clear about your reasons for wanting to live and teach abroad and make sure you can show that you will be able to cope with the challenges. Reliability and professionalism are important as is the ability to be flexible, open-minded and culturally aware. The school will have Chinese as well as Western management, Chinese teaching assistants as well as a teachers room with teachers from all over the world, so it’s vital that you understand that different people have different ways of doing things.

The chance for you to ask questions in the interview

The interview is, of course, a chance for you to ask all the questions that you have and to really find out if it’s the right school for you. These will be both teaching and non-teaching related questions. Don’t be afraid to ask about the contract, compensation package as well as general questions about the city and way of life. Some of the common questions, to ask in a teacher interview, are listed below:

Interview questions to ask about the job and school

  • What are the teaching resources like?
  • How many classes are taught per week?
  • How long are the classes and how many students in each class?
  • Are teaching assistants available?
  • What’s the technology like? Does your school have interactive white boards?
  • How much flexibility are teachers given on how they teach?
  • Are there any off-site classes or are they all taught in the school?

Interview questions to ask about the teachers accommodation

  • Is the accommodation provided?
  • Is it furnished?
  • Am I responsible for paying the bills?
  • Will I be sharing with another teacher? Do I have the option of getting my own housing?
  • How far is it from the school?

Interview questions to ask about the city

  • What is the population?
  • What is there to do in the city?
  • Are there sports facilities / gym / supermarket near the school?
  • What kind of entertainment is there?
  • What are my options for learning Chinese?
  • What is the cost of living like?
  • Are there any products not available that I should bring with me?
You might also want to ask about flight allowances, bonuses, appraisals, training, admin duties, promotion opportunities and the visa application process.
It is also often a good idea to ask for the email address or Skype ID of one or two current teachers at the school to ask them about the day to day life of a teacher there. Most schools will have no problem arranging for you to speak with them and it is an excellent way to get an insight into the work life.

After the job interview

After the interview, you can expect to hear from the school with a final result within 4 working days. The school may well be talking to a few other candidates but usually like to get a job offer out quickly to candidates they want to hire. A job offer will be sent via email and sometimes you will be given a deadline on when they expect an answer. Schools will usually send a sample contract along with the attachments (disciplinary procedure, accommodation policy, insurance policy etc) for you to have a read over however it is common in China for the teacher to not actually sign the contract until they arrive at the school and begin work. Sometimes schools will ask you to sign a “Letter of Intent” (LOI) which is in place of a contract and states that you have accepted the job and intend to teach at their school.
Once a job has been offered and accepted the school will begin the visa application process, which can take between three and five weeks. Once the visa is in your passport, the adventure begins and you can enter China where you will be met at the airport, taken to your apartment and then given a training and orientation course lasting around five days. To read some interviews with current teachers about their life inside and outside the classroom in China have a look at ourTalking To Teachers and Articles section.
So for the interview, remember to be well prepared and relaxed. It is a chance for you to really show why you are the right person for the job, let your personality shine through and ask plenty of questions. If all goes well you will have a handful of offers and be in the position to pick and choose the very best job. To take the first step, put in an application here.
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The source article is here http://goldstarteachers.com/interview-tips-for-esl-english-teacher-jobs/

Friday, January 9, 2015

What If Assessment Was Used to Elevate Learning Rather than to Rank Students?

Thanks a lot for Ron Berger as I personally admired his article and wanted to share with my dear readers to make use of it with our kids and learners. Finally, I hope you enjoy reading this article. See you later! Bye bye!Hany Al Gamasy ESL TeacherAl Shabab Language SchoolShubra Khit, Al Buhaira, Egypt.

Ron Berger
Just as good soccer coaches do, teachers must help their students gain a clear sense of — and high standards for — what they do well, what they need to work on, and how to improve. The most important assessment that takes place in any school is not the end-of-year test; it is the assessment that is going on all day long in the mind of every student. Each student is continually assessing his or her attitude, behavior, understanding, and work — “Is this piece good enough to turn in?” “Do I actually understand this concept?”
If we hope to improve student learning, we need to get inside student minds and turn up the dial for quality. Most importantly, we need to build into every student agrowth mindset — the confidence that he or she can improve through hard work — and a passion for becoming a better student and a better person.
In many schools, assessment practices provide little of this information and inspiration for students and their families. Assessment is typically seen as something “done to students,” not as a set of tools they can use for their growth. For those who are regularly ranked below average (almost half the students in any school), assessment practices often take the heart out of personal motivation. At Expeditionary Learning (EL), we focus on student-engaged assessment — a system of eight interrelated practices that positions students as leaders of their own learning.
Our book, Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment describes these eight practices in detail. I will briefly highlight two of them here: Student-Led Conferences, and Models, Critique and Descriptive Feedback.

Student-Led Conferences

When I was in school, parent conferences happened once a year, and only when I was in elementary school. My mother would go in after school to meet with my teacher. I have no idea what they talked about. When she came home there were two possible outcomes: either I was “doing fine,” which meant I was not in trouble; or “I was not doing fine,” which meant I was in trouble.
In contrast, for schools in the EL network, parents come to school multiple times each year, whether their child is in kindergarten or eleventh grade. Their child runs the conference, presenting to them a full picture of his or her learning, challenges, growth, and goals. The teacher is there to listen and comment, but the student is responsible for showing evidence of meeting academic learning targets in all subjects, strong and positive work habits and character habits, and growth as a scholar and person. Unlike the parent conferences of my youth — which did nothing to build my skills or insight — these student-led conferences build in students a powerful mix of responsibility, motivation, and metacognitive skills and understanding.
Watch a student-led conference with seventh-grader Gabriella and her father at Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School, a NYC district school in which 100% of the students are low-income, and 100% of graduates are accepted to college.
If you have a hard time imagining how young students could understand themselves well enough as learners to facilitate a conference effectively, watch kindergarten student Trinity share her work with her mother and father.

Models, Critique and Descriptive Feedback

What if, instead of being continually disappointed by the quality of work students turn in, we showed them exemplars? What if we analyzed that work with them to determine what the criteria should be for quality, to give students a clear vision of what they are aiming to create?
Eliza2
Often, we do share with students the rubrics of how they will be assessed. Rubrics can be useful tools, but absent a picture of what the final goal actually looks like, for many students they are just a bunch of words. Students need to see high-quality student essays, geometric proofs, experimental designs, book reviews, research papers — whatever the genre — so that they can understand and analyze what “good” is.
To see an example of how students can analyze quality work thoughtfully and build criteria for improvement, watch the Austin’s Butterfly video. If you would like to see what a classroom looks like where that same process of using models, critique and descriptive feedback produces extraordinary high-quality work, you can see thathere.
Assessment, when it is student-engaged, can be a more powerful, positive force than we imagine. It can give students the tools and motivation they need to truly be leaders of their own learning.
Ron Berger, Chief Academic Officer, Expeditionary Learning. 

The real article is here

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4796684816832861490#editor/target=post;postID=2298054145816737879

Sunday, June 8, 2014

How to Teach English Online: Everything You Need to Know

How to Teach English Online: Everything You Need to Know

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work from the comfort of your own home?

Although more and more ESL teachers are becoming less reluctant to use technology in the classroom, going completely online is a big step, one that most have never even considered. Some can’t even imagine what it would be like to teach a class and not have your students sitting in front of you. Still, teaching English online is a very attractive possibility for many these days, and it's a choice that is gaining popularity fast among ESL teachers and students, mostly because of the advantages.

Differences in American and British English grammar

We 'll speak in this article about many elements that represent in the following :


Introduction | 1. Verb agreement with collective nouns | 2. Use of delexical verbs have and take | 3. Use of auxiliaries and modals | 4. Use of prepositions | 5. Past tense forms | 6. Implications for teaching

Introduction

Speakers of American English generally use the present perfect tense (have/has + past participle) 
far less than speakers of British English. In spoken American English it is very common to use the simple past tense as an alternative in situations where the present perfect would usually have been used in British English. The two situations where this is especially likely are:
(i) In sentences which talk about an action in the past that has an effect in the present:
American English / British English

Tips for Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Have you ever wondered what it would take to start teaching English as a foreign language?
For native English speakers, there are often many opportunities for travelling overseas and teaching English language arts to students in another country. You may be wondering if you have to already know another language when teaching English to others, but some of the best English lessons are often the result of a teacher who only knows English and therefore forces the students to speak in English to communicate. This method of teaching where you force your students to only speak English is known as the direct method or the natural method of teaching a foreign language, and focuses heavily on correct pronunciation and gaining conversational skills.