...Channah Freeman Building a foundation for success is what every parent wants for their child. When parents are informed, they know how to be a better parent. I will inform you on one way to help your children be more successful in school Research shows that reading aloud to young children will increase school success in children because reading aloud to young children helps develop positive associations with reading and also by building a stronger cognitive foundation for school success in the brain. Parents of young children can learn how influential reading aloud can be on the educational future of their children. This will make it easier for accomplishing goals in reading and writing. Reading aloud to young children helps develop positive association with reading. Also, reading aloud builds a stronger cognitive foundation. First, reading aloud to children will increase school success in children because reading helps children develop positive associations with school. When positive associations with school are made, children will see that learning is fun. Positive interactions with book help children learn that reading is good. Reading to children is the one of the most important activities for positive reading success. It provides children with an example of phrased, fluent reading. It helps children see the reward of reading, and develops the listener's interest in books. Reading aloud to children will increase desire to be a reader themselves. The example of listening...
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...National Reading Strategy February 2008 All rights reserved. You may copy material from this publication for use in non-profit education programmes if you acknowledge the source. For use in publications, please get the written permission of the Department of Education. Department of Education Sol Plaatje House 123 Schoeman Street PRETORIA Private Bag X895 PRETORIA 0001 ISBN 177018-062-1 1 Acknowledgements The Department of Education (DoE) wishes to acknowledge the following individuals and organization who contributed in the development of National Reading Strategy: 2 Contents Page numbers 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2. Why improve reading? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3. The situation in South Africa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4. Specific challenges in implementing the National Reading Strategy . . . . . 8 i) Teacher competency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 ii) Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 iii) Teaching conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 iv) Print environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 v) Language issues ...
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...Tripoli University English language department (Post graduate) Language Testing Testing Reading Comprehension Prepared by : Ahlam Alghrarri Supervised by : Dr. S. Balhoug Spring 2012 1.1 Introduction Reading is one of the major skills involved in language learning, usually conceived of a solitary activity in which the reader interacts with the text in isolation, and is a most important activity in any language class, not only as source of information and pleasurable activity, but also as a means of consolidating and extending one`s knowledge of the language; such reading presented to the student is designed primarily to strengthen one`s control of the oral /aural skills. Readings are generally based on the grammatical structures and lexical items, and content of the material is regarded as acquiring culture by comprehending the content of the text. Reading comprehension is the process of deriving meaning from a connected text. It involves word knowledge (vocabulary) as well as thinking and reasoning. Therefore, comprehension is not a passive process, but an active one. The reader actively engages with the text to construct meaning. This active engagement includes making use of prior knowledge. It involves drawing inferences from the words and expressions that a writer uses to communicate information, ideas and viewpoints, which can be done by testing the reader his comprehension that is what this paper will discuss. 1.2 What...
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...every generation. Even though being able to read and specifically being literate is necessary to success in today’s society, many students have negative attitudes in regards to reading. In addition to their negative attitude, today’s student also has a plethora of other activities available for them to do rather than pick up a good book. As we continue to grow as a society in our educational and work endeavors, students now more than ever, need to change their attitude in regards to reading. This paper outlines the trends and attitudes of fifteen ninth grade students in rural West Virginia. Why Attitudes? The word attitude can be defined in a number of different ways and everyone has an attitude towards most things in their life, including reading. Alexander and Filler (1976) proposed a definition for read-specific attitudes. Their definition stated that a reading attitude is a system of feelings related to reading which causes the learner to approach or avoid a reading situation (Alexander & Filler, 1976; Verhoeven & Snow, 2001). It is important to understand the attitudes students have towards reading for two major reasons. One, attitude can affect the level of reading ability that a student eventually achieves. One’s attitude can have an influence on the amount of practice a student puts into reading as well as the effort they put into their practice. The other factor is how one’s attitude can effect if they choose to read or not. Even students we are fluent readers...
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...shallow (low-level) processing and deep (high-level) processing. Deep processing involves semantic processing, which happens when we encode the meaning of a word and relate it to similar words. Shallow processing involves structural and phonemic recognition, the processing of sentence and word structure and their associated sounds. There are two elements that make up the process of reading comprehension: vocabulary knowledge and text comprehension. In order to understand a text the reader must be able to comprehend the vocabulary used in the piece of writing. If the individual words don’t make the sense then the overall story will not either. Children can draw on their prior knowledge of vocabulary, but they also need to continually be taught new words. The best vocabulary instruction occurs at the point of need. Parents and teachers should pre-teach new words that a child will encounter in a text or aid her in understanding unfamiliar words as she comes upon them in the writing. In addition to being able to understand each distinct word in a text, the child also has to be able to put them together to develop an overall conception of what it is trying to say. This is text comprehension. Text comprehension is much more complex and varied that vocabulary knowledge. Readers use many different text comprehension strategies to develop reading comprehension. These include monitoring for understanding, answering and generating questions, summarizing and being aware of and using a text’s...
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...Writing to Convince Argumentative and Persuasive Essays Sometimes we write to defend an opinion, to argue against somebody’s point of view, or to convince readers why and how we think a certain problem should be settled. The argument we develop should be a logical, properly thought-out presentation of ideas that makes a claim about an issue and supports that claim with evidence. Within this general frame, our argument consists of four basic components: (1) an issue, (2) a claim, (3) support, and (4) a recognition and refutation of the opposing view. A. The Issue. An argument is concerned with an issue – a case (like war, smoking, cloning, etc.) on which people hold opposite or different opinions. To build a convincing argument about an issue, it is essential that we be aware of the audience we are addressing: • Agreeing audience: When you write to people who already agree with your claim, the focus is usually to urge them to take a specific action and build emotional ties with them. • Neutral audience: In writing to a neutral audience, try to emphasize the importance of the issue and offer explanations that clear up your readers’ questions or misunderstandings about, or lack of interest in it. • Disagreeing audience: The most challenging audience combines people whose viewpoints contrast with yours; they may be hostile to your claim and have strong feelings about the issue. In writing to a disagreeing audience, your goal is to convince readers to consider...
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...shallow (low-level) processing and deep (high-level) processing. Deep processing involves semantic processing, which happens when we encode the meaning of a word and relate it to similar words. Shallow processing involves structural and phonemic recognition, the processing of sentence and word structure and their associated sounds. There are two elements that make up the process of reading comprehension: vocabulary knowledge and text comprehension. In order to understand a text the reader must be able to comprehend the vocabulary used in the piece of writing. If the individual words don’t make the sense then the overall story will not either. Children can draw on their prior knowledge of vocabulary, but they also need to continually be taught new words. The best vocabulary instruction occurs at the point of need. Parents and teachers should pre-teach new words that a child will encounter in a text or aid her in understanding unfamiliar words as she comes upon them in the writing. In addition to being able to understand each distinct word in a text, the child also has to be able to put them together to develop an overall conception of what it is trying to say. This is text comprehension. Text comprehension is much more complex and varied that vocabulary knowledge. Readers use many different text comprehension strategies to develop reading comprehension. These include monitoring for understanding, answering and generating questions, summarizing and being aware of and using a text’s...
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...Strategies Tyrone D. Ward COLL100 American Public University Linda Eckert Reading Comprehension and Strategies "Why can't Jonny Read"? This question was asked or resurrected back in the back in the1980s. A gentleman by the name of Rudolf Flesh did a comprehensive and in debt study on this issue. Mr. Flesh realized that the United States had a very high illiteracy rate and major reading problem and how television had a major effect on an individual’s reading ability. He surmised that, television instilled learning of memorization by word association. Remember Sesame Street. His answer the issue was phonic or phonetics, with the understanding that comprehension would come later. Remember Hooked on Phonics. In America today, most children are beginning or trying to talk around the age of two years. This is a time when language skills are just starting to develop. Even though it usually too early of an age to expect a child to read, there is no reason why the parent cannot start the reading process by reading aloud to them. Instilling reading into a child’s life can prove to be one of the most valuable skills that they will ever learn. (http://www.mannmuseum.com n.d) William and Johnson conducted an experiment to test a hypothesis or theory as to whether perceptual skills training will enhance reading performance of adolescence in school age children. As a basis for their study these adolescence where placed into three experimental groups of different categories. ...
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...Cathcart 1 Ciera Cathcart Period 0 Mrs.Allan Honors English 28 April 2014 The Hidden Outlier Truth Lies, fairness and kindness is the reality of all americans no matter what color, race, or who you are. Nobody wants to be singled out ever.The treatment of women has always been a hard subject in society and many subjects of novels. Walker dramatically shows realistic imagery, as she reels the reader in by conditions black women put up with and what life can be like when you are abused. In The Color Purple ,by Alice Walker, tackles the subject of sexism in communties. The first amendment does issue the fact that women's rights should be their and that everyone has the freedom, and that we all have quality The Color Purple written by Alice Walker should not be banned, through various arguments. Some including that it is an honest depiction of African-American life in the early 20th century, it addresses child abuse issues, rape, that still need to be addressed in our society, and because the freedom of speech is a constitutional right. The Color Purple was banned due to explicit language, sexual content, and racist stereotypes. Although, you would think the banning of the book is very difficult or hard but it is actually simple. There are two different ways to get a book removed, either banning or challenging. Banning a book is the removal no matter what. A Challenged book is when its an attempt to remove...
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..."Why can't Jonny Read"? This question was asked or resurrected back in the back in the1980s. A gentleman by the name of Rudolf Flesh did a comprehensive and in debt study on this issue. Mr. Flesh realized that the United States had a very high illiteracy rate and major reading problem and how television had a major effect on an individual’s reading ability. He surmised that, television instilled learning of memorization by word association. Remember Sesame Street. His answer the issue was phonic or phonetics, with the understanding that comprehension would come later. Remember Hooked on Phonics. In America today, most children are beginning or trying to talk around the age of two years. This is a time when language skills are just starting to develop. Even though it usually too early of an age to expect a child to read, there is no reason why the parent cannot start the reading process by reading aloud to them. Instilling reading into a child’s life can prove to be one of the most valuable skills that they will ever learn. (http://www.mannmuseum.com n.d) William and Johnson conducted an experiment to test a hypothesis or theory as to whether perceptual skills training will enhance reading performance of adolescence in school age children. As a basis for their study these adolescence where placed into three experimental groups of different categories. They are as follows: 1st. Remedial reading instructions, 2nd Reading instructions with spatial skills training and 3rd untreated...
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...that interesting. I am just a woman, working hard to be someone that my late parents, my son, my husband and family can be proud of. I am a twenty five year old woman who has four very full-time jobs at this moment in my life. A mother to my eight year old son, a wife, an Elementary Education major, and a high-volume restaurant manager (when my time is not being occupied by the most important things in my life). If you have not already done the math in your head, like most people do when I tell them how old my son and I are; I was sixteen years old when I gave birth to him. I was never the girl that anyone expected that from, I did not even expect it would happen to me. I was always a model student and the perfect little girl. But it happened. I was determined to make sure that my son and I did not become “just another statistic.” I gave up most of my hobbies and put my dreams on hold as I focused on finishing high school and providing for my son. My parents were a huge help as I began my journey into single motherhood. They were my biggest motivators and supporters; they just wanted me to get at least my high school diploma. I did. I graduated six months early, actually. I was the first person in my family since my paternal grandmother to actually finish with a diploma and not a GED. When I was younger, before I had my son, I loved to read and write. I remember the first time I read a page out of a book to my mom. I was so proud of myself. I think it was more...
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...One of the main themes of Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov is the problem of evil. In this chapter Ivan makes the cases that God could not possibly exist given the suffering in the world. Well, not exactly but something along those lines, you’ll have to read it to see exactly what he says. This is a useful piece to read as it takes us beyond the intellectual discussion of the logical compatibility or incompatibility of certain claims and forces us to actually confront the suffering, feel it, and struggle with how hard it is to reconcile the suffering in the world with the existence of a loving God. Part II. Book V: Pro and Contra Chapter 4: Rebellion “I MUST make one confession” Ivan began. “I could never understand how one can love one’s neighbours. It’s just one’s neighbours, to my mind, that one can’t love, though one might love those at a distance. I once read somewhere of John the Merciful, a saint, that when a hungry, frozen beggar came to him, he took him into his bed, held him in his arms, and began breathing into his mouth, which was putrid and loathsome from some awful disease. I am convinced that he did that from ‘self-laceration,’ from the self-laceration of falsity, for the sake of the charity imposed by duty, as a penance laid on him. For anyone to love a man, he must be hidden, for as soon as he shows his face, love is gone.” “Father Zossima has talked of that more than once,” observed Alyosha; “he, too, said that the face of a man often hinders many people...
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...cognitive domains. Okebukola (2004) affirms that, through reading, humans have the tools to transmit knowledge to each succeeding generation; it allows one to listen to the wisdom and people of the ages. This is emphasized by many different religious traditions. The Apostle Paul admonished Timothy “study to show yourself approved unto God (11 timothy 2:15). Islam holds acquisition of knowledge (literacy, reading, etc.) in high esteem. The holy Qur’an reveals that the first communication (injunction) between Allah and Prophet Muhammad was knowledge-based, - Iqraa, meaning “read” or “recite” (Qur’an 96: 1-5). Douglas (2000) asserts that every child must become fully competent in reading to succeed in school and discharge responsibilities as a citizen of a democratic society. Reading is the foundation of much enjoyment in life and is closely related to vocational efficiency. Students and employees in every field must read to keep abreast of what is happening in their fields. They must rely on written or digital words to convey...
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...Young Learners Centre in Paris and how they use children's literature in their teaching of English * The role of stories and storytelling in language teaching * Selecting story books * Pupil responses * Personal and professional development of teachers * Other support materials * Books referred to in this article The role of stories and storytelling in language teaching Once upon a time and not so very long ago in the capital city of France, a teaching centre for little children and not so little children was opened. One little child and then two and then three and then many, many more came along. And so our story unfolds ….. There was a little red hen, a meerkat in trouble, a brown bear, a black elephant and a white elephant, a very hungry caterpillar, Spot the dog, a clever tortoise, a big, roaring, yellow, whiskery lion, a kangaroo from Woolloomooloo and many more. These are just some of the colourful characters from children's literature who have helped children aged 5 - 10 attending holiday classes at the British Council's Young Learners Centre in Paris learn English. These weekly courses take place each afternoon for two hours. The educational value of using stories and the technique of storytelling has always been undisputed throughout the world. Now more and more English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers of young learners are using carefully selected stories from the world of children's literature because they have become more familiar with an...
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...families. In America, many parents work long hours in which it becomes challenging for them to cook home- meals and eat together with their children. Therefore, many families resort to ordering takeout food. For many American families, it is hard to schedule family dinners for reasons that might be because sometimes parents work overtime, or children have some social activities. However, if members of a family put effort to gather for dinner, studies have shown its possible positive effects for family members. Many family meals give a family a chance to talk about happenings of the day, laugh, make family decisions, and enjoy the food in a tide in manner. Moreover, family dinners can help family members to learn about each other and build better interpersonal relationships. Regular family meals with family have been shown to lower a high-risk teenage behavior, such as sexual activity, drinking alcohol, smoking, marijuana use, eating disorders, violence, and school problems. In addition, family dinners have shown to decrease the risk of child obesity, improve a child’s social skills, and reduce behavioral issues in children. Although family dinners can be time consuming, inconvenient, and stressful, the American families should learn to implement at least three family dinners a week. Present-day people live hastened and busy lifestyles. Like bees, they “buzzing” on coffee accomplishing work as soon as possible. In that case, most parents work long hours that lead...
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