LESSON PREPARATION
First review the last lesson:
1. What children need more attention? What learning items need repetition, reinforcement?
2. Then think of the lesson itself:
Ideas?
Write out the order of the LESSON items.
Make sure there are moments of concentration followed by moments of relaxations.
REPERTOIRE:
5 COUNTING-OUT RHYMES stress the beat as index-finger moves from one participant to the next participant. NB Beat is not the same as rhythm (see further down).
Tinker, tailer, soldier, sailor; Rich man, poor man, beggar-man, THIEF!
Acker, Backer, Soda Cracker, Acker, Backer BOO; Acker Backer, Soda Cracker, OUT goes YOU!
Jeremiah blow the fire 'Puff, Puff, Puff'. First you blow it gently, then you blow it ROUGH!
One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes, FOUR;Five potatoes, six potatoes, seven potatoes MORE;
So OUT you must go, because the Kind and Queen say SO!
5 PROVERBS
When in Rome do as the Roman do.
A stitch in time saves nine.
The early bird catches the worm.
Barking dogs don't bite.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
Intonation and sentence stress
DO you want to come here tomorrow?
Do YOU want to come here tomorrow?
Do you WANT to come here tomorrow?
Do you want to COME here tomorrow?
Do you want to come HERE tomorrow?
Do you want to come here TOMORROW?
TWO GROUPS: A DIFFERENT STORY IS TOLD TO EACH GROUP - ALL GROUP MEMBERS RETELL THEIR STORY TO ONE PARTNER FROM OTHER GROUP
STORY ONE
As Nasruddin emerged form the mosque after prayers, a beggar sitting on the street solicited alms.
The following conversation followed:
- Are you extravagant? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes Nasruddin. replied the beggar.
- Do you like sitting around drinking coffee and smoking? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes. replied the beggar.
- I suppose you like to go to the baths everyday? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes. replied the beggar.
- ...And maybe amuse yourself, even, by drinking with friends? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes I like all those things. replied the beggar.
- Tut, Tut, said Nasruddin, and gave him a gold piece.
A few yards further on. another beggar who had overheard the conversation begged for alms also.
- Are you extravagant? asked Nasruddin.
- No, Nasruddin replied second beggar.
- Do you like sitting around drinking coffee and smoking? asked Nasruddin.
- No. replied second beggar.
- I suppose you like to go to the baths everyday? asked Nasruddin.
- No. replied second beggar.
- ...And maybe amuse yourself, even, by drinking with friends? asked Nasruddin.
- No, I want to only live meagerly and to pray. replied second beggar.
Whereupon the Nasruddin gave him a small copper coin.
- But why, wailed second beggar, do you give me, an economical and pious man, a penny, when you give that extravagant fellow a sovereign?
- Ah my friend, replied Nasruddin, his needs are greater than yours.
STORY TWO
There was a poor family living in Ireland during the times of the potato famine.
An old man and his wife, who was blind. Their daughter and her husband, who had been waiting for a baby that wouldn't come.
Potatoes was practically all they had tp eat. The young man always went to get some potatoes from the garden every day.
One day, when he came out into the garden there was a strange smell in the air.
- Oh, my God, I hope our potatoes haven't gone bas as well.
When he saw the potatoes they had all gone black and squelchy, stank to high heaven.
In the moment of his despair he herd a little voice behind him. It was one of the 'little people' (a leprechaun).
- What's the matter?
- Look at the potatoes! They've all gone bad. We have nothing to eat!
- Yes, I can see that. But I can give you a wish.
- Only one wish?
- Yes, only one wish this time, I'm afraid.
- Can I first discuss it with my family?
- Of course! I'll be here at the same time tomorrow.
And ffft off he was!
His mother-in-law said:
-Wiah for my eyesight. I want to be able to see again.
His wife said:
-No, don't do that. Wish for our baby!
But the old man said:
- No we must think. We need gold. To buy food with.
The following morning the leprechaun was already there waiting for him.
-Well, have you made up your mind?
- Yes, we have. Only one wish?
- Only one. As I said yesterday.
- Well it is this: My mother-in-law would like to see my wife's baby in a golden cradle!
C. FIRST WRITING BOOK
During the first few months in Class 4 the children copy their 'favourite' verses, rhymes, songs, stories, conversational exchanges, speech exercises, language learning games, circle games, finger plays, the repetitive parts of stories into their 'First Writing Book'.
1. For 15 minutes in every one of their three (!) weekly lessons the children copy WHOLE TEXTS, off the blackboard (whiteboard, flipchart etc.).
2. We don't write single words during this time.
3. We write only texts they know "by heart", have "in their ear"!
4. During this time children will recognize the verses and with a bit of luck will be able to "read", recite or sing them.
5. When the first children have written for two or three weeks we start helping them to "NOTICE" REGULAR SPELLINGS that are "always" pronounced the same way, for example: A, E, O, I, U in short one-syllable words!
6. The word-shape CONSONANT-SHORT VOWEL-CONSONANT can be written more or less as children hear it:
For example: bet, bit, hot
the cat sat on the mat
This is my chin, my chin, my chin
tick tock, the clock
In the word-shape CONSONANT-SHORT VOWEL-CONSONANT the English A (æ) and U (ʌ) may cause confusion.
We try to get the children to discover those two typically English sounds and their spellings as quickly as possible:
rat-tat-tat
Jack
let's get the fishing-net
puff, puff, puff
how much are those buns?
7. SPELLING PRACTICE FOR SHORT VOWELS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 1)
To strengthen the first two steps the children write from hearing.
First begin with words ending in VOICELESS CONSONANTS so as to keep really short vowels:
the cat sat on the mat
let the net get wet
he hit it and it bit
it has not got a lot of dots
cut the nuts into a cup
We could also use the following:
Betty Botter bought a bit of butter
But, she said, the butter’s bitter,
If I put it in my batter,
It will make my batter bitter,
But a bit of better butter,
That would make my batter better.
If the children get the hang of this they will enjoy these "dictations" - many children will get everything right simply by listening and writing accurately! You or some of the pupils can make many more of these "listening exercises" yourselves!
8. DOUBLING OF CONSONANTS AFTER SHORT VOWELS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 2)
Rule: When the short vowels come in words of more than one syllable the consonants need doubling:
For example:
bat - battER
bet - bettER
bit - bittER
but - buttER
bed - beddING
bud - buddING
hap - happY
pig - piggY
sop - soppY
sob - sobbED
9. NOT DOUBLING THE CONSONANTS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 3):
LONG VOWELS come if we do not double the consonants in words of more than one syllable:
patter...later
better...Peter
bitter...biting
Bonnie.. phoning
funny...fuming
10. The LONG VOWEL SOUNDS come when a SILENT E follows the RULE-1 words (later this will be SPELLING RULE 4):
Put the following words side by side by side:
mat... mate
sit ... site
not ...note
fun ...fume (F-YOU-M)
and we "discover" the "rule" that long A, I, O, U appear when a SILENT "E" comes after the short words!
11. The second exercise has words ending in VOICED CONSONANTS which LENGTHEN the short vowel (later this will be SPELLING RULE 5):
the bad lad had bag
she fed the hen in bed
it hid the fig in the bin
the mob nod to the dog and the hog
the cub dug in the mud
12. Also LONG VOWELS become SHORTENED before UNVOICED CONSONANTS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 6)
made mate
feed feet
bide bite
road rote
code coat
hood foot
good put
booed boot
B. WRITING EXERCISES
WRITING EXERCISE ONE
1. The King's Fool was an extremely wise and clever man.
2. One day he met the King, who seemed depressed about something.
3. ‘I can cheer you up, ‘ said the Fool. ‘Did you know that I'm the best liar in the world?’
4. The King said he didn't believe it and added: ‘I'll give you a hundred silver shillings if you tell me a really big lie.’
5. ‘All right, then,’ said the Fool, ‘I'll tell you a really great lie then.’
6. ‘One evening your father and mine were playing cards with a group of friends - this was twelve years ago.
’
7. ‘Your father ran out of money and my father lent him a hundred silver shillings.’
8. ‘The sad thing is he never got his money back.’
9. ‘You liar!’ That's a bloody great lie,’ shouted the King.
10. Why was the King now forced to pay his Fool a hundred silver shillings?
WRITING EXERCISE TWO
Everyone in the class gets a sheet of paper and writes a 7-word question for their desk partner who then writes a corresponding answer and gives back the sheet. The partners then write a follow-on question in 6 words, return the sheet and get an answer which is also in 6 words. This goes on with 5-word questions and answers, 3-word questions and so on. At the end everyone reads out the sheet in front of them.
WRITING EXERCISE THREE
THE CLASS IS DIVIDED INTO GROUPS AND EACH GROUP DICTATE SINGLE WORDS FROM A STORY ERYBODY KNOWS. EACH GROUP CHOOSES A "SECRETARY" WHO WRITES THESE WORDS IN COLUMNS ON THE BLACKBOARD.
(The children always know which story the word comes from. Each word is like a mosaic stone from a big picture!)
- READ THROUGH THESE WORDS. CROSS OUT ANY DOUBLES, TRIPLES. (This means the class are reading!)
- DO WE ALL AGREE WITH HOW THESE WORDS ARE SPELT? The question is not "right" or "wrong" but "Can we agree?" (Class reading again!)
- LET'S TAKE THE FIRST WORD. WHAT WAS THE WORD BEFORE IT; OR AFTER IT?
(Grammar in practice!)
- THE SAME FOR AS MANY WORDS ON THE BLACKBOARD.
- WHO CAN REMEMBER HOW EACH OF THE STORIES BEGAN?
- GRADUALLY RECONSTRUCT THE TWO STORIES.
- WRITE OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN REMEMBER.
(A writing exercise par excellence!)
- LEARN THEM BY HEART.(Some will do precisely that, others will remember the inner pictures)
- Recite and/or write out story by heart.
Monday, February 06, 2023
Sunday, January 22, 2023
Opening Lecture and Demonstration at Brno Waldorfska Škola Weekend Training Course 13-15 January 2023
The audience (55 attendees) sat in a large circle. The lecture was interpreted by M.J.
We started with an ear and voice exercise listening to and repeating the word BIRD in numerous European languages. This was followed by a short audience discussion between seat neighbours. Then we tried to speak simultaneously (as 6- or 7-year-olds still do) with the lecturer slowly counting one to twelve in English and reciting "Little Jack Horner". To get a taste of the German language this was also done with "Auf der Mauer auf der Lauer".
When the children are a little older they will be able to improvise shifting the stress from word to word as in the following sentence:
DO you want to come here tomorrow?
Do YOU want to come here tomorrow?
Do you WANT to come here tomorrow?
Do you want to COME here tomorrow?
Do you want to come HERE tomorrow?
Do you want to come here TOMORROW?
We have many Language Learning Games. To find out who takes part we use Counting-Out Rhymes. The audience practises one pointing to a different person each with each stressed syllable: Acker, Backer, Soda Cracker, Acker, Backer, Boo; Acker, Backer, Soda Cracker, out goes YOU. Another one would be Eeny, meeny, miny, mo; catch a tiger by is toe, eeny, meeny, niny, MO! Or a German equivalent: Ene, mene, miste; was rappelt in der Kiste? Ene, mene, meck Und du bis WEG!
Then we did a game called One, two. three: heads down! Three people were chosen to come to the front. They call out the command. Every body shuts their eyes (puts down their heads), the three in front creep up to someone and touch them on the head, shoulder or elbow. Then those touched stand up ("Stand up those three") and guess who touched them: "Did you touch my shoulder, Jenny?" to which Jenny answers "Yes, I did" (in which case they exchange places) or "No, I didn't."
In a so-called Conversational Exchange where everyone gets to say things in English the teacher asks "Who stole the cake from the baker's shop?" addressing one of the pupils, who says: "John stole the cake from the baker's shop!"
John replies: "Who me?"
"Yes, you!"
"Not me."
"Then who?"
Whereupon John accuses another pupil and so on till everybody has had a turn.
Next we talked about acquiring a larger vocabulary. Words are more than just a 'bunch of letters' with an equivalent in Czech. We stood in a large circle. With a large wooden cooking spoon words were mimed: a comb, a flute, a cello bow etc. The action, activity or use of the spoon showed what object it had 'turned into'!
This exercise was followed by a 3-minute audience discussion on what this exercise 'did'.
At some time, story telling begins. We hear a story built on a proverb ("Barking dogs don't bite").
In Class 4 we start writing. We first write songs, rhymes, dialogues, Simon Says commands etc.: all things the children have in their ear, know by heart and can 'hear inwardly' while they are copying the text off the blackboard.
Little Jack Horner
Sat in a corner
Eating his Christmas pie
He put in his thumb
An pulled out a plum
And said "What a good boy am I!"
The children get to write things down a quarter of an hour every lesson over a few months. Class 4 are very good at discovering 'rules' so they will notice similarities in spellings (Horner, corner; the U in thumb and plum as well as a second U (!) in put and pulled.
This was, in essence, the introdutory talk for the weekend seminar.
We started with an ear and voice exercise listening to and repeating the word BIRD in numerous European languages. This was followed by a short audience discussion between seat neighbours. Then we tried to speak simultaneously (as 6- or 7-year-olds still do) with the lecturer slowly counting one to twelve in English and reciting "Little Jack Horner". To get a taste of the German language this was also done with "Auf der Mauer auf der Lauer".
When the children are a little older they will be able to improvise shifting the stress from word to word as in the following sentence:
DO you want to come here tomorrow?
Do YOU want to come here tomorrow?
Do you WANT to come here tomorrow?
Do you want to COME here tomorrow?
Do you want to come HERE tomorrow?
Do you want to come here TOMORROW?
We have many Language Learning Games. To find out who takes part we use Counting-Out Rhymes. The audience practises one pointing to a different person each with each stressed syllable: Acker, Backer, Soda Cracker, Acker, Backer, Boo; Acker, Backer, Soda Cracker, out goes YOU. Another one would be Eeny, meeny, miny, mo; catch a tiger by is toe, eeny, meeny, niny, MO! Or a German equivalent: Ene, mene, miste; was rappelt in der Kiste? Ene, mene, meck Und du bis WEG!
Then we did a game called One, two. three: heads down! Three people were chosen to come to the front. They call out the command. Every body shuts their eyes (puts down their heads), the three in front creep up to someone and touch them on the head, shoulder or elbow. Then those touched stand up ("Stand up those three") and guess who touched them: "Did you touch my shoulder, Jenny?" to which Jenny answers "Yes, I did" (in which case they exchange places) or "No, I didn't."
In a so-called Conversational Exchange where everyone gets to say things in English the teacher asks "Who stole the cake from the baker's shop?" addressing one of the pupils, who says: "John stole the cake from the baker's shop!"
John replies: "Who me?"
"Yes, you!"
"Not me."
"Then who?"
Whereupon John accuses another pupil and so on till everybody has had a turn.
Next we talked about acquiring a larger vocabulary. Words are more than just a 'bunch of letters' with an equivalent in Czech. We stood in a large circle. With a large wooden cooking spoon words were mimed: a comb, a flute, a cello bow etc. The action, activity or use of the spoon showed what object it had 'turned into'!
This exercise was followed by a 3-minute audience discussion on what this exercise 'did'.
At some time, story telling begins. We hear a story built on a proverb ("Barking dogs don't bite").
In Class 4 we start writing. We first write songs, rhymes, dialogues, Simon Says commands etc.: all things the children have in their ear, know by heart and can 'hear inwardly' while they are copying the text off the blackboard.
Little Jack Horner
Sat in a corner
Eating his Christmas pie
He put in his thumb
An pulled out a plum
And said "What a good boy am I!"
The children get to write things down a quarter of an hour every lesson over a few months. Class 4 are very good at discovering 'rules' so they will notice similarities in spellings (Horner, corner; the U in thumb and plum as well as a second U (!) in put and pulled.
This was, in essence, the introdutory talk for the weekend seminar.
Saturday, January 21, 2023
Closing Lecture Brno Waldorfska Škola Teachers Training Course 13 - 15.1.2023
(translated by M., who is a part-time teacher at Brno WS for IT)
Most of you here have come for a general introduction to Waldorf Education. The focus this weekend was on Eurythmy with Dana Holečková, Watercolour Painting with Roman Vančura and Foreign Language Teaching. I hope the examples of foreign language teaching methods helped give insights into Waldorf School teaching as a whole.
In the introductory lecture I mentioned that mdern research has shown (but we all feel it) that children are inherently creative, eager learners, healthily curious and learn best without pressure. For most children (and indeed grown-ups, too!) pressure starts when we correct children too often, when we criticize them, when we contradict them, when we say "you are wrong!" en we talk sarcastically (class-four child is late, teacher says "you are early today!"); or when we laugh at them!
I also mentioned children very much need moments of success. This means we teachers must avoid children feeling lost, not able to understand what we are saying. We avoid saying and explaining things but try to help children experience things,
[3-MINUTE EXCHANGE WITH NEIGHBOUR: some best and worst moments in my own schooldays]
[some participants share some rally attrocious experiences of feeling stupid, not-understood, lost and giving up]
Children need to be able to trust their teachers. In the higher classes there's no better way to make them lose trust than to say things like:
- when I was your age ...
- you're not doing this for me ...
- you could've used the break to go to the toilet ...
- I would've expected more from you ...
- everything we've done will come up in the next test ...
- you don't need to play the clown ...
etc.
A teacher needs to be 'de-professionalized', she needs to stimulate and provoke, not just pass on information; a teacher needs to engage the children not teach AT them.
Of course we should know how our pupils are progressing but diagnostic tests should not ne the dominant culture. We facilitate learning, support the learning process. We avoid obstructing it. Otherwise children will lose their creativity, and their interest; and submerge in a culture of compliance.
I said we have four radically different kinds of pupils:
(classes 1-3, classes 4-6, classes 7-9, classes 10-12).
The youngest trust their world to be 'good',
the 10-to-12-year-olds that their world is 'beautiful' (aesthetic);
in puberty, when their world starts to appear as 'logical' the first doubts appear but that's 'thinking' (contradictions, arguing, asking difficult questions starts) and we must never feel offended but take it with a lot of humour and inwardly applaud these first manifestations of thinking!
In 10-12 we try to 'throw the youngsters back on their own resources', allowing them, giving them the freedom to discover things for themselves, to think things out for themselves, alone or in discussion.
Our reactions, our way of teaching, our methods as well as the background content of our curriculum as well as the actual lesson topics all combined may well be the chief determinants of whether our older pupils develop into 'idealists' or 'cynics'. Classes 7-9 are the age in which we must never be dogmatic or try to pass on our private judgements. Youngsters at this age are extremely impressionable as well as critical but they still have to develop their independence.
At this age the youngsters have questions like: Do hospitals only care for the good of the patients or are there financial interests? How free are journalists really to write what they think and see? Is scientific research really free from commercial interests? Do the politicians in the parliaments debating new laws really think about what is best for society? Etc. etc. At the same time these teenagers are often aware of the fact that they might be getting too absorbed by their cell-phones and computers and need to learn how to make really good use of internet media.
And we as parents and teachers ask ourselves: Do government departments and politicians responsible for education really consider what is necessary for the healthy development of the younger generations or are there business-interests here too?
This question was already there in 1919 when the first Waldorf School was founded. And this is why Rudolf Steiner spent a lot of time calling for freedom from state and other interests in the realm of education, the arts, the sciences, medicine etc. Many of his lectures at this time shortly after the end of WWI, the 'peace' negotiations of Versailles and Trianon were about what he called the Social Three- fold Order and Cultural Spiritual Freedom (Freies Geistesleben) was at the centre of the Threefold Order, and the founding of the Waldorf School an essential part of 'Freies Geistesleben'!
One of the central attitudes behind Waldorf Education was prompted by questions such as "Do children choose their parents". Thinking about such questions, living with such questions influence the way we bring up children in a positive manner. Other questions are: Does science explain everything in our lives? Aren't we all in a process of development pur whole lives?
I'd like to finish with a quote from Shakespeare (Hamlet to Horatio): "There is more in heaven and earth, Horatio, than is dreamt of in your philosophy!" philosophy here including what today we call 'science'.
Most of you here have come for a general introduction to Waldorf Education. The focus this weekend was on Eurythmy with Dana Holečková, Watercolour Painting with Roman Vančura and Foreign Language Teaching. I hope the examples of foreign language teaching methods helped give insights into Waldorf School teaching as a whole.
In the introductory lecture I mentioned that mdern research has shown (but we all feel it) that children are inherently creative, eager learners, healthily curious and learn best without pressure. For most children (and indeed grown-ups, too!) pressure starts when we correct children too often, when we criticize them, when we contradict them, when we say "you are wrong!" en we talk sarcastically (class-four child is late, teacher says "you are early today!"); or when we laugh at them!
I also mentioned children very much need moments of success. This means we teachers must avoid children feeling lost, not able to understand what we are saying. We avoid saying and explaining things but try to help children experience things,
[3-MINUTE EXCHANGE WITH NEIGHBOUR: some best and worst moments in my own schooldays]
[some participants share some rally attrocious experiences of feeling stupid, not-understood, lost and giving up]
Children need to be able to trust their teachers. In the higher classes there's no better way to make them lose trust than to say things like:
- when I was your age ...
- you're not doing this for me ...
- you could've used the break to go to the toilet ...
- I would've expected more from you ...
- everything we've done will come up in the next test ...
- you don't need to play the clown ...
etc.
A teacher needs to be 'de-professionalized', she needs to stimulate and provoke, not just pass on information; a teacher needs to engage the children not teach AT them.
Of course we should know how our pupils are progressing but diagnostic tests should not ne the dominant culture. We facilitate learning, support the learning process. We avoid obstructing it. Otherwise children will lose their creativity, and their interest; and submerge in a culture of compliance.
I said we have four radically different kinds of pupils:
(classes 1-3, classes 4-6, classes 7-9, classes 10-12).
The youngest trust their world to be 'good',
the 10-to-12-year-olds that their world is 'beautiful' (aesthetic);
in puberty, when their world starts to appear as 'logical' the first doubts appear but that's 'thinking' (contradictions, arguing, asking difficult questions starts) and we must never feel offended but take it with a lot of humour and inwardly applaud these first manifestations of thinking!
In 10-12 we try to 'throw the youngsters back on their own resources', allowing them, giving them the freedom to discover things for themselves, to think things out for themselves, alone or in discussion.
Our reactions, our way of teaching, our methods as well as the background content of our curriculum as well as the actual lesson topics all combined may well be the chief determinants of whether our older pupils develop into 'idealists' or 'cynics'. Classes 7-9 are the age in which we must never be dogmatic or try to pass on our private judgements. Youngsters at this age are extremely impressionable as well as critical but they still have to develop their independence.
At this age the youngsters have questions like: Do hospitals only care for the good of the patients or are there financial interests? How free are journalists really to write what they think and see? Is scientific research really free from commercial interests? Do the politicians in the parliaments debating new laws really think about what is best for society? Etc. etc. At the same time these teenagers are often aware of the fact that they might be getting too absorbed by their cell-phones and computers and need to learn how to make really good use of internet media.
And we as parents and teachers ask ourselves: Do government departments and politicians responsible for education really consider what is necessary for the healthy development of the younger generations or are there business-interests here too?
This question was already there in 1919 when the first Waldorf School was founded. And this is why Rudolf Steiner spent a lot of time calling for freedom from state and other interests in the realm of education, the arts, the sciences, medicine etc. Many of his lectures at this time shortly after the end of WWI, the 'peace' negotiations of Versailles and Trianon were about what he called the Social Three- fold Order and Cultural Spiritual Freedom (Freies Geistesleben) was at the centre of the Threefold Order, and the founding of the Waldorf School an essential part of 'Freies Geistesleben'!
One of the central attitudes behind Waldorf Education was prompted by questions such as "Do children choose their parents". Thinking about such questions, living with such questions influence the way we bring up children in a positive manner. Other questions are: Does science explain everything in our lives? Aren't we all in a process of development pur whole lives?
I'd like to finish with a quote from Shakespeare (Hamlet to Horatio): "There is more in heaven and earth, Horatio, than is dreamt of in your philosophy!" philosophy here including what today we call 'science'.
Sunday, November 13, 2022
ENGLISH WEEK Monday 7 November - Friday 11 November 2022
A. WE START IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS AND ONLY AFTERWARDS LOOK AT WHAT WENT BEFORE
TWO GROUPS: A DIFFERENT STORY IS TOLD TO EACH GROUP - ALL GROUP MEMBERS RETELL THEIR STORY TO ONE PARTNER FROM OTHER GROUP
STORY ONE
As Nasruddin emerged form the mosque after prayers, a beggar sitting on the street solicited alms.
The following conversation followed:
- Are you extravagant? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes Nasruddin. replied the beggar.
- Do you like sitting around drinking coffee and smoking? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes. replied the beggar.
- I suppose you like to go to the baths everyday? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes. replied the beggar.
- ...And maybe amuse yourself, even, by drinking with friends? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes I like all those things. replied the beggar.
- Tut, Tut, said Nasruddin, and gave him a gold piece.
A few yards farther on. another beggar who had overheard the conversation begged for alms also.
- Are you extravagant? asked Nasruddin.
- No, Nasruddin replied second beggar.
- Do you like sitting around drinking coffee and smoking? asked Nasruddin.
- No. replied second beggar.
- I suppose you like to go to the baths everyday? asked Nasruddin.
- No. replied second beggar.
- ...And maybe amuse yourself, even, by drinking with friends? asked Nasruddin.
- No, I want to only live meagerly and to pray. replied second beggar.
Whereupon the Nasruddin gave him a small copper coin.
- But why, wailed second beggar, do you give me, an economical and pious man, a penny, when you give that extravagant fellow a sovereign? - Ah my friend, replied Nasruddin, his needs are greater than yours.
STORY TWO
There was a poor family living in Ireland during the times of the potato famine.
An old man and his wife, who was blind. Their daughter and her husband, who had been waiting for a baby that wouldn't come.
Potatoes was practically all they had tp eat. The young man always went to get some potatoes from the garden every day.
One day, when he came out into the garden there was a strange smell in the air.
- Oh, my God, I hope our potatoes haven't gone bas as well.
When he saw the potatoes they had all gone black and squelchy, stank to high heaven.
In the moment of his despair he herd a little voice behind him. It was one of the 'little people' (a leprechaun).
- What's the matter?
- Look at the potatoes! They've all gone bad. We have nothing to eat!
- Yes, I can see that. But I can give you a wish.
- Only one wish?
- Yes, only one wish this time, I'm afraid.
- Can I first discuss it with my family?
- Of course! I'll be here at the same time tomorrow.
And ffft off he was!
His mother-in-law said:
-Wiah for my eyesight. I want to be able to see again.
His wife said:
-No, don't do that. Wish for our baby!
But the old man said:
- No we must think. We need gold. To buy food with.
The following morning the leprechaun was already there waiting for him.
-Well, have you made up your mind?
- Yes, we have. Only one wish?
- Only one. As I said yesterday.
- Well it is this: My mother-in-law would like to see my wife's baby in a golden cradle!
B. WRITING EXERCISES
Writing Exercise 29. MEMBERS OF CLASS DICTATE SINGLE WORDS FROM THESE STORIES TO THREE OR FOUR VOLUNTEERS WHO WRITE THESE WORDS IN COLUMNS ON THE BLACKBOARD. (The children always know which story the word comes from. Each word is like a mosaic stone from a big picture!)
- READ THROUGH THESE WORDS. CROSS OUT ANY DOUBLES, TRIPLES. (This means the class are reading!)
- DO WE ALL AGREE WITH HOW THESE WORDS ARE SPELT? The question is not "right" or "wrong" but "Can we agree?" (Class reading again!)
- LET'S TAKE THE FIRST WORD. WHAT WAS THE WORD BEFORE IT; OR AFTER IT?
(Grammar in practice!) - THE SAME FOR AS MANY WORDS ON THE BLACKBOARD.
- WHO CAN REMEMBER HOW EACH OF THE STORIES BEGAN?
- GRADUALLY RECONSTRUCT THE TWO STORIES.
- WRITE OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN REMEMBER.
(A writing exercise par excellence!) - LEARN THEM BY HEART.(Some will do precisely that, others will remember the inner pictures)
- Recite and/or write out story by heart.
PRECEDING WRITING EXERCISES 1 - 28 (selection):
1. Write a very short sentence on the board - with words spaced out. Then children suggest a word at a time to make the sentence longer and longer.
2. Teacher prepares a very long sentence and writes it up on the board. Children suggest single words that can be crossed out.
3. Every child says what its favourite animal is – In a second round the children say about "their" animal what it IS LIKE (e.g. My donkey is fat). Then in a third round the children say what their fat donkey IS DOING right now (or what it ALWAYS DOES, every morning etc). Finally the sentence is written down (as well as any others they can remember from their classmates).
4. Write down a list of questions to ask a child in front of a class who 'is' some animal for a guessing game". (Have you got six legs?)
5. Teacher (or child who can) dictates a short text about herself. The class write down what is dictated but change those parts that are not right for them.
6. WRITE 'SIMPLE-SIMON'-TYPE COMMANDS ON SLIPS OF PAPER - FOLD AND PUT IN BASKET - ONE CHILD TAKES SLIP AND CARRIES OUT COMMAND - CLASS WRITES DOWN WHAT THEY THINK IT SAYS ON THE SLIP! - CHILDREN READ OUT THEIR 'THEORIES' UNTIL THE 'ACTOR' CAN SAY "THAT'S IT!" (N.B.This is reading what children hve written themselves!
7. Negative statements that are true (The sun never rises in the west; corks don't sink)
8. Positive statements that are true (Cats like chasing birds).
9. Sequencing a series of sentences written on a sheet of paper in the wrong order. (Gettinga wolf, a goat and a basket full of cabbage across a river, one item every time, wolf never alone with goat, goat never alone with cabbage).
10. How to boil an egg? Make a list of steps (Take a pan, put in some water etc).
11. Tell the same 7-sentence story 4 or 5 times (this can be done by different children like "stille Post") and make notes of the differences.
12. Tell the children a short anecdote or mini-story told in their first language; they then write it in English.
13. Sit in a circle and get the children to "tell" a story only using one, two, or three words. Afterwards everyone writes the story they heard.
14. Write out instructions on how to get from the classroom to the nearest bus-stop, for instance.
15. Write a question to your neighbour in 7 words on a sheet of paper. They then exchange sheets and answer the question in 7 words, handing back the sheet with the first question and answer. Next write a follow-on question in 6 words, then the same procedure as before. Till they get to a one-word question and a one-word answer.
17. Hang up a poster showing a landscape or a street scene and describe it. ("In the foreground …;to the left of the post-office there is butcher's shop, etc).
18. Draw a set of three pictures showing the same action:
- just before it happens using GOING TO (e.g. is going to comb her hair)
- while it IS HAPPENING (e.g. is combing her hair)
- just after it HAS HAPPENED (e.g. has combed her hair).
20. Write down as many questions as you can to which the answer is always "Four".
28. Children think of words of things in their bedrooms. Volunteers write these up on the blackboard.
C. FIRST WRITING BOOK
During the first few months in Class 4 the children copy their 'favourite' verses, rhymes, songs, stories, conversational exchanges, speech exercises, language learning games, circle games, finger plays, the repetitive parts of stories into their 'First Writing Book'.
1. For 15 minutes in every one of their three (!) weekly lessons the children copy WHOLE TEXTS, off the blackboard (whiteboard, flipchart etc.).
2. We don't write single words during this time.
3. We write only texts they know "by heart", have "in their ear"!
4. During this time children will recognize the verses and with a bit of luck will be able to "read", recite or sing them.
5. When the first children have written for two or three weeks we start helping them to "NOTICE" REGULAR SPELLINGS that are "always" pronounced the same way, for example: A, E, O, I, U in short one-syllable words!
6. The word-shape CONSONANT-SHORT VOWEL-CONSONANT can be written more or less as children hear it:
For example: bet, bit, hot
the cat sat on the mat
This is my chin, my chin, my chin
tick tock, the clock
In the word-shape CONSONANT-SHORT VOWEL-CONSONANT the English A (æ) and U (ʌ) may cause confusion.
We try to get the children to discover those two typically English sounds and their spellings as quickly as possible:
rat-tat-tat
Jack
let's get the fishing-net
puff, puff, puff
how much are those buns?
7. SPELLING PRACTICE FOR SHORT VOWELS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 1)
To strengthen the first two steps the children write from hearing.
First begin with words ending in VOICELESS CONSONANTS so as to keep really short vowels:
the cat sat on the mat
let the net get wet
he hit it and it bit
it has not got a lot of dots
cut the nuts into a cup
We could also use the following:
Betty Botter bought a bit of butter
But, she said, the butter’s bitter,
If I put it in my batter,
It will make my batter bitter,
But a bit of better butter,
That would make my batter better.
If the children get the hang of this they will enjoy these "dictations" - many children will get everything right simply by listening and writing accurately! You or some of the pupils can make many more of these "listening exercises" yourselves! 8. DOUBLING OF CONSONANTS AFTER SHORT VOWELS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 2)
Rule: When the short vowels come in words of more than one syllable the consonants need doubling:
For example:
bat - battER
bet - bettER
bit - bittER
but - buttER
bed - beddING
bud - buddING
hap - happY
pig - piggY
sop - soppY
sob - sobbED
9. NOT DOUBLING THE CONSONANTS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 3):
LONG VOWELS come if we do not double the consonants in words of more than one syllable:
patter...later
better...Peter
bitter...biting
Bonnie.. phoning
funny...fuming
10. The LONG VOWEL SOUNDS come when a SILENT E follows the RULE-1 words (later this will be SPELLING RULE 4):
Put the following words side by side by side:
mat... mate
sit ... site
not ...note
fun ...fume (F-YOU-M)
and we "discover" the "rule" that long A, I, O, U appear when a SILENT "E" comes after the short words!
11. The second exercise has words ending in VOICED CONSONANTS which LENGTHEN the short vowel (later this will be SPELLING RULE 5):
the bad lad had bag
she fed the hen in bed
it hid the fig in the bin
the mob nod to the dog and the hog
the cub dug in the mud
12. Also LONG VOWELS become SHORTENED before UNVOICED CONSONANTS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 6)
made mate
feed feet
bide bite
road rote
code coat
hood foot
good put
booed boot
D. READING PRACTICE
1. The teacher writes out a series of complex commands on the blackboard before the lesson begins and covers them with a flip-chart sheet. Then she shows one command at a time to a count of 6 or 7 and the children who have understood carry out the action.
2. Teacher writes a very long sentence on the board while children look on. Children are then asked to suggest a word that could be left out without changing the core meaning of the sentence. At some stage near the end more that one word will have to be eliminated in one go.
3. Read the following as clearly phrased for meaning as possible:
He drove to work after he had finished working in the garden.
You'll find the apples next to the oranges on the shelf over there.
Maggie must have been visiting her aunt in Springtown last weekend.
Could you pass me the mustard, please?
They have been considering buying a new car as soon as they have saved enough money.
By the time he receives this letter, I will have caught the train to Paris.
Following closely behind the herd was a group of filthy, disgusting vultures.
I'll make sure to give him a ring the next time I'm in town.
Not only are the exams required, but they are also absolutely imperative for your further education.
Hey, have you seen the new film with Bruce Willis? You know, the one where he's supposed to be a sensitive doctor.
4. Put the stress on a different word changes the mean each time:
Do you want to stay here?
DO you want to stay here?
Do YOU want to stay here?
Do you WANT to stay here?
Do you want to STAY here?
Do you want to stay HERE?
5. Now do the same for:
Can you come to lunch today?
Must he go now?
Is Mary going to wear that hat?
6. Long and short vowels, voiced and unvoiced consonants. Read carefully:
A bat sat in a cap in the back of the cab.
Ned had a hat on his head.
He said Nag was sad.
The mad cat sat on the mat.
Harry had a bat in this hut but not in his hat.
A match doesn’t give much light.
It’s fun to have a fan.
Can you carry the curry and put it in the pan?
I’ll bet you Sid hasn’t fed his pet.
Minnie’s pet has hidden itself in the hedge.
The wretch is very rich.
Ken hates making his bed.
Kate doesn’t want to get her head wet under the gate.
You will get your cape wet this way.
It’s Johnny’s job to chop the meat.
Georgie had a badge on his hat.
Fetch the cheese and jam. Jack’s jumped off the bridge, the chump.
The doctor chap gave me jab.
I saw a fairly lovely fairy in the valley.
Vicky, can you follow that fat fellow in the Rover this evening?
He dropped some food on his foot. As a rule you shouldn’t shoot a coot.
You could pull on some boots when the moon is full.
The cook has put a book by the pool.
E. RHYTHM - METER (METRE) - BEAT (NOT TO BE CONFUSED!)
The LENGTHS of the SYLLABLES vary from line to line. They constitute the RHYTHM or FLOW of the poem. The long syllables (which usually end in VOICED CONSONANTS) are in upper case:
Jack and JILL went up the HILL
(two long sylables)
To fetch a PAIL of water;
(one long syllable)
Jack FELL DOWN and broke his CROWN
(three long syllables)
And JILL CAME TUMbling after.
(three long syllables one after the other!)
The POETIC METER is basic structure of a line of poetry. The bold syllables are STRESSED causing a regular BEAT:
Jack and Jill went up the hill To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down and broke his crown And Jill came tumbling after
The pattern of STRESSED-UNSTRESSED is called FALLING RHYTHM,
The pattern of UNSTRESSED-STRESSED is called RISING RHYTHM.
F. GRAMMAR
These patterns (of STRESSED-UNSTRESSED/FALLING - and UNSTRESSED-STRESSED/RISING RHYTHM) play an important part in the way the English Language gives a subtle emphasis to certain verb forms, thereby also determining the GRAMMATICAL MEANING of a particular Tense!!Here are some examples, but I am fully aware there should be many more to make this good!
1. Infinitives (especially clear in infinitives with 'TO') are RISING RHYTHM which gives them emphasis (or prominence) unlike the ING-Forms, which are FALLING RHYTHM making them merge more into their surroundings. Compare:
I saw the cat COME down the stairs. (completely)
I saw the cat COMING down the stairs. (on the way down only)
2. George Best gets the ball, he drives it before him, passes it to Bobby Charlton who shoots. Goal!
These are all actions happening at the moment of speaking but they are all COMPLETED (ONE AFTER THE OTHER)!
3. Oxford IS ROWING beautifully. Cambridge is three lengths behind. It's a wonderful day. The sun IS SHINING. Thousands of people ARE WATCHING. Ah, now they'RE APPROACHING Hammersmith Bridge.
Here the actions described are on-going (and happening simultaneously)! 4. Yesterday I was playing the violin when the telephone rang. I put down the violin and went to answer the phone.
What was I doing? (I was playing the violin).
What did I do? (I put down the violin. I went to the phone to answer it).
The verb form in bold print give the verb emphasis and express completed actions.
5. I began TO LEARN my French words as soon as I got home.
(The Infinitive gives LEARN emphasis). I began LEARNING French when I was three.
(The ING-Form is merged to BEGAN giving BEGAN the emphasis).
6. Compare:
Do you like SAILING. Would you like TO SAIL.
In the first action is more on the level of the idea of it; in the second there's a real possibility of actually doing it!
7. Compare:
Do you remember SITTING on that park bench? Did you remember TO SIT on that park bench?
What's the difference?
TWO GROUPS: A DIFFERENT STORY IS TOLD TO EACH GROUP - ALL GROUP MEMBERS RETELL THEIR STORY TO ONE PARTNER FROM OTHER GROUP
STORY ONE
As Nasruddin emerged form the mosque after prayers, a beggar sitting on the street solicited alms.
The following conversation followed:
- Are you extravagant? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes Nasruddin. replied the beggar.
- Do you like sitting around drinking coffee and smoking? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes. replied the beggar.
- I suppose you like to go to the baths everyday? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes. replied the beggar.
- ...And maybe amuse yourself, even, by drinking with friends? asked Nasruddin.
- Yes I like all those things. replied the beggar.
- Tut, Tut, said Nasruddin, and gave him a gold piece.
A few yards farther on. another beggar who had overheard the conversation begged for alms also.
- Are you extravagant? asked Nasruddin.
- No, Nasruddin replied second beggar.
- Do you like sitting around drinking coffee and smoking? asked Nasruddin.
- No. replied second beggar.
- I suppose you like to go to the baths everyday? asked Nasruddin.
- No. replied second beggar.
- ...And maybe amuse yourself, even, by drinking with friends? asked Nasruddin.
- No, I want to only live meagerly and to pray. replied second beggar.
Whereupon the Nasruddin gave him a small copper coin.
- But why, wailed second beggar, do you give me, an economical and pious man, a penny, when you give that extravagant fellow a sovereign? - Ah my friend, replied Nasruddin, his needs are greater than yours.
STORY TWO
There was a poor family living in Ireland during the times of the potato famine.
An old man and his wife, who was blind. Their daughter and her husband, who had been waiting for a baby that wouldn't come.
Potatoes was practically all they had tp eat. The young man always went to get some potatoes from the garden every day.
One day, when he came out into the garden there was a strange smell in the air.
- Oh, my God, I hope our potatoes haven't gone bas as well.
When he saw the potatoes they had all gone black and squelchy, stank to high heaven.
In the moment of his despair he herd a little voice behind him. It was one of the 'little people' (a leprechaun).
- What's the matter?
- Look at the potatoes! They've all gone bad. We have nothing to eat!
- Yes, I can see that. But I can give you a wish.
- Only one wish?
- Yes, only one wish this time, I'm afraid.
- Can I first discuss it with my family?
- Of course! I'll be here at the same time tomorrow.
And ffft off he was!
His mother-in-law said:
-Wiah for my eyesight. I want to be able to see again.
His wife said:
-No, don't do that. Wish for our baby!
But the old man said:
- No we must think. We need gold. To buy food with.
The following morning the leprechaun was already there waiting for him.
-Well, have you made up your mind?
- Yes, we have. Only one wish?
- Only one. As I said yesterday.
- Well it is this: My mother-in-law would like to see my wife's baby in a golden cradle!
B. WRITING EXERCISES
Writing Exercise 29. MEMBERS OF CLASS DICTATE SINGLE WORDS FROM THESE STORIES TO THREE OR FOUR VOLUNTEERS WHO WRITE THESE WORDS IN COLUMNS ON THE BLACKBOARD. (The children always know which story the word comes from. Each word is like a mosaic stone from a big picture!)
- READ THROUGH THESE WORDS. CROSS OUT ANY DOUBLES, TRIPLES. (This means the class are reading!)
- DO WE ALL AGREE WITH HOW THESE WORDS ARE SPELT? The question is not "right" or "wrong" but "Can we agree?" (Class reading again!)
- LET'S TAKE THE FIRST WORD. WHAT WAS THE WORD BEFORE IT; OR AFTER IT?
(Grammar in practice!) - THE SAME FOR AS MANY WORDS ON THE BLACKBOARD.
- WHO CAN REMEMBER HOW EACH OF THE STORIES BEGAN?
- GRADUALLY RECONSTRUCT THE TWO STORIES.
- WRITE OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN REMEMBER.
(A writing exercise par excellence!) - LEARN THEM BY HEART.(Some will do precisely that, others will remember the inner pictures)
- Recite and/or write out story by heart.
PRECEDING WRITING EXERCISES 1 - 28 (selection):
1. Write a very short sentence on the board - with words spaced out. Then children suggest a word at a time to make the sentence longer and longer.
2. Teacher prepares a very long sentence and writes it up on the board. Children suggest single words that can be crossed out.
3. Every child says what its favourite animal is – In a second round the children say about "their" animal what it IS LIKE (e.g. My donkey is fat). Then in a third round the children say what their fat donkey IS DOING right now (or what it ALWAYS DOES, every morning etc). Finally the sentence is written down (as well as any others they can remember from their classmates).
4. Write down a list of questions to ask a child in front of a class who 'is' some animal for a guessing game". (Have you got six legs?)
5. Teacher (or child who can) dictates a short text about herself. The class write down what is dictated but change those parts that are not right for them.
6. WRITE 'SIMPLE-SIMON'-TYPE COMMANDS ON SLIPS OF PAPER - FOLD AND PUT IN BASKET - ONE CHILD TAKES SLIP AND CARRIES OUT COMMAND - CLASS WRITES DOWN WHAT THEY THINK IT SAYS ON THE SLIP! - CHILDREN READ OUT THEIR 'THEORIES' UNTIL THE 'ACTOR' CAN SAY "THAT'S IT!" (N.B.This is reading what children hve written themselves!
7. Negative statements that are true (The sun never rises in the west; corks don't sink)
8. Positive statements that are true (Cats like chasing birds).
9. Sequencing a series of sentences written on a sheet of paper in the wrong order. (Gettinga wolf, a goat and a basket full of cabbage across a river, one item every time, wolf never alone with goat, goat never alone with cabbage).
10. How to boil an egg? Make a list of steps (Take a pan, put in some water etc).
11. Tell the same 7-sentence story 4 or 5 times (this can be done by different children like "stille Post") and make notes of the differences.
12. Tell the children a short anecdote or mini-story told in their first language; they then write it in English.
13. Sit in a circle and get the children to "tell" a story only using one, two, or three words. Afterwards everyone writes the story they heard.
14. Write out instructions on how to get from the classroom to the nearest bus-stop, for instance.
15. Write a question to your neighbour in 7 words on a sheet of paper. They then exchange sheets and answer the question in 7 words, handing back the sheet with the first question and answer. Next write a follow-on question in 6 words, then the same procedure as before. Till they get to a one-word question and a one-word answer.
17. Hang up a poster showing a landscape or a street scene and describe it. ("In the foreground …;to the left of the post-office there is butcher's shop, etc).
18. Draw a set of three pictures showing the same action:
- just before it happens using GOING TO (e.g. is going to comb her hair)
- while it IS HAPPENING (e.g. is combing her hair)
- just after it HAS HAPPENED (e.g. has combed her hair).
20. Write down as many questions as you can to which the answer is always "Four".
28. Children think of words of things in their bedrooms. Volunteers write these up on the blackboard.
C. FIRST WRITING BOOK
During the first few months in Class 4 the children copy their 'favourite' verses, rhymes, songs, stories, conversational exchanges, speech exercises, language learning games, circle games, finger plays, the repetitive parts of stories into their 'First Writing Book'.
1. For 15 minutes in every one of their three (!) weekly lessons the children copy WHOLE TEXTS, off the blackboard (whiteboard, flipchart etc.).
2. We don't write single words during this time.
3. We write only texts they know "by heart", have "in their ear"!
4. During this time children will recognize the verses and with a bit of luck will be able to "read", recite or sing them.
5. When the first children have written for two or three weeks we start helping them to "NOTICE" REGULAR SPELLINGS that are "always" pronounced the same way, for example: A, E, O, I, U in short one-syllable words!
6. The word-shape CONSONANT-SHORT VOWEL-CONSONANT can be written more or less as children hear it:
For example: bet, bit, hot
the cat sat on the mat
This is my chin, my chin, my chin
tick tock, the clock
In the word-shape CONSONANT-SHORT VOWEL-CONSONANT the English A (æ) and U (ʌ) may cause confusion.
We try to get the children to discover those two typically English sounds and their spellings as quickly as possible:
rat-tat-tat
Jack
let's get the fishing-net
puff, puff, puff
how much are those buns?
7. SPELLING PRACTICE FOR SHORT VOWELS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 1)
To strengthen the first two steps the children write from hearing.
First begin with words ending in VOICELESS CONSONANTS so as to keep really short vowels:
the cat sat on the mat
let the net get wet
he hit it and it bit
it has not got a lot of dots
cut the nuts into a cup
We could also use the following:
Betty Botter bought a bit of butter
But, she said, the butter’s bitter,
If I put it in my batter,
It will make my batter bitter,
But a bit of better butter,
That would make my batter better.
If the children get the hang of this they will enjoy these "dictations" - many children will get everything right simply by listening and writing accurately! You or some of the pupils can make many more of these "listening exercises" yourselves! 8. DOUBLING OF CONSONANTS AFTER SHORT VOWELS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 2)
Rule: When the short vowels come in words of more than one syllable the consonants need doubling:
For example:
bat - battER
bet - bettER
bit - bittER
but - buttER
bed - beddING
bud - buddING
hap - happY
pig - piggY
sop - soppY
sob - sobbED
9. NOT DOUBLING THE CONSONANTS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 3):
LONG VOWELS come if we do not double the consonants in words of more than one syllable:
patter...later
better...Peter
bitter...biting
Bonnie.. phoning
funny...fuming
10. The LONG VOWEL SOUNDS come when a SILENT E follows the RULE-1 words (later this will be SPELLING RULE 4):
Put the following words side by side by side:
mat... mate
sit ... site
not ...note
fun ...fume (F-YOU-M)
and we "discover" the "rule" that long A, I, O, U appear when a SILENT "E" comes after the short words!
11. The second exercise has words ending in VOICED CONSONANTS which LENGTHEN the short vowel (later this will be SPELLING RULE 5):
the bad lad had bag
she fed the hen in bed
it hid the fig in the bin
the mob nod to the dog and the hog
the cub dug in the mud
12. Also LONG VOWELS become SHORTENED before UNVOICED CONSONANTS (later this will be SPELLING RULE 6)
made mate
feed feet
bide bite
road rote
code coat
hood foot
good put
booed boot
D. READING PRACTICE
1. The teacher writes out a series of complex commands on the blackboard before the lesson begins and covers them with a flip-chart sheet. Then she shows one command at a time to a count of 6 or 7 and the children who have understood carry out the action.
2. Teacher writes a very long sentence on the board while children look on. Children are then asked to suggest a word that could be left out without changing the core meaning of the sentence. At some stage near the end more that one word will have to be eliminated in one go.
3. Read the following as clearly phrased for meaning as possible:
He drove to work after he had finished working in the garden.
You'll find the apples next to the oranges on the shelf over there.
Maggie must have been visiting her aunt in Springtown last weekend.
Could you pass me the mustard, please?
They have been considering buying a new car as soon as they have saved enough money.
By the time he receives this letter, I will have caught the train to Paris.
Following closely behind the herd was a group of filthy, disgusting vultures.
I'll make sure to give him a ring the next time I'm in town.
Not only are the exams required, but they are also absolutely imperative for your further education.
Hey, have you seen the new film with Bruce Willis? You know, the one where he's supposed to be a sensitive doctor.
4. Put the stress on a different word changes the mean each time:
Do you want to stay here?
DO you want to stay here?
Do YOU want to stay here?
Do you WANT to stay here?
Do you want to STAY here?
Do you want to stay HERE?
5. Now do the same for:
Can you come to lunch today?
Must he go now?
Is Mary going to wear that hat?
6. Long and short vowels, voiced and unvoiced consonants. Read carefully:
A bat sat in a cap in the back of the cab.
Ned had a hat on his head.
He said Nag was sad.
The mad cat sat on the mat.
Harry had a bat in this hut but not in his hat.
A match doesn’t give much light.
It’s fun to have a fan.
Can you carry the curry and put it in the pan?
I’ll bet you Sid hasn’t fed his pet.
Minnie’s pet has hidden itself in the hedge.
The wretch is very rich.
Ken hates making his bed.
Kate doesn’t want to get her head wet under the gate.
You will get your cape wet this way.
It’s Johnny’s job to chop the meat.
Georgie had a badge on his hat.
Fetch the cheese and jam. Jack’s jumped off the bridge, the chump.
The doctor chap gave me jab.
I saw a fairly lovely fairy in the valley.
Vicky, can you follow that fat fellow in the Rover this evening?
He dropped some food on his foot. As a rule you shouldn’t shoot a coot.
You could pull on some boots when the moon is full.
The cook has put a book by the pool.
E. RHYTHM - METER (METRE) - BEAT (NOT TO BE CONFUSED!)
The LENGTHS of the SYLLABLES vary from line to line. They constitute the RHYTHM or FLOW of the poem. The long syllables (which usually end in VOICED CONSONANTS) are in upper case:
Jack and JILL went up the HILL
(two long sylables)
To fetch a PAIL of water;
(one long syllable)
Jack FELL DOWN and broke his CROWN
(three long syllables)
And JILL CAME TUMbling after.
(three long syllables one after the other!)
The POETIC METER is basic structure of a line of poetry. The bold syllables are STRESSED causing a regular BEAT:
Jack and Jill went up the hill To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down and broke his crown And Jill came tumbling after
The pattern of STRESSED-UNSTRESSED is called FALLING RHYTHM,
The pattern of UNSTRESSED-STRESSED is called RISING RHYTHM.
F. GRAMMAR
These patterns (of STRESSED-UNSTRESSED/FALLING - and UNSTRESSED-STRESSED/RISING RHYTHM) play an important part in the way the English Language gives a subtle emphasis to certain verb forms, thereby also determining the GRAMMATICAL MEANING of a particular Tense!!Here are some examples, but I am fully aware there should be many more to make this good!
1. Infinitives (especially clear in infinitives with 'TO') are RISING RHYTHM which gives them emphasis (or prominence) unlike the ING-Forms, which are FALLING RHYTHM making them merge more into their surroundings. Compare:
I saw the cat COME down the stairs. (completely)
I saw the cat COMING down the stairs. (on the way down only)
2. George Best gets the ball, he drives it before him, passes it to Bobby Charlton who shoots. Goal!
These are all actions happening at the moment of speaking but they are all COMPLETED (ONE AFTER THE OTHER)!
3. Oxford IS ROWING beautifully. Cambridge is three lengths behind. It's a wonderful day. The sun IS SHINING. Thousands of people ARE WATCHING. Ah, now they'RE APPROACHING Hammersmith Bridge.
Here the actions described are on-going (and happening simultaneously)! 4. Yesterday I was playing the violin when the telephone rang. I put down the violin and went to answer the phone.
What was I doing? (I was playing the violin).
What did I do? (I put down the violin. I went to the phone to answer it).
The verb form in bold print give the verb emphasis and express completed actions.
5. I began TO LEARN my French words as soon as I got home.
(The Infinitive gives LEARN emphasis). I began LEARNING French when I was three.
(The ING-Form is merged to BEGAN giving BEGAN the emphasis).
6. Compare:
Do you like SAILING. Would you like TO SAIL.
In the first action is more on the level of the idea of it; in the second there's a real possibility of actually doing it!
7. Compare:
Do you remember SITTING on that park bench? Did you remember TO SIT on that park bench?
What's the difference?
Friday, November 04, 2022
Grammar Awareness as it Develops over the Years
5 Proverbs
When in Rome do as the Roman do.
A stitch in time saves nine.
The early bird catches the worm.
Barking dogs don't bite.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
5 Counting-Out Rhymes
Eeny meeny miny mo, catch a monkey by his toe, when he hollers let him go, eeny meeny miny mo!
One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes, four, five potatoes, six potatoes, seven potatoes more O-U-T spells out, so out you must go, because the King and Queen say so!
Jeremiah blows the fire, puff-puff-puff, first you blow it gently, then you blow it rough!
Acker Backer soda cracker, Acker Backer boo, Acker Backer soda cracker, out goes YOU!
One two, put on your shoe, three four, close the door, five six, pickup sticks, seven eight, lay them straight, nine ten, say it again!
A stitch in time saves nine.
The early bird catches the worm.
Barking dogs don't bite.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
5 Counting-Out Rhymes
Eeny meeny miny mo, catch a monkey by his toe, when he hollers let him go, eeny meeny miny mo!
One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes, four, five potatoes, six potatoes, seven potatoes more O-U-T spells out, so out you must go, because the King and Queen say so!
Jeremiah blows the fire, puff-puff-puff, first you blow it gently, then you blow it rough!
Acker Backer soda cracker, Acker Backer boo, Acker Backer soda cracker, out goes YOU!
One two, put on your shoe, three four, close the door, five six, pickup sticks, seven eight, lay them straight, nine ten, say it again!
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Mannheim Course on Middle School (Writing and Reading) Tuesday 27.9 to Friday 30.9.2022
MANNHEIM Tuesday 27 (3 p.m.)
Intro. Enact English Speaker visiting a Class 5 ('Try out your Enhlish on him' 'Ask any questions you like' ...).
The 4 Main Concerns of a Teacher of English: 1. Can we generalize on what Children in Class 4 or 5 are really like? 2. Formats, activities, approaches that prompt children ro learn a modern language 3. The English language and culture that we are trying to bring to life. (Pronunciation, Rhythm, Structure). 4. What can we as teachers do?
Wednesday 28 9 a.m.
The 3 Main Goals for the Children: 1. Dare to speak. 2. Know how to speak. 3. Have something to speak about.
We practise Language-Learning-Games and learn to spell.
We practise Recitation, Singing and Speech-exercises. And we get to know word-pictures.
We invent Dialogues for the children. We learn to write (1).
We get children to invent Play-scenes. We learn to write (2).
Story-telling: We tell stories, the children learn to tell stories. We learn to read (1).
3 p.m. Writing and Reading to discover the Few Rules of Spelling the English language.
Thursday 29:
No sessions.
Friday 30 3 p.m. Open session to pick up threads still dangling.
Monday, July 04, 2022
Hochschule Stuttgart: Approaches to Language Teaching (Part II) and Grammar
TUESDAY, JULY 5th 2022
Let us begin by retracing some of the steps we made in Part I (May 9 - 12)
UNIT 1.
On the last day of Part I we finished with the 'Alibi'game, where three 'culprits' were questioned separately, we composed a dialogue for a sketch involving a ticket inspector with a difficult train passenger; we wrote our own poems
ALIBI GAME
1. Where were you between 7 and 10 p.m. last night?
2. Where you alone or together with someone else?
3. Who else was there?
4. What did you do?
5. Who arrived first? / Who was there when you came?
6. How did you / the other two get there: on foot, by tram?
7. Whose idea was it to meet up?
8. Ask details about other people. Waiter / Man or woman at ticket window.
9. Ask details about cost. Who paid?
10. Ask details about seating arrangement. Who sat next to whom? Were there many people there?
11. Did you have anything to eat? To drink? The others? Who paid?
12. What did you talk about? Did you talk to other people?
14. What did you do afterwards? Who left first? Did you / they go together?
16. What time was that?
18. What was the funniest moment? The worst moment? Was the evening boring?
20. What was the colour of the room / hall you were in?
21. Did you have a meal in the Hilton last night? Where were you at 10 p.m.?
Discuss the language learning implications of this 'game'.
Context informs question content.
General and detailed question.
Why is the question so powerful?
In what other situationa could we practise questions meaningfully?
The role of the question in dialogue.
>/p>
UNIT 2. SKETCH 'The TICKET INSPECTOR' Discuss the idea of the sketch for language learning. Sketch: Short scene. Usually with unexpected twists. Stock (comic) charcters. Practise-read Sketch 'Desmond and Keith' in desk pairs. >/p>
UNIT 3. RHYTHM in POETRY Remember "Jack and Jill" in connexion with rhythm? (Long and short vowels). Lengthening ans shortening of vowels depending on consonants following. Prepare a poem for recitation. Yeats's "I will arise and go now" (See PArt I) Wordsworth's "Earth has not anything to show more fair" Anonymous "Do not stand at my grave and weep" >/p>
UNIT 4. Is writing one's own text as an intro to studying a text a generally valid approach? This approach is there very early on when we write before we read! Are there spalling rules in English (Remember the 'Long' and 'Short' Vowels). Expand. We start writing with "listening exercises" (dictated words to be written according to sound). Compose tongue twisters with difficult phonemes (each as prompted by first language). >/p>
WEDNESDAY, JULY 6th 2022 >/p>
UNIT 5. STORY-TELLING How do stories contribute to language learning? The follow-up exercise of getting three groups to wtite up single words they remember? Listening Comprehension strategies? Working out new meanings from known words? Connex with Reading Stories? Reading silently / aloud? Two more stories: ("The 17 camels" and "The man who came to London to visit a friend") Composing stories on the theme of Proverbs. >/>
UNIT 6. GRAMMAR What is Grammar? Do we need it to learn a foreign language? Why does it tend to put off child learners? When doesn't it? Can we define definite grammar learning stages (according to age perhaps)? Is the connection between grammar and clear thinking a goal for grammar teaching? What grammar approaches do we have? (Mnemonics, Mistakes, Misunderstandings?). Long and shortened syllables in Grammar (e.g. "feel - felt" Rhythm in Grammar "I slept - I have slept"; infinitives with "to" contrasted with "ING"-forms) >/p>
UNIT 7. Examples of historical development of influences and changes in the English language. >/p>
THURSDAY, JULY 7th 2022
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