'Real English' utilizing AUTHENTIC and NATURAL ESL videos!

Today I received a letter from Mike at 'Real English' a wonderful resources especially for the summer and those long days when you could be practicing your English skills.

The site describes its self as "Welcome to Real English, the Web's only online ESL site that utilizes authentic and natural ESL videos of people speaking real English on streets across the globe. Designed for individuals learning English, as well as for teachers and institutions, Real English offers unique ESL educational services, including a free subscription to for beginners, and unlimited chat with our teachers, for subscribers."

I ran through many of the pages and discovered a real TREASURE TROVE of materials for students,  teachers, parents, business people and ANYONE who needs to know how to speak REAL English not with a fake accent or using phrases that went out of date during the 'Flower Power' days - sorry - most reading this will just know of that as a chapter in the history book. But this site develops YOUR English so that YOU will be understood.

Give it a try, see what you think. I honestly recommend it to you for this summer and once started you will be hooked!

"This site combines ESL grammar and functions with the spontaneity provided by the people we meet casually during our filming campaigns. You will not find any actors here. All of our clips are based on people being themselves, speaking naturally and spontaneously, just like in the situations which learners will deal with when their training is finished, when they travel to English-speaking countries, or when they welcome English speakers into their homes and offices.

Most of our videos are based on targeted grammar structures, providing an anchor and a counterpoint to the spontaneity of street video. This unique approach is greatly appreciated by teachers who have been using traditional materials and videos, which present us with actors speaking slowly and distinctly, as if the real world were slow and distinct. The traditional shock of migrating from "classroom English" to real English is built into the method itself, providing our students with a head start, enabling them to learn in a reality-based environment."

Let us know how you get on!

We need a new home

Dr Rod's English Blog has become a huge success, but we are totally frustrated by our limitations of being a Blog. The Blog acted really great in the beginning but as we have grown and our readership increased from 50 to over 19000 in 4 months we realize we need a different format and to offer many other things that we just cannot do.

We have identified areas where students from across the world need to work together - to collaborate, so see other kids work. We have seen teachers crying out for varied resources as well as original ideas. We never thought of our self as UNIQUE, yet we have become so. Every day I get letters asking for help on essays, exams, Shakespeare and hundreds of other things and yet many have to go unanswered.


So we need HELP! We cannot do this by a Blog any longer. I know Front Page and can work well with that. I would love to develop this site into an open resource linking together students of all ages from Year 5 through University. But they cannot search through Blog entries after Blog entries. So please, if there is anyone out there who can help us with a dedicated site - sorry we have NO money! And can help us get going for three months before the new school year begins PLEASE contact us here!


Write today! The possibilities are endless and the audience as you can see in UNIVERSAL not just USA, Europe but from Mongolia to Lesotho, Columbia to Yemen, Russia, Hong Kong, the lists is over 120 different countries. If your company today can help us PLEASE let me know.


Thanks Dr. Rod

Write to me here!

CREATIVE WRITING - Stranded – By: Enis Bardhi

Stranded – By: Enis Bardhi

That day was off to a good start. I was going on a trip with my friend Cagri to the Caribbean. We were eagerly awaiting our private plane to take us there. It was a plane that held 5 people. We had spent a fortune on it but we managed to get a good deal. As when entered the plane, we saw three other people seated in the front rows. They were called Leonardo DaVinci, Benjamin Franklin, and Jack Gates, although we didn’t know it at the time. We quickly sat down and waited for the plane to take off. After about 5 minutes, the plane took. We knew it was going to be a long flight so we got comfortable and did all we could to occupy our time. About half way into the flight, the plane started shaking. We didn’t think too much of it then, but it was really a big deal. The plane quickly started to drop about 100 meters at a time. I could feel the vibrations in my feet as it fell. Then, after about 10 seconds, the plane rushed down at full speed. Cagri started screaming like a snivelling girl. I was scared out of my skin but, I though this wasn’t the time to scream because it wouldn’t do us any good.

I woke up and found myself inside the plane. I looked around briefly and there was no one in there. I took my seatbelt off and went outside. There Cagri and the other three were sitting next to each other discussing something. I went to them and we had a brief introduction. We talked about what happened and what we were going to do about it. Leonardo proposed that we built shelters. So that’s what we did. Cagri and I looked for wood to build the shelters. Jack was a framer so he an expert at agriculture. He went around the island inspecting the wildlife and looking for seeds to bury. At that time, in the afternoon, Cagri and I would go fishing so we could eat for the first few days. We were also in charge of getting water. Luckily, there was a small pond in the middle of the island but it was quite a walk there. Cagri and I had a lot of work to do and we were generally very tired at the end of the day. Benjamin was the only one who didn’t do anything. In a manner of days, we had got the shelters made, a fair amount of fish, and the agriculture was coming along. The next day there was a storm. We all went inside and ate our dinner while Benjamin was still outside flying his kite. We tried to convince him to come inside but he just wouldn’t. The next day, we couldn’t find him. After we had done our chores, we managed to organize a search party to find him. We had no luck but he showed up later during the day. He told us he had found a way in order to get electricity. Now, we had electricity in our shelters. The next couple of days were quiet. We worked hard every day and managed to get by.

It had been 14 days on the island and we were still alive and well. We did our daily chores and by this time we had fresh veggies to eat. But we knew this wouldn’t last long. The winter was coming soon and we had to prepare food for then. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be able to survive. Leonardo made a list of all the things that were needed in order to survive the winter. So off we went to gather those materials. The next couple of days were harsh. We did a lot of work and unexpectedly, we all got sick, Cagri being the worst. He couldn’t do his chores so I got twice the load. It was like torture. I worked 16 hours a day, squeezing in meal times. Sleep was the highlight of my day and I thought about it whenever I could. It was getting to a point where I thought it was meaningless to live like this. But I couldn’t abandon my friends. I knew we needed each other so I worked my hardest and did everything humanly possible for their well-being.

Cagri was getting worse and worse. DaVinci propsed that it was a new type of disease and went right away into finding a cure. Luckily, we had the first aid kit in the plane but it wasn’t much. Leonardo was the smartest of us all by far. The way he interpreted every situation in a win-win made him the leader of decisions. If it hadn’t been for him, we would have all been dead. The rest of us continued our work, hoping to get resuced. We tried to make the best out of all the situations we dealt with, good or bad. In a couple of weeks, we had gathered all the food necessary to live through the winter. We now took our daily chores as lightly as possible, still getting work done. Leonardo still worked on a cure and seemed very devoted to his work. We just did our chores and took breaks in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, in the days to come Cagri got very sick. We didn’t think he would make it and our assumption was right. Later, about 110 on the island, Cagri passed away. It was a very dramatic change for everyone. We buried him close to the shore because he always liked staying there. We said what we had to say and continued our lives in the island. It was especially difficult to continue our daily working with the lose of one of our colleagues. Nobody really noticed how beautiful the island was. They were so focused on their work, that they didn’t have time. The palm trees were tall and gleamed with the light of the sunset. You could the seagulls flying by singing their songs as if they were cheerful. The sky was a misty orange with thin clouds every so often. It almost made me not want to leave the island. I started to get doubts on whether life in the real world would be as good as this. Sure, this life was hard, but they go home knowing they had done an honest day’s work. Plus, they didn’t have to deal with the stress of everyday people in the real world. They had to worry about finance, their future, and a lot of other things while life on a deserted island was amazingly calm.

I opened my eyes suddenly. A noise was coming from the outside. I didn’t know what it was but it was very loud. I quickly put my clothes on and reached for the door. As soon as I opened it, a wind rushed me back two steps. I couldn’t see very clearly since the wind was in my eyes. Soon I realized that it was a helicopter. I saw some very familiar faces outside the copter. It was all my relatives! They had all come. I couldn’t help but scream in joy and ran to them. We got acquainted for quite a while and then they told me it was time to leave this island. I called the rest of my friends. I was very surprised by their answer. They actually wanted to stay on the island. I respected their wishes and departed soon after from the island. I looked back as we were leaving the island. My worst nightmare, yet something I missed was slowly fading away. I wasn’t sure how life in the real world would be like for me now.

As I left the plane, I looked around me. I wasn’t used to all these things around me, even though I had seen them before. When we left the airport, I felt weird with all the people around me. Then it hit me. I had lost my people skills. On the island, we didn’t have that much time to talk so I wasn’t used to it. Life moved so fast here and I didn’t think I could keep up with it. Life continued just as I left it. I continued school, met up with old friends, but it didn’t seem the same. When my friends were talking about movies, actors, and stuff all I had to talk about was the island. I felt like a fish out of see. I knew I couldn’t go back there and wondered if I would ever see my friends again.


Now if I had the chance, I would make a movie about this. I have the picture to show how exactly the island was so we could make an exact representation of it. I would get Shia LaBeouf to play me. The rest of the actors would be somewhat famous. The set will take place somewhere in the Caribbean and all the non-island scene will be at New York airport.
Now that I’m back to the real world, I’ll just have to continue my life here. I know I cannot go back to the island. It isn’t and never will be an option for me. I only hope that I get used to the real world again, like I used to be. I want to be able to interact with people but find it difficult since we didn’t have much time to chat on the island. I try my hardest to fit in and I think I’m starting to get used to it. Of course, I miss the island but at least I’m starting to get used to my old life and it seems like a good thing. I will continue on my life and try to get a job in this stressful world.

Cudos

I received this email from a wonderful reader in Lesotho, Africa. I know many people have accessed our site and what started as a 'class' resource site has ended up being used by over 19000 people world wide! Not bad.


I will be trying to keep the site going next year and indeed refining and expanding it. Unfortunately the school I work in has not renewed our foreign teachers contracts, therefore the students will indeed lose some very valuable resources from a group of experienced, valuable International teachers. But for all those of you who have enjoyed looking at student work, discovered new things then I say thanks and it is the job or a teacher to share, share their experiences and their knowledge. One day uninformed administrations will realize this and realize that a school is most definitely not 'a business' as our director so often points out. Business and money first, 'education' second or third. One day the fringe 'International Schools' will realize that to 'teach' English the teachers must be able to speak and understand English/ Until then thousands of parents the world over will receive third rate, top dollar 'lack of service' because ... after all ... 'School is a business.'

"BW Fath to me show

I have just come across your blog.
What a comprehensive teaching and student resource!

I am just finishing my first year of teaching the IGCSE English program in Lesotho, Africa. I wish I'd found your site earlier. Thanks,
Wendy"

We receive on average 15 letters a week from students and teachers asking for advice contact information. We receive visits from student parents excited to see and compare their child's work with those of others. Our site is a window into a real classroom, a real microcosm of students. What you see here IS the real thing.

The map above shows where our visitors have come from in the last 90 days! We have helped people from ALL over the world! Please keep watching and help us develop this into the TOP English site for parents, students and teachers.

Year End Paperwork

 

The last day of school will be FRIDAY JUNE 6th, 2008

REPORT cards will be issued on FRIDAY JUNE 13th, 2008 and should be collected by students on that date.

 

SUMMER SCHOOL: students will be advised who 'should' attend summer school during the next 2 weeks. Summer school will be held between MONDAY 9th of June and FRIDAY 20th of June between the hours of 09:00 and 12:00 - Monday - Friday only.

English Creative Writing Assignment:

You have finally been rescued from your island – OR – you died there and someone found your journal (Diary). Since we last discussed this 100 days have passed. You learned to survive but also to face new challenges. Your assignment for today is multi faceted:

1) Give a BRIEF description of how you arrived on the island and the people that are there with you.
2) Describe BRIEFLY the events of those first 14 days.
3) Give us an OVERVIEW of what happened during the 100 days since we last saw you. Explain the main problems and challenges and also how you overcame those new challenges.
4) Describe IN DETAIL the last 5 days before you were discovered or died and the first 5 days of being back in the REAL world. How have you managed to cope with the pressures of life, the media (newspapers / TV etc)
5) You have been offered a contract by a film studio to make a movie about your adventures. As part of the deal you are allowed to pick the actors who will play you and the other lead characters. Tell me who you would pick and why they would be good at playing your part in the movie. You also have to DRAW a detailed MAP of the island to show where things took place.
6) Now that you are back in the ‘real world’ what do you intend to do? Life can never be the same for you. The island has changed you. What now?

Second Semester English Project: Friends - Amanda Y10

Amanda chose to write about her friends and how they influence and make a difference to her and her life. In her report Amanda looked at how friendships are formed, the values and properties of true friends and then what friends do together in Tirana.

Amanda and the other students in the high school are in that transition from child - teenager - adult. Along the way they have many decisions and challenges to face. Having 'good friends' can make the difference in how you formulate your ideas and beliefs and therefore what path you choose to follow.

Friends in teenage years tend to have far more influence on 'the teenager' than their parents, yet they also view their parents as the 'safety net' who can cure everything!

Discover Amanda and her friends in this interesting project:

Well done

Second Semester English - Watching TV - Ledio 9B

Ledio chose to write about watching too much television and the effects of TV on young minds and imaginations. Ledio looked into both the positive and negative aspects of watching TV. He reviewed many different studies and read some research reports to base the content of his report on. In his presentation Ledio shares his ideas regarding the effects of television as well as his personal habits with regard watching TV.

Well researched and compiled.

Second Semester English Project - Arlinda Y 10

Arlinda has chosen to write about those things that keep us awake at night; those thoughts that haunt us in the middle of the night and give us those cold sweats. What worries us - is the tile of her second semester project. It covers a variety of things that every teenager thinks about and loses sleep over.

A creative, well constructed presentation both interesting and intriguing. Discover what is on the mind of your teenager today!

TOEFL Practice Essay 3: Mario 9B

22. In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this phenomenon.

 

People in the world are now living much longer. For example in Europe and North America, the average life expectancy has risen to 68 years for men and 73 years for women. In India life expectancy has been much lower. But improved health and living conditions has now lifted the average life expectancy there to 56 years.

 

One of the causes that the life expectancy is increasing is the agriculture. Now the agriculture is improved. This means that the people in the world are better fed.

 

Another cause that people now live much longer is the public health. The public health is improved very much nowadays. There are better living conditions so people live longer because they are protected a bit from diseases.

 

The last cause is the medicines. The medicines are now better used. There are new medicines in hospitals. So people now have a cure for almost all the diseases. A lot of new chemicals are now discovered. The technology is improved so there are machines that cure diseases.

 

In conclusion, the people are now living longer for different causes. Some of these causes are: public health, improved agriculture, improved technology, medicines, new chemicals etc. This is a bad thing because there are a lot of natural resources that are being finished and can’t be renewed like coal etc. and the all this because of the population size.

Second Semester English Project: Gera and Kristi D # 2 Y-10

As a back up in case the first did not work out Kristi and Gera made this second project. Actually more a matter that each started one project and they could not agree which to 'drop' in favour of the other. So instead we get two offerings from Kristi D and Gera.

This lists the 'Ten most important things in life' as seen by Gera and Kristi. The relationship these things have in making our quality of life something worth while and something to enjoy. Let us explore their ten most important things..

The PowerPoint slides have a somewhat 1960's feel to them. The psychedelic colours as well as the choice of fonts reminds - those of us old enough to remember - the Golden age of the 1960's

(Project Grade: 4.5)

Second Semester English Project: Kristi D and Gera Y 10

For their project Kristi and Gera looked into the Internet and how it has changed our lives at work as well as in the office. The way the Internet has changed our social patterns and habits and how it is quite common to have more 'friends' whom we have never actually met - scattered across the world, than those in our own neighbourhood. The girls looked at the history and development of the Internet as well as our individual perceptions of it. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly all factor into our relationship with the Information Highway.

Join Kristi and Gera on this revealing journey.

(Project Grade: 4.5)

Second Semester English Project - Rea Y 10

For her project Rea chose to tell us about the city where she lives and we attend school - Tirana, Albania. Tirana is home to more than 1.3 million Albanians, perhaps more than 50% of the countries population live in this growing city which resounds with a plethora of sites and visions and a cacophony of sounds 24 / 7. Come and let Rea being your guide as we explore her world.

(Project Grade: 4.5)

Second Semester English Project: Amarildo Y 11

Amarildo takes us to his home town of Shkoder in Northern Albania. Shkoder has a rich historic past and continues to thrive as one of Albania's largest cities. Located near to the Montenegro Border and sitting on the shores of the Shkoder Lake, Amarildo takes us through the rich history that has left its indelible mark on his birthplace.

Amarildo needs to refine his English considerably, however he has made a solid attempt at creating an interesting multi-media project to share with his class. Amarildo brings to his presentation a passion for his family and history. These are difficult emotions to transfer into a second language, yet Amarildo has managed to share with us his feelings. Well done.

(Project Grade: 4)

Second Semester English Project - Silvester Y 11

Silvester looked at the money market. 'Money makes the world go around' - or at least it makes Silvester's go smoothly! This project is full of colour and life and explains how our world works with different currencies.

Project well done.

Second Semester English Project: Dejvis Y 11

Dejvis undertook to make a public health statement about the adverse affects of smoking. Smoking is the number one pastime in Albania, everyone seems to do it even when sitting under the No Smoking Signs in the cafe's and restaurants.

Summer Reading - MIST Recommendations: Pre Senior (Going into Y 12)

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Directions: Read one of the following books during the summer if you will be in World Literature or Honors World Literature. You will be tested in English class when you return to school. To prepare yourself, take notes on the book. Be sure to take notes on minor and major characters, the setting of the story, and plot events. AP students, see separate list.

World Literature (Choose one)

The Good Earth by Pearl S. BuckStory of Wang Lung's growth from adolescence and poverty to old age and wealth in pre-Communist China.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy TanFascinating vignettes about four Chinese-born women and their American-born daughters; magical tales of women living in two cultures.

Madame Bovary by Gustave FlaubertProject Gutenberg eBookFamous French novel about Emma Bovary, who, dissatisfied with the lack of glamour in her middle class life, searches for romance and excitement and becomes entangled in a web of deceit.

Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala MarkandayaA moving and realistic story of the unbelievable challenges of growing up as a girl/woman in a village of India.

The Merry Wives of Windsor by William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg eBook This romantic comedy entwines wise women, mistaken identities, jealousy and good old fashioned wooing! See the adventures of Falstaff, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page portrayed on stage this summer at the Great Lakes Theater Festival.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale HurstonWonderful story of a black woman's discovery of dignity and love in the prejudiced South of the 1930's.

Honors World Literature

(Choose one book from the list above, and also read the following)

Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton The compassionate story of Zulu pastor Steven Kumalo and his son Absalom.

AP World Literature

Read the following novel and one other work.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy(Penguin edition only, translated by Pevear & Volokhonsky) Sensual, rebellious Anna renounces a respectable marriage for a passionate and destructive romantic involvement.

Summer Reading - MIST Recommendation: Pre Junior: (Going into Y 11)

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Directions: Read the book listed below during the summer. You will be tested on the book in English class when you return to school. To prepare yourself, take good notes on the book. Be sure to take notes on minor and major characters, the settings of the story, and plot events.

British Literature

Rebecca by Daphne duMaurier

Honors British Literature

David Copperfield by Charles DickensProject Gutenberg eBook

Summer Reading - MIST Recommendation: Pre Sophomore (Going into Pre Y 10)

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Directions: Read one of the following books during the summer. You will be tested on the book in American Literature when you return to school. To prepare yourself, take good notes on the book. Be sure to take notes on minor and major characters, the setting of the story, and the plots.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
A well-known poet, actress and scholar tells poetically of her African-American childhood in Stamps, Arkansas, where searing bigotry tested but did not destroy her.

The Promise by Chaim Potok
This sequel to The Chosen takes the reader into Danny's and Reuven's adulthoods.

Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark TwainProject Gutenberg eBook
At Dawson's Landing in times of slavery, two boys -- one black, one white -- are switched at birth. What happens as a result shows the author's firm conviction that "color is only skin deep."

Witch Child by Celia Rees
In 1659, fourteen year old Mary Newbury keeps a journal of her voyage from England to the New World and her experiences living as a witch in a community of Puritans near Salem, Massachusetts.

Summer Reading - MIST Recommendation: Pre Freshman (Going into Y 9)

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT:

Directions: Read two of the following books during the summer. You will be tested on the books in English class when you begin school. To prepare yourself, take good notes on the books. Be sure to take notes on minor and major characters, the settings of the story, and plot events.

Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther
A father's touching story of his courageous teenage son who dies of a brain tumor at the age of seventeen. Johnny, throughout his illness, and dealing with his death, was being reborn each day.

Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston & John D. Houston
The author remembers her life as a young Japanese girl who is sent to an internment camp with her family during World War II.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
A biographical novel full of suspense and intrigue about the author's attempts to save refugees from the Nazis during World War II.

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
Sixteen year old Hope runs a diner with her aunt and becomes involved in the mayoral race of the diner's owner, a leukemia victim.

The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Kino, impoverished Indian fisherman in a little village in Mexico, believes his fortune turns to gold when he finds a valuable pearl. This simple novella relays an important parable about moral values and integrity of soul.

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
This is the story of a 40-year-old man, Landon Carter, who looks back on his life at age 17 when he was roped into acting the lead in the town Christmas play.

Words by Heart by Ouida Sebestyen
A story about a girl who comes face to face with violence and must make the hardest choice of her life.

Additional Summer Reading Lists

A LIST OF GREAT LISTS!

Summer Reading List 2007These lists of titles have been compiled by librarians at member schools of the Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network (HAISLN). The lists include both fiction and nonfiction books by some of the best authors for children and young adults. Lists presented for PreK-12.

Summer Reading ListsCharlottesville (Virginia) Catholic School presents these lists or required and suggested reading. Separate lists for each grade K to 8.

Summer Reading for KidsThese books have been selected by Vermont public school librarians and are recommended for summer reading for children and young adults. Published on the Vermont Education Association's Web page, Summer Reading offers separate lists for students in grades K through 4, 5 through 8, and 9 through 12.

Summer Reading ListsThese lists, from the Mountain Brook City Schools in Birmingham, Alabama, recommend books for students in grades 1 through 3, 4, 5, 6, junior high school (grades 7 through 9), and high school.

Summer Reading ListsMiddlesex Middle School in Darien, Connecticut, provides reading lists for social studies and science, as well as English.

Summer Fun Reading ListThese lists include books for students in K through 5. Book lists are divided by grade levels of students entering grades K and 1, 2 and 3, and 4 and 5, as well as into such categories as poetry, picture books, and classic fiction to read aloud to the whole family.

Elementary Summer Reading ListThis list from the Wayland (Massachusetts) Public Schools includes fiction titles for beginning readers, students in grades 2 and 3, and students in grades 4 and 5, as well as lists of books of poetry, books of fairy tales, biographies, books for families to read aloud, and more.

Boulder (Colorado) Public Library Booklists for KidsThis list of lists from the BPL includes summer reading chapter books and summer reading picture books.

Fairfax County Public Library Books for School-Age ChildrenThough not specifically created as summer reading lists, these lengthy lists include great summer reading ideas. Individual lists are offered for students in grades 1 to 6.

Summer Reading ListsThis resource from Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools includes four separate lists -- for students going into grades 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10, and 11 and 12.

Boston Public Schools Summer Reading ListsFour lengthy book lists -- for students in grades K through 3, 4 and 5, 6 through 8, and 9 through 12 -- offer titles sorted by genre. These lists, created in association with the Boston Public Library, include titles in Spanish for students in grade K through 8.

ADDITIONAL SUMMER READING RESOURCES

Summer Reading Tips for ParentsAccording to the LD Online Web site, "Studies show that most students experience a loss of reading skills over the summer months, but children who continue to read actually gain skills." This site offers tips that encourage parents to help children sustain reading skills during the summer. Although directed to parents of children with learning disabilities, any teacher might include these tips in an end-of-year newsletter as a reminder to parents.

Choices BooklistEach year the International Reading Association (IRA) invites 10,000 schoolchildren to read and vote for the best newly published books. This site provides the children's list as well as a list of teachers' picks for the best books.

Publish Your Book ReviewsHave children publish their book reviews on Web sites that offer readers the opportunity to share their opinions about books. This issue of Barbara Feldman's Surfing the Net with Kids newsletter offers links to a handful of such opportunities!

Summer Reading Lists

Every year around the world schools give their recommendations for the books students should read during the summer. These lists are as varied as there are schools. Here are some links to the top recommended reading lists from around the globe. Try reading some of the books on these lists. Later we will post the books we recommend for our MIST students.

One key to children's reading success is making their reading experience entertaining, relaxing, and enjoyable. Allow children to choose their own reading materials and be aware of what their reading interests are. Help them find books that pique their interests. Below are information about and links to many reading lists that identify high-quality titles and serve many different audiences and purposes.

Notable Children's Books An annual list compiled by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of ALA.

Top Ten Lists of "All-Time Classics" ALSC created this list of classics that parents and children can read together for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America for national KidsDay (August 2001). There is one list for preschool to age 8 and one list for ages 8-12.

100 best paperbacks A list created by ALSC for Reading is Fundamental (RIF).

Newbery Award Books. Each year, ALSC chooses the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children from books released in the previous year.

Caldecott Award Books. Each year, ALSC chooses the most distinguished American picture book for children released in the previous year.

Pura Belpré Award Books. Each year, ALSC chooses two works (one for narrative and one for illustration) that best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

Coretta Scott King Award Books Each year, the Coretta Scott King Task Force of the ALA Social Responsibilities Round Table chooses two distinguished books, one by an author of African descent and one from an illustrator of African descent, that promote an understanding and appreciation of the "American Dream."

Robert F. Sibert Award Books. Each year, ALSC chooses the most distinguished informational book published during the preceding year.

Mildred Batchelder Award Books. Each year, ALSC honors an American publisher for a children's book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States.

Booklist Editor's Choice Lists including "Books for Youth" compiled by editors of ALA's review magazine, Booklist; with grade levels suggested.

The Teen Read Week website includes a list of resources for materials of interest to teens.
An extensive list of all of the high-school-age reading lists compiled by members of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of (ALA).

Outstanding Books for the College Bound
There are also numerous published lists. A recent one is The New Books Kids Like, edited by Sharon Deeds and Catherine Chastain, Prepared for the Association for Library Service to Children (Chicago: ALA, 2001). This organizes frequently requested materials around 44 topics and indicates grade levels within those topics.

Finally, there are numerous web resources available through Great Web Sites for Kids. See entries under "Literature and Language"

Second Semester English Project - Marshela 9A

Here is created a presentation on our psychology - what makes us tick? Who are we really inside? The person the world does not see. In her voyage of discovery Marshela has looked into the inner working of the human mind and tried to determine what makes us individual. A good project, well constructed, compiled. Resources listed clearly and defended well in oral argument.

Marshela has advanced a great deal this year. Her knowledge and use of English has risen above expectation and I am very pleased with the way she is able to manipulate the mechanics of English as well as exhibit her understanding and knowledge of the language. Well done. (Project grade 5)

Second Semester English Project - Senka 9A

Here is Senka's project from 9A. Senka looked into stereotypes and names given to different types and groups of students across the school. Her project examines the demographics of the school in the 'students terms' rather than those more formal. A lively and interesting project. Bibliography well compiled and submitted in .doc format. Oral defence execulted well. Well done!

Senka has worked hard this year in English and will be attending school in the USA next year. She is an excellent student and has excelled in every aspect of her academic and extra curricular work. I have enjoyed teaching Senka as well as being able to share a short part of her life with her. Best wishes for 2008 / 2009 in the USA. (Project grade 5+)

How to add quotes.

Here is a short PowerPoint presentation on how to add quotations to your work.

English Project - Second Semester - Mario and Dario 9B

For their main English project for the second semester. Mario and Dario of class 9B looked into the current state of electronics and technology. Together they have researched what is in the front end of todays 'must have' toys for the 'grown ups'. Mostly based on communications and phones the boys have covered the 'toys for the boys' well.

They used the PowerPoint to support their oral presentation rather than the other way around - well done. The information was well presented and interesting to follow.

But gentlemen... where is my Nokia E90? Surely it should be in with the front runners?

TOEFL Practice Essay - Arber 9A

No. 24 "Teens with jobs" is this the right thing to do for the children of tomorrow or is it beneficial for teenagers and also the world or is it another form of slavery? Do teens really need jobs or can they do fine without one?

Teenagers have to start learning the value of money and that with money comfort can be bought and with comfort comes happiness (most of the times). Some teens are forced to do a job since their family is poor and needs money to survive so all the family has to work to help. Other teens are sent by their parents to work so that they can learn what having a job feels like. Some teens go to work for extra money for their own benefit since their parents won't give them money so they work for money to probably get them that movie or dress they wanted.

Now this seems fine but there are problems with this (like everything else involving money in this world). Some jobs have bad working hours so some teens leave school so that they can work to feed their poor family (this seems to only happen in poor countries). Other jobs are under-paid so teens are abused this way and no one seems to care. Finally some jobs involve a large amount of physical labor this is fine if the job is paid well but most hard work jobs are low paid.

So are teens having jobs a good idea? Well I think yes it's a good idea, teens need to learn to handle money and a job. As long as the job is well paid and not hard to do then why not get a job - a decent job, not one that takes advantage or abuses the teenager. "Money will never make you happy, and happy will never make you money!" The Marx Brothers.

Semester English Project - Beaches of the World Xhoia and Jola Y9B

For their semester English presentation project Xhoia and Jola of 9B chose the 'Worlds Top Ten Beaches' as their topic. This involved a lot of research for the information as well as the photographs. As far as I know neither Xhoia nor Jola have actually managed to visit any of the top ten but they are all on their 'hit list' for the coming years!

Well researched and complied. Oral presentation excellent. (Grade 5)

Macbeth Summary - Erinda Y 10

Here is Erinda's PowerPoint of the 2006 version movie of Macbeth. In her presentation Erinda highlights the main points from the movie and how it interprets the original Shakespearean drama and takes it from Scotland to urban Australia.

A good round up and well put together. (Grade 5)

QCA List of Authors every teenager should read.

QCA recently published a list of authors they believe EVERY teenager should - whether it is reading an entire novel or through an anthology examples of their writing. Reading is fast becoming a lost 'art', so often children and teenagers spend more time in front of their computer, DVD or PS3 than they do reading. Yet reading is the essence of the English language and as such must be encouraged. Here is the new list of authors - note the influence of world literature reflecting the need for understanding of different cultures.

How many of these authors have you read or know?

From Meera Syal to Charles Dickens: Ken Boston's list for 14- to 16-year-olds

Contemporary writers

Douglas Adams, Richard Adams, Fleur Adcock, Isabel Allende, Simon Armitage, Alan Ayckbourn, JG Ballard, Pat Barker, Alan Bennett, Alan Bleasdale, Bill Bryson, Angela Carter, Bruce Chatwin, Brian Clark, Gillian Clarke, Robert Cormier, Jennifer Donnelly, Keith Douglas, Roddy Doyle, Carol Ann Duffy, UA Fanthorpe, John Fowles, Brian Friel, Mark Haddon, Willis Hall, David Hare, Tony Harrison, Susan Hill, SE Hinton, Jackie Kay, Harper Lee, Laurie Lee, Andrea Levy, Joan Lingard, Penelope Lively, Liz Lochhead, Mal Peet, Philip Pullman, Peter Porter, Willy Russell, Jo Shapcott, RC Sherriff, Zadie Smith, Arnold Wesker

English literary heritage

Matthew Arnold, Jane Austen, William Blake, Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, Robert Browning, John Bunyan, Lord Byron, Geoffrey Chaucer, William Congreve, John Clare, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Wilkie Collins, Joseph Conrad, Daniel Defoe, Charles Dickens, John Donne, John Dryden, George Eliot, Henry Fielding, Elizabeth Gaskell, Oliver Goldsmith, Thomas Hardy, George Herbert, Robert Herrick, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Henry James, John Keats, Christopher Marlowe, Andrew Marvell, John Milton, Mary Shelley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, RB Sheridan, Edmund Spenser, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jonathan Swift, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Anthony Trollope, Henry Vaughan, HG Wells, Oscar Wilde, William Wordsworth, Sir Thomas Wyatt

Twentieth century heritage list

Kingsley Amis, WH Auden, TS Eliot, EM Forster, Robert Frost, William Golding, Graham Greene, Seamus Heaney, Ted Hughes, Aldous Huxley, Elizabeth Jennings, James Joyce, Philip Larkin, DH Lawrence, Katherine Mansfield, Sean O'Casey, George Orwell, Wilfred Owen, Harold Pinter, Slyvia Plath, JB Priestley, Siegfried Sassoon, Peter Shaffer, George Bernard Shawe, Stevie Smith, Muriel Spark, Dylan Thomas, Edward Thomas, RS Thomas, William Trevor, Evelyn Waugh, John Wyndham, WB Yeats

Writers from different cultures and traditions

Chinua Achebe, John Agard, Monica Ali, Maya Angelou, Moniza Alvi, Isaac Bashevis-Singer, James Berry, Edward Brathwaite, Anita Desai, Emily Dickinson, F Scott Fitzgerald, Athol Fugard, Jamila Gavin, Nadine Gordimer, Arthur Miller, Doris Lessing, Les Murray, Beverly Naidoo, RK Narayan, Grace Nichols, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Wole Soyinka, John Steinbeck, Meera Syal, Bali Rai, Mildred D Taylor, Mark Twain, Derek Walcott, Walt Whitman, Tennessee Williams, Adeline Yen Mah, Benjamin Zephaniah

TOEFL Practice Essay - Xhoia 9B

22. In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this phenomenon. Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.

We all know that human populations are increasing and scientists can easily prove that. Over the last 300 years there has been a huge increase in human populations. We are going to reveal together the causes of this increase. All these reasons are based on facts that we can also find in scientific books.

One of the most important things is the improved medical care, including control of diseases and improved public health. If those things are improved then lives get better, less people die, more of them are careful, eat better food, go to the doctor, etc. Also there are some drugs that can control diseases inside the body, and there are others which totally destroy diseases. With public health we can have better sanitation and water supplies.

Another reason is the improved agriculture and the increase in amount of buildings and places to live. Improved agriculture means more food, more food means that all people are fed properly and don’t die of starvation. Buildings are needed for people without shelter so they don’t die of the cold outside.

There is also the last but not the least of importance, the war. We know that in wars hundreds and thousands of people die. But now countries can deal with each other about their problems without including war, so less people are dead.

So, these were the things I wanted you to know about the causes the increase of human populations all over the world. These were the reasons of this phenomenon. We hope it will not continue forever or everybody would die of the lack of food, diseases, wars, lack of shelter, etc., etc.  Help be part of the solution, not part of the problem - one person can and does make the difference!

TOEFL practice essay #3 ~ Ledio 9B

Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.


The Earth’s natural resources are being damaged a lot by human activity. Since the last century the Earth’s natural resources have suffered very harsh damage. The environment and the climate are suffering changes. Carbon dioxide released by cars has caused an increase in the Earth’s temperature, which is leading our planet towards global warming. The humans’ excessive use of energy has led to the extinction of some fuels, which are very important for our technology.

Global warming is a much discussed topic in recent years and it is becoming a serious threat to humanity each day that passes. Governments are making many promises, but there are few actions. The plans that are made and talked about aren’t put into action. If the situation continues like this, then after seventy years our planet will be flooded by a large mass of water and countries, cities and towns will be lying underwater endangering the existence of humanity as we know it. Another problem is the pollution of the seas. The toxic wastes of ships and industries are released into the ocean. The seas are becoming polluted by the large quantity of toxic wastes released by human industries and washed away into the oceans. In this way much aquatic life will die because of poisoning. Oceans may become polluted and the sea will become useless.

In many poor countries these effects are being shown and because of this tourism in those countries is very weak. Marine tourism is the most beneficial tourism in the world. The sea has to be protected at every cost. Not only seas and oceans are at risk, but also rivers are affected by toxic wastes. If it continues like this many countries will remain short of water and a big part of the population will die because of thirst.

Humans are always working harder and harder to develop their technologies and they’re using all the natural resources available in the Earth to achieve this aim quickly. The necessity in the last century for building nuclear power stations has increased very much the level of radioactivity in the air. Just in Tirana, because of the high levels of carbon monoxide released by cars, the air has become so polluted that the chances of getting cancer are six times higher than the rest of the European Committee. Tirana is not the only capital with this condition; some well-known capitals share this problem such as those of Belgium, Germany, and France.

I personally think that it is our responsibility to save the planet. It is time for the leaders who rule the world to use their influence and power in the war against global warming and against the destruction of the planet. It is a shame that in the 21st century, the century of development, there are still leaders that think making war, which does not profit anyone, instead of reaching an arrangement between them and starting to work towards the problems that face humanity today such as poverty, global warming etc.

Robotics - English PPT Project (Year 9)

The following PowerPoint is from Arber and James for their end of semester English project. They chose Robotics as their theme and created this powerful and well constructed PowerPoint to support their presentation.

An interesting and well researched project which enables us to understand the impact of Robotics on our day to day life as well as a glimpse of the possibilities for the future. Good teamwork was observed throughout the project time period. Well done to both boys. (Grade 5+)

IGCSE English as a Second Language

 

This course is designed for students who have English as their second or additional language. It is a full IGCSE course that is accepted at A-Level and Universities around the world as a valid English Language qualification.

The IGCSE ESL is a skills based course that aims to enable students to do the following:

• To develop the ability to use English effectively for the purpose of practical communication in a variety of situations.
• To form a sound base for the skills required for further study and employment using English as the medium.
• To develop an awareness of the nature of language and language learning skills along with skills of a more general application, (e.g. writing for specific purposes, analysing and synthesizing material).

Students are examined on Reading and Writing for 2 hours and on Listening Skills for 40 minutes. There is also a 15-minute oral examination.

All students are currently required to take the English Language (First Language) exam – which takes place in May at the end of Year 11. The IGCSE ESL exam is therefore taken in November, soon after students enter Year 11 and offers students an additional English language qualification.

What are the advantages of taking IGCSE ESL ?

• No long coursework assignments – improve your speaking confidence with the 15-minute oral assessment.
• Better English Language reading and writing skills that are useful in all subjects.
• Improved general knowledge and vocabulary from exposure to newspapers and magazines.
• Exposure to radio and television excerpts to enhance listening skills.
• Developing Oral confidence and speaking skills through short group discussions, presentations and speeches.
• Summarizing, skimming, scanning and note-taking skills.
• Writing in different registers, both formal and informal. Writing for specific purposes - reports, business letters, letters of complaint, persuasion, transactions, arguments etc.
• Less examination pressure in May, because you take this one in November. Lots more time after November in Year 11 to work on improving subject coursework in other subjects and developing revision and study skills.
• Two useful English Language GCSE grades – IGCSE ESL and the English as a First Language.

 

For Further Information :

Please see Dr. Rod

Media Studies - GCSE Year 12, 2008/2009

Media Studies - GCSE

There is a powerful force sending its messages to virtually everyone on the planet. It is using every form of communication tool available. It is in your sitting room, your bedroom, maybe even your bathroom. It is in shops, cinemas, libraries and churches. It travels in cars, on buses, trains, planes and ships. No matter how hard you try, you cannot escape it.

The name of this force is ‘the media’ and, whether you like it or not, to a large extent it defines your life and the way you think. ‘The media’ is the name given to channels of communication a society uses to speak to itself. It includes television, cinema, video/DVD, radio, newspapers, magazines, mobile phones, advertising and computer-internet communication.

How influential is the media? Is it a good or a bad force? Does advertising dominate our lives? Do films encourage violence? How are teenagers represented in magazines? Do pop videos influence which CDs we buy? Has the internet really changed our lives?

If you are interested in these questions, or any others related to the media, then this subject might be for you.

What do we study in Media Studies and what skills will you acquire?

50% of the course is evaluated in a final examination where students are expected to critically dissect at least two different forms of media. The first section requires analysis of audio-visual media which may include watching and evaluating television advertisements, broadcast news, film trailers, music videos or as was the case in 2008, animation. The second section requires students to analyse print based media such as newspapers, magazines, film posters or storyboards. Students will acquire a range of skills to critically appraise most aspects of the media.

50% of the course demands three pieces of practical coursework. Previous GCSE students have designed and produced web pages promoting a new animated version of Harry Potter, a front cover and contents page for a new sports magazine, a short extract for a television documentary about terrorism, an advertising campaign for a new clothes item and the opening five minutes of a new radio soap opera. Your options are only limited by your creativity.

Is the course for me?

If you intend to take GCSE Media Studies you must be interested in all aspects of the media. It is not an easy course and requires hard work and commitment. You also need a good standard of written English because the examination requires timed essay writing skills and all pieces of coursework have to be accompanied by substantial written evaluations. If you are prepared to work hard and have an interest in the media, or even a future career in fields such as journalism, marketing, advertising, TV/Film broadcasting, then you will thoroughly enjoy this course.

 

For further Information :

Please see Dr. Rod

English and English Literature at MIST

 

IGCSE – English Language – (OCR 0500)

IGCSE – English Literature – (Edexcel 4360)

During the two year course, all of you will study for two IGCSE qualifications- English and English Literature. Although examined separately, these will be taught as one course during your weekly lessons of English.

IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. As an international school, with many different cultures and beliefs, we feel that this course offers a greater range of opportunities and challenges that relate well to our students. The IGCSE qualifications are run by Edexcel International and Cambridge University in England and are fully recognised by universities and centres of higher education worldwide.

In the English Language component you will study a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, examining how writers construct texts, as well as extracting information for your own writing tasks. Imaginative, personal and creative writing will also be important elements of the course. You will be asked to write in a variety of ways and for different purposes, ranging from descriptive to informative and argumentative writing. Every piece of work that you complete in English could count as coursework, which makes up 50% of your final mark.

Another area of English Language that you will study is Speaking and Listening. You will be asked to use appropriate language in a variety of situations, including personal anecdotes, speechmaking and debating. You will develop an awareness of how language changes depending on situation in both speech and writing.

In the English Literature component you will read a novel, a play and a selection of poems. You will be asked questions on two of these texts in your final examination, which makes up 70% of your final mark and to write an analysis of poetry for your coursework, which makes up the remaining 30% of your final mark. There will be an emphasis on learning about the literary techniques and language used by authors as well as looking at themes and ideas in a variety of texts. You will be asked to make comparisons between texts and to relate the ideas and issues that are raised to one another.

When you receive your examination marks at the end of Year Eleven you will be awarded three final grades and three qualifications as a result of this. One grade will be for English Language and with this will be a separated Speaking and Listening grade; the third grade will be for English Literature. It is possible to be awarded different grades in all three areas.

English Language and Literature are subjects that both allow a great deal of creativity, imagination and personal writing. However, they also both require hard work and determination. With these pre-requisites we believe you have every chance for success.

 

For Further Information :

Please see Dr. Rod

Teacher Talk for Parents

 

Teacher talk

Here are some of the words and phrases you may hear teachers use - and what they mean.

attainment target

Each National Curriculum subject has one or more attainment targets. Attainment targets help teachers decide how well students have learned what they have been taught. Each attainment target is made up of eight level descriptions and ‘exceptional performance’. They are a kind of measure. Each level is like the rung of a ladder - students should move up through the level descriptions as they grow older and make progress

breadth

National Curriculum subjects have a section about ‘breadth of study’.

This says that your child is entitled to be taught through a range of important learning experiences. For example, in English the National Curriculum says that your child should study drama, fiction and poetry, from classic and contemporary writers, and from different cultures and traditions. These deepen and broaden your child’s experience of the subject.

CATs

Cognitive Abilities Tests. These are tests which we run for all students at the start of year 7 and year 9. They come from the British based National Foundation for Educational Research and give a snapshot of students’ acquired abilities in thinking with number, with patterns and with words. We use these to help us to identify and build upon students’ particular strengths and preferred ways of working and to provide an indication of their potential in various areas of the curriculum in order to set challenging but realistic targets. Broad results of these are reported to parents with the usual school reports.

English as an additional language (EAL)  English as a Second Language (ESL)

Students who speak English as an additional language, rather than as their first language, may need extra help with their reading and writing tasks across the curriculum. They will need lots of opportunities to talk with English-speaking adults and other students about their work, thoughts and feelings. Often what they need most is varied, vibrant teaching that involves visual resources, sound, speaking and writing to make it easier for them to learn in English while developing their academic skills in the language. We may recommend that some students take separate EAL lessons while others receive extra support in their other lessons. Some students for whom English is an additional language may also have special educational needs.

ICT

This stands for information and communication technology, which includes the use of computers, the internet, and video and sound recording equipment. This subject used to be called ‘information technology’.

key stage

A key stage is a block of years in your child’s schooling. Key stage 1 covers the first two years a child spends at school (aged 5-7), key stage 2 the next four (aged 7-11), key stage 3 ages 11-14, and key stage 4 ages 14-16.

levels (level descriptions)

Each level is a measure teachers use to check how much your child knows, understands, and can do. See ‘attainment target’ above.

Programme of study

Every National Curriculum subject has a programme of study. This sets out what your child is entitled to be taught in schools. The main part of this guide summarises the programmes of study and the attainment targets (see above).

‘SATs’

Many people call National Curriculum QCA tests and tasks by the name of ‘SATs’. Some schools use National Curriculum optional tests in other years, to track students’ progress.

Special educational needs (SEN)

Students have special educational needs if they have learning difficulties that make it much harder for them to learn than most students of the same age. SEN includes students with a range of physical or sensory difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties or difficulties with speech, language or social interaction. These students may need to be helped more than other students of the same age, and perhaps in different ways. If you think your child has SEN your first step should be to talk to your child’s form Home Room teacher.

year 7, year 8 (etc)

Because students in a school year have birthdays in different months, it is simpler for schools not to talk about the year by referring to the age of the students in it. Instead, they talk about the number of years since students began key stage 1.

Preparing for Next Year Part 2

Useful Guide for Parents Old and New - KEY STAGE 4

 

Key stage 4 - Choices for students aged 14

Around age 14, your child will be able to make choices for study from 14 to 16 (key stage 4). This stage of your child’s education calls for more choices than at earlier stages:

• your child has to make choices about subjects, and might end up studying a unique mix of subjects;
• there are choices to be made about styles of assessment: should your child choose an option with lots of coursework, or will they be better off with exams?
• and at the same time as studying for exams, you and your child will be thinking about the next steps: what do they intend to do after age 16?

This section gives information you will find useful when your child is about 14. It also gives some answers to questions parents have about study and coursework during the two years that follow.

 

Which qualification?

Between 14 and 16, your child will spend most of their school study time working towards qualifications. Memorial International School of Tirana offers mainly GCSE’s and their international equivalent, IGCSE’s at KS4.

The information that follows explains how these qualifications work.

GCSE’s - General Certificates of Secondary Education

IGCSE’s – International GCSE’s

GCSE’s replaced O-levels and CSE’s in 1988. Most students should take GCSE’s in most of their subjects.

It usually takes two years to study for a GCSE. Coursework is part of most GCSE’s: work over an extended period, which could include essays, field work reports, art work, making products, or investigations.

GCSE’s are graded A*-G. The grade your child gets will depend on coursework and exam marks.

Students might take exams only once (at the end of year 11, aged 16) or twice (at the end of years 10 and 11).

GCSE tiers

At some time during year 10, when your child is aged 15-16, teachers will decide which tier they should enter in each of their GCSE’s.

Each tier has a target range of grades that can be awarded. The aim is for your child to take an exam in which their ability will be tested, without their being thrown off course by questions that are much too difficult or much too easy. Some GCSE subjects are not tiered: art and design, history, music, PE and religious studies, for example. Other GCSEs have tiers.

 

Studying from 14-16

Coursework and exams

The descriptions of the various subjects in the KS4 School Booklet will give you an idea of the different styles of study and assessment your child may meet. Some qualifications award more of their final marks through exams - but even for GCSE’s your child is likely to have to present a substantial amount of coursework. Find out what the mix is for each qualification your child is taking.

Coursework is different from homework, although to parents the activity may look much the same. The difference is simple: if it’s coursework, the mark your child gets for it will count towards their final grade.

This guide can’t generalise about the amount of homework and coursework your child will have to do every week because it will vary according to the ebb and flow of individual subjects and qualifications. Your child’s teachers will be able to give accurate advice.

It is very important that students pace and organise their work through the two years. It is tempting to organise your child if you think they are not doing the right amount of work on time, but remember that your child needs to learn to organise their own work, and interference can sometimes be very counter-productive. It is more productive to help your child sort out the big picture. For example, you might look through the scheme for each qualification with your child, noting when they will have to hand in coursework, when they will have to sit exams or tests, and how much each of these is worth. You and your child could draw up a timetable covering the two years from 14 to 16 showing the critical points for each qualification. Your child is then free to organise their work week by week, but can ask for more help from you when they feel they need it.

The homework tips dotted throughout the key stage 3 section of this guide are also relevant for parents of 14-16 year olds.

 

Spelling and punctuation

Some parents who have been asked to look at their children’s work wonder whether they should correct punctuation and spelling if the subject is not English.

When assessors are marking coursework and exam scripts, some of the marks available will be deducted for English errors - typically 5 - 10%. This means that if your child writes incorrectly, they will lose a significant portion of the marks.

So in marking terms there is a limit to how much your child can lose with poor spelling, punctuation or grammar. If your child asks for your help with geography you will need to spend more time talking about the key concepts and knowledge for geography than about incorrect English.

But writing correctly is essential for English GCSE and it plays an important part in almost every job in adult working life. This is why the government has put a lot of emphasis on literacy for every student. So if your child is making a lot of errors they will need to spend some extra time improving their skills. Take advice from your child’s teacher.

 

Help! Answers to questions

Frequently asked questions

‘This guide says that most students reach the ‘target for every child’ by age 14. But I’m worried that my child won’t.’

In the key stage 3 section of this guide, the ‘targets for every child’ in each subject described what children should be able to do and know. Levels 5 and 6 are the National Curriculum target for 14 year olds.

The aim of the targets is to give a level that most students should have reached by a certain age. There will always be some students below and others beyond the target. If your child finds their work easy, talk to their teachers about what target they should be aiming for - they may need to aim higher. If your child is likely to find level 5 or 6 hard when they get to age 14, the school will tell you in good time.

Qualifications taken at 16 are not assessed using National Curriculum levels. Although National Curriculum levels are not used at 16, the levels your child reaches at 14 give schools a good idea of how well your child is progressing towards the challenges of GCSEs and other qualifications.

If the school says that your child is likely to find it hard to reach the target, remember: students develop at different rates. Some may not reach the level at the given age, but will catch up later. At the moment, however, your child may need extra help from their school and from you. Talk to their teacher about how you can help.

‘Where can I find help if my child has health or social problems at school?’

School is about much more than learning: it’s about your child growing up, making friends, growing in confidence. School might bring all kinds of questions: for example, what kind of books and uniform do you need to buy? How can you get through to your child when they are moody, bored or resentful? This guide focuses on learning between the ages of 11 and 16, and there isn’t space to look at many other questions.

‘I see there are tips in this guide, but I don’t have time to do them all - will my child be left behind?’

No. The tips in this guide are there for you to help your child as they plan their homework and coursework, but at this age children need to learn to take responsibility for their own study. So the tips will come in useful from time to time, especially when your child asks for help. The main thing is always to show an interest in what your child is learning at school.

‘My child seems to have difficulty keeping up at school and finds the work difficult. What can I do?’

Talk regularly to your child’s teachers. You don’t have to wait for a parents’ evening: you can ask the school for an appointment with your child’s teachers at any time. Find out more about what your child is doing at school and ask the teacher what your child could do at home to help their learning at school. See also ‘special educational needs’ in the ‘Teacher talk’ section.

‘Will my child be taught sex and relationship education?’

Yes. Find out more in the parent conference.

‘My child just wants to watch television instead of doing homework. Help!’

Television can encourage learning if chosen carefully. For example, some wildlife documentaries are excellent explanations of important topics in science and geography. Schools don’t always have time to show these kinds of television programmes in full. So if your child watches them, this will add to their school learning.

However, homework is important and sometimes it may be demanding. On many occasions it will be best simply to turn the TV off (or record the programme!), and give your child both encouragement and support when they are not motivated.

Preparing for Next Year - What we do.

Useful Guide for Parents Old and New - HEY STAGE 3

“What is the National Curriculum for England and why does it matter to parents?”

The National Curriculum:

• sets out the most important knowledge and skills that every student has a right to learn;
• is a framework designed so that all students are taught in a way that is balanced and manageable, but hard enough to challenge them;
• gives standards that measure how well students are doing in each subject - so teachers can plan to help them do better.

The National Curriculum isn’t just for teachers and schools: it belongs to everyone. This guide will help you understand it, so you can help your child as they continue their journey.

 

“I don’t always follow talk about year 7, key stage, National Curriculum, tests and levels. How does it all work?”

The National Curriculum says when things should be taught by describing broad ‘key stages’.

Key stages are blocks of years:

• Key stage 3 covers National Curriculum learning in years 7 to 9.
• Key stage 4 covers National Curriculum learning in years 10 and 11.

Key stage 3 - teaching for students in years 7 to 9

These years of your child’s time at school are called key stage 3.

At the end of each key stage, each National Curriculum subject has a target: your child should have reached a particular level of skills, knowledge, understanding and application, though many students will go beyond the National Curriculum targets.

‘Why have targets and tests?’

• Students get a sense of achievement from reaching each milestone in their learning, and going beyond it.
• Teachers use them to check on students’ progress, so that they can match their teaching to each student’s needs and abilities.
• The school uses them as part of ongoing quality assurance and self-evaluation processes. We can get a picture of where we are doing well as a school and where there may be problems which we need to tackle.

Of course, some students may not make as much progress as others and some have special educational needs.

As a parent or carer, you have a very important role to play in helping your child learn. Some parents are afraid of doing the wrong thing. (If you are unsure about how to help, you can always ask your child’s teachers.)

The most important things you can do are:

• take an interest in what your child is learning at school, and encourage them to tell you about it;
• praise them when they have done well;
• give them a quiet space to do their homework.

There are other things you can do, too: this guide gives ideas and tips about homework, revision and how to develop your child’s thinking skills. Don’t feel you have to do all of them, but any you can do will support your child’s learning.

English

Why do we teach English?

English concentrates on four key skills that your child needs to get the most out of all their learning at school - speaking clearly, listening closely, reading carefully and writing fluently. English helps students express themselves creatively and boosts their confidence about speaking in public and writing for others. Students read classic and contemporary prose, poetry and drama from around the world, look closely at the way writers use language and explore the social and moral issues they raise.

Teaching for every student

Students are taught:

Speaking and listening

They speak to different audiences, adapting their style to suit the audience and the purpose of what they are saying. They structure their speaking so that listeners can follow their line of argument clearly, using techniques such as pace, gesture, anecdotes and visual aids to make their speaking colourful and lively. They learn how to listen carefully, picking out the main points of what a speaker is saying as well as the details and any underlying meanings. They play an active and helpful role in group discussions. They learn how to convey different emotions and moods through drama, and write and act in plays. They learn about how language changes in different situations, about the development of the English language and its importance in the world, and about the differences between speech and writing.

 

Reading

Students studying English at this age read a wide range of plays, poems and books, both fiction and non-fiction, including:

• at least one play by Shakespeare;
• plays by other playwrights;
• works of fiction and poetry from different times, including works by contemporary writers;
• drama, fiction and poetry by writers from different cultures;
• non-fiction writing (for example, diaries, travel writing and science writing).

Students learn how to get more out of their reading at this age, uncovering different layers of meaning and understanding how writing can be open to different interpretations. They appreciate the full scope and richness of complete novels, plays and poems. They begin to explore how writers make up plots and characters, realising that the viewpoints of a character in a story may not necessarily be the same as the author’s.

They compare different styles and themes in writing from the English literary heritage and from different cultures. They look at how writing can be presented in different ways, exploring how the use of print, images and sometimes sound can affect how we read texts.

The non-fiction texts students study include information and reference texts, both in print and in electronic format such as web pages.

Students also look at how text can be presented in different kinds of media. For example, they may explore how words and images work together in magazines or television advertisements, or look at how a film based on a novel compares with the original text.

Writing

Students draw on their experience of good fiction and non-fiction to compose their own stories, poems, scripts, articles, brochures and reviews. They learn how to use different styles of writing to suit their purposes and to meet the needs of different readers. They develop their knowledge of grammar, spelling and punctuation, learning how to proof-read their work, judge how successful it is and redraft it accordingly. They write quickly and fluently, presenting their work neatly and clearly.

Targets for every student

Around age 14, most students are able to:

Speaking and listening

• adapt the style of their speaking to suit different situations;
• hold the interest of listeners by varying their expression and vocabulary
• take an active part in discussions while being sensitive to the feelings and opinions of other people;
• use standard English fluently in formal situations;
• take on and sustain a role in drama.

Reading

• find different layers of meaning in texts and comment on them;
• discuss their views and feelings about works of literature;
• refer to different aspects of a piece of writing - such as structure and theme - to justify their views about it;
• summarise information they have gathered from different sources.

Writing

• write in a way that captures the reader’s interest;
• write in different styles;
• structure their work clearly;
• use different sentence structures and a varied vocabulary;
• organise their ideas into paragraphs;
• spell and punctuate their writing accurately most of the time;
• write neatly and legibly, and present writing on screen.

‘Learning English has helped me to read literature, analyse it and also write my own creative pieces. I still write creatively when I have a spare moment and I certainly read a lot. I find that I’m writing all the time at work. Learning English language helps you to communicate clearly, both in speech and on paper - and literature can bring people together: it crosses boundaries and gets people talking.’ Heidi Gilchrist, 24

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