Dare to change?

MELTA CONFERENCE

http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2010/6/13/education/6429230&sec=education

International Conference on Linguistics, Literature and Culture (ICLLIC)

http://www.usm.my/icllic2010/default.asp?pohon=1

Reading in English Program in School

We launched the Reading in English Program on 25 April (in conjunction with World Book Day). The objectives were
* to instill and drive the reading habit amongst teachers and pupils alike,
*to allow English teachers to act as reading models / to select reading models amongst students,
*to allow students to extend their abilities to
-value reading as means of learning and enjoyment
-read for a variety of purposes
-read a range of contemporary and classical texts appropriate to their interests and learning needs,
-read text from a variety of genres and cultural traditions,
-read independently.

Proposed Activities:
1. Selection of Readers of the Month/Year
2. Inter-Class Competitions (Book Talks, Book Reports, etc)
3. In-Class activities (SSR, Choral Reading, Reading in Pairs, and other Reader Response Strategies)
4. Quizzes on books and authorship

How to lead into writing

• Offer some tools for written response: Open-ended questions, prompts, varied forms of written response.

• Use questions that come up during discussion as jumping-off points for writing
• Open-ended questions: "How are you like this character?" or "What do you think will happen next, and why?"
• Prompts: "I wonder...", "I wish ...", "What if ....?"
• Diary entries in the voice of a character/Journal entries
• Cause/effect explanation (answering 'How come?', 'Why?')
• Letters to characters (or from one character to another)
• Sketching or drawing

Never cease to learn....

Some one finally asked what literature circles are (bless this person!). Here is what I know -
"small groups of students gather together to discuss a piece of literature in depth. The discussion is guided by students' response to what they have read. You may hear talk about events and characters in the book, the author's craft, or personal experiences related to the story. Literature circles provide a way for students to engage in critical thinking and reflection as they read, discuss, and respond to books. Collaboration is at the heart of this approach. Students reshape and add onto their understanding as they construct meaning with other readers. Finally, literature circles guide students to deeper understanding of what they read through structured discussion and extended written and artistic response".
*Reader response centered
*Structured for student independence, responsibility, and ownership
*Guided primarily by student insights and questions
*Intended as a context in which to applyreading and writing skills

I Went AWOL!

hmmm...been away a long time. What can I say? Life's been busy. And I was all downtrodden and miserable. I miss my daughter and a few great friends. I miss learning from the masters.
But how dare I complain uh? Yeah...i should be happy for all the joys and loves in my life.
But I am back!...with a vengeance!
Been trying out a few PD strategies (Love you Dr Manna!) and I really like what I hear and see in class. And I managed to get a few students to get on FB and hey...they are writing in English. And it sure does feel cool for an old crooner like me.
The CNY break should allow me time to update and share more. Ciao all.

Grammarrrrrr

Hi,

Go to the following page for great tips on teaching grammar.
http://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/articles/70-characteristics-good-grammar-presentation.html

Netproverbs???

Just read this at http://www.rogerknapp.com/knap/inspire.htm and had to share it ....
PROVERBS FOR THE MILLENNIUM
1. Home is where you hang your @.
2. The e-mail of the species is more deadly than the mail.
3. A journey of a thousand sites begins with a single click.
4. You can't teach a new mouse old clicks.
5. Great groups from little icons grow.
6. Speak softly and carry a cellular phone.
7. C:\ is the root of all directories.
8. Oh, what a tangled website we weave when first we practice.
9. Pentium wise, pen and paper foolish.
10. The modem is the message.
11. Too many clicks spoil the browse.
12. The geek shall inherit the earth.
13. There's no place like www.home.com
14. Don't byte off more than you can view.
15. Fax is stranger than fiction
16. What boots up must come down.
17. Windows will never cease.
18. Virtual reality is its own reward.
19. Modulation in all things.
20. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to use the Net and he won't bother you for weeks.

A Great Song to Teach - Josh Groban's 'You Raise Me Up'

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.