An English Proverb
The " saying " means that you can give someone the opportunity to do something but he may still refuse to do it.
An arabic translation might be "بامكانك أن تقود الحصان الى الماء لكنك لن تستطيع اجباره على الشرب "
In this post, we would like to see more Arabic equivalents to this saying and would like to see your own point of views.
2006-10-23
Why you need to get your message across
Why Communications Skills Are So Important:
The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others. This is a process that involves both the sender of the message and the receiver. This process leaves room for error, with messages often misinterpreted by one or more of the parties involved. This causes unnecessary confusion and counter productivity.
In fact, a message is successful only when both the sender and the receiver perceive it in the same way.
By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you convey do not necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals – both personally and professionally.
In a recent survey of recruiters from companies with more than 50,000 employees, communication skills were cited as the single more important decisive factor in choosing managers. The survey, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Business School, points out that communication skills, including written and oral presentations, as well as an ability to work with others, are the main factor contributing to job success.
In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many individuals continue to struggle with this, unable to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively – whether in verbal or written format. This inability makes it nearly impossible for them to compete effectively in the workplace, and stands in the way of career progression.
Getting your message across is paramount to progressing. To do this, you must understand what your message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will be perceived. You must also weigh-in the circumstances surrounding your communications, such as situational and cultural context.
Communications Skills - The Importance of Removing Barriers:
Communication barriers can pop-up at every stage of the communication process (which consists of sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback and context .
To be an effective communicator and to get your point across without misunderstanding and confusion, your goal should be to lessen the frequency of these barriers at each stage of this process with clear, concise, accurate, well-planned communications. We follow the process through below:
Sender...
To establish yourself as an effective communicator, you must first establish credibility. In the business arena, this involves displaying knowledge of the subject, the audience and the context in which the message is delivered.
You must also know your audience (individuals or groups to which you are delivering your message). Failure to understand who you are communicating to will result in delivering messages that are misunderstood.
Message...
Next, consider the message itself. Written, oral and nonverbal communications are effected by the sender’s tone, method of organization, validity of the argument, what is communicated and what is left out, as well as your individual style of communicating. Messages also have intellectual and emotional components, with intellect allowing us the ability to reason and emotion allowing us to present motivational appeals, ultimately changing minds and actions.
Channel...
Messages are conveyed through channels, with verbal including face-to-face meetings, telephone and videoconferencing; and written including letters, emails, memos and reports.
Receiver...
These messages are delivered to an audience. No doubt, you have in mind the actions or reactions you hope your message prompts from this audience. Keep in mind, your audience also enters into the communication process with ideas and feelings that will undoubtedly influence their understanding of your message and their response. To be a successful communicator, you should consider these before delivering your message, acting appropriately.
Feedback...
Your audience will provide you with feedback, verbal and nonverbal reactions to your communicated message. Pay close attention to this feedback as it is crucial to ensuring the audience understood your message.
Context...
The situation in which your message is delivered is the context. This may include the surrounding environment or broader culture (i.e. corporate culture, international cultures, etc.).
Removing Barriers At All These Stages
To deliver your messages effectively, you must commit to breaking down the barriers that exist in each of these stages of the communication process.
Let’s begin with the message itself. If your message is too lengthy, disorganized, or contains errors, you can expect the message to be misunderstood and misinterpreted. Use of poor verbal and body language can also confuse the message.
Barriers in context tend to stem from senders offering too much information too fast. When in doubt here, less is oftentimes more. It is best to be mindful of the demands on other people’s time, especially in today’s ultra-busy society.
Once you understand this, you need to work to understand your audience’s culture, making sure you can converse and deliver your message to people of different backgrounds and cultures within your own organization, in this country and even abroad.
The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others. This is a process that involves both the sender of the message and the receiver. This process leaves room for error, with messages often misinterpreted by one or more of the parties involved. This causes unnecessary confusion and counter productivity.
In fact, a message is successful only when both the sender and the receiver perceive it in the same way.
By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you convey do not necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals – both personally and professionally.
In a recent survey of recruiters from companies with more than 50,000 employees, communication skills were cited as the single more important decisive factor in choosing managers. The survey, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Business School, points out that communication skills, including written and oral presentations, as well as an ability to work with others, are the main factor contributing to job success.
In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many individuals continue to struggle with this, unable to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively – whether in verbal or written format. This inability makes it nearly impossible for them to compete effectively in the workplace, and stands in the way of career progression.
Getting your message across is paramount to progressing. To do this, you must understand what your message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will be perceived. You must also weigh-in the circumstances surrounding your communications, such as situational and cultural context.
Communications Skills - The Importance of Removing Barriers:
Communication barriers can pop-up at every stage of the communication process (which consists of sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback and context .
To be an effective communicator and to get your point across without misunderstanding and confusion, your goal should be to lessen the frequency of these barriers at each stage of this process with clear, concise, accurate, well-planned communications. We follow the process through below:
Sender...
To establish yourself as an effective communicator, you must first establish credibility. In the business arena, this involves displaying knowledge of the subject, the audience and the context in which the message is delivered.
You must also know your audience (individuals or groups to which you are delivering your message). Failure to understand who you are communicating to will result in delivering messages that are misunderstood.
Message...
Next, consider the message itself. Written, oral and nonverbal communications are effected by the sender’s tone, method of organization, validity of the argument, what is communicated and what is left out, as well as your individual style of communicating. Messages also have intellectual and emotional components, with intellect allowing us the ability to reason and emotion allowing us to present motivational appeals, ultimately changing minds and actions.
Channel...
Messages are conveyed through channels, with verbal including face-to-face meetings, telephone and videoconferencing; and written including letters, emails, memos and reports.
Receiver...
These messages are delivered to an audience. No doubt, you have in mind the actions or reactions you hope your message prompts from this audience. Keep in mind, your audience also enters into the communication process with ideas and feelings that will undoubtedly influence their understanding of your message and their response. To be a successful communicator, you should consider these before delivering your message, acting appropriately.
Feedback...
Your audience will provide you with feedback, verbal and nonverbal reactions to your communicated message. Pay close attention to this feedback as it is crucial to ensuring the audience understood your message.
Context...
The situation in which your message is delivered is the context. This may include the surrounding environment or broader culture (i.e. corporate culture, international cultures, etc.).
Removing Barriers At All These Stages
To deliver your messages effectively, you must commit to breaking down the barriers that exist in each of these stages of the communication process.
Let’s begin with the message itself. If your message is too lengthy, disorganized, or contains errors, you can expect the message to be misunderstood and misinterpreted. Use of poor verbal and body language can also confuse the message.
Barriers in context tend to stem from senders offering too much information too fast. When in doubt here, less is oftentimes more. It is best to be mindful of the demands on other people’s time, especially in today’s ultra-busy society.
Once you understand this, you need to work to understand your audience’s culture, making sure you can converse and deliver your message to people of different backgrounds and cultures within your own organization, in this country and even abroad.
Writing Skills
Before You Write It Down, Know This
Many people are intimidated by writing. Even so, there are times when writing is the best way to communicate, and oftentimes the only way to get your message across.
Write With Necessary Caution...
When writing, be mindful of the fact that once something is in written form, it cannot be taken back. Communicating through words can be more concrete than verbal communications, with less room for error and even less room for mistakes. This presents written communicators with new challenges, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, even writing style and actual wording.
Thankfully, today’s technology makes memo, letter and proposal writing much easier by providing reliable tools that check and even correct misspelled words and incorrect grammar use. Unfortunately, these tools are not fail proof and will require your support, making your knowledge in this area important.
The Importance of "Style"...
Some of the most basic tips to remember when writing include:
• Avoid the use of slang words
• Try not to use abbreviations (unless appropriately defined)
• Steer away from the use of symbols (such as ampersands [&])
• Clichés should be avoided, or at the very least, used with caution
• Brackets are used to play down words or phrases
• Dashes are generally used for emphasis
• Great care should ALWAYS be taken to spell the names of people and companies correctly
• Numbers should be expressed as words when the number is less than 10 or is used to start a sentence (example: Ten years ago, my brother and I…). The number 10, or anything greater than 10, should be expressed as a figure (example: My brother has 13 Matchbox cars.)
• Quotation marks should be placed around any directly quoted speech or text and around titles of publications.
• Keep sentences short
While the above tips cover the most common mistakes made when writing letters, memos and reports, they in no way cover everything you need to know to ensure your written communications are accurate and understood.
While this takes some practice, there are many sources available to assist with writing style, including “The Elements of Style”, by Strunk and White. One glance in any newsroom or on the desk of even the most accomplished writers and you are sure to find this small, easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, no-nonsense guide to writing. It is clear, concise and perhaps the best book of its kind. If you plan on writing a great deal of letters or even proposals, it is strongly recommended that you pick up this nifty guide, which by the way, will fit in your shirt pocket.
Letter Writing Hints...
When writing letters, it is best to address the letter to an individual. And, when beginning the letter with a personal name, be sure to end it with an appropriate closing, such as ‘Sincerely yours’. If you cannot obtain an individual’s name, consider ending it with a more generic (less personal) closing, such as ‘With kindest regards’.
For normal business letters, your letter should start with an overall summary, showing in the first paragraph why the letter is relevant to the reader. It’s not a good practice to make the reader go past the first paragraph to find out why the letter was sent to them.
The body of the letter needs to explain the reason for the correspondence, including any relevant background and current information. Make sure the information flows logically, ensuring you are making your points effectively.
The closing of the letter is the final impression you leave with the reader. End with an action point, such as ‘I will call you later this week to discuss this further’.
The Importance of Careful Proofing
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when writing a letter is to check it thoroughly when it is completed. Even when you think it is exactly what you want, read it one more time. This “unwritten” rule holds true for everything you write – memos, letters, proposals, etc.
Use both the grammar and spell check on your computer, paying very, very close attention to every word highlighted. Do not place total faith on your computer here. Instead, you should have both a printed dictionary and thesaurus nearby to double-check everything your computers editing tools highlight, as these tools are certainly not always reliable, for a variety of reasons.
When checking your written communications make sure the document is clear and concise. Is there anything in the written communication that could be misinterpreted? Does it raise unanswered questions or fail to make the point you need to get across?
Can you cut down on the number of words used? For instance, don’t use 20 words when you can use 10. While you do not want to be curt or abrupt, you do not want to waste the reader’s time with unnecessary words or phrases.
Is your written communication well organized? Does each idea proceed logically to the next? Make sure your written communications are easy to read and contain the necessary information, using facts where needed and avoiding information that is not relevant. Again, outline the course of action you expect, such as a return call or visit.
Close appropriately, making sure to include your contact information. While this may seem obvious, it is sometimes overlooked and can make your written communications look amateurish. This can diminish your chances of meeting your written communication’s goals.
Many people are intimidated by writing. Even so, there are times when writing is the best way to communicate, and oftentimes the only way to get your message across.
Write With Necessary Caution...
When writing, be mindful of the fact that once something is in written form, it cannot be taken back. Communicating through words can be more concrete than verbal communications, with less room for error and even less room for mistakes. This presents written communicators with new challenges, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, even writing style and actual wording.
Thankfully, today’s technology makes memo, letter and proposal writing much easier by providing reliable tools that check and even correct misspelled words and incorrect grammar use. Unfortunately, these tools are not fail proof and will require your support, making your knowledge in this area important.
The Importance of "Style"...
Some of the most basic tips to remember when writing include:
• Avoid the use of slang words
• Try not to use abbreviations (unless appropriately defined)
• Steer away from the use of symbols (such as ampersands [&])
• Clichés should be avoided, or at the very least, used with caution
• Brackets are used to play down words or phrases
• Dashes are generally used for emphasis
• Great care should ALWAYS be taken to spell the names of people and companies correctly
• Numbers should be expressed as words when the number is less than 10 or is used to start a sentence (example: Ten years ago, my brother and I…). The number 10, or anything greater than 10, should be expressed as a figure (example: My brother has 13 Matchbox cars.)
• Quotation marks should be placed around any directly quoted speech or text and around titles of publications.
• Keep sentences short
While the above tips cover the most common mistakes made when writing letters, memos and reports, they in no way cover everything you need to know to ensure your written communications are accurate and understood.
While this takes some practice, there are many sources available to assist with writing style, including “The Elements of Style”, by Strunk and White. One glance in any newsroom or on the desk of even the most accomplished writers and you are sure to find this small, easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, no-nonsense guide to writing. It is clear, concise and perhaps the best book of its kind. If you plan on writing a great deal of letters or even proposals, it is strongly recommended that you pick up this nifty guide, which by the way, will fit in your shirt pocket.
Letter Writing Hints...
When writing letters, it is best to address the letter to an individual. And, when beginning the letter with a personal name, be sure to end it with an appropriate closing, such as ‘Sincerely yours’. If you cannot obtain an individual’s name, consider ending it with a more generic (less personal) closing, such as ‘With kindest regards’.
For normal business letters, your letter should start with an overall summary, showing in the first paragraph why the letter is relevant to the reader. It’s not a good practice to make the reader go past the first paragraph to find out why the letter was sent to them.
The body of the letter needs to explain the reason for the correspondence, including any relevant background and current information. Make sure the information flows logically, ensuring you are making your points effectively.
The closing of the letter is the final impression you leave with the reader. End with an action point, such as ‘I will call you later this week to discuss this further’.
The Importance of Careful Proofing
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when writing a letter is to check it thoroughly when it is completed. Even when you think it is exactly what you want, read it one more time. This “unwritten” rule holds true for everything you write – memos, letters, proposals, etc.
Use both the grammar and spell check on your computer, paying very, very close attention to every word highlighted. Do not place total faith on your computer here. Instead, you should have both a printed dictionary and thesaurus nearby to double-check everything your computers editing tools highlight, as these tools are certainly not always reliable, for a variety of reasons.
When checking your written communications make sure the document is clear and concise. Is there anything in the written communication that could be misinterpreted? Does it raise unanswered questions or fail to make the point you need to get across?
Can you cut down on the number of words used? For instance, don’t use 20 words when you can use 10. While you do not want to be curt or abrupt, you do not want to waste the reader’s time with unnecessary words or phrases.
Is your written communication well organized? Does each idea proceed logically to the next? Make sure your written communications are easy to read and contain the necessary information, using facts where needed and avoiding information that is not relevant. Again, outline the course of action you expect, such as a return call or visit.
Close appropriately, making sure to include your contact information. While this may seem obvious, it is sometimes overlooked and can make your written communications look amateurish. This can diminish your chances of meeting your written communication’s goals.
Active Listening
Hear What People are Really Saying
by Kellie Fowler
It is obvious to say that if you have poor interpersonal communications skills (which include active listening), your productivity will suffer simply because you do not have the tools needed to influence, persuade and negotiate – all necessary for workplace success. Lines of communications must be open between people who rely on one another to get work done.
Considering this, you must be able to listen attentively if you are to perform to expectations, avoid conflicts and misunderstandings, and to succeed - in any arena. Following are a few short tips to help you enhance your communications skills and to ensure you are an active listener:
1. Start by Understanding Your Own Communication Style
Good communication skills require a high level of self-awareness. Understanding your personal style of communicating will go a long way toward helping you to create good and lasting impressions on others. By becoming more aware of how others perceive you, you can adapt more readily to their styles of communicating. This does not mean you have to be a chameleon, changing with every personality you meet. Instead, you can make another person more comfortable with you by selecting and emphasizing certain behaviors that fit within your personality and resonate with another. In doing this, you will prepare yourself to become an active listener.
2. Be an Active Listener
People speak at 100 to 175 words per minute (WPM), but they can listen intelligently at 600 to 800 words per minute. Since only a part of our mind is paying attention, it is easy to go into mind drift - thinking about other things while listening to someone. The cure for this is active listening - which involves listening with a purpose. It may be to gain information, obtain directions, understand others, solve problems, share interest, see how another person feels, show support, etc.
If you're finding it particularly difficult to concentrate on what someone is saying, try repeating their words mentally as they say it - this will reinforce their message and help you control mind drift.
3. Use Nonverbal Communication
Use nonverbal behaviors to raise the channel of interpersonal communication. Nonverbal communication is facial expressions like smiles, gestures, eye contact, and even your posture. This shows the person you are communicating with that you are indeed listening actively and will prompt further communications while keeping costly, time-consuming misunderstandings at a minimum.
4. Give Feedback
Remember that what someone says and what we hear can be amazingly different! Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. Repeat back or summarize to ensure that you understand. Restate what you think you heard and ask, "Have I understood you correctly?" If you find yourself responding emotionally to what someone said, say so, and ask for more information: "I may not be understanding you correctly, and I find myself taking what you said personally. What I thought you just said is XXX; is that what you meant?"
Feedback is a verbal communications means used to clearly demonstrate you are actively listening and to confirm the communications between you and others. Obviously, this serves to further ensure the communications are understood and is a great tool to use to verify everything you heard while actively listening.
by Kellie Fowler
It is obvious to say that if you have poor interpersonal communications skills (which include active listening), your productivity will suffer simply because you do not have the tools needed to influence, persuade and negotiate – all necessary for workplace success. Lines of communications must be open between people who rely on one another to get work done.
Considering this, you must be able to listen attentively if you are to perform to expectations, avoid conflicts and misunderstandings, and to succeed - in any arena. Following are a few short tips to help you enhance your communications skills and to ensure you are an active listener:
1. Start by Understanding Your Own Communication Style
Good communication skills require a high level of self-awareness. Understanding your personal style of communicating will go a long way toward helping you to create good and lasting impressions on others. By becoming more aware of how others perceive you, you can adapt more readily to their styles of communicating. This does not mean you have to be a chameleon, changing with every personality you meet. Instead, you can make another person more comfortable with you by selecting and emphasizing certain behaviors that fit within your personality and resonate with another. In doing this, you will prepare yourself to become an active listener.
2. Be an Active Listener
People speak at 100 to 175 words per minute (WPM), but they can listen intelligently at 600 to 800 words per minute. Since only a part of our mind is paying attention, it is easy to go into mind drift - thinking about other things while listening to someone. The cure for this is active listening - which involves listening with a purpose. It may be to gain information, obtain directions, understand others, solve problems, share interest, see how another person feels, show support, etc.
If you're finding it particularly difficult to concentrate on what someone is saying, try repeating their words mentally as they say it - this will reinforce their message and help you control mind drift.
3. Use Nonverbal Communication
Use nonverbal behaviors to raise the channel of interpersonal communication. Nonverbal communication is facial expressions like smiles, gestures, eye contact, and even your posture. This shows the person you are communicating with that you are indeed listening actively and will prompt further communications while keeping costly, time-consuming misunderstandings at a minimum.
4. Give Feedback
Remember that what someone says and what we hear can be amazingly different! Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. Repeat back or summarize to ensure that you understand. Restate what you think you heard and ask, "Have I understood you correctly?" If you find yourself responding emotionally to what someone said, say so, and ask for more information: "I may not be understanding you correctly, and I find myself taking what you said personally. What I thought you just said is XXX; is that what you meant?"
Feedback is a verbal communications means used to clearly demonstrate you are actively listening and to confirm the communications between you and others. Obviously, this serves to further ensure the communications are understood and is a great tool to use to verify everything you heard while actively listening.
2006-10-19
كل عام وانتم بخير
To everyone who views our blog we would like to say:
Happy Eid Fiter كل عام وانتم بخير
Happy Eid Fiter كل عام وانتم بخير
Using Games in Teaching English
The Court
The class is divided into two teams. The teacher says " the court is the living room ". One team starts by saying an object that can be found in the " court ", the living room in this example. The opposing team answers with another object that can be found in the " court ". The game goes on until one object is repeated or a team can not say another object to answer back. Then one point is given to the winning team. The teacher then changes the " court " and another set " is played. The team that wins three out of five sets is the winner.
Julio Valladares
Richmond Publishing Consultant - Peru
Clap the Number
Materials: none.
Sit the students in a big circle around the class but leave some random seats free. Tell the students that they are going to count but that every 5th student must not say the number but clap her/ his hands. If a student forgets to clap ( saying the number instead ), says a wrong number or takes too long to count, s/he is placed in another seat while the counting continues, the student is not taken out of the game. Alternatively, the teacher may decide to ask every 3 rd, 7 th, Nth student to clap her/ his hand.
Cesar Klauer
Spelling
Materials: Chalk or markers to write on board.
The class is divided into two teams. A line is drawn on the board to make two equal areas. Each team sends a representative to the board. The teacher says a word which the team representatives write from top to bottom of their corresponding board areas. Then, with each single letter of the word, they write another word. Proper nouns and the original teacher´s word are not permitted. The student who finishes first shouts " Ready!" so that the other student stops writing.This student should be the winner, provided that all the words he/she wrote are correct and will award one point to his team.The members of the team who are sitting must not say what words to write to their representative. The game finishes when all the team members have had a go at the board. The team with more points wins.
Battleship 2
The game is played on a grid similar to a game of battleship. The size of the grid depends on the number of students and the time limits of the class. Basically the students pick a grid reference, say " A 1" and then you pick the task. There can be many tasks, you have them roll a dice and then they need to think of that many words for a letter of your choice. Then they recieve that many points, ie, what ever they rolled. You can vary it at will if you pretend you are working of a prepared plan, sometimes I have them name ten body parts, or five things from the kitchen, bathroom, etc. Thus it can be modified to suit anything you have been working on. To add a bit of spice I also have a bomb every now and then that I throw in when 1 team is running away with it, they just miss a turn with the sound and drawing of a bomb. The kids love this bit and are always wary of the bomb. I also have a missle, the drawing of a missle which can be used to blow up one of the oppositions scores. You can use all these but make sure you pretend to be working of a plan as if the kids pick up that you are making them up to suit the game they go nuts. The winner of the game is the team with the most points. Make sure you have enough time to finish as the students get pretty angry if squares are left on the board
.Good luck
Bingo
Good for the end of the lesson for practising numbers (or general vocab.).
Preparation:
Make a different grid of sixteen random numbers for each class member. Write a number list for yourself.
Play:
Explain that the students must mark off the numbers in their grids as you call them out, and that if they finish the grid, shout
"BINGO!"
Call out the list:
When a student shouts "BINGO", ask them to read out their numbers, and check them off on your list.
The winner gets a pencil sharpener or rubber, which they will treasure.
Variation:
Draw vocabulary objects in the grids (eg. cabbage, tall man, short man, computer etc.), then call them out or (for artists) write in the grids and draw them on the board.
Tic Tac Toe 4
Alternative Tic Tac Toe (for paper or whiteboard)
Draw the usual # but instead of using a pen, use only 3 items per student (instead of the normal 4). Three blue paper pieces, 3 red etc (use tape on the back for white board). The game does not end until there is a winner. In otherwords, the children keep moving the pieces in turn until there is a winner.
If you want to use vocabulary lists, they need to take a new word each time.
The Lion Game
Materials: 4 lions, each a different colour, an explorer, a jeep, two special dice and a playing area. I usually draw a grid on my whiteboard to make the playing area. By varying the size of the grid I can control the game length.
Set up: place one lion in each corner of the playing area. Place the jeep and the explorer anywhere, preferably as far apart as possible.
Method of play: give a student a simple task. If the student succeeds give the student the 'explorer' dice. If the student makes a mistake give the student the 'lion dice'. The explorer can escape the lions by getting to the jeep and then driving the jeep off the playing area. The lions always move towards the explorer. If a lion lands on the explorer, the explorer is eaten. If the jeep is rolled move it away from the explorer. When the explorer has reached the jeep only move the explorer when the jeep is rolled (i.e. ignore explorer rolls).
Comments: The above description assumes that the students want to save the explorer. One alternative is to let the students choose which dice to throw which may create competition if some students want to save the explorer and others want to get the explorer eaten. Another possibility is to ask the students where a playing piece should be moved. With very young students it is possible to play the game without them realising that there are actually two dice.
Pass the hat!
You will need two objects, a bag and a hat and some music (lively is better). Fill the bag with questions, requests whatever you may be reviewing at the moment. Start the hat at one side of the room and the bag at the other. Have the students pass the bag and hat while listening to music. When the music stops, the students who are holding the bag and the cap must stand up. The person with the bag must ask a question to the person with the hat. Keep going alternating the time between stopping the music. The students get really excited with this activity, it is really a lot of fun!
HINT: Use a funny hat and when explaining the game put the hat on the students heads, they really get a kick out of it!
Word Games
Put any word known to the kids on the board, eg: lemon. Circle the "n" and get them to make a word beginning with that letter. Then take the last letter of that word, and repeat the process. This can be done in teams, or just getting kids to shout out words at random. They may not repeat a word.
Another word game: put a simple word on the board, eg. big. They have to make a new word, by changing only one letter at a time. EG: big, bag, rag, etc. This also works well in teams, especially if you set a time limit and the winning team is the one who makes the most words, no repeats allowed, of course.
2006-10-13
RELAX
If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; there is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.
-Henry David Thoreau-
They aren't aliens. They're human beings--people in small bodies, people with short attention spans, people who think in concrete rather than abstract terms, but people, nonetheless. They are also impressionable people. Your young pupils will reflect your attitude toward the class just as clearly as a thermometer reflects the temperature of the classroom. If you are tense, your students will be as well. Behavioral problems will ensue. Conflicts will develop between students. Valuable class time will be wasted. And everyone involved will leave exhausted and frustrated. A relaxed teacher, however, contributes significantly to warm, supportive classroom atmosphere. How does a teacher relax?
•Prepare thoroughly.
If you aren't sure what you are doing when you walk into the classroom, you will be stressed--and with good cause. A detailed lesson plan, however, frees you from the nagging question, "Now what do I do?" A thorough lesson plan includes the following:
•objectives--What do you want the students to learn?
•instructional procedures--How are you going to help students learn what you want them to learn?
•evaluation--How will you know whether students have learned what you wanted them to learn?
•materials--What materials will you need to fulfill your instructional procedures?
•assignment--What follow-up task (if any) will you expect students to complete on their own?
•Plan for potential problems.
Problems happen. Students finish in fifteen minutes the project for which you allotted thirty minutes. Little Youn-mi's complaints of "Teacher, I don't feel good" turn to cries of "Teacher, Youn-mi just got sick!!!" Students forget pencils, erasers, crayons, and even textbooks. Other teachers call in sick, and you find yourself with a combined class. The power goes out. Having contingency plans for foreseeable emergencies can significantly reduce your stress when the crisis strikes.
•Try to include at least one more activity than you think you'll have time for on each lesson plan.
•Keep a card file of five and ten minute "filler" activities.
•Keep a folder of photocopied review or practice worksheets that you can grab and distribute at a moment's notice. (Handwriting and reading comprehension worksheets, if not overused, can be great "backup" activities.)
•Have extra pencils, crayons, and erasers readily available.
•Develop a contingency plan for missing textbooks. (Will the student be able to share a book with a classmate? Do you have an extra copy you may loan out? Can you step out of the classroom long enough to photocopy a work page? Is the student expected to sit quietly through class, then complete the assignment at home? etc.)
•Know the school's policy regarding student illnesses. (Do you send Youn-mi to the office at first complaint? Do you keep her in class, but tell her she can put her head down on the desk and rest? Are you supposed to ignore complaints and teach until disaster strikes?)
•Know who to contact in case of an emergency and where to find cleaning supplies.
•Always have a large group activity on file that you can pull if you end up with a combined class. Possibilities include craft projects, creative writing tasks, outdoor games, role-playing exercises, and English videos for which you have written comprehension and discussion questions.
•Get enough rest.
Split shifts in particular take their toll. Some people need eight hours of sleep a night. Others can function on six. Still others require nine or ten. Figure out how much rest your body needs, then plan your schedule accordingly. While it may be tempting to go out on the town with all the other teachers when classes end at 11:00 pm, it's not wise to make a habit of nights on the town if you have to be back in the classroom at 5:30 or 6:00 the next morning. Not only are you in less than ideal condition in the classroom, but you are also jeopardizing your health. Tired teachers tend to be grouchy teachers. Tired teachers tend to be ineffective teachers. And tired teachers tend to become sick teachers.
•Teach students, not the textbook.
Teachers bent on teaching the textbook, on completing every language exercise and/or covering every page in the workbook, within an inflexible time frame get frustrated. Students don't always learn according to schedule. Some students learn English rapidly and will be bored to tears if the teacher insists on prolonging a unit until every related activity has been completed. Others struggle to learn English and will be incredibly frustrated and discouraged if the teacher rushes through one unit to get to the next one "on schedule." Remember that the textbook is a tool, a means to an end, but not the end itself. Use the textbook; use the scope and sequence chart; use the teacher's manual; use any other related materials. But teach the students. If the scope and sequence chart says students should master a skill in one week, but most of your students are struggling with the task, don't be afraid to take a few more days. If the workbook includes five pages of exercises related to a certain grammatical skill, but the majority of your students evidence clear mastery of the skill on the first page, don't feel like you "have" to do the other four. Remember, whether your students learn and love learning is far more important than whether they finish the text precisely on schedule or complete every exercise mentioned in the teacher's guide.
-Henry David Thoreau-
They aren't aliens. They're human beings--people in small bodies, people with short attention spans, people who think in concrete rather than abstract terms, but people, nonetheless. They are also impressionable people. Your young pupils will reflect your attitude toward the class just as clearly as a thermometer reflects the temperature of the classroom. If you are tense, your students will be as well. Behavioral problems will ensue. Conflicts will develop between students. Valuable class time will be wasted. And everyone involved will leave exhausted and frustrated. A relaxed teacher, however, contributes significantly to warm, supportive classroom atmosphere. How does a teacher relax?
•Prepare thoroughly.
If you aren't sure what you are doing when you walk into the classroom, you will be stressed--and with good cause. A detailed lesson plan, however, frees you from the nagging question, "Now what do I do?" A thorough lesson plan includes the following:
•objectives--What do you want the students to learn?
•instructional procedures--How are you going to help students learn what you want them to learn?
•evaluation--How will you know whether students have learned what you wanted them to learn?
•materials--What materials will you need to fulfill your instructional procedures?
•assignment--What follow-up task (if any) will you expect students to complete on their own?
•Plan for potential problems.
Problems happen. Students finish in fifteen minutes the project for which you allotted thirty minutes. Little Youn-mi's complaints of "Teacher, I don't feel good" turn to cries of "Teacher, Youn-mi just got sick!!!" Students forget pencils, erasers, crayons, and even textbooks. Other teachers call in sick, and you find yourself with a combined class. The power goes out. Having contingency plans for foreseeable emergencies can significantly reduce your stress when the crisis strikes.
•Try to include at least one more activity than you think you'll have time for on each lesson plan.
•Keep a card file of five and ten minute "filler" activities.
•Keep a folder of photocopied review or practice worksheets that you can grab and distribute at a moment's notice. (Handwriting and reading comprehension worksheets, if not overused, can be great "backup" activities.)
•Have extra pencils, crayons, and erasers readily available.
•Develop a contingency plan for missing textbooks. (Will the student be able to share a book with a classmate? Do you have an extra copy you may loan out? Can you step out of the classroom long enough to photocopy a work page? Is the student expected to sit quietly through class, then complete the assignment at home? etc.)
•Know the school's policy regarding student illnesses. (Do you send Youn-mi to the office at first complaint? Do you keep her in class, but tell her she can put her head down on the desk and rest? Are you supposed to ignore complaints and teach until disaster strikes?)
•Know who to contact in case of an emergency and where to find cleaning supplies.
•Always have a large group activity on file that you can pull if you end up with a combined class. Possibilities include craft projects, creative writing tasks, outdoor games, role-playing exercises, and English videos for which you have written comprehension and discussion questions.
•Get enough rest.
Split shifts in particular take their toll. Some people need eight hours of sleep a night. Others can function on six. Still others require nine or ten. Figure out how much rest your body needs, then plan your schedule accordingly. While it may be tempting to go out on the town with all the other teachers when classes end at 11:00 pm, it's not wise to make a habit of nights on the town if you have to be back in the classroom at 5:30 or 6:00 the next morning. Not only are you in less than ideal condition in the classroom, but you are also jeopardizing your health. Tired teachers tend to be grouchy teachers. Tired teachers tend to be ineffective teachers. And tired teachers tend to become sick teachers.
•Teach students, not the textbook.
Teachers bent on teaching the textbook, on completing every language exercise and/or covering every page in the workbook, within an inflexible time frame get frustrated. Students don't always learn according to schedule. Some students learn English rapidly and will be bored to tears if the teacher insists on prolonging a unit until every related activity has been completed. Others struggle to learn English and will be incredibly frustrated and discouraged if the teacher rushes through one unit to get to the next one "on schedule." Remember that the textbook is a tool, a means to an end, but not the end itself. Use the textbook; use the scope and sequence chart; use the teacher's manual; use any other related materials. But teach the students. If the scope and sequence chart says students should master a skill in one week, but most of your students are struggling with the task, don't be afraid to take a few more days. If the workbook includes five pages of exercises related to a certain grammatical skill, but the majority of your students evidence clear mastery of the skill on the first page, don't feel like you "have" to do the other four. Remember, whether your students learn and love learning is far more important than whether they finish the text precisely on schedule or complete every exercise mentioned in the teacher's guide.
2006-09-04
HOMEWORK
Homework Tips for Parents
Homework has been a part of students' lives since the beginning of formal schooling in the United States. However, the practice has sometimes been accepted and other times rejected, both by educators and parents. This has happened because homework can have both positive and negative effects on children's learning and attitudes toward school.
To Do or Not To Do Homework?
Homework can have many benefits for young children. It can improve remembering and understanding of schoolwork. Homework can help students develop study skills that will be of value even after they leave school. It can teach them that learning takes place anywhere, not just in the classroom. Homework can benefit children in more general ways as well. It can foster positive character traits such as independence and responsibility. Homework can teach children how to manage time.
Homework, if not properly assigned and monitored, can also have negative effects on children. Educators and parents worry that students will grow bored if they are required to spend too much time on schoolwork. Homework can prevent children from taking part in leisure-time and community activities that also teach important life skills. Homework can lead to undesirable character traits if it promotes cheating, either through the copying of assignments or help with homework that goes beyond tutoring.
The issue for educators and parents is not which list of effects, the positive or negative, is correct. To a degree, both are. It is the job of parents and educators to maximize the benefits of homework and minimize the costs.
Is It Enough Homework?
The most critical question about homework is "How much homework should students do?" Experts agree that the amount of homework should depend on the age and skills of the student. Many national groups of teachers and parents, including the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), suggest that homework for children in kindergarten through second grade is most effective when it does not exceed 10-20 minutes each day. In third through sixth grade, children can benefit from 30-60 minutes of homework per day. Junior high and high school students can benefit from more time on homework, and the amount may vary from night to night.
Reading at home is especially important for young children. High-interest reading assignments might push the time on homework a bit beyond the minutes suggested above.
These recommendations are consistent with the conclusions reached by many studies on the effectiveness of homework. For young children, research shows that shorter and more frequent assignments may be more effective than longer but fewer assignments. This is because young children have short spans of attention and need to feel they have successfully completed a task.
Types of Homework
Homework assignments typically have one or more purposes. The most common purpose is to have students practice material already presented in class. Practice homework is meant to reinforce learning and help the student master specific skills. Preparation homework introduces material that will be presented in future lessons. These assignments aim to help students learn new material better when it is covered in class. Extension homework asks students to apply skills they already have to new situations. Integration homework requires the student to apply many different skills to a single task, such as book reports, science projects or creative writing.
In particular, math homework has been shown to be more important in the middle to high school grades and less important in the elementary grades. It starts to become important in the fourth grade and is increasingly important in the upper grades.
Research also shows that parent involvement can have either a positive or negative impact on the value of homework. Parent involvement can be used to speed up a child's learning. Homework can involve parents in the school process. It can enhance parents' appreciation of education. It can give them an opportunity to express positive attitudes about the value of success in school.
But parent involvement may also interfere with learning. For example, parents can confuse children if the teaching techniques they use differ from those used in the classroom. Parent involvement in homework can turn into parent interference if parents complete tasks that the child is capable of completing alone.
When mothers and fathers get involved with their children's homework, communication between the school and family can improve.
It can clarify for parents what is expected of students. It can give parents a firsthand idea of what students are learning and how well their child is doing in school.
Research shows that if a child is having difficulty with homework, parents should become involved by paying close attention. They should expect more requests from teachers for their help. If a child is doing well in school, parents should consider shifting their efforts to providing support for their child's own choices about how to do homework. Parents should avoid interfering in the independent completion of assignments.
As this brief introduction suggests, homework can be an effective way for students to improve their learning and for parents to communicate their appreciation of schooling. Because a great many things influence the impact of homework achievement, expectations for homework's effects, especially in the earlier grades, must be realistic.
Homework policies and practices should give teachers and parents the flexibility to take into account the unique needs and circumstances of their students. That way, they can maximize the positive effects of homework and minimize the negative ones.
Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with other distractions, such as people coming and going.
Make sure the materials your child needs, such as paper, pencils and a dictionary, are available.
Ask your child if special materials will be needed for some projects and get them in advance.
Help your child with time management.
Establish a set time each day for doing homework. Don't let your child leave homework until just before bedtime. Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with classmates.
Be positive about homework.
Tell your child how important school is. The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires.
When your child does homework, you do homework.
Show your child that the skills they are learning are related to things you do as an adult. If your child is reading, you read too. If your child is doing math, balance your checkbook.
When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers.
Giving answers means your child will not learn the material. Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work for him or her.
When the teacher asks that you play a role in homework, do it.
Cooperate with the teacher. It shows your child that the school and home are a team. Follow the directions given by the teacher.
If homework is meant to be done by your child alone, stay away.
Too much parent involvement can prevent homework from having some positive effects. Homework is a great way for kids to develop independent, lifelong learning skills.
Stay informed.
Talk with your child's teacher. Make sure you know the purpose of homework and what your child's class rules are.
Help your child figure out what is hard homework and what is easy homework.
Have your child do the hard work first. This will mean he will be most alert when facing the biggest challenges. Easy material will seem to go fast when fatigue begins to set in.
Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration.
Let your child take a short break if she is having trouble keeping her mind on an assignment.
Reward progress in homework.
If your child has been successful in homework completion and is working hard, celebrate that success with a special event (e.g., pizza, a walk, a trip to the park) to reinforce the positive effort.
Have your child read aloud to you every night.
Choose a quiet place, free from distractions, for your child to do his nightly reading assignments.
As your child reads, point out spelling and sound patterns such as cat, pat, hat.
When your child reads aloud to you and makes a mistake, point out the words she has missed and help her to read the word correctly.
After your child has stopped to correct a word he has read, have him go back and reread the entire sentence from the beginning to make sure he understands what the sentence is saying.
Ask your child to tell you in her own words what happened in a story.
To check your child's understanding of what he is reading, occasionally pause and ask your child questions about the characters and events in the story.
Ask your child why she thinks a character acted in a certain way and ask your child to support her answer with information from the story.
Before getting to the end of a story, ask your child what he thinks will happen next and why.
2006-08-30
Teaching Tips
Be Patient !
Perhaps there is only one cardinal sin: impatience. Because of impatience we were driven out of Paradise,because of impatience we cannot return.
W. H. Auden
Allow sufficient time for students to make a smooth transition from one activity to the next, especially if directives are given in English.
Young children in particular need more time than adults to make a mental transition between processes, and mental transition is a prerequisite to successful physical transition. In the long run, you'll probably save time by taking an additional fifteen to thirty seconds to move students from one activity to the next instead of rushing students to a new project, only to spend several minutes trying to get everyone's attention and cooperation. Routine can be key to smooth transitions. I keep a small cassette player nearby and begin fading up classical music during the last ten seconds or so of an activity. [Music with words can be distracting....] When music reaches a comfortable hearing level, students know to stop whatever they are doing and wait for new instructions. After I have the attention of all students, I fade the music down and give the next set of instructions. Usually, this leads to the immediate cooperation of all students. (Another teacher slowly dims lights, waits for students' attention, gives instructions, increases lighting, and continues.)
Give students adequate time to answer specific questions.
Give students adequate time to answer specific questions.
Get into the habit of silently counting at least to ten before giving up on one student and asking the next. Remember, beginning students especially will have to mentally translate the question into their native language, formulate a response, then mentally translate the response back into English. This takes TIME! And even beginning students need to feel like they can communicate with some success. After all, if they can't process thoughts and communicate in class where they are supposed to be free to learn, where will they be able to practice English communication skills and develop the confidence necessary to function successfully in an English-speaking country?
Allow most students enough time to become comfortable with one aspect of language before introducing another.
Allow most students enough time to become comfortable with one aspect of language before introducing another.
Some schools seem to play a numbers game. They boast that students learn 500 or even 1,000 words a month. But rote memory serves no purpose if students cannot utilize the new vocabulary in a real-life situation. All too often, students will memorize words like history facts, then promptly forget them after the test. Try reserving one class per week for review. If more than 15-20% of students cannot remember information taught three to four weeks before, then you should probably slow down and allow more time for practicing each new language skill. On the other hand, if more than 15-20% of students begin to demonstrate boredom with a particular language skill, then you can probably increase the pace at which you are teaching.
Utilize the method of cycling.
Utilize the method of cycling.
Preview new material through songs, stories, crafts, games, videos, or casual conversation. The preview grants students some familiarity with the new vocabulary or syntax so that they may connect it with previously learned material when you actually teach it. (Some students will acquire the new language through the preview alone, and these students can later help you explain the new material to students who are struggling.) Teach material, using verbal, visual, and sensory approaches. For example you might teach the color blue by showing students various shades of blue, asking students to name objects that are blue, then calling on students to touch a piece of clothing that is blue or to color with a blue crayon. Finally, review the material on a regular basis. Provide an extensive review immediately after the lesson is taught, using open conversation, action games, songs, chants, and more. Provide a brief review at the beginning of the next class period. Review at least once per week for the next month, then once per month thereafter. (Regular review gives the "stragglers" additional opportunities to learn and keeps other students from losing the skill acquired.)
Allow patience to serve as one of your most effective tools in combatting undesirable behavior.
Allow patience to serve as one of your most effective tools in combatting undesirable behavior.
One of the teacher's greatest advantages should be maturity, the ability to behave in a more responsible manner than the children in his or her care. All too often, however, inexperienced or untrained teachers react "in fashion" to students' inappropriate behavior. The class makes too much noise, so the teacher yells. A preschooler throws a tantrum, and the teacher jumps into the fray. An elementary student makes a rude comment to the teacher or a fellow-student, so the teacher verbally attacks the student. But responses such as these are counter-productive, reducing the teacher to the same level as the student and stripping him or her of all control. By responding in patience, however, the teacher establishes his or her authority in non-threatening manner. Some suggestions include the following:
Respond to minor disruptions with silence.
Respond to minor disruptions with silence.
Simply stop talking and silently wait for students to grow quiet. If questioned, tell students, "Class is not a contest. I will not compete with you." If it is possible to extend class for five minutes or so, the teacher may add any time he or she has stopped because of a disruption to the end of class. This is especially effective, causing students to become "jealous" of class time as well. After the teacher uses this method two or three times, most students will fall silent immediately if the teacher stops talking. A variation (if students must leave by a set time) is to routinely dismiss class one to two minutes early, but to revoke this privilege on any day when the class must stop more than once.
Respond to increased classroom noise by speaking softly.
Respond to increased classroom noise by speaking softly.
Speak just loudly enough to be heard by the student furthest from you if the class were completely silent. Students will begin to quieten down as they try to hear what you are saying. You may tell students, "If you cannot hear me speak, then you are too noisy." I have on occasion quietly said, "If you want an M & M, raise your left hand." This rewards the students who are paying attention, while creating a small but appropriate penalty for those who aren't listening (generally the noise makers).
Respond to tantrums by doing nothing.
Respond to tantrums by doing nothing.
Tantrums are primarily a means of gaining attention, and the tantrum-thrower generally doesn't care whether attention is positive or negative. If a child wants to throw himself or herself on the ground kicking and screaming, simply ignore him or her as long as he or she is not in danger of self-inflicted injury. Quickly move other students and any assistant teachers away from the area, so that the disruptive child is the object of no one's attention. Try to engage other students in a fun activity like a quick review games, a favorite song, a story, or even play time. As soon as the tantrum thrower realizes he or she is not receiving the desired attention, he or she will stop and quietly join the other students. AFTER the tantrum-thrower returns to the group and engages in the assigned activity, offer a moment or two of positive attention. (Make sure that other students also receive the same attention so they don't perceive the attention as a "reward" for misbehavior.)If a student is in danger of self-inflicted injury (i.e. banging head against a concrete wall, hitting a hard object), quickly move the child away from object(s) on which he or she could be injured. Place the child in a safe area, and leave him or her alone until the tantrum ends. If necessary, you may direct other students to a learning activity or video, then gently but firmly hold the child's hands so that he or she cannot injure himself or another students. (Avoid holding the child on your lap or offering any other affirming action.) If physical contact, with its accompanying attention is necessary, the tantrum will probably last longer than it might otherwise, but the teacher must quietly hold his or her ground. (After all, the teacher should be able to outwait a three or four year old!)
Respond to inappropriate language or unkind remarks by politely asking the student to say five positive things about the person or thing he or she is verbally abusing.
Respond to inappropriate language or unkind remarks by politely asking the student to say five positive things about the person or thing he or she is verbally abusing.
This response forces the student to view the person or thing at which he or she is frustrated from a new perspective. It also boosts the esteem of any child who has just been insulted. Occasionally a student will simply refuse to cooperate. At these times, you may call on other class members to tell what they like about the person or student being attacked. This not only provides the other students with an excellent conversation exercise, but also makes the uncooperative student suddenly feel very alone in his or her negative sentiments. Although the student may "save face" by not altering his or her original position, he or she will think twice before making similar comments in the future.
Purpose in advance not to yell at, insult, or hit a student for any reason and plan mature responses to potential problems.
Purpose in advance not to yell at, insult, or hit a student for any reason and plan mature responses to potential problems.
As basic as this may seem, too many teachers resort to the above tactics without thinking. Even teachers who have previously said, "I would never hit a child," sometimes react in an immature (and even abusive) manner when a situation catches them off guard, especially when the teacher is teaching in a culture that espouses shame and corporal punishment as effective means of maintaining discipline. Teachers should establish from the beginning at least two class rules: "In this class, no one speaks unkindly to anyone" and "In this class, no one hits anyone." They should then apply them to themselves before applying them to their students. The teacher should serve as model, demonstrating through his or her own behavior within the classroom appropriate interpersonal skills. (Even students who cannot understand a teacher's words can comprehend the teacher's example...)
Give at least one warning before disciplining for most infractions.
Give at least one warning before disciplining for most infractions.
Young children tend to have short memories, and may disobey simply because they forgot the direction. Often a simple reminder like, "Chang-min, in English class we speak only English" or "Joo-ha, if you play with your eraser, I will have to take it away" bring an end to the problem. (The exception to this in my classroom is physical aggression toward another student. Hitting, kicking, biting, and so forth lead to an immediate time out. Students already actively involved in an emotionally charged situation generally will not listen until they've had time to calm down.)
Remember that learning is a process.
Remember that learning is a process.
It simply takes time. Learning is also an individual process. Some students will take more time to learn than others. Don't get impatient (or at least don't let it show) when a particular student seems to making little or no progress. Remember that every child has different gifts, and all do not have a special aptitude for foreign languages. Making a child feel stupid or incapable of learning will certainly not improve his or her performance in your class and may significantly hamper his or her progress in other areas. Also keep in mind that you will never know just how much a student is really learning. One young boy made no visible progress for six months. The other students had all learned basic actions and objects, simple sentence structures, common questions and answers, the alphabet, and beginning reading skills, but Dae-won still responded to "What is your name?" with a blank stare. I had arranged for remedial tutoring after his first month, but this led to no visible progress. At the end of his second month, I met with his mother to encourage testing for hearing loss. At the end of the third month, I asked that he be tested for learning disabilities. Half way through the fourth month, I arranged a special meeting with the mother and explained that the boy was simply making no progress and his continued attendance was a waste of time. I suggested that she remove him from the class, allow him a couple more years to develop his native language abilities, then try again. She insisted that he wanted to be in class and left him in. Toward the end of his sixth month, he nonchalantly called out "Good-bye teacher! Have a good day!" as he left class. From that point one, he communicated as well as several other students. I still don't know what brought about the sudden change, but I was glad his mother had more insight into his development than I did!
A Simple Process for Creativity
DO IT - A Simple Process for Creativity
DO IT is a process for creativity.
DO IT is an acronym that stands for:
D - Define problem
O - Open mind and apply creative techniques
I - Identify best solution
T - Transform
These stages are explained in more detail below:
1. Define ProblemThis section concentrates on analyzing the problem to ensure that the correct question is being asked. The following steps will help you to do this:
Check that you are tackling the problem, not the symptoms of the problem. To do this, ask yourself why the problem exists repeatedly until you get to the root of it.
Lay out the bounds of the problem. Work out the objectives that you must achieve and the constraints that you are operating under.
Where a problem appears to be very large, break it down into smaller parts. Keep on going until each part is achievable in its own right, or needs a precisely defined area of research to be carried out.
Summarize the problem in as concise a form as possible. Robert W. Olsen suggests that the best way to do this is to write down a number of 2 word problem statements and choose the best one.
2. Open Mind and Apply Creative TechniquesOnce you know the problem that you want to solve, you are ready to start generating possible solutions. It is very tempting just to accept the first good idea that you come across. If you do this, you will miss many even better solutions.
At this stage of DO IT we are not interested in evaluating ideas. Instead, we are trying to generate as many different ideas as possible. Even bad ideas may be the seeds of good ones.
You can use the whole battery of creativity techniques covered earlier in this section to search for possible solutions. Each tool has its particular strengths and benefits, depending on the problems that you want to solve. While you are generating solutions, remember that other people will have different perspectives on the problem, and it will almost certainly be worth asking for the opinions of your colleagues as part of this process.
3. Identify the Best SolutionOnly at this stage do you select the best of the ideas you have generated. It may be that the best idea is obvious. Alternatively, it may be worth examining and developing a number of ideas in detail before you select one.
When you are selecting a solution, keep in mind your own or your organization's. Often Decision Making becomes easy once you know these.
4. TransformHaving identified the problem and created a solution to it, the final stage is to implement this solution. This involves not only development of a reliable product from your idea, but all the marketing and business side as well. This may take a great deal of time and energy.
Many very creative people fail at this stage. They will have fun creating new products and services that may be years ahead of what is available on the market. They will then fail to develop them, and watch someone else make a fortune out of the idea several years later.
The first stage in transforming an idea is to develop an Action Plan for the transformation. This may lead to creation of a Business or Marketing Plan. Once you have done this, the work of implementation begins!
DO IT was devised by Robert W Olsen in his book ‘The Art of Creative Thinking’.
2006-08-19
" The Bet " by Anton Chekhov
"The Bet" by Anton Chekhov
Overview
At a dinner party in the beginning of this story, an old banker and a young lawyer argue over whether or not "capital punishment and life imprisonment are equally immoral." To determine the truth in this matter they decide to make a bet, agreeing that the Lawyer will live without human contact for fifteen years, and in return, the Banker will pay him 2 million dollars. After providing the Lawyer with a cell, innumerable books, and other comforts for fifteen years, the Banker realizes he is about to lose the bet. Facing bankruptcy and humiliation, he decides to kill the Lawyer. The Banker is stunned when he learns that minutes before he would have received millions, the Lawyer renounced his prize and abandons civilization.
IssuesThis story addresses
1. capital punishment,
2. gambling,
3. greed,
4. violence.
Instructional Focus
To encourage students to examine examples of inappropriate feelings and desires.
the consequences of gambling
the value of self-respect
appropriate methods of resolving internal and external conflicts
Activities
Oral Reading
Read the story aloud. Pause to identify inappropriate emotions that result in inappropriate actions. Have students suggest the possible consequences of each. After the reading, ask students to identify alternative reactions that may have resulted in a more favorable outcome.
Class Discussion
Use the following questions as springboards to solutions:
What emotions and desires motivate the Lawyer and the Banker to make such a bet? What does engaging in such a bet reveal about each of the characters? Are these appropriate emotions and desires? Why or why not?
Do these characters respect themselves? Why or why not?
Do the Banker and the Lawyer respect each other? Why or why not?
Could the bet have led to a positive outcome?
What are the drawbacks of gambling in general? Are there appropriate forms of gambling?
During his confinement, the Lawyer had the opportunity to read and learn about the world. Meanwhile, the Banker had the opportunity to experience many pleasures in the world. In the end, both were driven to desperation. One man was willing to commit murder, the other despised "all the blessings of the world." What actions could either of these characters taken that would have helped them avoid this outcome?
Could anyone else in the story have taken an action that would have prevented this outcome?
What emotions and desires motivate the Lawyer and the Banker to make such a bet? What does engaging in such a bet reveal about each of the characters? Are these appropriate emotions and desires? Why or why not?
Do these characters respect themselves? Why or why not?
Do the Banker and the Lawyer respect each other? Why or why not?
Could the bet have led to a positive outcome?
What are the drawbacks of gambling in general? Are there appropriate forms of gambling?
During his confinement, the Lawyer had the opportunity to read and learn about the world. Meanwhile, the Banker had the opportunity to experience many pleasures in the world. In the end, both were driven to desperation. One man was willing to commit murder, the other despised "all the blessings of the world." What actions could either of these characters taken that would have helped them avoid this outcome?
Could anyone else in the story have taken an action that would have prevented this outcome?
Personal Perspective
Ask student pairs to share experiences. Have them focus on events that forced them to reevaluate their perspective. Have pairs work to identify the causes for the misperception. Ask them to evaluate the resulting "new" perception. For instance, a student's original perception may have been that there was no such thing as prejudice. Then the student moved to a new neighborhood where he/she became a minority. The student realized the inaccuracy of the original perception when he/she became a victim of prejudice. Lottery: Winner or LoserFormal debate is one method for determining the policies which deal with difficult political issues such as criminal justice, education, and taxes.
In groups of four or more, have students determine whether or not the state governments should continue to run a lottery. Have half the group gather and arrange evidence in support of the lottery and the other half of the group gather and arrange evidence against it.
Remind students to discuss possible counter arguments also.
Finally, have students present their debates and evaluate individual performances based on organization, evidence, and presentation.
Memories of the Rich and Infamous
In pairs, have students record a radio interview between the Banker and an investigative journalist. The interview should be set in the year 1905, twenty years after the Lawyer vanished from his cell.
The interview should contain a summary of the events of the story and the Banker's reflections on the lessons of these events. Encourage students to develop questions and answers that illustrate the Banker's thinking about the moral issues involved in the bet.
Real World Connection
Have students research supreme court rulings regarding capital punishment. Then have them select a case and identify the arguments for and against it by creating a brief outline of the main points. Encourage students to use a dictionary or a thesaurus to define unfamiliar words. Have students share their findings in small groups.
The Influence of Arabic on English
I found this question from an Iraqi woman named Rahma, asking a Sheikh to give her a suitable FATWA. Her inquiry is full of mistakes: grammatical, semantic and in spelling. The text reveals most the influence of Arabic Language over the English Language, especially when someone translates his thoughts.
" rahma – house keper
alsalam alaikum i am too tired please help me in your anser.. my parents are too old father (76 years) and mother(71 years), they are alone in iraq without any brother or sister or son or douter, they have only two douters ,me and my sister in U.A.E. ,my sister cant help them becouse her hasbent cant that, evrey day i feel die . i want to go to iraq to be beside them but my hasbent did not accept to go with me to leve in our country ,he is a good moslim ,but he refuse travel to leve in iraq, he leve here from 10 years ago,..when he come to iraq to maerried me he said that we will leve in canada and i accept that .. now we have a boy (2 years) and i am pregnent, i want to be with my parents what can i do ..now i try to sponser my parents to leave here with us ,,if the goverment refuse that can i travel to iraq and left my hasbent..? please help me i feel too gulty ..i cant at any way left my parent specally in bad situation alone.. "
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