Teacher's Advice English Reading, Writing, Speaking and
Listening
Language is an integral part of learning, and plays a key role in children’s confidence and proficiency as speakers and listeners.
There is an interdependency between speaking and listening, reading and writing and moreover, that they are mutually enhancing. The objectives for speaking and listening complement the objectives for reading and writing in that they reinforce and extend children’s developing reading and writing skills.
The standards are
(1) Learning to Read Independently;
(2) Reading Critically in All Content Areas;
(3) Reading, Analyzing and Interpreting Literature;
(4) Quality of Writing;
(5) Speaking and Listening;
(6) Characteristics and Function of the English Language
To develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills of children parents can contribute a lot.
Speaking and Listening skills:
In developing their speaking skills, children need to learn to adapt their talk to the listeners; use a range of ways to express themselves; use talk to clarify their ideas and sustain their talk to develop thinking and reasoning. Speaking should include putting thoughts into words and sharing in groups; taking opportunities to speak at some length to explain ideas in different situations; giving a talk or presentation using gestures, aids and rhetorical devices.
Furthermore, children need to be taught how to make more extended contributions, such as expanding ideas using connectives; making connections between reasoning and predicting; using language to organise and sequence ideas.
Listening and responding:
To understand, recall and respond to speakers’ implicit and explicit meanings; to explain and comment on speakers’ use of language, including vocabulary, grammar and non verbal features.
As parents, you should encourage active, responsive listening skills. To facilitate this, parents should present material clearly with prompts to support listening – use of
Voice; emphasis on key words and sometimes speaking quietly. When we model speaking and listening we should demonstrate and discuss the process. To do this effectively model and encourage the children to make eye contact with the listener; speak clearly and audibly; use facial expressions and gestures; use precise words to convey meaning and hold the attention of the audience and respond to others’ contributions by adding or elaborating on them or by expressing an alternative point of view. Children need to be provided with models of appropriate use of English.
Speaking and listening Rules
Establish a set of rules for speaking and listening – these could include some of the following:
| RULES FOR TALKING |
RULES FOR LISTENING |
Respect each other’s opinion |
Respect each other’s opinions |
One voice at a time |
Don’t interrupt |
Say what you think |
Listen carefully |
Say why you think it |
Be open to new ideas |
Build on what others say |
Think about what others say |
Support and include each other |
|
Ask when you don’t understand |
|
Try and reach agreement |
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Be noise aware |
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Become talk partners
For example share experiences, generate ideas and reflect on learning so that they establish routines, gain confidence and develop speaking in English skill.
Provide children with a listening frame suitable to the task. If listening to a news broadcast help them to focus on what they hear by giving key headings to help them listen systematically; if they are listening to a recount ask them to picture the scene in their heads as they listen.
Help your child develop reading and writing skills:
Reading Skills:
Nothing is more important to academic achievement than being a good reader. Parents know their children best and can provide the one-on-one time and attention that will lead them to success in reading. Here is a list of ways to help your children become more effective readers.
1. Set aside a regular time to read to your children every day.
Studies show that regularly reading out loud to children will produce significant gains in reading comprehension, vocabulary, and the decoding of words. Whether your children are preschoolers or preteens, it will increase their desire to read independently.
2. Surround your children with reading material.
Children with a large array of reading materials in their homes score higher on standardized tests. Tempt your kids to read by having a large supply of appealing books and magazines at their reading level. Put the reading materials in cars, bathrooms, bedrooms, family rooms, and even by the TV.
3. Have a family reading time.
Establish a daily 15 to 30 minute time when everyone in the family reads together silently. Seeing you read will inspire your children to read. Just 15 minutes of daily practice is sufficient to increase their reading fluency.
4. Encourage a wide variety of reading activities.
Make reading an integral part of your children's lives. Have them read menus, roadside signs, game directions, weather reports, movie time listings, and other practical everyday information. Also, make sure they always have something to read in their spare time when they could be waiting for appointments or riding in a car.
5. Develop the library habit.
Entice your children to read more by taking them to the library every few weeks to get new reading materials. The library also offers reading programs for children of all ages that may appeal to your children and further increase their interest in reading.
6. Be knowledgeable about your children's progress.
Find out what reading skills they are expected to have at each grade level.
7. Get help promptly for reading problems.
Reading problems do not magically disappear with time. The earlier children receive help, the more likely they will become good readers.
8. Use a variety of aids to help your children.
To help your children improve their reading, use textbooks, computer programs, books-on-tape, and other materials available in stores. Games are especially good choices because they let children have fun as they work on their skills.
9. Show enthusiasm for your children's reading.
Your reaction has a great influence on how hard they will try to become good readers. Be sure to give them genuine praise for their efforts.
Help your child develop reading and writing skills, and unleash her/his creativity. Enhance their learning experience by encouraging a love for language arts and a thirst for reading.
Writing Skills:
To improve writing skills, work on beginnings and endings.
For young learners word bank or one sentence for starting the topic can help a lot. RSS focuses on all types of creative writing which includes picture story, descriptive writing, comprehensions etc.
Website for improving the above four skills is
Power in Math and Science
If you shy away from math and science activities with your children because you're afraid you don't know much about them, read on. There's lots you can do to encourage your children's interest in these areas, and you don't have to be a statistician or microbiologist to do it! In fact, it's better if you don't give them knowledge by telling them answers; instead, nurture their love for these subjects by watching and learning right along with them.
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