Apart from being aÌýgreat hobbyÌýand funÌýactivity, it can help children improve in many areas of their lives through developingÌýkey transferrable skills. Reading in their native language and English can bring a whole range of benefits. To engage everyone, they mustÌýunderstand the benefits themselves.Ìý Ìý
Ask your students why it's important and create a mind map of ideas. You may alsoÌýwish to use some of the points below to start the conversation. Having a common idea that everyone agrees on can help build motivation and engagement in the classroom.Ìý
Regular reading develops children’s linguistic skills – it helps them learn goodÌýsentence structure, grammar, vocabulary andÌýimprovesÌýspelling in their own language and in the English language too. Reading aloudÌýalso strengthensÌýknowledge of phonics and improvesÌýpronunciationÌýand articulation.ÌýÌý
It can help to develop knowledge of phonics and vocabularyÌýrecall and improve focus and concentrationÌý– all necessary skills when learning a language.Ìý
Books help kids’ imaginations to growÌýandÌýencourage them to beÌýmore open-minded. TheyÌýhelp us to learn about other cultures and encourage us to think more creatively. Through subtle messages,ÌýreadingÌýbuildsÌýanÌýawareness of the world in which we live andÌýenablesÌýchildren to formÌýtheir ownÌýopinionsÌýand ask questions.Ìý
Stories help to develop children’s emotional intelligenceÌýandÌýempathy towardsÌýothers. ExploringÌýtopics and characters allows them to learn aboutÌýreal-world situationsÌýand think about how they would feelÌýinÌýsomebody else’s shoes. It encouragesÌýrespect for others’ feelingsÌýas well asÌýotherÌýcultures.ÌýÌý
It is a great way toÌýcalm the mind and help us relax and destress. Children can learn to use it as a helpful tool in their day-to-day lives.ÌýÌýÌý
Children develop their confidence, communication, resilience, patience, social skills and connectÌýwith the wider world, cultureÌýand communities.Ìý
So how do we motivate our young learnersÌý(even our most reluctant readers)Ìýto develop a passion for reading?Ìý
Well-known adaptationsÌýcan remove barriers, support and encourage students’ imagination,ÌýandÌýsparkÌýa genuine interest. TheyÌýgive purpose and relevance to the students as most students have watched a movieÌýat some point in their lives and most students have aÌýfavorite movieÌýor character.ÌýÌý
There are plenty of English Readers to choose fromÌý– if the students can choose their own readers, they will likely be more motivated and focused. Choice gives the students power and makes it more relevant to them. Ask your students to choose theirÌýfavorite movieÌýandÌýhave a vote as a class. Get to know your students, find out what interests them, and base yourÌýbook choice around this.Ìý
To motivate students, theyÌýmust know that they areÌýmaking progress. Reward students for their achievements – for example,ÌýcreateÌýa vocabulary wall orÌýa class book chart and give rewardsÌýlikeÌýaÌýstickerÌýorÌýa postcardÌýto takeÌýhome.Ìý
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Here are five practical, fun ideas on how to further motivate your learners and engage them in reading both in and outside the classroom.
Making aÌýbookmarkÌýis a fun way to get children into the habit of reading more regularly. If they have their own bookmark, then they are more likelyÌýto want to pick up a book and read it. In the activity, the children can make their ownÌýbookmarkÌýbased on theirÌýfavoriteÌýbook as well asÌýdraw a picture of theirÌýfavoriteÌýscene.
There’s space for them to write about theirÌýfavoriteÌýcharacter and any new words they have learned. TheÌýbookmarkÌýthen becomes not only a way toÌýfind your page butÌýitÌýcanÌýalsoÌýhelp kids engage in English conversations about the stories and make them feel like they are making progress.
A mindÌýmap is an activity that helps children to understand andÌýanalyzeÌýwhat is happening in the book they have just read. ItÌýis a great way to show their understanding of the story clearly. It could also be usedÌýfor doingÌýa short presentation on the book orÌýfor helping toÌýwrite a short paragraph about it.ÌýÌý
This activity is creative and asks the children to choose theirÌýfavoriteÌýreader. They then use their imagination to write a short story about what happens next. They can place charactersÌýin a completely different story of their ownÌýand send them off on a new, exciting adventureÌýor decide what happens next in the original story.
Writing stories like this helps young people to explore their ideas, express their creativity and reinforceÌýsentence structure, vocabulary and grammar at the same time.
Motivate childrenÌýby giving them clear and achievable goals. Asking them to fill in a passport as they read a new book is a fun way to encourage them.
Each book allows each child to enter a different world andÌýonce they have visited each place, they complete a new page in the passport and receive a stamp.ÌýYou could even make this a class competition to see who can fill in the passport pages the quickest.
Ask the children to choose theirÌýfavoriteÌýcharacter and produce aÌýmovieÌýposterÌýon that person. Ask the students to draw a picture andÌýwriteÌýkey details about the character, such as name, age, physical appearance and interests. This activity motivates the students as seeing theirÌýfavoriteÌýcharacter in a different context can be entertaining and engaging.
With these simple activities, you can make reading a more enjoyable experience, as well as helping with learning English for kids and developing their overall reading skills.ÌýÌý
In the fast-paced world of business, there is one undeniable fact that holds true: employees are the key to success. Their commitment and expertise propel organizations towards their objectives, which is why investing in a learning culture is essential. The advantages are numerous and include improved staff retention, increased productivity and the goal of higher employee engagement.
You may have heard the term learning management system (LMS) at work or perhaps during your time in education. For many, this throws out images of clunky, outdated systems that clumsily distribute course materials and are tough to use.ÌýBut that is no longer the case. Modern LMS's are far more user-friendly, and it's time to relearn what you thought you knew about these tools.Ìý
In this ultimate guide, we will look at everything you need to know about learning management systems and why they are so beneficial.Ìý
is a digital platform or (SaaS) solution that is used to create, organize and distribute online courses.Ìý
The idea is that these LMS platforms offer one central place for users to manage and access courses and learning materials. Depending on the user, this could be anything from self-paced e-courses to classroom training.Ìý
This can help facilitate a range of training, studying and skills development, as well as assessments, exams and certification management.Ìý
There are many great uses for learning management systems but these are used primarily by businesses and educational establishments. Here are some of the most common use cases for these platforms:Ìý
HR and management - The HR and management team might implement these across the business to help with learning and development and make sure that organizational goals are being hit
Employee onboarding - Those starting a new job may be given training via an LMS; this can make the onboarding process much quicker and simplerÌý
Compliance training - Lots of roles require compliance training, for example health and safety training, and this is a great way for businesses to stay up to date and ensure everyone complies with regulationsÌý
Customer support - Some businesses use learning management systems to onboard customers or clients. This might include sharing user manuals and product guides. Plus, sales professionals might also use them to train new partners or clients in using their services or platforms.Ìý
Classroom learning - Lecturers and teachers can create and share course materials and align content and tests from one place. These can also be used to put a twist on traditional classroom learning.Ìý
Blended learning - Schools, colleges and universities may use these for online lessons and blended learning, particularly for remote studentsÌý
Volunteer training - Charities and non-profits may also use an LMS to educate volunteers and keep them motivated about the causeÌý
Of course, these platforms can and will be used in other ways, but these are some of the most common and beneficial uses for LMS's.Ìý
In most cases, learning management systems will have two primary user groups: administrators and learners.ÌýÌý
Administrators are the people who create, manage and deliver e-learning. They may use these platforms to upload their own learning materials, or they may select courses and materials from an existing list given by the provider.
On the other hand, learners are the professionals or students who will use these platforms to train, study and gain new skills. Many modern LMS's allow multiple learners to train or access materials at the same time.
However, there is a third and final group that we have yet to mention: the parents of students using LMS's, particularly outside of school hours. In some cases, parents may have access to these systems to support students, track their progress or look at feedback from the teacher.Ìý
There are a variety of learning management systems out there and some are more advanced than others. That being said, many modern platforms will share similar features to ensure they stay competitive. Some of these key features may include:Ìý
Authoring tools that allow administrators to upload or build their own courses
Access to subject matter experts who can contribute to learning and development activitiesÌý
Automated workflows that allow for the creation of personalized learning journeys
A resources library that holds all relevant learning materials, such as guides, video clips and courses
Quizzes and surveys for a more fun and engaging way to assess learnersÌý
Compliance features, such as automatic reminders that notify learners when it is time to retrainÌý
Certificates and diplomas that give learners recognition as they study and meet their targetsÌý
Insights and analysis for individual progress and results, allowing administrators to identify gaps or areas where support is needed
Compatibility with mobile devices for studying on the goÌý
Integrations with other internal systems and softwareÌý
This is by no means a complete list and different platforms will have different functionality. However, these are some of the most common and beneficial features of many modern LMSs.
First and foremost, an LMS can be an excellent way for businesses to save time and money on training.Ìý
Of course there is an initial investment in the platform, but training can be expensive and time-consuming, particularly if it must take place in a location outside of the workplace.ÌýTherefore, this can be the more cost-effective solution. Not to mention, the materials are quick to access and can save time and effort.Ìý
These platforms are an excellent way to ensure that all mandatory training is completed on time and to the highest standard. For example, industry-specific training such as fire safety or cybersecurity training.Ìý
Administrators can access data and insights into their employee's learning. This can be a great way to see where more support is needed and to identify any skills gaps that need to be filled.ÌýSimilarly, teachers can get to grips with how well their students are doing and if they need extra help in any subjects or areas.
Whether in school or the workplace, LMS's can be a great way to improve the learning process. It allows users to study and access learning materials from one accessible location.ÌýPlus, through a multimedia approach, they can use guides, videos and more to help them learn. This can ensure they engage with the materials and stay motivated.Ìý
Finally, an LMS can make communication between students, teachers, employees and employers far simpler. For example, automated reminders keep everyone in the loop and ensure all training is completed on time.ÌýBut more than that, there is one central place to communicate, review feedback and access the same materials.Ìý
In a previous blog, we shared someÌýstrange English phrases that might have left you with some questions. The English language is full of peculiar phrases that can even confuse fluent speakers. In today's post, we'll take a look at a few more such phrases to help you expand your repertoire.
