The educational choices available to children are evolving rapidly with apps, online courses, digital games, recordings and videos becoming easily accessible. However, amidst this technological advancement, human evolution has not suddenly accelerated, and the primary aim for teachers remains unchanged - helping children make sense of the world and leaving their mark on it.
Here are five essential ways we can achieve that for every child, regardless of their circumstances, whether it's teaching English or fostering everyday learning and education.
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Paying attention to what we're doing is something that we have to re-learn. Very young childrenÌýpay great attention to the smallest of things. Washing their hands takes forever as they want toÌýfocus on the soap, doing up shoelaces can become a half-hour activity, or an interesting pebble on theÌýroad can make a quick trip to the shops a very long one.
So, what happens is that we then startÌýteaching children to hurry up. ‘Hurry up, come on, quickly, now - put on your coat NOW!’ are part ofÌýevery parent’s repertoire. And we have to do it because we know what the children don’t - that the bus won’t wait for us, that school starts at a certain time and that people will be kept waiting if we don’tÌýhurry up.
Therefore paying attention has to be re-learnt and we need to lead the way. We have to pay attention toÌýthe children, what they are saying and doing, and then we have to resist the temptation to do tooÌýmany things at once. And, most importantly, we have to give our children enough time to letÌýthings sink in.
We have so many ways of describing skills now; soft, hard, thinking, critical, communication - the listÌýgoes on. In some ways, these descriptors are useful as they make us more aware of the particularÌýskills of a child, but there is still often a gap between knowing how a child is skilled and how that canÌýbe useful to the child.
Let’s take a classic example; one of the main qualities people often think of asÌýconnected to nursing is a skill for caring, showing compassion and being a good communicator.ÌýYes, that is important, but the main skill needed to be a nurse is dealing competently, practicallyÌýand non-judgmentally with bodily fluids. So, yes, we absolutely need to make sure that we areÌýeducating our children to become skillful in various ways but we also need to think about how thoseÌýskills are transferable.
One of the most significant changes of the past 40 years is how we can access information. Gone are theÌýdays of one version of an encyclopedia or whatever your teacher knew; now we have online data,Ìýcrowdsourced reports, scores of different formats - everything is a click and a swipe away.
So how canÌýwe help with this? First, we have to get children interested enough in a topic to want to find thingsÌýout for themselves. Then we must guide them through what is true and what might not be. AndÌýthen our main job is showing them that they can add to the tree of knowledge. It’s constantly growing,Ìýand they can lengthen the branches, help fruit grow, and even dig up the roots and plant the treeÌýelsewhere.
Thinking creatively, thinking ‘out of the box’ and seeing new possibilities can and must beÌýnurtured in our children. We can use our imagination in traditionally creative ways such as writing, artwork, music and drama, but perhaps even more importantly we can use it in ‘unseen’ ways. WeÌýcan unlearn banal responses and consider what we really think; in other words we can ‘think forÌýourselves’. Again this skill is needed more than ever when surrounded by seeminglyÌýwise thoughts in social media memes. The nature of memes is that they look definite, as if they areÌýtrue. They might be and they might not. We can decide when we use our critical and creativeÌýthinking skills.
We can use imagination to find solutions to problems and we can use it to make our own everyday realitiesÌýmore exciting and life-enhancing. Whatever we do, if we have a positive image of ourselves doingÌýit, the task becomes more meaningful and rewarding. And in a practical sense in the classroom, weÌýcan bring language learning to life. Imagining and play acting the situations where the language we areÌýlearning might be called for; in a restaurant, at an airport or meeting new friends. It can be a great method to teach English to kids, keeping them engaged and actively involved.Ìý
Support comes in many forms. First concrete support, such as providing a desk and materials for children toÌýdo their homework. This is something that teachers need to be aware of; do the children have thatÌýat home? It’s not a question of finance - not everyone can afford a separate room and the space for aÌýdesk - but it is a question of realizing that a dedicated, quiet space is needed. For example a clearedÌýkitchen table at certain times of the day. It’s worth bearing this in mind if parents say theirÌýchildren never focus on homework. Look at the practicalities before any attitude issues.
The most important form of support we can give is ‘being there’ for our children. Knowing thatÌýsomeone wants you to do well, is there for you through your mistakes and successes, andÌýempathizes with both. Someone who ‘has your back’ when you need help and is glad for you whenÌýyou do well; that gives our children a powerful sense of security. And we can flourish when we feelÌýsecure.
By implementing these above points, we can equip children with the tools they need to understand the world, pursue their passions and make a positive impact on their lives and others.Ìý
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.
