My OperaThe 3-month 'glish Experiment
Friday, November 7, 2008 1:30:16 AM
Many children are looking forward (although they don't yet know it) to being the proud owners of XO computers. Many of these children have never owned a book, or even read one and they have never taken technology into their homes. The 3-month 'glish Experiment is proposing a first step in this exercise.
The Method:
Children are paired with the aim that they will learn to 'read' as many books as possible in three months. The books are ranked from very very small vocabularies to more plentiful. The aim is to encourage children to work together, learning and teaching reading. IN some cases, children will find it hard to learn to read but they will learn the words and match the to the pictures. This will be OK. The real aim is to have the children speaking properly, and then reading but it is hoped many will learn both things at once. Children will only be said to be able to read the book when they can do so sounding like the recorded reading - heavy accents will not be accepted.
The children will each receive a book - suitable for both them and their partner. They will also receive the recordings that go with both those books. When both children can read both books sounding like the recordings, without prompting, they can do the test and, if they pass, both will get a numbered star on the wall chart for that book.
When children reach some number of stars, say 75, they will receive an XO to take home in return for showing their pod is still in working condition.
The teacher:
* allocates a partner for each child
* prints up wall chart
* prepares card for card box
* numbers all books
* records books and pods
Every child:
* is issued with a card that has their name on it to record the book they have and the serial no of their 'pod'
* has their name on a wall chart
* has a partner (recorded on their card)
* is given a book
* is given a pod and a case for storing/carrying it
* is given a recording of their book
Materials:
* books
* recordings
* pods
* ear-phones
* wall-chart
* card box and cards
* technology for transferring recordings to pods
On-going maintenance:
* at each class, every child must show their pod and their current book
* any child who does not have a pod, or whose pod is not working, must report this immediately (teachers should keep a list)
* missing or malfunctioning pods should be replaced immediately - it may be necessary to exact a 'price' for loss of pods, such as that the loser of a pod has to do work or something???? maybe has to use one in the classroom for a week before being able to take it home again - at teacher's discretion, of course
* all children's earplugs should be checked regularly - if any problems with hearing are detected, thee should be noted by the teacher
On-going teaching
* teachers need to help children who are having difficulties and to be available to listen to children
* teachers need to test reading and keep records up to date
* teachers need to think about how to use the pairings - making sure that children are paired so they get a fair go, they get help, some children do not race ahead and leave others behind, some books are available to challenge faster-learning children (eg give them an extra book)
* teachers need to think of regular assessment points - eg weekly, to give praise to children doing well, especially those working well with others, and to help those who are not doing so well (maybe replace the chart each month?)
* teacher need to think of 'reward' points for children who improve a lot in their work, whatever standard they start from
For each child, the first challenge is to be able to rad the book, without prompting, sounding like the recording - for this they get a star on the wall chart (with the number of the book written on the star)
the next challenge is to get friends to read the book - for every friend who can read it exactly as in the recording, they get 2 stars (different colour and wit number written on them)
The cost
* something like $30 per child?
The Method:
Children are paired with the aim that they will learn to 'read' as many books as possible in three months. The books are ranked from very very small vocabularies to more plentiful. The aim is to encourage children to work together, learning and teaching reading. IN some cases, children will find it hard to learn to read but they will learn the words and match the to the pictures. This will be OK. The real aim is to have the children speaking properly, and then reading but it is hoped many will learn both things at once. Children will only be said to be able to read the book when they can do so sounding like the recorded reading - heavy accents will not be accepted.
The children will each receive a book - suitable for both them and their partner. They will also receive the recordings that go with both those books. When both children can read both books sounding like the recordings, without prompting, they can do the test and, if they pass, both will get a numbered star on the wall chart for that book.
When children reach some number of stars, say 75, they will receive an XO to take home in return for showing their pod is still in working condition.
The teacher:
* allocates a partner for each child
* prints up wall chart
* prepares card for card box
* numbers all books
* records books and pods
Every child:
* is issued with a card that has their name on it to record the book they have and the serial no of their 'pod'
* has their name on a wall chart
* has a partner (recorded on their card)
* is given a book
* is given a pod and a case for storing/carrying it
* is given a recording of their book
Materials:
* books
* recordings
* pods
* ear-phones
* wall-chart
* card box and cards
* technology for transferring recordings to pods
On-going maintenance:
* at each class, every child must show their pod and their current book
* any child who does not have a pod, or whose pod is not working, must report this immediately (teachers should keep a list)
* missing or malfunctioning pods should be replaced immediately - it may be necessary to exact a 'price' for loss of pods, such as that the loser of a pod has to do work or something???? maybe has to use one in the classroom for a week before being able to take it home again - at teacher's discretion, of course
* all children's earplugs should be checked regularly - if any problems with hearing are detected, thee should be noted by the teacher
On-going teaching
* teachers need to help children who are having difficulties and to be available to listen to children
* teachers need to test reading and keep records up to date
* teachers need to think about how to use the pairings - making sure that children are paired so they get a fair go, they get help, some children do not race ahead and leave others behind, some books are available to challenge faster-learning children (eg give them an extra book)
* teachers need to think of regular assessment points - eg weekly, to give praise to children doing well, especially those working well with others, and to help those who are not doing so well (maybe replace the chart each month?)
* teacher need to think of 'reward' points for children who improve a lot in their work, whatever standard they start from
For each child, the first challenge is to be able to rad the book, without prompting, sounding like the recording - for this they get a star on the wall chart (with the number of the book written on the star)
the next challenge is to get friends to read the book - for every friend who can read it exactly as in the recording, they get 2 stars (different colour and wit number written on them)
The cost
* something like $30 per child?
