31 December, 2008

Spelling test: some difficult words

Try the following test by created by Vivian Cook:

Spelling Test 1 The Most Difficult Words

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SpellingMistakes/SpellingTests/Test1MostDiff.htm

This tests some of the words that many people get wrong.

Choose the right spelling for each word. Then click Right Answers or Other People's Scores

30 December, 2008

Listening is a creative force

Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force.

The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward.

When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.


-- Dr. Karl Augustus Menninger (1893-1990)


If you understand that the friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. It is not difficult to understand why teachers like students who listen in class.

In the classroom, do you notice that the students who listen to teachers are the ones teachers move toward when they walk through their class.

When the teachers noted that their teaching are listened to, they will be motivated to expand and share more of their knowledge.

The more focus the students in their listening, the more the teachers expand the subject.

Listening with focus generates new energy to unfold mental block in both teachers and students.

If you listen in class and listen with a focus mind, the teaching you listen to not only make your learning easy, it also make teaching an enjoyable process!

Most of us only concern about learner's psychology, it is equally important to understand the psychology of your teachers.

Now you will understand why teachers always start their teaching with "Listen! Class!"


Dexterine Ho

Change things yourself

They always say time changes things,

but you actually have to change them yourself.


-- Andy Warhol

Try teaching some one...

Two kinds of gratitude:

The sudden kind we feel for what we take;

the larger kind we feel for what we give.


-- Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935)


In the process of learning, we are grateful to those who teach us.

Try teaching some one, and you will be grateful for such an opportunity that helps you think about how others learn.

The teaching experience will enrich your own learning and you will learn from how your "student" learn!

Cheers!


Dexterine

We learn more by looking for the answer

We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.

-- Lloyd Alexander (1924-2007)


Learning is searching!

Just like playing hide and seek, if we can find the people easily, we do not explore all the possiblities and explore new places.

The joys of the game is lost, and we do not learn much in the process of searching!

So, if you are slow in certain subject, you may just need more time to try and explore.

The searching process is a good experience and may help you in your future study!

Just remember, different people learn the same thing in different way!


Dexterine Ho

We lift ourselves by our thought

We lift ourselves by our thought.

If you want to enlarge your life, you must first enlarge your thought of it and of yourself.

Hold the ideal of yourself as you long to be, always everywhere.


-- Orison Swett Marden (1850-1924)


In any study, you lift your grade first by changing your thought.

If you want to "up" your marks in any school subject, you must see yourself capable of doing better, and replace your inferior complex with higher self esteem.

With that aspiration you have, hold the ideals and work towards what you long to be.

You will be able to do better in any subject if you wish to excel and put in efforts to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be!


Dexterine Ho

We must carry it with us...

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,

we must carry it with us or we find it not.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson


You may learn all the tips from reading, nevertheless, to gain the benefit, you must put them in practice yourself.

If you do not practice what you learn, all that you learn will not benefit you!

Learn hard to acquire the tips, work hard to practice and excel in your study!


Dexterine Ho

29 December, 2008

Spelling: Methods used to teach and learn spelling

Spelling is the writing of words with the necessary letters and diacritics present in an accepted standard order.

Words are the building blocks of our life. A strong vocabulary empowers us to think, learn, read, write, and speak with ease.

Did you know that:

- Students on average already know 50 to 75% of the words presented to them on their weekly spelling word list.

- 2.5 to 3.5 hours per week are spent on average "studying" them.

- Many of the words tested on Monday’s test are simply “crammed” into short-term memory, and are often not remembered by the student on the following Monday.


Methods used to teach and learn spelling

Learning proper spelling by rote is a traditional element of primary education. Now phonics method is used in teaching reading and spelling in the US, UK and in many countries.

Phonics method emphasizes the importance of "sounding out". Using sound to helps learner to recognized the word(s), read the word(s) and spell the word(s) in block(s) of letters instead of letter by letter.

It is interesting to note that traditional language teaching methods emphasize written language over spoken language, a second language speaker may have a better spelling ability than a native speaker despite having a poorer command of the language.

Spelling test are usually used to assess a student's mastery over the words in the spelling lessons. They can also be an effective practice method.

There are many free spelling tests on websites on the Internet:

Spellcheck.net, an online spell checker

spellr.us, a web-based website spell check and spell check monitoring tool

Spellometer, measures frequency of common errors on websites

Spellery, checks for spelling mistakes on websites

Espindle, a website with free quizzes.

A multiple choice test of 50 commonly misspelled words
Movement to accept variant spellings, Times Online
Ginger Software, Spell checker for people with dyslexia and other learning difficulties.

Ghotit Dyslexia Help, An on-line spell checker for kids and adults with dyslexia and ESL-students

Source of information:

All the sites listed in this blog and

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelling#Methods_used_to_teach_and_learn_spelling

18 December, 2008

Know the true value of time

Know the true value of time;

snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it.

No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination;

never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.


-- Lord Chesterfield

You can achieve anything

You can achieve anything you want in life

if you have the courage to dream it,

the intelligence to make a realistic plan,

and the will to see that plan through to the end.


-- Sidney A. Friedman

Two simple principles

The road to happiness lies in two simple principles:

find what it is that interests you and that you can do well,

and when you find it put your whole soul into it

- every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have.


-- John D. Rockefeller

Give your dreams all you've got

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second.

Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you.


-- William James (1842-1910)

Tell, Show and Involve

Tell me and I'll forget;

show me and I may remember;

involve me and I'll understand.


-- Chinese Proverb


In any learning, listening is good, seeing is better, yet trying it out yourself is best!


Dexterine Ho

Devote yourself

Whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do it well;

whatever I have devoted myself to,

I have devoted myself completely;

in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest.

-- Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870)

Focus

My success, part of it certainly, is that I have focused in on a few things.


-- Bill Gates


If you are able to focus and devote time and efforts in a few things, you will be able to learn it easily and be a master to guide others.


Dexterine Ho

25%, 50% or 100%

The average person puts only 25% of his energy into his work.

The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity,

and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%.


-- Andrew Carnegie (1835 - 1919)


Most of us like to learn and master something or some subjects.

Nevertheless, many do not take the pain to put in 25% of our efforts and we are puzzled or disappointed when we cannot understand the thing or subject as easy as those who do so.

If you are committed to the subject and devoted 50%, 75% or even 100% of your energy into the work, you will definitely stand out among your peers!


Dexterine Ho
Winners are losers who got up and gave it one more try.


-- Dennis DeYoung


If you fail in any subject, just try a bit harder and you will not fail badly.

If you try even harder, you will master the basic.

By pushing yourself a little harder each time, you will progress slowly.

By moving a bit further each time, you will be a good learner in that topic.

Being good in that topic, you can slowly master it.


Dexterine Ho

08 December, 2008

Things turn out best...

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.

-- Art Linkletter



Your study turns out best if you make the best of your time and talent with lot of focus!


Dexterine Ho

Growing

You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.

-- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)


You have to do your own studying, learning and researching no matter how scholarly, well-learned and well-respected your grandfather was.

Since I joined Institute of Education (now call National Institute of Education) in 1982, I have the opportunity of meeting many scholars, professors and researchers who are outstanding, well-learned and well-respected in their field of studies.

Nevertheless, knowledge and learning is something you cannot acquired automatically like DNA or gene. Their children's academic achievement, may benefited from their good examples, yet is not acquired through hereditary system.

If you fortunate enough to have someone renowned and knowledgeable as your parents or grandparents, it will not make your learning effortless.

What they can provide you are their wealth of knowledge with a library of good books at home for your convenient and easy access.

You can only make them yours through your own study, reading, researching and synthesis.

Hereditary system only work in turn of material goods, you will inherit from them and unearth them through your own work.

They can only provide you the library, not the knowledge!


Dexterine Ho