the history and background of teaching homophones

the history and background of teaching homophones Introduction: Grammar teaching in schools is usually approached from a rule learning perspective and this leads to lessons that are boring. In the past, the teaching method that was adopted was mainly teacher-centered and this lead to the â€Å"drill and kill† type lessons, especially when it came to language and grammar. There is a common misconception that all learning should be serious in nature and that if one is having fun while learning, it is actually not learning (Lee, 1995). In fact, â€Å"many experienced textbook and methodology manuals writers have argued that games are not just time-filling activities but have a great educational value† (Uberman, 1998). Most language games make learners use the language instead of thinking about learning the correct forms (Lee, 1986). There are many advantages of using different techniques such as games, pictures, group work etc. in the classroom. These techniques can lower anxiety which makes the acquisition of input more likely and in a relaxed learning atmosphere learners remember things faster and better (Uberman, 1998). They are highly motivating and entertaining, and they can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings (Uberman, 1998). Different techniques are an excellent way to break the usual routine of the classroom (Lee, 1995). In this essay different techniques to teaching language structure and/or vocabulary will be explored. To illustrate how these different techniques can be used examples will be given. The language structure which will be focused on in this essay is homophones. Homophones are words which sound the same but are spelt differently and have different meanings (homo = same, phone = sound). Due to this it is a language structure that many learners misuse and misunderstand. Homophones can be taught in a number of fun and exciting ways. This essay will explain how to teach homophones to a grade three class over four 45 minute lessons. Each lesson will act as a follow up of the previous lesson. This will be the introductory lesson to homophones. The purpose of this lesson is to introduce homophones to the learners in a fun way that will keep the learners interested. This lesson involves group work. Group work is good technique as it involves the learners themselves and all learners participate, giving everyone an equal opportunity to aid in their and their peers learning experience. In this lesson the teacher acts as a facilitator which means that learners are not merely given the answers but need to find them for themselves. The teacher will introduce the lesson by handing out a flash card to each learner in the class. These will be handed out upside down so learners cannot see what word they have received. Once all the learners have a card the teacher will ask learners to look at their word. The teacher will then ask learners to find the person in the class that has the same sounding word but that word means something else (i.e. homophone). This activity will be noisy but the teacher must keep it as controlled as possible. Once the learners have found their homophone partner learners must sit on the mat with their partner. The teacher will check that learners are partnered right and if not they must keep looking. A time limit of five minutes should be kept in order to keep control. Once all learners have found their partners and are settled on the mat the teacher will call one pair up at a time. The learners will show their words to the class and say them out load so they can hear they sound the same. T he learners will then be asked to give the meaning of their word so they can see that even though the two words sound the same they have different meanings. This activity can be done with bigger classes by adding pictures to the word pairs. This will mean that four learners will need to find each other. For example: the word son/sun and a picture of a young boy with a parent and the sun in the sky. To conclude this lesson the teacher will explain that in each group/pair the words that they have matched up are called homophones and this will be explained to the learners. This lesson will make use of pictures as a technique. â€Å"Pictures are versatile and useful resources for teaching aspects of grammar that require a structure-meaning match† (Celce-Murcia Hilles, 1988). Pictures add fun and enjoyment and make the understanding more solid as learners can see the actual object being discussed. To introduce the lesson the teacher will recap what a homophone is. The teacher will show a blown up picture to the class. This can be a picture of the beach, for example, where a lot of activity is taking place. Some examples of this could be a picture of a bear on a beach ball and a bare child. The homophones in the picture will not be obvious to the learners which will pique their interest and make them think. The teacher will then ask the learners to draw up a table listing the different homophones they can find. A time limit can be placed in order to create a little competition for the stronger learners. Once learners have completed this, the teacher can go through some of the answers the learners came up with. After the answers have been discussed, a worksheet will be handed to each learner which they will need to complete. See appendix 1. This lesson will make use of stories as a technique. â€Å"Stories are traditional in almost all cultures †¦ [which] provides a realistic context for presenting grammar points and holds and focuses students attention in a way no other techniques can† (Celce-Murcia Hilles, 1988). Learners are inclined to listen to stories more inventively and therefore remember the story and knowledge learnt long after the lesson has ended (Celce-Murcia Hilles, 1988). The teacher begins the lesson by reading the story from appendix two to the learners. The teacher will then handout the worksheet to the learners (appendix 3). The teacher will then read the story with the learners again while the learners follow. The learners will then be given a few minutes to read the story again by themselves. Once the learners have read the story they must follow the instructions on the worksheet. The second part of the worksheet requires learners to continue the story some of the homophones provided. Learners â€Å"are marvelous storytellers† (Celce-Murcia Hilles, 1988) and this creativity should be encouraged. As a homework activity, appendix 4 will be used. This will consolidate what was done in the lesson. Due to the fact that this is the last lesson on homophones for the week it will be more of a relaxed lesson as games as a technique will be used. Games â€Å"enable learners to acquire new experiences †¦ which are not always possible during a typical lesson† (Uberman, 1998). It has been said that games are â€Å"a good way of practising language, for they provide a model of what learners will use the language for in real life in the future† (Uberman, 1998). The game that will be played is called â€Å"Homophone Hop†. This game has been taken from Primary Resources (2010). This is how the game works: In pairs or small groups learners work their way around a board using a dice and counters. When they land on the star squares they have to pick up a homophone card. One of the other children will read out the card which will say, for example, â€Å"Which spelling is required for ‘their in this sentence? ‘The children rushed to get their coats? Move an extra 5 spaces if you got it right†. The child must identify the correct homophone by spelling it aloud to their partner. If they get it correct, they will move 5 spaces. If they do not, they stay where they are. The object of the game is to reach the finish line first. This game is a great way to consolidate all the homophone knowledge that was learnt during the week. It gives learners a chance to have use the knowledge that they have dealt with and can use it in real life terms. Conclusion: As seen from the above activities there are many different ways to teach homophones. This therefore means that other language structures and/or grammar can also be taught using these different techniques. By using these techniques, lessons will not be boring and learners will be more interested in learning new things. Language is very complex and often not an easy concept to get across. If teachers plan ahead and take the time to think of new ways to teach language, they will find there are many reasons to why language teaching does not have to be from a rule learning perspective, but rather from a interesting, and appealing perspective.

Chinese Civilization

The brilliant culture of the Chinese empire definitely had many contributions that are still being used in the world today. China's first civilization, like the other civilizations in the past, developed along a great river which was a great factor to the rise of this civilization is called the Yellow River. It begins in the mountains of western China and forms a huge look as It flows 3,000 to the Yellow river. The Yellow river regularly overflows In its banks and leaves rich soil which was a great contribution for the success of this civilization.However, spite the achievements and contributions, disastrous floods were common. According to the legend, the Ixia (Hiss) dynasty was started about 2,000 B. C. By You, a great hero. It was said that he was supposedly able to device a way to control the flooding waters in the Yellow River so that the farmers could still live in the valley. What if no one had discovered a way to control the flooding? Would there still have been a Chinese civ ilization or would it have led to its downfall at an instant?Many dynasties emerged in China each with different rulers and a mix of unity ND disunity, lawlessness, war, violence, and prosperity. The early rules of these dynasties were thought to be â€Å"sons of heaven† who were given the â€Å"mandate of heaven† which the approval of the gods to rule as long as they ruled well. According to tradition, the Ixia rulers were so cruel and abused their power which Is why they lost their mandate of heaven to the Shank dynasty.Based on the dynasties, many of the early rulers controlled small states near the Yellow river but Influenced a larger area. Also, many dynasties were at constant war with neighboring people, corruption as rampant, people were forced to pay high taxes and natural disasters and calamities were the main causes for the downfall of many dynasties. There were many contributions and important developments in society during the Chinese civilization. These in cluded tools and weapons made from stone, bone, and wood.Bronze was made into objects used by rulers and priests in religious rituals and ceremonies. Agriculture, technology, trade, and transportation all were undergoing changes at that time. Metalworkers learned how to make sturdy plows and sharp weapons. Canals for shipping were built (which shows the importance of he Yellow river In trade), and irrigation systems were developed. Also, in order to protect themselves, the Chinese constructed the Great Wall during the SQL dynasty but eventually killed many people.Furthermore, many new Ideas such as the knowledge of iron working, domestication of animals, horseback riding, and nomadic In addition to that, a teaching that developed during those periods was Confucianism. It developed from the teachings of the Confucius who was considered the greatest philosopher and teacher. He was concerned with questions of ethics and morality in terms of politics. According to Confucius, each person had a specific place in society and certain duties and responsibilities to fulfill.

Theoretical Perspectives on the Family

Theoretical Perspectives on the Family †¢Way of viewing reality †¢Identify why family patterns and practices are the way they are 1)Family Ecology †¢How family is influenced by the society around it †¢Family choices/lives affected by economy, education, religion and other cultural institutions †¢Ex: Great Depression – economically, people can’t afford children even if they wanted more kids 2)Family Development †¢How family changes over time †¢Family Life Cycle: Addition/subtraction of members (death in a family, moving out) oVarious stages children go through (children start school, go to high school, then college, then marriage) oChanges in family connections with other social institutions (retirement, or getting fired) †¢Developmental Tasks must be mastered in order to transition to the next †¢Role Sequencing – major transitions to adulthood †¢Normative Order Hypothesis – work-marriage-parenthood sequence is vest for mental health and happiness )Structure Functional Theory †¢Functions performed by the family as a social institution 1)Raise child responsibly 2)Economical support 3)Emotional support †¢Roles patterned by beliefs, values, attitudes, norms – serve as essential social functions that enables society to survive 4) Interactionist Perspective †¢Interactions within family members †¢Do they communicate effectively? †¢If they don’t = doesn’t allow for unique qualities to develop †¢MAJOR CONCEPTS: oSelf-concept – feelings people have about themselves Concepts of identity – sense of uniqueness , â€Å"the self is developed initially in a family setting† oRole taking – expected behavior for each family member (associated with a social position) – Children learn appropriate behavior roles that they may play in adulthood through watching their parents, siblings assume that role – INTERNALIZED AND INCORPORATED TO SELF 5) Exchange Theory †¢Exchange of resources that affect formation, continuation, nature of a relationship †¢Rewards vs. Cost – shapes power and influence in the family and commitment to the relationship †¢Should exchange resources outside the group. If not, develops materialism (dependence) instead of independence †¢Relationships based on exchanges that are equal or equitable (fair, if not equal) thrive †¢Whereas, those in w/c the exchange balance feels consistently one sided are more likely to be unhappy †¢Principle of Least Interest – partner w/ less commitment to the relationship is the one who has more power including the power to exploit the other †¢Person who maintain dominance – people who are willing to break-up/refuse to be the first to make up ) Family Systems †¢Use family as a whole more than the sum of its parts (members) †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Everybody knows what they need to do to make this work† – weakness: no room for change †¢A family functions regularly in a certain way; emotional expression and behavior of family tend to p ersist 7) Conflict and Feminist Perspective †¢Central Issue – feminist – gender issues specific to women †¢Because woman brings attention w/ woman duties -> it conflicts -> â€Å"Doesn’t mean because I’m a woman, I should be the one cooking. †¢Woman dispels tradition – conflict happens w/in the family †¢And/or woman is not getting to do traditional duties and causes conflict (Traditional homemaker wife now is going to work) 8) Biosocial Perspective (Charles Darwin) †¢Depending how you’re raised is how you survive †¢Individual Gene – determines if family is successful †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"You’re just like your father. †

The Gilded Age - 924 Words

From 1870 to 1900 era was called the Gilded Age, a time of immense growth in the United States in transportation, especially in railroads, American workers were paid higher wages than their peers in Europe. In this thirty year span the United States saw twelve million immigrants pass through her golden doors, 70% of these immigrants were English, Irish, and German. Crop failures (potato famine in Ireland), job shortages, and religious freedom were the motivations behind many immigrating to America. Newly arrived immigrants faced a harsh reality in America, employers took advantage of them, the men were often paid less than other native born men and the women were paid even less. Immigrants suffered verbal and physical abuse from employers and other employees because they were different. While researching my Italian heritage I learned that Italians, especially southern Italians were not treated well because they were hired as strikebreakers or scabs by mining and railroading compa nies. They were called derogatory names such as dagoes or guineas. Newspapers of the time said the southern Italians were intellectually inferior and having criminal tendencies (Laura Teddy Turner, Demand Media n.d.) http://www.emmigration.info/us-immigration-tv In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, and Alien Contract Labor Laws of 1885 and 1887 prohibited certain laborers from immigrating to the United States. Immigration Act of 1882 levied a head tax of fifty cents on eachShow MoreRelatedThe Gilded Age : An Analysis Of The Gilded Age793 Words   |  4 Pages The term Gilded age comes from Twain and Dudleys book named the Gilded Age. The world Gilded itself means something that is covered in gold but actually has nothing of value underneath. 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