Fall in Love with This Teacher’s Text-Marking Activity

By Kim O'Bray
Editor’s Note: Kim O’Bray’s colorful text marking activity is a key part of her close-reading process. Students engage deeply with the text by using colored pencils to mark everything from figurative language and unfamiliar vocabulary to central ideas and text structures.

 I really like this text-marking approach because it gets everyone on the same page and encourages students to ask questions and make their own connections. It works wonderfully with any nonfiction text. At the beginning of the year, I model each step for my students, especially for my 6th graders who are new to text-marking. By the time my students are in 8th grade, the process has become second nature.

Phonemic chart

Using the phonemic chart. Do you and your students find the symbols easy or difficult to learn?

This is the British Council phonemic chart. Help your students hear the sounds of English by clicking on the symbols below. Click on the top right hand corner of each symbol to hear sample words including the sounds.
About the chart:
Pure vowels are arranged the same way as in the IPA chart: according to mouth shape (left to right, lips wide / round - top to bottom, jaw closed / open).

Diphthongs are grouped in rows according to their second sound.

Download  free, interactive phonemic chart here:

Phonemic chart

 It comes with suggestions for activities that make it simple and fun to learn.

10 Simple Tips for Improving Your Spoken English

Do you want to learn how to improve your spoken English?

Do you want to speak English well?

For ESL students and English learners, to improve your spoken English, the best thing to do is to talk with a native speaker. However, this is not the only choice we have to be able to master a language like English. 

Here we’re going to explain how.

International Literacy Day at our school 08.09.2015

      Whether it’s reading or writing, literacy is an outlet to an untouchable world – your imagination. Not only is literacy a basic human right, it is a fundamental building block for learning as well as a personal empowerment tool. It is the catalyst for social and global progress.

On September 8th, 2015, we showed  the world the importance of literacy by celebrating International Literacy Day.

International Literacy Day gives children and communities a chance to rediscover the joys of learning, reading and wtiting  while raising awareness for those even without access to education.

You can see some pictures from our celebration

                            HERE 

                         

International Literacy Day. Міжнародний День грамотності. 08.09.2015