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  • What will replace abandoned SATS?

    Teaching to the SATS tests can be murder. Recently, they have become more and more fiddly – and more boring. In English, there is a complicated reading paper, which consists of lots of small questions that pupils have to answer precisely to get a good mark, a writing paper which never seems to test writing, […]

  • Dishing out fines won’t stop the chaos in class

    As a battle-hardened teacher, I can’t help but be a little cynical about the latest government initiative to quell indiscipline in our schools. A three-year study into classroom behaviour has called for teachers to be able to slap £50 penalties on the parents of pupils who persistently misbehave. After spending 20 years working in various […]

  • My profession needs a better voice than these morons

    On Saturday the work-shy teachers at the NUT conference backed a boycott of SATs. On Sunday they moaned about too many tough guys going into teaching (if only!). On Monday they demanded an eye-popping 10 per cent pay rise and yesterday they were threatening to strike over the vagaries of sixth-form funding. What next? A […]

  • Turned Away At The School Gates

    The parent sobbed openly at the reception of the secondary school where I teach: "But it’s not fair! You have to let her in!" Our secretary had to ask our caretakers to escort her off the premises. But she wasn’t surprised. Every year, she gets hundreds of calls from panic-stricken parents wanting to know why […]

  • Romeo and Juliet: To what extent does Shakespeare present Capulet as being to blame for the death of his daughter?

    A pupil’s essay with teacher comments TEACHER COMMENTS ARE IN CAPITALS AND ITALICS Capulet’s character is very deceiving form the very beginning and Shakespeare makes it very clear at the end that both Capulets and Montague’s actions were to blame for the outcome as, “heaven found a means to kill your joys with love”. This […]

  • Romeo and Juliet: Revision Quiz for Romeo and Juliet

    Act OneWhat are the causes of the fight in the square? List FOUR important factors that lead to the fight. What does the Prince threaten to do if there is another fight? Why is Romeo not at the fight? How do we know Lady Montague and Montague are caring, concerned parents? What does Benvolio find […]

  • Romeo and Juliet: Pupil essay: Youth and Age. Should Friar Lawrence and the Nurse have been more careful about the way they encouraged Romeo and Juliet’s love? To what extent does Shakespeare present them as being to blame?

    Youth and Age Should Friar Lawrence and the Nurse have been more careful about the way they encouraged Romeo and Juliet’s love? To what extent does Shakespeare present them as being to blame? Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet were aided in their love. It was according to Romeo and Juliet love at first sight […]

  • Romeo and Juliet: Exam questions on Romeo and Juliet for revision

    Romeo and Juliet essay questions1. To what extent do you think Mercutio and his death is to blame for the tragedy that ensues after his death? 2. Shakespeare’s presents fate as playing a vital part in the death of the lovers. To what extent does he convinces the audience that fate plays a central role […]

  • Romeo and Juliet: Exam questions on ‘Romeo and Juliet’ with page references for quotes

    Exam questions on ‘Romeo and Juliet’ with page references for quotesComplete some detailed plans of the following questions which are grouped around the key themes of the page, the page references give you an idea about where to find your key quote but you MUST find it for yourself! Youth And Age To what extent […]

  • Romeo and Juliet: Compare Romeo and Juliet’s different attitudes towards love in the play — a pupils essay with teacher comments

    TEACHER COMMENTS ARE IN CAPITALS AND ITALICS Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet’s attitude towards love changes dramatically. Both of the characters at the end of the play are willing to die for each other in the name of love. At the beginning of the play we are introduced to Romeo and we are shown […]

  • Year 13: Useful websites for Child Language Acquisition

    Should you want further reading on language acquisition, these websites are very helpful and explain all the relevant hypotheses and theories:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_acquisition   http://home.cogeco.ca/~monicafitz/theories.htm   http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/ling001.html

  • Useful grammar exercises

    Log onto: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/exlist/exlist.htm

  • Social Contexts and Child Language Acquisition

    Read the following two articles from the Daily Telegraph and write about whether you think that children’s changing environment is affecting their language for better or worse. Use evidence from your own investigations and research. Teacher and class notes have been added in CAPITALS. Not on Speaking Terms: Why do many children lack basic language […]

  • Year 13: STUDENT ANSWER JUNE 2007 Question 1 Unit 6 — Child Language Acquisition

    Lexical Choice It appears that Ewan becomes a bit worried that he will cause Holy to drop out of their role play game, due to his aggressive tone. He repeats the proper noun ‘Holly’ in order to grab her attention and says the verb ‘playing’ once again using a declarative where he should be using […]

  • Revision questions for Language Acquisition Unit 6

    1. What are the Assessment Objectives for this subject? Summarise them briefly, and highlight the AO with the most marks.2. What aspects of the systematic framework do you have to use in this exam? Write out a list and say why they are important. 3. Why is it important to study Child Language Acquisition? 4. […]

  • Notes on Child Directed Speeches, Children’s grammar, theories of language acquisition

    Child-directed Speech • “Even four year olds adjust their language when speaking to a two year old. The way that adults talk to babies is similar to the way they talk to dogs. (Hirsh-Pasek and Treiman, 1982) • Child-directed speech aims to: 1. attract and hold the baby’s attention; 2. help the process of breaking […]

  • Exam Essay January 2004 AQA Spec B Unit 6 by HG. MODEL ANSWER

    1. The transcript has been set in both a domestic and a child’s play context, and the fact that the speakers involved are of a completely different linguistic capability due to age, makes the interactions all the more interesting. Although the playgroup assistant tries to address the children at the same level, using the same […]

  • Year 13: Language Acquisition � Frank Myszor: Framing questions about language acquisition

    • MLU – mean length of utterance – Roger brown 1969 Total number of morphemes Number of utterances Stage 1 – 1.1 – 2.0 Stage 2 – 2.0 – 2.5 Stage 3 – 2.5 – 3.0 Stage 4 – 3.0 – 3.5 Stage 5 – 3.5-4.0 Theories and the ages at which they are applicable: […]

  • Year 13: Key Terminology Quiz for A2, followed by answers

    1. What do we mean by the active and passive voices of verbs? Analyse these sentences in this regard. ‘I kicked the boy’. And ‘The boy was kicked by me’. What is the difference in tone and approach?2. What do we mean by the affix, suffix, and prefix of a word? 3. What does ‘amelioration’ […]

  • June 2008 Unit 6 Exam — Child Language Acquisition and Development

    ENGLISH LANGUAGE (SPECIFICATION B) ENB6Unit 6 Language Development Thursday 19 June 2008 1.30pm to 3.30pm For this paper you must have: • the data booklet (enclosed) • a 12-page answer book. Time allowed: 2 hours Instructions • Use black ink or black ball-point pen. • Write the information required on the front of your answer […]

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