If you aren’t an English native speaker, you’ll almost always be required to sit an English language proficiency test as part of your application to study abroad at an English-speaking university.
The two most accepted English language tests worldwide are the International English Language Test System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) tests.Whilst both accurately test your level of English and are widely accepted across over thousands of institutions worldwide, the two tests are different in their approach, structure and teaching criteria, so you should think carefully about which one you’ll choose to sit.
Read our guide to the differences between IELTS and TOEFL to help you decide which is best for you.
What is IELTS?
The IELTS is an English language test that is used for educational, immigration and occupational purposes, and is accepted by over 9,000 institutions across 130 countries worldwide. Jointly administered by the British Council, University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations and IDP Education Australia, IELTS uses British English, and is more likely to be favoured by UK and institutions in Commonwealth nations such as New Zealand and Australia. Depending on the entry requirements of your study programme, you might need to take either the Academic or General Training IELTS exam.
What is TOEFL?
The TOEFL test seeks to test your ability to communicate in English in specifically academic, university and classroom-based settings. It is accepted by over 8,500 institutions across 130 countries, including the UK, USA and Australia, as well as all of the world’s top 100 universities. TOEFL is administered by US-based organization the Education Testing Service, and so is conducted in American English. This test is more likely to be favoured by American institutions.
Aside from the different styles of English each exam is are based on, TOEFL exam questions are almost entirely multiple choice, whereas IELTS requires you to respond to a range of different question types such as short answer, gap-filling and short essay tasks. The IELTS is significantly shorter than the TOEFL exam, taking approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes versus four hours to complete.
General differences
Aside from the different styles of English each exam is based on, TOEFL exam questions are almost entirely multiple choice, whereas IELTS requires you to respond to a range of different question types such as short answer, gap-filling and short essay tasks. The IELTS is significantly shorter than the TOEFL exam, taking approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes versus four hours to complete.
There is only one type of TOEFL exam that is done entirely on the computer, whereas there are two types of IELTS that are both completed on paper. Students applying for English-speaking tertiary programmes will need to sit the Academic IELTS exam, whereas the General Training exam is used to meet immigration and some occupational requirements.
IELTS and TOEFL favour different modes of thought and problem solving. As TOEFL is primarily multiple choice, students will need to be able to think analytically to weigh up the differences between their options. IELTS requires more use of memory, and draws on broader comprehension skills as students are faced with different question styles.
Exam Structures
Speaking
Whilst both exams have a speaking component, the IELTS speaking test is taken face-to-face with an examiner.
In the TOEFL exam, you’ll answer six questions into a microphone which are recorded and later sent to a group of six reviewers. Your IELTS speaking score will only be determined by a single examiner.
The IELTS test will take between 11-14 minutes and may not necessarily be on the same day as the other exam components, whilst the TOEFL will take about 20 minutes and is alwWhere the IELTS exam features a range of different accents... read the full article here.
About author:
This post was written by Hotcourses Abroad. Prepare for your English test with their useful articles and guides. You can also search for universities overseas which offer English courses.
Send an email to vickywecksolutions@yahoo.com for further enquiries.
To provide quality advice that will accelerate the school business through qualitative educational events.
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Wednesday, 30 December 2015
Monday, 28 December 2015
Brilliant apps for teachers by TEDed
What are the best apps for teachers? We asked TED-Ed Innovative Educators and the TED-Ed community. Below, 25 awesome apps recommended for teachers, by teachers.
For teaching students how to present, create and code
TED-Ed
More than 250,000 teachers use TED education tools to spark student curiosity and explore presentation literacy skills. “TED-Ed is an outstanding resource in my classroom,” says TED-Ed Innovative Educator Jennifer Hesseltine. “I use the online platform to add engaging content to topics that we are studying. I have also given students the opportunities to help in the process of creating TED-Ed Lessons by choosing videos and creating questions to include.”
More than 250,000 teachers use TED education tools to spark student curiosity and explore presentation literacy skills. “TED-Ed is an outstanding resource in my classroom,” says TED-Ed Innovative Educator Jennifer Hesseltine. “I use the online platform to add engaging content to topics that we are studying. I have also given students the opportunities to help in the process of creating TED-Ed Lessons by choosing videos and creating questions to include.”
Haikudeck
Students can create beautiful presentations with this app. “It’s great for pairing short poems and images,” says TED-Ed community member Jessica Dawn Kaiser.
Students can create beautiful presentations with this app. “It’s great for pairing short poems and images,” says TED-Ed community member Jessica Dawn Kaiser.
Duolingo
If the benefits of a bilingual brain motivate your students, try this app. “Duolingo revolutionized the way people learn languages,” says TED-Ed community member Dhruv G. Menon.
If the benefits of a bilingual brain motivate your students, try this app. “Duolingo revolutionized the way people learn languages,” says TED-Ed community member Dhruv G. Menon.
Draw and Tell
This app can increase creative confidence in kids of all ages. Just draw something, tell a story about it and share your creation. For TED-Ed community member Ginnie Harvin Pitler, this app is a classroom favorite. “I’m an elementary teacher and believe in creation apps over consumption apps,” she says.
This app can increase creative confidence in kids of all ages. Just draw something, tell a story about it and share your creation. For TED-Ed community member Ginnie Harvin Pitler, this app is a classroom favorite. “I’m an elementary teacher and believe in creation apps over consumption apps,” she says.
Animoto
Students can easily create and share their own beautiful videos with Animoto. “I’m a huge fan of this simple yet powerful digital storytelling tool for iPad and the web,” writes TED-Ed Innovative Educator Jennifer L. Scheffer in an this ed tech roundup. “The app allows students to select a theme, music, images or videos, add captions and/or two lines of text, and within minutes a slick video is created. The finished product can be shared via social media, uploaded to YouTube, or embedded in a student’s e-portfolio. For a great introduction to Animoto, with a built-in lesson in digital citizenship, have students create an ‘About Me’ or ‘Year in Review’ Animoto.”
Students can easily create and share their own beautiful videos with Animoto. “I’m a huge fan of this simple yet powerful digital storytelling tool for iPad and the web,” writes TED-Ed Innovative Educator Jennifer L. Scheffer in an this ed tech roundup. “The app allows students to select a theme, music, images or videos, add captions and/or two lines of text, and within minutes a slick video is created. The finished product can be shared via social media, uploaded to YouTube, or embedded in a student’s e-portfolio. For a great introduction to Animoto, with a built-in lesson in digital citizenship, have students create an ‘About Me’ or ‘Year in Review’ Animoto.”
iMovie
This popular app is another teacher-recommended choice for student video creation. “My students enjoy using iMovie for group projects,” says TED-Ed community member Chris Gilley Callaway. Check out the Apple apps for educators, too.
This popular app is another teacher-recommended choice for student video creation. “My students enjoy using iMovie for group projects,” says TED-Ed community member Chris Gilley Callaway. Check out the Apple apps for educators, too.
Instructables
From science experiments to merit badges, this app offers instructions for more than 100,000 DIY projects. Looking for a classroom maker project? You’ll find it here. Did your students create something awesome? Encourage them to upload their instructions and share their ideas.
From science experiments to merit badges, this app offers instructions for more than 100,000 DIY projects. Looking for a classroom maker project? You’ll find it here. Did your students create something awesome? Encourage them to upload their instructions and share their ideas.
Hopscotch
Students can learn computer science fundamentals — via game design — using this app. For more ways to teach core coding concepts, check out Scratch.
Students can learn computer science fundamentals — via game design — using this app. For more ways to teach core coding concepts, check out Scratch.
Tinkercad
After students get inspired by the open-source wonderland at Thingaverse, turn them loose to start designing their own 3D objects with this app.
After students get inspired by the open-source wonderland at Thingaverse, turn them loose to start designing their own 3D objects with this app.
For everyday classroom needs
Evernote
Teachers love this notetaking app — for good reason. “Evernote has allowed me to get rid of handouts. I just don’t make them anymore,” writes TED-Ed Innovative Educator Nicholas Provenzano in this blog post. “All of my projects are shared with my students through our shared notebooks, and all assignments are posted on the Assignment shared notebook that is available for parents on my website. Traditionally, these handouts would be viewed by students then trashed. Now they can view them on Evernote and trees can be saved.” To learn more from Nick about how to use Evernote in the classroom, read The Epic Evernote Experiment.
Teachers love this notetaking app — for good reason. “Evernote has allowed me to get rid of handouts. I just don’t make them anymore,” writes TED-Ed Innovative Educator Nicholas Provenzano in this blog post. “All of my projects are shared with my students through our shared notebooks, and all assignments are posted on the Assignment shared notebook that is available for parents on my website. Traditionally, these handouts would be viewed by students then trashed. Now they can view them on Evernote and trees can be saved.” To learn more from Nick about how to use Evernote in the classroom, read The Epic Evernote Experiment.
Explain Everything
Basically, it’s an interactive whiteboard. “It’s one of the most versatile apps you can have in your toolbox,” says TED-Ed community member Caroline Taylor-Levey.
Basically, it’s an interactive whiteboard. “It’s one of the most versatile apps you can have in your toolbox,” says TED-Ed community member Caroline Taylor-Levey.
Educreations
This app makes it easy to create new videos for learning. For example, “it’s a great tool for explaining math strategies with voice, pen and screen recorder,” says TED-Ed community member Melissa Julian. ”It also lets students make learning resources for other children to use.”
This app makes it easy to create new videos for learning. For example, “it’s a great tool for explaining math strategies with voice, pen and screen recorder,” says TED-Ed community member Melissa Julian. ”It also lets students make learning resources for other children to use.”
Oxford Dictionaries
Every classroom needs a good dictionary or two. For TED-Ed community member Nuria Carballal, Oxford Dictionary works well. Meanwhile, TED-Ed community member Chie Sipin Bjarenas recommends Dictionary.com. “It’s a quick way to answer ‘what does [insert unfamiliar word] mean?’” she says.
Every classroom needs a good dictionary or two. For TED-Ed community member Nuria Carballal, Oxford Dictionary works well. Meanwhile, TED-Ed community member Chie Sipin Bjarenas recommends Dictionary.com. “It’s a quick way to answer ‘what does [insert unfamiliar word] mean?’” she says.
For collaborating on school projects
Sunday, 27 December 2015
Social Media as a Collaboration and Productivity Tool
It is so easy to focus on the negative aspects of social media, but we encourage you to look beyond those challenges and consider the ways that social media has changed communication, improved collaboration, and our own personal and professional learning. Social media technology is a transformative tool, one that is reshaping how students, teachers, and school leaders learn and work.
There is a whole set of social media tools that can be used to improve collaboration and productivity. Here are a few of our favorites.
Scheduling Meetings – Our favorite tool, because it’s free, is Doodle. You can use it to identify potential meeting times based on work schedules and then invite participants. It provides an easy-to-read report once people respond to the invitation.
Twitter Chats—Many schools and districts use twitter chats and hashtags to provide ongoing discussions about key topics or initiatives.
Enhancing Collaboration –A wiki is a combination of a website and a place to post, revise, and edit work. They are especially useful for working with groups. What’s most powerful is that a wiki allows members of a group to collaborate on planning and implementing projects without having to constantly meet. Membership in the wiki can be controlled and the wiki keeps a record of any changes made by members. Our favorite is Wikispaces. There is a free plan for K-12 schools that is free of ads.
Maintaining Meeting Records – We like Meeting Diary as a way to keep online records of meetings we’ve attended, along with the agenda and a summary of major decisions.
Saturday, 26 December 2015
What Parents Really Want to Know during parent-teacher - conferences
According to Jim Gomes, he highlighted a list of what Parents want to know during conference based on his personal experience of teaching full time for 35 years and conducting in excess of 1,000 parent-teacher conferences. Please see list below:
current grade and most recently t results;
behavior—positive or negative;
homework completion;
participation, including how students relate to their peers;
areas for improvement, both academic and behavioral;
upcoming evaluations; and
action plan to improve student grades and resolve other issues.
Being able to address each of the above items accurately will require some record keeping in the form of checklists and anecdotal comments.
Hint: Don’t be surprised that the majority of parents who show up for conferences are the parents of high achievers. Therefore, it is a good idea to either send a note home or call the parents you need to see the most to set up a conference..
Innovative Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences
Vickywecksolutions is pleased to present these professional development tips shared by author and educator Jim Gomes.
Have a Student Secretary for Parent-Teacher Conferences*
Select a volunteer from one of your classes to act as your secretary during parent-teacher conferences. Thank the student for volunteering. Familiarize the student with both the benefits and the secretary’s role as outlined below.
Benefits:
The Secretary’s Role:
There may be no better time to make a good impression on parents than on this night. Having a student secretary can help you make the most of it.
Provide a Welcome Sheet for Parent-Teacher Conferences
After welcoming parents, the student secretary should supply them with a welcome sheet that may contain:
Have a Student Secretary for Parent-Teacher Conferences*
Select a volunteer from one of your classes to act as your secretary during parent-teacher conferences. Thank the student for volunteering. Familiarize the student with both the benefits and the secretary’s role as outlined below.
Benefits:
- The student secretary accumulates valuable volunteer hours.
- The student also gains experience dealing with adults.
- This illustrates to parents that teachers see their students as valuable by empowering them and by providing growth opportunities.
- It sets a professional tone for the meeting.
- It helps the parent-teacher conference process run much more smoothly.
- It saves the teacher time.
The Secretary’s Role:
- Greet parents in a friendly manner.
- Set up appointment times if not prearranged.
- Distribute a welcome sheet (see Tip 87).
- Take down contact information of parents who arrived but were unable to stay.
- Keep the teacher on schedule.
There may be no better time to make a good impression on parents than on this night. Having a student secretary can help you make the most of it.
Provide a Welcome Sheet for Parent-Teacher Conferences
After welcoming parents, the student secretary should supply them with a welcome sheet that may contain:
- a warm, inviting title such as Welcome to Parent-Teacher Conferences;
- your name, subject, meeting room number, and conference time;
- an introductory paragraph that thanks parents for attending and lets them know you are looking forward to the opportunity of discussing their child’s progress with them;
- contact information such as phone number and extension (and/or professional e-mail address at your discretion), and times when you can be reached;
- times when extra help is available for any student who seeks to improve;
- information regarding tutoring programs that are available at your school—high achievers may wish to become peer tutors (see Tip 64);
- a MEMO section that provides information about policies or procedures you wish to highlight (e.g., frequency of major tests, the need for parental signatures and the meaning of the year-to-date mark), upcoming tests and assignments, and what students are currently studying; and
- a NOTES section where parents can write important information discussed during the conference.
Wednesday, 23 December 2015
Nigerian Government to Feed students in 2016
On Tuesday the 22nd of December 2015, President Buhari presented the 2016 Budget to the National Assembly and Nigerians at large.
According to the president, the proposed budget which amounts to N6.08 trillion will help revive the economy.
While elaborating on how the 2016 budget will impact the different sectors, the president mentioned some of the plans for the education sector to include feeding of public primary school pupils and free education for science, technology and education students in our tertiary institutions.
He also said that the the Federal Government will collaborate with with states and local governments to tackle the “chronic shortage’’ of teachers in public schools across the country by recruiting, training and deploying 500,000 unemployed graduates and NCE holders to strengthen basic education, especially in rural areas.
According to the president, the proposed budget which amounts to N6.08 trillion will help revive the economy.
While elaborating on how the 2016 budget will impact the different sectors, the president mentioned some of the plans for the education sector to include feeding of public primary school pupils and free education for science, technology and education students in our tertiary institutions.
He also said that the the Federal Government will collaborate with with states and local governments to tackle the “chronic shortage’’ of teachers in public schools across the country by recruiting, training and deploying 500,000 unemployed graduates and NCE holders to strengthen basic education, especially in rural areas.
Social Media in Schools?
Social media has become a simple and effective means for individuals and workplaces to communicate these days, and schools are not exempt. I have provided principals and school administration with a list of tips for using social media to best communicate timely information.
As a result of its almost universal access across all demographic groups, social media often reaches more people more quickly. It also reaches audiences than traditional forms of communication . Principals can use social media to improve communication, provide information during school safety situations, increase collaboration, and enhance professional development.”
These days, many parents turn to school’s social media pages for information before turning to any other resource.
At VickyWeck we suggest that principals should take advantage of this and actively encourage parents to visit school social media pages by:
frequently updating content
providing easy navigation
having a clean, professional design
frequently linking to additional content
Since Social media technology is a transformative tool, one that is reshaping how students, teachers, and school leaders learn and work. We will spend time to discuss and point out the benefits of social media for establishing a Professional Learning Network (PLN) as a means of free professional development, as well as enhancing collaboration between educators.
As a result of its almost universal access across all demographic groups, social media often reaches more people more quickly. It also reaches audiences than traditional forms of communication . Principals can use social media to improve communication, provide information during school safety situations, increase collaboration, and enhance professional development.”
These days, many parents turn to school’s social media pages for information before turning to any other resource.
At VickyWeck we suggest that principals should take advantage of this and actively encourage parents to visit school social media pages by:
frequently updating content
providing easy navigation
having a clean, professional design
frequently linking to additional content
Since Social media technology is a transformative tool, one that is reshaping how students, teachers, and school leaders learn and work. We will spend time to discuss and point out the benefits of social media for establishing a Professional Learning Network (PLN) as a means of free professional development, as well as enhancing collaboration between educators.
Tuesday, 22 December 2015
How best to Motivate Students
1. Take a genuine interest in your students.
Learn their interests, hopes, and dreams. Ask them about what is happening in their lives. In other words, lead with your ears and not your mouth. Don't, however, just make it a one-way street -- share some of your own stories, too.
2. Act friendly in other ways.
Smile, joke, and sometimes make a light, supportive touch on a student's shoulder.
3. Be flexible, and keep our eyes on the learning goal prize.
One of my students had never written an essay in his school career. He was intent on maintaining that record during an assignment of writing a persuasive essay about what students thought was the worst natural disaster. Because I knew two of his passions were football and video games, I told him that as long as he used the writing techniques we'd studied, he could write an essay on why his favorite football team was better than its rival or on why he particularly liked one video game. He ended up writing an essay on both topics.
4. Don't give up on students.
Be positive (as much as humanly possible) and encourage a growth mindset.
Learn their interests, hopes, and dreams. Ask them about what is happening in their lives. In other words, lead with your ears and not your mouth. Don't, however, just make it a one-way street -- share some of your own stories, too.
2. Act friendly in other ways.
Smile, joke, and sometimes make a light, supportive touch on a student's shoulder.
3. Be flexible, and keep our eyes on the learning goal prize.
One of my students had never written an essay in his school career. He was intent on maintaining that record during an assignment of writing a persuasive essay about what students thought was the worst natural disaster. Because I knew two of his passions were football and video games, I told him that as long as he used the writing techniques we'd studied, he could write an essay on why his favorite football team was better than its rival or on why he particularly liked one video game. He ended up writing an essay on both topics.
4. Don't give up on students.
Be positive (as much as humanly possible) and encourage a growth mindset.
What does it mean to be a great teacher?
What lies in the heart of a great teacher?
You are kind: a great teacher shows kindness to students, colleagues, parents and those around her/him. My favourite saying is “kindness makes the world go around”. It truly changes the environment in the classroom and school. Being a kind teacher helps students feel welcomed, cared for and loved.
You are compassionate: Teaching is a very humanistic profession, and compassion is the utmost feeling of understanding, and showing others you are concerned about them. A compassionate teacher models that characteristic to the students with her/his actions, and as a result students will be more open to understanding the world around them.
You are empathetic: Empathy is such an important trait to have and to try to develop in ourselves and our students. Being able to put yourself in someone’s shoes and see things from their perspective can have such a powerful impact on our decisions and actions.
You are positive: Being a positive person, is not an easy task. Being a positive teacher is even harder when we’re always met with problems with very limited solutions. However, staying positive when it’s tough can have such a tremendous positive impact on the students and everyone around us. Looking on the bright side always seems to help make things better.
You are a builder: A great teacher bridges gaps and builds relationships, friendships, and a community. Teachers always look to make things better and improve things in and outside of the classroom. Building a community is something a great teacher seeks to do in the classroom and extends that to the entire school and its community.
You inspire: Everyone looks at a great teacher and they want to be a better teacher, they want to be a better student, even better, they want to be a better person. A great teacher uncovers hidden treasures, possibilities and magic right before everyone’s eyes.Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Online schools 'worse than traditional teachers'
A major report, based on research in 17 US states with online charter schools, has found "significantly weaker academic performance" in maths and reading in these virtual schools compared with the conventional school system.
The National Study of Online Charter Schools, the first major study of this growing sector, has taken a wrecking ball to the idea that pupils learn as effectively in such an online setting.
The report, from researchers at the University of Washington, Stanford University and the Mathematica policy research group, found online pupils falling far behind their counterparts in the classroom. In maths, it was the equivalent of pupils having missed an entire year in school.
Low achievement in these schools, identified by this research, has raised big doubts about this approach.
The online schools relied much more on students driving their own learning and often determining the pace at which they advanced.
And the biggest problem identified by the researchers was the difficulty in keeping online pupils focused on their work.There is less teacher contact time in virtual schools. On average, pupils in bricks-and-mortar classrooms received the same amount of teacher time each day as the virtual pupils received on-screen each week.
Apart from the challenges,the study also highlights certain groups who benefit from online schools - such as rural students with limited options, students at home with health problems, those with families moving around the country and those who for whatever reason did not fit in with a conventional school.
Monday, 14 December 2015
Trian the trainer.
Dear Educator,
Over a decade ago, whilst a young trainer, I once confessed to myself that I had failed as a trainer. I had met with a group of teachers who were physically present for my training, yet ‘absent’. I observed that they were simply humouring me and would probably not change their practice. This contradicted the reason for which I had been invited to their school and I knew that there would be no change in that school.
Unknown to me at the time, I had encountered a well-researched and documented phenomenon called ‘teacher resistance’. I did not know at the time that it existed, nor did I know how to deal with it. Months later, during my M Ed in Trainer Development (teacher training) I learned about it and the causes of its deep roots within a school.
In this Train-the-trainer course, I will be addressing teacher resistance; its causes and how to deal with it. All school heads, proprietors, school consultants and senior teachers need to understand this if school improvement and achievement are to be pursued. Indeed, the quality of our interactions with our teachers is as important as the curriculum that they are asked to implement.
Pedagogy and andragogy are two distinct areas of education we must appreciate. While the former describes how to teach children, the latter deals with how to teach adults. Treating adult learners (teachers) as children learners is a no, no. If we want our schools to change, school leaders need to change their approach to teachers.
In this course, you will be learning the following:
• Introduction to Teacher Education (PRE-SET versus INSET)
• Perspectives on teacher education (training versus teacher
development)
• Models of Teaching (Apprenticeship; Applied Science; Reflective
Practice)
• Pedagogy versus Andragogy
• Teacher Observation versus Teacher Supervision (types and
practice)
• Skills for teacher development
• Strategies for teacher development
• Planning a Training Session
• Change Management
A workbook will be given to every participant for on going self-study during the 3 month period of mentoring after the course. This 3-month period will include peer review of at least one of your own training after the course. Only successful participants will be awarded our certificates.
Two streams of training are planned for two different dates. Both trainings are the same with a slightly different focus for the two distinct groups of participants please call 08063633166 for further details or visit www.vickyweck.org. .
Over a decade ago, whilst a young trainer, I once confessed to myself that I had failed as a trainer. I had met with a group of teachers who were physically present for my training, yet ‘absent’. I observed that they were simply humouring me and would probably not change their practice. This contradicted the reason for which I had been invited to their school and I knew that there would be no change in that school.
Unknown to me at the time, I had encountered a well-researched and documented phenomenon called ‘teacher resistance’. I did not know at the time that it existed, nor did I know how to deal with it. Months later, during my M Ed in Trainer Development (teacher training) I learned about it and the causes of its deep roots within a school.
In this Train-the-trainer course, I will be addressing teacher resistance; its causes and how to deal with it. All school heads, proprietors, school consultants and senior teachers need to understand this if school improvement and achievement are to be pursued. Indeed, the quality of our interactions with our teachers is as important as the curriculum that they are asked to implement.
Pedagogy and andragogy are two distinct areas of education we must appreciate. While the former describes how to teach children, the latter deals with how to teach adults. Treating adult learners (teachers) as children learners is a no, no. If we want our schools to change, school leaders need to change their approach to teachers.
In this course, you will be learning the following:
• Introduction to Teacher Education (PRE-SET versus INSET)
• Perspectives on teacher education (training versus teacher
development)
• Models of Teaching (Apprenticeship; Applied Science; Reflective
Practice)
• Pedagogy versus Andragogy
• Teacher Observation versus Teacher Supervision (types and
practice)
• Skills for teacher development
• Strategies for teacher development
• Planning a Training Session
• Change Management
A workbook will be given to every participant for on going self-study during the 3 month period of mentoring after the course. This 3-month period will include peer review of at least one of your own training after the course. Only successful participants will be awarded our certificates.
Two streams of training are planned for two different dates. Both trainings are the same with a slightly different focus for the two distinct groups of participants please call 08063633166 for further details or visit www.vickyweck.org. .
Former Nigerian Vice President's Wife Lament!
WIFE of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Mrs. Amina Titi
Abubakar, has lamented what she described as the unfavourable and
unconducive climate, which the Nigerian educational system presents
children with special needs.
According to her, most children with disabilities find it difficult to fit into conventional schools because of peer discrimination and sundry learning barriers.
She therefore, pledged to forward a bill to the National Assembly, to give some respite to individuals suffering from autism in Nigeria among other similar health challenges.
The bill, which is being proposed through one of her pet project, Hope House Initiative, will among other issues, seek to establish the Special Needs Commission, which will in turn provide exclusive platform for multi-agency involvement in rendering special needs services.
The bill would also seek to amend the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Act, by extending its functions to provide special needs education for children with learning difficulties.
According to her, most children with disabilities find it difficult to fit into conventional schools because of peer discrimination and sundry learning barriers.
She therefore, pledged to forward a bill to the National Assembly, to give some respite to individuals suffering from autism in Nigeria among other similar health challenges.
The bill, which is being proposed through one of her pet project, Hope House Initiative, will among other issues, seek to establish the Special Needs Commission, which will in turn provide exclusive platform for multi-agency involvement in rendering special needs services.
The bill would also seek to amend the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Act, by extending its functions to provide special needs education for children with learning difficulties.
In education push, Tanzania to punish parents of children out of school
Tanzania prepares to introduce free basic education for all, the government has warned that it will punish parents who fail to ensure their children go to school.
In a major policy shift, primary and secondary schooling will be free for all Tanzanian children from January, as the government joins its East African neighbour Uganda in offering universal education free of charge.
George Masaju, Tanzania's attorney general, warned that parents deemed to be holding back efforts to create a literate society by keeping children out of school would face punishment.
"Causing a child to drop from school for any reason is a criminal offence because you offend his fundamental right of being educated," Masaju said late last month at a graduation ceremony at Feza School in Dar es Salaam.
Why everything Centers on Education?
Everything in life centers on Education because it is the process that facilitates learning. There is no doubt that knowledge,
skills, values, beliefs, and habits of a group of people are transferred
to other people, through storytelling, discussion, teaching, training,
or research which all evolves around education. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of
educators, but learners may also educate themselves in a process called
autodidactic learning. Any experience that has a formative effect on the
way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational.
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
I've Solved 156-Year-Old Maths Problem – Nigerian Scholar
Nigerian scholar Opeyemi Enoch,Speaking with journalist, disclosed that it took him seven
years to solve the 156-year-old math puzzle and that comments from
detractors had not dampened his sense of achievement.
“People have the privilege and the right to say whatever they want to say. I have not really been giving attention to some of the comments,” he added.
Enoch said he first delivered his findings on November 11, at the International Conference on Mathematics and Computer Science held in Vienna.
Nina Ringo, a member of the conference committee, said: “I consider his results to be very important and confirm his discovery.”
Although the Nigerian scholar has not got any prize, he has already received cold calls. Enoh confessed that he is really concerned about the threat of kidnapping.
“Reports saying I have won $1million have not been helpful for my security or that of my people. I’ve warned my parents and loved ones to stay away from me,” he said.
“People have the privilege and the right to say whatever they want to say. I have not really been giving attention to some of the comments,” he added.
Enoch said he first delivered his findings on November 11, at the International Conference on Mathematics and Computer Science held in Vienna.
Nina Ringo, a member of the conference committee, said: “I consider his results to be very important and confirm his discovery.”
Although the Nigerian scholar has not got any prize, he has already received cold calls. Enoh confessed that he is really concerned about the threat of kidnapping.
“Reports saying I have won $1million have not been helpful for my security or that of my people. I’ve warned my parents and loved ones to stay away from me,” he said.
Friday, 20 November 2015
Children who grow up with internet - AKA 'digital natives' - believe everything they read online, says Ofcom
The number of children believing everything they read on Google and social media sites has doubled, according to an Ofcom study which has found ‘digital natives’ are too trusting of what they find online.
Eight to 15-year-olds are spending twice as much time on the internet than they were ten years ago, Ofcom's report into media attitudes among children and parents found.
And these so-called ‘digital natives’ - children who have grown up with the internet - often lack "online nous" to decide if what they see is true or impartial, the regulator concluded.
Almost one in 10 children who go online believe information from social media websites or apps is "all true" - doubling from last year - and most 12 to 15-year-olds are unaware that "vloggers", or video bloggers, can be paid to endorse the products they promote.
Almost a fifth of online 12 to 15-year-olds believe information returned by a search engine such as Google or Bing must be true, but only a third are able to identify paid-for adverts.
The study found children are increasingly turning to YouTube for "true and accurate" information about what is going on in the world, with 8 per cent of online youngsters naming the video sharing site as their preferred choice for this type of information - up from 3 per cent last year.
But just half of 12 to 15-year-olds who watch YouTube are aware that advertising is the main source of funding on the site, and less than half are aware vloggers are often paid to favourably mention products or services.
Children aged 12 to 15 were split on whether being online helped them be themselves, with 34 per cent agreeing and 35 per cent disagreeing, while 31 per cent were unsure.
The study found that almost three quarters of older children believe most people behave differently when they are online, and more than 67 per cent of older girls with a social media account said there were things they disliked about it compared with 52 per cent of boys.
Almost a third were concerned about people spreading gossip or rumours and a quarter said people can be "nasty, mean or unkind to others".
Many children also expressed concern about spending too much time online, the survey found.
Around one in 10 online children aged eight to 15 said they disliked spending too much time on the internet, and almost a third of 12 to 15-year-olds admitted they could sometimes spend too much time on social media in particular.
Almost all children – 97 per cent - could recall advice they had been given about staying safe online, particularly from parents.
The large majority said they would tell their parents, another family member or a teacher if they saw something online they found worrying, nasty or offensive, but 6 per cent said they would not tell anyone.
The study found children are increasingly turning to YouTube for "true and accurate" information about what is going on in the world, with 8 per cent of online youngsters naming the video sharing site as their preferred choice for this type of information - up from 3 per cent last year.
But just half of 12 to 15-year-olds who watch YouTube are aware that advertising is the main source of funding on the site, and less than half are aware vloggers are often paid to favourably mention products or services.
Children aged 12 to 15 were split on whether being online helped them be themselves, with 34 per cent agreeing and 35 per cent disagreeing, while 31 per cent were unsure.
The study found that almost three quarters of older children believe most people behave differently when they are online, and more than 67 per cent of older girls with a social media account said there were things they disliked about it compared with 52 per cent of boys.
Almost a third were concerned about people spreading gossip or rumours and a quarter said people can be "nasty, mean or unkind to others".
Many children also expressed concern about spending too much time online, the survey found.
Around one in 10 online children aged eight to 15 said they disliked spending too much time on the internet, and almost a third of 12 to 15-year-olds admitted they could sometimes spend too much time on social media in particular.
Almost all children – 97 per cent - could recall advice they had been given about staying safe online, particularly from parents.
The large majority said they would tell their parents, another family member or a teacher if they saw something online they found worrying, nasty or offensive, but 6 per cent said they would not tell anyone.
Monday, 2 November 2015
Helping Students Maximize Their Time Online By Esther Mark
Studying has never been made easier than it is now. With the internet and affordable data subscriptions dished out by mobile telecommunications network providers, there has never really been a time when all a student need was just a click away, at his finger tips-via the phones s/he possesses.
However, while many students go online daily, they are often involved in frivolous activities. They do everything therein and always claim to be very busy-but you get to ask them one simple question-what are you busy doing?
You see, in as much as the internet comes with its various advantages, it also has numerous disadvantages, especially for students. So how can you, as a student, diligently maximize the fantastic opportunity presented by the internet?
- Be Disciplined. By this, I mean, have some sense of consistency. Decide at what times you want to go online, what sites you want to visit, and how long you intend to stay therein. The purpose for each online surfing will determine the length you’d stay. If it is an assignment, tell yourself how long you want to remain doing that particular assignment. If it is for leisure, set time limits and consciously work towards maintaining it. Else, you will be busy doing nothing!
- You must not be on every Social Media platform. In this day of internet dating, chats, pings, skype and the likes, it is just too tempting not to be in any of the platforms. But as a student, you need to define your path. Define why you want to be on each network. Facebook: Connect with friends. Twitter: Updates and trending issues. LinkedIn-Professional and career oriented. Instagram: Pictures? When you have defined why you need these social platforms, also decide the number of platforms you can mark the register in. By this, I mean, how many will you be active in. Do not forget that as a student, you may have lean budget and will not want to spend all your income navigating between various social platforms and burning away data. When you decide how many, it will help you in planning your overall schedules for a day. You see, even your reading habits can be affected by social media-that’s why you need to be careful in deciding how many you want to be featured in. More still, it is also advised that you stay in 2-4 social platforms. It is easier to maintain.
- Beware of Pornography! It is always easy to begin a habit-but very difficult to stop. That is why you need to be wary of sites that look very tempting and may want to send some tingling sensations down your groin/inner chambers. They start as harmless visits and overtime, become die-hard habits that are very DIFFICULT to break. Most times, these addicted use of porn sites pose great dangers ahead-when you marry and the likes. Apart of the long term disadvantages, it also has very short term discomfort. If for nothing, the feeling of guilt you encounter after each visit, and subsequent masturbation which is always a fall out of the visit, hits you hard. You can’t spend all day visiting various porn sites and not have distorted views later.
- Buy with caution! One good thing about the internet is that it has made shopping very easy for us all. You can cut the traffic and time spend rummaging through shops by buying your stuff online and have them delivered at your door! But while this comes with its advantages such as time savers and maybe-with discounts on purchased stuff, it could be dangerous when you keep buying and buying every cool item you see on display. It actually encourages impulsive buying and you can only realize this when you look especially at your wardrobe and find many clothes you never needed, or would ever need. And also, a deflated savings.
- Your Password is incorrect! While surfing the net, be careful not to disclose personal details to unsuspecting persons. Your passwords, pins, and other important details should be kept safe. Never activate the ‘remember password’ option while browsing from either your personal laptop, gadget, or a shared one. It will enable you avoid the stories that touches the heart and tickles the “bum-bum”. To be save, safeguard your passwords and use combinations of numbers, cases and even sentence forms to form very unsuspecting passwords!
- Seek out useful sites and tools! There are a thousand and ten sites that are helpful and useful for students. From sites that teach you basic photo-shopping skills, to others that enhance your computer literacy appreciation or those that help you connect with mentors and help you reach out to them to enjoy their tutelage. You also have the sites that help you build your professional skills, those that help you practice some ‘Do It Yourself’ skills and others that are just academic based. There are a thousand and one volunteering sites through which you can connect to real opportunities and the likes. Don’t just be online. Be online and in line with your values.
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