Learning from the Beginning

The Reading/Writing Equation
Reading and writing exist only in relation to each other. Writing is to reading as waking is to sleeping, as giving is to receiving. The one act presupposes the other act. Together, the two acts are one act, and yet each remains a separate act, at the same time. Literally, to write and read, we must give and receive.

Listening, speaking, reading, and writing, the four modes of language, are inextricably related. In particular, listening/speaking and reading/writing are interdependent pairs, the latter being a clever human extension of the former. If ability in half of a communications pair languishes, so does ability in the other half. To comprehend our perceptions and communicate forcefully, then, we would do well to speak in response to what we hear, and write in response to what we read.
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The knowledge of the different states of matter and their properties is fundamental for students to observe and comprehend their world.

These activities are designed to give students the tools they need to categorize substances between solids and liquids, applying property names to them. The goal is for students to come away with not only conceptual understanding, but real life experiences with the states of matter.

Materials for Teaching Solids and Liquids
Materials for these lessons include: Vinyl squares, blue cotton cloth, clear plastic bags, metal screws, baskets, 1 basin, 2 sets of liquids in bottles, plain water, colored water, corn syrup, liquid hand soap, graphic organizers, worksheet matching picture of solid to its vocabulary term.
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I’m Sorry. I Don’t Understand What You’re Saying
Part of the process in learning a new language is to be able to comprehend spoken language. It is most certainly the toughest part in learning a new language since people speak in different ways especially when we consider accent. So how can you improve in your listening skills for a language you’re trying to learn? Let me share you some tips that I am currently applying.

The most important thing to consider is the pronunciation of the letters. Almost every language has its own way of pronouncing some letters and not all languages have the same set of letters. It gets more complicated when you form words. There may be some pronunciation rules in the placement of the vowels and consonants. It gets more difficult when you apply liaisons and contractions.
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