How to teach... making friends

A A long summer stretches out invitingly before students (and teachers), but when they return to school after the break, everything will have changed. The new academic term means new groups and, for some, the start of a new school.

B With this transition comes the inevitable challenge of making friends. Children of all ages worry about various things, from finding a partner to work with in science class to having someone to eat lunch with on the first day. So, to prepare your students for their next steps, and in time for the UN International Day of Friendship on Thursday 30 July, this week’s how to teach... includes a selection of ideas and resources to help your students strengthen current friendships and make new ones.

C There is an old adage that to love someone else you must first love yourself, and the same is true of friendships. Children need to value themselves before they can properly value others, so kick things off by building self-esteem. Get your students to discuss their talents – dancing, running, helping at home or drawing. Then share their ideas during a circle-time activity or record their thoughts. Next, get children to reflect on others’ qualities by thinking about what they look for in a friend using a worksheet and game. Playing as a group or in pairs, students must explain whether each of a variety of attributes is something a “good friend” or “bad friend” would have. When you’ve gathered opinions on this, get creative by making colourful friendship posters.

D Discover what worries students have around making friends by answering the questions primary students often ask. For example, why is friendship important? What if a friend is mean to me? Do students agree that it’s impossible to share a friend? Role play might be an interesting way to explore how to resolve problems. Go beyond the classroom and get students thinking about the theme of friendship around the world by focusing on relations between countries. Use this to encourage students to think about what they can do to help create a more peaceful world. As a follow-up activity, ask students to identify times when they could be a good friend to others. How would they behave towards a new child in their class, for example?

E One of the most challenging times in terms of making friends is moving to secondary school, and a little cinema magic is a great way to ease the transition. A Back to School assembly contains a whole section on making new friends at secondary school. It uses clips from films such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Skateboards and Spandex… to tackle themes such as first days, making new friends, believing in yourself and working together. This year the UN International Day of Friendship is focusing on involving young people in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding.

Adjusted to (1)

invitingly – lákavě, svůdně

adage – přísloví, rčení

1) Read the article and match each of the headings to a paragraph.

1 Summer and new school year

2 Self-respect and friendship games

3 Secondary school transition

4 Transition, new friends and the Day of Friendship

5 Friendship questions

2) Read the article and answer the questions.

1 What changes in the new school year for many students and teachers?

2 Why was the old adage mentioned? What does it mean?

3 What is important to make friends? Why?

4 What should students ask? Why?

5 How can films help solving relationships?

3) Explain the following words and phrases.

1 science class

2 kick things off by building self-esteem

3 circle-time activity

4 it’s impossible to share a friend

5 follow-up activity

4) Answer the following questions.

What is relationship? What are types of relationships? What is the difference between extroversion and introversion? What is typical for introverts and extraverts? What do you know about children and youth criminality prevention?

Video:

https://goo.gl/6v6u2M

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Tips, sources of information:

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Source:

(1)

How to teach.. making friends. The Guardian [online]. 2015 [cit. 2015-09-21]. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/jul/13/how-to-teach-making-friends-primary-secondary-school

New children, youth empowerment centre

New children, youth empowerment centre

A Change is coming to Chalkfarm and Godwin Larbi is proud to be part of it. Born and raised in the four-tower building complex near Jane Street and Wilson Avenue, the 20-year-old is a program leader with Doorsteps Neighbourhood Services, which has collaborated with four partners to set up a children and youth centre.

B The centre was officially opened last week. “What is happening here today represents change in a good way,” said Larbi, who will use the money from this full-time job to enter Ryerson University next year to pursue a teaching career. “Through the programs here, young people have a chance to learn self-discipline and how to be better in school. I have seen all the negative stuff, but now we are moving in the right direction and I am so happy to be part of that process. This is a good day.”

C Fed up with violent crimes, residents made it clear they wanted a facelift for their community that should include a space for children to be engaged in recreation and other after-school activities. Morris Beckford, the executive director of Doorsteps Neighbourhood Services said: “Of the nearly 4,000 residents in these four buildings, I would say that about 40 per cent are kids.” Beckford and his team equipped the centre with a computer literacy room, reading space, a community kitchen and a boxing gym and fitness centre.

D “This is a dream come true,” said broadcaster and former boxer Charles “Spider” Jones. “It’s fantastic when you could have centres where young people could go instead of hanging out on the street and being seduced by crime. The kids need to see options and know that there is another way through education. They can’t do it on their own when they are at a young age. They need to have mentors who can instill values and work ethic and put them on a path to make good choices,” Jones talks from experience. As a gang member he turned his life around at an advanced age to fulfill his dream of becoming a broadcaster. “We have to teach our kids how to set goals and stay on track. We want to teach them how to create their own opportunity through education and good mentorship… This centre is crime prevention. I spent seven years in jail and I know that when you follow that path, you end up behind bars or in a grave.”

E School program coordinator, Adam Ali, said the centre is a welcomed addition to the community. “I am looking forward to making this space a place where community residents can enhance their health and well-being,” said Ali, who was raised in the community. “This will ultimately make for a more vibrant community, increasing the quality of life. The centre will operate from 3.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. between September and June and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer. ”

Adjusted to (1)

facelift – nova tvář, lepší vzhled

seduce – svádět

instill – vštípit

vibrant – pulzující, plný života

1) Read the article and match each of the headings to a paragraph.

1 Jones knows a lot about crime

2 Beckford – the director

3 Change is coming to a four-tower building complex

4 Larbi’s opinion

5 Ali thinks the centre will contribute to the happier life of the community

2) Read the article and answer the questions.

1 Who is Godwin Larbi? What does he think?

2 What kind of centre has been opened? Who opened it?

3 Who is Morris Beckford? What does he say?

4 What do you know about Charles “Spider” Jones?

5 What does the school coordinator say?

3) Explain the following words and phrases.

1 children and youth centre

2 pursue a teaching career

3 learn self-discipline

4 after-school activities

5 integrate into mainstream education

4) Answer the following questions.

What are differences between Czech and US children and youth centres? What are their typical activities? Why are these centres important? Where do they get money from? What do you know about children and youth criminality prevention?

Video:

https://goo.gl/wOyJzd

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Tips, sources of information:

http://goo.gl/RDcq3L

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Source:

(1)

FUNFAIR, Ron. New children, youth empowerment centre. Share News [online]. 2012 [cit. 2015-09-20]. Available at: http://sharenews.com/new-children-and-youth-empowerment-centre-opens/

Teens tell survey how they spend their free time

Teens tell survey how they spend their free time

A A survey carried out by the Express shows young people in the patch would like to see more facilities to keep them occupied in their free time. The survey, completed by 49 young people aged between 12 and 15 at Hemsworth Arts and Community College, saw youngsters voice several ideas on how to improve the area, the introduction of a cinema being the most popular nomination.

B Other ideas were the introduction of a youth club, a specific area for youngsters to hang out, a skate park and an under 18s’ nightclub. The survey, which was completed by young people aged between 12 and 15, also showed that most of the students occupied their time by hanging about with their friends. Around 60 percent said they went straight out after college, and just fewer than 50 per cent admitted meeting on the streets after 6pm. A quarter said they hung around on the streets with friends at weekends. Around 40 per cent said they took advantage of the weekend to enjoy a range of other activities, including visiting their family, motorcycling, dancing, drinking, football, shopping, ice-skating, going to the cinema, martial arts and fundraising.

C Stephen Foster, assistant principal at Hemsworth Arts and Community College, said: “The issues seem to be that the villages are not well served by public transport and do not have facilities in them. There is often the notion that people will always travel to the facilities they want but sometimes there are practical difficulties.”

D Stephen Crofts, Wakefield Council’s service manager for youth activity and support services, said: “We welcome this survey and this will help us plan our youth activity and support services. Our aim is to increase the numbers of young people who get involved and participate in positive activities. Getting involved in activities is an important way young people can be prevented from being drawn into problem behaviour.”

E “Young people have told us that they want interesting and exciting activities at times that suit them most. For this reason the council is working partner organisations and youth groups to increase what’s on offer for young people on Friday evening and across the weekend.”

Adjusted to (1)

in the patch – v této oblasti

fundraising – získávání financí na charitu

notion – představa, dojem

1) Read the article and match each of the headings to a paragraph.

1 This survey might help prevent criminality

2 Problems of village youngsters

3 Teenagers want a better offer of leisure activities on Friday evening

4 Teenagers completed a survey

5 Ideas on spending free time

2) Read the article and answer the questions.

1 What did the research try to find out?

2 Why was it carried out?

3 How do youngsters spend their leisure time?

4 What does the local Council’s service manager think about the survey?

5 What do the youngsters want?

3) Explain the following words and phrases.

1 hanging about with friends

2 martial arts

3 served by public transport

4 participate in positive activities

5 be prevented from being drawn into problem behaviour

4) Answer the following questions.

Why are free time activities important for children? Why should a family spend some free time together? How can parents control their children’s free time? Why do children spend more time at home instead of being outside? What are examples of active and passive free time activities?

Video:

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Tips, sources of information:

http://goo.gl/lxV3XC

http://goo.gl/ifM9zd

Source:

(1)

Teens tell survey how they spend their free time. Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express [online]. 2009 [cit. 2015-09-20]. Available at: http://www.hemsworthandsouthelmsallexpress.co.uk/ news/local-news/teens-tell-survey-how-they-spend-their-free-time-1-1863691

U.S. Teens Working Hard at Loafing Around

U.S. Teens Working Hard at Loafing Around

A While adolescents today work less and have more leisure time than previous generations, how do they invest these valuable hours? How are today’s adolescents spending their time? Well, they probably aren’t working.

B A recently published study suggests that not only are U.S. adolescents (aged 15-17) spending fewer hours per day in paid employment (and getting paid less in real terms than their 1977 counterparts), they also invest less time in schoolwork, housework or engaging in organizational activities like clubs and youth groups. This research in the journal Youth and Society seems to contradict the prevailing notion that today’s teens are stressed and overloaded with schoolwork, organized sports, hobbies, standardized test preparation and extracurricular activities in an effort to compile a sterling résumé that will impress college admissions offices. Adolescents, it seems, may have more free time than previously thought.

C This new data comes from a study by the University of Utah’s Cathleen D. Zick, who compared time diaries and time-use surveys from 1977-1978 and 2003-2005 to examine, in six broad categories, where adolescents invest their time. These categories include personal care, housework, paid work, schoolwork, organizational activities and leisure. Her findings suggests that, although the median income of two-parent, two-child families has “substantially” fallen from 1977-1978, and while teens’ average real wage is approximately $2 per hour lower, leisure time for today’s youth has risen considerably while paid work time has tailed off.

D While the decline in paid work time is likely welcomed by adolescents, if that extra time is spent only in leisure activities — especially “passive” leisure activities like watching TV or movies, socializing or talking on the phone — it simply becomes a waste of time. Although the study doesn’t draw conclusions, it doesn’t seem too far a stretch to link the rise of adolescent leisure time with the growing epidemic of teen obesity.

E Zick’s research notes that while leisure time for adolescents increased compared to their counterparts in 1977, time spent on housework, schoolwork and attending organizational activities decreased. In 2003-2005 boys, on average, spent more than an hour less each day in paid work and 15 minutes less on housework and schoolwork — while leisure time increased by more than an hour and a half. Two-thirds of this leisure time is spent engaging in passive activities (which — the Wii aside — doesn’t include physical activities such as sports).

Adjusted to (1)

median – střední hodnota

tail off – snížit, zmenšit

1) Read the article and match each of the headings to a paragraph.

1 Teenagers are passive and obese

2 Leisure time increased, activities and work decreased

3 Zick’s study

4 US teenagers today don’t work much

5 Adolescents have more free time than supposed

2) Read the article and answer the questions.

1 What is the main difference between US generations of 1977-1978 and 2003-2005?

2 How does younger generation spend their free time?

3 How did the older generation spend their free time?

4 What does the article say about obesity and adolescents? What is the reason for that?

5 How much time does younger generation spend on active and passive activities?

3) Explain the following words and phrases.

1 previous generations

2 paid employment

3 extracurricular activities

4 teen obesity

5 attending organizational activities decreased

4) Answer the following questions.

What are benefits of adolescent employment? What are risks of adolescent employment? Why is adolescent work important? What are typical examples of adolescent jobs? How do teenagers spend their free time? Why it is necessary to spend leisure time actively?

Video:

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Tips, sources of information:

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Source:

(1)

HAYDEN, Erik. U.S. Teens Working Hard at Loafing Around. Pacific Standard [online]. 2009 [cit. 2015-09-20]. Available at: http://www.psmag.com/books-and-culture/u-s-teens-working-hard-at-loafing-around-3424

Four creative ways to keep children learning over the summer holidays

A It’s time for students to kick off their school shoes and pack up their textbooks because school’s out for summer. But the arrival of the holidays doesn’t mean learning has to stop – in fact, it can provide many opportunities to broaden young minds. From family trips to museums, new literature or fun experiments in the kitchen.

B The Guardian Teacher Network has scoured the web to find the best resources for summer learning, which can be used by parents and tutors. A family holiday abroad is a great opportunity to learn a language or practise existing skills. There’s no better way for older students to absorb a language than spending the summer immersed in it. If you want something a bit closer to home, you could get your children to write to other students around the world with Pen Pal Schools, an online learning community where people of can connect and practice their language skills.

C Encourage children to move from the sofa with a trip to your local park or recreation ground. Engage younger children getting them to look for insects and bugs and then draw an annotated picture of them. Did you know there are 24 different kinds of bumblebees in the UK? Feed young minds by finding a sunny spot for a picnic where you can explore healthy eating. You could bring fresh produce, such as lettuce or herbs, and ask children to identify them. What do children think makes a balanced meal? Get them to sort the foods in the picnic by how healthy they are.

D Teenagers can explore the great outdoors by geocaching, where you use a mobile device to find hidden items, which is a great way for them to keep fit and brush up on navigation skills. Once you’ve found the geocache, sign the visitor book and register your find. Another way to combat the problem of vegetating teenagers is through sport. The Football Association is running free football coaching days for boys and girls throughout England. Or get experimental – science doesn’t have to be boring. There are some easy and fun chemistry activities you can do in your own back garden. One is ominously entitled “the exploding lunch bag”. For this you’ll need a small sandwich bag, baking soda, warm water, vinegar, a measuring cup and a tissue. The baking soda and vinegar mix creates a reaction, and eventually things go pop. For children of all ages, you can also make your own lava lamp. To do this you’ll need a soda bottle, water, vegetable oil, food colouring and fizzing tablets. This works because oil rises above water as it’s lighter.

E For children who have ambitions of becoming writers, encourage them to enter the Guardian’s young critics competition, open to students of all ages. The summer is the perfect time for kids to write their entry, which needs to be a maximum 500-word review of the one of the books longlisted for the Guardian children’s fiction prize 2015.

Adjusted to (1)

scour – prohledat, pročesat

brush up on – oprášit, oživit

vegetate – poflakovat, povalovat se

ominously – zlověstně, hrozivě

1) Read the article and match each of the headings to a paragraph.

1 Learn languages

2 Become a writer

3 Holiday doesn’t mean stop learning

4 Go for a trip and learn about nature

5 Do sports or practise science

2) Read the article and answer the questions.

1 What is the Guardian Teacher Network? What have they started?

2 What sport activities are recommended?

3 What science activities could be done in summer?

4 Why could be geocaching interesting for children?

5 How does Guardian’s young critics competition support children’s summer learning activity?

3) Explain the following words and phrases.

1 practise existing skills

2 move from the sofa

3 draw an annotated picture

4 balanced meal

5 explore the great outdoors

4) Answer the following questions.

What is summer holiday? Why is holiday important for children? How can holiday be spent? What other activities might be done? How can children learn in summer?

Video:

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Tips, sources of information:

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Source:

(1)

MARSH, Sarah and SPILLER. Four creative ways to keep children learning over the summer holidays. The Guardian [online]. 2015 [cit. 2015-09-20]. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/jul/27/four-creative-ways-children-learning-summer-holidays

Meet the two New Yorkers who are starting preschool for adults

Meet the two New Yorkers who are starting preschool for adults

A Lapidos is a part-hippie, part-four-year-old devoted to seeing adults break out of their routines and rediscover the “magic” of childhood. It is one of the reasons that Lapidos, 30, is starting a preschool for adults. Anyone older 18 can enroll in Lapidos’s Preschool Mastermind, a month-long course where adults can carry out activities like finger-painting, show-and-tell, nap time, or a class picture day.”

B Lapidos, who in 2013 started a skipping club in Brooklyn, says she’s always looking for new ways to get people in touch with the freedom of childhood. “Adults are in this routine, this stagnation, and by tapping into the ‘play’ part of our brains by skipping or doing the things that we did in preschool, we’re bringing ourselves back to another place, another time with ourselves, maybe when we were more believing of ourselves, when we were more confident and ready to take on the world. And I want to nourish that in people,” Lapidos says.

C Candice Kilpatrick, who is her teaching assistant, has a master’s degree in teaching. Adults can relearn and master things that they failed to understand as children, Kilpatrick explains, offering the example of “bilateral integration skills” (being able to perform tasks with both sides of your body simultaneously). “Using both sides of the body at the same time is like stair steps; you master this level, then you go to the next level. “Maybe your life would be more enhanced if you did go back,” she says, expounding on the possibilities of their novel program. If Lapidos is the dreamer in this project, Kilpatrick is the grounded realist. But their outlook on life is determinedly rooted in optimism.

D The price of the course ranges from $333 to $999, excluding art-supply, snack-day, and class-trip expenses. Classes will be held at night once every week in Lapidos’s home-office “play space” in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Beyond getting adults to reconnect with their four-year-old selves, Lapidos and Kilpatrick want Preschool Mastermind applicants to be “stuck” people who are seeking a new way of approaching life.

E Kaufman, who has himself waxed nostalgic about the magic of preschool, says introducing that childhood ritual to adults could actually be valuable. “Allowing adults to break free of their critical thinking and ordinary experience can jolt them into a new awareness that changes their perspective and allows for greater insights.” With their brains and a lot of optimism, the two women are ready to spark creativity in a class of ten students. “It’s New York. You take any type of adventure you want in New York, and now you can go back to preschool!” Lapidos declares.

Adjusted to (1)

tapping – poklepávání

enhanced – zlepšený, zvýrazněný

expound – vysvětlit

stuck – uvíznutý, zaseknutý

waxed – stat se, přibývat

jolt – otřást, trhnout, cuknout

1) Read the article and match each of the headings to a paragraph.

1 Kilpatrick thinks people should go back

2 Adults can break free in New York

3 Prise and content of the classes

4 A month-long preschool for adults

5 Adults need to break free

2) Read the article and answer the questions.

1 What is Lapidos’s job?

2 Why did she decide to do that?

3 Who is her partner? What are her opinions?

4 What do they say about the course?

5 How can life of enrollers change after attending the course?

3) Explain the following words and phrases.

1 nap time

2 skipping club

3 dreamer in this project

4 class-trip expenses

5 seeking a new way of approaching life

4) Answer the following questions.

What is leisure time? How can adults spend it? What are ways of spending leisure? Why is active leisure important? What is the biggest problem concerning a valuable spending of free time?

Video:

https://goo.gl/DqY6ij

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Tips, sources of information:

http://goo.gl/WtbfKl

http://goo.gl/meYnQw

Source:

(1)

CHIDINMA NWOYE, Irene. Meet the two New Yorkers who are starting preschool for adults. The Village Voice [online]. 2015 [cit. 2015-09-20]. Available at: http://www.villagevoice.com/news/meet-the-two-new-yorkers-who-are-starting-a-preschool-for-adults-6686092