Dean Cook English - G1

Dear, parents. After tomorrow students will have two worksheets to review for next week's weekly test.  Also, students should bring home their written exam papers today. I'm sure you will be as happy as I am with the results. I believe next time will be even better. Especially, if the video reading of the stories helps students remember key points that may be on the exams. 🙏🤍

Dear, parents. Below is the communication book slip for week 6. Students should focus on studying for the midterm exams. They once again reviewed the practice exam with me. Good luck to them all tomorrow. 

Dear, parents.  I believe both the listening and retest of the oral exam went very well. You can find the scores below. The listening is left and oral is right. 

Dear, parents.  Today students completed the oral test. I am rather happy with the results from all my students. Also, a special mention to Kai who was the only student to score 100. 🙌 Tomorrow is the listening exam. Students can prepare by studying the VW words on Quizlet. There is a very handy listening test feature that they can use at home.  FYI I hope the I2 students from my 103 class enjoyed the experience class. I'm sure it was fun to learn about rhinos and elephants.🙏🤍

Dear, parents.  I have managed to transfer all my VW slides to the quizlet format. I hope they can be helpful to students, especially with the exams coming up. I suggest using the listening game feature, as their test is on Thursday. 🙏🤍 Week 1:   https://quizlet.com/tw/580972098/g1-i1-week-1-the-nice-mitten-flash-cards/?x=1jqU&i=3jcdjj Week 2: https://quizlet.com/tw/580974391/g1-i1-week-2-the-nice-mitten-flash-cards/?x=1jqU&i=3jcdjj Week 3: https://quizlet.com/tw/580976728/g1-i-1-week-3-life-at-home-flash-cards/?x=1jqU&i=3jcdjj FYI School told me about the school magazine. I have submitted some students creative writing/drawing to the school. I will let you know if the school selects anyone. Below are some of the finished examples. Students took their work home. If anyone would like to improve theirs and show me again, feel free to. The deadline for the magazine submissions is 4/4. 

Dear, parents. This week is review week. Students should focus on reviewing previous week's worksheets, vocabulary words, and the two stories covered over the last 4 weeks.  Below are the scores for the weekly test for this week.  Students really enjoyed discussing a CGI video called Float. It's a beautiful story that I'm sure the students would love to share with you all.  https://youtu.be/1HAGuju_yKY FYI students wrote down some example answers for the oral test handout. Students will do great as long as their answers make sense and are in a full sentence. 🤍🙏

Dear, parents.  Next week is review week, but students still have the weekly test to review for. Please find a copy of their test below.  Also, on Monday students will get the chance to practice the oral test with me. They will also write down some example answers. However, if parents would like to go over those questions, perhaps they can have some great example answers on Monday.  As long as the answer makes sense and is a full sentence, I think they should do great.  FYI quizlet is a great way to study. Also, the students seem to enjoy the matching and testing methods on the app. I definitely think the use of Quizlet is very useful to all.  https://quizlet.com/tw/577923794/g1-i1-week-4-life-at-home-flash-cards/?x=1jqU&i=3jcdjj Thank you to all the students that show me such positive attitudes, learning, and enthusiasm. 🤍🙏

Dear, parents  Today I gave them an early look at the exam review worksheet. I think it is better to go over the worksheet with me, rather than give as extra homework. Below you can find the first exam review worksheet. Next week is review week. I will help them review all the material we have covered so far. However, parents can always help them review this worksheet below.  Please discuss with children about appropriate behavior in my class. I'm happy they enjoy my class and are excited to learn. However, making noises while I am trying to teach is disrespectful and not appropriate. 🙏🤍

Dear, parents.  Here are the two worksheets for this week. Also, you can find the example questions for the oral exam that is coming next week.  Students should answer in full sentences and try to make their answers interesting.  For example: For question 1 if a student just says "sunny" that would be a very poor answer. For top marks, the student should respond something like "In the picture the weather is sunny".  FYI Tomorrow I will go over the review worksheets for the exam with students. 🙏🤍

Dear, parents. It seems there are no issues with posting student's scores in the format I shared on Line. So, here are the weekly test scores for the last 3 weeks. Don't forget, these weekly tests are to show me how students are doing and who needs extra attention/help. It is my hope that the weekly tests will level out, with most students averaging +80%.  Also, these weekly tests help prepare them for the monthly exam which is more important, especially to the school. 🙏🤍

Dear, parents. Please find the new communication page, plus the scope (details) of the first exam, and the link to this weeks VW on Quizlet. https://quizlet.com/tw/577923794/g1-i1-week-4-life-at-home-flash-cards/?x=1jqU&i=3jcdjj The weekly test seemed to go very well for most students. If your child is getting less than 10/23 please tell them to focus more in class. Especially, when we do the 2 review worksheets.  FYI it's okay to put their hands up and ask questions if they are struggling. However, I cannot give them the answers, that would be cheating. Can parents please make sure students understand.  In the afternoon the class seemed very tired. I switched my class up a little and sparked their interest about 'Long ago' by discussing video games from the 80s VS games now. They really enjoyed this lesson and there was a big difference with their participation and enthusiasm. We also tried some creative writing where students needed to introduc...

Dear, parents.  Thank you to those parents that came this morning. It was lovely to meet you all. I think the most important thing to share is about the future use of Quizlet.com for the weekly VW word lists that I will make. I will post the link to you all starting from Week 4. I will also include the links to any relevant videos I used to teach the content for the week. Parents can use the videos to ask questions about what they learned during classtime and reinforce what they should have absorbed during the lessons. Below are two videos used to teach about Then and Now and Long ago.  Then and Now Lunches https://youtu.be/C0dZajIWCUs Long Ago https://youtu.be/U-r-xHln6nE Please encourage students to keep improving, especially with their classroom behaviour and attitude to learning.  🙏🤍

Dear, parents. Please encourage students to be enthusiastic about learning English. English learning doesn't and shouldn't be about repeatedly drilling. If students enjoy the class, they will absorb the information without the need for repeatedly drilling.  As I said before, I will often use related videos to inspire and encourage students to absorb the material they need to learn, plus a lot of extra content. Please support and encourage them to pay attention to the whole class, and what students want to say about the topic we are studying. Some students don't respect when other students want to answer or ask questions. Students can also learn and improve their English with other students. 🙏🤍 FYI I noticed I made a mistake with the test date, please see below. 

Dear, parents. Students have two review worksheets for this week. I don't believe they need a 3rd, however, I will go over next week's test on the board. Perhaps it will boost the score averages a little.  I think the experience class went very well. I believe students really understood my teachings about African colors, drums, and how rhythm is important to make music. FYI, please encourage students attitude to learning. Students will only learn if they are willing to listen, focus, and open their minds. 

Dear, parents.  I believe the weekly test went very well. Although, scores were lower than last week. That's because students didn't have a practice test. I believe the scores I see are the true value of who is learning well, who needs extra help, and who isn't focusing on my class. Only 1 student scored 100, with the majority of my other students getting +70% I feel confident that students will improve in the next week's test. 🙏🤍 Below you can find the communication slip. Students can choose to glue it into week or copy it in. If students copy it in, they can come see me and gain 2 stamps. 

Dear, parents.  I will typically make 2-3 worksheets a week. Students will always be asked to take then home and use to review for their test on Mondays. This time there was no mocktest (practice) I believe the test will be more valid for me. Showing me clearly who is learning from my class, and who's studying. Then I should be able to mold my English class even more towards their English level.  FYI I use a loyalty card to encourage students learning. Students collect stamps and when they finish a row of 6 they come to get a sticker and cookie or Hichew. A student told me today that another student saw I was using a penguin stamp and that student had one at home. Sadly, the student brought it to school and stamped a students card full. Although I would notice such obvious cheating, I wouldn't notice adding the odd few stamps. Thankfully, a student was very honest and told me what happened.  Please explain to students about honesty and not to cheat or lie. Also, if anyone...

Dear, parents. I have issued students with a copy of my weekly communication book details. I need to do this due to a lot of issues with students and their communication books, E.g. bringing the book, handing it in, and writing in it. I don't want to waste precious teaching time. This is a positive approach which is needed when students seem hard to focus, especially in a double period. Focusing my class time on teaching English, classroom management, and enjoying my class is the priority for me.  All students were given this copy. They have the choice to stick it inside the book, or they can write the details in. If students write the details in, they can come see me for an extra reward. I hope this will encourage the whole class to improve and not be lazy.  Below is the worksheet covered today. Please remember students should keep these worksheets at home to study for the test on Monday.  FYI I have started to title the weekly test review workshe...

Dear, parents. The English class today was a little messy. I apologise because  the previous teacher seemed to have skipped pages and rushed ahead. Therefore, I went to teach the class today and found many students had already finished the pages I was trying to teach. Actually, I wish I could just start teaching Reading Street. However, I need to finish the last 2 units of Wonders. Thankfully, the last teacher didn't do anything with the next unit.  Below is the worksheet used today.  I believe because my I1 class has a low English ability,  I will try to make more worksheets for them to help their studying.  Students need to be responsible for their own worksheets. They should take home and keep them to review for their tests.  I suggest using a 20slot folder like the one below. Allowing students to choose their own folder will help to make sure they keep worksheets together and learn to be responsible for their study materials. 🤍🙏  ...

Dear, parents.  Please find the communication book copy below. I edited it and tried to make it easier to understand. I'm not sure why I was given a file that didn't look exactly like the communication book. Anyway, I edited it so students will not be confused anymore.  As for homework, students should always  read the story in their own time during the week. Students will copy VW words everyday, and read a weekly conversations each day. On the Thursday and Friday students should review for the test. This may mean having a mocktest to review, although I am happy with the results from my first weekly test. Therefore, I will not provide a mocktest for this coming weekly test.  Students took my weekly test this morning and I am happy to say that 13 students scored 100%, 11 students scored over 70%, and 1 student scored less than 70%.  I am very proud of them all. I can clearly see their drive to learn and improve.  That being said, I do...