Fazendo uma apresentação oral em Inglês. 

Você terá que falar em inglês para uma audiência específica em breve?

Está com dúvidas de como melhorar sua performance?

Relaxe! Acredite em seu potencial e tenha confiança de que está bem preparado. 

Seguem algumas dicas:

1. Faça um exercício de respiração profunda e pelo abdômen antes de começar. 

2. Procure manter-se calmo e focado sobre os temas que vai abordar. 

3. Certifique-se que possui todo o material necessário para a apresentação. 

4. Faça um teste anterior à apresentação, olhando-se no espelho enquanto fala. 

5. Hidrate bem sua garganta. 

7. Fale pausadamente, pense e elabore bem suas frases. 

8. Tenha confiança em você e em sua capacidade. Você está no comando!

Qual a melhor escola para nossos filhos


Eu costumo dizer que a melhor escola é aquela onde nosso filho está feliz independente da metodologia ou linha pedagógica que a escola usa.

No entanto, mais do que saber a pedagogia que a escola adota, é interessante que os pais possam verificar, durante as aulas regulares, exemplos de atividades que são realizadas, para que se possa comparar o que é dito ao que é de fato ensinado.
Saiba mais sobre algumas das linhas pedagógicas mais adotadas nas escolas brasileiras:
 
Escola comportamentalista

Como funciona: A concepção comportamentalista enfoca a técnica, o processo e o material postos em jogo. O ensino deve ser bem planejado, com materiais instrucionais programados e controlados. O objetivo é que os resultados possam ser mensurados e que o estudante adquira os comportamentos desejados, moldados segundo necessidades sociais determinadas.
Por essa pedagogia, o professor tem como tarefa controlar o tempo e as respostas dos alunos, dando-lhes feedback constantes. O aluno é visto como alguém que pode aprender a partir de estímulos, que são recompensados, caso os objetivos sejam alcançados.
Avaliação: O processo de avaliação é feito por provas, semelhantes às da linha tradicional.
 
Escola construtivista

Como funciona:No construtivismo, o saber não é passado do docente ao aluno: o estudante é que constrói o conhecimento, por meio da formulação de hipóteses e da resolução de problemas. O objetivo do construtivismo é que o aluno adquira autonomia. A ênfase está no aspecto cognitivo.
As disciplinas são trabalhadas em uma relação mais próxima com os alunos e envolve diversos elementos, como música e dramatização. As séries são organizadas em ciclos.
Avaliação: A linha construtivista foi idealizada para que não houvesse provas, uma vez que o aluno deve construir o conhecimento ao longo das aulas. As escolas, no entanto, podem adaptar esse conceito em suas avaliações.
Apesar de estar muito em voga no Brasil e em muitos países ocidentais, há também muitas controvérsias quanto à aplicabilidade do construtivismo em nossa realidade. Segundo a professora Cecília, falta de condições estruturais (como condições de trabalho dos professores e o número de alunos por sala) e aspectos políticos e ideológicos são alguns dos pontos criticados por especialistas.
 
Escola freiriana

Como funciona: Pela pedagogia baseada nas ideias de Paulo Freire, que é mais voltada para a alfabetização, os aspectos culturais, sociais e humanos do aluno devem ser levados em conta. Esta postura implica em ouvir o aluno para ajudá-lo a construir confiança, para que ele possa entender o mundo por meio do conhecimento.
Segundo Freire, o conhecimento faz sentido para o estudante quando o transforma em sujeito que pode transformar o mundo. Bom senso, humildade, tolerância, respeito, curiosidade são alguns dos princípios defendidos por essa corrente. A educação se torna uma ferramenta para “libertar” o aluno.
Avaliação: Assim como a linha construtivista, pedagogia de Paulo Freire não prevê provas, mas as escola podem ter avaliações.
 
Escola montessoriana

Como funciona: A metodologia foi criada pela educadora italiana Maria Montessori e parte do princípio da experiência concreta e da observação. A ideia é que o aluno possa utilizar o conhecimento que já tem como base para a abstração e, assim, assimilar novos conceitos.
As salas de aula das escolas que adotam essa pedagogia têm, em média, 20 alunos e procuram ter diversos materiais para estimular a aprendizagem. Em vez de a professora passar as lições, as atividades ficam dispostas em sala e o aluno escolhe qual irá fazer no dia. Ele deve cumprir os módulos obrigatórios para avançar os estudos. As salas podem ser ordenadas por séries, como no ensino tradicional, ou por ciclos, com mais alunos de idades diferentes na mesma sala.
Segundo a pedagoga e psicopedagoga Edimara Lima, a vantagem do método é que o aluno pode aprender de acordo com seu ritmo: “Quem caminha mais rápido vai mais rápido, e quem precisa ir mais devagar recebe tarefas paralelas para aprender o que precisa”. “A criança aprende a fazer escolhas, tem exercício de independência e autonomia.”
Avaliação: Pode ter provas ou não, de acordo com a escola. Quando não há provas, a avaliação é feita a partir dos registros que o professor tem sobre a produção do aluno. No final do ensino fundamental e do médio pode haver monografia.
 
Escola tradicional

Como funciona: Na pedagogia tradicional o professor é a figura central. Ele ensina as matérias de maneira sistematizada e o aluno absorve esses conhecimentos como se fosse uma “tabula rasa”. Apesar de vigorar em muitas escolas, essa prática se instituiu por “inércia da burocracia e do cotidiano escolar e pela crença de que o conhecimento era imutável e transmissível”, segundo Cecília.
Nas aulas tradicionais, os conhecimentos são concebidos como verdades não sujeitas a variações nem à dependência de contextos, diferentemente de pedagogias mais modernas, em que o estudante deve “construir o conhecimento” e não simplesmente absorvê-lo.
Avaliação: A forma de promoção é a avaliação, que mede a quantidade de conhecimento que foi memorizada. Quem não alcança a pontuação mínima é reprovado e deve cursar a mesma série novamente.
De acordo com a professora, muitas características do ensino tradicional estão presentes no Brasil e no mundo “já que a própria formação de professores ainda é extremamente tradicional”.
 
Escola Waldorf

Como funciona: A pedagogia Waldorf prioriza as necessidades do desenvolvimento do estudante. A trajetória da criança é composta por ciclos de sete anos, nos quais ela tem um tutor. As aulas do ensino infantil nesse sistema tem ênfase em artes e em trabalhos manuais, como marcenaria, culinária etc.
Diferentemente do ensino tradicional, em que os alunos tem preocupações com horários e conteúdo a ser aprendido, na Waldorf o que é levado em conta são as etapas de desenvolvimento do estudante.
 
Tendência democrática

Como funciona: As escolas democráticas são baseadas na Escola Summerhill, nascida na Inglaterra. Segundo a professora Cecília, elas são uma uma crítica à educação tradicional, que seria baseada no “medo e no controle baseado em ameaças veladas, presenças obrigatórias e outras imposições”.
Seu grande diferencial é que seus alunos não são “obrigados” a assistir as aulas obedecendo um cronograma comum, único. Eles escolhem as atividades a fazer de acordo com seus interesses.
Avaliação: Para avaliar os alunos, procura-se abolir também lições de casa e provas; a avaliação é feita por sua participação e por trabalhos que podem ser escritos, artísticos etc.

Fonte: http://educacao.uol.com.br/noticias/2009/08/25/linhas-pedagogicas-veja-como-elas-funcionam-e-qual-tem-mais-a-ver-com-seu-filho.htm

14 Tips for Effective Study

 

Como saber a forma correta para estudar: ouvindo música, lendo da tela do computador? 

The Dos and Don’ts of Effective Study
Effective study habits are essential for achieving and maintaining a high GPA. More importantly, good study habits help you to store information in long-term memory, allowing you to use the learned information in a novel setting. Applying the following rules for studying will aid you in earning excellent marks in school. Below are 8 Dos and 6 Don’ts from the no-longer active foreda.com that will get you well on your way to effective studying.

14 Tips for Effective Study

Things to Do:

1- Keep the area around your desk neat and tidy. If possible, the area should also be quiet. If you are having trouble finding a quiet place to study, try the local library or park. The library is a perfect place to have peace and quiet. The park may not be as quiet, but the fresh air can make studying less nerve-racking. If these options are unavailable, then try listening to some music while studying.

2- Have a scheduled study time for each school day. Remember that one classroom hour should be reinforced by two hours of studying at home.

3- Sit down for 45-minute intervals, followed by 15-minute breaks. Having an easily attainable goal, like sitting for a set duration of time, is effective for increasing motivation.

4- Reward yourself if and only if you have met your goal for that study session. For example, if you plan to study one chapter and succeed, then you may reward yourself by doing something pleasurable. Examples of positive reinforcement are: food, exercise, video games, etc.

5- Make correspondences between your class notes and your textbook. This will help you to fill in any background information not covered in class.

6- Prepare questions about the chapter that will be discussed in the following class. This will help you identify areas that you don’t understand.

7- Put any new words or concepts to use. The more you use the learned information, the more likely you will be to remember it. This is especially true for language classes.

8- Finally, review what you have studied just before you go to bed. You will find that you will remember the words very strongly the next morning.

Things to Not Do:

9- Procrastinate. Cramming is not beneficial for producing long-term memory.

10- Highlight. Highlighting is a form of procrastination, because you are saving note-taking for later. This means you must use the book twice instead of once. Instead, make careful notes to compliment your classroom notes, including page numbers so that you can refer back to the book if necessary.

11- Study on the computer. You are bound to be tempted to check your email or surf the net.

12- Leave your cell phone on during study time. No matter who is calling or texting you, usually it can wait 45 minutes. Having your cell phone on during study time can be a major distraction and is not conducive to learning.

13- Study just after you have eaten. Studies have shown that thinking is slower after having a meal.

14- Space out. When you feel your mind begin to wander, remind yourself to concentrate. If you are reading, using your finger is a good way to keep your mind on track. The movement of your finger on the page forces you to pay attention to what you are doing.
Source: Brainscape.com

Seven Habits for Effective Behaviour Management:

Disciplina é um dos grandes problemas dentro de sala de aula. Leia a seguir sobre 7 efetivos hábitos para gerenciar melhor a disciplina.
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1 – Meet and greet at the door – the best early intervention in behaviour management is at the door.
 
2 – Catch students doing the right thing – nobody wants insincere praise and it can be easy to catch children doing the wrong thing so develop the ability to catch those more challenging students doing the right thing.
 
3 – Deal with poor behaviour privately and calmly – avoid as much as possible the public humiliation or public sanctioning of students
 
4 – Relentlessly build mutual trust – the relationship you have with students sustains you and carries on into the future.
 
5 – Directly teach the behaviours and learning attitudes you want to see – have a plan so that you know the behaviours you are trying to teach and the students know what behaviours they are trying to learn.
 
6 – Talk about values – never talk about behaviours in isolation – always relate them back to the culture you are trying to build and the values and truths you have as a class and as a teacher.
 
7 – Follow up follow up follow up – teachers who follow up are the ones the children decide to behave differently for. Write it down if you have a difficult incident with a student, then you have the control back – you can decide when and how to follow up.
 
© Pivotal Education

Expressões Idiomáticas com “Head”

img_0102-6Saber usar ou entender expressões idiomáticas em Inglês é importante e difícil.

Seguem algumas explicações e frases com exemplos interessantes.

The following idioms and expressions use the noun ‘head’. Each idiom or expression has a definition and two example sentences to help understanding of these common idiomatic expressions with ‘head’.

able to do something standing on one’s head -> do something very easily and without effort

He’s able to count backward standing on his head.
Don’t worry about that. I can do it standing on my head.

bang your head against a brick wall -> do something without any chance of it succeeding

I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall when it comes to finding a job.
Trying to convince Kevin is like banging your head against a brick wall.

beat something into someone’s head -> teach someone something by repeating it over and over again

Sometimes you just need to beat grammar into your head.
My father beat the importance of kindness into my head.

bite someone’s head off -> criticize someone strongly

Tim bit my head off last night at the party.
Don’t bit my head off just because I made a mistake.

bring something to a head -> cause a crisis to happen

We need to bring the situation to a head to get a resolution.
The immigration situation brought the political crisis to a head.

bury one’s head in the sand -> ignore something completely

You’re going to have to face the situation and not bury your head in the sand.
He chose to bury his head in the sand and not confront her.

can’t make heads or tails out of something -> not be able to understand something

I hate to admit that I can’t make heads or tails out of this math problem.
The politicians can’t make heads or tails out of the current employment crisis. 

drum something into someone’s head -> repeat over and over until someone learns something

I had to drum German grammar into my head for two years before I could speak the language.
I suggest you drum this into your head for the test next week.

fall head over heels in love -> fall deeply in love

She fell head over heals in love with Tom.
Have you ever fallen head over heels in love?

from head to toe -> dressed or covered in something completely

He’s dressed in blue from head to toe.
She’s wearing lace from head to toe. 

get a head start on something -> begin doing something early

Let’s get a head start on the report tomorrow.
She got a head start on her homework immediately after school.

get your head above water -> keep going in life despite many difficulties

If I can find a job I’ll be able to get my head above water.
Study these pages and you’ll get your head above water.

get someone or something out of one’s head -> remove someone or something from your thoughts (often used in the negative)

I’m really upset that I can’t get her out of my head.
She spent three years getting those experiences out of her head.

give someone a head’s start -> let someone else begin before you in  a competition of some kind

I’ll give you twenty minutes head’s start.
Can you give me a head’s start?

go over someone’s head -> not be able to understand something

I’m afraid the joke went over her head.
I’m afraid the situation goes over my head. 

go to someone’s head -> make someone feel better than others

His good grades went to his head.
Don’t let your success go to your head. Stay humble.

have a good head on your shoulders -> be intelligent

She’s got a good head on her shoulders.
You can trust him because he’s got a good head on his shoulders.

head someone or something off -> arrive before someone or something else

Let’s head them off at the pass.
We need to head the problem off.

hit the nail on the head -> be exactly right about something

I think you hit the nail on the head.
His answer hit the nail on the head.

in over one’s head -> do something that is too difficult for a person

I’m afraid Peter is in over his head with Mary.
Do you ever feel that your in over your head?

lose your head -> become nervous or angry

Don’t lose your head over the situation.
She lost her head when he told her he wanted a divorce.

Source: http://esl.about.com/od/idioms-intermediate/fl/Idioms-and-Expressions-with-Head.htm?utm_content=20160927&utm_medium=email&utm_source=exp_nl&utm_campaign=list_esl&utm_term=list_esl

O que é Disgrafia?

Learn About the Writing Disorder Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a type of learning disability affecting the ability to recognize forms in letters, to write letters and words on paper and to understand the relationship between sounds, spoken words, and written letters. In the language of federal special education regulations, dyslexia is considered a subtype of learning disability in basic or expressive writing.
Theories on Dysgraphia Causes:

Dysgraphia is believed to involve difficulty with fine motor skills such as motor memory, muscle coordination, and movement in writing. Language, visual, perceptual, and motor centers of the brain are also believed to play a role. Evidence suggests it may be hereditary. People who have suffered brain injuries or strokes may also show signs of Dysgraphia.

Characteristics of Dysgraphia:

People with dysgraphia, have substantial difficulty with written language despite having formal instruction. Their handwriting may include reversals, spelling errors, and may be illegible. Some students with dysgraphia may also have difficulty with language processing and the connection between words and ideas they represent.

Instruction and Therapy for Dysgraphia:

Educators use a variety of methods to develop the student’s individual education program (IEP).

Typical programs focus on developing fine motor skills such as pencil grip, hand coordination, and developing motor-muscular memory.

Language therapy and occupational therapy help the learner develop the important connections between letters, sounds, and words. Some students work best with keyboarding or speech recognition programs.

Misconceptions About Dysgraphia:

People with dysgraphia have much more difficulty with writing than others, but their abilities in other areas may be average or better.
They are at-risk for being seen as lazy and careless with their work because of the frustration and fatigue they experience when putting forth the effort it takes for them to complete seemingly easy tasks. Educators must provide positive learning experiences for them to help maintain their self-esteem and motivation.

Testing for Dysgraphia:

Comprehensive psychological and educational evaluations can assist in the diagnosis of Dysgraphia. Diagnostic writing tests can be used to determine if the learner’s writing skills are normal for his age. They can also provide information on his writing processing. Through observations, analyzing student work, cognitive assessment, and occupational therapy evaluations, educators can develop comprehensive, individualized treatment plans.

What to Do About Dysgraphia:

If you believe you or your child has dysgraphia and may be learning disabled, contact your school principal or counselor for information on how to request an assessment. For students in college and vocational programs, their school’s advising office can assist with finding resources to help ensure their success.

Diagnostic Labels Such as Dysgraphia and Learning Disabilities:

Your child’s school may not use the term dysgraphia, but it can still evaluate your child appropriately. Typically public schools use the labels and language from federal IDEA regulations. Dysgraphia is a diagnostic term found in psychiatric diagnostic systems. Schools consider it one of the several types of math disorders they can serve under the label of learning disability.

Source: https://www.verywell.com/what-is-the-writing-disorder-dysgraphia-2162436?_ga=1.42976940.800476655.1453906070

 

Websites that help to learn English

There are lots of ready-made materials available for you from different websites.

Look at the materials below and choose one that you think would be good to use.

This is a song.

This is an audio series.

This is a game.

This is a short video to explain language.

This is a short video and lesson plan.

Ferramentas de ajuda no ensino de inglês 

Think about what’s good about the resource and about any possible disadvantages.

www.breakingnewsenglish.com – interactive and printable English lessons
www.newsactivities.com – lessons using BBC reports
tedxesl.com – lessons based around Ted Talks
dictionary.cambridge.org – online dictionary
www.esl-lab.com– conversations with adult and children’s voices
http://www.esl-lab.com – video snapshots for ESL/EFL students
www.voki.com – create speaking characters to communicate with friends
www.dvolver.com – make a movie
www.engvid.com – English video lessons
www.lyricstraining.com – learn through music and the lyrics of songs
www.quizlet.com – free study tools
www.listenandwrite.com – a dictation tool
www.makebeliefscomix.com – make your own comic
storybird.com – make your own story

Great Resources 

There are a great many resources available on the internet. Here is a list of websites with resources for teachers and learners. 

www.breakingnewsenglish.com – interactive and printable English lessons
www.newsactivities.com – lessons using BBC reports
tedxesl.com – lessons based around Ted Talks
dictionary.cambridge.org – online dictionary
www.esl-lab.com– conversations with adult and children’s voices
www.esl-lab.com – video snapshots for ESL/EFL students
www.voki.com – create speaking characters to communicate with friends
www.dvolver.com – make a movie
www.engvid.com – English video lessons
www.lyricstraining.com – learn through music and the lyrics of songs
www.quizlet.com – free study tools
www.listenandwrite.com – a dictation tool
www.makebeliefscomix.com – make your own comic
storybird.com – make your own story
© UCLES 2016