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BTaylor wrote:Just a thought, but how about getting him some work experience in a place where English is an important tool. That way he'll see the practical application of having a good vocabulary.
What about the local rag? Could be quite interesting.
Problem is, he's only 13. Not much work experience around for kids of that age, I would imagine.
The theory would seem to be right, though. A good command of English is so important, and he need to see this as a desirable thing to have.
ben ashton wrote:found myself watching bitesize during an all-nighter essay writing session the other day, reminded me of all the useless crap i learnt for gcse
Definitely try the internet and websites mentioned for curriculum based exercises. I worked as a teaching assistant in the English department of a big secondary school in North Devon and had to help children who had very limited skills through yr 9 SATS and then GCSEs in yrs 10 and 11. Several people have previously said it, and I would thoroughly agree, that the way to engage with a disenfranchised kid is to try to find some common ground - through music, films, magazines etc. Find some enthusiasm there and it's only a short step to the dreaded 'book'. Shakespeare is, whether we like it or not, a compulsory topic for SATS and GCSE, but I would recommend watching some film versions of the plays to wet their appetite, particularly Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. Violence and teenage sex. What more could you want! And analysis of magazines/advertising is a good way to get them to think and expand their vocabulary. Children's disinclination to persist with a subject often stems from their thinking that they can't do it, so lots of encouragement and praise. I always used to tell my students that everyone is good at something, whether academic, sport, or even social skills. It's bolstering their self-worth (tiring for you, I'm afraid) but this boy may be more likely to engage with you as a man, and identify with you and your experiences. Maybe casual conversation is a starting point. I wish you both lots of luck!
Catherine Standing (Cooper) Canteen Cath 1.12 (1983-85) & Col A 20 (1985-90) Any idiot can deal with a crisis. It takes a genius to cope with everyday life.
No ideas that can help, it seems that a lot of good sense has been written already. I would just like to add that you may feel that you are making no progress at all. Don't be too hard on yourself, if you do manage to get a rapport going you will have achieved a lot. Just by taking time to be with him may help.
Katharine wrote:No ideas that can help, it seems that a lot of good sense has been written already. I would just like to add that you may feel that you are making no progress at all. Don't be too hard on yourself, if you do manage to get a rapport going you will have achieved a lot. Just by taking time to be with him may help.
Good Luck!
Hear, hear, Katharine! That may be all that he needs, or all that you can do, which is no mean feat.
Catherine Standing (Cooper) Canteen Cath 1.12 (1983-85) & Col A 20 (1985-90) Any idiot can deal with a crisis. It takes a genius to cope with everyday life.
cj wrote:Shakespeare is, whether we like it or not, a compulsory topic for SATS and GCSE, but I would recommend watching some film versions of the plays to wet their appetite, particularly Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. Violence and teenage sex. What more could you want!
Perhaps we should take him to The Globe - they're doing Coriolanus and Titus Andronicus this season, and it's only a fiver to stand in the pit.
cj wrote:Shakespeare is, whether we like it or not, a compulsory topic for SATS and GCSE, but I would recommend watching some film versions of the plays to wet their appetite, particularly Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. Violence and teenage sex. What more could you want!
Perhaps we should take him to The Globe - they're doing Coriolanus and Titus Andronicus this season, and it's only a fiver to stand in the pit.
If you ever get the chance to see 'Illyria' performing Shakespeare take it. They tour open air productions and come to Harlech Castle every year. A cast of five perform and it is fantastic, I would defy anyone not to enjoy it and learn from it. I'm sure you could google for their touring schedule.
Richard Ruck wrote:Shakespeare? I know what you mean. The same thing happened to me with Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen - I could never stand either of them.
I managed to get through not one, but two English degrees quite without reading some of the literary "great"s and no, I'm not going to tell you which ones!
cj wrote:Shakespeare is, whether we like it or not, a compulsory topic for SATS and GCSE, but I would recommend watching some film versions of the plays to wet their appetite, particularly Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. Violence and teenage sex. What more could you want!
Perhaps we should take him to The Globe - they're doing Coriolanus and Titus Andronicus this season, and it's only a fiver to stand in the pit.
Maybe the more bl**dy and gory, the better! Please let us know how your sessions go.
Catherine Standing (Cooper) Canteen Cath 1.12 (1983-85) & Col A 20 (1985-90) Any idiot can deal with a crisis. It takes a genius to cope with everyday life.
Nothing pertinent to add, RR except that there is hope on the horizon. A friend told me today that her 6 year old grandson was muttering what sounded like a string of unconnected words. When she told him to speak properly and stop being silly he said it was what they ahd been doing at school. He then went on to inform her "a noun is a naming word, like dog. A verb is a doing word like barks. An adjective is a describing word like black" GRAMMAR RULES OK
Thou shalt not sit with statisticians nor commit a social science.
