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News
News update from Dave Vizard – January / February 2006:
Happy New Year. Plans are now underway for two
courses in Scotland: -
·
Monday
6th March
– Glasgow: Better Learning Through Better Behaviour:
Reaching and Teaching Disruptive Pupils in Secondary
Schools.
· Tuesday
7th March – Edinburgh:
Teaching For Learning – Developing The Learning Centred
Classroom.
If you would like further details on these courses
then e-mail
dave@behaviourmatters.com.
Two new publications will be released in 2006, a
revised ‘14-16 Year Olds in FE’ and ‘Using Body Language to
Effectively Manage Behaviour’.
Within the first few days of this month I have run
courses in Reading, Leamington Spa and Rugby. These courses
were on ‘Behaviour Management’ and ‘Developing the
Independent Learner in Key Stage 5. In the second week of
January I am starting to run a 5-day modular course on
‘Equal Opportunities In Education’ in Dorset.
2006 promises to be a challenging and exciting year
with many new developments and projects. Watch this site for
exciting news later in the year.
Healthier Lifestyles in UK?
The Grocer Magazine has recently published its
findings how the nation’s shopping habits have changed over
the past 12 months. It appears that many people are adopting
healthier lifestyles.
Sales of some crisps are down 7%. Some highly
flavoured / coloured drinks sales are down by 19%. Sales of
types of gateaux were down 74%. Tea and Coffee sales
suffered to the tune of a £6 million drop. Fizzy drink sales
dropped by £39 million although Britons still spend £2.3
billion on cokes and lemonade. In contrast, fruit juice
sales are up 16% and bottled water up 9%.
Only 25% of students in English schools take part in
team sports, according to a DFES survey of 11 500 primary
and secondary schools. The actual figure could be lower as
the schools are involved in a funded scheme to improve
sporting opportunities.
Academics at Warwick University have identified the
100 most frequently used words that enable pupils to
understand half of any book. Many reading schemes insist
that initially over 300 words need to be learnt. The survey
also suggested that students waste their time through
learning to read by sight and that working out words by
using phonics might be a better technique.
Only 16 regularly used words account for a quarter
of written English. The 100 most common words account for
only 48% of all types of text studied.
The key 100 words should be learnt by the age of 7.
The idea of using the 100 key words we read, write and speak
every day was adopted by Ladybird books in the 1960s.
Buzzwords In a Technologically Driven World.
Language is changing in our technology-driven world.
Children belong to the ‘thumb generation’ because
they spend so much time texting and using computer games.
Children will also be giving their parent’s ‘hand me ups’
such as dated mobile phones. Many people also suffer
from ‘infomania’, an addiction to checking e-mail and
mobile phone messages.
One of the tings that annoys people the most is
‘stage phoning’ – people talking loudly on the phone in
public places. Kerry Maxwell in his excellent book ‘Words of
the Year’ lists new words and their meanings.
Researchers at Newcastle University Centre for
Learning & Teaching suggest that classes where pupils are
given lessons in problem solving – tackling puzzles,
reasoning & justifying arguments are particularly effective
in Maths and Science. Pupils given these problem-solving
lessons can gain a performance boost equivalent to more than
half a year’s extra schooling.
Many young adults are refusing to leave the family
home due to financial considerations. The Office of National
Statistics have revealed that over 50% of men and 37% or
women aged between 20-24 live with their parents after
University. The so-called ‘boomerang generation’ have
been driven back because of soaring property prices and
student debts.
More than 1/3 of parents make financial
sacrifices to cope with the cost of feeding, clothing and
caring for the growing generation of KIPPERS – Kids
In Parent’s Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings. Helicopter
parents are part of this phenomena. They are obsessional
parents who refuse to let their children take responsibility
for their lives. They do the grown up children’s laundry and
do all their shopping and deal with their financial matters.
This does little to prepare their offspring for the
responsibilities of adult life. Because these children have
never done anything on their own and they lack confidence
and have low levels of resilience. They are ‘helicopter
parents’ because they hover over every stage of their
child’s development.
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