The following is what give to all students on My English Book and Me: Elementary 3 and 4 (AKA MEB5 and 6 or the purple and red texts). It explains the WHAT / HOW and WHY of the way we teach. We find it makes our students (and thus our school) stronger.
The Japanese translation is here. Feel free to share with your students.
1. About the Texts
My English Book and Me 5 and 6 teach blends, vocabulary, grammar, conversation, questions and answers.
2. Homework:
Teachers will fold pages in half and write the date on them. This is the homework. It is 2, 3 or 4 pages depending on the age of your child.
3. How to do the homework:
A. By this age / stage, most students don’t need lots of extra notebook practice. So, most pages, just write in the text. The teacher will be clear with the student HOW to use the text.
B. Pages like this:
- Write in the text for homework.
- When done, cover the words under the pictures.
- Look only at the picture and say what is written underneath.
- Check. (the student will also do this in class).
C. Pages like this:
At home:
- write oy / ar in the words.
- Say out loud.
- Match.
- Cover the words with a notebook.
- Look only at the picture and practice writing the word in the notebook.
- Correct (circle mistakes / erase and write the correct letter).
In class, the student will cover the words, and write the right side as a test.
D. Pages like this:
The student will write IN CLASS as a test.
Students who DON’T need extra practice can just write in the text for homework.
E. Pages like this:
Please write the words in the columns at the bottom for homework.
In class, the student will cover the bottom and write the words under the pictures as a test.
F. Pages like this:
Section A and B: In the notebook, full Question and Answer. For example:
1. Do you have a pet?
No, I don't.
Remember correct capitalization, punctuation and spaces between words.
Put the question and answer on different lines.
This is all important when children take tests in Junior High School, so it is best to practice the RIGHT way now.
Section C: Read and write about themselves.
For example: Hello. I’m Amy. I'm 45. I live in a house.
Remember correct capitalization, punctuation and spaces between words and sentences.
4. Students work at THEIR PACE:
If students make no or few mistakes, they will do each page only once. If they make many mistakes, that’s OK. By re - doing a 2nd or 3rd time, students learn from their mistakes.
In general, students on My English Book and Me: Elementary 3 and 4 (AKA MEB5 and 6) are FLYING through the texts and will finish in a year or less.
After My English Book and Me: Elementary 4, students will level up to a Jr. High School level text with more grammar, vocabulary, and in class listentings. We have many 5th and 6th graders on these texts—-preparing them for Jr. High School BEFORE Jr. High School.
5. Class Writing Time:
Class writing time (about 20 minutes) will begin with any TESTS in the home book that students practiced in their notebooks for homework. And / or with correcting any mistakes in the homework.
Writing time is: TEST (the homework) or CORRECTION / Review (previous weeks’ mistakes) / use the class book
6. How do students learn the phonics, vocabulary, questions and answers IN CLASS?
All of our materials (the text, games, flashcards) re - enforce each other. Students become confident speakers, readers and writers BECAUSE they learn the same thing in different ways. It is not boring. When 1 level becomes easy (for example Flip ’n Read A) we level up to the next level (Flip ’n Read B). The next level is a new challenge.
Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, Conversations featured in the purple and red texts are learned IN CLASS through:
1. Flashcards
2. Flip ’n Read
6. Hint Bingo
We want students speaking / reading and doing themselves (as opposed to the teacher). Thus, most activities are in pairs or groups of 3. We want students looking only at pictures and remembering the full questions and answers. Asking more questions in question time. Answering with longer answers in conversation time. Giving hints with full sentences. The teacher will listen and correct wrong pronunciation.
By the purple and red texts, the students are confident readers, writers and speakers.
It is our job to continually challenge them and introduce new vocabulary, grammar, questions and answers.
8. Any last pieces of advice? Our best students:
- Do the homework
- Come twice a week
- Speak out and up (not shy and not in quiet voice)
- Read English Books
- Work hard in Class
- Watch English T.V.
Your child is on the way to becoming bilingual.
It will be a long road but it can absolutely be done.
We have some diligent students who have continued from 4 years old to high school and are fluent English speakers, readers and writers.
Do all of the above and we guarantee your child will be confident in English.
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