what are the most effective pre-reading activties a teacher should start with in a reading lesson?
353093
I don't know if there is a MOST effective strategy.  Anything that gets the students thinking works well.  It also depends on how long the text is.\n\nSome ideas:  \n\nDecision walls - Put a yes/agree card on one wall and and a no/disagree on the other.  Make the students take a stand.  Ask them questions related to the text that they must agree or disagree with.  Get them to explain their answers.\n \nIf the text has pictures, give the kids one and ask them to predict the story.\n\nIf you're working with a non fiction text, try to give them a short (5 Q's) true false quiz with the strangest info in the text.  \n\nThere's always Think - Pair - Share to get the students thinking as well.
1139732
There are some great suggestions here. Adding on from my teaching experience, I'd add...\n\nIt's always good to model the writing process by looking at a good example from a particular genre, then all work on that genre together. \n\nWrite yourself and share with your class. \n\nUse visual stimuli, sounds, smells, objects (photos cut from newspapers, things taped off the telly, sound-effects, aromatherapy oils, an old boot, a torn umbrella....) as starting points. \n\nBorrow a line of poetry or a sentence from a story as a starter, or get the kids to 'treasure hunt' good examples for themselves.\n\nGet kids to edit each other's work. Find opportunities to publish their work - competitions, online, class magazine....  They will want to do well if it's for a REAL audience.\n\nGo to a location or event together - a field, a bus station, a sports game, a river... Divide them into pairs or groups and have them work on different foci (characters, setting etc) and have them share. Use this as a springboard for a writing project.\n\nStructure is often one of the most difficult things for students to grasp - sometimes writing less is more. Have them chart visually the stages a good writer incorporates.\n\nAnd overall, make your students feel that you ENJOY reading their work! Read aloud the best part of everyone's work (don't leave anyone out) and be encouraging!!
751954
get the children to read read read read read make sure what they read is interesting, and of a high quality, \n pick interesting fantasy or fictional stories and read them with vigour\n\ncreative writing is 99% inspiration and 1% convention\n the conventions are important but when the children are involved and passionate then they will be most interested in going through the editing and self-correction process which is how they will best learn convention\n\ntalk them through the process of beggining a story, give them perhaps a few beggings, some could be time oriented- long ago... once upon a time... three years ago...  etc.\n\nfind inspiring ideas for them to base their stories on\nuse materials, photographs, objects, guided visualisation, fantasy settings, interesting science fiction ideas, whatever you can dream up to help inspire them\n\nperhaps you could tie it in with the sport they are doing, or the social studies area they are learning about\n\n\n an interesting beggining would be for the children to watch a little bit of the surfing movie- biggest wednesday, (50ft plus face waves) where the surfers towed in by jet-ski and the helicopters watching were dwarfed by the waves -\nand to get them to write from there\n\n as soon as the children have the idea of making stories up-(which most will) they will be able to have far more freedom\n\n a great exercise is to ask the children to give you a list of the ten top words they would use in a story, and then tell them they have to write a story without using these words\n some will struggle, others will relish the challenge, with support all will learn and develop\n\n(if the children struggle with handwriting you may need to set minumum legth requirement and convention guidlines before- hand, as they may write a few sentences and tell you they have finished, these will be useless if the children are not inspired and they will come up with all sorts of strategies to avoid them, however if you can really inspire them these will be easy to help them to achieve.)\n\nonce they have dived in, then it is time to start talking about grammer and paragraphing and sentencing or whatever level they are at\n\nif you can build passion with the entire class about this activity\nthey are already successful and your job will be easy
280544
First of all what lesson?\n\nIf you mean in general I would have to say motivation is the best was to start a lesson.  Get the learners motivated about what they are about to learn.
264856
some type of break in the presenation is always helpful.  for example giving an hands-on example (i.e. pulling someone from the audience or class, or having them involved with answering or asking questions) when ever i take the time to move away from the presentaion in my classroom, and get one of the student involved they seem to retain the information more.
73711
The most important thing is to concentrate what you are reading, if you don't have enough focus on it you won't recall and even understand it. Most of the time when you have enough concentrate you'll recall the point of your study.\nBefore reading your kind of study, try to specify what you are exactly going to read. Through this you will have much aim for study your lessons.\nDon't forget to make light and the temperate of your room in the best way.
170276
Maybe these will help...\n\nhttp://www.carolhurst.com/\nhttp://www.literacytrust.org.uk/pubs/readerindex.html\nhttp://www.reachforreading.com/\nhttp://www.lessonplans.com
114451
I recommend movies with close caption.  Books that are interesting and related to topics the person finds interesting.  Make him read short perios (15 minutes), then have him wrtie a short composition about the book he was reading.  Show him what kind of sentences he is using, and compare them to the gramatical structure of the book.
305622
Go to class one day with a big duffel/sports bag. Put anything in the bag - old newspapers, soft toys, you name it. Right at the top of the bag, put something that you think might interest your students - depending on their age and sex it might be a newly released CD, or a favorite sports magazine, or the latest in hand held PS2's. Make sure the bag is zipped closed. As you enter the classroom put the bag somewhere very obvious (but within easy reach of yourself). \nStart your class in the normal way, and somewhere within the first 5 minutes mention to them that you have a bag of goodies you want to use for today's class. But you first have to deal with some grammar/vocab/etc. Handle the class like you normally would. Maybe remind them that you have to finish the work to get to the bag with stuff. Make sure your face gets all excited when you mention the bag - they might start to wonder what is in the bag. Try to ignore the rowdy ones and concentrate on the well behaved ones. If the class gets very rowdy, just touch the bag, or maybe just take a sideways glance at it. Make sure your kids see this. \nNow, if the class didn't behave like you would have wanted them to behave, end the class (when time is up) with a sentence like, "Oh, I'm so sorry we didn't have time to look at what's in the bag. Act like they're not in class with you, open the bag, take out the noce goody at the top (zip up again and don't let them see what's at the bottom of the bag), and start paging through the magazine/take out your diskman and listen to the CD (making sure they see the cover)/ or do whatever you want to  with the goodie. \nDON'T say anything to them after that. Just shrug your shoulders if they have any comments.\nNow, say they were good, you could use that article in your class just before time's up. \nFor the next lesson they have with you, again bring your bag. This time make sure you have something they are really keen about, and that you have a plan on how to incorporate it in your classroom. Follow the same procedure as the first lesson. (If you used a CD the first time, maybe come to class listening to it over your diskman, or play it on the classroom CD player until they start to arrive for class.) Again, if they're not good - no bag. \nKeep this up for at least 4/5 lessons. Sometime during these 4/5 lessons, tell them that they didn't have time to work with the bag's contents, so that means they will have to do extra homework - the reason for this is that the contents of the bag would have helped them to understand something better/practice a grammar concept/practice some vocabs. But because they didn't get to the bag, they have to do extra homework to make up for the lack of practice.\nTry it. I used it on a few classes at different schools, with different age groups, and in all instances, it worked by the 3rd lesson. \nTo keep them on their toes afterwards, why don't you plan for some type of fun activity once every 4/5 lessons. Maybe help them to learn their favorite song's words. Let them bring their own CD's to class and have a listen to the CD day - be sure to have them rate each other's CD's and say why they like it/don't like it (all in good English, of course). \nTry not to involve the director or another teacher, if possible. This will show them that you can't handle them and they will feel totally in control Even if some are punished by the director, they will become martyrs, and you will be able to get less out of them. Always try to handle the problems without losing your cool. They like seeing teachers squirm - it is a natural drug for them! \nGood luck, and if you try it, let me know how it worked.
482141
a) Organize a treasure hunt with clues relating to famous book characters. Maybe Secret Seven or whatever kids today read. \n\nb) Book - reading helps. Enacting a book helps even more. Like a mon-acting or action song kind of book reading. \n\nc) Stars or some recognition for kids who read a lot. Get them into a book reading club and stars to be given once a quarter.
684449
Rule the classroom with an iron glove. Be friendly but not overly friend. Before you start the class make sure you have a lesson plan. If the absent teacher fails to leave one, make them read, or ask them what they did yesterday, or if they have an important test coming up. Just don't be over friendly. They'll eat you.
764573
First, know your material!  The more you know what you are talking about, the easier it will be to get in front of a class and talk about it.  Second, make an outline of the material, instead of taking your speech up to talk.  If you take your entire speech, then you might start reading -- thats not so good in the oral report grade category, if you're just reading.  If you need to, make index cards with each point you want to make in the report, and add a few details that you want to talk about on each card.  Third, PRACTICE!  Give your report to family members or friends -- many will be more than happy to have you practice on them!  Have them give you suggestions, and tell them to listen for "ums" and "likes".  Listen to their advice, then practice the report again, keeping those suggestions in mind.\n\nAs for getting nervous -- relax!  You are definately not the only one in the class who will be nervous to talk.  I've never found that "imagining people in their underwear" works.  Take some deep breaths before you go up, and look for good friends in the class while you are talking.  If you make eye contact with these people (don't just pick one!!) then it will be less stressful.  Good Luck!!!\n\nOne addition: Its okay to make eye contact, and teachers do not always "look mean" when listening to oral reports.  I'm a teacher myself, and the kids who do make eye contact with me do BETTER than they would if they hadn't made eye contact.
960151
There are some vital areas you have overlooked. You need to 'catch them being good' and openly reward positive behaviour. The pupils should be involved in the creation of the class rules and sanctions and be very clear in advance of what will happen should these rules be broken. And should the rules be broken you should tell them it's their behaviour they don't like not them. It is vital that you have unconditional positive regard for pupils. You also need to have a very robust and consistent approach to positive behaviour management, agreed strategies on how you will deal with and respond to individuals with individual needs. This needs to be in writing to ensure other visiting specialists or cover teachers are aware of these agreed strategies and use them. And finally, ask yourself - are your lessons worth behaving for? \nGood reading? Anything by Bill Rogers
879150
I taught English to kindergarten age students for 5 years.  We did not start with the alphabet.  The alphabet would be a good start.\nAre you teaching mainly to speak English, to read English or a mixture of both?   Some everyday vocabulary is a good start because then they can use what they learn right away.  Teach a simple sentence pattern with some vocabulary words that will work in the sentence pattern.
926420
Follow your teachers' instructions. \nBe polit and courteous.\nArrive on time and attend regularly.\nComplete your homework/coursework and meet deadlines.\nListen carefully.\nTake an active part in lessons by asking/answering questions and completing everything set.\nRead around your subjects to broaden your knowledge and understanding.\nAbove all try your best!
1104540
Knowledge of the subject matter\nGrade and age appropriate\nEffective motivational questions to use\nVisual aids\nEffective thought provoking "heuristic" questioning\nActivities designed to promote an interactive lesson\nVariety of techniques and strategies used\nA well-timed lesson\nA conclusion \nEvery lesson should inlcude some listening, wriitng,reading and speaking.
106032
It depends on what level of English you teach.  Pehaps you could instruct your students to describe appropriate types of clothing for different weather conditions.  Another idea is to have them describe their diet and exercise habits, hobbies, responsibilities, and other daily tasks.