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Music & Movement Activities in Pre-school

   Posted by: admin   in Music & Drama for Young Children

Guidelines for music and movement activities in pre-school

• Be knowledgeable with contents and teaching techniques
• Pay attention to festivals and annual fests that related closely to your community
• Choose topic and try to link it with other activities that are being carried out
• Prepare materials before teaching
• Understand the abilities and needs of the children. Do not compare the abilities of one child to another
• Each child are individual with different abilities and needs
• Get information of the experience of the child so that he/she can develop further
• Plan lessons based on child’s experience and expanding it from thereon
• Use simple to understand language
• Plan many types of activities so that they can learn in many ways
• Understand the child fully by observing and analysing the behaviou and performance of the child
• Plan activities which needs the use of different senses such as smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch
• Have positive attitude towards music and be interested and willing to learn and improve oneself

Principals of teaching singing in pre-school:

• Conduct singing activities informally so that it’s enjoyable and effective
• Plan activities which include movements, imaginations and creativities as children are naturaly very active
• Teacher should adapt to the language development level of the children so that they can understand
• Pre-schoolers’ attetion span is very short. They are unable to focus more than 10 to 15 minutes
• Give attention to quiet and shy children and don’t force them do the activities
• Should encourage the children to sing solo or in groups and appreciate their performance
• Group children according to gender will create opportunity to talk about boys and girls and their roles in community
• Feeling of harmony must be developed
• Teacher must assist in developing self-confidence
• Provide opportunities for children to choose songs, rhythm and musical instruments
• Start with simple songs then progress to difficult songs
• Provide opportunities to explore fantasy world through singing, drama, pantomime, movement and so on
• Help children improve their voices by guiding them to sing according to appropriate tune, rhythm and pitch

How to choose songs?

• Short and simple repeated lyrics
• Words and sentence structure are simple and relevant to their age level and understanding
• Should reflect their world, experience, feelings and interest
• Choose songs that give training in good health practices and cleanliness, socialization, manners and develop postitive attitude towards their own self and others
• Song should be a joy to sing and help in language development
• Theme song should be attractive and increase their knowledge
• Rhythm should be simple with clear beats and encourage children too move or do actions spontaneously

Music & Drama for Pre-Schoolers

   Posted by: admin   in Music & Drama for Young Children
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Elements and concepts in music and drama in a preschool curriculum program:
Acting: 
- Expressive use of body and voice
- Movement is important to free the child’s energy and emotions and aware of the workings of the body and to control them.
- Increase ability to communicate
- Enhance child’s imagination
- Sensory awareness activities to sharpen perception and appreciation of how sense help us enjoy and know the world
- Sensory recall activities to remember feel, look, sound, smell and taste that enable to recreate the sensations even it’s just in their imagination
Playmaking(informal)/Playwriting(formal):
- Collaborative improvisation
- Playmaking, chidlren will will decided on who the character and what the character will be doing, there is no need to write down.
- Playwriting, a formalized script is prepare and it’s it’s already pre-planned on who do what.
Responding & Constructing Meaning:
- Development of aesthetic sensibility
- They must know the theater convention such as curtain up, curtain down, curtain call etc.
- They should also know the audience etiquette where they should keep quite when the play is going on, laugh at appropriate time, clap at appropriate time and so on
Designing:
- Envisioning and arranging the environment
- Arrange furniture to suggest a a particular setting or use fabric or accessories for costumes
Directing:
- Planning classroom improvisation
- Develop social, group, and concensus skills as they plan and rehearse to improvised on the scripted scenes to be presented to the audience
Researching
- Finding information to support classroom dramatizations
- Use books, posters or any visual material
How theater arts work in the classroom?
1. Introduce
Give idea, story or poem to engage attention by related them to their own experiences or ask them questions.
2. Present poem or story
Tell the children the story and have them relate it to their personal experiences
3. Plan
Teacher will plan for the play by being a side coach (give suggestions to the children, let the children pantomime) or play a role(teacher act it out) or appreciative audience(just sit/stand and watch).
4. Act
Start acting and children should keep stay in their intended place and quiet and wait for “curtain” signal.
5. Reflect/Evaluate
Make connection between the play and real life with the children and help them recognize, appreciate the aesthetics of the play. This will let the teacher know how well the children understand the art form.
6. Plan & Replay
Repeat the 5 steps above either replay the same character or scene or move on to a new scene.
Music and drama help children develop an awareness of of themselves as:
Physical beings: Body and voice as an instrument to create and communicate
Creative beings: Enhance creativity
Organizers of experience: Learn to solve problems, shape and control what is happening by using their minds and bodies to give form to the art
Reflective beings: Responding thoughtfully to their surroundings
Social beings: Enhance and cultivate moral values among their peers and their surroundings
Key issues in selecting materials for music and drama lessons:
1. Must be safe and sturdy.
2. Must be suitable for their age.
3. Can be used as teaching materials for other lessons as well.




Articles from :http://www.irenelaw.net/2008/08/28/music-drama-for-pre-schoolers/

MAGIC MESOZOIC NUMBERS

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/songs/dinosaur-1-10

I was inspired to make this blog because of (British Council Learn English Kids) song that you can see on the above link. It's really very helpful for me to remember the dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era. I love numbers and music, so here are the loads of information about the Magic Mesozoic numbers.


1. VELOCIRAPTOR

Name Means: Speedy thief

Lived:85-80 million years ago ( Late Cretaceous period)

Where: Mongolia, Russia and China

Diet: Meat eater (it hunted in packs)

Size: 2 meters long and 1 meter long

Features :It could run up to 60km per hour , it had a 9 cm long claw on the middle toe of each foot.

2.BARYONX

Name Means : Heavy Claw

Lived: 125 million years ago (early Cretaceous period)

Found in: United Kingdom, Spain

Diet: Meat eater (it probably mostly ate fish)

Size: 8-10 meters long and 5 meters tall

Features: 30cm long claws on its hands , jaws like a crocodile

3. TROODON

Name Means : Wounding tooth

Lived :76-70 million years ago (late Cretaceous period)

Found in: USA and Canada

Diet: Meat eater

Size: 3 meters long and 2 meters tall

Features: It was probably the most intelligent dinosaur, it moved fast on two legs

4. TRICERATOPS

Name means: Three-horned face

Lived:72-65 million years ago (late Cretaceous period)

Found in: USA and Canada

Diet: Plant eater (it probably ate low-lying plants)

Size: 9 meters long and 3 meters tall

Features: It had three horns on its face, its head was nearly one third as long as its body

5.TYRANNOSAURUX REX

Name means: Tyrant Lizard King

Lived:85-65 million years ago (late Cretaceous period)

Found in: USA, Canada and Mongolia

Diet: Meat eater (it hunted alone)

Size: 12 meters long and 6 meters tall

Features: It could eat 230 kgs of meat and bones in one bite

6.IGUANODON

Name means : Iguana tooth

Lived:135-125  million years ago (early Cretaceous period)

Found in: Europe, Northern Africa,USA, Mongolia 

Diet: Plant eater

Size: 9 meters long and 5 meters tall

Features: It had a beak with no teeth, its teeth were in its cheeks, it had a claw for a thumb

7.PTERANODON

Name means: Winged and Toothless

Lived:85-75 million years ago (late Cretaceous period)

Found in: Kansas, USA,  North America, England and Europe

Diet: Meat eater (probably ate mostly fish)

Size: 1.8 meters tall, 7.8-10 meters wingspan

Interesting fact: It was a flying reptile that lived during the time of the dinosaurs

8.DIPLODOCUS

Name means: Double-beamed

Lived:155-145 million years ago (mid-late Jurassic period)

Found in: USA

Diet: Plant eater ( it probably used its long neck to reach plants in the middle 

of the woods)

Size: 27 meters long , with an 8 meter long neck and a 14 meter long tail

Features: It had extra bones below its backbone

9. GIGANOTOSAURUS

Name means: Giant southern reptile

Lived: 100-90 million years ago (mid Cretaceous period)

Found in: Argentina 

Diet: Meat eater

Size: 14 meters long

Features: It was the largest meat-eating dinosaur

10.BRACHIOSAURUS

Name means: Arm lizard

Lived: 156-145 million years ago (mid-late Jurassic period)

Found in: North America and Tanzania

Diet: Plant eater (it probably ate the tops of trees)

Size: 13 meters tall and 25 meters long

Features: Its nostrils were on the top of its head

Photo Credits to : www.google.com and National Geographic
Editing tool : pizap.com
Information: British Council Learn English Kids

"Common Problems for Korean native speakers when learning English"

Teaching English to native Korean speakers



Some Korean academics believe that the reason why some Koreans cannot pronounce English is because of physical differences. “Those who have a short frenulum (a strap of tissue linking the tongue to the floor of the mouth) can face problems pronouncing some characters due to a disturbance in lateral movements of the tongue,” said Bae Jung-ho, an oral surgeon at Seoul’s Yonsei Severance Hospital.

Such drastic measures are often taken in an ever increasing level of competitiveness in the Korean society, where the need for speaking English is higher than ever.

The operations are mostly performed on young children and cost about 150,000 won. But do they really help? The answer is that there is no decisive evidence, as many months of speech therapy is need after the operation, and the level of success largely depends on the child’s mind & the ability to acquire new language.

Many speech problems can be improved by constant practice of phonics and speech therapy.

Here are the reasons why Korean native speakers have difficulty speaking English:

1. Some English sounds do not exist in Korean, which include friction sounds such as /f/, /v/, /z/, th )


2. Syllables: Korean words never have more than 2 consonants pronounced in one syllable (eg. ‘Disks’ has 3 consonants in a row, ‘sks’). In English, the word ‘disk’ is just one syllable, while in Korean it would have three.


3. Final Sounds: In Korean, consonants are not released unless they are followed by a vowel in the same syllable (eg 맛이 - mashi ), and word final consonants are never released (eg 맛 - mat). This results in Koreans adding an extra ‘u’, or ‘i’ vowel to the end of each English word that ends with a consonant. Eg ‘dark’ becomes /darku/


4. Overall pronunciation of sentences: The semantics in the English language depend on the stress and intonation of words, and how they relate to each other. This allows the English language to include weak forms that may sound completely unfamiliar to Korean English learners, such as: "What'a'ye'gonnaDO?", or “Wach’ya’NAME?”



5. Pollution from Koreanized English words (Konglish). See below for more.



A table of 15 Common Pronunciation Problems



PROBLEM


ENGLISH SOUND





COMMON ERROR





PRACTICE MATERIALS

Tongue touches hard palate.


/l/


"light" (clear)


/r/


"right"




Contact. Brief "schwa" after release.


/ɫ/


"tall" (dark l)










Back of tongue to back roof. Nasal.


/ŋ/ + /k/


"think"


/ŋ/ + /g/


"thin" + k or g




Voiced stop: back of tongue to back roof.


/ŋ/ + /g/


"thing"


/ŋ/ + /k/


"think"




Voiced: tip of tongue behind top teeth. Friction.


/z/


"rise"


/s/


"rice"




Voiceless. Friction. Tongue between teeth.


/θ/


"thin"


/s/


"sin"




Voiced. Friction with top teeth & bottom lip.


/v/


"vet"


/w/


"wet"




Voiced. Friction with top teeth & bottom lip.


/v/


"vet"


/b/


"bet"




Tongue central. Then tightly round lips.


/əʊ/


"bone"


/ɔ:/


"born"




Tongue central. Then tightly round lips.


/əʊ/


"note"


/ɒ/


"not"




Weak endings: e.g. "London" "England"


/ə/


"the" (schwa)










Fix tongue in central position. Long.


/ɜ:/


"bird"










Tongue low, back & fixed. Jaws together.


/ɔ:/


"bought"


/əʊ/


"boat"




Tongue low & back. Jaws together. Long.


/ɔ:/


"nought"


/ɒ/


"not"




Keep mouth round and tongue back.


/ɒ/


"not"











Konglish 

Konglish words are Korean words borrowed from other languages such as English. There are five types of Konglish:

1. “Verbicide’: Words whose meaning has been killed eg. ‘한들’ (Handle) in English is ‘Steering Wheel”


2. Fabricated Phrases: Words that have been made up from an original word or words to mean something different. Eye Shopping (Konglish) = Window Shopping(English)


3. Phonetically Different Words. Words where pronunciation has changed. Eg. Pizza (English), in Pija (Korean).


4. OK Konglish: Where meaning and pronunciation are roughly the same. (eg. Bye Bye)


5. Abbreviated Words, where the original English word has been shortened. Eg Air Con



When teaching English to Koreans, be on the lookout for any Konglish words they throw in, and correct straight away. Sometimes however, Konglish can be useful in teaching English vocabulary - because those are the words that they feel like they can master very easy.
Sources:

A shortcut to better English, MSNBC, http://www.msnbc.com/news/981625.asp
Korean speaking problems http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/l1korean.html
Korean English Taxonomy: http://efl.htmlplanet.com/konglish.htm

Interview Questions and Answers

This is a guide in answering interview questions.. I've taken  some information from the web.. This post is made possible due to the request of my student online. Shim Jae Hyung (Shims), I hope this would be helpful to you in your endeavors in life. Good luck for your interview. I know you can make it.

Photo source: www.google.com

 

nTell me about yourself? 

It seems like an easy interview question. Its open ended. I can talk about whatever I want from the birth canal forward. Right?

nWrong. What the hiring manager really wants is a quick, two- to three-minute snapshot of who you are and why you’re the best candidate for this position.

nSo as you answer this question, talk about what you’ve done to prepare yourself to be the very best candidate for the position. Use an example or two to back it up. Then ask if they would like more details. If they do, keep giving them example after example of your background and experience. Always point back to an example when you have the opportunity.

nTell me about yourself does not mean tell me everything. Just tell me what makes you the best. 

 

nWhy should I hire you? 

nThe easy answer is that you are the best person for the job. And don’t be afraid to say so. But then back it up with what specifically differentiates you.

nFor example: You should hire me because I’m the best person for the job. I realize that there are likely other candidates who also have the ability to do this job. Yet I bring an additional quality that makes me the best person for the job--my passion for excellence. I am passionately committed to producing truly world class results. For example . . .

nAre you the best person for the job? Show it by your passionate examples. 

 

nWhat is your long-range objective? 

nMake my job easy for me. Make me want to hire you.

nThe key is to focus on your achievable objectives and what you are doing to reach those objectives.

nFor example: Within five years, I would like to become the very best accountant your company has on staff. I want to work toward becoming the expert that others rely upon. And in doing so, I feel I’ll be fully prepared to take on any greater responsibilities which might be presented in the long term. For example, here is what I’m presently doing to prepare myself . . .

nThen go on to show by your examples what you are doing to reach your goals and objectives.

 

nHow has your education prepared you for your career?
 

nThis is a broad question and you need to focus on the behavioral examples in your educational background which specifically align to the required competencies for the career.

nAn example: My education has focused on not only the learning the fundamentals, but also on the practical application of the information learned within those classes. For example, I played a lead role in a class project where we gathered and analyzed best practice data from this industry. Let me tell you more about the results . . .

nFocus on behavioral examples supporting the key competencies for the career. Then ask if they would like to hear more examples. Enhance your career opportunities by getting the training you need, find top degrees and schools near you!

 

nAre you a team player? 

nAlmost everyone says yes to this question. But it is not just a yes/no question. You need to provide behavioral examples to back up your answer.

nA sample answer: Yes, I’m very much a team player. In fact, I’ve had opportunities in my work, school and athletics to develop my skills as a team player. For example, on a recent project . . .

nEmphasize teamwork behavioral examples and focus on your openness to diversity of backgrounds. Talk about the strength of the team above the individual. And note that this question may be used as a lead in to questions around how you handle conflict within a team, so be prepared.

 

nHave you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor?

nHow was it resolved?

nNote that if you say no, most interviewers will keep drilling deeper to find a conflict. The key is how you behaviorally reacted to conflict and what you did to resolve it.

nFor example: Yes, I have had conflicts in the past. Never major ones, but there have been disagreements that needed to be resolved. I've found that when conflict occurs, it helps to fully understand the other persons perspective, so I take time to listen to their point of view, then I seek to work out a collaborative solution. For example . . .

nFocus your answer on the behavioral process for resolving the conflict and working collaboratively

 

nWhat is your greatest weakness? 

nMost career books tell you to select a strength and present it as a weakness. Such as: I work too much. I just work and work and work. Wrong. First of all, using a strength and presenting it as a weakness is deceiving. Second, it misses the point of the question.

nYou should select a weakness that you have been actively working to overcome. For example: I have had trouble in the past with planning and prioritization. However, I’m now taking steps to correct this. I just started using a pocket planner . . . then show them your planner and how you are using it.

nTalk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.

 

nIf I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they
 say?

nThis is a threat of reference check question. Do not wait for the interview to know the answer. Ask any prior bosses or professors in advance. And if they’re willing to provide a positive reference, ask them for a letter of recommendation.

nThen you can answer the question like this:

nI believe she would say I'm a very energetic person, that I’m results oriented and one of the best people she has ever worked with. Actually, I know she would say that, because those are her very words. May I show you her letter of recommendation?

nSo be prepared in advance with your letters of recommendation. 

 

nWhat qualities do you feel a successful manager should have? 

nFocus on two words: leadership and vision.

nHere is a sample of how to respond: The key quality in a successful manager should be leadership--the ability to be the visionary for the people who are working under them. The person who can set the course and direction for subordinates. The highest calling of a true leader is inspiring others to reach the highest of their abilities. I'd like to tell you about a person whom I consider to be a true leader . . .

nThen give an example of someone who has touched your life and how their impact has helped in your personal development

 

nIf you had to live your life over again, what one thing would you change?

nFocus on a key turning point in your life or missed opportunity. Yet also tie it forward to what you are doing to still seek to make that change.

nFor example: Although I’m overall very happy with where I’m at in my life, the one aspect I likely would have changed would be focusing earlier on my chosen career. I had a great internship this past year and look forward to more experience in the field. I simply wish I would have focused here earlier. For example, I learned on my recent internship, then provide examples.

nStay focused on positive direction in your life and back it up with examples.