Posted on

Why English is so Important for Stem Learners

Why English is so Important for Stem Learners

When it comes to modern schooling there is a large emphasis placed on STEM subjects. These include science, technology, engineering and mathematics. However, as a result of this emphasis, there is a lack of attention to one of the most important subjects that students can study at school – English. English is one of the most important subjects for students to master at an early age and it’s something that can become quite difficult as students progress in the years. English influences STEM extensively because English is reliant on an understanding and comprehension of the world around us.

 In mathematics investigations, students are required to read a passage and interpret the information and then answer based on the information that they read. Without a strong grasp of comprehension, students will find these investigations extremely difficult. If you think about engineering, there is also a heavy reliance on understanding. Many comprehension tests are based around novels and creative pieces, however, the skills that we learn and comprehension can also apply to reading materials such as articles. Students who are able to have a fantastic grasp of these different concepts find themselves becoming better students in the stem subjects. So how do you encourage STEM-based students to create a love of learning English? 

1. Engage With Their Logical Reasoning

 Many comprehension texts that are given to students as part of their study are based on stories. For logical thinkers, these can be difficult to interpret. Finding an informational text for the students to read can help them actually understand what is going on but with a logical and reasoning brain. 

2. Give them texts they are interested in 

Many students are forced to read what everyone else in the class is reading, however, students who are particularly logical will prefer reading about different topics allowing your child a chance to peruse the bookshelves for the catalogue at the library will allow them to find a topic that interests them. Even if they are reading informational text the actual process of transferring knowledge from the page to their brain can help them when it comes to other types of texts they will need to read in further school. 

3. Make it fun

A majority of students see reading as a chore. A lot of parents are me “how do I get my child to read?” Well, the answer is simple. Make it a fun activity. The biggest feedback I get from students when it comes to their reading is that it’s boring. The perception that reading is boring comes from the fact that there are so many other different things that they could be doing with that time. However, if you make it a challenge or if you gamify reading, students will have a much easier time finding the excitement in reading. 

There are many different ways to engage stem students when it comes to English. For more help, contact Perth English Tutor. 

Posted on

The Transition From Year 6 to Year 7

The Transition From Year 6 to Year 7

Waking up on the first day of year seven can be a very daunting experience. There are many different challenges the young people face in high school nowadays including but not limited to cyber bullying, issues with resilience, anxiety and depression and myriad others.

Many of your child’s subjects will change and adapt from a primary school curriculum to high school curriculum. The English curriculum in the transition from primary school to high school changes, however many of those foundational skills will still be tested. Students must be able to use grammar, punctuation, spelling, diction, syntax and many of the other language devices that make our writing soar.

When you are looking at helping your child transition from Year 6 to Year seven and studying English there are a few things that you need to know.

1. Find Your Reading Mojo

There is nothing worse than coming to school on the first day of year seven and not knowing what is going on. Usually your school will give you your booklist in advance of going into year seven and all of the required reading will be on that booklist. This gives your child a chance to get a head start on any of the reading that they will need to do during the year. If not, there are plenty of other options available to students but the most important thing is that they start reading as soon as possible.

Reading is the one skill that you can’t just pick up in your 11 and be really, really good at it. Many of my students wish that they had started reading earlier and many of my parents just don’t know how to make their child read. The biggest thing about choosing a book in the transition from year 6 to 7 is helping your child choose coming-of-age stories to help them navigate this difficult period in their lives. 

2. Learn Your Grammar and Punctuation

There is nothing that a high school teacher dislikes more and students who do not have the basic grasp of English grammar and punctuation. Over the term break, have your child do some simple activities on commas, possessive, apostrophes, contractions, plurals and capital letters and how to structure a good sentence.

There are many sites online that give simple activities for year six year seven level that should be suited to your child. 

3. Get Out There and Have Some Experiences

Having options and activities outside of school work actually helps your child to learn to plan their day and find other experiences to talk about when they are doing. English requires a lot of creative writing in year 7 to year 12 and when they don’t have fulfilling experiences outside of the classroom it can become difficult to imagine what they should write about in their stories in their feature articles and memoirs.

One thing you can do is make an effort to sit down with your family every Friday night and watch a film together and discuss the plot and ask them some simple questions after watching the film to encourage your child to think about how films are structured and how narratives are structured this will help come up with fantastic ideas when they are then in their classroom and having to think about a story.

Some other things you can do is send them to drama lessons, coding camp or other classes during the holidays that will give them fresh experiences of the world and allow them to flex their creativity. Finally, a free way to do this is to get out and experience nature – go down to the beach and describe what you say, go into the hills and describe all the nature that’s around you. There are things all around us in our lives and we have to help children open their eyes to the different experiences.