Important English Tips For Using English in Class

Important English Tips For Using English in ClassWhen I was in a French class many years ago, my instructor used to say to us: 'You know when you are speaking the language in a classroom and you want to communicate in a particular way or to present a certain point, what is the first thing you do?' He would say: 'First, you think about what you want to say.' He said this because a good teacher always asks questions of their students. Let's explore this in more detail.So, you ask yourself: 'What is the first thing I do when I am speaking English?' Well, to start, you must think about what you want to say in your own language and then translate that thinking into English. To understand the idea of translating, just look at any good textbook or learning software. You will notice that for every sentence, you will see that there is a different sentence form (or 'formula' if you will). These sentence forms are used to control the flow of a sentence.So when you speak English in a class, the professor will probably start with asking you to think about what you want to say and will be looking for you to find the right form. Here are some tips:First, you must think about what you want to say in English. Remember, you want to make your English sound natural and as natural as possible, so you can easily communicate your thoughts to your friends and family back home. You might want to ask yourself: 'How am I going to say it in English?'Second, you have to practice saying the words in English as much as possible. You can learn by watching other people and what they are talking about. You can also listen to English songs and listen to English spoken in the television or radio. You might want to try reading out loud from a book or magazine as well.Third, don't think about the form you want to use until you have already studied English grammar. This is very important because it is the beginning of grammar. The form you are trying to create can usually be found in a specific chap ter of the English grammar books. If you don't find what you are looking for, Google it and you might find a few websites or learning software which will help you out.Fourth, always pay attention to what your classmates are saying. They might say something that could help you create the perfect sentence. Or they might say something that could help you get through the next sentence. Remember to focus on your conversation partners and use their comments to create the perfect sentence for you.Last, when you begin speaking English in a class, you will notice that the teacher will ask you to think about what you want to say in English. It is important to listen and to ask questions so that you can build your English vocabulary and build your communication skills in English.

Discover Work Energy and Power With Spring

Discover Work Energy and Power With SpringIn the Organic Chemistry tutor there is a small step to explain work energy and power with spring. This is not the area that you would want to examine at a beginner level. It is of great importance that you learn the basics of this subject, but that you do so in a very short space of time, to avoid any confusion.Spring is something that has been added to the base elements in order to make an alloy. However, it has proved very useful. It may contain carbon, but it contains different elements such as oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur.When you look at the element table it is clear that the composition of an element like oxygen is quite different from that of hydrogen. On the other hand, when you look at the table for sulfur, you can see that there are just two compounds in the table, whereas there are several for carbon. Now when you look at the history of science, you will find that when the oxygen was first produced, it quickly mixed with the sulphu r.However, it was not the one that became predominant until the discovery of carbon. Although carbon was not the element that was producing the most energy, it was the one that produced the least amount of energy. This is why carbon became the choice for the base alloy that the other elements could be combined with.When a chemical reaction takes place, the elements present in the mixture react and generate heat. The other elements that are used in the heating of water by electricity have the effect of increasing the heat produced by the reaction.It is the flow of energy from one form to another that makes the electricity to operate. There are three parts to this process, the supply of energy from the supply, the transfer of energy from one form to another and the movement of the electricity through the elements that make up the transfer. An example of a long term process of work energy and power with spring would be the heat engines of large engines.There are many types of processes that could be used for this process. In the engine of a big aircraft it is not unusual to see a ring that gets larger as the airflow moves through it. That is part of the process that we call 'radiative heat transfer'. This is the process that is being explained by the Organic Chemistry tutor, where heat from the air flows from the cold centre to the hot surface of the ring.

Learn How to Sing in Mandarin - Singapore!

Learn How to Sing in Mandarin - Singapore!Being an experienced singer in Singapore, you have probably tried to learn the art of singing in Chinese tutor Singapore, but were unsuccessful. You thought that by means of Chinese tutor Singapore that you can also learn how to sing in Mandarin.As it is usually the case, there are still many people who are undecided as to whether to learn to sing in Mandarin or singing in Chinese tutor Singapore. You have to understand that learning how to sing in Mandarin is a great learning opportunity for most students because it makes learning the language fun.In addition, learning how to sing in Mandarin has advantages over the singing style of Singapore. Singing in Singapore is not really fun, unless of course, you like to sing live on stage and sing through your heart. It is fun, however, to sing in Mandarin.To learn how to sing in Mandarin, you need to make use of the most convenient resource, the Internet. You should definitely use the websites of t he Chinese Mandarin Association of Singapore (CMAS) and Learning to Sing the Mandarin Language which is maintained by the Society for Teaching Students of Mandarin Language and other professional organizations in the language.You can study the lessons and methods of teaching Chinese in Singapore on the website of the Chinese Society of Singapore (which is affiliated with the CMAS). However, you need to register yourself in the CMAS in order to avail of the special features of the website.If you want to learn how to sing in Mandarin in Singapore, you have to find someone who has already accomplished the task of learning the language. You have to trust only the words and sounds of the language and avoid the style and the pronunciation, so that you do not lose any vital information.After finding a person who already learned the language in Singapore, you will have to learn from him/her. When learning the language in Singapore, you will have to put your own imagination into practice. On the contrary, if you learn the language in Chinese tutor Singapore, you will have to memorize the sounds and the words.

What is a Rational Number

What is a Rational Number A rational number is a number which has a numerator and a denominator. Rational numbers are also called as fractions and in some cases they can also be described as a part of the whole. Generally rational numbers are represented in a/b form where a and b are any integers except b 0. If the number in the denominator is 0, then the rational number becomes undefined and is no more called a rational number. In some cases rational numbers can be simplified further as well. Example 1: Add the given two rational numbers: 4/7+ 3/7. Given expression: 4/7+ 3/7 Here both 4/7 and 3/7 are fractions and they are being added together. In order to add or subtract two fractions, we have to make sure that the fractions have the same denominator. Both 4/7 and 3/7 have the same denominator 7, hence they can be added directly! This gives: 4/7+ 3/7= (4+ 3)/= 7/7. 7/7 can be simplified by dividing the top and the bottom by the factor 7-7/7= 1/1 Therefore, 4/7+ 3/7= 1/1= 1. Example 2: Multiply the given two rational numbers, (3/5) * (4/6) Given rational numbers: (3/5) * (4/6) Now in order to multiply the given two rational numbers, we multiply the numbers in the numerators together and the numbers in the denominators together. This gives: (3/5) * (4/6) = (3 * 4)/ (5 * 6) = 12/30 Now we can simplify 12/30 by dividing the top and the bottom with their common factor 6- 12/30 = 2/5 Hence we get: (3/5) * (4/6) = 2/5.

What Are The Formalities To Study In Portugal

What Are The Formalities To Study In Portugal Everything You Need To Do Before Going To Study In Portugal ChaptersDo You Need A Passport To Study In Portugal?Do You Need A Visa To Study In Portugal?How To Register For University?Other Formalities You Might Have To Go ThroughWith a rise of 15.7%, the natives of the United Kingdom continued to be the sixth expatriate community in Portugal with a total of 22,431 people in 2017.Portugal offers a friendly living environment for British students who would like to pursue their Portuguese studies outside their country.But what are the steps to take before leaving to Portugal? IrineuPortuguese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GabrielaPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoanaPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouisePortuguese Teacher 5.00 (2) £27/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RodrigoPortuguese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BlancaPortuguese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolinaPortuguese T eacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (6) £11/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDo You Need A Passport To Study In Portugal?British students are not required to have a passport to travel to Portugal, even if their language stay lasts more than three months.The country is part of the Schengen area, ensuring the free movement of persons, as is the UK.If you wish to spend a few months during your university studies in Portugal, only a valid identity card is required.You can apply for a first adult passport if all of the following apply:you’re a British nationalyou’re aged 16 or over (or will be in 3 weeks)you’ve never had a UK passport beforeYou can also apply if your last UK passport was an old handwritten blue or black one.You can use your child passport until it expires, even if you’re over 18. An adult passport is valid for 10 years. If you’re in the UK, you can either:apply online - it costs £75.50apply with a paper form - it costs £85There’s a different way to apply if you’re overseas.There will be no change to the rights and status of EU citizens currently living in the UK until 30 June 2021, or 31 December 2020 if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.You must send original documents. Photocopies are not accepted. If you do not have your original certificates (for example, your birth certificate), you need to get an official copy.If your documents are not in English or Welsh, you need to send a certified translation. You can send laminated documents if that’s the only format they are issued in.You’ll need your full birth certificate or adoption certificate and either:your mother’s or father’s full UK birth certificate, or the Home Office certificate of registration or naturalisation, or a British passport belonging to one of your parents that was valid when you were born, or a British passport number for either parentevidence of one of your parents’ immigration status in the UK at the time of your birth, for example, a foreign passport belonging to one of your parents that was valid when you were bornIf you send documents relating to your father, you must also send your parents’ marriage certificate.Once you've got your passport, you'll need to get your flights! (Source: jackmac34)Do You Need A Visa To Study In Portugal?For a stay abroad in a country of the Schengen area, as a UK citizen, you do not need a visa.However, you will need to apply for a temporary residence permit (Autorização de Residência) on arrival if you wish to stay for more than three months and less than one year. A fee of 7 € will be charged.You must apply for your residence permit within three months at the Foreigners and Borders Service (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) of your city.In Lisbon:Avenida Antonio Augusto de Aguiar 20 1069-118 Lisboa Tel: (351) 21 358 55 00In Porto:Rua D. Joao IV 536 4013 Porto Tel: (351) 22 589 87 10The documents to be provided are as f ollows:The application for a residence permit,Your identity card or passport,A passport photo,Proof of your student status.If you wish to stay for more than one year, you will need to apply for a residence permit from the same department.To do an internship or work in Portugal, young British people do not need a visa either, but a work permit. All you need to do is present your passport, your employment contract or proof of income if you do not yet have a contract.Working visas usually take a while to get in Portugal. But it is common that you would be authorised to start your employment before you are issued your work visa.In addition, you will need to have a non-resident Contributor number be in good order with the Portuguese tax serviced. You will be asked for proof of residence in your country of origin.Please note that this number will be required to complete a lot of procedures. If you plan to settle permanently in Portugal, it is better to apply.Lisbon is one of the oldest ca pital in the world. Take the tram up the hills of the city and be transported through its history.How To Register For University?For students, another question arises: how to register at their host university?First of all, you must have a secondary school graduation certificate, essentially your A-level results, corresponding to the certificado of habilitaçoes do ensino secundàrio or diploma de ensino secundàrio in Portugal.To register, you will need to request an equivalence of the A-levels from the Portuguese Ministry of Education.Your application will only be accepted after you have passed the entrance exams, called Provas de ingresso.You can be exempt from this requirement if you have already completed a degree in Portuguese depending on the institution you are aiming for in Portugal.Otherwise, the entrance exam includes 1 to 3 subjects depending on the university course you are considering to take. The universities themselves set the minimum mark to be obtained each year in order to be able to enter their course. But if it is a very popular university, the minimum grade to get in may be much higher than usual...The tests obviously depend on the course chosen and the university concerned. Ask them directly for more information. To obtain the application form, ask the coveted educational institution directly. The procedures are carried out until the end of June-early July.For some courses, prerequisites may be required as soon as you apply (this is the case for physical education in particular).Be aware that a quota system promotes access for young people of Portuguese origin living abroad.Your Portuguese language level will also be assessed. It is mandatory to master the language in order to study Portuguese abroad.The Portuguese university systemPortugal is also part of the Bachelor's master's doctorate system, which aims to standardise diplomas across Europe.A university cycle in Portugal is therefore equivalent to a British university cycle.There are two types of establishments in Portugal with the same organisation:Universities: general and theoretical knowledge, Polytechnic institutes: vocational education.The University of Coimbra is renowned for studying law, management and literature, while the universities of Porto and Lisbon are particularly sought after by students in economics and medicine.The system is comparable to the British system:1st cycle licenciatura (bachelor): three to four years of study depending on the course. Obtaining 180 to 240 ECTS credits. For polytechnics, it may also be the Bacharelato (bachelor) in three years,2nd cycle mestrado (master): one to two years of study to deepen a specialization or become more professional,3rd cycle doutoramento (doctorate).The academic year begins in mid-October and ends in mid-May, much like in the UK.The cost of living abroad varies depending on the nation you choose to visit. Eligible Erasmus+ students receive a grant of €280 â€" €330 a month towards accommodati on and living costs, on top of any existing allowances or loans that are in place through your current university.There’s also an extra €120 a month available for students who already qualify for supplementary support for higher education, and further financial assistance for students with special needs.You do not have to pay tuition fees at the university you choose to visit, and you may even be able to take advantage of a financial contribution for your existing UK tuition fees if you study abroad for the whole academic year.Speak to the Erasmus+ representative at your university to find out more.stoi is situated 10km north from the coastline and has two interesting tourist attractions: the Palácio de Estoi and the Milreu Roman Ruins.Other Formalities You Might Have To Go ThroughDepending on the length of your stay, you may have to take other steps.To have water, electricity or internet, you can easily do it with the companies managing your network by phone provided you speak Portuguese. In most cases, the invoices are in the owner's name and you pay the money directly to the owner.To subscribe to a telephone contract, simply go to the shop of an operator who will provide you with a local SIM card. You can pay a monthly fee or use a pre-paid cardTo open a bank account if you do not have an address yet, here are the required documents:Identity card or passport,Proof of residence in the country of origin,Your Tax Identification Number,An address in Portugal for sending correspondence.To open a bank account if you already rent a home, here are the documents requested:Identity card or passport,Proof of residence in the country of origin (proof of address and tax number)Portuguese taxpayer card,Proof of application for a residence card,Proof of address in Portugal (rental contract or invoice for water, electricity, gas, telephone).You should now have a better idea of everything you need to do before leaving for Portugal.

A Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program

A Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a non-profit organization offering holistic and intensive curricula to students aged three to 19. There are many benefits to participating in an IB program: Students in the Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes frequently outperform non-IB students. Additionally, IB Diploma Programme students are more likely to apply and enroll at top colleges and universities. These benefits, coupled with the global worldview and independent thought encouraged through the programs, leave students in a great position for further success. Want to learn more about IB options? Weve created a guide to the International Baccalaureate Program, so that you can learn more about the IBs four programs and how to get involved. About the Primary Years Programme The Primary Years Programme was first introduced in 1997 for children aged 3-12. Rather than being academically rigorous for young children, the educational goals of this program are holistic development and to encourage an interest in lifelong learning. The curriculum prepares students to be active learners and participants both in and out of the classroom. About the Middle Years Programme In 1994, the IB adopted the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students ages 11-16. Although challenging, the MYP curriculum is intended to be inclusive of all academic abilities and interests. The program forces students to draw practical connections between their studies in class and reality beyond the classroom. MYP is generally a five-year program for students; however, some students may find themselves in an abridged version of the program, consisting of two, three, or four years of study. Students that participate in the Middle Years Programme are well positioned to succeed in the IB Diploma Programme or Career-related Programme. About the IB Diploma Programme The most well-known IB program is the Diploma Programme (DP). Students who have previously completed the MYP are prepared to do well in the DP, but the program is designed so that students can succeed, even if their first IB program is the Diploma Programme. The DP was founded in 1968 and is geared toward high school students aged 16-19. The DP, just like the prior programs, offers a holistic approach to education. High school students in IB courses should expect to complete research, community service, and an extensive essay as part of the programs core requirements. He or she would then select courses from six core subject areas: studies in language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, and the arts. Upon completion of coursework, students take exams that may qualify them to earn college credit, similar to AP courses. About the Career-related Programme First offered to IB schools in 2012, the newest IB offering is the Career-related Programme (CP), which is available to students ages 16-19 and aims to prepare students for specific internships, apprenticeships, and careers. It is similar to the Diploma Programme, but differs in requirements and focus. The CP is best suited for students who have a specific career path in mind, as students will participate in a two-year professional program of their choice. CP students will complete a minimum of two Diploma Programme courses, in addition to career-related study and the CP required courses. The CP curriculum ends with written exams to ensure students have met the requirements of the program. How to get involved in the International Baccalaureate Program In order for a student to enroll in the IB curriculum, his or her school must be approved to offer IB programs. If you are interested in such a curriculum, ask your advisor if the school provides IB instruction. If so, find out how to sign up. If not, you or your parents can talk with school administrators about seeking authorization to teach one or more of the programs. You can also search for the nearest IB World School through the IBs website, if your school is unable or unwilling to provide IB curriculum. IB has a lengthy history and offers many educational choices for students of all ages, with a reputation to match. If you are interested in pursuing an IB Diploma or other program, dont be shy about asking your school to get involved. Interested in IB tutoring? Check out our gallery of available IB Extended Essay tutors and IB Theory of Knowledge tutors.

Office Politics 101 Play Positive - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Office Politics 101 Play Positive - Introvert Whisperer Office Politics 101: Play Positive What’s the worst Office Politics you ever witnessed play out around you? Share in the comments! Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Basic Statistical Methods and Concepts

Basic Statistical Methods and Concepts Learn Everything from Probability to Wilcoxon Tests ChaptersWhat is Probability?How to Choose a Statistical TestWhen to Use Tests of AssociationTests of Comparison between MeansTests of Prediction using Linear RegressionTests for Nonparametric DataHow to Perform Statistical TestsLet’s face it, while data science was named the “sexiest job of the 21st century,” the majority of people still shudder at even the mention of statistics. The root of why this discipline has been so alienating throughout the course of its history can be found with its close relationship with mathematics.Whether you believe you can’t learn statistical analysis or are simply curious to learn more about it, this guide will help get you started by laying out the core introductory concepts.At the heart of statistics are the five essential concepts of statistics, and form the basis for data analysis. The first four can be dealt with without going into much detail about their equations:Mean: the average value, calculated as the sum of all observations over th e number of observationsMedian: the midpoint of the dataset, calculated by ordering all observations from least to greatest and taking the value directly in the middleVariance: the general spread of the data, calculated as the average of squared differences of the meanStandard Deviation: also a measure of spread, calculated by taking the square root of the varianceCompute statistical data easily | Photo by Jorge FranganilloMuch like witnesses in a detective novel, these four concepts start to tell you the story of a particular set of data because they are descriptive statistics. For example, if you look around at the people in any restaurant you find yourself in, it can be very difficult to build a narrative, or interpretation, about the kind of crowd you’re surrounded by based solely on appearance.Say, however, you are given information about their age, monthly income, level of education, gender, and taste of music. The first two concepts, the mean and the median, are both measur es of central tendency that can tell you whether your crowd is mostly twenty-somethings making their way through college or wealthy, elderly people that invest in hedge funds.The difference between when you use these concepts depends on the distribution of the variable that you’re measuring or, in this example, the amount of variability within the crowd. The more alike the crowd is, the more accurate taking the mean will be in telling your story; the more variation between the people are, the more accurate the picture you draw will be by taking the mean.The variance and standard deviation are both measures of variability and can tell you how different each observation in your data are from the average with regards to a specific variable.If you wanted to see how similar the crowd is in terms of age, you would start the computation by calculating the mean age and, by subtracting every individual’s age from it, find a number that tells you how far people are spread from the average . The standard deviation, on the other hand, gives you how  far or close your data is clustered around the mean based on a normal distribution.The standard deviation is exactly like the variance in terms of what it says about the spread of your data â€" in fact, the standard deviation is calculated by taking the square root of the variance. The difference lies in the fact that the standard deviation the descriptive measure that is easiest to report because it is in the same units as the original data, whereas the variance is not.You can test what you've learned in your statistics course so far by attempting some statistics practice problems online!Continuous: can take on any value, like heightDiscrete: are integers, like the number of childrenCategorical variables are qualitative and also fall under two distinct categories:Ordinal: has an obvious order, like a scale rating happiness from 1 to 10Nominal: has no meaningful order, like genderWhen to Use Tests of AssociationThese types of tests are meant for looking at the relationship between two variables. It is the closest you'll get to looking at causality between two variables. For example, you want to discover if there is an association between marital status and level of education. All of these test the strength of the association between two variables:Type of TestType of VariablesExamplePearson CorrelationTwo continuous variablesIf shoe size has an association with heightSpearman CorrelationTwo ordinal variablesHow strong of an association there is between happiness and economic statusChi-SquareTwo categorical variablesTo see whether gender and favorite color have any association AisvaryaData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdeyemiData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdenikeData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThanushanData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GokhanData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OlawaleData Analysis Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AisvaranData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Muhammad umairData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (2) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTests of Comparison between MeansTests of comparison deal with looking at the differences between different variables by looking at the difference between their means. For example, you want to see if where one goes to school makes a difference on standardized test scores.Type of TestType of VariablesExamplePaired T-TestTwo related variablesThe difference between weight before and after taking new supplementIndependent T-TestTwo independent variablesThe difference in spending on gas between people Los Angeles and New YorkOne-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)One independent variable with distinct levels and one continuous variableComparing the means of test scores from three different levels of educationTwo-Way ANOVATwo or more independent variables with distinct levels and one continuous variableComparing the means of test scores from both three levels of education and twelve different zodiac signsTests of Prediction using Linear RegressionPrediction tests are used to determine whether a change in one or more variables the change in another. For example, given data on gender, diet and income you can investigate whether a change in these leads to a change in height.Type of TestType of VariableExampleSimple Linear RegressionOne scale variable (dependent) with one or two scale variables (predictors)You want to see if and how well age and height predict weightMultiple Linear RegressionOne scale variable (dependent) with two or more scale variables (predictors)You want to see if and how well age, height, and income predict weightTests for Nonparametric DataThese tests should be performed when the data does not meet the assump tions for the other tests. For example, when the data does not follow a normal distribution and is highly skewed.Type of TestType of VariableExampleWilcoxon Rank-Sum TestTwo independent variablesBetween two different drugs, which one offers the best relief on two random, distinct groups of a populationWilcoxon Sign-Rank TestTwo related variablesBetween two different drugs, which one offers the best relief on the same group of patientsFriedman TestThree metric or ordinal variables (has to be either metric or ordinal)Three different ad ratings given by individuals in the same populationAddress your research question and experimental designHow to Perform Statistical TestsThere are several assumptions about the data you are using that are tied to each statistical test discussed. In order for the tests to run, be predictive and accurate, these assumptions must be held. Because the assumptions for different types of tests can be different, it is imperative to check them before you start t o model your data.The most common programs used for statistical analysis are:ExcelStataSASSPSSPythonRIf you are running tests for parametric data, there are four main assumption checks that your data will have to pass. However, it should be noted that each test has it's own different set of assumptions that should be checked beforehand, and that this list is simply the ones you will come across most often.AssumptionDescriptionIndependenceThe groups that make up the sample are independent of eachother.NormalityThe data in the set is are normal, meaning that there it follows a normal distribution.Homogeneity of varianceIf there are multiple groups in the data relating to your independent variable, they have the same variance.If you're looking for some extra help on these introductory subjects, there are many online resources you can use to build your skills. Tutoring websites like Superprof, or online webinar courses from R-bloggers can help you get started on crunching some numbers.

Reading Milestones for Early Readers

Reading Milestones for Early Readers As children become better and more independent readers, parents can help guide them along in their reading and literacy development. Parents need to understand the progressive reading building blocks and guide your child toward mastery of each of them. Here are some of the key reading milestones as your young reader advances through elementary school: Decoding Once students learn phonicsthe sounds of letters and letter combinationsthey move on to decoding, in which they use small words or word units to figure out larger words. Learning to decode helps students recognize root words, prefixes and suffixes. For example, a child who can read up can more easily read cup and upon. Word recognition In kindergarten, children spend a great deal of time learning high-frequency words (often called sight words). These are vocabulary words that appear often in books and other literature. Memorizing them and being able to recognize them instantly is one of the keys to achieving reading fluency. Examples include the, that, an, him, her, into, like and come. Spelling In the early grades especially, your child will learn how different letters are associated with different sounds and how words are composed of letters. Part of spelling involves learning about the sounds that vowels and consonants make as well as other letter combinations, including: Blends (such as fr, sp and bl, for example) Digraph sounds, or pairs of letters that make a single sound (th, sh and ng, for example) Diphthongs, or two adjacent vowels (au and oi, for example) Young readers also begin to identify letter patterns and recognize them in unfamiliar words (such as the short a sound in cat and hat and the long i sound in bite and kite). Punctuation and mechanics In order to read (and write) well, children must understand the parts of a sentence, how sentences are formed and what punctuation means. Comprehension As your child begins to read to him or herself and to you, the ability to comprehend what he or she reads is critical. Your child should be able to read a passage or chapter, recall details about what happened, and make predictions about what might happen next. Fluency Reading fluency is the ability to read quickly, smoothly and correctly. As your child progresses through elementary school, he or she must improve his or her reading fluency and be able to recognize words on sight without having to sound out every letter or chunk. Here are a few simple ways you can help your child improve his or her reading skills: Point out patterns. As your child learns to decode words, point out words that rhyme, words that contain the same prefixes and suffixes, words that build on other words, and similar patterns. Read aloud. Continue to read aloud to your child even when he or she can read independently. Mix it up. Have your child read aloud to you and silently to him or herself. Read to your child. Have him or her read to a sibling or family member. And read a variety of material types. Encourage questions. As you read together, ask your child periodically to summarize what a story or passage means. Ask about the theme of the story, what he or she thinks about the characters and what they might do next, and what he or she does or doesnt like about the story. Teach your child to relate to stories. Comprehension involves self-reflection. Encourage your child to compare situations in stories to those in his or her own life. Ask whether your child knows any classmates or friends who are similar to characters in the stories he or she reads. As your child advances through school, he or she will continue to strengthen the reading basics. Aid your child in learning the fundamentals now so that he or she will soon have the skills to succeed in school and enjoy this wonderful pastime for the rest of his or her life.