•  On Mar, 15, 2019
•  Mary Keating

An enquiry task is often given to students with almost no introduction to the topic. That’s often the norm. Kids are learning very little from this method of teaching unless given a lot more support.

•  On Sep, 21, 2018
•  Mary Keating

I agree with Professor John Hattie when he says that Enquiry sounds terrific and that the logic of Enquiry learning is well argued. The evidence, however, indicates that it is introduced too early.

•  On Sep, 14, 2018
•  Mary Keating

Read the text twice with your child. The first reading is for decoding. The second is for comprehension. A learner-reader cannot be expected to decode and comprehend well on one reading.

•  On Aug, 30, 2018
•  Mary Keating

Maths and Science, TIMSS Looking over the Maths and Science, TIMSS Reports for 2011 — They give us the long range view of student progress. TIMSS stands for Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study.  Discussion of the Report can be found at: http://www.acola.org.au Call science what it is! It’s not so hard! Overall improvement There’s […]

•  On Aug, 19, 2018
•  Mary Keating

We can’t have the next generation saying, “Oh, sorry, I can’t take any notes because I haven’t got my iPad”.

•  On Aug, 05, 2018
•  Mary Keating

A further 13% of 4th graders in Australia scored at the Low Benchmark. So 20% are reading at or below the Low Benchmark. Influencing these results is the rate of tiredness and hunger on arrival at school.

•  On Aug, 03, 2018
•  Mary Keating

Good readers can skim and scan for general ideas but they must learn to read carefully for detail.

•  On Jul, 08, 2018
•  Mary Keating

Think of a hamburger. The bread on the bottom is the introduction. The bread at the top is your conclusion. The meat, the salad and the cheese are the paragraphs in between.

•  On Jun, 29, 2018
•  Mary Keating

The child may make a sigh at the end of the reading task with a “Thank goodness that’s over” type of expression. That’s the moment to praise. That’s the moment of achievement.