These books are now considered useful teaching tools for the young
theSun, Tues, 27 Apr 2010
I learnt a new word from my seven-year-old today. It is ‘tephra’.
I was talking to another adult about the current volcanic ash situation in Iceland when my daughter told us the rocks that are blown out from the volcano during the eruption are called tephra.
Knowing that she must have read it somewhere, I asked her the name of the book. It turned out to be a comic book, a science-based one, which I had bought for her some time back.
When I was young, the comics that I read were Beano and Dandy which ‘taught’ schoolroom antics and mischievous pranks.
Later in my teenage years, I read the Archie comics which gave an insight into the typical’American teenager’s life played out by Archie, Veronica, Betty, Moose, Jughead and Reggie.
Local newspapers, meanwhile, offered the likes of Bringing Up Father and Dagwood – nothing close to real educational content, let alone science.
I’m sure there were educational comics back then but they were not readily available in my part of the world. I would think the limited copies of Tintin at my school library were as close as I could get to ‘educational’ comics.
Nevertheless, comics brought excitement and played a part in developing my reading interest. Hence, I believe they do and can play a part in encouraging children to read and learn.
While I’m no expert in this case, I would think a ‘good’ comic as one that teaches and entertains. After all, learning should be fun.
However, it should be well written with good grammar and syntax, albeit simpler compared to books. It has to be also free from profanity and sexually suggestive or obscene pictures.
The storyline needs to be age appropriate as well with interesting and factual and relevant content.
And how do comics really help?
Comiclife.com lists a summary of The Key Benefits for Students Using Comics by Marilee Sarlitto, found in a 2003 article titled Creating Comics: Visual and Verbal Thinking in the Ultimate Show and Tell (Janette Combs, 2003).
The benefits include:
» giving a great visual representation of knowledge;
» presenting what is essential;
» making it easier to remember a visual graphic containing key information;
» engaging through thinking, creating and writing;
» being a perfect avenue for writing dialogue;
» inciting students with low interest in writing;
» helping organisation through storytelling and storyboarding;
» using visual images to convey meaning to a story or topic;
» developing creative and higher level thought processes;
» developing composition techniques through visual-verbal connections;
» enriching reading, writing and thinking;
» serving as an assessment and evaluation tool; and
» sequencing which promotes understanding.
In short, comics can help students to write, read, remember, understand, organise, think and be creative.
Besides reading them, students can create their own comics. A number of websites have made it easier for you to create your own comics. Some require you to purchase their software while others are free.
According to Bill Zimmerman, creator of MakeBeliefsComix.com, many of the visitors to his site have been educators who use it to teach reading, writing and the learning of English and other languages.
It certainly looks like comics are gaining acceptance as another useful teaching tool. The next time you and your child hit the newsstand or bookstore, see if you can find some interesting and educational comics for a change.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Gratifying youngsters
Whether it is a bribe or reward, children should not be trained to expect something for being obedient
theSun, Tue, 13 Apr 2010
I HAVE been guilty of negotiating unnecessary ‘win-win’ deals with my child to avoid the stress of power struggles. I give my child a new story book to keep her quiet during dinner at a restaurant, although reading at the dinner table is prohibited at home. I know I’m not alone in this. Some parents would buy their children candy or chocolates to prevent them from screaming in the supermarket. Others tell their children that they can have their dream toy if they do as they are told.
What is the difference between bribing and rewarding a child? The online Merriam-Webster dictionary defines bribery as “money or favour given or promised in order to influence the judgment or conduct...; something that serves to induce or influence”. Meanwhile, a reward, according to the same dictionary, is “something that is given in return for good done or received, or that is offered or given for some service or attainment”.
Based on these general definitions, we can say that giving something to a child prior to good behaviour is a bribe. It is to influence them into doing something we want them to do. Meanwhile, giving them something in return for being obedient can be defined as a reward. This is to reinforce the idea that good behaviour results in good consequences.
Be it a bribe or reward, we need to be mindful of a few things whenever we are tempted to offer our child some goodies in order for him to behave or do our bidding.
» Do not let this practice become a habit. If you reward your child for every little thing he does, it will soon become an expectation. He will expect to be rewarded for just washing his hands, for example. He may start demanding for a present every time you tell him to do something.
While there are times we can give a child something for a job well done, we should not allow him to think that he has a choice or can negotiate. There must be times when we need to be firm and
remind ourselves that we have the right to ask them to do certain things, and expect them to do it simply because we said so.
» Do not shoot from the hip and offer rewards freely. The child will comply to a request from the parent simply because he wants the specific reward. The moment the reward stops, the good behaviour will also stop.
» Do not offer food as a bribe or reward. For example, giving a child ice cream, sweets or cookies to make him pick up his toys will not teach him responsibility, and will create an unhealthy association with such foods. Teach your child about eating healthily and do not use junk food as rewards or incentives.
Rewards need not always be in the form of material things. Sincere praise, a hug and telling him you are proud of what he has done could help boost a child’s sense of self worth. Praise him when you observe good behaviour and when he does things on his own accord. It will encourage him to continue with the same behaviour in future.
theSun, Tue, 13 Apr 2010
I HAVE been guilty of negotiating unnecessary ‘win-win’ deals with my child to avoid the stress of power struggles. I give my child a new story book to keep her quiet during dinner at a restaurant, although reading at the dinner table is prohibited at home. I know I’m not alone in this. Some parents would buy their children candy or chocolates to prevent them from screaming in the supermarket. Others tell their children that they can have their dream toy if they do as they are told.
What is the difference between bribing and rewarding a child? The online Merriam-Webster dictionary defines bribery as “money or favour given or promised in order to influence the judgment or conduct...; something that serves to induce or influence”. Meanwhile, a reward, according to the same dictionary, is “something that is given in return for good done or received, or that is offered or given for some service or attainment”.
Based on these general definitions, we can say that giving something to a child prior to good behaviour is a bribe. It is to influence them into doing something we want them to do. Meanwhile, giving them something in return for being obedient can be defined as a reward. This is to reinforce the idea that good behaviour results in good consequences.
Be it a bribe or reward, we need to be mindful of a few things whenever we are tempted to offer our child some goodies in order for him to behave or do our bidding.
» Do not let this practice become a habit. If you reward your child for every little thing he does, it will soon become an expectation. He will expect to be rewarded for just washing his hands, for example. He may start demanding for a present every time you tell him to do something.
While there are times we can give a child something for a job well done, we should not allow him to think that he has a choice or can negotiate. There must be times when we need to be firm and
remind ourselves that we have the right to ask them to do certain things, and expect them to do it simply because we said so.
» Do not shoot from the hip and offer rewards freely. The child will comply to a request from the parent simply because he wants the specific reward. The moment the reward stops, the good behaviour will also stop.
» Do not offer food as a bribe or reward. For example, giving a child ice cream, sweets or cookies to make him pick up his toys will not teach him responsibility, and will create an unhealthy association with such foods. Teach your child about eating healthily and do not use junk food as rewards or incentives.
Rewards need not always be in the form of material things. Sincere praise, a hug and telling him you are proud of what he has done could help boost a child’s sense of self worth. Praise him when you observe good behaviour and when he does things on his own accord. It will encourage him to continue with the same behaviour in future.
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