Vocabulary - Free Flashcard Maker!

Did you know that there's a site where you can make free flashcards for any vocabulary words you might need to learn? Visit http://teacher.scholastic.com/tools/flashcards.htm and click on the oval that says "Words." You can then make as many flashcards as you want where the word is on the front & the definition is on the back.

How neat is that?!

June Blogging - What did you like best?

Can you believe that the month of June is almost over? I can't!

We've had 20 blog posts (including this one). Which one (or ones) did you enjoy most? Was there a particular post or theme that you found to be helpful? What would you like to see more of in the future?

Let me know!
:-)

Vocabulary Extravaganza (Part 5)

Today concludes the week of vocabulary from Dictionary.com, and I hope you've enjoyed this series. This last topic will focus on April 2002. Do you want to know why I selected that particular month & year? That's when GED Online was launched in Broward County! Hooray!

Check out some words from April 2002. This time, I won't tell you how many you have to post. You can pick what you'd like to do & share with us! Maybe you want to review all of the words, but only post 1 of them. That's fine! Maybe you'd rather share with us the words from your favorite numbers. It's up to you! Feel free to post as many words & definitions as you'd like!!

April 2002 - Words of the Day

Vocabulary Extravaganza (Part 4)

The vocabulary extravaganza is almost over! Let's take our fourth dive into some past words of the day from the Dictionary.com website.

Check out these words from May 2000. Please pick 4 of them that you did not know (or didn't know that well). Post the words & their definitions.

May 2000 - Words of the Day

Vocabulary Extravaganza (Part 3)

We're halfway through our expedition on vocabulary! How many new words have you learned so far? I bet it's a bunch!

Let's explore the words highlighted during January of 2000. In fact, I'm going to pick one to do with all of you since this is a word you often hear, but when you see it, you wouldn't think it's the same word!

segue \SEG-way\ , intransitive verb:
1. To proceed without interruption; to make a smooth transition.
Sample sentence: The newscaster made a great segue from the story about restaurants to a story about nutrition.

Please use the link below, take a look at the words from January 2000, and pick 4 (not 3 like the previous blog topics). Come back here & post your words with definitions. Want an extra challenge? Try correctly using 1 or more of them in an original sentence! :-)

January 2000 - Words of the Day

Vocabulary Extravaganza (Part 2)

Here's part 2 of our week-long look at vocabulary from the Dictionary.com site. This time, you'll be visiting the archive of the September 1999 words of the day. Just like yesterday's blog topic, please select 3 words that you were not familiar with before visiting the site, come back here, and post those words with definitions. Be sure to visit this blog topic often so you can see what words get added after you post!

September 1999 - Words of the Day

Vocabulary Extravaganza (Part 1)

Vocabulary is such an important part of writing. Without words, where would we be with writing? I guess you could say that we'd be nowhere because you can't write without words! So in the spirit of that, this week will be a vocabulary extravaganza!!

One of my favorite sites is Dictionary.com because there are just so many neat resources there, such as a dictionary, thesaurus, word games, and more! But the best part is the "word of the day" archives! Every word of the day that they've had since May 3, 1999 is available!

Please take a look at the words highlighted during May 1999. Pick 3 words that you did not know prior to visiting that site. Then come back here, post each word, and its definition!

May 1999 - Words of the Day

Writing as a Memory Tool (Part 6)

Here's the fifth & final note-taking tip!

Review and edit your notes.

"Ideas won't keep; something must be done about them." - Alfred North Whitehead (1861 - 1947), English mathematician and philosopher

Academic skills centers and other authorities on effective study skills consider reviewing and editing class notes to be the most important part of note-taking and essential to increasing learning capacity.

• It is extremely important to review your notes within 24 hours.


• Edit for words and phrases that are illegible or don't make sense. Write out abbreviated words that might be unclear later.


• Edit with a different colored pen to distinguish between what you wrote in class and what you filled in later.


• Fill in key words and questions in the left-hand column.


• Note anything you don't understand by underlining or highlighting to remind you to ask the instructor.


• Compare your notes with the textbook reading and fill in important details in the blank spaces you left.


• Consider rewriting or typing up your notes. (Ellis).

Note: For additional techniques for study and exam preparation, go to Tips for Effective Study at http://www.cod.edu/people/faculty/fancher/STUDY.HTM

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This final blog post on this topic may be the most important of them all! As I've stressed to students during Elluminate sessions, notes are no good if you take them and don't look at them after the session is done! If you put them in a folder, lay them on a table, or file them away, you're giving up the chance to look over your notes & to help that information stick in your brain!

Now that you've had a chance to see all 5 note-taking tip blogs, what have you learned that you'll start doing or do more often?

Writing as a Memory Tool (Part 5)

Here's our fourth note-taking tip!

Play close attention to content.

"There is a great difference between knowing a thing and understanding it." - Charles Kettering (1876 - 1958), American electrical engineer and inventor

Knowing what and how much to write down is sometimes difficult. Rely on some of the following tips for what to include in your notes.

• Details, facts, or explanations that expand or explain the main points that are mentioned. Don't forget examples.


• Definitions, word-for-word.


• Enumerations or lists of things that are discussed.


• Material written on the chalkboard or on a transparency, including drawings or charts.


• Information that is repeated or spelled out. (University of Texas at Austin)

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For that fourth bullet point above, online students should add something about material written in their online courses, and especially Elluminate sessions!

Which one of the above items is most important to you? Why?

Writing as a Memory Tool (Part 4)

Here's the third tip to help make you a good note-taker!

Develop a note-taking method that works for you. (There are many methods out there; it's not a "one-size-fits-all" strategy. Find one that you can do & one that will help you remember the things you're hearing & seeing.)

"Learn, compare, collect the facts." - Ivan Petrovic Pavlov (1849 - 1936), Russian physiologist.

Fine-tune the structure and organization of your notes to increase your notetaking speed and comprehension later.

• Start each new lecture on a new page, and date and number each page. The sequence of material is important.


• Write on one side of the paper only. You can set them out side-by-side for easier reviewing when studying for an exam.


• Leave blank spaces. This allows you to add comments or note questions later.


• Make your notes as brief as possible. "Never use a sentence when you can use a phrase, or a phrase when you can use a word" (Berkeley).


• Develop a system of abbreviations and symbols you can use wherever possible.


• Note all unfamiliar vocabulary or concepts you don't understand. This reminds you to look them up later.


• For examples of popular note-taking formats, see Note-taking Systems at http://www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/notetaking.systems.html

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Which one (or ones) of these do you think is the most useful? Why did you pick that one (or those ones)?

Writing as a Memory Tool (Part 3)

Here's the second tip to help you improve your note-taking skills.

Improve your listening skills. (This is especially important for those who take an online course, as many times, you are not seeing your teacher in-person, but rather hearing him or her on the phone or in an Elluminate session!)

"Learn how to listen and you will prosper even from those who talk badly." -- Plutarch (A.D. 46 - 120). Greek biographer and philosopher

• Start by entering the classroom with a positive attitude. Going to class thinking, "This is the last place I want to be today" only sets the stage for inattentive listening. Approaching lectures with a positive attitude allows one to be open-minded and enables you to get the most out of the information presented.


• Make a conscious effort to pay attention. Concentrate on concentrating. "Without concentration there is no focus, and without focus there is no learning" (Pauk 190).


• Adapt to whatever direction a lecture takes. When a lecture takes an unexpected detour, say a student asks a question you aren't particularly interested in, students have a tendency to "zone out." Before you know it, the lecture got back on track five minutes ago, and you missed crucial information that should have been noted.

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Please note that even though most of us aren't sitting in on a true "lecture" style class, any presentation or discussion can have these tips applied! :)

What do you think?

Writing as a Memory Tool (Part 2)

We're going to examine 5 tips so you can be an effective note-taker. These all come from http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/academic/notes-tips.htm, and even though they focus on traditional classroom-based, we'll talk about how they can be modified for online classes!

Go to class prepared. (This is true no matter if it's an online class or an "in-person" one!)

"Always have a plan and believe in it. Nothing good happens by accident." -- Chuck Knox, NFL football coach

• Use a three-ring binder instead of a spiral or bound book. Pages can be easily removed for reviewing. Handouts can be inserted into your notes for cross-referencing. You can insert your own out-of-class notes in the correct order (Ellis).


• Bring highlighters to class. Instructors will frequently make comments like, "This is an important concept." Or, "Make sure you understand this." These are direct clues that this will more than likely be on an exam. Highlighting these notes will help remind you later that this is definitely something you need to know.


• Read assigned material and previous class notes before class. Make notations about material or concepts you don't understand. Look up vocabulary words that are unfamiliar to you. You will have a better understanding about what the instructor is lecturing about and that will allow you to better decipher the more important points of the lecture.

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What do you think about these first few suggestions? They make sense, don't they? Do you do those things? If not, do you think you might start doing them?

Writing as a Memory Tool

Have you ever considered that writing can be a tool that helps you remember things better? That's not really a surprise to many of us, especially since so much emphasis is placed on taking notes or writing other important things down! Here's an interesting fact that I came across today!

Few people realize how fast memory fades. Studies on memory have shown that, without review, 47% of what a person has just learned is forgotten in the first twenty minutes and 62% is forgotten after the first day. (University of Texas at Austin).
(From http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/academic/notes-tips.htm)

Isn't that amazing, but also kind of scary?!

Our next set of blog topics will focus on how to be a better note-taker! So, let's do a little opening activity right now! How, why, or when do you take notes? Once you take them, what do you do with them? Share your opinions with us!

Writing - More Blogs!

As we've talked about in the past, an important part of being a good writer is being a good reader. No matter what you choose, you should be reading something every single day! There are some enjoyable blogs out there that you might want to visit! (For the entire list that was on the Sun Sentinel website, click here.)

Worst Pizza : http://www.worstpizza.com/

Jazz & Blues : http://jazz-bluesflorida.blogspot.com/

Human Resources & Employment : http://www.hrbartender.com/

Pets : http://www.southfloridapets.blogspot.com/

Try visiting one or two, read a bit, and then come back to tell us what you went to & what you thought of it!

Vocabulary - Resume Terms

Have you ever wondered if there's specific vocabulary that you'd use on a resume? Well, the answer is "yes." Take a look at this neat site that I found that does just that! http://esl.about.com/od/businessspeakingskills/a/j_vocabulary.htm

The first part of that site lists verbs that will help you express just exactly what you did with impressive vocabulary. These verbs are used to express responsibilities and tasks performed. Please look at the list below & identify 2-3 words that you'd like to look up so you can understand the meaning a bit better. Then, visit an online dictionary (like http://www.merriam-webster.com/), look up the word, and come back here to post each word with its definition!

accomplished
acted
adapted
administered
advanced
advised
allocated
analyzed
applied
approved
arbitrated
arranged
assisted
attained
blended
brought
built
carried out
catalogued
changed
classified
collaborated
compared
completed
computed
conceived
conducted
constructed
consulted
contracted
controlled

Vocabulary - Technology Terms (Part 4)

Let's work on some technology terms today! Visit this site (http://www.maran.com/dictionary/mgdiction2008.html) and click on any letter shown. You'll then see a list of terms that begin with that letter. Click on the word that you'd like to see the definition of, and then write that down. Do that for any 2 or 3 words (with any beginning letters you want to use). Come back here & share your words & definitions!

Be sure to check back regularly to see the other words & definitions that have been added! We can all learn from each other!

Attitude and "The Power of One"

Getting the best from yourself and others all starts with one:

one thought … one word … one action.

"One" is the first note in orchestrating the personal attitude that shapes and directs your life – and impacts the members of your team/family. Contrary to the lyrics from a classic rock song, one is not the loneliest number. It’s the most important one!

Your thoughts, words, and actions are like individual notes that work in concert to create the power of one person – YOU – to make a difference. You can harness your "power of one" if you simply: Catch one negative thought and turn it into a positive one;

Think of one thing for which you are grateful at the beginning of each day;
Say one "Fantastic!" when a friend or team member asks how you are doing;
Assume the best in one upcoming situation;
Keep on moving one more time when you experience adversity;
Help one friend or colleague in a time of need – and take pride in it.

A single act can make a difference … it can create a ripple effect felt many miles and people away. So, ask yourself: What’s one thing I can do today that will make a positive difference in my attitude? Then DO IT!

Repeat that process every day and your life will improve – and so will the lives of the people you work with/live with/study with. Attitudes are truly powerful … and they’re contagious!

Please share one thought, word or action you will or already incorporate into your daily routine that will help you and why?

Today's thought/solution comes from:
Orchestrating Attitude
By Lee J. Colan

Writing - Less May Be More!

Have you ever heard the term "less is more" used? Well, it's used when having more of something isn't necessarily a good thing. Graduation speeches are a perfect example of this! Sometimes, people may think that they have to do things a certain way or a certain length (for writing or speaking). However, having more is not always better! Less is often a more attractive alternative.

Let me present you with this situation. A person is giving a speech or presentation. Instead of covering the main points in 5 or 7 minutes, the person takes 15 or more minutes, leaving everyone wondering when it was going to end. In this case, less would have been more! Had this person covered what they wanted to do in less time, they would've received a more favorable response from the audience.

This is true with your writing. Never "fluff" it up. Cover your main points. Be concise. If you do that, it won't matter how short or long it was, as you did what you needed to do!

Have you ever heard, seen, or read something that was too long and you felt could have been presented in a much shorter way? If so, what was it?

Blogging - Pick a topic, any topic!

For today's blog, I'd like you to pick a past blog post (any blog post from any date), review it, and then come back here to report the following things.

1.) What was the date that the topic was originally posted?
2.) What was the topic you reviewed?
3.) What did you learn from it (or from the replies)?

Remember that you can use the "Blog History" on the right to help you get back to past topics, even ones from when the blog was first started (in April 2008)!

Tell me a story - June's edition

It's time to do some fun writing & to stretch those imaginations! I'd like you to write a short story that incorporates the following things: a lamp, Smith High School in Texas, and 3 pieces of paper.

Have fun!
:-)

Writing - What do you like?

What's your favorite part of writing? Is it being able to record things (like grocery lists or to-do charts)? Is it being able to create wacky, fun, and outlandish stories? Is it just being able to record thoughts that you might forget? Tell me!