Synonyms are words or phrases that have similar meanings and can be used interchangeably to explain a concept or an idea. Synonyms are basically the polished version of English skills, such that the choice of words chosen is most apt as per the context.

Synonyms are greatly popular for the following reasons

#1 It enhances your vocabulary and helps you express the meaning of the words in multiple ways depending on the situation, or the person you are interacting with.

For example: When talking to a friend you would usually say: Can you show me the ‘correct’ method to ‘build’ this toy?

When talking to an elder: Ma’am, can you please explain the ‘accurate’ steps to ‘construct’ this toy?

In the above sentence the following synonyms are noticed –

correct <-> accurate

build <-> construct

As we can notice in the example; the first sentence is more casual and the choice of words are simple, but the second one is more thought-through and profound. It sounds as if the child wants to impress the teacher.

#2 Repetition of using the same word multiple times in a sentence is avoidable thanks to the usage of synonyms. Verbal and written communication is therefore elevated and taken to the next level, thereby flaunting one’s rich exposure to vocabulary.

For example:

Sentence 1: I saw a big elephant. The elephant was so big that he could reach the tree branch.

Sentence 2: I saw a big elephant. The elephant was humungous, such that he could reach the tree branch. As you can see, instead of repeating the word ‘big’ twice, the synonym ‘humongous’ is used.

The meaning remains the same, but we could do away with using the same word ‘big’ twice. Alternate usage of words intrigues the audience and keeps their interest alive while reading a storybook.

#3 multi-cultural communication is better understood when one is aware that the same word has many alternatives.

For example:

The word ‘train’ (meaning teach in English) has a list of synonyms such as the following: instruct, coach, tutor, educate, upskill, and so on….

In the French language entraîneur (masculine) means a ‘coach’ which is the same as ‘trainer’ or ‘tutor’.

Now, if you did not know that coach in English has multiple synonyms, how would you be able to understand that entraîneur also means male tutor?

Do synonyms have the exact same meaning?

Well, this is a bit tricky to answer because no two words ever mean the exact same. It’s not like math where 2 = 2 or 7 = 7 (which is the exact same number). The meaning of the synonyms may slightly differ, however, the idea to be conveyed is pretty much the same.

For example: If you enter the search word ‘money’ in Google you will be surprised to find 20+ words that are associated with ‘money’.

Similar words to money on Google are- cash, ready money, coin, silver, paper money, currency, change, and so on.

If you read a statement that goes like this; your money will be repaid in 20 days – does not indicate that you will be getting a stack of silver coins in 20 days. It could mean cash or paper money.

So, the literal meaning of money is not perfectly synonymous with silver coins.

Therefore, English is indeed a complex language and different words are to be used as per the context, grammar, and various structured levels, to get the explanation right.

Children can even sometimes land up making mistakes, especially when their native language or mother tongue is non-English or Arabic for Arab children from Dubai in the Middle East. English is taught to them in school later, as it is universally accepted in the education and corporate world.

Keeping a dictionary handy always helps, and you may feel free to purchase a multi-linguistic dictionary available in GCC regions, where the English words have their corresponding Arabic words, to educate children and get into the momentum of judging the correct synonym properly.

Reading Eggs is an excellent platform that is promoted all across the UAE, and aims to make reading and writing really fun for students. It has multiple games and students get to earn virtual coins or golden eggs which can be exchanged for a surprise gift, by successfully completing each level (from easy to advance). The Reading Eggs Library is a comprehensive store with books galore, thereby contributing to one’s vocabulary proficiency. Explore Reading Eggs and get your hands on its Free trial pack.

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The world is spending a considerable amount of time on Digital platforms, such as social media, shopping sites, OTT networks, gaming portals, and more. Scrolling and browsing online have become a favorite pastime for many, without realizing the repercussion it might have on their emotions!

Being a major source of distraction, professionals are starting to pay less attention at work, children can’t seem to focus on their studies, and personal relationships are deteriorating, due to excessive Digital usage.

Too much screen time causes memory problems and affects the cognitive capabilities of humans. Lack of productivity and problem-solving stimulus can make our brains lazy and more dependent on technology to do the work for us.

Generally, even our sleep time is hampered due to mobile usage at night and excessive comparison with other accomplished personalities on social media, leads to depression and anxiety. That constant comparison of ‘whether or not am I good enough’ is so overpowering, that it affects our self-esteem. We can write a whole article on the Mental Health effects of giving too much importance to Digital content, however, we shall leave that for another day.

Having looked at the cons of Digital technology, there are also numerous pros that cannot be overlooked. Digital literacy is picking-up pace in Schools across Dubai and students are taught to get comfortable with technology because real-world jobs demand employees to be tech-savvy. As the famous saying goes; ‘everything in moderation is good’ and so we have hope of raising kids who are Digitally Conscious and Sensitive to the online world. The below-mentioned tips may help in developing a healthy and respectful relationship with peers online and maintaining decorum that is rooted in the value system.

Ensure Mindfulness:

When we talk to elders in a public place we naturally speak with respect because that’s what we have learnt from our parents. Why do parents then not teach their children how to behave on social media? Sit your child down and tell them what is right vs. wrong, and what is acceptable behavior vs. not, when it comes to the digital space. Some netiquettes that we need to teach our younger fellows are;

• Do not use abusive language or share memes that hurt the feelings of others.
• Use proper manners to comment or complain to the brand, about a certain product/service that you are unsatisfied with.
• Passing sly remarks on celebrities – is a complete NO.
• While dropping a review on Google it’s good to be frank, but not rude.
• Spying on friends or using unauthorized Apps for the same, is completely wrong.
• Making a fake ID just to have an anonymous identity, must be avoided at all costs.
• Sharing too much personal information about your whereabouts can backfire.
• Tactics to earn easy money by signing up to fraudulent sites causes cyber threats.
• Submitting project work by copy-pasting content from elsewhere is a wrong habit and leads to plagiarism issues.

Empathize With Others:

Don’t forget that the person sitting on the other end of a tab or phone is a human being with sentiments. Ask your child how they would feel if someone posted a bad comment on their Facebook timeline. Hurting someone’s emotions is not right.

Sharing Fake Information:

All that you see online isn’t 100% believable. The media can hype a story quite a bit and spread unauthentic rumors. This could lead to a chain of sharing fake messages, and cause havoc within your school or social circle in the UAE. Check only websites that are reliable and believe trustworthy information.

Keep a Strict Rule in Place:

According to research carried out by Microsoft, 94 percent of parents permit their children to use one or more online devices and services by the age of 9 years. Most educational resources such as explainer videos and documentaries are available online and depriving children of such content would be unfair. But at the same time, overexposure is a threat. We advise parents to install an ‘adult lock system’ such that they have full control of what sites children can access and also get to know about the history of how their children are spending time online. Constraint the number of hours your child decides to be online. A maximum of 45 minutes of online time is good enough and the rest of the hours should be spent more productively; engaging in physical activity, socializing with friends at the park, reading a book, or signing up for a hobby glass in and around your locality within the GCC region.

TechnoKids promotes digital literacy in the Middle East for students of Grades 1 to 12 years. It is an absolutely safe platform to get your kids to learn different Tech topics such as coding, how to use MS Office, video making, and even studying how to develop a gaming App. Subscribe to TechnoKids and remain rest assured about your child’s internet usage.

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Phonics is matching the letter sound to the individual letter or group of letters for the child to be able to start the process of reading, and then writing. It is a very systematic approach by which learners are taught to decode the words by simply giving it a glance. We would like to enumerate a few benefits of teaching phonics, which has now become a common practice across K-12 schools in Dubai and other GCC regions. Phonics helps build spelling proficiency, recognition of words becomes easier, vocabulary is enhanced, and students feel more comfortable while conversing and reading in English.

To become an Ace at phonics, there are some basic rules that need to be followed such as;

#1 Short and Long Vowel

Sounds We know that in English there are five vowels ‘a, e, i, o, and u’. Phonics emphasizes on the correct pronunciation of these vowels, based on their position within the word. Seems a bit confusing! Let us illustrate the same with some examples;

When the vowel is usually (not in all cases) preceded by another vowel next to it, it takes the long vowel sound:

/a/ – rain

/e/ – tree

/i/ – ride

/o/ – soap

/u/ – tube

Long vowels resemble the actual letter name of the vowels: A, E, I, O, and U.

When the vowel is generally preceded by a consonant it takes the short vowel sound. Most CVC words follow the short vowel pronunciation pattern.

/a/ – man

/e/ – ten

/i/ – iguana

/o/ – mop

/u/ – sun

As the name suggests the short vowels have a shorter emphasis while reading the word and they are generally shorter sounding than long vowel sounds. It is said to be a monophthong, which means it is a pure vowel sound that has a single auditory note.

#2 Schwa: The Lazy Vowel Sound

You must be wondering what this odd-sounding word Schwa is? Well, Schwa is commonly referred to as the lazy vowel sound. But why does it have a reputation for being lazy? The vowels A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y is included in the rule and when the word requires the reader to pronounce the vowel more silently, putting less emphasis, it becomes the Schwa sound. When referring to Schwas you represent it by writing it in such a manner ‘ə’, an upside down ‘e’. Some examples of Schwa sounds are.

salad (the second a is Schwa)

lemon (o is Schwa)

pencil (i as Schwa)

syringe (y as Schwa)

item (e as Schwa)

supply (u as Schwa)

Try pronouncing the word banana (you would notice that while saying the first ‘a’ you are not stressing on it, but while reading the second & third ‘a’ you put more emphasis). This means that the first ‘a’ in ‘banana’ is the Schwa. It goes fast and the mouth doesn’t open widely to spell the Schwa letter. Most K-12 schools in Dubai and other Middle East regions, teach children phonics, as it is a sure-shot approach to building a strong foundation over the language.

#3 The Silent ‘e’ rule

Make things interesting for kids by telling them a story about the ‘magic e’ sound. The ‘e’ is very much there in the word, but no one can use it while reading the word aloud. Why does it magically disappear?

VCE (Vowel – Consonant – E) is a concept when the word ends in E and is preceded by a consonant. Some of the examples are as follows;

cute

note

twine

vane

When the silent ‘e’ appears, it makes the other vowel in the word before it say its name (long vowel form – letter name).

In Phonics there are 44 sounds, and we can see how important it is to apply the above rules in order to correctly spell words and recognize them easily. Phonics is an evolving extension to language development and the Reading Eggs platform, which is popular in the UAE, is making sure phonics learning is made accessible and fun for all students. Under its Fast Phonics section, children can subscribe to online phonics games and attempt to complete 20 levels, each one getting more profound than the other. Access their full library of videos, books, and activities, which are used even by tutoring class educators in GCC regions. Children love Fast Phonics, so start your mission of educating students, one day at a time!

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While streaming a YouTube video there is a point where the viewer is supposed to be patient and allow the Advertisement to feature, until one can resume watching again. These online video Ads are dominating the digital space, be it in-app ads, social media ads, or Google ads. The consumption of visual content is increasing and according to statistics 85% of people want to access video content, be it for education or entertainment purposes. Keeping in mind the growing preferences, marketers are drawn towards producing stories in video format in lieu of assuming 52% of video content consumption is further shared, thereby increasing brand reach and accessibility. To delve deeper into this topic, continue reading through the pointers enlisted below, before you plan your next big Video Marketing Campaign!

Allow for Creativity to Flow

A one-liner message on a flyer vs. a short video commercial, which option sounds exciting to you? The answer is very apparent, video Ads are always the winner. The scope for storytelling to convey the USPs of a product/service gives marketers an opportunity to create meaningful narratives that captures the interest of viewers and gets them excited to learn further. When people feel emotionally connected, there is a greater chance of recalling the advertisement and perhaps even considering making a purchase decision. There are so many new online tools and software that support professional video editors and motion filmmakers which cuts down the time of conceptualization & execution considerably, thereby giving the opportunity to produce more videos in a shorter duration. The use of VFX (Visual effects), AR (Augmented Reality), and 360-degree video creation gives the users an immersive experience and creates an impression that induces impact. Playing around with fonts, animations, and sound, is so much fun & rewarding.

Widespread Reach

The chances of video content going viral are potentially greater, as we already pointed out that most online netizens prefer content that can easily be streamed. Did you know that YouTube is the most popular (second-largest) search engine in the world and has a widespread reach in UAE across the Middle East? Around 2 billion users are active on YouTube from around the globe, because it is extremely mobile-friendly and people can watch videos while traveling around GCC regions, while multi-tasking at work, or even before bedtime. Such versatility is rare to adopt with TV commercials, billboard Ads, or other traditional forms of marketing. Another interesting fact we would like to draw your attention to is that Facebook users spend 100 million hours watching videos each day. So, if you want to be seen, heard, and recognized, it is a must, to capitalize on video curation.

SEO Friendliness

Although many marketers have started exploring the video format, they are unaware of the importance of SEO that videos can bring in. Marketing managers are often invested only in producing blogs, articles, email newsletters, and WhatsApp content, to score higher on their SEO ranking, forgetting the importance of video Ads. The reason for this maybe that it seems expensive to invest in Video Content. However; that is simply not the case anymore. Even a collegian can create videos within 20 minutes to an hour, without having prior experience, with the help of numerous video-making tools. To make videos SEO-ready, the appropriate keywords, and phrases are to be used, such that when Google crawls through the pages, your video shows up on the first few pages. Even the thumbnail must be carefully chosen by the creative person because as we know it, the first impression is the last one! Incorporating a click-button on the video makes all the difference, to increase CTC and help users navigate to the landing page.

Now that we know why Video content is so important in today’s day and age, wouldn’t it be wise to introduce our school-going children to some techniques of video making, such that it helps them in the future?

Educators and parents in UAE trust TechnoKids, a platform that offers Digital Literacy to K-12 schools, based on STEM curriculum. It is a well-structured tool offering computer training modules to children of different grades, primary, junior, intermediate, and senior, as follows. The upcoming TechnoAd lesson plan is a part of the ‘senior student’ curriculum and familiarized learners with animation and video production. Thereafter, students are expected to complete the project task of creating a real-life video commercial on which they would be evaluated.

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Worksheets are valuable teaching aids that benefit students across different grades. Schools and tutoring classes assign worksheets to students at regular intervals, often immediately after a particular concept is taught, such that they get a chance to put their knowledge to test. Attempting a worksheet provides clarity to teachers on whether learners are on-par with the rest of the class and if otherwise, then, provide extra attention to those who are struggling with studies.

Different Kinds of Worksheets

There is no thumb-rule as to the kind of worksheet that works best for students. It really depends on the grade of the child and the complexity of the subject matter. There are worksheets that are available online and Mathseeds is one such platform that allows teachers to print readymade worksheets for the benefit of the class. If you don’t wish to opt for the pre-designed worksheets, you may choose to prepare one yourself on MS Word.

Labelling Worksheets

Surprisingly, a labeling worksheet is multi-faceted, and not only do kids enjoy labeling, but even senior class students find it handy to remember things like; different parts of the heart & the brain, and also labeling different components of a male and female flower. This kind of worksheet is usually used for Science subjects, and even for Geography. For example; identifying major cities in the Middle East on the region’s political map, or labeling the locations of the Seven Wonders of the World on the Atlas, is part of the deal. When children attempt to label objects their visual memory is used optimally and recalling important information becomes easier.

Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) Worksheet:

MCQ or multiple choice questions are fun and seem more like playing a game of quiz. Worksheets that are dedicated to MCQs can judge the student’s confidence and learning capabilities by throwing tricky options that are tough to tell which one’s right from the other. Sometimes, MCQs are more strenuous than essay-type questions, as the likelihood of guesswork doesn’t apply here and there is only one right answer that can earn you marks. MCQ worksheets are suitable for all subjects be it; Math, Science, Social Studies, and even Language. With the advent of digital teaching aids in K-12 schools across Dubai and other parts of the UAE, MCQ worksheets are designed online and children are asked to finish the test by attempting to answer questions from their tabs or laptops, rather than the pen-and-paper format.

Logic Worksheets:

Brain teasers help stimulate the child’s cognition and make them think differently. Problem-solving techniques are not learned from a textbook, but such activities as brain teasers allow children to think out of the box. The deeper you think, the more profound you become. This method also enhances the concentration capacity of students and they start to become more sincere with time. Parents in GCC regions motivate children to sign-up for after-class sessions where ‘an hour’ is dedicated to teaching children logical reasoning. The worksheets may comprise; crossword puzzles, Sudoku, sequential sorting, word riddles, matching & correspondence, probability, and many other interesting activities.

Motor Skills Worksheets:

When children learn to practice their tripod grip they need lots of patience and concentration. To upskill your little toddlers, introduce them to worksheets that have different line-forming patterns. In the beginning, one can start simple with straight line formation, and as they start getting the hang of it, give them the confidence to form zigzag lines and curvatures. Simple exercises such as these come under the pre-writing phase of learning development. Thereafter, writing letters both capital and small on paper become easier, and transitioning to the red and blue book seems no big a deal!

To conclude the blog, we would like to enforce the importance of Worksheets as a teaching aid to students and highlight the numerous benefits that are derived from them. Worksheets train students to become active learners, reinforce concepts, gain confidence, become more apt with time management skills, and develop active independence.

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Parents often complain of having a tough time coping with their children, as they refuse to study math, always giving excuses to drop math classes. To combat the ‘math phobic’ phenomenon, it is vital to have kids love the subject and develop an interest towards it right from the beginning. So as to say, the foundation should be strong, which is set during the Early Year schooling of children. Children start by learning ordering of numbers, just as they learn to recite A to Z. Counting 1-10 is learnt via the rote learning method and repetition is key.

After being comfortable with identifying numbers, children are introduced to counting. Counting essentially means being able to put a figure to the number of items that are before you. In our daily lives, we count money and calculate the change the shopkeeper owes us. We require math to figure out how much time it will take to finish a job task at hand and thereby count & estimate the number of hours required. Counting comes in handy even in sports matches, where the referee is actively involved in announcing the score, to determine which team is leading the game. These are just a few examples of how counting is so important, and acing it will only do us good.

Different strategies to learn to count:

There are different strategies and stages of counting that were formulated to make it easy for children to grasp the concept. Read further to understand and apply these simple methodologies while teaching your children the correct techniques of counting.

Stable Order

When objects are counted in a fixed or consistent manner, it is referred to as Stable Order Counting. The order in which the objects are counted is important, as it starts from 1, 2, 3, and goes on in the normal way of counting. Here each object is assigned a number on a one-to-one-correspondence basis. For example; place 5 apples on the table and give children a set of number cards that they will place under each apple starting from left to right or top to bottom depending on whether the apples are positioned horizontally or vertically. This is the most commonly taught method to students in Schools across Dubai in their early years and children as young as 3 years of age should be able to understand and apply stable order counting techniques. Preschools in UAE and across the world use different teaching aids such as; colorful objects (cups, pom-poms, different fruit replicas, etc.) to make stable order counting easy to follow and implement.

Cardinality

Cardinal counting or numbering is a simple process by which the child assigns cardinal numbers to a set or group of objects. By doing so, we can determine the quantity or amount of items that are present in the set. When questioning the student ask the following; ‘can you tell me how many articles are there in this sample collection? By cardinal counting, we can know and compare the number of objects in each set. This method is even used by economists and mathematicians to analyze things like; the population of one region than in the other, the batch of shoes in one box as compared to the other, and so on.

Conservation Counting

Let us dive into an example to explain the concept of conservation counting more meaningfully. Just close your eyes and imagine there are 5 ping pong balls kept in front of you, now move the balls slightly away from each other or change the pattern in which the balls are placed. Does that affect the count of the balls that were originally given to you? The answer is No! This can teach our children that the size of the object does not mean that the count is more. When there are 3 real cars and 3 toy cars kept before you, it does not mean the 3 real cars are more in number than the toy cars, just because they are big. It is just larger than the other, but the count remains the same. Mathseeds is a prominent Math digital platform that encourages children to grasp basic math concepts in a fun & engaging manner. Suited for kindergarten and primary school-going lads of ages 3 years to 9 years, Mathseeds has earned a reputation in GCC regions of the Middle East. We urge you to try out their one-to-one lessons and motivational modules, to believe it for yourself.

Unitizing

To make the process of counting faster, for large quantities of units, unitizing comes in handy. If you were working in a candy factory that produces lakhs of sweets per day, how is it possible to count each unit? In order to do so, the units are grouped equally having the same count. You may want to create groups of 10’s, 20’s or 40’s and use the skip-counting method to create the packages.

Having a strong hold on counting can go a long way in understanding more important math concepts that will be taught in higher grades like; multiplication, addition, fractions, place value, and so on. Once your kid starts doing well with counting, celebrate the milestone and reward him for all his achievements.

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