Reading and Math Help: "The Think Aloud" Approach

Parents can employ a variety of techniques to help their child learn at home.  One such strategy is to "Think Aloud."

The Think Aloud technique  is used, for the most part, when problem solving.  When you hear the term problem solving, you automatically assume math problems.  That is not necessarily the case. 

The think-aloud strategy asks students to say out loud what they are thinking in terms of reading, solving math problems, or simply responding to questions posed by teachers and classmates. Effective teachers think out loud on a regular basis to model this process for students. For example, during story time, a teacher will ask questions about characters, predict what is to come, relate the story to her prior knowledge, and create images in her mind.  This process helps students to comprehend the story more easily.  However, the think-aloud strategy can also be used by parents at home, particular when their children are struggling with homework, math problems, or any subject that requires solid reading comprehension skills. Parents can easily adopt this strategy.
 
Parents can use think-alouds just like effective teachers. The think-aloud is an excellent way to teach how to estimate the number of people in a crowd, revise a thesis paper, predict the outcome of a scientific experiment, use a key to decipher a map, access prior knowledge before reading a new passage, monitor comprehension while reading a difficult textbook, and so on.
 
Thinking aloud helps the learning process.  To learn more about this technique or the reading tutoring programs at Think Tutoring, visit us at www.ThinkTutoring.com.

Opposite Attraction: New Ways to Think About Study Skills and Habits

The famed Danish physicist Niels Bohr once pointed out that "opposites are not contradictory, but complementary." New knowledge may seem to contradict the old, but if we can keep an open mind, we can discover usable knowledge in both realms, as upsetting as the new knowledge may seem to be at first.
This is exactly what Gina Carroll has done in her September 14 blog BlogHer: "Rethinking Study Habits: New Studies Shakes Things Up". Clearly unafraid of mental rock 'n' rolling, the author looks at new studies that suggest, for example, that students learn better when various subjects are combined in a single study session.
 
Carroll wisely points out that homework time presents a "dizzying variety of functions and tasks." (The same could be said of school itself. And, to be sure, it could be said of life itself.) Helping children maintain their equilibrium, emotionally and intellectually, when facing this dizzying array is the aim of parents and Think Tutoring instructors alike.
 
Carroll suggests studying the new knowledge in order to learn if it really contradicts our long-held beliefs. It is very likely that the new knowledge can actually serve as a tool for extending our existing knowledge base.
 
Here at Knowledge Points, our math tutors and reading tutors have a base from which they work with our students. But that base is ever-increasing, ever-improving as research is conducted and results reports. Our business, after all, is focused on growth, in its many forms.
 
Our next blog will deal with ways you can use this idea of complementary opposites as you help your child hone his or her problem-solving skills. In the interim, discuss the idea of opposites with your child. Explore, for example, famous quotations that lend themselves to this idea. For instance, there is a Scottish proverb that maintains that whoever wishes to be a leader must also be a bridge. And leaders do bridge--the old and the new, the past and the present, the past and the future, the art and the science of knowledge, and so on. You'll find others and will increase your child's critical thinking skills as you explore possible interpretations.

Vocabulary Building: Inspiring Your Child to Love Words

Science fiction author Isaac Asimov wryly observed, "If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood.  I'd type a little faster."  You may never be able to help your child reach this level of word-love, but you can certainly help him attain levels higher than his existing ones. In fact, if you involve the whole family in exercises like the following, you will be reinforcing the more joyous aspects of writing and word-acquisition.
 
Our SAT tutors, of course, have to deal with the metaphorical  "meat and potatoes" as far as the subject of language arts is concerned. But you, at home, can work on "amuse-bouches" or tempting brainteasers to increase your child's love of words. You'll have fun preparing quizzes like this one. Include in the challenges some words that may be unfamiliar to your child so you can help expand her vocabulary. (Discuss the meaning of those words once your child has completed the brainteaser.)
 
Think of a number of words that rhyme or are spelled the same way. For example, "pinch," "flinch," "cinch," "winch," and "clinch." Then, write the words as shown below, with the rhyming part indicated by blanks.
 
P
FL
C         _ _ _ _
W
CL
 
Here are a few others to get you started.
 
1.      ST
         C
         D                  _ _ _
         P
         T
         W
 

2.      ST
         S
         L
         GR                           _ _ _
         H
         F
 
3.      G
         ST
         T                           _ _ _
         D
         PH
 
If the whole family is working on these, you could make it a competitive exercise, with a dictionary, rather than sugared delicacies, as the prize.

Oh yes, the answers: 1 - art; 2 - ate; 3 - one.

How to Help Your Child with Reading Comprehension

Did you know that 90% of newspaper paragraphs contain the main idea in the first sentence? (See what we mean? The first sentence of this paragraph lets you know finding the main idea will be the focus of the paragraph.) In our SAT preparation classes, our tutors make students aware of the fact that time is limited in a test situation. And while comprehension depends on a careful reading of all words, too-careful a reading will slow your child down and prevent him from getting a high number of correct answers.

So, acknowledging that speed and accuracy are both important, we encourage finding the main ideas as quickly as possible in a test situation. You can help your child at home with main-idea comprehension by encouraging her to get a quick general sense of the paragraph by reading the first line carefully and then reading the remaining sentences more quickly.

If you are eager to add fun to your child's academic amelioration, have another family member (without the advantage of knowing the first-line tip) read a given paragraph, raise her hand, and write down her answer when she thinks she knows what the main point of it is. The child who's already been coached about the main-idea-in-the-first-sentence will start at the same time and will, in all probability, be able to discern the main idea much more quickly. He, too, though, will raise his hand, and then write it down the main idea. Discuss how helpful the first-line tip is. Then, compare the two answers and discuss what may have been omitted.

And, if you truly want to challenge your child (or drive your family crazy), take a few key words from the article. Write them so letters are missing in both the beginning and at the end. For example, if the article were about London's subway system, you might have selected _ _ _ e r g r o _ _ _, an especially difficult brainteaser. It has the same three letters missing at both the beginning and the end of the word. The word itself is a common one. (The answer will appear in next week's blog.)

ACT Prep: Tips for Good Preparation

f your high schooler is planning on taking the ACT Exam, help them prep by sharing these quick tips with them.

Be prepared for what’s on the ACT. The ACT or American College Testing Exam is made up of five tests: English (45 minutes), Reading (35 minutes), Math (60 minutes), Science (35 minutes), and Writing (optional, 30 minutes). There is also a short break period during the test. All of the tests have multiple-choice questions, except Writing. Before registering to take the test, find out if the colleges you plan on applying to require applicants to take the Writing portion of the ACT.

Prepare early. Research the colleges you want to apply to and find out if the ACT is required for admittance. Once you find out that you will need to take the ACT, begin to study. The sooner you begin to practice, the more comfortable you will become with the exam. It will be very difficult to cram in the information in the last few days before taking the test. Instead, devote specific ACT study time each day.

Use practice tests to become comfortable with the ACT. The ACT test lasts for 2 hours and 55 minutes, or 3 hours and 30 minutes if you are taking the optional Writing Test. Many high schoolers have never sat for a test this long, so taking practice tests will help to build up your mental endurance. Practice tests will also help you to become familiar with the types of questions that are asked on the ACT so you know what to expect on test day. You can also use a practice test to focus your study time. For instance, if you are getting many of the science, questions incorrect, you may want to brush up in this area.

Set up a study area. Go somewhere quiet to simulate the ACT test environment when you are taking a practice test or studying. Libraries often have a quiet study area or room that you can use. Turn on a timer for each section so you can learn how to pace yourself through the questions. Go through an entire test in one sitting so you won’t be surprised on test day.

Read, write, and review. The content on the Reading portion of the ACT covers a variety of genres and topics including short stories, magazine articles, natural sciences, social studies, and humanities. By exposing yourself to texts that cover these topics before the exam, you may find the content easier to read and understand. Brush up on your writing skills for the English portion of the exam, which will test your knowledge of usage and mechanics. A review of science and math topics, including reading graphs, interpreting results, geometry, algebra, and trigonometry will help you with the Science and Math portions of the ACT.

Familiarize yourself with the directions. It is important to read all the directions carefully on the ACT so that you don’t make a mistake when taking the exam.

Take an ACT Prep Class. If you find that after taking several practice tests, you are struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help. An ACT Prep Class will help to review the content covered on the exam and allow you to work with an experienced tutor. It will also give you the chance to ask questions you have about specific exam content, test registration, and scoring.  KnowledgePoints ACT Prep offers customized programs for each student.

Answer all the questions to the best of your ability. Since your score on the ACT is based on the number of multiple-choice questions you answer correctly, answer all of the questions. You won’t lose points for guessing or answering a question incorrectly. If you are stuck on a question, eliminate as many choices as you can and take an educated guess. You can also skip a question and return to it later.

Prepare the night before and the morning of the test. Organize the materials you will need for test day, including, an ID card, admission ticket, two sharpened number 2 pencils with good erasers, and a calculator. Get ready for test day by getting a good night’s sleep, setting your alarm clock, and making sure you have transportation to the ACT exam site. On the day of the test, make sure to eat a good breakfast and arrive early at the test center. Wear a watch to keep the time and help pace yourself through each section of the exam.

Take the ACT several times if needed. If you take the ACT and are not satisfied with your score, you can retake the exam and choose the scores you want to submit to colleges that you apply to.

Good luck and try your best!