How can I get my child to read? This is probably the most frequent question an English teacher gets asked. Actually, it is usually ‘How can I get my son to read?’ That’s because it is usually, though not exclusively, a ‘boy problem’. So, what can you do? The golden question. There are lots […]
7 Tips for Reluctant Readers Read More »
November 2018 marks the centenary of World War 1. In the 100 years since that terrible conflict that took the lives of millions, thousands of books, newspaper articles and films have been written. From the haunting poetry of Sassoon, Owen, Brooke and a score of others to the recent film ‘Warhorse’ by Michael Morpurgo, WW1
5 Ways That WW1 Still Influences Us Read More »
One hundred years ago, on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, four years of some of the most destructive fighting the world had ever seen finally came to an end. Every year, on 11th November, countries in Europe remember the signing of The Armistice which denoted the end of World
World War One: A Hundred Years On Read More »
I love Halloween, because it happens at my favourite time of the year and falls 3 days after my birthday. It is Autumn, I can close the curtains, light the fire and light the candles. Shops, towns, villages & homes all turn orange and black, filled with pumpkins, gourds, witches hats and Halloween themed chocolates.
6 Spooky Teen Reads For Halloween Read More »
‘Early evening, April four Shot rings out in the Memphis sky Free at last, they took your life They could not take your pride. As a teenager I remember when I first heard these lyrics from U2’s song ‘Pride in the name of love’. It was September 1984. Intrigued about ‘who’ was shot (these
Black History Month 2018 Read More »
Spelling practice is probably one of the homework tasks that both parents and children dread. However, whether your child is trying to learn a list for a test or practising new rules or key words, there are lots of ways to make the process less of a chore. The key to remembering anything new is
Blackhen’s Pick of Children’s Dictionaries I still get excited about preparing for the new academic year; something that has been with me since being a child. I always got very excited about buying my new school bag, pencil case and all the things that went in it. When my own children were young, I used
Top 5 Dictionaries for Children Read More »
I’m sitting in our living room with the shutters closed and the fan on, as we swelter away in 38 degrees or more. This summer has been one of the hottest I can remember since moving to France in September 2007. It is also turning out to be one of our busiest summers too. Not
Summer Holidays – Part 1 Read More »
Usually I would be sharing a blog post about reading skills, writing skills or English grammar, but this month is an exception. I don’t usually write about personal stuff on the blog, but this month definitely warranted it. As some of you already know, June has been a very trying month for us. On the
Flaming June…or should I say ‘flooding’ June? Read More »
“Photography is the beauty of life captured,” Tara Chisholm. Photographic images are a wonderful way to make spelling, reading and writing fun. Whether you take some photographs yourself or with your child, or use existing ones, there are a wealth of opportunities to make learning engaging and exciting. Using a camera It really doesn’t matter
Fun with photographs Read More »