The big challenge for teachers is not simply getting students to read – it’s getting them to enjoy it too.
Children don’t find reading as pleasurable if there is too much pressure on them, so a relaxed atmosphere and a positive ethos around reading is really important. AMIS’ school started referring to Reading and Writing Week as the escape from Weekly Concept, Grammar and Spelling lessons, and Arabic and English quizzes.
This week was a special week for the Arabic and English Departments .No classwork, no homework assignments, no spelling quizzes … not even a new weekly concept … This week is a Reading and Writing Week!!!!! All of the AMIS’ staff planned for the Reading and Writing Week. The Arabic and English Departments stopped all their lessons, and focused on how they could entertain, enjoy and change the AMIS’ (Dafna) atmosphere from daily routine lessons into creative, loving, challenging, and bonding activities between our lovely young learners and AMIS’ educators.
Teachers decorated the doors themed as “book cover”. They prepared lots of activities that are related to this special week: visiting the library, watch documentaries, read for KGS’ section, write about character day ….going to the trip “ Al Maktabah” and “ Jarrir Bookstore” to buy some books. The library was busy from 7: 30 A.M. until 1:35P.M.
From 7th till 11th of October, the Arabic teachers gave their students a good talk about reading. They WENT a visit to the library, and were told that through reading they can get to escape reality into another world of knowledge, dreams, love and imagination …. The students read stories, wrote paragraphs, and made cards about short stories .The Arabic Department asked students to prepare powerpoint presentations about the importance of reading, and how it may positively affect their lives.
While in the English department, learners and educators enjoyed Show and Tell. First and second graders spoke clearly, described people from pictures, toys and locations. Third Graders read recipes , wrote ingredients, and applied the steps of making a fruit salad. Students loved the salad and shared the tastes in class. In addition, students enjoyed making their own passports by inserting their personal information. Fourth, fifth and sixth graders enjoyed listening to songs, and filled in the blanks of the lyrics.
Educators in the English Department used short documentary films in a meaningful and compelling way for our young AMIS’ students to write some notes related to the short films. Fifth graders played games and went back to the past when they were 5 years old ….. Our elementary learners loved books to come to life especially for the little kg’s section. That is why fourth, fifth and sixth graders read for the KGS’ section, and explored the good moments with the little students.
5th and 6th graders wrote stories : “ The Lazy Town , made by Kamla ,” It Came from the Beneath the Sink “ made by Nayla , the Portal written by Emran, Raghad 5 B “The Magic Words” ,and they published their own stories . We are proud to have little writers in AMIS’ Dafna Branch.
