Study – VidyaVijayam

Category: Study

May 26, 2021

How to teach & Encourage children to write

As parents, caregivers, educators and moreover as literates we all want our little kids to learn and develop the skills which will help them grow up in a proper way. However, most of us don’t necessarily think of how to develop those skills or at what age we should start encouraging our children to learn how to write.

As far as we know, 21st century’s kids always possess an excitement to learn new things and writing is obviously one of them. So, how are we supposed to teach our toddlers to read and write letters followed by sentences, so that next time, when we take our kids to park, they can see and interpret the words on the welcome board at the entrance, instead of asking “What does that say?”.

Tips on how to teach children to write

Loads of factors involve behind how to teach children to write such as, the ease with which they can hold a pencil or crayon, their enthusiasm to draw or write something etc. At the same time, we should keep this in our mind that, not all kids will learn to write in the same manner and it would need a lot of patience as well. But, when taught in an organized manner, teaching how to write could be fun.

As mentioned earlier, teaching your children to write is not an easy task. It entails lot more rather than just placing a pencil or crayon in their hand and keeping some images in front of them. They need to practice a lot and the good thing is charity always begins at home.

Step 1: Building dexterity and muscles

The first thing parents can do to help their children is to develop stronger hand muscle which will help to hold a pencil properly. This can be done by encouraging them to draw and write as much as they can.

Step 2: Encourage a good grip

Parents can help their children to have a better grip by giving small crayons or pencils in their hands as those will be easy to hold. Place the pencil between the index finger and thumb while resting on the middle finger, this will help the posture.

Step 3: Encouraging them to maintain proper posture

Children might face some difficulties while writing especially if they cannot hold the paper and pencil properly at the same time. That is why keeping our children in proper posture is very important so that they can extend their wrist and support the pencil properly while writing.

Once they are comfortable to hold a pencil and paper, we can start giving them directions in order to learn writing. Normally, children’s first attempts at writing will be in their preschool years. This is the time when they expand their vocabulary and begin to understand that letters, numbers, and symbols all have meaning. They also start noticing people in their life writing and naturally want to mimic what they see. During this stage, parents will find their young one drawing zigzags and trying to write.

Tips to master the art

During the preschool age, we may find our children as an enthusiastic artist, wanting to draw random figures everywhere. But in order to teach them how to write takes a lot more than just random shapes. Pro tips on How to teach children to write are given below to make our child master the art. Take a look at them:

Parents shouldn’t directly ask them to write alphabets or letters. Initially, we should draw some simple lines and figures and ask them to copy it.
Provide them a comfortable space that will allow them to draw or write freely.
Toddlers should be encouraged to write on dry erase boards, Magna doodle or chalkboard which will allow erase and rewrite at the same place several times.
Allow them to move their pencil or chalks or crayons at their own pace.
Sometimes usage of letter tiles, fridge magnets or alphabet blocks will help them draw figures or shapes more conveniently.
We should always bear it in mind that the process of teaching them how to write should be fun and relaxing. Parents shouldn’t expect perfection from their kids just at the beginning.
Writing alphabets could be a difficult task if there is no proper guidance. Getting them to write the alphabets shouldn’t be that tough, if, we start with the uppercase letters first and then switch to lowercase letters. Therefore, there won’t be any confusion between, ‘p’, ‘q’, ‘l’, ‘i’ etc.
Writing numbers has its own sort of difficulties and confusions. Parents should hold their hands at the preliminary stage and revolve or spin according to different letters with their kids. Letters can be explained using basic shapes such as two half circles in case of letter 3 or two small circles in case of letter 8 etc.
Climbing, pushing, pulling, digging, hanging, swinging these kinds of activities will also help in developing strength, coordination and self- regulation skills that will help for reading and writing. Moreover, reading books together, going to any public library weekly once if possible, will have a direct impact in their minds to build up the enthusiasm in order to learn new things on a daily basis.

Above all, as long as children are not getting proper time and attention from their parents, the learning process might get delayed or might go in vain as well. Therefore, keeping that one thing in mind, the parents of our generation can decide or at least give a direction to their little toddlers to dream, choose and pursue their own future.

Any skill can be inculcated by a child only when the parent nurtures the kid in the right way. Kids are sensitive, so it is the duty of parents to encourage them in all steps of their learning journey. Each child is different from others, do not compare the progress of your child with others and get disappointed at any stage. Make sure you do your part in teaching your child following the tips mentioned above and you will definitely see the result at the earliest.

There are also numerous websites online that will help the child learn alphabets in an interactive manner. You can also refer to the list of strategies article to understand how to improve the reading ability in kids.

We hope you are satisfied with this article on How to teach children to write and if you have any doubts concerning how to teach children to write, feel free to drop a comment in the comment section below.

Study

May 20, 2021

Improve Your Memory

Your memory is your best ally during exam preparations. Improving it and allowing it to come to your aid during the exam requires a strategy. Here are some ways that improve your memory which could be customized to your study plans.

Learn by Chunking

Chunking or breaking your syllabus into smaller portions help you absorb the information better. It prevents information overload and better retention. For example, it would be easy to hold a telephone number in memory when it’s broken or chunked into three or four groups. It would be helpful in memorizing various math formulas by breaking them into smaller chunks and learning them part by part instead of trying to memorize them wholly.

Use Mnemonics

It is easier to recall information if you assimilate it through the use of acronyms or by creating narrative patterns that help you associate with the information learned.

Acronyms: These include the first letter of the important points collectively remembered in the form of words. One example of this would be remembering the rainbow colors as the mnemonic word VIBGYOR.

Narration Pattern: This would involve creating a story where the important facts in the form of words to be remembered are included in the story. This would involve remembering words in the form of a poetic pattern like a cat met a dog.

Practice Testing

One of the easiest ways to keep one’s memory running is to retrieve information regularly by practice. This could be achieved by making flash cards for continuous testing as this is one of the most effective methods in the memory recall. This will help in strengthening the neurons that stores information and it will also help in a faster recall. The added benefit of this practice testing is to help one identify their strengths and weaknesses and channelize their efforts where one is lagging..

Sleep Well and Eat Well

During exam time, it is important to be well-rested and not pull all-nighters. A well-rested mind and body are necessary for easy memory recall. Also, eating brain foods like walnuts, almonds and ensuring that you consume nutritious meals and snacks is necessary to prevent fatigue and tiredness. Healthy meals and good sleep go a long way in boosting your memory and help you learn more effectively.

Get Some Exercise

Exercise improves cognitive performance and makes you more alert. Squeezing in 10 minutes of walk or a quick tennis match are some ways to de-stress and boost your memory. It helps in enhancing your focus, improves mood and heightens concentration levels. Practice these strategies and watch your memory take you places.

Study

May 19, 2021

20 Inspirational Quotes to Study Hard, Feel Motivated

Inspirational quotes to study hard – Ups and Downs are part of any endeavor we take up be it life or study. Sometimes in a long journey we get tired, demotivated but this does not mean we need to give up our goal or target.

In a long drawn journey like getting through a competitive exam to get into a desired college or to get the desired job, students have to continuously make effort throughout a year or 2 to achieve success in the exams. Keeping motivation high for such long preparation time is tough and every one of us feel low and sometime contemplate on giving up.

In Such scenarios what we require are some lines of motivation. Some assurance that the path we have chosen is worth the hardship we are going through. A few inspirational quotes can do wonder and bring us back to our target. So, we have compiled some great quotes to keep you motivated towards your goal because we know it’s not easy.

Inspirational quotes to study hard

1. – “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pelé

Quoting this Pelé means that one’s success depends on factors such as hard work, perseverance, studying, learning, sacrificing and doing what one loves. Thus, studying hard will help in the success of an individual.

2. – “Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.” – Don Marquis

Perfectly quoted by the famous journalist Don Marquis means that if you procrastinate a task, you won’t be moving on and living yesterday. Thus, students must not procrastinate a task and move forward to study today itself.

3. – “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” – Stephen King

Famous American author, Stephen King, quoted the above statement to describe the importance of hard work in an individual’s success. He wants to convey that every person is talented, however, a successful person additionally has the hard work associated with the success.

4. – “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”– Benjamin Franklin

Famous scientist Benjamin Franklin, with the quote, had conveyed the importance of knowledge in one’s life. His quote intends that every person who studies hard and acquires knowledge is investing in the best available asset.

5. – “Ninety-nine per cent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” – George Washington Carver

American scientist, George Washington Carver indicates with the quote above that a person making a lame excuse for inefficiency is the reason for his failure. Thus, one must work hard to get the desired success in life

6. – “We cannot become what we need by remaining what we are.” – John Maxwell

American author, John Calvin Maxwell, quoted the above statement to convey the importance of learning. He expressed his belief that one can only succeed in life if he/she is constantly learning.

7. – “I don’t love studying. I hate studying. I like learning. Learning is beautiful.” – Natalie Portman

Actress Natalie Portman, with the above statement, means ditch studying and focus on learning. One who learns something tends to have its greater value in life. Thus, learn to succeed in life

8. – “Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” – Gail Devers

Track and field athlete, Gail Devers, indicates through her statement the importance of hard work, determination as well as dedication. She states that achieving everything desired is a matter of belief. Thus, one must work hard and keep their dream alive.

9. – “I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it should get you pretty near.” – Margaret Thatcher

United Kingdom’s former prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, with her above statement wants to convey that hard work is the recipe to succeed in life. She also states that if the hard work done by you does not get you the desired result, then you will surely come near to the same.

10. – “Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it.” – Stephen Hawking

Famous scientist, Stephen Hawking, indicates the importance of work to have a purposeful life. With the statement, he intends to convey that if you don’t work, there is no purpose and meaning of life.

11. – “Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets.” – Leonardo da Vinci

An Italian polymath, Leonardo da Vinci, states the importance of learning through his quote above. He has tried to convey that learning is a limitless, fearless, and a satisfying thing. Thus, one can pursue learning without fear and to get a limitless satisfaction.

12. – “If people knew how hard I worked to achieve my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.” – Michelangelo

Statement of the Italian sculptor and painter, Michelangelo has been perfectly quoted above for the ones who don’t understand what hard work can make him/ her achieve in life. He states that nobody would have liked what he does if they knew the hard work lying behind his mastery.

13. – “That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

American Essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson conveys that a thing becomes easier when we work hard to get the power to do the same. With increased power, goals can be achieved easily.

14. – “The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day you stop making any excuses, that’s the day you start to the top.” – O.J. Simpson

Similar to George Washington Carver, O.J. Simpson has also conveyed that excuses are the key factor leading to failure. Additionally, he recommends taking complete responsibility to succeed in life.

15. – “Winners embrace hard work. They love the discipline of it, the trade-off they’re making to win. Losers, on the other hand, see it as punishment. And that’s the difference.” – Lou Holtz

Former American footballer, Lou Holtz, indicates with the above statement that every winner is made with a significant amount of hard work. Unlike losers, winners have the quality to look at the hard work in an optimistic way, which makes them work harder

16. – “Successful people begin where failures leave off. Never settle for ‘just getting the job done.’ Excel!” – Tom Hopkins

Writer Tom Hopkins suggests with his statement above that one should never get satisfied after only getting the job done, rather excel in a particular area. He also conveys that all the successful people have failed in one way or the other, and an individual must not stop after failing as success comes after failure

17. – “No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” – Atwood H. Townsend

Famous author, Atwood H. Townsend indicates the importance of reading irrespective of how much occupied one is with work. He also states that one who doesn’t read must forget about the success and should blame his/ her ignorance after a failure.

18. – “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi has also emphasised on the importance of learning. He conveys with his statement to learn every possible thing one can as if he/she has to live forever.

19. – “The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Work is the key to success, and hard work can help you accomplish anything.” – Vince Lombardi

American football coach Vince Lombardi, in his statement, said that success cannot come before work. He indicates that one must do the hard work if he/she Desires to accomplish the goals in life, also, success can only be achieved via working hard

20. – “Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” – Albert Einstein

Great scientist Albert Einstein states that learning is a lifelong process and not just a thing taught in school. Thus, people in every phase of their life must acquire knowledge.

Nobody is lucky enough to fool the world and become successful without hard work. Path to become successful is studying hard. Thus, read the inspirational quotes to study hard mentioned above and get motivated to achieve the upcoming success.