Ash Tutors' Blog

Why We Should Encourage the Next Generation of Coders   Is coding still a 'thing' in schools?   If you're anything like me, you'll probably be wondering what on earth coding is and why it seems to be so important in children's schooling nowadays?! Only the other day I saw a t-shirt advertised on Instagram (I know, right?! I'm well down with the kids!) and the slogan emblazoned on it read "Code Like A Girl." I'll be honest, after seeing the t-shirt I felt like I needed to perhaps pay a little more attention to what coding actually is and why it seems to be a 'thing' now, all of a sudden! Now you lucky people get to read the condensed...888

Boost Your Teaching Income...      Tutoring is a beneficial way of making some extra dosh when we've been subject to so many pay freezes it's like the ice age and is an incredibly rewarding way to supplement your income.  Okay, you're here because you've clicked the title of this article and it's intrigued you, am I right? You've probably just broken up for the Christmas holidays and are already wondering how you're going to pay off that pesky credit card bill that you know you used probably a little too frivolously when it came to ordering everyone's Christmas presents online (because, as teachers, we all know we never ha...888

Revision Timetable: How To Create A Totally Awesome Exam Revision Planner!     (From a GCSE English teacher) Revision Timetable Tricks of the Trade ​  Okay, so you're here because you're trying to revise for an exam, aren't you? Or, maybe you're the parent of a teenager trying to revise and you're at your wits end with it all?! Do not fear! Fret no more! I am here to help you create a totally awesome, free (and very effective) revision timetable that won't stress either of you out!  Now, I'll let you into a secret: revision is not all about spending every waking minute pouring over endless books on each of your G...888

9 Best Handwriting Tips! Handwriting Improvement For Kids ​If you're a parent who winces every time you look through your child's written work, then fear not! I have here the definitive guide for handwriting improvement for kids (and adults too!). Based on 20 years teaching kids how to practise and improve their handwriting, I noticed several common factors that can be fairly easily addressed. So whatever your child's handwriting style, grab my free infographic, jump straight into the handwriting practice and watch carefully which mistakes they are making. With a few tweaks and a guiding hand (no pun intended) your child can have better ...888

10 reasons to hire a private tutor for your child    Why hire a private tutor for your child? Here are 10 good reasons: The demand for private tuition is increasing, due mainly to the popularity of hiring a private tutor with parents who want to give their child extra support or prepare them for oncoming examinations. In no particular order, here are 10 reasons to hire a private tutor for your child. 1. C onfidence building Some children lack confidence in school and as a result, they can fall behind and find themselves struggling academically. Hiring a private tutor can build a child's confidence in next to no time and guide t...888

The importance of learning homophones What are homophones? Homophones are those confusing little words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings and usually different spellings. While there are literally hundreds of homophones in the English language, below are 10 common examples. Once you've grasped the importance of learning homophones, you'll be a better reader and writer. You can see from some of the examples that some do have the same spelling but a completely different meaning! Homophones are without a doubt the reason why so many of us misspell words on a daily basis. I would personally say that to, too and two are the ho...888

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  Homeschooling is on the increase While there are no exact figures, it is estimated that there are around 75,000 home-schooled children in the UK and this figure is increasing every year. One of the reasons why the figures are estimated is because children who never start school are not likely to be reflected in the statistics. Even more surprising, is that although taking children out of school for holidays is illegal, despite having an otherwise good attendance, and despite the possible educational content that travel allows, it is perfectly legal to remove your child from school and teach them at home, without any teaching qualificat...888

Help Your Child To Learn Weekly Spellings   Does your child have weekly spellings to learn? Chances are high that if they're still at primary school they will. And is it a source of great joy, or of great pain? :) If your heart sinks at the very thought of helping your child learn their weekly spellings, we have put together some fun games for you both. These will help support your child at home when they have spellings to learn. It's important to make spelling practice enjoyable and remember "little and often" is usually the best approach, that goes for kids struggling with spellings or those who pick them up quickly. While we wholehear...888

 3 fun and easy science experiments to do at home

 

Here are 3 very easy, safe and fun science experiments that you can do with children at home. No special equipment is needed and most of the things needed you will already have at home.

 

1. Make your own crystals

Probably everyone's favourite experiment and there are many variations on growing crystals at home but this one uses plain table salt and is probably the quickest and easiest.

What you'll need

Table salt - sodium chloride
300 ml tap water
Clean glass jam jar
Piece of string

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Teach Your Child How To Tell The Time 

 

Teaching children to tell the time has always been considered to be a bit tricky. True, it is not the easiest skill to teach, but it is by far one of the most rewarding.

 

Why is it so hard learning how to tell the time?

We spend years teaching kids about our number system based on '10'. Everything from 'Place Value' to 'metric measurements' follow the reassuringly logical premise that things come in 10s, 100s and 1000s and so on.

 

Then we suddenly throw in a system based on 5s, 12s, 24s and 60s! Where's the logic in that?

No wonder they get confused. In addition, we use various methods for saying the same time, we use Roman numerals, digital clocks, and sometimes don't even have digits at all. The whole thing is a mess!

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Short story ideas and writing prompts

 

Is your child often stuck for words and in need of some ideas? Sometimes it’s really difficult to start writing when you are faced with just a blank page.

Writing prompts are a great way to get the creative juices flowing again and even if they spend only 5 or 10 minutes on a prompt, it's often enough to divert their attention and get them back to working on their original piece again.

If they are using writing prompts, don't be too bothered about the direction in which they are heading or if what they have written is good or not. The whole idea is to get into the flow of creative writing.

Here are 5 writing prompts to stretch their imagination and help them put pencil to paper and write every day!

 

(These can be 'adjusted' depending on the child's age!)

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Teach Your Child How To Improve Their Handwriting

 

Banish That Poor Handwriting Scrawl For Good!

 

So, dear reader, you’re pushed for time - I can see that. So either scroll down a bit for the article,

or download it for later.

What’s your preference for ‘consuming’ content? Do you want to get a beautiful infographic / poster for your child’s bedroom wall?

Download '9 Handwriting best practices' Infographic

 

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Teach Your Child To Read At Home
-A Parents’ Guide

 

These practices will improve reading comprehension, phonics acquisition, spelling and ultimately the whole quality of their writing and general language work. Read on for a parents' guide to getting the most out of reading with their child...

 

 

 

You can download the gorgeous infographic version here! Totally FREE! It makes a great A4 wall poster - handy for busy parents to glance at during your reading sessions with your child! Just click the link below.

Click Here to Download Now

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How To Help Your Primary Child Do Better in Tests!

 

 

Is your child tested at Primary School?
 Of course they are! 

Want to help them get better results?

Of course you do!
 Then read on...

 

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11 Ways Your Child Can Master Phonics This Term

1. Free Printable Phonics Books

Via themeasuredmom.com
 

2. 26 Alphabet and Phonics Apps

Via imaginationsoup.net

A comprehensive review of phonics and spelling apps from teacher and mum, Melissa. The benefits of multi-media can’t be ignored.

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The most effective spelling, reading, phonics software available?

 

Literacy Resources

Like many teachers, I've used the various available resources over the years that aim to help children learn, practise and retain the information that will help them to become more fluent readers, more accurate spellers and more effective writers.

Many of them have helped to some degree, but few of them have been a 'go-to' resource for almost every ability level, and every learning style - that is, until I discovered Nessy.

Nessy Learning Programme

There's little argument that in the majority of cases children who struggle to learn spellings, struggle to read fluently and struggle to write effectively all benefit from a structured approach to teaching these areas.

However, we all know and understand that English has an unfortunate habit of resisting hard and fast 'rules'. Just when you think you've found one, along comes a whole raft of exceptions.

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Teach Your Child How To learn The Times-Tables

 

Times-tables Struggles?

Is your child struggling to learn their multiplication tables? Is it a school target for them?

We’ll show you what to do!

First of all – here’s what usually WON’T work:

1. Hoping they’ll just pick it up as they go along.

Schools have so many other things to be getting on with, time spent reciting tables can easily get pushed to one side.

2. Playing Times-Tables computer games / iPad apps.

These are marvelous for practising tables they’ve already learned! Unfortunately though, not for learning them in the first instance.

There is, however, one time-honoured, CAST-IRON method of learning them, that’ll work for the majority of children to varying degrees. It doesn’t require unusual resources, it isn’t expensive, and it doesn’t need much planning. It is simply…

 

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The POWER of Routine in the education of your child

 

 

'Routine’ is a much-maligned method of organising:

‘Same old routine…daily grind…’

But as most successful people will know – a routine is the cornerstone of your building; the glue that holds your life together; one of the pillars keeping you vertical.

 

'The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.' Mike Murdock

How many of us use a diary to keep things in order? Or a calendar? How many have one of those enviable memories that can hold long lists of dates, appointments, and tasks? (I confess, I’m not one of the latter!)

I expect most of you make use of one or all of these methods. You do this because you are organised, you are successful and you know the power of routine.

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Is your child hurtling down a slippery slope?

 

Imagine this:

On a daily basis, you feel you don’t measure up to your peers.

Every report, letter, project or whatever it is you do that requires confirmation from your boss, returns to you smothered in amendments.

You find meetings stressful and have learned to stay quiet for fear of being rebuked or your ideas rubbished.

This is the embarrassment of failure

It’s a downward spiral that becomes increasingly difficult to return from. There are children in every class who face this daily onslaught to their self-esteem. It doesn’t take many years for them to develop such a loathing of a subject that an almost impenetrable brick wall is built preventing further learning development.

There is hope!

While I’ve painted a desperate picture, and there’s little doubt children like this exist, the majority who encounter such difficulties are not yet beyond rescue. But you have to move quickly. Start while they are still young. Don’t wait until your child has several years of this miserable school existence under their belts. As soon as you suspect, or are told by their teacher that trouble is brewing, act now before it’s too late. Don't leave your child hurtling down that slippery slope!

 

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