Thanks for the explanation and the link, Ansuya. Not for my three year old, but the website does have some good explanations for my questions as I learn phonics. The flashcards were meant for older kids, but I could only find those here. Having introduced them to DS, I had no answer as to why "Y" is a vowel. Yes, I dont think DS can understand this explanation at this stage. I probably will just hide this particular card for now
That exactly is the reason why I posted it here - a few of us were discussing and this is the general acceptance and it was hard to come up with words. I at this point believe that my son should just have fun and let his imagination run wild with words. But some teachers at 1st and 2nd grade levels prefer to teach it this way. Ansuya, thanks for the link and also for answering my question.
Ansuya, here's a video I came across - it is beautiful and I like the way they have used the word 'validation'. We all need it. Hope all of you enjoy it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbk980jV7Ao[FONT=Lucida Handwriting, Cursive] [/FONT]
Srama, thank you for finding and sharing such a lovely little film with us. I think it's perfect for this thread. It's enjoyable, entertaining, heartwarming, and it uses as its central conceit a clever play on the word "validation". I'm all for learning that happens on so many levels, especially the moral.
Hello Ansuya, Extremely sorry for the late reply, as I was busy with my 10 months old kid I couldn't able to reply immediately. Thank you very much for clarifying my doubts and also for the link.
So, the snow's all gone and it actually went up to 18 degrees Celsius yesterday! Of course, the first Spring-ish day is much like Mardi Gras for cabin-fevered, winter-weary Iowans - joyous frolicking in the sunshine becomes mandatory. My baby and I went to the park, which made me think, while I was pushing her stroller, of our word "pram". This is what we say for "stroller" in South Africa, and I'm pretty sure it's what you all say in India too. The funny thing is, "pram" is an abbreviation of "perambulator", but it's now a real word in its own right. Except, of course, here in the US P.S. If you had told my previously South African self that I would be prancing about outside in 18C weather, I'd have scoffed at the idea, to your face, and then scurried off to put on a sweater at the mere thought. P.P.S. Except my previously South African self would have said "jersey", not "sweater".
Oh my gosh (my son says I am not supposed to say "Oh my God") I had forgotten the words "pram" and "jeresy". Now I hear parents asking the kids to get their "coats" for their winter jackets!! These words also reminded me of the word "creche". Good old days, now it is all trying to understand other words in the same language. Did I also speak about a friend who did not understand "deaf and dumb" because the commomn usage is "deaf and mute" and the same friend wondered about why the word "dumb" is mostly used in association with women!!! - I hope I have not repeated this, if so my apologies! That is so funny, just imagining a person in the act!! I have family visiting from India very soon and I am keeping the jackets out for them, precisely for the same reason Ansuya, am so glad you also have some good weather finally!! I am itching to walk and play with kids but they just seem to be happy playing by themselves while I work the yard.
Ansuya, today being St.Patricks day and having helped my son build a leprechaun trap, I think it is nice to take a peek at the word. Leprechaun While reading about this word, I learnt the new word "cluricauns". Also I am taking the liberty of posting the trap he built here!
Srama, you said it. And it's getting harder to keep it all straight in my head as I get older! This is probably why I'm still stubbornly sticking to my Celsius measurements instead of converting to Fahrenheit... Thank you for a very topical word discussion in "leprechaun", and the new "cluricaun". I think the leprechaun trap is absolutely charming - thank you to your son for sharing his St Patrick's Day celebrations with us, and to all our defrosting friends in the colder states, enjoy the great weather
It's been a while since I posted here, though I have been following this thread closely. I watched a documentary on the history of Irish in America last night and found some words I'd like to share. The first is 'Limerick'. A limerick is usually a 5-line nonsensical and humorous poem with a strict rhyme scheme (aabba). This word is said to have it's origins from a city of the same name in Ireland. Early limericks were often obscene, later they became humorous. Though no one knows when limericks originated, they were popularized in English by Edward Lear in the 19th century. They usually start with the lines "There was a..." Here's an example of a limerick: There once was a young man from Kew Who found a dead mouse in his stew. Said the waiter, “Don't shout Or wave it about, Or the rest will be wanting one too!” I loved reading limericks as a child. I think it's a nice way to get a child to attempt writing poetry. Children have such wild imaginations and they can make rhyming word connections that we adults can't think of! One of my favorite poems as a child was The Mad Gardener's Song by Lewis Carroll. I wonder if it can be considered a collection of limericks, it has an abcbdb rhyme scheme. Or do all limericks have an aabba rhyme scheme only? Next is an idiom, luck of the Irish. This idiom is said to have originated in the US. When the Irish emigrated by the thousands to America in the 18th and 19th centuries, they were treated very badly by the Americans and had to work very hard to earn their livelihood. Things changed in the late 19th century when the Irish struck gold and silver in California. Ironically, this prosperity was attributed totally to luck and not to the hard work of the Irish people. It was called 'luck of the Irish'. It can mean extraordinarily good fortune. An example of this idiom in a sentence: John has just returned from a month-long vacation. He needs the luck of the Irish to clear this exam! She won the million-dollar lottery. She must have the luck of the Irish! I came across this fun quiz on nationality words in idioms while researching: Nationality words in Idioms My score is 8/10. Try it out!
