Posted 19 November 2010
NEW ENGLISH PHONICS TEST FOR TEACHERS - IT’S ABOUT TIME!
COURSES IN THE UK AND HARLOW 'TWO FOR ONE'
COURSES IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ZIMBABWE IN 2011
SOUTH AFRICA AND NAMIBIA PROMOTIONAL OFFERS
NEWS BOARD CLIPS
27 Oct: Comics, Phonics and Literacy
22 Oct: Handwriting & Spelling Skills
10 Sep: SAPA Conference Cape Town
07 Sep: THRASS Parents' Evening
NEW ENGLISH PHONICS TEST FOR TEACHERS - IT’S ABOUT TIME!
Following the widespread success of the Phoneme Machine (www.phonememachine.com) and the Sound It Out (www.thrass.co.uk/sio.htm) programmes, currently used in thousands of schools, there are soon to be two new additions to the phonics software offered by THRASS UK. The English Phonics Test (EPT) app and the associated English Phonics Test - Learner User Guide (EPT:LUG) app are at the pre-release stage for use on iPad and android tablets. A, B, C, D, E, F, G or H? What will be your EPT grade? Please contact us if you would like details and release information about these two exciting new apps. The LUG is already complete and will be available, in advance of the app version, as a pdf and PowerPoint.
Many adults and children, both native speakers and those learning English as an additional language, have difficulty reading English because they do not fully understand the 44 sounds and 120 key spelling choices..... Further details are on www.thrass.co.uk/ept.htm
COURSES IN THE UK AND HARLOW 'TWO FOR ONE' FOR INTER/NATIONAL DELEGATES - FOR THE SIXTH YEAR!
We are pleased to announce that the special offer ‘Two-for-the-price-of-One’ accredited certificate courses, held in Harlow, Essex, England, will be available again for 2011. This is now the sixth year that these courses have been organised, so as to cater for UK colleagues (wanting to take advantage of this special price) and international delegates who wish to attend the course in the UK. The venue is close to the London airports, including Stansted.
Harlow, Essex, 5-6 January 2011
There are still a few places available for the course at the Harlow Professional Development Centre, on 5-6 January 2011. Two delegates attend for the normal fee paid for one person, that is, £200 plus Vat. Included in the fee is one copy of the 100-page A3 essential teaching guide (TEACHING THRASS), one copy of the 80-page four-year Scheme of Work ("15 Minutes a Day") and four desk-size charts for each pair of delegates. The refreshments, and buffet lunches, plus the parchment Certificate are also included for both delegates.
Please contact me if you would like further information and an application form for the above course or the next course at Harlow (to be held in June 2011).
Other UK courses for early 2011:
5-6 Jan 11: Harlow, Essex (C) Special offer ‘Two-for-the-price-of-One’ Certificate Course
March 11 (date tbc): Hampshire, Sound It Out Course
April 11 (date tbc): Lincoln, Sound It Out Course
26 April 11: Luton (F) One-Day Foundation Course
May 11 (date tbc): North Yorkshire, Sound It Out Course
23-24 June 11: Harlow, Essex (C) Special offer ‘Two-for-the-price-of-One’ Certificate Course
COURSES IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ZIMBABWE IN 2011
Firstly, there are still a few places available for the THRASS Two-Day Accredited Certificate Course being held at Wits next week (Friday 12 and Saturday 13 November). Please contact Marion Joseph 011 486 1256 or email MarionJ@naptosa.org.za if you would like to register for the course.
With the end of the academic year 2010 in sight, we thought it would be helpful to keep you informed of the THRASS courses that are open to educators and parents in Southern Africa in early 2011. As well as the ongoing training for University students across South Africa as part of the THRASS Absa TalkTogether Project, the following courses are open to visiting participants.
28-29 January: Joburg, Gauteng
THRASS Two-Day Accredited Certificate Course hosted by NAPTOSA at The University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown Campus, St. Andrews Road. All course enquiries to Marion Joseph 011 486 1256 or email MarionJ@naptosa.org.za
31 January-1 February; Harare, Zimbabwe
THRASS Two-Day Accredited Certificate Course in Harare. All course enquiries to Eliada Gudza at World Links +263 912 239534 or email eliada@world-links-sar.co.zw
7-8 February; Durban, KZN
THRASS Two-Day Accredited Certificate Course hosted by NAPTOSA at their HQ in Durban. All course enquiries to Anne Pillay 031 563 1966 or email annep@naptosa.org.za
7 March; Durban, KZN
THRASS Follow-Up Course for Accredited certificate holders, hosted by NAPTOSA at their HQ in Durban. All course enquiries to Anne Pillay 031 563 1966 or email annep@naptosa.org.za
8-9 March; Pietermaritzburg, KZN
THRASS Two-Day Accredited Certificate Course hosted by NAPTOSA at a venue to be confirmed in Pietermaritzburg. All course enquiries to Anne Pillay 031 563 1966 or email annep@naptosa.org.za
10-11 June: Joburg, Gauteng
THRASS Two-Day Accredited Certificate Course hosted by NAPTOSA at The University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown Campus, St. Andrews Road. All course enquiries to Marion Joseph 011 486 1256 or email MarionJ@naptosa.org.za
2011
28-29 Jan 11: Joburg (C) NAPTOSA
29-30 Jan 11: Sedibeng West (C)
31 Jan-1 Feb 11: Cape Town, W Cape (C)*
31 Jan-1 Feb 11: Harare, Zimbabwe (Cp1)
3-4 Feb 11: Venue tbc, Zimbabwe (Cp1)
3-4 Feb 11: Durban, KZN (C)*
7-8 Feb 11: Durban (C) NAPTOSA
10-11 Feb 11: Pretoria, Gauteng (C)*
7 March 11: Durban, KZN (F15) NAPTOSA
8-9 March 11: PMB (C) NAPTOSA
10-11 March 11: PMB, KZN (C)*
8-9 June 11: Joburg, Gauteng (C)*
10-11 June 11: Joburg (C) NAPTOSA
13-14 June 11: Joburg, Gauteng (C)*
Key
C = Two-Day Certificate Course
C* = Absa TalkTogether Project
Cp1 = Accredited Certificate Part 1
Cp2 = Accredited Certificate Part 2
F15 = Follow-Up based on ‘15 Mins’
K = SAL Taster Workshop for Kids
MAL = Move-A-Long with Sing-A-Long
OD = Open Day
P = Presentation
SOUTH AFRICA AND NAMIBIA PROMOTIONAL OFFERS
PWS are offering a 10% discount on all THRASS orders placed before the end of 2010, excluding the Sound It Out Workbooks which are on a separate promo.
While stocks last, the S-25 SOUND IT OUT WORKBOOK will be offered at the S-26 bulk price of R25.50 per book inc VAT, this is a massive 25% saving on the regular pricing (R34.00)
Please contact Catherine Brown for SIO workbooks and THRASS orders using email cbrown@pws.co.za or telephone 012 523 1035.
NEWS BOARD CLIPS (http://www.thrass.co.uk/newsboardindex.htm)
27 Oct: Comics, Phonics and Literacy
Letters - Published in The TES on 20 August, 2010 - By: Ruth Jones, Times Educational Supplement website, London
Michael Shaw should be applauded for redressing the imbalance given to Miriam Gross' Centre for Policy Studies booklet by the press. Most teachers are hard-working and sensible, including in teaching phonics - this is not reflected in Ms Gross's booklet.
On a related note, politicians continue to ignore the fact that most children spend a good deal of their reading time at home - with their parents. The only person who seems to be addressing the fact that parents need to be taught about the building blocks of English is Alan Davies, with his downloadable Sound It Out software.
22 Oct: Handwriting & Spelling Skills
Published in The North Coast Courier, Duban, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa on 22 October 2010
Alan Davies, creator of the well known Teaching Handwriting Reading And Spelling Skills (THRASS) was in South Africa recently to address school principals at the annual principals’ conference in Cape Town. He found time in his busy schedule to visit Umhlali Preparatory School en route back to England.
He met Mrs B Smith, the Umhlali Ward Manager, Mrs Russell, the Principal of Umhlali Prep and Mrs du Plessis, the Foundation Phase Head of Department, for an informal meeting to discuss THRASS (Teaching Handwriting Reading And Spelling Skills). Davies watched THRASS in action in the classrooms. To the delight of the pupils and teachers, he gave a “hands on lesson” to the Grade R and I pupils. Later in the day he demonstrated his latest teaching software “SOUND IT OUT”, to the teachers from various schools which have embraced THRASS in their literacy programme.
10 Sep: SAPA Conference Cape Town
The SAPA National Conference was a great success and Alan Davies addressed over 800 headteachers on the essential building blocks of ENGLISH PHONICS (that is, the 44 phonemes and 120 keygraphemes). The THRASS Letter Name Rap was much enjoyed, with everyone punching the air, and shouting "Zed, Zed, Zed!", at the end. Alan's title 'GETTING LITERACY RIGHT' was of great interest. All of the headteachers sang and danced to three of the THRASS SING-A-LONG SONGS, written by South African author Janine Plunkett. These were: Phoneme Song 9, Ring the Bell (Celtic Dance), Phoneme Song 15, Saw you in the sun (Hard Rock)and Phoneme Song 13, You don't get pandas in Africa (African Round). The African Round was so popular that the headteachers continued to sing for a good while after Alan stopped the music and had removed the words from the large screen (displayed using the THRASS SING-A-LONG Interactive Book software). Alan also introduced the new THRASS SOUND IT OUT software - especially the interactive Picturechart (iPC) and the interactive Word Bank (iWB).
Over 200 delegates also attended two Breakaway sessions run by Hilary Davies - where Hilary focused on the THRASS 10 stages - along with doing one or two more SING-A-LONG songs and demonstrating the seven applications in the new THRASS SOUND IT OUT software.
07 Sep: THRASS Parents' Evening
Pridwin Preparatory School is situated in Melrose, Johannesburg. Pridwin was founded in 1923 and is an independent, non-denominational school rooted in Christian ethics and values. Pridwin is a boys' school offering a positive learning experience from Grade 0 to Grade 7. At Pridwin they strive to unlock the unique and multifaceted potential of each boy so that he is able to make a worthwhile contribution to society.
Pridwin is a member of the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA).
Alan Davies ran a THRASS Parents' Evening for 200 parents on 7 Sept 2010. At this evening event he covered the picturechart, graphemechart, SOUND IT OUT and SING-A-LONG. This was a great deal to get through in one evening but everyone joined in and the singing and dancing was really great. The evening was a great success and thanks are due to Ingrid Ballack, Head of Junior Primary for organising the event.
Hilary Davies, Alan's wife led "Saw you in the sun" and this Rock and Roll number proved to be really popular with all the parents. We must say that the audience participation was excellent throughout!
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