Did you see  Australian Story this evening? Parents, Ian and Nicole Rogerson say that when their son was diagnosed with Autism, they turned to the Internet for help. It really struck me, when Nicole said over the years (their son is now 13) they tried some doggy autism interventions, that parents may like some guidance […] Read More

What is it about a good night story that appeals to children all over the world? We all know how deeply comforting it is to close your eyes at the end of the day with peace in your heart and hope for tomorrow. While a good night story can certainly help you achieve this, the […] Read More

I often talk about the importance of  really listening to your child.  To me, really listening means actively and reflectively listening to what your child is saying. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? But, all too often as we listen, we quickly spin off into our own thoughts and interpret what we hear. Then we start […] Read More

A few minutes ago I listened to a post-match interview with Roger Federer at the Australian Open.   Federer had just defeated Andy Roddick and progressed to the final. One of Federer’s  first comments was how he played well because he had confidence. Self-confidence is the result of positive self-talk. How do we help our […] Read More

Here’s some of my favourite websites with excellent English Language Learning Resources Dave’s ESL Cafe One of the best comprehensive sites with interactive resources, bookstore, teaching ideas, links to ESL sites, job information and a discussion centre. English Club Very comprehensive British site for teachers and learners. Provides lesson plans, teacher forum, job centre, grammar, […] Read More

Most current theorists of Second Language Acquisition see learning as a continuum. That is, there are predictable and sequential stages of language development, in which the learner progresses from no knowledge of the new language to a level of competency closely resembling that of a native speaker. Their theories have resulted in the identification of […] Read More

You probably know that the words we speak to our children have a powerful influence over the attitudes they develop, right? And this in turn, has a huge impact on their motivation. I’ve discovered this is true, from infancy to adulthood. The child’s development of healthy self-motivation is modeled on what they hear and see […] Read More