When your child counts to ten, does he have to use his fingers?

(by Carolyn Davis)

1 It's painful, watching children struggle to "make friends" with numbers. Especially today, when number knowledge is so vital to success in school, college, and the workaday world itself.

2 Yet this struggle to master math needn't be. Not with the wonder-working teaching aids on the market today. And the best of these, according to many parents and educators, is the brand-new** set from Reader's Digest called "I Can Count."

3 What is it? Fun and games, really: 79 in all. And once you put them in the hands of a child you love, you'll marvel at the sudden joy he finds in numbers.Did I say "marvel"? Yes. Because before you know it, that child of yours will be counting to 100. He will have learned how to add... substract... tell time... keep a calendar ... measure... make change for a dollar... and so much more...

4 What others say about "I Can Count"? Hundreds of educators and parents have written to us, praising "I Can Count." Typical of this comment from Mrs Joseph S. Caleagno, Jr, of Santa Cruz, California: " 'I Can Count' holds the interest of all three of my children. My 2 1/2-year-old son is fascinated with the Number Bars and the Tall Chart, Claire, my five-year-old, is learning about the value of money from the Supermarket Game, and 7-year-old Kristen enjoys everything in the Kit. If anything, all three are playing with it more than they were two weeks ago!" (From "Reader's Digest")

A1. Определите основную идею текста.

1. Children can count.

2. The new teaching aid “I can count”.

3. Fun and games.

4. Number knowledge is vital.

A2. Определите, является ли следующее утверждение

Number knowledge is not necessary.

a. ложным;

b. истинным;

c. в тексте нет информации.

A3. Найдите правильный ответ к следующему утверждению

It’s.....when children use their fingers when count to ten.

1. fun

2. painful

3. great

4. boring

A4. Укажите, какой из абзацев содержит следующую информацию

'I Can Count' holds the interest of children.

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

A5. Укажите, какой из абзацев содержит следующую информацию

Number knowledge is so vital to success.

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

Teaching today's children to think

1 "My child can't read! My child is a poor reader!" These are common complaints uttered by many of today's parents. When you inquire into their reasons for such statements, they hasten to explain: "He can't pronounce the words. He doesn't have a good foundation in phonetics." Of course, students and teachers of reading know that such statements are wrong. But the same group of professionals would agree that more children need help in being taught to think than in being taught to pronounce words. Since thinking is not mechanistic, it cannot be mechanistically taught. Since it is imperative that we teach today's children to think, the earlier we begin the

better.

2 In fulfilling their responsibility for teaching children how to think, a teacher must be alert to certain basic assumptions:

1). Teachers must themselves be competent, in a process of think­ing if they are to teach others to think.

2). There is a definite relationship between learning and thinking.

3). In teaching a child to think, the problem or task should be sufficiently difficult to stimulate the learner, yet not so difficult that it is frustrating to him.

4). Teachers need to help children to acquire the attitude that they can grow by thinking and discussing about their experiences.

5). The art of questioning needs to be flexible and varied.

3 It is a well-established fact that teaching a child to read is to teach him to think. Thinking cannot be mechanized. It is an active process, a process of collecting and solving. We should not deprive children of the privilege of learning to think. We should always remember that those who read think, and that those who think read.

A1. Определите, является ли следующее утверждение

Most parents have common complaints about their children’s reading abilities.

a. ложным;

b. истинным;

c. в тексте нет информации.

A2. Определите, является ли следующее утверждение

Children need help in being taught to think than in being taught to pronounce words.

a. ложным;

b. истинным;

c. в тексте нет информации.

A3. Определите, является ли следующее утверждение

It is a well-established fact that teaching a child to read is to teach him to think.

a. ложным;

b. истинным;

c. в тексте нет информации.

A4. Определите, является ли следующее утверждение

Thinking can be mechanized.

a. ложным;

b. истинным;

c. в тексте нет информации.

A5. Укажите, какой из абзацев текста содержит следующую информацию

Thinking is an active process of collecting and solving.

a. 1

b. 2

c. 3

d. 4

e. 5

A4. Определите, является ли следующее утверждение

The parents are not allowed to attend classes, as this may distract the children.

a. ложным;

b. истинным;

c. в тексте нет информации.