Magic Strokes (Grades 1–8) is a modular course for the teaching of English that aims at developing language skills in a focused manner. A board-inclusive product, the course is aligned to GSE (Global Scale of English) developed by Pearson that measures language proficiency more comprehensively than the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). Modern psycho-pedagogy, Constructivism, which forms the basis of its learning experiences, makes the course appealing to all learning styles and preferences.
Apex is a well-graded reading and vocabulary module of the Magic Strokes series. The module offers a combination of factual and literary approach to language learning.
About the Author
Dr Vasanthi Vasudev has 35 years of multi-dimensional experience in K-12 education which began as a teacher of English. Formerly Principal of Sir Sivaswami Kalalaya Senior Secondary School, Chennai, and Co-Founder and Academic Director of APL Global School, Chennai, Vasanthi is the Founder Director of Osmosys Learning Products and Services, an educational consultancy firm. As a specialist in modern psycho-pedagogies, Vasanthi has set up schools and trained teachers across the country. She is also the author of a successful ELT series New Images.
Features
Experience forms the first stage in the constructivist pedagogy. This section in the book comprises three steps: Vision, Imagine and Experience. Through these steps, the learner is ‘immersed’ in the context of the new learning and is encouraged to construct the scaffold of learning through audio-visual resources, activities and games. Immersion helps him to construct scaffolds that would link the new learning to his experiences.
Observe is the stage following Experience. In this stage, the learners observe and go further in constructing new learning. This section in the book includes Word Bank which is a dynamic lexis table and a reading passage.
Express uses the newly added blocks of learning in structured and creative forms. This section in the book includes Reading Comprehension, skills of Literary Appreciation and Value-based Speaking.
Observe and Express is an overlap between the two stages of constructivist pedagogy.
This section in the book includes Spelling and Vocabulary.
Integrate, the last stage in the constructivist pedagogy, includes choice of projects suiting the needs of different kinds of learners. This section is aimed at developing research skills
as well as verbal, visual and kinaesthetic skills of learners.
Table Content
1. My Family My Twin Brother
2. My Classroom A Good Boy
(by RL Stevenson)
3. My Grandparents The Miracle of Friendship
(by Jean Kyler McManus)
4. The Crow and the Pitcher Mice
(by Aesop) (by Rose Fyleman)
5. My Feelings What are you Doing?
6. Busy Evenings Two Kittens
7. Chhuk-Chhuk-Chhak The Little Plant
(by Kate L Brown)
8. The Ant and the Dove Jippy and Jimmy
(by Aesop) (by Laura E Richards)
9. The Princess and the Pea The Birthday Party
10. The Magic Tree Friendship
(by Pedro Pablo Sacristan)
11. Vayu, the Wind Do you Like Fruits?
(by Swapna Dutta)
12. Gullu’s Birthday The Boys and the Frogs
(by Aesop)
13. The Cave that Talked Summer Holidays
