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A very
informative and interesting course. A lot of effort was put into planning and
presentation and one’s attention was always captivated by interesting
information. It has made the complexity of English more fun to learn to spell
and read – hopefully more avid readers will be born. Thank you for a great time
I had over the last two days.
Innovative, original and invaluable lessons for the classroom. The informative
and interesting ideas behind THRASS need to be implemented from Grade 1 so that
pupils in the intermediate phase will be thoroughly versed in all the
terminology. I thoroughly enjoyed Laola’s presentation. She is knowledgeable and
most approachable.
Very interesting and exciting. A whole new approach that is very comprehensive.
Dynamic and enthusiastic lecturer. I can’t wait to implement it!
An excellent programme, as it uses all modalities. I would be happy to use the
THRASS programme in my class. Although the school has not purchased all the
required materials, I feel that there are certain changes which I can introduce
now – e.g. the handwriting and using phonemes for spelling so that pupils can
realise that there is more than one way that sounds can be spelt.
At last I was able to do the course. I found it very powerful and certainly can
be put to use in our system. There is so much positive material and I sincerely
hope that we will have it all soon. Thank you Laola – it was an awesome two days
and I look forward to implementing it.
When I started teaching Grade R, we put together our own programme. This course
has been exciting and is also a new way for us to teach the children. I have
found it stimulating and have thoroughly enjoyed being part of it.
An interesting, well presented course. Thanks. It made me aware of a new way of
learning English.
I found the course interesting, especially on the first day, as I am a Grade R
teacher. I found the way of teaching letters having different sounds very
interesting. The instructor and the manuals and teaching aids are of the highest
standard.
A new, exciting and well-thought out approach to teaching reading, spelling and
handwriting. I can’t wait to start implementing these new techniques. Laola
Altschul is a vibrant and excellent presenter. She is passionate about her work
and this certainly has a very positive effect on all our learning and
understanding of the programme. I feel that it will be necessary to have a
follow up session and keep in touch. I look forward to using THRASS.
The course has been very informative and useful. The handwriting section (which
is most applicable to me as an OT) was clearly presented and useful for
teachers. Laola is very knowledgeable and her presentation was very
enthusiastic. Being able to actively participate made the material easier to
take in than when listening passively. I would like to have seen more video
footage of THRASS being used with children. Thank you for a stimulating course.
An interesting course with lots of new and challenging ideas. Seems to be a very
different way of teaching. Extremely well presented. Will be fully understood
when implemented in class. Thank you.
I found the course informative and interesting. This is certainly a new way of
looking at the teaching of reading and spelling. I especially liked the idea of
the Phoneme Machine.
Very clearly explained and conveyed with passion and conviction. I feel positive
that this way of teaching literacy would work in my school. Thanks for patient
and humorous handling of the course. Lecturer knows the programme extremely well
and puts this across. Very impressive!
The course was very comprehensive and a great deal of information was relayed.
For Grade R – stages 1-5 would be most appropriate. I found this section very
interesting. Day 2 was quite involved! This new way of teaching reading and
spelling to the children has a practical and experiential approach. Laola was
enthusiastic and she was well organised in her knowledge and her presentation.
There needs to be an all rounded decision to implement this programme in
schools.
Thank you again. I found that coming for the second time allowed me the
privilege of learning and gaining extra knowledge. I feel confident to start
teaching THRASS tomorrow! I am very interested in doing an advanced course if it
is applicable to Grade R.
I found the course really interesting. I believe it can be wonderful if done
correctly. I really enjoyed it. It was a great learning experience. Laola was
great. She gave us lots of information and could answer all our questions.
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be exposed to the THRASS programme. It
is a WHOLE NEW APPROACH to teaching handwriting, reading and spelling for me! I
was particularly interested in the handwriting part of the programme and would
definitely like to see it instituted throughout the school. I would not be happy
to use the THRASS dictionary as it is not in alphabetical order. Our lecturer
really knows her subject – nothing stumped her!
Very interesting, informative and comprehensive. However, I feel I would need
more input, training and observation in a classroom where THRASS is taught so
that I feel confident in what I am teaching. Also need a SMART board in the
classroom (from what I observed) to be effective.
The course was very interesting and a novel approach to teaching all these
areas.
A most informative and comprehensive course. I have gained new insights and
ideas from this course. The lecturer knew her stuff and explained very well.
However, it was a lot to absorb and internalise in just two days.
An interesting, informative and comprehensive course. However, in order to
implement this system successfully and confidently, I would need further
training and practice.
I was delighted to see that four of the eight intelligences are being used
constantly. Very well structured, tight course albeit too much information for 2
days. I don’t really feel equipped yet and would need to read the manual
carefully. The method has merits but I found the dictionary problematic in the
light of the dictionary skills we teach – i.e. alphabetical order.
The course has been well presented and has given good insight into a different
perspective of teaching writing, reading and spelling. It requires a lot of work
having to adapt to a completely different way of thinking. With time and
practise I feel that it is a positive way of learning and very meaningful to the
learners.
A very interesting course. A lot of information given in two days. Would really
like to see if it works and how it should be implemented. The Grade R’s will
enjoy all the activities and games included. Our schools will have to invest in
a SMART Board to make it more effective.
A challenging programme – lots of information to take in. Course was well
presented and organised. I will fully understand THRASS once I implement it in
my classroom. A very interesting approach.
This was an intensive, most informative course. Having used Letterland for many
years, I look forward to using the THRASS programme in the near future.
Materials are sturdy, bright and colourful. I enjoyed the two days and would
like to compliment Laola, who presented the course extremely well. She is a
motivating presenter.
This was a most interesting challenging course. It was very well presented and
prepared.
Definitely absorbed more second time around. Extremely well presented! Holding
thumbs that our schools choose to go the THRASS route. I do use it in my
remedial practice, but in isolation. Laola’s energy is contagious. The THRASS
method is wide open for literacy experiences. The sky is the limit!
I think this course was really outstanding and very professionally done.
However, as a nursery and a grade R teacher of many years, I really enjoy
learning new programmes, yet I am still not sure of how to incorporate it and
how appropriate it would be for us. Yes, I loved the ideas from Sunday’s course
and I would be able to use and change some of the ideas I have learnt from the
course. I do feel, however, a course just for grade R teachers would have been
more beneficial for us. Many thanks for the opportunity and I look forward to
perhaps a second course for us Grade R teachers.
It was a very informative and comprehensive course. It will be interesting to
try to implement it in the classroom. All resources were well presented.
A very comprehensive course. I have learnt a lot and have picked up many good
ideas and tips which I will be applying in my classroom straight away. It was a
lot to take in over two days and I think it could have been spread out a little
more in order to fully absorb all the information. Thank you for your time and a
stimulating, interesting course.
Interesting and challenging course well presented. It appears to be a rather
different way of teaching which will only be fully understood once put into
practice.
Really enjoyed the course. Just found it too much to digest in two days. I will
be able to use it in my Grade R class, however, I’m not too confident. I do
think that maybe follow up courses might be useful. I am worried about the gap
between doing the course and the school implementing the program might be too
long. Thank you Laola for a very stimulating 2 days.
I learnt a lot on this course and I am keen to begin it at my school, but feel
that two days was not sufficient. I would have liked to have seen children from
schools that are using THRASS in South Africa demonstrating their involvement in
a lesson or two.
Very interesting and inspiring. I feel more time should have been spent on this
course – it was a bit rushed and a little bit too much to absorb so quickly.
Perhaps children should have been brought in to demonstrate the chants/raps etc.
Thank you for a very vibrant lecturer who made it inspiring.
Very well presented, but a little rushed and a long day to concentrate fully. It
would have been nice to use a group of children to demonstrate. Seems like a
great programme.
A very interesting introduction to THRASS. There was a lot to learn in day one.
On day two I felt I needed more time to practise all the new phonemes and
graphemes, when breaking down words. I liked practising on the phonemes sheet -
hands on exercises are great.
Day 1 Would have liked more time. Day 2 Good but hectic and informative. Need
time to practise.
Great concept. Will need a lot of practise to teach. Very long course.
Informative but hard to stay focussed. Practical was good, would have liked
more.
A very informative course – a lot to take in. Practical work was good - would
have liked to do more.
The course was informative and interesting.
The course was excellent. THRASS is very cleverly worked out – must have taken
ages! It seems to be a system that makes sense – especially out of a language
that doesn’t make sense! I have a few concerns – the IPA teaching – the
reversals e.g. the ∂ (upside down e) and the difficulty of teaching more symbols
to children, will confuse the children. I don’t like children seeing incorrect
spelling in print as on the worksheet on the computer on finding the correct
spelling – e.g. thumb thumm etc. as I worry that it will imprint the incorrect
spelling if they have not been exposed to the model spelling enough through
their own reading experience. I loved all the teaching aids and computer
software! I will definitely try this system with my own child who is
experiencing reading difficulty and hope that the school takes it on. Our school
lacks equipment at this stage to take it on completely. Thank you. I have learnt
a lot and been enriched!
Most informative. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
An interesting, informative, stimulating course!
It was very informative.
The THRASS course has been very informative and a knowledgeable experience. It
has given me a different perspective on how to teach reading to my children. I
think it could be successfully implemented in the schools in South Africa if
each teacher takes the responsibility in teaching it accurately throughout. I
was very intrigued in the way that THRASS begins using the concrete and works
its way to the abstract to allow children to read. I thank you for an
unbelievable course.
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