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THRASS is a very good programme and it was very well presented. The charts and
books are interesting and self-explanatory. Laola has been wonderful. My only
regret is that we didn’t have at least a whole week to listen to her go through
the entire methodology! It is my earnest belief that each and every teacher
present today is eager to go back to work and start implementing the programme.
I am also very thankful to Alan Davies for coming up with such a fantastic way
of teaching. Thank you very much.
The THRASS course has been an eye opener. It has helped me realise my mistakes
in the way of teaching spelling, handwriting and reading. As a class one teacher
I’ll be able to impact into learners the proper foundation they require in their
everyday lives. I give thanks to the facilitator whose presentation was well
planned and clear.
This has been a very educative and informative course whose content, was an eye
opener in the teaching of English as a language. Its major strengths lay in the
levels at which THRASS can be administered. The holistic philosophy it
encompasses as well as the simplicity of each one of its main stages. Of note is
its involvement of learners throughout, an aspect which ensures maximum
participation by all learners. This course has actually improved my teaching
methods and approaches of the English language.
Having undergone diploma course in secondary school teaching of the English
language, I feel I could have done a lot better in my job if I had undergone
this course during my training. I feel that THRASS will go a long way in
assisting the teacher to effectively teach English. The course was a great
success and the facilitator did an excellent job. I recommend that such course
should be encouraged all over Africa and beyond.
Educational. The methods used in teaching word formation would enable the
learner to acquire skills in reading and spelling in an enjoyable and relaxed
environment. THRASS is truly a breakthrough to teaching the English language
effectively.
I have benefited from the workshop in the following aspects:
1. The THRASS co-ordinator enlightened me about the letters of the alphabet and
their different sounds.
2. How letters can be formed and located that’s enabling me as a teacher to
practise many ways of reading skills and synthesising and analysing of different
words.
3.This will go a long way in promoting reading.
Really informative and shed a lot of light on the best methods to use in
teaching handwriting, reading and spelling skills. This will really make me a
better teacher. The trainer managed to drive the point home in a friendly and
articulate manner.
A very successful 2 day workshop. I benefited a lot in how I can teach Phonics.
Well presented and understood. The facilitator presented it in a well simplified
way showing that whatever I knew before, wasn’t enough for a learner to learn
the above mentioned skills. This has been an eye opener to me and I shall really
implement what I have learnt as soon as possible.
Very interesting and helpful to teachers because of the picture and word
linking. I would be happy to start the Programme. It will also help us with slow
learners.
I have really benefited from the workshop. The facilitator was very clear and to
the point. She highlighted the need to leave the old method of teaching phonics.
The THRASS Programme and Methodology is very interesting for English language
learners as it is very interactive and exciting. The pupils learn in a
recreational way as all the activities are pupil centred and quite stimulating.
They appeal to the learners especially the rap-tap which allows pupils to
recite, learn and at the same time experience other dimensions such as music.
The material is very user-friendly hence it is easy even for beginners to
introduce and implement the programme. In my opinion THRASS is a real
breakthrough for learning English both as a first and second language! It
explores all the basic skills in English language learning.
The course was a success because the facilitator was very active and creative.
It seemed to be a difficult subject at the beginning but because the facilitator
was innovative, the Course was interesting. It was very interesting how words
can be formed and how they are spelt. I personally thought there are five vowels
but at the end of the course I learnt that there are 20 vowel sounds. I am very
grateful because I benefited a lot.
The course was well worth it. I have no doubt that every participant benefited a
lot and the skill and knowledge learnt will be put to good use. What is more
exciting about THRASS is that the approach caters for all levels of learners. I
am also happy that the programme is rich of all the resources to ensure
effective implementation. I have confidence that this course will boost the
teaching of English at our school.
The workshop was informative. A lot of new methods were discussed. The methods
will help me in my day to day to day teaching of the skills mentioned above. The
facilitator was friendly and was able to explain her matter quite clearly. The
workshop will help me to teach handwriting, reading and spellings better than
before.
The workshop was well delivered. I learnt a lot of new methods of teaching
Phonics which is handwriting Reading and Spellings. All the stages were well
covered and the facilitator delivered the information quite well. I hope to
implement what I have learnt from the course. It was well organised with a lot
of teaching materials.
The course was an eye opener to me. The Presenter was audible, clear and active
throughout the course. I have learnt a lot of new “sounds” in vowels and
consonants. Thanks a lot and God bless.
The course was well conducted. I have learnt more in phonics e.g. how to
introduce phonics in reading and writing. It has made me aware that for a child
to read he/she needs to know how to spell and for a child to spell he needs to
know how to read. The course needs to be conducted again so as to feed the
teachers with more information for the sake of the child.
The THRASS course was both interesting and helpful. It was very important to
note that there are new methods of teaching especially reading and spelling. I
am hoping to see a great improvement in the children’s progress with the use of
the new methods.
The whole course was a great success. The presenter was audible, clear and
active throughout. I have learnt a lot of new “sounds” in vowels and consonants.
It is a new beginning for me as a teacher and for my children. I would love to
hear more from you people!
The presenter was active throughout her presentation. She showed extensive
knowledge in the course. All the problems and question the participants had
concerning THRASS were adequately addressed. The media used was relevant to the
workshop conducted. If such workshops can cover the whole of Southern Africa it
can definitely improve Reading, Spelling and Writing skills in the English
language.
I really enjoyed the course. Laola was active, creative and innovative. I learnt
a lot. To use play when teaching and learnt different sounds that I was not sure
of.
I am very pleased with the new method of teaching handwriting reading and
spelling skills. It was an interesting and fruitful course which will help us as
teachers to teach the new skills of handwriting, reading and spellings. I hope
to see a great improvement especially in writing of spellings in my class. It
was really an educative and interesting program which should have long been
introduced.
The workshop came at the right time when the pupils needed a change for the
better. It proved to be very fruitful to all levels of the school pupils. I
really appreciate the type of workshop because it educates the entire nation not
only our children.
The course was very important to the Teacher and the Children to be taught.
Children can now be taught the sounds of letters properly, formation of words as
well as grouping of words. The course was carried out properly and I hope to
implement all the skills we have learnt to the children. The teaching of
handwriting, reading and spelling skills is going to make enjoyable for both the
teacher and the children.
Very fruitful as it equipped us with new methods of teaching these skills. This
knowledge will help teachers to assist pupils develop their reading skills at an
early age.
Presented in a clear and dramatic manner. All the procedures involved in THRASS
were well outlined with all the necessary aids used. This will be a very
beneficial methodology on the part of the teacher in general and on the part of
the learners in particular.
Very good. The facilitator was very clear and to the point. We were able to
understand that letters of the alphabet could actually make different sounds
depending on how and where you use them. We are proud to be part of the THRASS
programme.
The course that took place over a period of about eighteen hours addressed very
important principles of literacy i.e. mechanism and skills of reading. Its
central emphasis was that of child-centred education. The resource person took
the group through all the points that were required to be introduced by her and
showed participants how to seek further information from the handbook. It is my
belief that if the programme is properly implemented children will derive
maximum benefit.
The course was well presented and all the stages were completed. I feel more
time was needed to explain everything in detail. The strategies discussed I feel
will go a long way in improving teaching of handwriting, reading and spelling
skills. I am looking forward to implementing the skills taught as I feel the
children will benefit immensely.
I am particularly fascinated by the course. Alan Davies has really developed a
good programme. It is very simple and yet challenging to understand and use. The
break down of learning Phonemes was a great eye opening experience. Although I
don’t teach language, it really is a very good tool to improve my own speech
sound/pronunciation. As a father, it also will assist me in teaching my children
sounds, reading and spellings.
I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to attend this course. I
really learnt a lot from it. I now know how to attack phonics in a fruitful way.
I have no doubts that my pupils will benefit from what I learnt. Everything of
this course was eye catching and perfectly presented. Little did I know about
the graphemes, to say the least. THRASS programme has left me very rich. Not me
alone but the whole school inclusive.
The course coordinator was well prepared and ran the course very efficiently and
effectively. I have found the course to be suitable and reliable in terms of
both motivation of pupils and teachers. If properly implemented, the course will
enhance teaching of phonics and standardisation of phonics in schools.
The new methodology for teaching phonics is likely to enhance pupil’s reading
and spelling ability. The training was intense and it was easy to tell that the
resource person knows the course content. Unlocking reading and spelling skills
has been a major challenge for me especially at the lower levels of our school.
It is hoped that effective implementation will improve pupils’ performances in
the whole school curriculum (the rest of the subjects). It was good to note that
the resource person offered to come and help with the implementation should we
encounter problems. This is what we would expect from an honest resource person.
In a nutshell I would like to say that the course was a welcome development to
both the teacher and the child. It has definitely gone a long way in improving
the teaching of English especially in second language speakers. The facilitator
is quite well-versed with the course matter and also highly experienced. I
therefore recommend that the course must be introduced in every teacher training
college.
The workshop could be rated as one of the best I have ever attended in my five
years of residence in this country. There is no doubt that the knowledge we
gained will significantly transform the teaching of English in schools. It is
worth mentioning that the course unearthed a lot of irregularities that are in
the teaching of English. However the two days are not enough for such a course
as there is a lot of matter to cover.
It has been an eye opener and of great value to me. The course helped me shift
my mindset from the traditional Letterland and Montessori way of teaching
phonics to a dynamic THRASS method. New methods were revealed and learnt with
great interest. I sincerely appreciate this enlightenment.
The course was well done and well conducted. THRASS will help me to improve
handwriting and reading skills in my class. It was very informative and
interesting.
A break through in the learning of the English language. It gives a complete
overview of what is expected of both the learner and the teacher in the
acquisition of various skills in teaching reading and spelling and other skills.
The course has been very educational.
Very effective as it proved to be very educative and informative. The
facilitator managed to make us aware of the new teaching, handwriting, reading,
spelling skills.
Very educative. It has really enhanced my teaching and reading skills. Keep it
up. It was very informative and interesting. It is a wonderful course and will
go a long way in aiding children in the areas covered. I expect the children to
benefit greatly from this.
The course was so fruitful. The methods of teaching the skills were clearly
outlined. Thank you to THRASS because it spelt out easier methods of learning.
Interesting - as I became aware of the new methods of teaching Handwriting,
Reading and Spelling. The teaching materials are also colourful for a Standard
One learner.
THRASS is a good programme that guides teachers in an easy methodology of
teaching English. The course really benefited me in the teaching that words have
many different sounds. Thanks to the coordinators and the facilitators.
Highly successful. The instructor used very efficient teaching methods, making
comprehension of materials effective. The materials used were good and relevant.
A lot of time was allocated to all stages, enabling me to fully comprehend the
ideas and concepts. The training programme was beneficial and it is surely
destined to work.
The workshop was relevant and fruitful. The facilitator had relevant teaching
materials which made my understanding easier. She managed to be time conscious
and she covered her stages in time. The participants were also given enough time
to ask questions at the end of each session. Hopefully as THRASS is implemented
it will really improve children’s literacy in English.
The course was informative to me as an educator. This is going to enhance
teaching reading, handwriting and spelling skills among the pupils that I teach.
The course was very beneficial to me as an individual and to the whole school.
The facilitator was very clear in her expression. Thanks a lot.
This was an interesting course, as it brings a new method of teaching
Handwriting, Reading and Spelling skills to our children. Through this, I think
our pupils will be happy to learn THRASS, as it has all the dances and songs
which will make them enjoy their lessons. It is really my pleasure to have come
across this new method with which we will go a long way to educate our children.
This is an interesting course as it has brought the new method of teaching
Handwriting, Reading and Spelling skills. I have really enjoyed the workshop.
The course was done effectively with the appropriate materials. I hope even
during implementation, it will be fruitful to the children, since it is a new
innovation.
At the end of the two day course in THRASS, I feel I have really enjoyed and
benefited a lot. This new method is a real challenge to me and the community
that I am expected to educate. I promise to implement the methods I have learnt.
A big hand to the facilitator, who seemed to be well versed in what she was
teaching.
The presenter introduced the THRASS method in a systematic way, using visual and
auditory methods, which made it easy for me to understand. The participants were
fully occupied throughout all the sessions.
This course was well presented and clearly explained. Through a new method, the
ideas make a lot of sense and give a new dimension to the teaching of English.
This is teaching in totality, of which I hope, if implemented diligently, will
attain the outcomes intended. I have personally enjoyed the experience.
The course was quite an eye-opener. It made me realise ways of introducing the
other sounds that were ignored by the traditional phonic methods and how to
involve the pupils in all learning situations. The exciting raps (which were
exciting even to us as teachers) will go a long way towards motivating the
pupils and sustaining their interest at all stages of primary education. I have
benefited a lot from this course.
Good. I realised that this is Break Through to English and I have got a lot from
it since I am a Setswana teacher. I will try to put it into practice to improve
my lessons.
The whole presentation was so good and very interesting. I believe that THRASS
is a good method which can really help our children spell, read and write words
correctly. Without any doubt, I know that this method, if implemented properly
in our country, Botswana, can bring about great change in the education system.
I found the course to be very informative, presenting the English language in a
wholesome way, covering all the language skills. Implemented well, I believe it
can produce the best results every teacher looks forward to in a class.
Clear, concise, dynamic. Well done Laola.
I had heard the rap a few times and I was not impressed. Since attending the
workshop, however, spelling and reading will surely be made much easier.
Graphemes and phonemes used to be unfamiliar territory until Laola came along.
She makes everything clearly understood by all. Well done, Laola!
I was introduced to THRASS as a parent before having anything to do with the
programme as a teacher. As a parent, I didn’t know much more than the THRASS
rap. I didn’t understand the theory and origin of the programme and THRASS made
no sense to me at all! After attending the workshop, I finally understand what
it’s all about. I would like to say, from a parent’s point of view, that I find
it necessary to explain the concept to parents more clearly. Perhaps in the UK
this is standard procedure when the programme is introduced, but this was
certainly not the case at our school in Botswana.
The course was very challenging and educative. It has brought my attention to
the three main concepts of visualisation (picture), auditory (sound) and
articulation. I have realised that with THRASS, children will not only learn
words, but fully and actively participate in letter sounds and formation of
words at the same time becoming good spellers and readers. Thus, THRASS is a
very good foundation for beginners, as well as other children with learning
difficulties.
The course is very fruitful. I am cocksure it will go a long way in improving
the pupils’ reading ability. Their pronunciation and spelling will also improve.
It is a blessing that some of the pages in the THRASS Teaching guide may be
photocopied as this will assist with homework. It is good that the course does
not deal with only reading and spelling, but also trains pupils in handwriting.
This will really assist teachers teaching letter formation using the correct
directions. I have gained a lot in this course.
A challenging course. I have learnt a lot. I can see the future of the children
being broadened and learning becomes easy if a child can read and write. I wish
that we could have started this long ago, because it’s useful in one’s life. I
have enjoyed the activities which took place. If the THRASS programme could be
implemented well with the use of the manual, learning and teaching becomes
enjoyable.
A very challenging course which has come at a time when we need it. THRASS has
made work very interesting for both the teacher and the children. It is easy to
follow as all the materials needed are provided. This helps children to
participate during the lesson and does not restrict children, but allows them to
explore many areas in learning the English language.
It is refreshing to have a new scheme for teaching reading, spelling and
writing. I have been teaching for nearly 30 years and this is by far the best
method I have seen. It will be up to me to make it work and although I am
excited and enthusiastic, there is a long road ahead before I can assess its
value. I look forward to the challenge and thank Laola for her clear and
exciting presentation.
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