Oxford Home Schooling recently analysed 10,000 tweets from different UK cities to see which have the biggest and smallest vocabularies, and Glasgow came out on top, with the highest percentage of unique words (38.2%).

Belfast isn’t far behind (37.8%) in second place. Both cities have strong dialects and over time have shortened words as well as creating their own sayings.

The UK’s 20 biggest cities ranked by their vocabulary range:

  1. Glasgow (38.2%)
  2. Belfast (37.8%)
  3. Leicester (37.3%)
  4. London (36.5%)
  5. Sunderland (36.5%)
  6. Birmingham (36.3%)
  7. Southampton (36.1%)
  8. Liverpool (36%)
  9. Manchester (35.6%)
  10. Cardiff (35.6%)
  11. Middlesborough (35.3%)
  12. Leeds (35.1%)
  13. Reading (34.8%)
  14.  Newcastle (34.6%)
  15. Brighton (34.6%)
  16. Sheffield (34.3%)
  17. Edinburgh (33.9%)
  18. Bournemouth (33.8%)
  19. Stoke-on-Trent (33.7%)
  20. Coventry (25.9%)

Encouraging positive language habits from an early age is so important in your child’s development, especially in helping to expand their vocabulary.

Below are my top eight tips to expand your child’s vocabulary:

1. Encourage conversations
“A great way to start expanding their vocabulary is simply by talking to your child! As parents, you are essentially their first teacher, so encouraging them to talk more is a fantastic way for them to process language quicker. Ask them about their day or point out new things whenever you can.”

2. Read aloud together
“Reading aloud with your child is a great way to expose them to new words in a creative and fun way. If you come across a new word, ask your child if they think they know what the word means, rather than just glossing over it.”

3. Play word games
“Expanding children’s vocabulary requires patience, so including fun ways to learn can be nice for both parent and child. A word game that’s easy and fun, such as ‘I Spy’ or rhyming games, are great for encouraging learning.”

4. Label everything
“In the family home, there are lots of things that children see daily, and they can be used in a way that helps further their growth. Use post it notes on the fridge, table or chairs to encourage them to build on their vocabulary.”

5. Ask lots of questions
“Children naturally ask lots of questions, so ask them back! Your questions don’t have to be in depth or complicated, just something to get them talking and thinking.”

6. Use flashcards or apps
“A quick and fun way to build your child’s vocabulary is to use flashcards with different words on. Try to tackle one card per day! If your child isn’t taking to flashcards, there are a number of apps that could spike their interest that do a similar job.”

7. Teach them about root words
“Getting them to expand and understand root words (base part of a word) will help to strengthen their vocabulary even further. Initiate games with your little ones to see if they can spot which words are root words and those that aren’t.”

8. Weave new words into conversation
“To tie all the above together, try to incorporate new words into everyday conversation to cement their learning and build on your child’s knowledge and understanding.”

“Expanding vocabulary isn’t something that happens overnight, so patience is key, and don’t forget to have fun!”

You can continue to expand your vocabulary throughout life and courses such as our English Literature GCSE programme can help you further your development.

In the French historical novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, now a popular stage production musical, the June Rebellion, also known as the Paris Uprising of 1832, acts as a powerful backdrop to the story.

This event is often confused with the French Revolution of 1789, which saw the infamous execution of Mary Antoinette. Although that revolution influenced the political and social climate of the early 19th century, it was a separate historical event that resulted in the downfall of the Bourbon monarchy, establishment of a republic and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte as emperor of France.

What Caused The June Rebellion?

The June Rebellion was a failed insurrection that took place in Paris from 5th to 6th June. It was led by a group of republicans and revolutionary activists that attempted to reverse the establishment of the Louis Phillippe monarchy. Occurring in the post-revolutionary period where tension and discontent persisted, the memory and ideals of liberty and equality continued to inspire and influence movement for political change.

The June Rebellion as portrayed in Les Misérables is a fictionalised account inspired by real historical events, representing a theme of social injustice and strong desire for reform, bringing to light the struggles of the poor and working classes. The rebellion was made up of students and marginalised workers who were deeply unhappy with their lack of political representation, together with high socioeconomic inequality and repressive measures against freedom of speech. The death of General Jean Maximilien Lamarque, a leading critic of the Louis Philippe monarchy, sparked the start of the rebellion, whose funeral procession moved people to action.

A Short-Lived Battle

The rebellion was met with a strong resistance from government forces, led by General Jean-Baptiste Donzelot, who moved quickly to suppress the uprising. The rebels erected defensive barricades in the Parisienne streets to maintain their position, but while their cause gained much sympathy, it did not gather sufficient support or participation from the general public.

The government forces had a significant advantage in terms of numbers, training and weaponry and employed tactics to dismantle and overcome the barricades. With a lack of training and resources needed for a prolonged attack, the momentum of the rebels began to wane as they faced the reality of their position. The June Rebellion eventually ended in defeat for the rebels, with significant losses on both sides.

Lasting Impact And Significance

Although the events of the June Rebellion were unsuccessful, they created a lasting impact and inspired a subsequent generation of activists. The novel Les Misérables and its adaptations have helped to keep the memory of the June Rebellion alive in popular culture, where it is seen as a symbol of resistance and struggle against repressive regimes. It also served in raising public awareness and debate around the themes of inequality, poverty and the need for political reform.

 

With Oxford Home Schooling’s flexible History IGCSE or A-level accredited distance learning courses, you can learn with greater flexibiliy. Get in touch with us today to find out more.

So what’s the problem with predicted grades?

Let’s not beat about the bush, predicted grades are a problem. They are primarily used to allow Universities and Sixth Form Colleges to carry out forward planning and make offers to the students that they would like to accept.

The main problem with them: they are normally wrong. In fact, they are very wrong.

In 2019, the last year where we have real data, UCAS recorded that, of 18 year old students who sat 3 A levels

  • 13% of these grade predictions were 100% accurate
  • 21% of students met or exceeded their predicted grades.
  • 79%% of students did not achieve their predicted grades

 

On average, students are predicted 2.35 A level grades above their achieved grades. An astonishing 9% of students missed their predicted grade by 6 or more A level grades.

 

 

These figures are taken from UCAS end of cycle report 2019.

How are predicted grades decided

Tutors use a range of methods to inform predicted grades, including GCSE attainment, internal assessment, school management information services, and their own professional judgment and experience.

Some schools will have more data than others, dependent on factors such as how long a student has attended the institution or how much data they have from a student’s prior school, but ultimately a tutor will make a holistic judgement based on what they know of the student.

It is worth mentioning at this point that Home Schooling Organisations, by their very distance will know a lot less about their students than home tutors, or school based teachers.

So why are teachers so optimistic when predicting grades?

“A self-fulfilling prophecy is the sociopsychological phenomenon of someone “predicting” or expecting something, and this “prediction” or expectation coming true simply because the person believes it will”

Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the Social Sciences, 

 

Let’s talk about motivation. Motivation is one of the most important factors in a student doing well in their studies. Tutors in all organisations will try to foster a student’s enthusiasm and motivation. A tutor will look to reward the student’s achievements throughout their studies and offer encouragement and aspiration. Informing a student that they should aspire to an A is much more likely to encourage a student to get a B than telling a student that they should aim for a C.

This follows on to university offers. If a tutor doesn’t predict high enough grades, then students will only get offers from less prestigious universities. In addition, this will affect motivation, as an offer from the students preferred university might be the difference between them achieving those grades or not.

Consequently, there is a great deal of pressure for tutors to predict high grades and none at all for them to be entirely realistic. Be aware of this, it is important.

Why predictions for 2022 are going to be even harder!

The last time students sat exams is now 2019. In both 2020 and 2021, we saw a step change in the levels of grade inflation. The number of students achieving the top grades has nearly doubled, putting enormous pressure on University Admissions Departments who are legally obliged to provide places for any student who achieves the criteria of an offer they have made. It also makes it much harder for universities to choose the best academic candidates. Realistically, grade inflation can’t continue, but how do you put the genie of grade inflation back in the lamp?

There are a few basic choices

  • Grade all students in 2022, when exams are expected to resume, as if they had taken exams in 2019. This will disadvantage 2022 students who will still be competing for jobs and university places with 2021 students, who were twice as likely to achieve a top grade.
  • Accept that grade inflation has happened and leave the grading level as it is. This will greatly disadvantage all students who took exams prior to 2020. Students who sat in 2020 and 2021 will also be advantaged against future examined pupils but not by as much.
  • Change the grading system from A* to E to a 9 to 1 grading system like the GCSEs. This muddies the water and whilst possible, it causes the greatest disruption to the system and may require more time to implement than is available.

As yet the Department for Education haven’t announced how they are dealing with the step change in grade inflation and until they do, it will be even harder to predict a student outcome or give predicted grades in 2022.

Dealing with predicted grades

The take home lesson from all of this is that as a student you can’t trust that your predicted grade is an accurate assessment of your ability or exam outcome, therefore it is essential to have more than one plan for results day and that that plan should start to be made now;

  1. Apply to a spread of universities. If you only apply to universities who expect 3A*s you don’t have a safety net in case you don’t reach your goals
  2. Have a plan for clearing. Universities hate to have empty places on their courses so be aware of how clearing works and how quickly you need to move.
  3. And finally, please don’t be too harsh if we get your predicted grade wrong because it is likely that we have, we already know this and now hopefully, so do you!

Ahead of World Book Day (4th March), we’ve researched the nation’s favourite school books and found that George Orwell’s Animal Farm and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol are the UK’s most popular reads.

For many people, reading is a wonderful and enriching experience that brings a huge sense of reward and enjoyment. This is especially true in children, as reading can transport them to fantasy worlds and unlock their creativity and imagination. Importantly, it can also help to improve the mental health of both children and adults.

However, it can sometimes be challenging for parents to encourage their child to read, especially when faced with competition from technology, such as smartphones and video games. That’s why we’ve provided 10 expert tips to help you encourage your child to read more.

  1. Start early – Introducing a child to books and reading from an early age is vital for lighting that spark of enjoyment. Trying to introduce books to an older child who doesn’t have an existing interest in reading will always be much more challenging. Start with simple, age-appropriate books and dedicate time to reading together to help build that enjoyment as early as possible.
  2. Make it family time – There may come a stage where your child is ready to read more advanced books but lacks the reading fluency or confidence to read them by themselves. So why not put aside some time to read with them?  Choose a story that will interest you both and read it together. You could take turns reading chapters or pages, give them a specific character to read, or allow them to read and help them with any words they may struggle with.
  3. Stimulate their imagination – A great way to help children engage with reading is to bring the world they’re reading about to life. You could help them find out more about the time period they’re reading about, or about the author, or about any real-life characters that are included. All of this will increase engagement.
  4. Plan book-themed day trips – Similarly, taking your child on book-themed day trips will really help to stimulate their imagination. This can range from visiting a huge attraction like Warner Brothers Studios for Harry Potter fans, or wandering around Oxford for children reading His Dark Materials.
  5. Make use of films – Films are a great way to pique a child’s interest in a story and can be used to increase interest both before and after reading the book. If your child has recently enjoyed a film or TV show based on a book, that can be a great incentive to encourage them to read the original story. They will have some knowledge of the plot, which may help with understanding and allow them to tackle more advanced books. Similarly, if your child is exciting for an upcoming film, you can encourage them to read the book before it is released.
  6. Think about their interests – When choosing a book for your child, it’s important that you keep their interests in mind to ensure that they will enjoy the subject of the book. Your child is far more likely to stay engaged, particularly when reading independently, if the book is from a genre they like, or involves subject matter linked to their hobbies or interests.
  7. They don’t have to read – This may sound contradictory, but you can encourage your child to get all the benefits of reading without picking up a book. Audiobooks are widely available and are a great way of helping children to get immersed in a story, without asking them to sit still and read. This works particularly well for children with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, or children who struggle with reading. It’s also a good way to encourage your child to ‘read’ whilst travelling, without risking travel sickness. Furthermore, it still carries many of the same benefits as physically reading a book, such as inspiring creativity and stimulating the imagination.
  8. Make use of technology – Uploading books onto an iPad or investing in a Kindle may help to attract the interest of children who are perhaps a little sceptical about picking up a physical book. You can also download audiobooks to a phone or music player, so your child is always able to listen to the audiobook when they’re out and about.
  9. Set an example – It’s important that you as parents set an example when encouraging your child to read. If you’re asking your child to read by themselves upstairs whilst you watch TV, then you will be faced with far greater resistance than if you decide to read together as a family. Make sure you put aside time to disconnect from technology and read together, whether you’re all reading the same book, or reading independently.
  10. Surround them with books – Making sure your child has easy access to books will increase the chance of them developing a love for reading, so try taking them on trips to your local library or book shop, or keeping your shelves stocked with books at home.

Your child may spot other books they would like to read, perhaps similar to what they’ve enjoyed before, or something completely new.

For more advice on how reading can be good for your child’s welfare, visit:

Reading For Your Wellbeing

5 Reasons You Should Spend More Time Reading

Is your coursework deadline looming? It’s easy to panic about getting all your studies completed, especially when a percentage of your grade is riding on how good your coursework is. However, it can be a great advantage to have part of your GCSE, A Level or other result safely under your belt when you go into your exams. You’re not under the same intense pressure that you would be in an exam situation, so your work is likely to be of a higher standard. Here’s how to make sure you get it right…

  •   Get a clear understanding of what is required

If you have an essay question, for example, write it down before taking it apart. Look at each word of the question and write what it means. If you’re in any doubt about what you’re being asked to do, talk to your tutor or teacher. You should also check how many marks are being allocated for each part of the coursework: the number of marks will dictate how much time and detail should go into each section. If possible, read a few sample answers to get a good idea of what you need to do to get it right.

  •  Plan your research

Whatever the subject of your coursework, you will need to read texts and do research online to arm yourself with everything you need to answer the questions that are being put to you. Make a list of all the sources of information you will be using, and allocate specific amounts of time to spend reading and taking notes for each.

  •  Don’t rush the writing

Your coursework plan should include plenty of time to write your essay and answer the questions posed, or to present your findings. Do not leave this until the night before. Despite the fact that lots of students might say this works for them, you will just feel unbearably stressed and pressurised, and your work will not be to the highest standard it could be. Give yourself a few days to complete the bulk of the writing at a relaxed pace with time for breaks, and your coursework will be much more likely to help you get that grade you’re after.

  •  Factor in editing time

No matter how hard you’ve worked, the first draft of your coursework will not be your best work. Allocate time for drafting well in advance of the deadline so that you can correct mistakes and make improvements. If you find it difficult to read your own work with a critical eye, ask a friend, family member or tutor to offer ideas on how you can make sure that your work is the best it can be.

The key to successfully planning coursework for any subject is allowing plenty of time, and incorporating as much detail as possible into your schedule. This is your chance to make sure you’re going into the exam knowing that you’re part of the way there, so don’t waste it!