20/06/2021
As you all are aware from the previous messages in which I have attempted to explain some parts of the English language to you, I am sure you would agree, it is full of implied, idiomatic and contextual interpretations. It is impossible to flourish in English Language without being able to infer things from your own thoughts and understand both explicit and implicit writing.
Furthermore, I always tell students that reading is the key to being successful in English. The constant nuances, the parries and jabs of phrases, the manipulation of words, and the personal inferences made from the book and other creative sources help the student in the creation and development of a vast vocabulary which is essential in any learning process. Moreover, the majority of Asian children who go to school are usually proficient in Maths based subjects and deficient in "wordy" subjects such as English Language, English Literature, History and other humanities. The way we can overcome this is simply by developing a consistent reading pattern which in turn assists in knowing how to identify these common features.
Examples of a feature such as the famous idiom is "its raining cats and dogs". Reading this without fully understanding the context behind this phrase will seem like another language (if you'll pardon the pun) but understanding the context- bad weather makes the phrase more understandable.
Children need to understand a variety of language nuances (gentle subtleties), implied and explicit meanings and the use idioms and expressions and proverbs. Additionally, employing devices such as irony and sarcasm ( common place in colloquial language) can be applied to suggest the opposite or something completely different. For instance, if you were to ask me whether I wanted a glass of water, my response may well be 'No, i would much rather die of thirst'. Clearly an attempt at sarcasm.
For example, if I say... 'I wrestled with the idea of whether I should go to the park'. Children will need to understand that 'wrestled' here does not mean to fight but debated, doubted, uncertainty or unsure. Of course, wrestled as a stand alone phrase means to fight, however in this sentence the context clearly implies that i was unsure whether i should go to the park. This is a good example of contextual language.
Much of what one would develop via reading to be able to draw the correct inferences and perceptive abilities. Therefore, a more wider exposure to language is beneficial.
I very much recommend and profoundly suggest both parents and children to familiarise themselves with current affairs. This can be done by visiting BBC Online news website and is particularly useful for current affairs. This website is signed up to The Clear English Standards.
The question in the text might be:
Does the word wrestled mean:
A: Fight
B: Challenge
C: Doubtful
D: Argue
This is what you need to teach to your child and in particular the 11+ candidates and clearly these skills come from a lot of reading. In fact I myself read about a book a day as a child of the 1970's and 80's. It appears that i have inadvertently given my age away.
Clearly these skills are not developed overnight. you need to explain that the READING IN CONTEXT IE. TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES !!!
