15 March 2012 / by Radmila Gurkova

iPhones - easier than tying your shoelaces

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzi2RIt8_nk

Did you know that children today find it much easier to use an iPhone than to tie their shoelaces? A report shows today that as many as 45 per cent of children in the UK aged between five and 13 cannot tie their shoelaces but 67 per cent know how to use their iPhones and DVD players.



Simple things like – reading a map, making a cup of tea and even repairing a bicycle puncture are difficult tasks but using an iPad or a complicated TV remote comes naturally and easy to use for most children.

Is modern day technology taking over traditional past times and everyday tasks or are children just ‘moving with the times’?, making children ill-equipped to deal with more practical things in life.

Clare McDougall, from npower, said: "These figures show that there has never been a better time to teach our young people some great new skills.

"We really believe that if young people spend more time outdoors they will learn to love and respect the environment and they'll want to preserve it for future generations.

DEBATE



  • Can your child tie their shoelace?

  • At what age did you use your first piece of technology?

  • How many hours a day do we spend using technology?


KEYWORDS




































































Word Image Definition Example Listen
Shoelaces  
A string or lace for fastening a shoe.
He couldn't tie his shoelaces Listen
Tie To fasten by tightening and knotting the string or strings of To tie one's shoes. Listen
Outdoors Out of buildings and into the open air I like to go camping in the great outdoors Listen
Bounce Deflection (physics), the event where an object collides with and bounces against a plane surface The ball bounced on the floor Listen
Ill equipped Badly or inadequately equipped An ill-equipped army. Listen
Puncture A hole in the tyre I got a puncture in my tyre when I drove over broken glass on the road Listen
Preserve To keep alive or in existence; make lasting We need to preserve this species Listen
Repair To restore to a good or sound condition after decay or damage The technian repaired the printer. Listen

How about a little song to help you tie your shoelaces in the morning...

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI4WCpcFWfE&feature=related

 

 

 

 

 

P2 Grammar Structure: Click here to learn about Pronouns

P4 Grammar Structure: Click here for verbs with fixed prepositions

30

November 2011
HAKE HOAX? - Get Your Teeth Into This Topic!!
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwyQC71vfxA Consumers in Spain trust the mild-flavored white flesh of hake, which is the most popular fish in a country that eats more seafood than almost any other in Europe. Hake is considered safe for pregnant women, and kids crunch into the cod-like fillets as fishsticks. “There’s trust because of the cul...

30

November 2011
A Cutting Story for a great Topic
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28jvlBA0RMk&feature=youtube_gdata_player Here is something to 'highlight' your day!!!! A documentary movie showcasing one of the best known names in global hairdressing to date - Vidal Sassoon. They say that Vidal Sassoon is more than just a hairdresser - he's a rock star...

29

November 2011
English tips #15 Brother-in-law. PLURAL?
by Radmila Gurkova
What is the Plural Form of Brother-in-law? The most common mistake made in English. What is the plural of brother-in-law? My brother-in-law's or My Brothers-in-law? The co...

29

November 2011
Happy and You Know it
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ2aEF337tY And what about starting the new week with this funny song with easy vocabulary. Pay attention to the musical instruments and the words related to likes and dislikes. And if you've listened carefully... ... you'll be able to ans...

28

November 2011
English tips #14 I and Me
by Radmila Gurkova
The two pronouns are often wron...

25

November 2011
Friday Fun: 'Romans Go Home'
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIAdHEwiAy8 Seeing as it's Friday I thought it would be time to post something for a bit of fun! Hopefully you've all seen the excellent 'Life of Brian' by the Monty Python guys. This is an excellent excerpt from the film where 'Brian' is having difficulty with his Latin grammar and conjugations! Hopefully yo...

25

November 2011
English tips #13 Good and Well
by Radmila Gurkova
GOOD and WELL (Often confused by native and non-native speakers) Good is an adjective - It describes nouns ...

24

November 2011
English tips #12 Tag questions
by Radmila Gurkova
Tag questions can be difficult, can't they? A tag question consists of two parts: 1. a statement and a short yes/no question. 2. the two parts are separated with a comma. ...

24

November 2011
Spain's Lost Babies
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Hf-woEDeg How much are children worth to you - especially your own child?! In recent news..... Spanish society has been shaken by allegations of theft of thousands of babies by nuns, priests and doctors, which started under Franco and continued up the 1990's. More then 900 cases are being ...

24

November 2011
Who is your Hero or Heroine?
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGt5iiEsThk What is a Hero or Heroine and what is the definition? A hero or heroine is......."A man or woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities" or "A person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities o...