January 22, 2017

What did we cover in the class?

Announcement

Next week we do not have Telugu class as we visit HH Swamiji in Ashtalakshmi Temple. The next Telugu class will be on Feb 5.

Story (Anecdote)

None

Core Activity

Padyam - Sri Raghurama padyam from Dasarathi Satakam

Here is the padyam in Telugu and English.

Sree raghuraama, chaaru tulasIdaLadhaama, Samakshamaadi SRm

gaara guNaabhiraama; trijagannuta Souryaramaalalaama du

rvaara kabandha raakshasaviraama; jagajjana kalmashaarnavO

ttaarakanaama bhadragiri daaSarathI karuNaa payOnidhI 

శ్రీ రఘురామ, చారు తులసీదళధామ, శమక్షమాది శృం

గార గుణాభిరామ; త్రిజగన్నుత శౌర్యరమాలలామ దు

ర్వార కబంధ రాక్షసవిరామ; జగజ్జన కల్మషార్నవో

త్తారకనామ భద్రగిరి దాశరథీ కరుణా పయోనిధీ 

Revision of fruit names in Telugu

Spoken Telugu - 4 students formed 2 pairs - to discuss a) buyer seller situation b) Two friends discussing about going to fruit market situation.

We also discussed a few simple English sentences and learnt how to say them in Telugu. Some examples given below.

* Do you come here daily?

* No, I come  here only once a week

* Do you know my name?

* Does Sita sing well?

* Do you like Sweets?

* Do you meet them daily?

* At what time do you get up in the morning?

* Where does your father work?

* How do you go to school every day?

Parents, hereafter please speak to your children in Telugu only. They are picking up Telugu fast with peer motivation and your encouragement and filling in where they need will take them a long way.

Writing practice - We practiced a few words with Ou, am, aha gunintams from page 26 and 28 of Mana Telugu Sisu book. 

Homework

We will practice writing vattulu in the next 2 classes. The homework for this week is practicing vattulu. The practice sheet can be downloaded at https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3IeuUQA9h8NalhEWFU0Nm9CbjA 

Please have your kids work on the worksheet. Also, discuss the meaning of the word along with its English counterpart with them. That would enrich their Telugu vocabulary.

Note: Only one student submitted the mid term exam to compensate for Telugu mid term exam score. Please check and work with your child to get it completed to get the eligible score. 

Plan for next class

Padyam revision

Vocabulary about animals would be introduced

Spoken Telugu – Role play continues for other students

Vattulu revision and dictation

Continue to form simple sentences. 

January 15, 2017

What did we cover in the class?

Story (Anecdote)

Revised last week's story of Sibi chakravarty

Core Activity

The attendance was very less today (less than 30% of the class). However, we continued with spoken Telugu.

Students talked about their holiday experiences or the fruit that like and why. Students participated with a lot of enthusiasm. I would say that the spoken skills of the students are taking very decent shape. Parents, kudos to you and please continue talking to the students in Telugu

Since the attendance was low, we had the students take dictation of words involving Telugu gunintams. The idea is eventually to drive them towards sentences having simple gunintams. 30 seconds was provided for them to write the word and then in the next 30 seconds, we showed the students on how to write the word. The homework for this week also reflects practice in  this direction.

Homework

Page 2 to 24 of Mana Telugu Sisu. Please work with your children to have them read, write and understand the meaning of those words. This is very important as we are trying to enrich the students with Telugu vocabulary so that they do not hesitate to talk in Telugu.

 Plan for next class

Revision of fruit names in Telugu

Spoken Telugu – A visit to the fruit market. Pairs of students will play a buyer and seller and negotiate.

A padyam from Dasarathi Satakam

Dictation of words with vattulu and gunintaalu. 

Formation of simple sentences

January 8, 2017

What did we cover in the class?

Story (Anecdote)

Theme: Paropakaaram

Story: Sibi chakravarti's attempt to save the life of a dove by donating flesh from his own body

The concept of paropakaram was discussed first and it was explained with the story

Core Activity

Results of mid term exam

The results of mid term exam were distributed. Unfortunately, those who missed the mid term exam were not either present today or not ready to take the mid term exam. Those who were not able to take the exam and those who got lower score will be able to take a compensation exercise. They get the credit only if they submit the exercise and their score depends on the correct answers in the given answer sheet. The scores are given as follows.

Those who missed the exam - need to complete the mid term exam paper (see the link below) without choice - for a maximum credit of 60 marks

Those who got between 60 and 80 - can add 10 more marks by finishing the exam paper without choice

Those who got between 40 and 60 - can add 20 more marks by finishing the exam paper without choice

The last date for submitting the compensation exercise is January 29, 2017. No late submissions will be taken.

Vocabulary

In the update for last class, I posted a sheet for vocabulary related to fruits. Those words were discussed.

Spoken Telugu

3 students came up and described (in complete Telugu) about their holiday experiences OR the fruit they like and why. We are going to continue this next week with close to 10 students trying to do the same. Help is provided as needed to make it entirely in Telugu and not as a mix of Telugu & English

Homework

For those who need, here is the link to the mid term exam paper. Please take a printout and have the kids answer the complete exam paper.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3IeuUQA9h8NakI3Q204M1lqbGM
This is the compensation exercise, as described above. Please remember. The kids need to say the numbers in Telugu in front of the parents and parents need to check in the areas opposite to the numbers to confirm that the kids did that.

I would highly encourage students to practice their topic for speech for next class. They can choose from one of the topics below

     What did I do in the holidays  OR

     What is the fruit that I like and why?

Plan for next class

Spoken Telugu

Speeches by students

General vocabulary related to day to day life. 

Extempore speaking opportunity - what did I learn from the life of Sibi chakravarti

Vattulu and gunintalu dictation

Try to form simple sentences in specified contexts and write them

December 11, 2016

What happened in the class today?

Mid term exam

We had the mid term exam today. Students were initially worried about the exam but, did well later. I shall distribute the graded papers in the next class. 
Please note that the next class is on January 8. 

Many students missed the exam. They will have only One more opportunity on January 8 for re-exam.Students who have attended the exam today cannot take the re-exam. Please note the date. The re-exam will be in the same format as today's exam (please follow the same guidelines as posted in the previous blog below for sample exam paper and paper organization). Requests for re-exam on later dates will not be accepted.

Homework

Since we have a break of 3 weeks, please review the following homework carefully. I wanted to repeat that what we cover in class is perhaps 10% of their learning and what you work with them at home is 90% of their learning. Talking to the kids always in Telugu would be a great asset to accelerate their learning.

1. To ensure that the kids retain their memory of the vegetables, either take them to the grocery store every time along with you and ask them to say the corresponding name of the vegetables that they see there. You can do the same exercise at the lunch/dinner table also.

2. We are going to start the theme of fruits in the next class. Here is the reference sheet. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3IeuUQA9h8NSnhqYXRoSGM3YjA 

The students can first learn how to say the Telugu counterparts for the fruits. Then  the next step is for them to learn how to write the names. This should not take more than 2-3 hours of work. I am giving a heads up now so that you can spread it out in the holidays.

3. TCA Telugu Badi is organizing తెలుగు భాషా పోటీలు
When: January 7, 2017
Where: Spillane Middle School, 13403 Woods-Spillane Blvd, Cypress, TX 77429

As the parents of Mana  Telugu Madhyama students, let us participate in big number and make our presence felt in the competition. The participation is more significant than winning a prize. Please see below for more information and get in touch with your respective Telugu teacher for any further guidance.

Finally, we wanted to wish you all Happy holidays and a happy new year 2017!

December 4, 2016

Important Announcement

Mid term exam will be conducted on December 11, 2016. The question paper organization was sent out earlier (please refer to the blog on Nov 26 given below for more details) and discussed in detail in class.

What did we cover in the class?

Mid term exam structure and contents were discussed in detail

Padyam (veru purugu) was revised
Reading & Writing practice along with spoken Telugu
    The Telugu words what, when, why, how and where were discussed, usage of these words in Telugu sentences was also discussed.

Homework

No homework this week - Yay!! Please let the students prepare for the mid term exam next week

No student returned the sentences homework from last week. It helps for them in the mid term exam to complete the homework. Please work with your children for this homework

For the midterm, obviously, the more they exercise, the less would be the last minute crunch they need for Telugu mid-term exam.

Plan for next class

Mid term exam

Mid term reference - Save the date December 11

Jai Srimannarayana dear Parents,

As you were informed earlier, the mid term for Mana Telugu madhyama would be on December 11. The mid term reference is given below.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3IeuUQA9h8NY0JPT0d2cXN0aHM

Please note:

1. Please make sure that kids carry at least two pencils and an eraser for every class and to the exam.

2. Please start preparing the kids immediately so that last minute crunch could be avoided.

3. We will be discussing in the next class about the format of the exam and how the students can prepare well for the exam.

November 13, 2016

Important Announcements

There is no Prajna class next week (November 20)

The subsequent week, we meet in Ashtalakshmi Temple for a special session with HH Swamiji.

**Please note**

Mana Telugu Madhyama mid term will be on December 11, 2016. The syllabus and model paper would be distributed shortly. Please have the students practice reading, writing and spoken Telugu. This includes names of vegetables, numbers and family relationships

What did we cover in the class?

Story (Anecdote)

None

Core Activity

Since there was a gap in Telugu classes, we revised sentence construction in Telugu with antonym relationship (Big/small, more/less, wide/narrow, loud/silent, firm/soft etc.). Later, we wrote the sentences. Please refer to the notebooks of your children to review what was discussed in the class.

Homework

Very few students are completing their homework. Since they need to practice reading, writing and spoken Telugu for the mid-term exam, please let the students complete last week's homework if they have not completed.You can refer to the earlier post in this  blog for more information on last week homework.

After completing last week's homework, please review Mana Telugu Sisu (UKG) and let them perform exercises. 

Obviously, the more they exercise, the less would be the last minute crunch they need for Telugu mid-term exam.

For practicing sentences, here is the homework. 
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3IeuUQA9h8NbTVfWjZpN1I3ZEE
Ideally, you would spread it as 1-2 sentences per day. This would ensure that students have consistent practice and enjoy while learning.

Plan for next class

Padyam

Spoken Telugu - Fruits and vegetables

Writing sentences - continuation

Note:

Please ensure that your children get a note book and pen/pencil to the class, every class