Tips That Will Help You Spell Better in German

Tips That Will Help You Spell Better in German One wonderful thing about German spelling is that you basically spell how you hear the word. There are not many exceptions. The only trick is that you need to learn and understand the sounds of German letters, dipthongs, and disgraphs, some which are completely different from English pronounciation. (See The German Alphabet.)The following tips highlight in particular spelling traits of German consonants and digraphs, which once understood, will help you spell better in German. Generalities About German Consonants Usually after a short vowel sound, you will find a consonant digraph or a double consonant - die Kiste (box), die Mutter (mother). Be aware of similar-sounding consonants at the end of words, such as p or b, t or d, k or g. One good way to decipher which consonant is the correct one, is to extend the word if possible. For example das Rad (wheel, short form for bicycle)- die Rder; das Bad (bath) - die Badewanne. It will become clear then, which consonant is at the end of the word. When there is a b or p in the middle of a word, it is more difficult to distinguish them from one another. There is no hard and fast rule here. The best solution is to take note of which words contain b and which contain p. (Die Erbse/pea, das Obst/fruit, der Papst/the Pope). The Sound F f, v and ph A syllable that contains an nf sound, will always be written with an f. For example: die Auskunft (information), die Herkunft (origin), der Senf (mustard) Fer versus ver: The only words in German that begin with Fer are: fern (far), fertig (finished), Ferien (vacation), Ferkel (piglet), Ferse (heel). Any words derived from these words will also be written with Fer. -der Fernseher (t.v) The syllable for followed by a vowel does not exist in German, only vor. - Vorsicht (caution). The disgraph ph comes only in German words of foreign origin. (Das Alphabet, die Philosophie, die Strophe/ verse.) When encountering a word that has the sound phon, phot or graph, then the choice is yours to either write it with f or with ph -der Photograph or der Fotograf. The S and Double-S Sound See more... The X-Sound chs: wachsen (to grow), sechs (six), die BÃ ¼chse (a can), der Fuchs (fox),der Ochse (ox). cks: der Mucks (sound), der Klecks (stain), knicksen (to curtsy). gs: unterwegs (on the way). ks: der Keks (cookie) x: die Hexe (witch), das Taxi, der Axt (axe) unterwegs der Weg die Wege The Z-Sound In German words, the letter z will either be written as the only sole consonant in a syllable or accompanied with a t. (besitzen/ to possess; der Zug/ train; die Katze/cat. In German words of foreign origin, you can find a double z, such as in the ever so popular word Pizza.The K Sound K-sound. The k-sound is always written as either ck or k, the former the most prevalent. No double cc and double kk exist in German words, except in those of foreign origin, such as die Yucca.

Operational Definition of Behavior in a School Setting

Operational Definition of Behavior in a School Setting   An operational definition of behavior is a tool for understanding and managing behaviors in a school setting. It is an explicit definition that makes it possible for two or more disinterested observers to identify the same behavior when observed, even when it occurs in very different settings. Operational definitions of behavior are vital to defining a target behavior for both a  Functional Behavior Analysis  (FBA) and a  Behavior Intervention Program  (BIP). While operational definitions of behavior can be used to describe personal behaviors, they can also be used to describe academic behaviors. To do this, the teacher defines the academic behavior the child should exhibit. Why Operational Definitions Are Important It can be very difficult to describe a behavior without being subjective or personal. Teachers have their own perspectives and expectations which can, even inadvertently, become part of a description. For example, Johnny should have known how to line up, but instead chose to run around the room, assumes that Johnny had the capacity to learn and generalize the rule and that he made an active choice to misbehave. While this description may be accurate, it may also be incorrect: Johnny may not have understood what was expected or may have started running without intending to misbehave. Subjective descriptions of behavior can make it difficult for the teacher to effectively understand and address the behavior.  To understand and address the behavior, its extremely important to understand how the behavior  functions.  In other words, by defining behavior in terms of what can clearly be seen, we are able to also examine the antecedents and consequences of the behavior. If we know what happens before and after the behavior, we can better understand what instigates and/or reinforces the behavior. Finally, most student behaviors occur in multiple settings over time. If Jack tends to lose focus in math, hes likely to lose focus in ELA (English Language Arts) as well. If Ellen is acting out in first grade, chances are shell still be acting out (at least to some degree) in second grade. Operational definitions are so specific and objective that they can describe the same behavior in different settings and at different times, even when different people are observing the behavior. How to Create Operational Definitions The operational definition should become part of any data that is collected in order to establish a baseline for measuring behavioral change. This means the data should include metrics (numerical measures). For example, rather than writing Johnny leaves his desk during class without permission, its more useful to write Johnny leaves his desk two to four times per day for ten minutes at a time without permission. The metrics make it possible to determine whether the behavior is improving as a result of interventions. For example, if Johnny is still leaving his desk but now hes only leaving once a day for five minutes at a time, there has been a dramatic improvement. Operational definitions should also be part of the Functional Behavioral Analysis (FBA) and the Behavior Intervention Plan (known as the BIP). If you have checked off behavior in the special considerations section of the Individual Education Program (IEP) you are required by federal law to create these important behavior documents in order to address them.   Operationalizing the definition (determining why it happens and what it accomplishes) will also help you identify the replacement behavior.  When you can operationalize the behavior and identify the function, you can find a behavior that is incompatible with the target behavior, replaces the reinforcement of the target behavior, or cant be done at the same time as the target behavior.   Operational Definition of Behavior Non-operational (subjective) definition:  John blurts out questions in class. Which class? What does he blurt? How often does he blurt? Is he asking questions that relate to the class? Operational  definition, behavior:  John blurts out relevant questions without raising his hand three to five times during each ELA class. Analysis: John is paying attention to the content of the class, as he is asking relevant questions. He is not, however, focusing on the rules of classroom behavior. In addition, if he has quite a few relevant questions, he may be having trouble understanding the ELA content at the level its being taught. It is likely that John could benefit from a refresher on classroom etiquette and some ELA tutoring to be sure he is working at grade level and is in the right class based on his academic profile. Non-operational (subjective) definition:  Jamie throws temper tantrums during recess. Operational  Definition, behavior:  Jamie shouts, cries, or throws objects each time she participates in group activities during recess (three to five times per week).   Analysis: Based on this description, it sounds like Jamie only becomes upset when she is involved with group activities but not when she is playing alone or on playground equipment. This suggests that she may have difficulty in understanding the rules of play or social skills required for group activities, or that someone in the group is intentionally setting her off. A teacher should observe Jamies experience and develop a plan that helps her to build skills and/or changes the situation on the playground. Non-operational (subjective) definition:  Emily will read at the second-grade  level. What does that mean? Can she answer comprehension questions? What kind of comprehension questions?  How many words per minute? Operational Definition, academic: Emily will read a passage of 100 or more words at the 2.2 grade level with 96 percent accuracy. Accuracy in reading is understood  as the number of correctly read words divided by the total number of words. Analysis:  This definition is focused on reading fluency, but not on reading comprehension. A separate definition should be developed for Emilys reading comprehension. By separating these metrics, it will be possible to determine whether Emily is a slow reader with good comprehension, or whether she is having trouble with both fluency and comprehension.