'MegaSkills' for Children

By Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: October 2, 2003

This is Doug Johnson with the VOA Special English Education Report.
MegaSkills is a program used in schools across the United¹ States. This program trains adults to help children develop the skills needed for what educators call lifelong² learning³. MegaSkills is based on the idea that parents and teachers can help children gain skills through normal, daily activities.
Dorothy Rich created the program. She heads a 1)nonprofit organization in Washington⁴, D.C., called the Home and School Institute.
Mizz Rich identified eleven major skills that children need to succeed in life. She based them on information she gathered from educators and employers⁵. She describes them as "inner⁶ engines of learning" for school and work.
These MegaSkills include feeling able to do what is needed, and wanting to do it. Being willing⁷ to work hard and doing what is right are other MegaSkills. So are completing what you start, showing concern for others, and using good judgment⁸. Dorothy Rich says children also need to learn how to solve problems, and how to work with a goal in mind.
MegaSkills Education Online offers suggestions for activities to build these skills. For example, there are ideas about how parents can help children get organized in school. Parents can begin by helping⁹ a child plan a school project, like a science project.
A parent can suggest that the child think about all the supplies needed for the project. What special supplies might the child need? The child can write down each step required for the project, then number the steps to help follow them.
Other ideas offer ways to help younger children plan their time. MegaSkills Education Online suggests that parents and children list activities for a day when there is no school. For example, the family might plan to 2)wake up at eight o'clock and eat breakfast by nine.
As the day progresses, children can write down the time they start each activity on the list. At the end of the day, the family can see how close they came to following their plan.
MegaSkills says this exercise is one way to reduce the time spent watching television. It can also increase the time children spend on schoolwork.
There are other free suggestions and activities at the MegaSkills Web¹⁰ site. The address is megaskillshsi.org.
This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Doug Johnson.

注释：
1) nonprofit [5nCn5prCfit ] adj.非赢利的, 不以赢利为目的的
2) wake up  v.醒来

1 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

2 lifelong   

adj.毕生的，终身的

参考例句：

• A childhood journey sparked his lifelong interest in railways.儿童时代的一次旅行引发了他对铁路持续终生的兴趣。
• A moment's error can bring a lifelong regret.一失足成千古恨。

3 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

4 Washington   

n.华盛顿特区(是美国首都)

参考例句：

• His birthplace is Washington,but he lives in San Francisco.他出生于华盛顿，但住在旧金山。
• They, together with my father,have gone to Washington.他们和我父亲一起去华盛顿了。

5 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

6 inner   

adj.内部的，里面的；内在的，内心的；精神的

参考例句：

• The label is on the inner side of the box.标签贴在盒子内侧。
• Other people seek the mountains for renewal of their inner lives.另一些人到深山中去，寻求新的精神生活。

7 willing   

adj.愿意的，自愿的，乐意的，心甘情愿的

参考例句：

• We never lack food and clothing if we're willing to work.如果我们愿意工作,就不会缺吃少穿。
• He's quite willing to pay the price I ask.他很愿意照我的要价付钱。

8 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 web   

n.网，蛛丝，蹼，织物，圈套，卷筒纸；vi.生蹼，形成网；vt.织蜘蛛网于，使落入圈套

参考例句：

• The spider weaves a web.蜘蛛织网。
• You mean the World Wide Web?你是说国际互联网？