Laptop learning in Italy

Learning English - Words in the News

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2008/10/081008_italy_laptops.shtml


elementary school
a school that provides the first part of a child's education (usually for children aged 5 - 11)

turned up
here, came to school ----- datang- 200 orang datang kemesyuarat itu-------muncul- dari 200 org dijemput, 100 org saje yg muncul--------dijumpai- anak mereka yg hilang dijumpai di italy- jag risau dokumen yg akan dijumpai--------wujud- mesti ada peluang wujud


turn up (somewhere) (APPEAR) phrasal verb [M] INFORMALto arrive or appear somewhere, usually unexpectedly or in way that was not planned:

.......Do you think many people will turn up?
.......She turned up at my house late one night.


grade
a class or group of classes in a school where all the children are of a similar age and/or ability - ------- peringkat pelajar berdasarkan umur-tahun--dia dalam tahun kelima--------kualiti-gred- dia beli telur kualiti yg tinggi-------pangkat- saya dapat pangkat 1 dalam spm dan dapat pangkat A dalam Bahasa melayu--------peringkat[masyarakat]- orang dari setiap peringkat masyarakat-

grade (SCHOOL) noun [C] US

.......Jackie is in the sixth grade
UK Carla got a grade A in German.

-grader suffix US
.......an eighth-grader (= a student in the eighth level of school)



curriculum
all the subjects taught at a school, college, university etc. The word 'curriculum' can also be used to mean the same as 'syllabus', i.e. the topics or books studied within a subject


curriculum noun [C] plural curricula or curriculums
the group of subjects studied in a school, college, etc:

the school curriculum

See also the national curriculum. Compare syllabus.



access to
here, ability to surf/search/use ------ hak masuk-- menuntuk hak masuk kesebuah bangunan---------[dinafikan-] kesempatan- pelajar tidak diberi kesempatan menggunakan library---------jalan- satu2nya jalan menghubungi prof itu-------- kemudahan- dia mahukan kemudahan utk tengok fail2 itu------hak-peluang-- peluan utk mengetahui maklumat itu-


access noun [U]
the method or possibility of approaching a place or person, or the right to use or look at something:

......The only access to the village is by boat.
.......The main access to (= entrance to) the building is at the side.
........The tax inspector had/gained complete access to the company files.
.........The system has been designed to give the user quick and easy access to the required information.
............The children's father was refused access to them at any time (= refused official permission to see them).

are waterproof
cannot be damaged by water - kalis air-

waterproof adjective
not allowing water to go through:

........Canvas boots are all right but they're not as waterproof as leather.


waterproof noun [C] MAINLY UK - baju hujan kalis air
a coat or other item of clothing which keeps you dry because it does not allow water in


the equivalent of
the sum of money that amounts to/equals ------- sama seperti- yg setara- padanan untuk- Sirim, institusi yg sama spt British Standards Instituition-- satu keping keju sama seperti segelas susu-- apakah padanan yg tepat dalam b.melayu bagi perkataan ini.------- sama [nilainya] wang ini sama nilainya dgn ringgit malaysia-


equivalent adjective

having the same amount, value, purpose, qualities, etc:

......She's doing the equivalent job in the new company but for more money.
........Is $50 equivalent to about £30?


equivalent noun [C usually singular]

.......There is no English equivalent for 'bon appetit' so we have adopted the French expression.
.......Ten thousand people a year die of the disease - that's the equivalent of the population of this town.


involved in the scheme
taking part in the experiment


to verify
to prove that something is true or not ------membuktikan[kebenaran dn ketepatan sesuatu] - saksi itu tidak membuktikan kebenaran kenyataan------mengesahkan- ini hanya mengesahkan teori saya-


......Are you able to verify your account/allegation/report/theory?
........These figures are surprisingly high and they'll have to be verified.
.........[+ (that)] Under interrogation, she verified (that) the tapes were authentic.


backing noun [U]
support, encouragement ------- sokongan- projek ini perlu sokongan jawatankuasa tersebut-

1 - support, especially money, that someone gives a person or plan:

.......If I go ahead with the plan, can I count on your backing?



due (OWED) adjective
owed as a debt or as a right: --------- dijangka- mereka dijangka pulang dari cuti------- akan- dia akan beri ceramah malam ini- pelancaran ini akan bermula setengah jam dari sekarang---------- sewajarnya- wajar-sepatutnya- perkara ini akan dipertimbangan sewajarnya--------patut diberikan- wang itu patut diberikan pada minggu depan--------dia tidak dilayan yg sepatut diberikan kepadanya--------- perlu dibayar- sewa perlu dibayar esok-


..........The rent is due (= should be paid) at the end of the month.
..........Fifty pounds is MAINLY UK due to me/MAINLY US due me by the people I worked for last month.
........Our thanks are due to everyone.

............UK LEGAL He was found to have been driving without due (= the necessary) care and attention. - betul2-hati2

Laptop learning in Italy - Duncan Kennedy, BBC News, Rome


Until today, the Don Milani di Rivoli elementary school in central Turin was like any other. Children turned up, got out their books and pens and began the process of learning. But now, in what's being described as a unique experiment, 60 fifth-grade pupils and a number of third-graders, will start using computers only


The mini-laptops, which run Windows software, all have a full curriculum programmed into them. The pupils will use the computers to do all their reading and writing. Security systems within the laptops mean the children's access to the internet is strictly controlled. The machines weigh less than a kilogram, can be dropped from a height of 1.5 metres and are waterproof.


Instead of spending the equivalent of 700 dollars a year on books, the laptops, built by the Italian company Olidata, cost less than 400 dollars. One of the teachers involved in the scheme says that, for the first time, schools will be able to verify in a scientific way how a computer alone can improve the learning process. The experiment, which has the backing of parents, is due to last a year.