Anni Ueckermann
Bio
Anni grew up in South Africa before moving to the UK 20 years ago. She is a trained Primary School teacher with a love of languages and animals.
Stories (8/0)
Ignition
Dump. Donate. Dump. Donate… "Donate? Would anyone want that?” Caroline thought out loud, holding an old mobile telephone to the dusty light that filtered dimly out from the broken lampshade above her. The grimy buttons on the keyboard fell out as she turned it. No. Dump it is.
By Anni Ueckermann3 years ago in Humans
4 Factors for Effective Language Learning
If you've tried learning a new language as an adult, you are probably familiar with how difficult it can be to retain vocabulary, grammar rules and pronunciation- and that's not including the likelihood of a new alphabet or writing system! There are books, videos, podcasts and apps out there to help, but these can't replace the benefit of learning one to one with a tutor. In order to become confident in a language, you need to be exposed to it frequently, otherwise your brain is likely to 'forget' the vocabulary. Scientifically: the neural pathways to the language will be weakened as your brain prioritises other areas, so recall becomes more difficult. So, how to go about making it stick?
By Anni Ueckermann3 years ago in Education
Hercules the African Pygmy Hedgehog
I'm not sure if I adopted my hedgehog at the beginning, middle or end of the hedgehog craze, but it was something I had on my bucket list for a couple of years when I went into a pet supply store and saw a real pygmy hedgehog for the first time. As soon as I laid eyes on him, I knew I had to have him. I was going to call him Harriet, but as he was a boy, the name 'Hercules' stuck as soon as my boyfriend suggested it; partly because I love the Disney film and because it was apt for a tiny but very strong little creature.
By Anni Ueckermann3 years ago in Petlife
What Do Primary Pupils Want to See in Their Classroom?
Unfortunately, the quality of the physical learning environment is not a priority for many schools, with the focus being more on academic and social progression through quality teaching and an engaging curriculum. Although these are important elements in a child’s life at school, authorities overlook the quality of the physical environment in which primary pupils spend the vast majority of their time. Much of the research into a school’s physical environment focuses mainly on the buildings, seldom touching on the furniture, with very little in the way of an effective wall display and its impact on the pupils. For my Masters in Educational Practice and Research dissertation, I conducted an investigation to research precisely that: what do primary aged pupils want to see in their classroom? Below are 5 of the take-aways of my research:
By Anni Ueckermann3 years ago in Education
Ember
Tears streamed down her face as she stood on the cliff edge, mixing as they ran down her cheeks with the rain that was falling in sheets across the vast expanse of steely grey. Sobs wracked her chest, the sound of them drowned by the waves crashing on the rocks below. Snot flowed from both nostrils and her hair was plastered to her forehead, but Meg didn’t care. Who was she trying to impress? The unfortunate dog walker who would find her once the storm had passed? The coroner performing her autopsy? It didn’t matter now. None of it mattered anymore, now that it was all about to be over.
By Anni Ueckermann3 years ago in Humans
