Annabella’s Closed For Vacation Jan. 30-Feb. 8; Shop Now So We Can Ship Beforehand!

Annabella’s Gift Shop will be closed for Vacation from January 30-February 8. Our last shipping day before we leave will be January 29; therefore, all payments must clear by that date or else your order will not ship until February 9.

We still have a wide selection of Valentine’s Day plush available, plus our Frog and Ladybug Collectibles are flying off the shelves! Be sure to stop by today; and if you see something you want, we encourage you to Buy It Now and pay with PayPal so we can ship to you before we close for vacation!!

www.AnnabellasGiftShop.com

Foreign Language Instruction: Teaching Methods

From preschool parents to Pentagon chiefs, people are calling for more foreign language instruction. Factors driving the demand include China’s economic growth, which has prompted the College Board to add Chinese to its list of Advanced Placement tests. Also driving interest in language studies are the growing populations of heritage students being raised in homes where another language besides English is being spoken. Finally, both parents and educators are recognizing the value that language studies provide in preparing our youth for living in a global society.It is recognized that it is easier to master additional languages at younger ages than during adulthood.

A child's language learning is greatest in pronounciation, somewhat weaker in the area of grammar usage, and slight when considering vocabulary development. A few hours per week is advantageous in learning a foreign language with education focused on the use of words, songs and a few ritualized exchanges. This approach at least begins an appreciation of a different culture and its language in preschool and elementary age children, although mastery is not to be expected at this age. Research has shown that older students can learn foreign languages by focusing on grammar and mechanical structure. Adapting teaching strategies that allow these students to converse ideas to others in the language have the largest benefits toward mastery. On the other hand, research has shown that adults require 575-600 class hours (25 hours per week) plus 3-4 hours per day for homework to master languages even close to English. For the more difficult languages, 2,200 hour of classroom instruction is required. Compare that to a typical college year of language instruction in the classroom is approximately 180 hours plus homework.

Take into considerations the following points when considering if and when foreign language instruction should be pursued:
First, recognize that simply starting early does not guarantee that a language will be learned.

Second, support age-appropriate foreign language teaching — a total immersion program for young children, moving toward a more explicit focus on structure for adolescents and adults.

Third, be realistic with students and parents about how much foreign language skill a few hours a week of instruction can generate, especially for preschool and elementary school learners. Such limited instruction will not lead to mastery, but it may build motivation and a"taste" for language learning.

Fourth, recognize that for almost everyone, high proficiency in a foreign language will develop outside the classroom, through conversations with native speakers made possible by the skills acquired in the classroom.

Last, the precise impact of a student’s foreign language aptitude is affected by threeimportant variables — age; type of exposure to the language; and "linguistic distance," or the degree of difference between the native and the foreign language. In the end, aptitude, while difficult to define, clearly is an important factor for adolescents and adults learning a foreign language in the classroom.

Check out our foreign language instruction materials at Abbey's Carolinas:

http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That_Educational-Books-Software_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ9QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate BATH PRODUCTS Now 40% Off!!

Love chocolate? Now you can indulge your craving guilt-free with chocolate scented bath products from Serendipity 3 (the makers of the famous frozen hot chocolate)!

To entice you further, for a limited-time, all Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate Bath Products (shower gel, body lotion, shampoo, foot lotion, and lip balm) are 40% off! This offer is only good for a limited time, so visit us today at http://stores.ebay.com/Annabellas-Gift-Shop!!

Karaoke For Children

Coming on scene as a new fad in the 1980's, karaoke isn't just for adults any longer. Karaoke is a form of musical entertainment in which an amateur sings along with recorded music/lyrics using a microphone.

The very first karaoke machines were patented in 1983. Today, we have a more compact and mobile version of karaoke that is perfect for young children. These products will spark musical interest/talent in preschool and early elementary aged children. Easy to use and durable, checkout our new karaoke products today:

http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That_Juvenile-Music_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ3QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Shop Early for Valentine's Day at Annabella's Gift Shop

Have you checked out Annabella’s Gift Shop for our selection of Valentine’s Day gifts yet? Along with adorable plush animals for your special someone, we also have candy conversation heart-themed picture frames, coffee mugs and even teapots!

If you see something you want, be sure to Buy It Now as we have a limited supply and won’t be receiving any more stock in. As always, we will gladly ship directly to your recipient if you’d like and enclose a free printed gift card.

http://stores.ebay.com/Annabellas-Gift-Shop

P.S. Please note that Annabella’s will be CLOSED January 30-February 8; if you need an item before then, now is the time to buy so we can ship it out before we go on vacation!

Scrapbooking Fad - Tear Bears!

Everybody's doing it.....c'mon.....you know you want to....

"Tear Bears" are all the rage among scrappers. These little paper-piercing creations have taken the industry by storm. There are several different patterns that can be used to create these bears. You can make your own pattern, use one off the Internet or buy a pattern book.

[note-image is from this gallery]

Here is what you will need to make your own "tear bear".

• Handmade mulberry paper (it has to be able to tear easily when wet)
• Bear or other character pattern
• Water
• Q-tip or water pen
• Chalks
• Inks
• Pens

Trace your pattern onto heavy weight paper or plastic and cut out parts of your bear separately.

Now trace the body parts (head, legs, arms, ears) onto the mulberry paper and use a Q-tip or water pen to wet the outline of your pattern. Make sure the water soak completely through the paper.

Next, carefully tear along the shapes of your pattern. The wet paper will tear easily and since mulberry paper has several layouts there will be "fiber-like" edges where you have torn the paper (this makes it look like fur on your bear).

Once you have torn out your bear parts let them dry completely and then you will be ready to assemble your bear. Use your adhesive to glue the bear together and pose him however you would like.

You can use chalks or inks to outline the bear and add some color to his body. Use die cuts or pens to dry a face. Some scrappers like to dress their bears with paper clothing make from die cuts or templates.

These bears can be used on your scrapbook pages, tags, cards, etc. You can personalize your bear any way you would like. “Tear” animals or characters have become popular too. You can offer variety with other options and patterns.

Hints:

Tear your paper slowly because you may slip and tear in a place you didn't want to tear.

Use a thin plastic to trace your pattern and hold it on the paper as you tear, this will help you to tear more evenly and get more shapely pieces.

Don't over due your body shading or faces.

from Scrapbook Life Tips

Check out all my scrapbooking supplies at my eBay store - 0tinam0 Scrapbooks Galore

Paper Dolls Transformed for the 21st Century

Paper dolls, as we have traditionally known them, have been transformed for the 21st century. What is this transformation, you ask?

Well, there are now magnetic versions of paper dolls. The magnetic versions are usually either sturdy card stock or wood.

Benefits of magnetic "paper" dolls:

1) increased durability
2) space saver
3) easy to transport
4) no clean-up

Ideas for use:

1) Purchase and play with these on a magnetic board
2) Convert a wall in a child's room into a play scene using magnetic paint
3) Perfect waiting room toy by implementing any of the two above play surfaces

Here is the link to our eBay category stocked with magnetic paper dolls:

http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That_Toys-and-Games_Paper-Dolls_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ1326979QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Well, it's official. Winter is here. Cold, snow, sleet, stuck cars, cold, snow in your boots, shovelling the sidewalk, cold, stalled cars, ice on the sidewalk, cold . . . and did I say COLD?!

So here, to help keep your brain warm now that it's "cold" out there, is a little winter weather trivia.

Ice always melts at 0 degrees Celsius, but water does not always freeze at 0 degrees Celsius. It must freeze onto something - like your windshield! However, at -40 degrees Celsius water freezes spontaneously. If you opened a window and poured out a cup of water - like you're actually going to do that at minus forty degrees - the water would freeze solid before it hit the ground.

Wind chill, that awful little number that has us running for our balaclavas, is the combination of wind and temperature and is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin such as that of a person or an animal. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving the body temperature down. Therefore, the wind chill temperature has no effect on inanimate objects like cars. So ignore it as the cause if your car is a "very" inanimate object. That is - the #@*&! thing won't start!

Ever wonder what the difference between hail, sleet and freezing rain is? Hail is usually a warmer weather phenomenon and consists of chunks or stones of ice that drop from extremely high thunderclouds. Sleet is frozen rain, and freezing rain is liquid rain that freezes when it hits a surface such as a tree or a road - or your car. Now don't you feel so much better knowing that?

But most of us don't mind the light, fluffy stuff, as long as it remains light and fluffy. And not too much of it. The precipitation we accumulate at winter time is quite staggering. A mere 10 inches, or 25.4 cm. of snow is equal to an inch, or 2.54 cm. of rain.

But we shouldn't complain. So far, our winters have been fairly mild, and nothing like the severe winter of 1847-48. It was so cold that heavy ice formed on Lake Erie. When it broke up in the latter part of March, winds swept the ice into the entrance of the Niagara River. The result was that on March 29, 1848, Niagara Falls did not fall.

So now that winter is here why don’t you just spend more time indoors: surf the web; check out eBay; or even better, check out my store of paper treasures. You can find Paper Lion at http://stores.ebay.com/paperlion

And if you must go outdoors button up your coat, zip up your parka, wrap that scarf tight, and pull that toque well down over your ears. And last of all, count your blessings. You could live in Inuvik.