Equity and social justice in the teaching and learning of mathematics

Equity and social justice in the teaching and learning of mathematics Equity and Social Justice in the teaching and learning of Mathematics Equity and Social justice are important issues in Mathematics teaching. This essay explores the relevance of how Mathematics Education may be a necessary factor in determining the social justice of a childs upbringing, and consider how equity can be used to ensure an education that is fair in its opportunities for all children to achieve progression in their learning. Social Justice in Mathematics Education Watson has confidence that all children are capable of learning ‘significant Mathematics given appropriate teaching. She believes that there is a ‘moral imperative that children are educated well in Mathematics in order to ‘realise the full potential of the human mind and that there is empowerment when a child realises that they can enjoy learning Mathematics.It is a matter of ‘social justice to teach Mathematics to all children as their achievement in the subject is judged throughout their life and can participate in determing future prospects. Grades achieved in Mathematics can affect future studies and career paths. For example, to enter university, usually a minimum of grade C GCSE Maths is required, and this requirement varies depending on the course. In Mathematics, setting is used to group pupils according to their ability and students are entered in for an exam tier depending on what set they are placed in, which determines the maximum grade they can achieve. Usually in secondary schools, the sets are formed in year 7 or in year 9 after SATs and these sets rarely change and so even if individuals make progress over the years before sitting the GCSE paper in year 11, it does not make a difference as the maximum grade that they can achieve will not reflect their capability. Only a maximum of grade D can be attained in the lower sets.(Day, p. 165) As a result, children in these sets will not be able to go to university, may not get into a particular course or will have to take their GCSE Mathematics again at a later stage, rendering their first grade D useless. This seems unfair for the lower setted students, whose full potential may not have been realised and who surely deserve the chance to achieve a higher grade if they are abl e to progress over the year. Every Child Matters A UK government initiative programme called ‘Every Child Matters has the aim of helping ‘every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the support they need to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and achieve economic well-being.The idea behind this scheme is that all institutions that affect a childs life work together to create a stable and supportive environment for their development educationally and socially. The education institutions aim to help a child achieve mathematical learning but also try to develop mathematical learning and thinking on a wider level, supporting all areas of life.(website 2) The question to be asked is if setting in mathematics classes really contributes towards that aim or, more likely, hinders it? Setting by ability Mathematics teaching is in two forms; mixed ability teaching, where all students learn together, or setted classes, where students are split into groups in terms of ability level. Higher sets are taught more advanced Mathematical concepts, topics and skills as they are thought to have the potential and basic knowledge to understand it. The lower sets are taught more basic Mathematics and at a slower pace to allow them enough time and practice to learn and understand and so their learning and depth of Mathematics is restricted. Students are entered for a GCSE Mathematics exam paper appropriate to their level, depending on what set they are in. However, lower sets can only achieve grades D-G which are not usually accepted as being high enough to enable the student to study further and may prevent them from studying a particular course. In this way, the GCSE examination itself is split into tiers, with only the higher sets being allowed to attain ‘good passes of grades A*-C.(Archer, Hutchings and Ross, 2003, p. 139) There are many questions concerning the fairness of such an arrangement. As students in lower sets would not have covered the content that would be examined in the higher tier, it is not appropriate to enter them for the higher or intermediate tier. Therefore, as a result of mathematics setting, ‘those in lower sets are less likely to be entered for higher tiers, consequently harming their future study and job opportunities. Also, some children have an advanced grasp of Mathematics due to an advantaged background, parents help or private tuition. This could mean that setting is unfair as it is biased towards early developing children or those who have been given extra help outside of the classroom. My experience In secondary school, even after attaining Level 7 in year 9 SATs, I was put in set 2 as set 1 was full. This meant that I was entered for the GCSE Mathematics intermediate tier which only allowed me to gain a maximum of grade B. After scoring over 95% in two of the module exams and discussions between my parents and teacher, I was allowed to move into set 1 as my achievement was higher than those who were already in set 1 so it was unfair to restrict me from sitting the higher paper and having the chance of getting an A. As the higher set moves at a faster pace as it has a bigger syllabus to cover, I had to spend 3 months catching up on work that I had missed. In the end, I ended up with an A* in GCSE Mathematics and studied a degree in Maths. This proves that higher achievement is possible, if given the opportunity. Advantages of setting by ability The ex-Prime Minister, Tony Blair, agreed with setting children by ability. He states: ‘The modernisation of the comprehensive principle requires that all pupils are encouraged to progress as far and as fast as they are able and that ‘Grouping children by ability can be an important way of making that happen. The main advantage of separate ability grouping is that all students get the chance to learn at a pace suitable for them and they are not distracted from students of a different ability level with different educational needs. With setting, students are only given the work that they are capable of completing otherwise it could harm the childs confidence and self-esteem levels, resulting in dissatisfaction and frustration for both pupils and teachers, class disruption and lower attendance levels. Alternatively, people argue that mixed ability groups are more productive for all students. Evidence from research suggests, ‘all pupils gained socially from working in wide ability groups because, ‘such groupings allowed pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds, as well as abilities, to work together, strengthening social cohesion. Disadvantages of setting by ability There is a big question of authority about who can decide on appropriate setting in the first place, and how? In schools, the setting system is supposed to be purely based on ability level. However, in reality, streaming could be decided upon for other reasons. For example, two areas of prejudice encountered can be social class and ethnic dimensions.Bartlett, Burton and Peim point out that often ‘lower class pupils were deemed to have a lower intellectual ability than middle class peers purely due to unrelated social issues such as accent or parents jobs.Sukhnandan and Lee (1998) comment on the fact that lower-ability sets consist of a high number children from low social-class backgrounds, ethnic minorities, boys and children born in the summer, who are at a younger age for their school year. (website 1) Harlens study (1997) suggested that ‘teachers with substantial experience of teaching mixed ability groups frequently used whole class methods inappropriate to mixed ability groupings and that teachers retained largely fixed views of ability and intelligence.(Capel and Leask, 2005, p. 155) A clear disadvantage of setting is that children can be stuck in one set for years and are then branded as holding a set ability for the rest of their education. (Ollerton, 2002, p. 264) Setting prevents children from mixing with other ability levels in the classroom environment, giving them an unrealistic expectation of future life and general working environments. The problem of self-esteem is an issue for the lower setted pupils, who feel dejected that they are perceived as having weaker ability. Self-esteem is also an issue for higher setted pupils, who can be ‘developmentally damaged in a different way by their high set ‘over inflating their self-esteem. Sukhnandan and Lee believe that setting in this way causes ‘social divisions. (website 1) Self-esteem is essentially important for children in learning Mathematics. If a child has lowered self-esteem they could convince themselves that they are not bright enough to understand and so underachieve due to their negative attitude. Equally, high self-esteem in Mathematics can make a child overly-relaxed and over confident causing them to slack. Research has shown that setting pupils has ‘a direct impact on the pupils perceived mathematical competenceand children can be affected psychologically about what they can or cannot do and learn. A student who is setted is ‘branded and this branding can affect the students perception of themselves and others peoples perceptions and judgement of them. Gender Issues Boaler points out that setting children by ability can cause anxiety about exam performance among the more able pupils and underperformance, in particular, from girls. (Boaler, 1997) Boaler suggests this underperformance is due to crumbling under the pressure which affects girls more than boys because girls have ‘a tendency to lack confidence.Ollerton supports this idea that setting by ability ‘creates the conditions for under-achievement, a view also believed by Boaler and William (2001). Another issue of children being streamed based on their achievements and not on their potential means that ‘underperforming, very able pupils and pupils who are hardworking and perform well on tests can easily be placed in the same achievement group.Indeed, an able pupil who is underachieving would be placed in a lower set than their ability should demand, whereas a lower ability pupil who has the ability for performing well under pressure in exams could be placed in a higher set than their natural ability would normally allow. In a similar way, behaviour could also cause unfairness in setting as boys often mess around in the classroom but perform well in exams. They could be placed in a lower set due to their bad behaviour and lack of attention, but their ability in Maths could be worthy of a higher set. Research shows, for boys in particular, that ‘the set they were in reflected their behaviour more than their ability.Girls tend to do better in communicative tasks and enjoy writing more than boys who ‘often dont enjoy â€Å"writing up† courseworkand research conducted has shown that girls tend to do better in coursework compared to exams whereas boys do not do well in coursework but perform well in exams. Modularisation in Mixed Ability Teaching The main concern in a mixed ability class is for the teacher to decide what to teach and how to teach to a wide spread of abilities, which is still a concern in a setted class. Sukhnandan and Lee (1998) comment that a modular approach would benefit a mixed ability class. They suggest that schools should try to teach pupils in relation to their individual needs rather than streaming by general ability, with equity in teaching more easily achieved ‘through greater modularisation of the curriculum, an increased emphasis on independent learning and improved library and information technology resources. It seems that ‘what goes on in the classroom and ‘the teaching strategies used, is likely to have more impact on achievement than how pupils are grouped A teachers goal is to encourage progression of learning Mathematics in the classroom for all students. In order to achieve this, Ollerton suggests that this modular approach to teaching Mathematics creates the feeling of having a fresh start to every section of learning, therefore, helping self-esteem as everyone can ‘embark upon a journey to learn, say trigonometry. This progressive idea challenges the view of the hierarchical structure of mathematical learning, (Ollerton, 2002, p. 266) where everyone can start at the same level. Differentiating Teaching Content Tomlinson comments on the importance of differentiating the content of a Mathematics lesson in a mixed ability classroom. She points out that this includes adapting ‘what we teach and modifying ‘how we give students access to what we want them to learn.Giving different ability level students different tasks appropriate to their ability is differentiating what they are learning. Tomlinson explains that giving students, of higher ability, time to read part of a text on their own while taking time to go through the text with the lower ability pupils separately differentiates their access to learning as they are learning the same thing in different ways, appropriate to their ability level. (Tomlinson, 1995, p. 72) It appears that Mathematics would benefit from an approach that considers differentiation in what is taught rather than how it is taught. Some Mathematical concepts would be too difficult for some children to understand, so the teacher must differentiate between the content suitable for the weaker students from stronger students. For example, ‘trigonometry is only introduced to students in higher groups (Boaler, p. 7)   Equal Rights and Equity in Mathematics Education In the context of teaching, the issue of equity is often confused with equality. According to Zevenbergen, ‘equity refers to the unequal treatment of students in order to produce more equal outcomes. This contrasts equality which means ‘the equal treatment of students with the potential of unequal outcomes . For example, students who have disadvantaged backgrounds could be offered extra help to catch up with their advantaged peers in order to hopefully achieve ‘parity in the outcome for all students. The alternative method of equality would mean that all students are given equal treatment and the same opportunities to succeed. However, some students would take more advantage of the opportunities and the results may be more unequal than with an equity programme. Equity programmes are ‘designed to be more proactive and seek to redress differences in prior experiences , whereas equality programmes are more conservative in their approach and acknowledge that some students will achieve more than others. If children are taught in a way that meets their individual needs then justice in education, a prime aim of Every Child Matters, can be achieved. English as a Foreign Language Language competency is an issue for students who speak English as a second language, causing them to underachieve in Mathematics. In order to read text books and understand verbal instructions, students must work within the language of instruction. Educational progress is enhanced depending on whether a students first language is that of their instruction or not.   (Zevenbergen, 2001, p. 15) Mathematics has many words particular to the subject, for example, ‘integral, differentiate, matrix, volume and mass. This can be confusing for non-native English students, as they have to learn new meanings in the context of Mathematics.   (Zevenbergen, 2001, p. 16) The same word can be interpreted in different ways by non-native English students, causing misunderstandings which affects learning. Teachers may find that this lack of language background can make a Maths class very difficult to teach. For example, the words ‘times normally is related to the time on a clock, not to multiplication; the words ‘hole and ‘whole sound the same but have different meanings, in maths meaning a whole number. (Gates, p. 44) Students with language issues may work more slowly or misunderstand questions and hence, be setted at a lower level in Maths, which is clearly unfair. Special Educational Needs (SEN) Children with special educational needs require different teaching methods. Learning disabilities which need to be considered in the maths classroom include dyscalculia, where the child cannot grasp the meaning of number, poor numeracy skills, problems such as Aspergers syndrome and autism, or physical disabilities and sensory impairments. (Cowan, 2006, p. 202-203) For these students, the teacher needs to be aware of using simple and precise instructive language, a clear method of presentation, modified content of difficulty and work structured with reduced quantity. (Cowan, 2006, p. 203) How Equity can mean Social Justice for all Learners It is clear that ‘the tiering of mathematics papers is likely to have an important impact on student development and pupils often ‘make more progress if taught in a higher set rather than a lower set . This means that in mathematics teaching, the same topic should be addressed in a mixed class and tasks can be organised according to needs level. The National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) advises planning a lesson using three stages: pre-active phase, where necessary prior knowledge is identified and presentation planned; interactive phase, where teaching takes place and tasks are worked through, including a plenary at the end summarising the lesson and the evaluative phase, where the teacher reflects on the lesson and on learning successes or difficulties. (Cowan, 2006, p. 59) By following a structured lesson plan, ‘using a range of tasks comprising different levels of difficulty but addressing the same topic or theme within the one class, (Cowan, 2006, p. 212), equity can be achieved for all students of different ability level. In this way social justice is maintained for all students in mathematics teaching and learning. Conclusion The governments Every Child Matters initiative supports the view that equal rights for all children means equal opportunities for all children. It seems that in order to achieve this kind of social justice, every child needs to be given the chance to take an examination paper that allows them to achieve an A grade. In doing this, each child will have an opportunity to go on to further study should their ability and interests allow. Setting by ability not only makes this difficult, but actually increases problems in the classroom, such as damaged self-esteem and under-achievement and can even encourage some prejudice regarding race and class. Setted classes are not necessarily easier for teachers to teach either, as they will still need to differentiate content for different class members. It therefore seems that a strong lesson structure incorporating modularisation and appropriate differentiation in teaching content will provide a more effective environment in which equity can be us ed to maintain social justice in the teaching of Mathematics to children in a mixed ability classroom.

Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship Essay

As is well known, the urge to worship is an innate drive of humankind. Through the ages, people from all walks of life have appealed to a deity for assistance, protection, and salvation. Then, through various ceremonies of praise and thanksgiving, countless societies have expressed appreciation for the bounties of life. Further, chapter seven blatantly stresses that the idea during the ancient times in building the church and the assembly of the people for service to God has been a consistent aim in providing the needs of humankind in the most spiritual sense of sagacity. As the Roman Empire crumbled and Christianity ascended, early Christians adopted the basilica as a temple for worship, adapting a secular dwelling to religious needs. The dominance of its form and the dignity of its purpose in accommodating the liturgical needs of the Church seem to have appropriately reflected the triumph of Christianity. But Paul’s use of the word â€Å"justification† has been greatly misunderstood in contemporary theology. For Paul, justification does not denote an event or process by which one is saved. Justification is not â€Å"so much about soteriology as about ecclesiology. † It’s far more concerned with discerning â€Å"who is in† rather than the process through which one â€Å"gets in. † Justification is concerned about how one can discern â€Å"who is a member of the covenant family. † Faith is the â€Å"badge of covenant membership, not something someone ‘performs’ as a kind of initiation test. † The law court is the â€Å"metaphorical mean through which the covenant purposes of God are fulfilled. Some people may even call God different names but the level ground that all these people have is the belief in something higher than the mortal soul. Although some may refute this as merely assumptions but investigating the self clearly, there is this certain uncertainty of being a mortal, of being a mere human being. However, this may be beside the point. Religious tolerance can not only promote appreciation for other religions but it could also stop religious conflicts. People have tendencies on neglecting what is basic on the Commandments of God, it on love thy neighbors and if this love would necessitate tolerance then peaceful interactions could be attained. However, Paul remained in the belief that through the structure of the church, and the gathering of the people in edification, what is seemingly important in such scenario is the idea that these individuals come together in the light of praising God—that whatever it is that may have possibly been â€Å"different† within each other, is not a hindrance to praise one God and spread the word to humankind in that instance. Moreover, incorporating certain characteristics of Greek architecture, but often surpassing it structurally, the ancient Roman temple was likewise a magnificent work of stone visually representing the important role of religion in society. Reflecting the values of secular society, the Roman basilica, a court building and meeting hall, similarly evolved into an imposing form, also prominently situated, while the exterior of the Classical civic temple projected monumentality appropriate for a central public building, the interior, with its spatial organization of narthex, nave, and chancel, echoed solemnity of important functions, including religious ceremonies. Rows of columns defining side aisles adjacent to the nave effused dignity of purpose while rhythmically moving the eye forward to the chancel with its sacred altar. Review on Chapter Nine What is going on around them, in the social and political life of their power of false religion? In most part of the world, Jesus Christ is not a stranger in concept and in fame. Some books in the Holy Bible were even devoted to discussing and retelling the life of Jesus Christ. It could be seen then that the main writers or proponents regarding the accounting of Jesus’ life and works were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Few words are as deeply freighted as â€Å"religion,† and few raise so many questions. If the first is â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † others follow rapidly. At the pedestrian level of empirical discourse, some obvious ones arise. Is religion one or several? If the latter, what do they have in common, and why are there so many of them? How did they arise? Why are they so different? What has determined their content and their demographic boundaries? What distinguishes religion or religions from other types of human conduct? Why do particular religions emerge and disappear? Is religion a social phenomenon or a property of individuals? Are all individuals religious? Is religion a delusory form of wishful thinking or a kind of understanding? Is it an unavoidable aspect of human existence or a characteristic of one phase of human history? To all these questions and more, different people will give different answers, but one thing is certain: the answers we give on the empirical level will depend on the way we conceive of our humanity. In the light, â€Å"religion† came to designate something apparently common to all peoples: their avowal that they were obligated by supernatural powers to act in certain ways. But beyond that vague similarity, the term had no specific content. Religion was only real, observable, and meaningful in its concrete instances, Latin polytheism, Judaism, Catholicism, Lutheranism, and so forth, and that rich meaning was provided by the adherents of each of those religions themselves. â€Å"Religion† had no ontological status beyond that of a convenient term to point to an amazing variety of real, but mutually contradictory, sets of beliefs about gods or god and the conduct by which they were expressed. One of the most notable conflicts that have been debated by many scholars since the medieval ages is the controversy regarding the place of philosophy and religion in a society. The two have been used to attack each other in order to uphold their own credibility. The study of Philosophy is directed towards the speculation of the things that govern the world and its processes, and the nature of man and his relationship with other individuals as well as with the world (Gasset, 1964). Philosophy attempts to scrutinize and make rational explication of almost everything that can be grasped by the human mind. Yet, it does not really provide sufficient and concrete answers to all its queries. Religion, on the other hand, focuses its scope on explaining things and phenomena that cannot be explained by science and at some point even those that cannot really be made explicit by philosophy. It tries to give reason for everything that is happening. Its justification for every reason that it provides is primarily founded on faith (Nasr, 1996). Hence, by faith, it need not be verifiable. A strong faith or believe could suffice one’s doubt and hesitation.

Racism Without Racists, By Jordan Peele - 797 Words

The concept art imitates life is crucial to film directors who express their views on political and social issues in film. In regard to film studies, race is a topic rare in many films. Like America, many films simply refuse to address this topic for various reasons. However, more recently, Jordan Peele’s 2017 box office hit Get Out explicates contemporary race relations in America. In the form of an unconventional comedy horror, Get Out is intricate in its depiction of white liberal attitudes towards African Americans. In short, Get Out suggests a form of covert racism existing in a post- Jim Crow era. Similarly, Eduardo Bonilla- Silva’s book Racism Without Racists acknowledges the contemporary system of racism or â€Å"new racism,† a system†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, this scene also depicts racial profiling in America. According to Silva â€Å"blacks and dark-skinned Latinos are the targets of racial profiling by the police,† (2). In man y cases, blacks are automatically assumed criminals and â€Å"always up to no good.† Soon after this first incident, Chris and Rose arrive at her parent’s house and he is immediately welcomed. While touring the house, Rose’s father, Dean, tells Chris that â€Å"I would have voted for Obama for a third term if I could.† This statement is striking in revealing the true attitudes of white liberals; race no longer is an issue because a black man served as president (Silva 257). By vocally supporting Obama, white liberals are seemingly aligning themselves with blacks, in contrast to white conservatives that outright declare their hostility towards blacks. In essence, common expressions â€Å"I have black friends† or â€Å"I’m color blind† are used to appear neural and not a threat to blacks. Forwardly, Chris is having dinner with Rose’s family. Rose’s brother, Jeremy, and Chris discuss sports. In an uncomfortable conversation, Jeremy tells Chris that with his athletic abilities and genetic makeup he can do great things. It is true, African Americans have a predominance in sports as evident 80% black in the NBA and 65% black in the NFL, however this fact prompts the common stereotype that African Americans are onlyShow MoreRelatedEssay On Racism In America1904 Words   |  8 PagesRacism is one issue that is most current and at the same time most ancient issue that American has been experiencing. There were many attempt to abolish racism; however, action of treating and judging one for his or her’s skin color never did got abolished but occurred in different forms. This issue was ‘assumed’ as resolved in the modern days; however, it was only neglected from being spoken by the people. Famous black comedian, Jordan Peele, produced his new est and first movie Get Out to inflameRead MoreWarning : The Following Review1052 Words   |  5 Pagescontains spoilers, I’m telling you now so you don’t pretend to be outraged later. I have to be honest here, when I first saw the trailer for Get Out, I legitimately thought it was a joke, like seriously. It looked so ridiculous that when I saw Jordan Peele’s name on it, I thought â€Å"ok good one, you got me†. To my surprise, it wasn’t a joke and suddenly I went â€Å"That’s a funny trailer†¦it s serious Oh dear God†¦Ã¢â‚¬  If you can imagine my shock of this being a real film, you can imagine my shock thatRead MoreGet Out Film Analysis1978 Words   |  8 Pages Jordan Peele’s Get Out uses the premise of an interracial relationship to create a smart horror film that critiques the treatment and fetishization of African American culture. Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a black man, agrees to go to meet the parents of his white girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams) for the weekend but is made uncomfortable by their progressive-white-liberal personae. They eagerly tell him of their adoration for Barack Obama and Jesse Owens and a re quick to dismiss his worry about having

Tips to Improve Your French Verb Conjugations

Conjugating French verbs in a workbook or letter is one thing, but remembering individual verb conjugations when youre speaking is another matter entirely. Here are some tips to help you get better at conjugating French verbs. Learn the Conjugations Before you can even start to worry about speaking French with correctly conjugated verbs, you have to learn the conjugations. There are hundreds of pages on this site that can help you learn how to conjugate French verbs: Present tense conjugations - lessons to help you learn the conjugation patterns for regular verbs, reflexive verbs, stem-changing verbs, impersonal verbs, and compound tensesTop 10 French verbs - lessons on à ªtre, avoir, and the next eight most common French verbsVerb timeline - table of all the French verb tenses and moods, with links to conjugation lessons Practice Conjugating Once youve learned the conjugations, you need to practice them. The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to grab the right conjugation during a  spontaneous discussion. Some of these activities might seem boring or silly, but the point is simply to get you used to seeing, hearing and speaking the conjugations - here are some ideas. Say Them Out Loud When you come across verbs while reading a book, newspaper, or French lesson, say the subject and verb out loud. Reading conjugations is good, but saying them out loud is even better, because it gives you practice both speaking and listening to the conjugation. Write Them Out Spend 10 to 15 minutes every day conjugating verbs along with the appropriate subject pronouns. You can practice writing either the conjugations for several different tenses/moods of a single verb, or all of the, for example, imperfect conjugations for several verbs. After you write them out, say them out loud. Then write them again, say them again, and repeat 5 or 10 times. When you do this, youll see the conjugations, feel what its like to say them, and hear them, all of which will help you the next time you are actually speaking French. Conjugations for Everyone Pick up a newspaper or book and look for a verb conjugation. Say it out loud, then reconjugate the verb for all the other grammatical persons. So if you see il est (he is), youll write and/or speak all of the present tense conjugations for à ªtre. When youre done, look for another verb and do the same thing. Change the Tense This is similar to the above, but this time you reconjugate the verb into other tenses you want to practice. For example, if you see the third person singular present tense il est, change it to il a à ©tà © (passà © composà ©), il à ©tait (imperfect), and il sera (future). Write and/or speak these new conjugations, then look for another verb. Sing Along Set some conjugations to a simple tune, like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and sing it in the shower, in your car on the way to work/school, or while washing the dishes. Use Flashcards Make a set of  flashcards for the verbs you have the most trouble with by writing a subject pronoun and the infinitive on one side and the correct conjugation on the other. Then test yourself by looking at the first side and saying the subject and its conjugation out loud, or by looking at the conjugation and deciding which subject pronoun(s) its conjugated for. Verb Workbooks Another way to practice conjugations is with specialized French verb workbooks, like these: French Verb Drills by R. de Roussy de SalesFrench Verb Workbook by Jeffrey T. Chamberlain Ph.D and Lara Finklea  compare pricesThe Ultimate French Verb Review and Practice by David M. Stillman and Ronni L. Gordon  Compare Prices Improve Your French Improve your French listening comprehensionImprove your French pronunciationImprove your French reading comprehensionImprove your French verb conjugationsImprove your French vocabulary