Songs to Teach English Grammar

If you are a teacher who likes songs like me, you'll find this useful.

Songs for teaching present simple

1. Eric Clapton / Wonderful Tonight (lyrics)
2. The Beatles / She Loves You (lyrics)
3. Bette Midler / From A Distance (lyrics)

Songs for teaching present continuous

1. Fool's Garden / Lemon Tree (lyrics)
2. Rod Stewart / Sailing (lyrics)
3. Suzanne Vega / Tom's Diner (lyrics)

Songs for teaching past simple

1. The Beatles / Yellow Submarine (lyrics)
2. Gloria Gaynor / I Will Survive (lyrics)
3. Celine Dion / Because You Loved Me (lyrics)

Songs for teaching past continuous

1. John Lennon / Jealous Guy (lyrics)
2. Oasis / Champagne Supernova (lyrics)
3. Aerosmith / Cryin' (lyrics)

Songs for teaching present perfect

1. Michael Buble / Haven't Met You Yet (lyrics)
2. U2 / Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (lyrics)
3. Chris de Burgh / Lady In Red (lyrics)
4. Sinead O'Connor / Nothing Compares To You (lyrics)
5. Queen / We Are The Champions (lyrics)

Songs for teaching present perfect continuous

1. Anastacia / Left Outside Alone (lyrics)
2. Led Zeppelin / Since I've Been Loving You (lyrics)
3. Foreigner / Waiting For A Girl Like You (lyrics)

Songs for teaching past perfect  

1. James Blunt / Goodbye My Lover (lyrics)
2. Maddness / My Girl (lyrics)
3. Simon & Garfunkel / I Had The Strangest Dream (lyrics)

Songs for teaching used to

1. Erik Hassle / Hurtful (lyrics)
2. Madonna / This Used To Be My Playground (lyrics)
3. Dandy Warhols / We Used To Be Friends (lyrics)
4. Bruce Springsteen / The River (lyrics)
5. Pet Shop Boys / The Way It Used To Be (lyrics)

Songs for teaching going to future

1. Jamie Cullum / Next Year Baby (lyrics)
2. Jack Johnson / We're Going To Be Friends (lyrics)

Songs for teaching will future

1. Savage Garden / Truly Madly Deeply (lyrics)
2. James Blunt / You're Beautiful (lyrics)
3. Gloria Gaynor / I Will Survive (lyrics)
4. The Rembrandts / I'll Be There For You (lyrics)
5. Whitney Houston / I'll Always Love You (lyrics)

Songs for teaching future continuous

1. The Police / Every Breath You Take (lyrics)
2. Ottis Redding / Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay (lyrics)

Songs for teaching future perfect

1. Faith Hill / You Will Be Mine (lyrics)
2. Sheryl Crowe / It's Only Love (lyrics)

Songs for teaching 1st conditional

1. Frank Sinatra / If You Go Away (lyrics)
2. Simply Red / If You Don't Know Me By Now (lyrics)
3. Cyndi Lauper / Time After Time (lyrics)
4. Beautiful South / I'll Sail This Ship Alone (lyrics)

Songs for teaching 2nd conditional

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers / If (lyrics)
2. Eric Clapton / Tears In Heaven (lyrics)
3. Enrique Iglesias / Hero (lyrics)
4. The Beatles / If I Fell (lyrics)
5. The Beatles / With A Little Help From My Friends (lyrics)
6. Beyonce Knowles / If I Were A Boy (lyrics)
7. Gwen Stefani / Rich Girl (lyrics)
8. Barenaked Ladies / If I Had $1,000,000 (lyrics)
9. Hoobastank / If I Were You (lyrics)
10. Joan Osborne / One Of Us (lyrics)
11. Norah Jones / Painter Song (lyrics)
12. ABBA / Money Money Money (lyrics)
13. Johnny Cash / If I Were A Carpenter (lyrics)

Songs for teaching 3rd conditional

1. Lisa Stansfield / Change (lyrics)
2. Gloria Gaynor / I Will Survive (lyrics)

Songs for teaching "wish"  

1. Pearl Jam / Wishlist (lyrics)

Songs for teaching passive voice

1. Westlife / Written In The Stars (lyrics)
2. Offspring / Kirsty Are You Doing Okay? (lyrics)
3. Gloria Gaynor / Let's Mend What's Been Broken (lyrics)

Songs for teaching reported speech

1. The Beatles / Norwegian Wood (lyrics)
2. Stereophonics / Mama Told Me Not To Come (lyrics)
3. The Killers / Somebody Told Me (lyrics)

Songs for teaching similes

1. Lenka / Everything At Once (lyrics)

Songs to teach collective nouns

1. Carrie Newcomer / A Crash of Rhinoceros (lyrics)

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Update 15/3/2013

It's been a while since I last posted here. Things have been really hectic at school, and also with my studies. So, here are a few update on some of the things that I'm currently working on.

Choral Speaking

With the help of a fellow teacher, I've been able to put together a team of 35 students to participate in the Pasir Gudang district Choral Speaking Competition representing Zone H (Pasir Gudang). We've been training on weekends. Even though we're sort of pressed for time, I hope we'll be able to give our very best in the upcoming competition.

Penpal Project v.2

In 2011, I initiated a penpal project with a school in the US. This year, I intend to do it again. I've already got replies from a school in Mozambique and the UK. Hopefully, I'll be able to get responses from other countries as well. It'll be fun for my 4 Jujur to learn about different cultures and perhaps they can share it with the rest of the students at my school.

One of the letters we got last time.

That's all for now.

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Electric Ion Therapy, Aqua Detox: Bad Science and Rusty Footbath Revisionism

Have you ever tried electric ion therapy a.k.a. aqua detox? This therapy system works by immersing one's feet into saline water connected to an ionization device. After a while, one can see the initially clear water darkens with what claimed to be toxins from one's body. Out of curiosity I tried this a few days ago and was charged RM10 for 30 minutes of 'treatment'. I was actually expecting the 'toxins' to come out of my feet, but instead it was the metal plates in the ionization device that release the so-called 'toxins'. So in the whole 30 minutes I was being 'treated', my brain was trying to figure out the possibilities. When I was in school, I did several electrolysis experiments in Chemistry. This looks so like an electrolysis process, which means the whole thing is a fraud. Skeptical as I was, I decided to find out whether this therapy can really do as it claims.

Ray Girvan in his article “Dodgy Detox” concludes that this therapy is just an electrolysis reaction. The yellowish red particles are just oxidized iron that originate from the electrodes (metal plates). As to the brown colour, a number of critics, such as WicklowLass cited below, argue that foot detox machines are simply AC-DC transformers attached to ferrous electrodes that corrode to generate rust when used to electrolyse the saline water in the footbath.

This theory is backed up by some observers who have found by experiment that their feet didn’t need to be in the bath for the brown to appear. Ben Goldcare from The Guardian did a simple experiment to analyse the water before and after the detoxification process. It was found that the level of iron particles skyrocketed after the process. Other than that, urea and creatinine were not found in the analysed sample, meaning that there are no toxin that come out of the body.

Bravely I sent along my friend Dr Mark Atkins to have himself Aqua Detoxed. He took water samples from the bowl, which we sent off to the Medical Toxicology Unit at New Cross, south-east London. You can only imagine our excitement, especially as they charged us £200 for the analysis. And so – triumphant music – the water taken out before they switched their Aqua Detox machine on contained only 0.54mg per litre of iron (probably from the metal spoon); but afterwards it contained … 23.6mg/l. Our water, from our kitchen table setup, contained 97mg/l (and it was a bit browner).

But did it extract toxins? “Toxin” is classic pseudoscience terminology. Essentially, the Aqua Detox people are offering dialysis, through your feet. Urea and creatinine are probably the smallest molecules – call them “toxins” if you like – that your body gets rid of, in places like urine and sweat: if “toxins” were going to come out, anywhere, you’d expect those to come out, too. There was no urea or creatinine in the water before the Aqua Detox, and there was none in the water afterwards. Which means, I believe, that this therapy is a fraud.

The Guardian Unlimited article has had some impact on how the Aqua Detox and its imitators are marketed. Some marketers admit that the colors are due entirely to electrode conversion, and there is less emphasis on toxin removal and more emphasis on the “balancing” of “energy” that is not measurable with scientific instruments (and is therefore untestable.) But the bottom line is very simple. All such devices should be considered medically worthless.

Hydrogen and chlorine gas is given off in this process. The oxygen atoms from the water combine in the liquid with the salt(added to water to improve conductivity) to form hydroxyl ions. The chlorine gas is from the chloride in the salt. The oxygen in the hydroxyl ions stay in the solution. Given that chlorine gas is poisonous, this process can be potentially be dangerous to your health. And the explosive hazard posed by the hydrogen is another minus.

However did the press manage to arrive at such a misconception? Perhaps via the vendors’ own statements? Hydra Detox (www.hydradetox.com) now says that its machine merely rebalances the body: “This type of machine is described as a detox machine because the response of a rebalanced body is to excrete any excess toxins via the kidneys, liver, bowels and skin AFTER the treatment” (their capitals, not mine). But a Google search finds a repeated occurrence of an older marketing tagline “Hydra Detox Foot Spas, simply immerse your feet in water and watch in amazement as the toxins are released through the pores in your feet”. Similarly, a Google search also finds many sites for Aqua Detox and Bio Detox stating that you’ll “see the excreted toxins in the water”, in texts whose near-identical content suggests that the claim was in their manufacturers’ blurb.

A research has been done in Indonesia which found that "from the electrolysis reaction, yellow, red and brown-coloured water contains Fe3+, while green-coloured water contains Ni2+. The electrolysis process also releases Cl2 which is a harmful gas. The result from the analysis showed that the first substance that come out is iron ions (Fe) which are yellowish brown, followed by nikel ions (Ni) which are green/dark green. Invisible ions such as Cr and Mn are also released. Conclusively, the colours and air bubbles that are released  in the electric ion therapy originate from the electrodes (cathode and anode) used, not from the feet.

Science expert Dr Ben Goldacre said: “It has nothing to do with toxins. It’s just basic chemistry – electrolysis. The water goes brown because metal electrodes are rusting in a salt water bath.” So even if you don’t put your feet in the water, it would still turn brown. Goldacre even demonstrated the process with some salt water, a car battery and a Barbie doll. Even Barbie turned the water brown. Here is a video that shows that the water would still turn brown even when you don't put your feet in it.

The company still claims the machine will get rid of your toxins, but not over the course of the 30-minute session. It now says it’ll kick start your body’s natural immune system, and toxins will be released over the course of a few days. Watchdog showed these claims to Dr David Bender, a senior lecturer in biochemistry at UCL, who said these new claims were also scientific nonsense.

The Aqua Detox probably won’t do you any harm – except to your wallet – but it seems it won’t do you much good either.

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Scarlett, the Blaze Heroine

Scarlett (June or July, 1995-October 11, 2008) was a former feral cat from Brooklyn, New York whose efforts to save her kittens from a fire attracted worldwide media attention, and have been described in a number of non-fiction books.

She was probably born in June or July 1995. As a stray cat, Scarlett probably had her first litter at about eight months old. If the kittens were her first litter, she was probably about nine months old, when she became a heroine.

The Fire

On March 30, 1996, Scarlett and her five kittens were in an abandoned garage allegedly used as a crack house in Brooklyn when a fire started for undetermined reasons. The fire department responded to a call about the fire and quickly extinguished it. When the fire was under control, one of the firefighters on the scene, David Giannelli, noticed Scarlett carrying her kittens away from the garage one by one. Scarlett herself had been severely burned in the process of pulling her kittens from the fire. Her eyes were blistered shut, her ears and paws burned, and her coat highly singed. The majority of her facial hair was found to be burnt away. After saving the kittens she was seen to touch each of her kittens with her nose to ensure they were all there and alive, as the blisters on her eyes kept her from being able to see them, and then she collapsed unconscious.

Recovery

Gianelli took the intact family to a veterinary clinic at the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington, New York where Scarlett and her kittens were treated. The weakest of the kittens, a white coated, died of a virus a month after the fire. However, after three months of treatment and recovery, Scarlett and her surviving kittens were well enough to be adopted, during which time one of the staff of the clinic stated that Scarlett was “spoiled rotten and treated like a queen“.

The name Scarlett for her came about because her actions in saving her family recalled those of Scarlett O’Hara in the epic film Gone with the Wind; but also because of the red patches of skin visible through the burnt fur. Her eyes gradually regained their sight, although it was necessary for surgeons to replace one of her eyelids.

The story of this feline mother’s heroic efforts to save her kittens attracted international media attention and the clinic received approximately 7,000 letters offering to adopt Scarlett and her kittens. The clinic ultimately chose to divide the kittens into two pairs and the pairs were given over for adoption to residents of Long Island. Scarlett herself was adopted by Karen Wellen. In her letter Wellen indicated that, as a result of losing her cat shortly after being injured in a traffic accident herself, she had become more compassionate and would take in only animals with special needs.

Passed Away

In December 2007,  Scarlett was still living with Karen and ‘as sweet and beautiful as ever’. However, despite all she had been through, she had had to fight a new battle, as during 2007 she was diagnosed with lymphoma. Excellent medical care and a good response to the treatment meant that the disease was later in remission — and of course  Scarlett was nothing if not a fighter. Karen kindly sent a new photo.

In late April 2008, though, came further bad news: Scarlett was suffering from hyperthyroidism, which she’d had in the past but which had been dormant for some time. It became necessary for her to be taken into a facility called Thyro-Cat to receive treatment with radioactive iodine; during this time, because of the danger from radiation, she was not allowed visitors. The treatment and the time until she was deemed ‘safe’ and able to return home lasted a week — clearly an extremely worrying time for Karen and her parents. However, with Scarlett’s heart and kidneys in good shape, and the cancer still in remission, she seemed to come through the treatment all right (right). Although she suffered from loss of appetite for a time and had to be hand fed, the news in early June was that her thyroid was functioning correctly, she had her appetite back and once again all seemed to be well with this remarkable cat. All her many, many fans and supporters out there, ourselves included, hoped that would continue to be the case for some years yet.

While with her adoptive family in Brooklyn. On top of all her other problems, including now a heart murmur and some difficulties with her teeth, came kidney trouble — so often fatal in older cats. So it was with brave Scarlett. Each day became more of a struggle for her, and the quality of life she could enjoy was deteriorating rapidly. She was hospitalised, but when she went home she could not even stand up. Karen said she ‘knew there was no going back’. After consultation with her vets it was felt that the cat had suffered enough, and so on 11 October the heartbreaking decision was made to put her to sleep. She died peacefully in Karen’s arms, with ‘two wonderfully caring and compassionate vets’ from NSALA in attendance. Anyone who has had to make a similar agonising decision will know how Scarlett’s owner felt.

Scarlett died on October 11, 2008

The Scarlett Award

The North Shore Animal League has formed an award named the Scarlett Award for Animal Heroism, in Scarlett’s honor. This award is presented to animals that have engaged in heroic acts to benefit others, whether humans or animals.

She has also become a featured animal in the fund-raising and public relations efforts of the shelter that treated her and her kittens, the North Shore Animal League. On October 15, 2008, the League announced that Scarlett had died.

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The Story of Teddy Stoddard

Jean Thompson stood in front of her fifth grade class on the very first day of school in the fall and told the children a lie.  Like most teachers, she looked at her pupils and said that she loved them all the same,  that she  would treat them all alike.  And that was impossible because there in front of her, slumped in his seat on the third row, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn't  play well with the other children, that his clothes were unkempt and that he constantly needed a bath.  And Teddy was unpleasant.  It got to the point during the first few months that she would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then marking the F at the top of the paper biggest of all.

Because Teddy was a sullen little boy, no one else seemed to enjoy him,  either.   At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to  review each child's records and put Teddy's off until last.  When she opened his file, she was in for a surprise.

His first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright, inquisitive child with a ready laugh.  He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "Teddy continues to work hard but his mother's death has been hard on him.  He tries to do his best but his father doesn't  show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.  He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class.  He is tardy and could become a problem."

By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem but Christmas was coming fast.  It was all she could do, with the school play and all, until the day before the holidays began and she was suddenly forced to focus on Teddy Stoddard.

Her children brought her presents, all in beautiful ribbon and bright paper, except for Teddy's, which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a scissored grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents.  Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet  with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of cologne.  She stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the  perfume behind the other wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed behind just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson,  today you smelled just like my mom used to."  After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and speaking.  Instead, she began to teach children.

Jean Thompson paid particular attention to one they all called "Teddy."  As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she  encouraged him, the faster he responded.  On days there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne. 

By the end of the year he had become one of the smartest children in the class and...well, he had also become the "pet" of the teacher who had once vowed to love all of her children exactly the same.

A year later she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers he'd had in elementary school, she was his favorite.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy.  He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still his favorite teacher of all time.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would graduate from college with the highest of honors.  He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still his favorite teacher

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further.  The letter explained that she was still his favorite teacher but that now his name was a little longer.  The  letter was signed: 

Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.

The story doesn't end there.  You see, there was yet another letter that Spring.  Teddy said he'd met this girl and was to be married.  He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering...well,  if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the pew usually reserved for the mother of  the groom.  And guess what, she wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing.  And I bet on that special day, Jean Thompson smelled just like... well, just like the way Teddy remembered his mother smelling on their last Christmas together.

THE MORAL: 

You never can tell what type of impact you may make on another's life by your actions or lack of action.  Consider this fact in your venture through life.

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Contoh Kertas Kerja Program Sekolah

1. Kertas Kerja Program Pemantapan Disiplin
2. Kertas Cadangan Seminar Motivasi PMR/SPM
3. Kertas Cadangan Program Kecemerlangan PMR/SPM
4. Kertas Kerja Perkhemahan Perdana
5. Kertas Kerja Cadangan Lawatan Sambil Belajar
6. Kertas Kerja Keceriaan Kelas
7. Kertas Kerja Kem Jati Diri (Pelajar Berisiko)
8. Kertas Kerja Program Peningkatan Akademik
9. Kertas Kerja Bulan Sains dan Matematik
10. Kertas Kerja Kelas Tambahan Sabtu
11. Kertas Kerja Kursus Kepimpinan Kokurikulum
12. Kertas Kerja LADAP
13. Kertas Cadangan Jogathon 2
14. Kertas Cadangan Minggu Anti-Dadah
15. Kertas Cadangan PIBG
16. Kertas Cadangan Program Minggu Anti Dadah
17. Kertas Cadangan Sambutan Hari Raya
18. Kertas Kerja Kejohanan Sukan Tahunan
19. Kertas Kerja Kawad Kaki KRS
20. Kertas Kerja Minggu Anti Denggi
21. Kertas Kerja Mural
22. Kertas Kerja Restu Ilmu SPM
23. Kertas Kerja 1Murid 1Sukan
24. Kertas Kerja 1Kelas 1Tandas
25. Kertas Kerja Aktiviti Melukis Poster
26. Kertas Kerja Amali Sembelihan Binatang
27. Kertas Kerja Beli Sijil
28. Kertas Kerja Bengkel Mewarna
29. Kertas Kerja Bulan Disiplin
30. Kertas Kerja Bulan Kemerdekaan
31. Kertas Kerja Ceramah Kesihatan
32. Kertas Kerja Gotong-Royong
33. Kertas Kerja Hari Guru
34. Kertas Kerja Instruksional ke Arah Transformasi Sekolah
35. Kertas Kerja Jogathon
36. Kertas Kerja Keceriaan Kantin
37. Kertas Kerja Kelas Bimbingan Berfokus
38. Kertas Kerja Kem Pemantapan Sahsiah Murid
39. Kertas Kerja Kempen Ponteng Sifar
40. Kertas Kerja Kolokium Pendidikan
41. Kertas Kerja Kursus Kepimpinan Pengawas
42. Kertas Kerja LADAP 2
43. Kertas Kerja Latihan Dalaman
44. Kertas Kerja Latihan Kebakaran 1
45. Kertas Kerja Latihan Kebakaran 2
46. Kertas Kerja Latihan Kebakaran 3
47. Kertas Kerja Lawatan Sambil Belajar ke Melaka
48. Kertas Kerja Majlis Mohon Restu
49. Kertas Kerja Majlis Perpisahan
50. Kertas Kerja Menaik Taraf Bilik Seni
51. Kertas Kerja Minggu Anti Dadah 
52. Kertas Kerja Minggu Disiplin
53. Kertas Kerja Mohon Restu
54. Kertas Kerja Motivasi Pelajar
55. Kertas Kerja Papan Tanda Ponteng Sifar dan Guru Penyayang
56. Kertas Kerja Pengurusan Jenazah
57. Kertas Kerja Penyelenggaraan Sekolah
58. Kertas Kerja Penyembelihan Ayam
59. Kertas Kerja Perkhemahan Perdana 2013
60. Kertas Kerja Perkhemahan
61. Kertas Kerja Persaraan Guru
62. Kertas Kerja Pertandingan Kebersihan dan Keceriaan Kelas
63. Kertas Kerja Pondok Bacaan
64. Kertas Kerja Program Akademik
65. Kertas Kerja Program Kecemerlangan Akademik 2011
66. Kertas Kerja Program Kecemerlangan Akademik 2012
67. Kertas Kerja Program Khidmat Masyarakat
68. Kertas Kerja Program Lonjakan Prestasi Akademik
69. Kertas Kerja Program Menaik Gred Kantin
70. Kertas Kerja Program Peningkatan Akademik Panitia KHB
71. Kertas Kerja Projek Pembangunan Kemudahan Sekolah
72. Kertas Kerja Projek Khas Program 3K
73. Kertas Kerja Restu Ilmu PMR
74. Kertas Kerja Sahsiah Pelajar Islam
75. Kertas Kerja Seminar Teknik Menjawab
76. Kertas Kerja Sistem Siaraya
77. Kertas Kerja Sudut Ilmu
78. Kertas Kerja dan Surat Perkhemahan
79. Kertas Konsep Peningkatan Badan Pengawas Sekolah
80. Kertas Kerja Lawatan ke Penjara Kajang
81. Kertas Kerja Perkhemahan Daerah
82. Kertas Kerja Peningkatan Akademik
83. Kertas Kerja Kursus Kepimpinan Ketua Kelas dan Penolong Ketua Kelas

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A Messi Story

I would like to share a story that I found on Champions in Schools. I find this story quite interesting as it can inspire kids to pursue their dreams and not to give up even though they might face challenges along the way.

Lionel Messi is one of the most successful sportsmen in the world. His image can be seen on billboards, in magazines and on television. He is regarded as being one of the greatest footballers on the planet. On January 9th 2012 he was awarded an unprecedented 3rd consecutive Ballon D'Or (Golden Ball), for being the world's best football player.

What you might not know is what Messi he had to go through to be the best footballer in the world. When he was 11 years old, he was diagnosed with "growth hormone deficiency". This meant he didn’t grow properly, the way other children did and at the age of 13 he was only the height of an average 8 year-old.

It was clear that he was a very talented footballer, however, due to his medical condition it was unlikely that he would make it as a professional player. His local clubs in Argentina knew he was very good, but he was just too small to be of any value to them. Despite these setbacks, the young Messi continued to work hard at his football. He didn’t grow in size, but thanks to his determination and self-belief, he continued to improving his game.

The Spanish football club FC Barcelona were alerted to his talents and his positive attitude. They flew Messi and his family to Spain to try out for the team. They were so impressed with him that they gave him a place in the youth squad and paid for the medical treatment that he needed. Lionel Messi played for the senior team when he was 17 years old. He is now 25 years old, is the best footballer in the world and remains with FC Barcelona.

"It wasn't difficult for me to move to Barcelona because I knew I had to. I needed money for my medicine to help me grow and Barcelona were the only club that offered. So as soon as they did, I knew I had to go." - Messi

Source: Champions in Schools

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