Teachers
These units are flexible and allow you to choose those activities that best suit the needs and interests of your class. It may be used with children who are complete beginners or adapted to suit children who already have some prior knowledge of languages. You are encouraged to repeat the activities often and build them into the normal classroom routine. The unit can be integrated into other areas of the Primary curriculum and contributes to the CCEA ICL Yr3/4 resources ‘Houses and Homes’, ‘Bugs , Birds and Beasts’ and ‘Whatever the Weather’.
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Learning Intentions
Children will:
- understand simple words and phrases;
- be able to pronounce some sounds;
- carry out a range of instructions given by the teacher;
- know and respond to key words and simple phrases related to houses and homes, animals, food, weather, seasons and clothes;
- be able to take part in a short conversation about houses and homes;
- be able to recognise some familiar written words and phrases; and
- begin to recognise and apply some simple language patterns.
Stories
Suggested Route
Introducing the Vocabulary
Before introducing the story, familiarise yourself with the text and the animation.
Introduce the vocabulary for the rooms/animals/food/weather/seasons /clothes using:
- a simple wall plan of a house with pictures of the rooms;
- picture cards of the different vocabulary;
- props such as a doll’s house, soft toys of animals, puppets of animals, plastic food items; or
- a PowerPoint presentation.
Introduce each item in the order that they come in the story and invite pupil repetition.
Reinforce the vocabulary using some of the techniques below e.g.
- Show the picture card and invite the pupils to repeat it in different tones of voice loud quiet, posh, angry etc..
- Listen and recognise games e.g.
- Give each of the picture cards a number. Say the word and invite the pupils to say the number of the card.
- Place cards around the room.
- Say the word/phrase on one of the cards. Pupils could walk/run to the correct card.
- Distribute cards around the class. As the pupils hear the word they should stand up and repeat the word/phrase on the Picture card they are holding.
- Jump the cord. Split the class into two groups. Form two lines facing the Teacher. The teacher should hold up two/four picture cards and call out one of the words/ phrases on the Picture cards. On hearing the words/ phrases the pupils should jump to the side that card is on. Pupils who jump to the incorrect side should be eliminated.
- Repeat if it’s true. Teacher holds up a picture card of a word or phrase and says a word or phrase. Pupils only repeat the word/phrase if the teacher is correct.
- Teacher or a chosen Pupil holds the picture cards. Guess which card is at the top of the pile. This is a guessing game in which pupils have to guess which card is at the top of the pile
- Other games could include:
- Noughts and crosses;
- Kim’s Game;
- Pelmanism;
- Dominoes;
- Snap
- Happy families e.g. furniture family;
- Picking out the picture card when a word or phrase is spoken;
- Play the four corners game;
- Fruit salad;
- Bingo;
- I spy;
- Feely bag;
- Listen and draw;
- The shopping game.
- This could be followed with an acting game. Mime the actions from the story. Put the emphasis on the rooms/animals /food/weather/ clothes to reinforce this vocabulary.
- Invite the pupils to act as if they were part of the story e.g. in the rooms of the house/ one of the characters etc.
- Introduce an element of challenge by turning it into a Simon says game.
Pupils are invited to give the correct response.
Each time the pupil gives the correct response he/she gets to keep the card. Ask the rest of the class to repeat answers to ensure plenty of repetition.
Suggested Route
- Familiarise yourself with the text and the animation
- Identify the Key language e.g. in the Story of the 3 Pigs this would be – Pigs, wolf etc…..
- Develop the language.
- Use games with picture cards, and drama to allow the pupils to listen and say the vocabulary in different contexts. (as in Little Bear Story)
Telling the Story
- Tell the story through the first time (without showing the words)
- On the second reading involve the pupils by allowing them to join in by:
- picking out key words or phrases
- saying key phrases
- finishing off key words or phrases
- miming
- memory games-what comes next? Who comes next?
- Checking for understanding
- Practising key sounds
- On the third or fourth reading, invite the children to:
- Match key language of the story to a character, event etc…
- Re-produce the language by using cue cards or by starting a sentence or phrase for them
- Match picture to the text
- Sequence picture cards to re-tell the story
- Pupils re-enact the story
View Video
This excerpt is from the Primary Languages DVD "Languages are Child's Play". Read more...
Games - Suggested Route
Houses and Homes
- Before beginning this activity the teacher might want to talk about pupils’ experiences of moving home and what this involves.
- Help the family put the furniture in the correct room by clicking on the piece of furniture and dragging it to the correct room.
- Divide the class into groups and give each group a picture card of a room. Show picture cards with an item of furniture and ask questions.
- If the item belongs to their room the group should reply by saying which room it is in. The first group to collect 5 pieces of furniture is the winner.
Bugs, Birds and Beasts
Whatever the Weather
Rhymes - Suggested Route
- Familiarise yourself with the text and the animation
- Play the animation with audio to class
- Play each sequence with audio to class. Pupils should be encouraged to practise the actions only and as they become familiar practise the words and actions together
- When the children are confident play through the whole rhyme with audio and encourage them to join in.
- Play through the whole rhyme without audio with pupils only performing.
View Video
This excerpt is from the Primary Languages DVD "Languages are Child's Play". Read more...