Topic “Level 2”  

Cards of simple actions

Action lotto boards

The children have a lotto board each. You pull out a card, or have them take turns to pull out a card. If they have that action, they must say it or act it out to claim the card.

The child who fills their board first wins.

pictures of simple actions, post box

Take a picture of an action, say or act out what it is, and post it

pictures with paper clips attached, magnetic fishing rods, 'pond' e.g. a flat box

Eight picture cards, small piece of paper with a fish drawn on it

Picture cards of actions

Symbols or pictures of four or six actions, such as 'jump', 'stand up', 'hand on your head', 'make a big smile'.

You can get picture symbols from the Commtap Symboliser.

Felt sheets (e.g. "Funky Foam") in basic colours.

Digital camera.

Examples of other materials you could use:

small coloured bricks in different shapes with some proportionately sized cars or animals;

small soft toys with plastic food items.

How to make the game:

1. Choose your subject e.g. house & setting; face; person with top, trousers & shoes.

2. Make a simple pattern and cut the main features from the felt in two or more different colours e.g. 2 walls, 2 roofs, etc. (with garden items too if required).

3. Set up one house on a neutral background and photograph from above.

4. Change one feature and photograph again. Carry on until you have a set with a variety of combinations (10 cards or more). It is much easier to take the photos with extra background and edit them to fit 4 per A4 page afterwards. Avoid flash if any of your items are shiny.

5. Do not make the pictures too complicated and have some really simple ones, for example one just consisting of a red car, or one containing a flower and a tree;

6. Print your pictures on lightweight card.

7. Keep pictures and the materials used in a box together!

1. This game is best played in pairs;

2. Introduce the game by turning over a picture so the child/children can also see it;

3. Show them how to copy the picture using the materials: describe the picture using two word phrases as you do it;

4. Turn over another picture for a child to have a go;

5. Once you are sure the children understand how to make their "picture", turn over another card but this time describe what's on the card (with two word phrases) for them to make a picture/scene;

6. Players take it in turns to take a card and say what is on it so the other person can make it with their materials;

7. Many pictures can be described with two-word phrases e.g. blue eyes/ smiley mouth; green house/ yellow door; big brick/ car

Miniature figures

List of target action words e.g. run, jump, sit, sleep, stand, walk

1. Model making a figure run. Say 'Look. The boy's running!' , 'Look. Daddy's jumping!' etc.

2. Give the child the figures. Can he/she make the figures do the actions?

3. Help him/her label the actions and form sentences by saying 'Daddy's jumping/ sleeping/ running' etc.

4. Ask the child 'What's daddy doing?' You want the answer 'Daddy's running' or 'Dad run' etc. If the child does not provide this response model the response for them.

No special equipment

e.g. cut, clap, eat, drink, brush etc

Digital camera

Play food, cutlery, brush, cup etc.

Start by playing with the cutlery and play food. Eat some food yourself and say ' eating banana/apple/bread' etc

Let the child play with the food. As he/she eats say 'Eating banana/apple/bread' etc

Take a photo of the child eating/You eating/soft toys eating etc. Look at the photo on the camera and say 'Look.......eating apple etc.'

Print the photo and put in a book. Show the child the book. Can he/she respond when you ask 'What's this?' You may need to model the answer for the child i.e. 'Eating apple/banana/bread' etc.

Miniature figures

List of target action words e.g. run, jump, sit, sleep, stand, walk

No special equipment

Plastic animals and a water/sand tray/pots/cups/etc

Watch the child playing with an animal in the sand or water and comment on the play at the two word level e.g. 'dog's swimming' or 'cat's hiding' or 'horse gone'

Copy the child's activity and comment on what you are doing e,g, child makes dog jump........you make dog jump and comment by saying 'Dog jump!'

Marble run

Cars and a car run

Spinning top

Jack-in-a-box

Cause and effect toys

Drum

Cups

Boxes

Anything to bang with a beater

Play equipment such as tea set, teddies, dolls; cars, bricks, play people etc.

Could also be done with outdoor play equipment or in any other play situation.

1. Allow the child to play with the toys freely with the minimum amount of help or intervention;
2. Using one or two keywords only comment on what the child is doing. For example teddy's got the apple; the bricks fell over; Fred's swinging.

(1) Sets of pictures and two places to sort them to e.g. clothes pictures, furniture pictures, picture of a house, picture of a wardrobe.

or (2) Sets of clothes pictures and outlines of a boy and a girl to stick them to

or (3) Sets of objects and two places to sort them to.

For example with the clothes and furniture pictures activity:

1. Introduce the pictures first. (The child should already know the names of the objects you use).
2. Mix up and turn the clothes and furniture pictures over.
3. Take it in turns to turn over the picture and say its name, and the place it goes, for example 'TV... House'.

A selection of about four to six objects, cloth to cover them.

Symbols for the objects if required

You can get communication symbols for objects with the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint.

(Small group)

Symbols for actions to support communication if required

You get communication symbols for actions with the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint.

No specific materials

Favourite story and some toy figures or toy plastic animals from the story

Plastic tea set and food and some soft toys

e.g. a pop-up or a picture book

When the child is familiar with a book, point to pictures and ask questions using a short phrase e.g. 'Where's Spot?','Who's that?', What's that?'. You want a two word answer e.g. 'under bed' etc.

Digital camera

Book of photos taken at school

Dressing up cloths

Cooking toys

Dolls

Tea set

Bag

Familiar objects

1. Take it in turns to take an object out of the bag;
2. Name or sign the object.

Variation:

Sing a short phrase ( 'what's in the bag, what's in the bag, Harriet take a look, Harriet take a look') before each child's turn.

Pictures of everyday objects

You could use photos, or create using symbols

The child gets a picture which they say or sign the name of before showing the others.

Everyday objects

Shopping bag

Table

One child sits at the 'shop'. Another is asked to go and buy an object.

Pictures of everyday objects

Post box

For pictures of everyday objects, you could use photos, or create using symbols

Pictures of objects with paper clips attached

Magnetic fishing rods (e.g. each made out of a magnet, string and a pencil, or bought)

'Pond' e.g. a flat box

For the pictures of objects, you could use photos, drawings, or create using symbols

Use this with any activity

Eight picture cards;

Small piece of paper with a fish drawn on it

For the picture cards, you could use photos of objects, or create using symbols

Play equipment such as tea set, teddies, dolls; cars, bricks, play people etc.

Could also be done with outdoor play equipment or in any other play situation.

No specific materials. Activities could be: painting, walking around the school, play.

Pictures of common actions

You could use photos, or create using symbols

1. Put a range of pictures of actions in front of the child.

2. Check the child can pick up/point to the action you name.

3. Ask the child to have a really good look at the cards.

4. Ask the child to close their eyes or turn their back.

5. Take one card away.

6. Ask the child to uncover their eyes and say what's missing.

Action cards

You could use photos, drawings, or create using symbols

Picture books showing a range of actions.

Pictures of actions with paper clips attached.

You could use photos, or create using symbols

Magnetic fishing rod - you can make one yourself with a stick or pencil, piece of string and a magnet.

Box or blue sheet of paper to represent a fish tank or pond (optional).

Give a commentary on what the child is doing, for example "Dolly's drinking", "Mohammed is pushing the car", "the car crashed!".

The child listens and does the actions, then the child indicates what actions you or another child should do.

Children take it in turns to tell what others in the group should do, for example 'clap', 'jump', 'sit down'.

Pictures of actions

You could use photos, or create using symbols

Pictures of verbs, post box

For the verb pictures, you could use photos, or create using symbols

Pictures of verbs on a die

For the pictures, you could use photos, or create using symbols

Bag containing objects which you can do actions with.

Pictures of actions on cards

You could use photos, or create using symbols

Pictures of actions on cards

Beanbag

For the pictures of actions, you could use photos, or create using symbols

Flashcards with a target word written on each one (because, to, when, while).

Short sequences of 2 or 3 cards which make up a short story.

Tell the children that this activity is to practise using longer sentences. Introduce the words on the flashcards and explain that these help us to make longer sentences.

Sequence the cards into the right order as a group.

Choose one of the target words and place that flashcard near the pictures.

Have the children think of a sentence (two if necessary) about the pictures, which uses the target word. Write down each sentence.

As the activity above, but use a short book the children are familiar with.

Flashcards with a target word written on each one (because, to, when, while).

Photos from magazines

Or

Photos of the children engaged in activities

Flashcards with a target word written on each one (because, to, when, while).

Flashcards with a target word written on each one (because, to, when, while).

Pictures of actions or events

Timer (if you don't have one, use a watch with a second hand)

Digital camera or camera phone to take a video clip

3 characters e.g. plastic worms

First Next Last 'podium' drawn on a sheet of paper (optional) or medals (optional)

First, next, last prompt sheet

1. Set up a race course, and talk about beginning and end.

2. Have the child help you make the worms race, and film this.

3. Watch the film clip back and have the child describe the race and who came first, next, last.

4. Put the worms on the podium in the right places, or award each worm the right medal if you have them.

Digital camera or camera phone to take a video clip

Pictures of actions the child can do (optional)

First next last prompt sheet

A wind up toy (e.g. "Simon the Sheep")

Pictures of things it might see or do on its walk

A prompt card of first next last / beginning middle end

A sandwich assembly play kit (e.g. from the Early Learning Centre).

Or you could use real bread and fillings (make the sandwiches small so you can have a few goes)

Pictures of the key parts (bread, cheese, tomato, lettuce, butter etc)

First next last prompt sheet

- Prompt questions

- Record sheet

1. Have the children think about questions we can ask each other to find about each other.

2. Have the children interview each other, using the prompt questions.

3. Have them report back to the group on the child they interviewed.

This is appropriate on a Monday, or after a holiday.

Paper

Pen

Blank flashcards

Pens

Paper

Questions prompt sheet

Feelings / emotions chart

(chart containing a range of emotions).

Question prompts

- A selection of word webs you have already completed with the word in the middle covered.

- Post it notes

1. Choose a word web and cover the attributes of the word with post it notes as well as the word in the centre. 

2. Explain to your child/student that you will take the post it notes off one by one and they have to try and guess the word that is hiding.

3. See how quickly they are able to guess the word.

- Washing line

- Pegs

- Selection of pictures 

1. Peg a picture on the line and ask your child to look at it - you could ask you child to choose a picture from a selection.

2. The adult says "It's story time and we are going to make up a story with the pictures" The adult starts the story by using the word on the picture.

3. Encourage your child to take the next turn by choosing a new picture and thinking how they can add to the story that has already been started.

4. Keep going until all the pictures have been used, or the story comes to a natural end.

- Story dice - click here for different dice themes.