Topic “School”  

- printable domino picture cards for your child's target sound.

1. Cut out the domino pictures.
2. Share them out between the players.
3. The first player places down one of their domino cards on the table and says the words on the card using the target sound.
4. The next player needs to choose one of their cards with a matching picture and place the macthing pictures next to each other. This player then says the word on their card using the target sound.
5. The game continues with each player taking a turn. If a player is unable to match a picture on their turn, the play moves to the next player.
6. The game is won by a player using all their cards, or if no player is able to take a turn, the player who has the least cards. 

- Printable template with playing board and counters.

- Words containing your child's target sound - click here for printable word cards.

- Strong string or rope

- pegs

- Words containing your child's target sound - click here for printable word cards.

- small bag to put picture cards in

- Words containing your child's target sound - click here for printable word cards.

- bag

- Words containing your child's target sound - click here for printable word cards.

- A blanket or tea towel

1. By talking with the student, find out what their current interests/concerns are. This could be for example that they're going to the dentist, they have been watching football etc.
2. Use this as a basis for the next set of activities: prepare materials that could help words or phrases about this topic appropriate/necessary.

• Paper, pens, source of pictures;
• Topic to talk about - give students a choice of topics from their interests/ concerns/ experiences for exmple - football, dentist, school/college trip

• Picture cards to represent the topics the students could talk about;
• Poster prompts from the "Topic introduction" activity

Something to record the students responses on (e.g. paper/pen) which can later be used as a prompt;

Soft ball or beanbag.

Way of recording students responses - e.g. paper/pen, whiteboard/marker;

Soft ball or beanbag.

Plastic perspex sheet with hole in the middle, around 40cm x 30cm (e.g "E-tran frame");

Two sets of everyday picture cards - or whatever the student is interested in.

1. Start with using just one picture at a time;
2. Have the two sets of pictures face up;
3. Take one picture and put it on the frame in one of the four corner positions;
4. Show the student its matching card;
5. Ask the student to find the matching card on the frame (e.g. "Where's the banana?");
6. If they look at it, confirm what they have looked at ("Yes! The banana!"), and pair it with the other one, and put it in a "done" pile. To make it more fun, you could pretend to eat it (or whatever is relevant for the picture you have used).

Plastic perspex sheet with hole in the middle, around 40cm x 30cm (e.g "E-tran frame");

Two sets of everyday picture cards - or whatever the student is interested in.

Plastic perspex sheet with hole in the middle, around 40cm x 30cm (e.g "E-tran frame");

Two sets of everyday picture cards - or whatever the student is interested in.

Sheet with 3 columns, one headed "who?", one headed "what?", one headed "why?"

Brick cube

'Wh' word symbols

You can make these resources using the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint.

1. Use the sheet as you retell stories or events or activities that you have recently done with the child. Fill in the columns so that you can 'read' across the sheet and retell the story.
2. Each time ask the child a 'wh' question and give any help needed with the answer so that the child feels successful.
3. Stick the 'wh' word symbols to the sides of a brick cube. Have a picture available to discuss and play games rolling the cube and answering the 'wh' question that is uppermost on the dice.

Picture cards with emotions

Optional - choice of pictures showing possible reasons - for example a picture of a boy who has fallen over to go with a picture of a boy who is crying.

1. Look at an emotion picture card - discuss what is happening, for example, "Look... the boy is crying.";
2. Ask 'Why is he crying?' and give a model answer for example "because he is sad", "because he fell over".

One or more pictures showing scenes - for example someone running away, a hot beach.

Or...

Pictures in a book.

Two toys one desirable and one not.

• A familiar picture book;
• If required, a symbol card to represent 'what' (for example a question mark).

1. Ask "what" questions about familiar pictures in books. For example, ask 'What is this?';
2. Model the answer if the child has difficulty answering, for example "What's this?". You could also use a "what" symbol card when you ask questions - pointing to it when you use the word 'what'.

One or more of these:

• own photos from school or home;
  
• pictures of things.
  

... and if required:

"What" symbol card

• A familiar picture book;
• If required, a symbol card to represent 'who' (for example a question mark next to a picture of a face).

1. Ask 'who' questions about familiar pictures in books. For example, ask 'Who is this?';
2. Model the answer if the child has difficulty answering, for example "This is Sam". You could also use a "who" symbol card when you ask questions - pointing to it when you use the word 'who'.

One or more of these:

• own photos from home or school;
• picture cards with people on.

...and if required:

• a symbol card to represent 'who' (for example a question mark next to a picture of a face).

A situation where there are other people - for example in class, in the playground.

"Who" symbol card if required.

The materials you had in the lesson.

Picture prompts for the activities that were carried out.

Piece of card to stick the prompts onto as you do the activities in the lesson.

1. As you do the lesson, each time you do an activity, get the prompt card for the activity and put it on the card - so that the activities appear there in the same order that you did them;
2. At the end of the lesson get the students to say what activities they did;
3. Ask them which came first, then which was next, and which was next again (etc.);
4. Use the prompt cards if students are having difficulty recalling the sequence.

Optional - something to record the students responses on (e.g. paper/pen) which can later be used as a prompt;

Soft ball or beanbag.

1. Go round each student, asking them what their favourite food is - write it down and/or do a very rough sketch of it as you go;
2. One student has a ball, they choose another student and say the other student's name and what their favourite food is - for example "Tom - you like burgers". They then pass the ball to that student. Use the prompt card if necessary.

Optional - way of recording students responses - e.g. paper/pen, whiteboard/marker

1. Go round each student in turn asking what they have done today - e.g. "what did you do this morning": ideally one or two things each.
2. Write and/or sketch something (very roughly!!) under each student's name on the sheet of paper (you can use this as a prompt later).
3. After all students have said something, pretend to have "forotten" what they'd said - ask individual students to remind you, for example "Karen, what did Abdul do?" - use the prompt sheet if necessary.

Optional - way of recording students responses - e.g. paper/pen, whiteboard/marker

Soft ball or beanbag

• Digital camera
• Velcro
• Laminated sheet of paper
• Stickers
• Laminated symbols for  ‘Hello’

If you don't already have a symbol for "hello" you can find one in the Commtap Symboliser.

1. Agree with 3 familiar people that the child is going to start greeting them by saying ‘Hello’.
2. Explain to the people you have selected that the child is learning to greet another person and there are a number of steps to this.
3. Explain that the child will get a sticker reward for starting to say ‘hello’.
4. Ask the people you have selected to respond to the child’s greeting by making eye contact and saying ’hello’ with a welcoming gesture.
5. The steps for greeting include:
• Stopping
• Looking
• Gesturing
• Handing over a symbol of ‘Hello’
• Saying/signing ‘Hello’
6. Take photos of the people you want the child to greet and laminate.
7. Put the photos on a laminated sheet of A4 paper using velcro.
8. Next to each photo velcro on a laminated symbol of ‘Hello’.
9. As you approach the target person they need to stop and get down to make eye contact with the child and say and gesture ‘hello’. It is best to use just one word.
10. Help the child identify the person in the photos by pointing to the photo.
11. You model saying ‘Hello + name + welcoming gesture. As you do this point to the person’s photo and then point to the ‘hello’ symbol.
12. Support the child to do the same if needed.
13. The child gets a sticker for stopping / looking / gesturing / saying ‘Hello’ verbally.
14. As the child learns the routine slowly give fewer and fewer prompts for greeting targeted adults.
15. Keep giving stickers for as long as the child needs this reinforcement.

Laminated A3 sheet divided in half with a line, with an "I like" symbol on one side and an "I don’t like" symbol on the other side (symbols could be a smiley face and a sad face);

Assortment of pictures of food, animals, cartoon characters, games etc.;

Use Velcro or blue-tak to attach pictures to board.

You can also get picture symbols from the Commtap Symboliser.

1. Talk through the "I like/ I don’t like" board with the child. 
2. Start with a picture of food – as most children have clear ideas about what foods they like and dislike!
3. Choose a food picture and show the child, asking "X, do you like broccoli?" 
4. Attach the picture to the correct side of the board, depending on the child’s response.
5. Once the child has responded for 6-8 pictures, review the board. E.g “You like apples, chocolate and pasta, but you don’t like broccoli, oranges or ice-cream." 
6. Take the pictures off the board and support the child to ask another adult/ peer "Do you like..." questions.

Large plastic hoop.

Assortment of pictures of food, animals, cartoon characters, games etc. (if needed).

Cards showing a range of nouns and adjectives plus the words "the" and "is". DLTK's examples. (https://www.dltk-kids.com/)

Pencil and paper (optional)

1. Lay the word "is" on the table in front of the child. Put the word "the" to the left of this, with a gap in between them. Check that the child can read both words;

2. Put one of the noun cards into the gap between the words "the" and "is";

3. Put one of the adjective cards after the word "is";

4. Read the sentence to the child (e.g. "the monster is green");

5. Encourage the child to make up new sentences in the same manner. It doesn't matter if the sentences are silly;

6. You can use the paper to record the sentences made, or for the child to draw an appropriate picture on.

Feely bag containing a range of objects (choose objects appropriate for the children you are working with);

"is" cue card as previous activity.