Topic “English Listening”  

- Washing machine template - click here to print. You could stick the template onto a cardboard box and cut out a slot to post the clothing cards in to.

- Clothing picture cards - click here to print.

- Print and cut out the washing machine template and clothing cards.

- Lay out the clothes cards in front of you. Explain to your child that you need to put the washing in the machine and that they can help.

- Give instructions containing 3 key words (size+colour+clothing item), e.g. wash the big red hat, wash the small green socks.

- After a few turns, encourage your child to give you an instruction. 

- Location picture cards - click here to print

- Alien picture cards - click here to print

- Pirate 3 key word activity - click here to print

- A box

- Big/little animal picture cards - click here to print.

1. Print and cut out the big/little animal picture cards.

2. Explain to you child that you are going to ask them to place the animals in different places.

3. Lay out a selection of big and little animals in front of your child - make sure you have the big and little version of each animal.

4. Give instructions containing a preposition, e.g. put the big sheep under the box, put the little cow next to the box.

Prepostion words you could use: in, on, under, being, in front, next to.

- A room with different furniture or items such as baskets/boxes where you can hide objects.

- Objects/toys (e.g. ball, car, doll etc)

- 2 different soft toys, e.g dolly/teddy

- 2 plates

- baskets

- Play food items

1. Put teddy and dolly in front of your child.

2. Give teddy a plate and a basket, then give dolly a plate and a basket

3. Lay a selection of play food out for your child to see.

4. Give instructions to your child, e.g. "put the banana on teddy's plate", or "put the bread in dolly's basket".

5. After a few turns, see if your child is able to give you an instruction.

- a soft toy

- big/little food pictures - click here to print

1. Print and cut out the big/little food pictures.

2. Ask your child to choose a favourite toy and explain you are going to feed them.

3. Explain you have big food and little food. Lay out a small selection of food - make sure you have both the big and little version of the same food.

4. Give your child instructions, e.g. give teddy the big carrot, give teddy the little eggs.

5. After a few turns, encourage your child to give you an instruction to follow. 

- 2 different soft toys

- Actions cards - click here to print

1. Print and cut out the action cards - you could draw some actions if you do not have access to a printer. 

2. Show your child the actions and say the word - practice making both soft toys carry out the actions.

3. When you are sure your child understands the different action words, start to give your child instructions, e.g. make teddy fly, make dolly sleep.

4. After a few turns see if your child can give you an instruction. 

- a selection of musical instruments 

- Click here for ideas of how to use household items to make musical instruments

- optional noisy/quiet symbols

1. Each person chooses a musical instrument.

2. If you wish, you can use symbols alongside the words you use. Talk about noisy sounds and quiet sounds. Practice making these with your musical instrument.

3. Swap musical instruments and make noisy/quiet sounds again.

4. Play a game where you take turns at being the conductor and give the instructions of noisy or quiet for the others to follow.

- optional camera to take photographs

- piece of paper and pencil

- optional noisy/quiet symbols

- Click here for printable noisy/quiet sorting pictures.

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.

- Some everyday clothes eg hat, gloves, scarf, sun glasses

- Large soft toy

- Digital camera or phone with a camera.

1. Take turns to put on the clothing items one at a time and take a picture. Take a picture with the clothing item removed. You can print the pictures out if you wish.
2. Comment ‘Look ...... ‘Child’s name) with a hat, and (child’s name) with no hat’.
3. Ask the child to look at the two pictures and say ‘Show me (child’s name) with a hat’ and show me (child’s name) with no hat.’
4. Do the same using the large soft toy.

-

Stories the child is unfamiliar with. They can be extracts from reading books or made up.

Photocopy of the story (optional)

1. Explain to the child that they are going to tell a story. You are going to tell it first and then it will be their turn.

2. Tell the story. It should be about 150 - 200 words. Make sure that there is enough detail in the section you have chosen or in the story you have made up.

3. Have the child tell the story back to you, or to another child.

4. Look at the photocopy of the story together and highlight all the details the child remembered (optional).

Story, description or explanation the child is unfamiliar with.

Photocopy of this (optional)

Story, description or explanation the child is unfamiliar with.

Photocopy of this (optional)

Pens and paper or whiteboards

Curriculum topic activities

String

Pegs

Who-what-where-what prompt sheet using symbols, colour-coded:

Who (orange)

What (i.e. objects - green)

Where (red)

What (i.e. actions - yellow)

Picture cards in separate bags or envelopes follows:

Who envelope: e.g. various people, animals, monsters, spacemen, football players

What (objects) envelope: e.g. football, car, rocket, computer, stick, box, bicycle

Where envelope: e.g. park, mountain, house, beach

What (actions) envelope: e.g. jump, sleep, fly, fall, cry, drive

You could also use the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint to get picture symbols for these items.

1. Pick a card from each envelope and peg them onto the string.

2. Make up a simple story which has everything on the string in it.

3. Have the child recap the main parts of the story to you, using the prompt sheet.

4. Take it in turns to make up the story, but have the child do the retell of it every time.

A familiar story, and key pictures of who, where, what and what happened in the story. (You might be able to photocopy this from a book).

Who-what-where-what prompt sheet using symbols, colour-coded:

Who (orange)

What (i.e. objects - green)

Where (red)

What (i.e. actions - yellow)

You could use the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint to get symbols.

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

Pictures of things it might see or do on its walk

Who-what-where-what prompt sheet using symbols, colour-coded:

Who (orange)

What (i.e. objects - green)

Where (red)

What (i.e. actions - yellow)

You could use the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint to get symbols.

Who-what-where-what prompt sheet using symbols, colour-coded:

Who (orange)

What (i.e. objects - green)

Where (red)

What (i.e. actions - yellow)

You could use the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint to get symbols.