Topic “English Speaking”  

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

A selection of the following:

Large cardboard tube (e.g. used to send posters through the post), and small blocks, cars or toys.

Marble run and marbles (note, only use the marble run if you can be certain the child won't put the marbles in their mouth.)

Push and go toy.

Cars and ramp.

Pop up toy

Any other suitable cause and effect toy.

This activity is described as if it is using one of the first four toys, but you can adapt it to the toys you have available.

1. Set up the equipment for the activity (e.g. make the marble run).

2. Give the child one item (ball, car, marble etc.) only, and take one for yourself. Put the others away out of reach and out of sight.

3. Say, "it's [your own name]'s turn".

4. Demonstrate how to do the activity. Before you drop the item down the chute, say "Ready, steady GO!"

5. Say "it's [name of the child]'s turn".

6. Put your hands over the top of the chute to prevent the child dropping the item too soon.

7. Say, "ready, steady, GO!"

8. As you say the word "go", take your hand away from the top of the chute to allow the child to post the item.

9. Prompt the child to post if necessary.

10. Repeat the above.

11. After the child has carried out the activity several times, begin saying "ready, steady....." and encourage them to say the word "go!"

12. After the child has carried out the activity several more times, begin saying "ready, ..." and encourage them to say the words "steady, go!"

Any simple activity that the child enjoys for example:

- marble or car run

- rolling a ball

- rolling a ball at some skittles

- pushing the child in a swing

For example for the marble run:

1. Hold a marble at the top of the run;

2. Say "ready steady go" (using a sign for "go" at the same time) and let the marble go;

3. Repeat a few times;

4. Now: say "ready steady" (but don't say "go") and wait, if the child makes any noise (or sign), interpret that as "go" and say and sign "go" clearly letting the marble go at the same time;

5. If after a time the child has said or signed nothing, say and sign "go" clearly and let the marble go anyway;

6. Repeat as necessary.

Any simple activity that the child enjoys for example:

- bubbles

- balloon

- marble run

- rolling a ball

- rolling a ball at some skittles

- pushing the child in a swing

Pictures to represent the verses in a song (e.g. animals for "Old MacDonald" or "Down in the Jungle"; bus, wheels, driver, windscreen wipers etc. for "the Wheels on the Bus").

Song videos/audio - optional

1. Choose a suitable song, that is already familiar to the child, and prepare a range of suitable pictures to represent each verse. You need a different picture for each verse.

2. Choose two or three verses and select the correct pictures.

3. Spread the pictures out where the child can see them.

4. Pick up one of the pictures (e.g. a cow) and give it to the child.

5. Sing the corresponding verse (e.g. "Old MacDonald had a cow").

6. When the verse is finished, take the picture away from the child and put it out of sight, for example in a "finished" box.

7. Select another picture, give it to the child and sing the relevant verse.

8. For the first few times you carry out this activity, you choose the pictures. After that, you can start to encourage the child to select the pictures.

9. You can increase the number of pictures you ask the child to select from according to their abilities.

Use toy clothes and a teddy/dolly. Put the teddy in front of the child and a choice of two clothing items e.g. hat and shoes. Say' Teddy wants shoes.' Help the child to select shoes and allow the child to dress the teddy or help if needed. Repeat 'Teddy's shoes...........shoes'.

Continue with different clothing items. When the child is familiar with some clothing names give the child more items of clothing to choose from.

Washable toys

Wash cloths

Soap

Shaving foam

Drying towel

An undesirable food item

A favourite toy

Two helpers

1. Sit the child at a table with one communicator adult in front and one helper behind the child.

2. Offer the child an undesirable item and wait for the child to reject this. Then offer an item you know the child likes - either food or a toy - say 'Do you want this?' The communicator adult models acceptance by smiling, nodding and saying 'Yes'. The helper adult gently takes the child's head and makes a nod to indicate 'Yes' at the same time. The helper adult does not speak.

3. Continue until the child has learnt to indicate 'Yes' in an acceptable way.

4. Vary the items offered to the child. The child is automatically rewarded for indicating 'Yes' by getting the desired item.

An undesirable food item

A favourite toy

Two helpers

1. Sit the child at a table with one communicator adult in front and one helper behind the child.

2. The communicator adult offers the child a short play with the toy and then says 'finished'.

3. The communicator adult offers the child the undesirable food item - what ever you know the child dislikes - and says 'do you want this?'. The communicator adult models 'No' and shakes her/his head and holds up a hand to show 'No'. The helper adult gently shakes the child's head from behind but does not say anything.

4. The communicator adult takes away the undesirable food item and offers the child time to play with the toy again.

5. Repeat the process over and over again until the child starts to shake his/her own head or hold up a hand or say 'No' or a mix of all three to indicate rejection.

6. When the child starts to indicate 'No' acceptably reward immediately.

7. When the child reliably rejects one item move on and work on rejecting a different item - maybe not food.

- 2 identical black and white pictures. 

- Pens/pencils

- A barrier (e.g. a large book)

1. Play a barrier game:

• each person in the game has an identical outline drawing;
• one person, whose drawing is hidden behind a barrier gives instructions to the others to modify their pictures (e.g. colour some things in, draw objects in particular places).

2. Give a confusing instruction so that the others need to ask for clarification. For example, ask them to colour something that is not on the sheet, to use a colour that is not available.

3. Watch their reaction - if the student lets you know that the instruction is impossible, praise them for this. If the student does not say anything, ask them if there is a problem and talk about hte words that they could use to let you know.

- Picture of an alien

- Some everyday objects

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)

Pictures of different foods

(e.g. ice-cream, grapes, apple, pizza, burger, crisps, coffee)

1. Talk about what miming is (i.e. pretending to do something without talking);

2. Show the children a mime of you pretending to eat an item of food;

3. Let the children take turns taking a picture and miming how they would eat it;

4. Let the other children in the group try to 'guess' what the food is.

Cards with different situations on them (e.g. walking the dog, digging a hole, putting on lipstick, washing your hair, playing the piano, flying a kite, roller skating, climbing a ladder, riding a horse, shaving, chopping wood)

"Let's Mime" cards can be purchased from 'Winslow'

(sales@winslow-cat.com) these have pictures,

or make your own by writing the description on a card.

A simple activity, e.g. paper folding

A framework to support the recall of the steps to do the activity (e.g. worksheet divided into boxes)

Pen

Prompt sheet for sequencing language (first, next, then, last, after, before, finally, etc)

1. Explain that you are going to do _____ (your activity), and then write down what you did so that someone else would know how to do it.

2. Show the children the framework, so they can be thinking about the steps in the activity.

3. Do the activity.

4. Have the children record what they did, in a sequence of steps. They could draw or write. Have the prompt sheet where they can see it, to remind them of key sequencing words.

A framework to support the recall of events (e.g. worksheet divided into boxes)

Pen

Prompt sheet for sequencing language (first, next, then, last, after, before, finally, etc)

A story that is short enough for the children to work with the whole story (i.e. a few paragraphs).

A framework to support the recall of events (e.g. worksheet divided into boxes)

Pen

Prompt sheet for sequencing language (first, next, then, last, after, before, finally, etc.)

Paper, coloured pens, a barrier so that children can't see what each other is doing

.

1. Each child has an identical picture, for example a picture of a house with a car outside and a couple of people. The children cannot see their partner's drawing.
2. They take it in turns to tell the other child to colour something in, for example 'colour the windows red', 'colour the wheels brown' and so on. (The child needs to understand two key words for each of these instructions).
3. After each instruction, compare the drawings to see if the description was understood.

Variations:

Children tell each other what to draw - for example 'draw a big red car', 'draw a monster on top of the roof'.

You can use two sets of identical miniatures, and use instructions like 'put the man on the block and put the bike next to him'.

'Where's Wally?' pictures, or something similar (a particular person or object hidden in a large detailed picture)

Photocopies of each picture you are going to use

Pictures of a situation with an absurdity in it, e.g. wearing a raincoat at the beach. (Colour Cards by LDA publish a set of these).

Paper

Coloured pens

Simple obstacle course

Blindfold

- synonym picture cards and words - click here to print

- You could also make up some of your own picture/word cards - click here for word list.

1.Cut out the picture cards and word cards. Explain to your child that you are going to talk  about "synonyms".

2. Explain that the word 'synonym' means two different words that have the same meaning.

3. Give an example of a common synonym e.g. 'woman' and 'lady'. Show the picture card and the two written words.

4. See if you can match all the words to the correct pictures.

- Thesaurus

- Find it! template - click here to print