Topic “Early Years (0-5yrs)”  

Hats and scarves and socks and shoes

1. Play a dressing up game;
2. Put a hat on your head and say 'look.... Mary's hat';
3. Then let the child choose a hat and (you) say 'look.... Mohammed's hat'.

Soft toys and clothing

As above and a tidy up bag

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

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.

A sheet of paper or the child's writing book

A pen

A long piece of card (to write sentences on)

A large marker pen

Scissors

1. Explain that you are going to play some sentence games and need to begin by writing a sentence.

2. Start from the child's experience so that the writing will have meaning for them. For example: "Tell me what you did last night.", "Tell me about your friend."

3. If necessary, and appropriate, discuss how to add to (or enrich) the sentence with an "extra clause", or an "adverb", or "adjectives" (see the comments for an explanation).

4. Write the agreed sentence in the child's book or on paper (in preparation for writing it on the card), encouraging the pupil to remember the sentence as you write it slowly. Constantly read what you have written so far, asking s/he to repeat what it was you said.

5. Ask the child to read the sentence to you as you write it slowly on the long piece of card.

6. Ask the child to cut up the card into separate words.

7. Re-read the sentence together then muddle up the separate pieces of card.

8. Ask the child to re-make the sentence, encouraging re-reading.

9. Ask the child to close his/her eyes, take a word away, ask the child to deduce the missing word by re-reading.

Commercially produced sequencing cards e.g. Black Sheep press (see general resources), Colorcards - available from many educational suppliers.

First/last or first/next/last template.

1. Use the first/last template to model the sequence of first and last.

2. Start with 2 picture sequences of a simple event e.g. 'rain falling' 'girl puts up umbrella'.

3. Talk about the pictures. Ask the child 'What is happening in the first picture?' Discuss the consequences of the first picture (getting wet) and what the girl does (puts up the umbrella)

4. Put the two pictures into the template: one in the FIRST column and the other in the LAST column.

5. Do this with a range of 2 sequence picture stories.

6. Turn the cards face down and take turns to turn them over and put them in the right part of the FIRST/LAST template. Can the child tell the story?

7. When the child is confident using the FIRST LAST template to order 2 picture sequences move onto using 3 picture sequences and use the FIRST/NEXT/LAST template.

8. Follow the procedure for working with 2 picture sequences.

Clothes pegs

String for a washing line.

Sequence cards

Published cards of 3 step sequences (LDA or Colour Cards do some good ones).

Sequences of 3 pictures on paper (Black Sheep Press have a wide range)

Digital camera photos of the child or people he knows doing every day activities

Ready made picture sequence cards, for example 'And then' (published by Schubi), pictures taken from a storybook.

Sources of picture sequences:

From https://www.learningresources.com/:

Step 1

1. Start with three cards: the three cards can make up a whole story, or be part of a longer one;

2. Tell the story with the cards introducing each card one by one;

3. Get the child to have a go at retelling the story.

Step 2

Using the same cards, this time give the child the cards all mixed up - the child needs to put the cards back in the right order and tell the story.

Step 3

1. Using three cards which the child hasn't seen before, mix them up and give them to the child to try and work out the story;

2. When the child has put them in an order that he or she is happy with (not necessarily the right order) get him/her to tell you the story (see 'comments' column for ideas of what to do if the cards are in the wrong order)

Step 4

Continue with more cards from the same story if the whole sequence is more than three steps long.

Step 5

Try working with longer sequences.

Commercially available sequencing pictures

Photo-copied pictures from a favourite book

Photos from an outing

1. Give the child first 2 then 3 pictures to sequence appropriately. Share talking about the pictures first then see if the child can put them in order.
2. Ask the child about the first picture e.g. 'Look.... who is this' 'Look.... what's happening?' etc. Can the child answer? Give a prompt if needed.
3. Stick the pictures into a scrap book. Can the child show an adult or peer and comment on the pictures.