Early Years (0-5yrs)
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Topic “Vocabulary/word finding”
Building story telling/narrative skills using visual aids
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Story Lines - 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. | This activity can be carried out with a small group of children You may need to recap the story at each turn, or give options if your child is finding it challenging to know what they can add. You could use a familiar story and use pictures from the book pegged to the line - you could encourage your child to retell the story with the pictures.
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| Story Dice | This activity can be carried out with a small group of children You may need to recap the story at each turn, or give options if your child is finding it challenging to know what they can add. |
understands printed word can describe own experience
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Event recall A sheet with columns labelled with 'when', 'who', 'what', 'where' | Use a recent event and the 'wh' recall sheet and fill this out with the child e.g. a trip to the swimming bath - fill in a word or two to describe when the event took place, who went, what the event was and where it took place. The event can then be recalled by reading across the columns. This technique can be used to recall a recent book or game in the playground, or cooking lesson. | Keep language simple - the object is to show that print is relevant to real life experience and pictures of real life. Use 2/3 word phrases only. Give lots of reward even for small bits of a task well done - you don't have to wait till the end of a task to reward. This way you can always reward good behaviour before the child gets restless. |
| Recent event picture sequence Scrap book Photos from home or a school trip | ||
| Simple stick man drawings of an event | ||
| Diary | ||
| Home-school book |
Recognises own written name
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Tactile examples of the child's written name Template of the child's name. Cardboard Sandpaper Shiny paper | 1. Cut out the letters of the child's name in crinkly cardboard/ sandpaper. 2. Match the letters you have cut out to a template of the child's name. 3. Praise the child for matching. 4. Help the child trace their name with their finger over the cardboard/sandpaper letters. 5. At the end say the whole name and point to it making sure the child is focused on the name. | Make sure the child is looking at what you want them to look at. You may need to gently direct their head and point to the thing you want the child to notice. Allow time for the child to explore new material before working with it. Be consistent. Give lots of praise. Use short 2 word phrases. Repeat things. |
| Magnetic letters | ||
| Name labels Computer Scissors Stickers etc | ||
| A laminated example of the child's computer print out name | ||
| Fishing Paper clips Magnetic fishing rods More computer printouts of the child's name. Plain black and white printouts of a name that is much longer/shorter then the target child's name |
Points to text in stories with own name
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Photo album book Photos of the child doing things; Plain paper book or paper to make one. |
| Use concrete, familiar events/actions that the child is familiar with. |
Match pictures to labels
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Pictures and Text Pictures of familiar objects and their printed labels e.g. Picture of a dog and the label 'dog' Maybe borrow a book from home which the child likes and photocopy and then use as a picture resource . | 1. Cut out or photocopy 5 pictures of items the child is familiar with. E.g. animals/food items/objects or people from Peter and Jane books. 2. Print labels for the items 3. Give the child one picture and one label. 4. Put the two together - point to the print and read it. | Give a reward for this activity because it is not intrinsically rewarding. Increase to two pictures and two printed labels. Model the correct match. Reward each correct match. |
Match objects to pictures to symbols
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Object to picture matching Set of picture cards representing everyday objects. Objects to match the things on the cards. For the picture cards, you could use photos, or create using symbols | 1. Start with the child's most familiar/favoured objects. Choose 2 and the two matching pictures. Match the object to the picture and say 'Look........sock/pen/flower it's the same' 2. Can the child put the object on a picture given 2 pictures and 2 objects. 3. Reward any success. 4. Start to increase the number of objects and pictures to 3 then 4 but go slowly. 5. Play a game by putting out 3 cards face down and 3 matching objects . Take it in turns to turn over a card and select the matching object 6. Use a puppet and see if the child can help the puppet match objects and cards. 7. Get a selection of cards of things in the room can you walk around with the child and find objects to match the cards Reward! | Keep rewarding Give enough time Focus attention using one or two words only Stop while the going is still good Have fun! |
recognises 20 high frequency words
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Using a race track game to practise high frequency words Set of 20+ cards with target high frequency words Dice Counters Race track or loop | 1. Read through the cards with the player(s). 2. Place the cards face down. 3. Players take it in turns to pick up a card, say the word, throw the dice and move around the board. 4. Winner is the first person to finish. 5. Repeat the game after reading through all the cards again or selecting a particular word or words to focus on. 6. Discard easy words and add new words gradually. | Children need to be able to read a range of high frequency words to develop fluency in reading. New words need to be introduced gradually. There could be several copies of each word or of selected words. Start off with a small set of words so that the child experiences lots of success. 2+ players. A short track is ideal as the game can be completed in a short time and repeated easily. If a child reads a word wrong, help them to read the word or tell them the word. Remember the game is meant to be fun! |
| Using different fonts on the computer to practise high frequency words Computer Child understands how to change font | A list of words can be obtained as above. This could be done daily. The words could be typed into boxes ready to make flash cards (2x5 per page). | |
| Sentence building to practise high frequency words Flash cards with set of words. Words which could start a sentence are provided in both capitalised and lower case form. Add one card with a full stop and one card with a question mark. Make a list of possible sentences before the session. | Teaching the words in sentence form gives them a meaningful context. Possible set of words: it, It, is, Is, dad, Dad, mum, Mum, and, off, on, big, get, can, Can Possible sentences include: It is Dad. Is it mum? Mum and dad. Keep the list of possible sentences with the words so that this can be practised daily. A duplicate set can be used for homework. This can be followed up using a programme such as Clicker (see www.cricksoft.com) on the computer. Printing a grid of words will allow the child to work on writing the sentences again independently. Add to the words gradually adding new sentences at the same time. | |
| Playing Four in a Row to help word recognition Sheet of paper as a 'board' A dice Different coloured pencils Preparing the 'board': Create a landscape page with 6 columns and 7 rows. On the first row, number each column from 1-6. Select a set of high frequency words the children have been learning to recognise, and which need reinforcing. Write the words randomly in each of the other 36 boxes - they can be repeated. The board can be photocopied for use on another day. | Children need to be able to read a range of high frequency words to develop fluency in reading. For this game, use familiar words that need more practice. Words can be changed as progress is made. For 2 or more players. You will need to decide what happens if a child reads a word wrong. Do you tell them the word? Or do they lose their go? Remember the game is meant to be fun! | |
| Pelmanism (pairs) Two sets of 10 cards with target high frequency words. Each set made on different coloured card, e.g. mum mum | Children need to be able to read a range of high frequency words to develop fluency in reading. Different pupils will manage a larger or smaller number of cards. |
Activities to develop one key word understanding
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Puppet Feeding (nouns) - A hand puppet - Selection of play food | 1. Place the puppet on your hand and lay a few items of play food in front of you. 2. Explain that the puppet is hungry. 3. Give your child instructions, e.g. '(puppet) wants the bread', '(puppet) wants the banana'. 4. Encourage your child to give the puppet the piece of food you asked for. 5. After a few turns, swap roles and see if your child is able to tell you which food to give to the puppet. | You could sign alongside saying the word. For videos of commonly used signs - click here. |
| Find it (nouns) - A selection of every day items - A box | ||
| Action Game (verbs) | You could sign alongside saying the word. For videos of commonly used signs - click here. | |
| Posting (nouns) - Post box - you can make your own with a cardboard box Optional printable post box template here - Picture cards to post - cick here for first words picture cards. | You could sign alongside saying the word. For videos of commonly used signs - click here. |
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