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Topic “TAP24”
use single words signs or symbols for actions 2
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| What's missing? 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. | The child needs a good visual memory to do this activity. |
| Secret card Action cards You could use photos, drawings, or create using symbols | ||
| Books Picture books showing a range of actions. | You could ask questions like "Who's crying?". To encourage speaking, you could talk about the picture leaving (long) pauses in your speaking where the child could add their own comments, you could even try making the occasional errors in your descriptions (especially if the child is understanding the names for actions) and see if the child corrects you (correct yourself if they don't). | |
| Fishing 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). | Some children may need help with the fishing rod - a shorter line can make it easier for some children with motor difficulties, larger paperclips or less cards can also make it easier. If the child has difficulty understanding, you can reduce the number of cards or give a prompt. |
use single words signs or symbols for actions 1
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Play with miniatures | Give a commentary on what the child is doing, for example "Dolly's drinking", "Mohammed is pushing the car", "the car crashed!". | |
| Make toy animals/teddy/doll do various actions | The child listens and does the actions, then the child indicates what actions you or another child should do. | |
| Simon Says type game | Children take it in turns to tell what others in the group should do, for example 'clap', 'jump', 'sit down'. | You can use pictures as prompts to help children give commands. |
| Checking pupils understanding of verbs being targeted Pictures of actions You could use photos, or create using symbols | You might need to check also that the child associates the picture with the actual action that they can see happening or can experience - with familiar pictures some children may learn to associate words with those particular pictures rather than with something they can do or experience. | |
| Posting games Pictures of verbs, post box For the verb pictures, you could use photos, or create using symbols | Give the pupil time to name the action. Help them by giving a prompt (e.g. a forced alternative, the first sound. or the word or sign to repeat) | |
| Dice Pictures of verbs on a die For the pictures, you could use photos, or create using symbols | ||
| Feely bag Bag containing objects which you can do actions with. | ||
| Verb pictures Pictures of actions on cards You could use photos, or create using symbols | ||
| Throw the beanbag Pictures of actions on cards Beanbag For the pictures of actions, you could use photos, or create using symbols |
Use ready steady go in turn taking
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Ready steady go with toys 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!" | Don't forget to praise the child for "good waiting", "good talking" etc. To encourage the child to say "go" after "ready steady": have several goes yourself saying "ready steady go", (releasing the marble etc. after saying go). Then say "ready steady" and wait for any response from the child indicating "go" and then immediately release the marble (etc.) - if necessary, you can say a clear "go" at this point. If the child makes no response after you have waited a while, say "go" and release the marble anyway. You can support "go" with a gesture or sign. The Makaton/Signalong sign for "start" is an appropriate one to use (NB, use the word "go" at the same time as this sign). See also: |
Activities to develop using a sign or word to indicate 'more'.
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Using "go" after "ready steady" 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. | The activity must be motivating and interesting for the child, otherwise it won't work. Be sensitive to how long you need to wait before saying "go" for the child and doing the action. You need to wait long enough to give the child an opportunity to make a response, but not so long that they get frustrated or lose interest. |
| Saying or signing "more" 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 | The activity must be motivating and interesting for the child, otherwise it won't work. Be sensitive to how long you need to wait before saying "more" for the child and doing the action. You need to wait long enough to give the child an opportunity to make a response, but not so long that they get frustrated or lose interest. |
use a picture to make a request
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Which verse? 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. | You need to choose a song that the child is already familiar with and enjoys. The song needs to be one where the verses can be sung in any order. Songs that reinforce a sequence (e.g. days of the week, numbers or letters of the alphabet) are not suitable. To start with, only ask the child to choose from a selection of two or three pictures. |
Use single words
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Dressing game with soft toys and clothing items | 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. | Some times it is physically easier to take cloths off than to put them on - adapt the game for taking off! Have fun with this game! |
| Tea party with soft toys and plastic food | ||
| Bathing teddy and dolly Washable toys Wash cloths Soap Shaving foam Drying towel | ||
| Plastic animals and a toy house or farm | ||
| Language Steps Programme for learning single words |
indicates yes given a choice
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Indicating 'Yes' 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. | Saying 'Yes' is more difficult for most children than saying 'No'. Work in short sharp bursts. When the skills for rejecting and accepting look as though they are understood extend the skill to lunch hour choices or playground choices of toys etc. |
indicates no given a choice
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Indicating 'No' 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. | The object of this activity is to give the child an acceptable way of rejecting things without having a tantrum. Only offer undesirable items you don't mind the child rejecting. Work on this activity in pairs for short sharp bursts. Children usually start to indicate 'No' before indicating 'Yes'. The sign for "no" in Signalong and Makaton is working flat hand held in front of the body facing forward, pointing up, moves sharply to the working side. |
listen and respond to stories
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Books with pictures Picture books | 1. Get 2 simple books with clear pictures. Or choose flap or pop-up books. Offer the child a choice. The book the child reaches for or looks at is considered the child's choice. 2. Get comfortable with the child and look at the first picture. Use lots of animation in your voice and lift the flap or move the pop-up feature or point to an item on the page and name it at the one word level e.g. 'Look...........apple!' or 'Look...........monkey'. 3. The child may not want to continue very long with this ......a few minutes attention is OK. Finish the activity on a good note even if you have only liked at one or two pictures. | Keep the experience short and snappy Use simple language to label pictures - 1 or 2 words at the most Repeat, repeat, repeat! |
| Picture cards | ||
| Family photos Ask parent for family photos from home |
choose and share a book with an adult
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing a book Two different attractive books | 1. Hold the two books for the child to choose from where the child can see but a distance apart - it is easier to make a choice if objects are not too close. 2. If necessary help the child to choose by following the child's eye gaze and then guiding their hand to that book. Say 'You want this one.' | Give the child enough time to make a choice, be pleased with what ever choice is made! If the child finds choosing difficult simplify the choice by offering an attractive book and a not attractive book. It can be hard to choose between two desirable items. |
| Sharing books with an adult A chosen book Somewhere comfortable and pleasant to read together | A reading session may be short - it is better to have a short focused and enjoyable reading time than a longer one where the child gets bored. |
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. |
responds to music
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Chooses a song to share with an adult Laminated song symbols on a velcro strip | 1. Sit opposite the child at the same height and make sure you have their attention 2. Start off offering the child a choice of two song symbols. Help the child choose a song if needed and then sing the song with lots of oomph! 3. Offer the child a choice of the song symbols again and repeat the process. 4. Repeat until you have an idea of the songs the child specially likes. 5. When you sing one of these songs stop before a main word e.g. sing 'Twinkle twinkle little .............' And wait. Will the child put in the word star? If they do, smile and continue. 6. Allow more and more gaps in the songs for the child to sing the words | This is a fun activity. Make sure you and the child enjoy it! Use lots of expression and body language and mime to support the meanings of the songs. Allow the child enough time to make choices - only give help if they are loosing focus on the activity. |
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