Search
User login
Topic “TAP30”
Activities to develop understanding of instructions containing 2 key words - set 3 (noun + adjective/preposition)
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Big/little feeding game - works of object + size (noun + adjective) - a soft toy | 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. | If you child is finding understanding big/little difficult, try using some activities that focus on learning these concepts - click here |
Activities to develop understanding of instructions containing 2 key words - set 2 (noun + verb)
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Actions Game - works on object + action (noun + verb) - 2 different soft toys | 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. | To increase complexity, click here for activities focusing on three key word instructions. (Add link) |
Activities to develop understanding of the concepts noisy and quiet
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Musical Instruments - a selection of musical instruments - Click here for ideas of how to use household items to make musical instruments | 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.
| If your child is finding it challenging to grasp the difference between noisy and quiet. Choose one concept first, e.g. noisy, and use 'not noisy' as the alternative. Once you are confident that your child understands this concept you can start to teach the concept of quiet. |
| Listening Walk | If your child is finding it challenging to grasp the difference between noisy and quiet. Choose one concept first, e.g. noisy, and use 'not noisy' as the alternative. Once you are confident that your child understands this concept you can start to teach the concept of quiet. | |
| Noisy/quiet sorting game | If your child is finding it challenging to grasp the difference between noisy and quiet. Choose one concept first, e.g. noisy, and use 'not noisy' as the alternative. Once you are confident that your child understands this concept you can start to teach the concept of quiet. |
Use a simple conversational structure over three turns
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| How are you? | Two turns
Three turns Once two turns is mastered as above, move to three turns:
| For the three turns part, if a student makes a different response to the answer to their question than one of the possible responses on the prompt cards then that's fine as long as it is relevant. Otherwise, prompt them to make a response from one of the prompt cards. You could show different prompt cards, or you could show just one prompt card for the response in the last turn. |
| What have you been doing? | For this activity, a student using a contraction of the question is also fine (e.g. "What doing"), this activity is about creating turns in a conversation. | |
| Topic of interest - what have you got? Prompt cards for a "what have you got" conversation Set of pictures (e.g from Google) relating to a topic of interest to the student - e.g. Tesco, the park, Eastenders. |
Use two key word instructions in everyday activities
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Making a cup of tea - telling you what to do Kitchen with everything appropriate for making a cup of tea. You don't need to have them out and ready though - finding the stuff can be part of the activity. | 1. Sit in the kitchen at an empty table and say you want to make a cup of tea - but you don't know what to do (or have forgotten what to do); 2. See if the person suggests getting something - e.g. teabag or cup. If the person suggests something, e.g. teabag, ask where you can find it. See if they can tell you - e.g. "cupboard" - but if not, give then some suggestions - e.g. "in the cupboard or in the fridge?" - have a look in the fridge if they suggest that. If the person doesn't suggest anything, give a funny choice, e.g. shall I get a cup or a paint brush - if they suggest "paint brush", get one and then look really confused when you have it - see if they can correct you, or if there is not paint brush to find, look equally confused. Get a cup even if they don't prompt you to get one (as if you've suddenly remembered!) 3. As you go along, try to get the person to extend the language - but don't try to get them to repeat, also try to avoid asking leading questions (for example avoid asking "shall I stir the tea now?"). For example if you have a tea bag and a cup, and they say "cup", indicating that you put something in the cup, put something else in the cup - e.g. a pen. If they then say teabag, do something with the teabag - but don't put it in the cup. At this point they may try to put the two words together, e.g. "teabag...cup". If not, you can give them a choice. Try the following: "teabag in the cup or pen in the cup" (you might get a response of "teabag" in which case put it somewhere - not in the cup); or "teabag in the cup or pen in the bag" or "pen in the bag or teabag in the cup" (easiest because the target phrase is last). | If the person is not familiar with making a cup of tea already, you should spend some time doing this - talking them through what you are doing as you make the tea. The key principle here is to give the minimum amount of prompting. You will need to adjust the level of prompting so that the person is a little bit challenged by the task - but not so much that there are long pauses (what constitutes a long pause will vary from person to person). As far as possible, you are trying to literally do what the person says - so if they say something that's potentially ambiguous, choose a more amusing interpretation of what they have said. The idea is that this activity should be really fun, and also prompt the person to try and add more information and be more accurate. |
| Everyday activities Whatever is required for the activity. Activities could include:
|
Initiate a request for items to do a task
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Impossible task! Materials as needed, for example:
| Ask the child to carry out tasks without giving them the equipment they need. For example:
| If a child does not request anything, you can try to motivate the child to correct you or "help you", for example:
See also suggestions here: make a choice at snack time |
Activities to develop understanding of a negative and a noun, e.g. "no hat"
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Dressing up - Some everyday clothes eg hat, gloves, scarf, sun glasses - Large soft toy - Digital camera or phone with a camera. |
| |
| - |
Remain on task for 20 minutes
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Good Sitting, Good Looking, Good Listening poster Poster showing good sitting, good looking and good listening | Use the poster to talk about how we do good listening and why we do it (to help us learn, so that we know what to do) Put the poster up near the child, and use it as a visual prompt. | It is important that the child knows how to do good listening. You could role play doing good listening and not doing good listening and discuss the differences. |
| Visual Timetable Laminated symbols for the class activities Sticky-backed Velcro or BluTac, A way to indicate an activity is finished: finished box, board marker or finished crosses. You can find appropriate symbols in the Commtap Symboliser. | This is a strategy which benefits the whole class, particularly children who are learning English as a second language, or who have behavioural difficulties, or who have speech and language difficulties, or who have memory difficulties. It allows the child to know what is coming next, and to remember that the particular activity he/she is doing is for a limited time only. This helps him/her to focus his attention. It is vital that you are consistent in using the visual timetable - it doesn't take long to do! | |
| Individual task schedule. Laminated symbols for the tasks the child will be doing. Laminated symbols for appropriate rewards, e.g. read a book, add a bean to the jar, get a sticker, etc. Sticky-backed Velcro or BluTac, A stiff board / card (A4 or A5 size) You can find appropriate symbols in the Commtap Symboliser. | It is helpful to break a large task into smaller units, so that the child achieves several smaller goals (taking a symbol off for each one) Rewards need to be appropriate to the child and if possible part of existing reward systems in the class. Rewards that can be enjoyed immediately are the most motivating! |
Asks for specific help to do an activity
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sabotage! - supported with a picture symbol A ‘HELP’ picture symbol Container the child can see into but can't open e.g. screw-top jar/zip-top bag etc which contains a motivating reward e.g. crisp, raisin, sticker. You can get symbols with the Commtap Symboliser.
|
| When the child has successfully indicated they want help, give them that help - otherwise the child will become extremely frustrated. |
| Sabotage! - supported with a sign Container the child can see into but can't open e.g. screw-top jar/zip-top bag etc which contains a motivating reward e.g. crisp, raisin, sticker. Make sure you know the sign for help before doing the activity (e.g. Signalong, Makaton). | When the child has successfully indicated they want help, give them that help - otherwise the child will become extremely frustrated. Over time you will want to encourage the child to use a clearer indication that they want help. You can do this by:
| |
| Impossible task! Materials as needed, for example:
| See also: https://en.commtap.org/language-communication/initiate-request-items-do-task Note, for most of these examples the child could potentially ask you for a specific item, or ask you for help - both are valid! You can easily integrate this into many classroom activities without the need for any extra equipment. |
Use the terms one and lots
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sorting objects Lego Pencils and coloured pencils Plastic cups Symbol to represent 'one' and 'lots' You can obtain symbols through the Commtap Symboliser. | Collect lego pieces that are all the same size and colour - add one lego piece that is different. Sort the lego into bowls and use the symbols of 'one' and 'lots' to label the bowls. Ask the child to give you 'one' or 'lots' and give as much help as needed to ensure success. Reward the child for completing the activity even if you have given lots of help. Do the same sorting activity with lots of pencils adding one coloured pencil Do the same with plastic cups adding one that is different | Understanding that things can be categorized and labelled in many ways. Extend this skill to everyday life - categorize knives and forks, shoes and boots etc |
| Snack time Symbols for 'one' and 'lots' on plates. Snack items You can obtain symbols through the Commtap Symboliser. | ||
| Cars, marbles, toys Garage with a car ramp and a number of cars Marble run game with lots of marbles Bag of toys with lots of toys in and bag with only one toy in. | ||
| Feeding soft toys Soft toys and pictures of food. | ||
| Pictures Computer printouts or hand made drawings of groups of lots of teddies/boxes/flowers etc and single teddy/box/flower. Symbols of 'one' and 'lots' You can obtain symbols through the Commtap Symboliser. |
Match two equal sets
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Making matching Lego towers Lego bricks | Make a tower of 3 bricks and another identical one of 2 bricks. Hand the child the third brick needed for the smaller tower and help the child complete the tower. Say 'Look...the same' and point to the 2 towers. Compare the towers and count the bricks. Increase the height of the towers and the number of the bricks the child has to add to make the towers the same. Make your tower and then say 'Look......make the same'. Give lots of praise for making a tower the same. | Allow the child to explore the materials you are using before you start the activity' . You want the child to get the idea of things being the same. Extend the idea into everyday life e.g. match cups at snack time or knives and forks at dinner time. |
| Peg board patterns Pegs and a peg board | Make a peg pattern e.g. red peg, blue peg, red peg. Start the pattern off for the child. Say 'Look.........Make the same'. You may need to hand the child the pegs to complete the pattern to start with. When the child makes the same pattern praise and say 'Look.......the same' Allow the child to complete more and more of a pattern that you have made as they become familiar with the activity. Praise for completion. | |
| Matching using coloured counters/coloured care bears etc Care bears Counters | ||
| Line of coloured dots on a piece of paper Colours and paper. | ||
| Paper and colours | ||
| Establishing one to one correspondence Large laminated numbers 1/2/3 on card Small laminated numbers 1/2/3 on card Pieces of food/crisps/biscuits (or other motivating items) Marbles and marble run game Cars and garage ramp | Understanding that '1' is always '1' and '2' always '2' etc is quite abstract and a big step for a child. This skill needs lots of practise and encouragement. Give yourself enough time. |
Indicate one or two using fingers
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sing shortened versions of well known number songs A number of quickly drawn speckled frogs Blue-tack | 1. Sing 2 Green Speckled Frogs. Use lots of animation 2. Stick one/two green speckled frog pictures on your finger/s to illustrate the song 3. Can the child copy your actions with speckled frogs on his/her finger/s 4. If the child does not want frogs on her/his fingers stick them to the desk in front of the child and point to or touch the frogs right number of frogs as you sing 5. Do this activity with a friend who will be a good role model for the child. | Make this a fun activity Keep the pace snappy Use simple language (2/3 words only at one time.) Give children time to process information and requests. Where possible work in a quiet place, and make sure the child is attending to you. Work for short periods only but repeat often. |
| Adapted song of 10 little monkeys Miniature figures of people or animals | ||
| Snack time Fruit pieces | ||
| Stickers on fingers Two quick drawings of hands Small stickers |
Produce meaningful print signs or symbols
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Produce meaningful print Photos of the child doing everyday activities Drawings by you or the child of daily activities e.g. playtimes plants grown, food eaten. Pictures of favoured toys or toys the child owns Pencil grips | Stick the photo or the cut out picture onto a clean page. Draw a border round the picture and fill with zigzag marks as 'decoration'. The child may need to follow the dots to do this. Colour over the zigzags to make a picture frame for the 'book' Label the photo or picture e.g. 'Child's name jumping.' 'Child's name toy car'. You write the 'jumping' or 'toy car' and leave a space for the child to write his name. You may need to provide dots for the child to overwrite his/her name. Use a painting or drawing the child has done. Write most the child's name for them.........can the child finish the name off? The child may respond to being able to choose a 'special pen' to write his/her name Make Christmas cards or birthday cards or thank you cards. As before, do most of the writing inside yourself leaving the child to finish off some/all of his/her name. Reward all attempts. | Short work sessions Using a really short pen can help a child to hold the pen correctly or use a pen grip. This work can be collected into a 'book' to take home or read to others. |
| Computer | ||
| Child's drawings or paintings etc Letters of the child's name written large and cut out individually. |
Names pictures
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Making a book of special things Catalogue pictures of toys or favourite food Glue | Cut pictures from catalogues that you know interest the child, stick one picture onto a page and spend some time looking and talking about the picture e.g. say 'What's that?' Use the child's words to write a label under the picture. Make up a small book of favourite things which can be shared with a teacher or a parent. Can the child take this to an adult and show them with comments on the pictures? | Try not to worry about getting messy or the final results of this 'art work' not being perfect! The object is to get the child to name the picture with one or two words. Try to make the child feel proud of their work so that they are more likely to talk about it spontaneously - even if it is only using one word. Follow the child interests to get an enthusiastic response! |
| Photos of everyday school life Photos of everyday school life Glue | ||
| Home made pictures Home made pictures Glue | ||
| Make a collage Stickers any glitter/cotton wool etc | ||
| Paintings Paints Glue |
attempts to copy own name
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Arranging letters of name in order Pencils and paper Magnetic letters or letter shapes. | Help the child copy round the letters of their name. Play a game matching the letter shapes to the drawn letter shapes of the child's name. Reward and praise all attempts. Can the child arrange the letters of their name without copying a written template? Set out most of the letters of the child's name so that to start with they have only to complete the last 2 letters - then the last 3 letters etc. | Make these activities as snappy and rewarding as possible by using lots of praise and maybe giving a small reward e.g. sticker for good attempts. |
| Colouring-in hand drawn letters of the child's name Overwriting the name | ||
| Writing the child's name on the computer in large letters | ||
| Overwriting the child's name using a dotted template |
Support Commtap to keep it online
Thank you for visiting Commtap.
Commtap needs £5,000 per year to cover its basic running costs, we only have £1,000 left. Please make a donation now.
Please read this message as it is extremely important.
- Visitor donations mean we can continue to host over 1,000 free activities to support speech, language, and communication development.
- Visitor donations mean we can continue to provide free resources to address a wide range of communication needs, including limited speech or language, interaction challenges, and needs associated with conditions such as developmental language disorder, autism, and cerebral palsy.
- Visitor donations mean we can continue to provide resources to support the work of speech and language therapists, teachers, teaching assistants, parents, and carers.
It costs £5,000 a year to cover Commtap's basic day-to-day running costs. We have £1,000 left.
Right now, less than 1% of Commtap's visitors pay anything towards the running of the site.
We know that not everyone is able to afford to pay to access these resources, however, if you can, please make a minimum donation of £10 to keep the site going.
Thank you
Google ads on this page are provided by Google Adsense - and their presence does not imply any endorsement by Commtap. Report a problem with an ad on this page. Log in (for free) to avoid seeing Google ads.
