Early Years (0-5yrs)
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Topic “TAP64”
spell phonically regular words
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Play four in a row Materials Sheet of paper, filled in as a 'board' A dice Different coloured pens Preparing the board Create a landscape page with 6 columns and 7 rows. On the first row number each column from 1-6. Select the short vowels (e.g. a, e, i, o, u, y) or vowel digraphs (e.g. ay, ai, ee, ea, oi, oy) that the children need to reinforce. Next to each number write a different vowel or vowel digraph that the children need to reinforce. | 1. Establish the sound of each vowel (or vowel digraph) with the players. 2. Give each player a different coloured pen. 3. The first player rolls the dice and chooses any of the empty boxes in the column that corresponds to the number on the dice. 4. They write a word containing whichever short vowel or vowel digraph is at the head of that column. For example, if they throw a 3 and the 3 column is 'ee' they could write the word see. They write it in their own colour, underline the vowel or vowel digraph and read the word out loud. 5. No one else can now use that box. 6. Each player has one throw per turn. 7. If one of the columns becomes full and the player throws that number they are allowed one more throw. If it's still the same number they cannot write a word during that go. 8. The winner is the first person to get 4 words in a row either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. 9. If there is a time issue it can be 2 or 3 in a row. | Children need to learn the phonic spelling patterns to enable them to read and write fluently. At the beginning of the game it is important to establish what happens when they can't think of a word or they get it wrong. Do you give them a word? Do they forfeit their turn? Sensitivity is required depending on the pupils' needs. The aim is to have fun whist learning! |
spell 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 learn high frequency spellings Set of 20+ cards with target high frequency words Race track or loop Dice Counters | 1. Read through the words with the player(s). 2. Place the cards face down. 3. Players take it in turns to pick up the card, use S.O.S. to spell 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 words again. 6. A spelling 'test' could be introduced when the child thinks he is ready to try this. | New words need to be added gradually. There could be several copies of each word or selected word. S.O.S. = simultaneous oral spelling = saying the word and then saying each letter of the word while writing it. The card can be turned over while they are trying to spell the word. A variation could be asking the child to write the word on a whiteboard. |
| Using mnemonics to teach spelling A short list of words the child is finding particularly difficult to remember - 'tricky words' Whiteboard and pen | Mnemonics are memory triggers to help learn words. They are especially useful for irregular words such as 'said' and 'because' e.g. said = said ant itching, don't. Include the word to remember as the first word in the mnemonic and use short vowel sounds as far as possible. because= because eagles can add up so easily |
to use complex sentences
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Story cards 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. | This activity can easily be adapted to use class topic work and stories. You may need to use a sentence frame to support the children to make sentences at first. An example of a sentence frame:
The children can change the parts in the first and last boxes to make new sentences. |
| Book Summaries 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). | It is better if the book has a lot of pictures to help the children follow the story. You could use just one page of a book, or one short section, if the book is longer than a few pages. You may need to use a sentence frame to support the children to make sentences at first. | |
| Photo Captions Photos from magazines Or Photos of the children engaged in activities Flashcards with a target word written on each one (because, to, when, while). | You may need to use a sentence frame to support the children to make sentences at first. | |
| Talk for a minute 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) | You may need to use a sentence frame to support the children to make sentences at first. You can vary the time, to make it either longer or shorter. |
use pictures and text to get information
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday situation with words and a picture A picture of an everyday event, or social setting e.g. crossing the road, or going to the cinema. A story to go with the picture (no more than 5 or 6 sentences). Or See the resource sheets in 'Language for Thinking' (LfT) by Parsons and Branagan (Published by Speechmark). If using this publication, use Module 3 (the child reads the story) and the level A questions. | 1. Choose a scenario. 2. Let the child read the story. 3. Ask the child questions verbally focusing on questions where the child looks for the answer in the text and just uses a little background knowledge, e.g. 'Find one that is....', 'When did...', 'What does this do?' 'What else is an X? etc. ("LfT level A questions"). | If a child gives a short answer, prompt them to expand it. If the child finds these questions easy, use some questions that require more working out and understanding of the context e.g. 'What will happen next?' 'How else could he do it? ("LfT level B questions"). |
sequence chunks of text to make a whole eg story
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Jumbled sentences A photocopied piece of text without illustrations on A4 paper/card for each pupil, such as a traditional tale or a set of instructions. Each pupil should have a different text, at a level they can all read aloud quite easily. A second copy of each piece of text for you to keep in your 'Results' envelope. Ruler/pencil Scissors 1 envelope for each child and 1 envelope marked 'The results'. | 1. Give out one copy of the text to pupil and keep one master copy for yourself. Put the master copy in the 'Results' envelope. 2. Explain the task is to make a comprehension puzzle for another pupil and then to become a 'comprehension detective' to improve their reading for meaning skills. 3. Give pupils time to read through the page of text independently. 4. Ask pupils to read the text through again. This time they need to decide where to divide it up into a puzzle with a beginning, middle and end. 5. Pupils indicate with pencil where they would like to divide the text up. (They will draw 2 lines to make three pieces.) 6. Check with pupils where they are going to divide the text up before they start cutting it! Sensitively suggest changes if necessary. 7. Cut it up with scissors. Each pupil places the pieces of text in their own envelope. 8. Pupils swap envelopes with a partner. They read through what their partner has given them and put it back in the right order. 9. Before you give each pupil the original uncut copy, encourage them to talk about and point to the 'clues' in the text, which lead them to make their decision. 10. Open the envelope! Were they correct? | This activity may be useful for bilingual pupils and pupils with speech and language difficulties, who can sometimes read aloud with confidence but have difficulty in understanding/answering comprehension questions. This activity could be done in a small group (e.g. with 3 pupils) or in pairs. It could also be adapted for 1-1 work. Try to keep the activity fun. Encourage them to explain why they would divide the text up at the points they have chosen. Support pupils with fine motor skills difficulties where necessary. When being the detective, encourage them to look for language that shows sequence, e.g. firstly, after that, finally. Write down notes/phrases that helped them on a white board/flipchart. Extension activity You could ask them to divide the text into 4, 5 or 6 segments if appropriate for their comprehension needs. |
read short vowel sounds in regular words
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Using fingers to learn the 'short' vowel sounds A (non-toxic!) pen A pencil or other form of pointer | 1. Using the pen, on each finger/thumb pad of your non writing hand, write one vowel starting with 'a' on the thumb and continuing with 'e', 'i', 'o' and finishing with 'u' on the little finger. 2. Ascertain your child's non-writing hand and write on each finger pad one of the vowels again starting with the 'a' on the thumb and finishing with 'u' on the little finger. 3. The child watches you model pointing to a finger/thumb pad of your hand and then clearly and accurately sounds the appropriate short vowel (see comments). 4. Hold your hand in a position that can be seen by both the child and yourself. Ask the child to indicate, using a pencil, a finger/vowel. You clearly and accurately, sound the vowel indicated. 5. Reverse the procedure by having the child hold their hand, palm up, while you indicate with a pencil, which vowel you wish them to sound. Even if you cannot see the actual written vowel, you will know which vowel is on each pad (a source of interest to some children). 6. Correct any inaccurate sounds immediately and keep the praise going for correct soundings. 7. Mix up the order of the vowels you ask the child to say. Don't just focus on confused or problematic vowels. 8. Try reversing roles back again by having the child indicate which vowel sound you must supply (as in 4. above). 9. The class teacher or teaching assistant will need to write the vowels on the child's hand in the same order at the start of each new day, and periodically check that they are still legible. With older, or well co-ordinated younger children, the child can write the vowels for themselves but the adult will need to check their order and legibility. 10. Encourage the use of referring to their 'finger vowels' when spelling, either in the course of writing or when spelling words in isolation (e.g. a spelling check). 11. Use the above activities (but mainly activity number 5) daily and encourage the child to look at their 'finger vowels' when reading words featuring previously confused or insecure vowels. 12. The aim is to make a strong link between each 'short' vowel sound and a particular finger or thumb of their non-writing hand. Eventually the child no longer need to have vowels written on their finger/thumb pads. S/he will then need to simply glance at the respective finger/thumb in order to access the accurate sound for the vowel associated with that finger/thumb. | The short vowels: 'a' as in cat; 'e' as in bed; 'i' as in sit; 'o' as in 'top'; 'u' as in 'cup' This is a multi-sensory method to instil a sensory correspondence between 'short' vowel sounds (vowel phonemes) and certain digits of their non-writing hand. Once established the child needs only to glance at their hand or even just visualise it, in order to retrieve the correct sound (phoneme) and thereby assist reading and spelling abilities. You will need to be sensitive to individual preferences or any cultural practices of your pupil(s) or their parents/guardians. Deter children from sucking their fingers or thumbs. Always label the vowels starting with an 'a' on the thumb. This is also consistent with how vowels are signed in British Sign Language and in key word signing systems such as Signalong and Makaton. This consistency will also give you another way to help the child remember the vowels as you could ask the child to think of the 'thumb vowel' for 'a', the 'middle finger vowel' for 'i' and so on. Speed it up when appropriate to improve automaticity (or simply have fun by being unrealistically fast!) Keep it light, keep it fun! Phonemes and graphemes A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound that can make a difference in meaning. For example the sounds 'b' and 'h' are both phonemes in the words 'bed' and 'head' because changing just those sounds will make a difference in meaning to the word you say. A grapheme is the letter or letters which are used to write down phonemes. For example the underlined letters in the words 'bed' and 'head' are both graphemes for the short 'e' sound. |
predict infer and analyse from pictures and text
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday situation with words and a picture A picture of an everyday event, or social setting e.g. crossing the road, or going to the cinema. A story to go with the picture (no more than 5 or 6 sentences). Or See the resource sheets in 'Language for Thinking' (LfT) by Parsons and Branagan (Published by Speechmark). If using this publication, use Module 3 and the level C questions. This programme has questions for a range of ability levels. | 1. Choose a scenario picture. 2. Show the children the picture and let them read the story. 3. Ask the child the questions verbally. 4. Focus on questions that require more working out and understanding of the context, e.g. 'What will happen if he...?' 'Why is it made of that?' 'If you were X, what would you say / do?' 'Why can't he?' (LfT level C questions). | Use some simpler questions to start with. (LfT level A and B if you are using the Language for Thinking book). If a child gives a short answer, prompt them to expand it. If the child finds these questions easy, move on to having them read the story without looking at the picture. Go back to using simpler questions and move up through question levels again. (LfT Module 3). |
understanding idioms
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| DIY Idioms dictionary Copies of idioms pictures, for example from Black Sheep press "Speech Bubbles" pack School exercise book Pen/pencil, scissors, glue The following books may also be useful: "Red Herrings and White Elephants: The Origins of the Phrases we use Every Day" by Albert Jack (Metro Publishing, 2004) "Idioms at work" by Vera McLay (Language Teaching Publications, 1987) | Explain that you are going to do some work on idioms. Explain that idioms are phrases that mean something different to what the words mean individually. Give a few examples that you think the student might already know (e.g. "pain in the neck", "get lost") Using the exercise book, let the student make a title page for their book, saying "Idioms Dictionary" and giving a definition of an idiom - you can help the student compose their own definition Let the student choose one idioms picture, cut it out and stick it in the book. Discuss with the student the literal meaning of the idiom, as well as what it actually means. Have the student write a definition of the idiom in the book, next to the picture. Also have them write a sentence using the idiom in context. Continue to build up the collection of idioms over time. | The two books listed give many more examples of idioms, the student can continue to build up their bank of idioms after all the pictures have been used. Some people find it easier to understand idioms if they know where the phrase comes from. "Red Herrings and White Elephants" gives the story behind many idioms - you may need to explain each one to the student. |
| Can you remember? This activity requires the purchasing of a particular commercial product. Please help to further develop this sheet by providing an example or description of alternative resources to use in this activity. Flash cards made from the idioms pictures from Black Sheep press "Speech Bubbles" pack | You could also work through the Speech Bubbles pack for more practice. | |
| Bingo This activity requires the purchasing of a particular commercial product. Please help to further develop this sheet by providing an example or description of alternative resources to use in this activity. Idioms pictures from Black Sheep press "Speech Bubbles" pack of cards showing the meaning of the idioms. | Best as a group activity |
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