Teaching colours to young children
What a mom says song
What a teenager says song
Taylor Mali: What a teacher makes
Hairy Beast writing activity
Listen and React story
The very first lesson with young learners
Poetry writing in the constuctivist manner
Gossip illustration
Teaching colours to young learners
Randa abu Jamous
One of the first themes covered in teaching English to young learners is colours. There are many different activities which introduce and consolidate this theme.
- To introduce the names of the colours, cut out circles of the main colours.
Seat the children in a circle. Say the chant (Carloyn Graham: Let’s Go 1): “What
colour is this? - It’s red! Clap, clap.
Repeat with the rest of the colours and then distribute the colour circles round the
group and repeat the chant, encouraging the children to join in and to say the colour.
2. To practice the colours and the chant, put the cards on the floor and cover with a white
card. Say the chant and children have to guess the colour under the card.
- Put the colour cards round the room and have the children run, walk, crawl, hop, swim
dance to the colour you call out.
- Each child cuts out a red circle and a green circle. Call a colour and raise the
corresponding card, then get a child to call the colour. You can also try and trick them
when you’re sure they know the colours.
These circles can be used in the next lesson to teach face parts and they draw eyes,
nose and a mouth on to the cards. ( They can also glue these parts using goggle eyes
and beads for a nose.)
- Cut out lots of circles in different sizes and in different colours. Throw them round the
road. Have the children stand at one end. Call a colour and then give them the go
ahead to collect as many circles in that colour. ( This can also be done with coloured
plastic Easter eggs as an Easter activity.
You can also make a worksheet with the rows of circles with the first one of each row
a different colour and children colour in the number of circles they have collected.
This is an opportunity for them to practice saying “ I have got …… red/blue/ etc.
circles”.
- Children sit in a circle. Each child is given a colour card. Check that they know the names of their colours. Then play a game of Switch.
Call out “ Blue switch/change places with green” and so on. You can change the orders and add verbs like “ Red shake hands with yellow.”
- Take different items like an orange, an apple, a duck, a bear etc. which have definite colours and ask questions: “ Is an orange red?” “ Is a duck green?” etc. and encourage children to say “ Yes, it is” or “ No, it isn’t”.
- Children sit in a circle. Sing “ Look around the classroom, can you see something
red/blue/green etc.”
- Have pairs of colour cards with neutral backings. Divide the children into two teams
and give each child in each team a colour making sure that there is a corresponding
card with the other team. When you call “Go!” the children have to find their partners
by calling their colour and listening for their colour in the other team.
- To practice colours and clothes, choose a child and wrap a bedsheet round the child so all his/ her clothes are hidden. Ask “ What colour are ……. ‘s trousers/shoes/ socks etc.”
- The game “Crocodile” which is a real hit and I have mentioned it before in other activities but for those who don’t know it, I will explain it again.
The children stand at one end of the room. The middle of the room is the river. (I used a blue sheet to represent the river and a crocodile hand puppet for the child playing the crocodile. There are good props if you have them but are not necessary)
One child plays the crocodile and stands at the side of the river.
The group of children call out “Crocodile, crocodile, may we cross your river?”
Croc answers “ Yes, but only if you’re wearing ……..Red!”
The children wearing something red are allowed to pass without being “eaten” by the crocodile. The rest have to try and get over without being caught.
- Song: “Who’s wearing blue today blue today, blue today. Who’s wearing blue today, blue today.” . Sung to the tune of Here we go round the Mulberry Bush.
This song is quite good at the end and the children wearing the colour you sing are allowed to leave the group to go home.
There are lots of traditional songs like the Rainbow Song.
- Bingo games. You can either make your own or download and print from the website: www.mes-english.com and www.mes-english.com on both websites you can use teachers tools to make your own.
- Book: Brown Bear by Eric Carle is excellent for teaching the colours and there are colouring worksheets on the website: www.dltk-kids.com .
In addition to reading the book, children colour the worksheets and role-play the story using the pictures.
- Twister game.
- Websites with songs and worksheets:
Mom Song Kid’s Response Lyrics
by Vanessa Van Petten
I am up, I am up, I’m up and dressed
Can I wear this, am I cute, are the boys impressed
Wheres my clothes and my shoes and my backpack at
And, Yes I’m wearing that
No mom, no OJ, wheres the pop tarts at
Wheres my lunch, eww gross, do I look fat?
After school bring me a snack when I get back
And then its homework until I collapse
Watch some TV shows, to us teens its the most important thing of all
Get my TIVO for set up for gossip girls—the coolest show of all (Digital Video Recorder)
Please remember not to come downstairs when my friends are over here
Just stay upstairs all the time so when we gossip you will not hear
TTYL, Not now, I’m coming, can you drive me there (Talk To you Later)
Close my door, Get out! Please dont touch or mess up my hair
I said thank you, I dont want to, please dont bother me
Theres my cell phone, its a text, Ill have to BRB (Be Right Back)
LOL, cu later, take me to the mall
Wait one second I have to take this call.
Thats so chill, so cool, oh mom please chillax
ROTFL, oh please dad just relax
I hear breathing mom, is that you on my call
While youre here though can I have money for the mall
Hi mom, its me, Im over at
and I’m wondering if I can spend the night? We’re watching movies
And yes, Sandy’s mom is also here right now,
talk to her, oh maybe shes in the shower so im not sure how.
I forgot my homework, what Im grounded, oh you are so unfair
Were you never young, youre the worst, whatever, and you are always late to day care
Do I have to, I dont want to, can I have some money
Not a boyfriend, were just friends, just an FWB (friend with benefits)
You dont get me, your so lame, can you drop me off here
I dont want my friends to see you near
My day was fine, and my test was just ok
ill never be like you, my kids will be great
dont read my diary, just give me my privacy
Can I go to the dance, I wont get an STD (disease)
Oh and about parents who patrol
about Parental controls
they don’t really work
We know when you lurk
And often cover up
With fake homework
Or IM our friends red parents alert (Instant Messaging)
So I want to tell you that when we say that we hate you
We know
you really want to keep us safe
But can I just make our case
Sometimes we just want a little freedom from your rules
And when you nag us, and tell us to
Take out the trash and clean dog poo
Our only course of action is to roll our eyes at you
Mom!
Brush my teeth, wash my face, fight with mom
Text my friends, ask for money, put my retainer on
I guess its true, I love you
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a moms nags never end
Can I have a later curfew
I need it, just trust me, everyone else does it too
Hey mom hey mom hey mom hey mom, hey mom
I love you, I do, I just never tell you!
Get up now
Get up now
Get up out of bed
Wash your face
Brush your teeth
Comb your sleepy head
Here's your clothes
And your shoes
Hear the words I said
Get up now
Get up and make your bed
Are you hot?
Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where's your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and your gloves and your scarf and hat
Don't forget you gotta feed the cat
Eat your breakfast
The experts tell us it's the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodon'tist will be seeing you at three today?
Don't forget your piano lesson is this afternoon
So you must play
Don't shovel
Chew slowly
But hurry
The bus is here
Be careful
Come back here
Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside
Don't play rough
Would you just play fair?
Be polite
Make a friend
Don't forget to share
Work it out
Wait your turn
Never take a dare
Get along
Don't make me come down there
Clean your room
Fold your clothes
Put your stuff away
Make your bed
Do it now
Do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn?
Would you like some hay
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone
Get Off the phone
Don't sit so close
Turn it down
No texting at the table
No more computer time tonight
Your iPod's my iPod if you don't listen up
Where you going and with whom and what time do you think you're coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me
Makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You'll appreciate my wisdom
Someday when you're older and you're grown
Can't wait 'til you have a couple little children of your own
You'll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now
I thank you NOT to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew
Would appreciate
Take a bite
Maybe two
Of the stuff you hate
Use your fork
Do not you burp
Or I'll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an A, Get the door
Don't get smart with me
Get a Grip
Get in here I'll count to 3
Get a job
Get a life
Get a PhD
Get a dose of...
I don't care who started it
You're grounded until your 36
Get your story straight
And tell the truth for once for heaven's sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff
Would you jump too?
If I've said it once, I've said at least a thousand times before that
You're too old to act this way
It must be your father's DNA
Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straight when you walk
A place for everything
And everything must be in place
Stop crying or I'll give you something real to cry about
Oh!
Brush your teeth
Wash your face
Get your PJs on
Get in bed
Get a hug
Say a prayer with Mom
Don't forget
I love you
**KISS**
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom's work never ends
You don't need the reason why
Because
Because
Because
Because
I said so
I said so
I said so
I said so
I'm the Mom
The mom
The mom
The mom
The mom
Ta-da
Get up now
Get up out of bed
Wash your face
Brush your teeth
Comb your sleepy head
Here's your clothes
And your shoes
Hear the words I said
Get up now
Get up and make your bed
Are you hot?
Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where's your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and your gloves and your scarf and hat
Don't forget you gotta feed the cat
Eat your breakfast
The experts tell us it's the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodon'tist will be seeing you at three today?
Don't forget your piano lesson is this afternoon
So you must play
Don't shovel
Chew slowly
But hurry
The bus is here
Be careful
Come back here
Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside
Don't play rough
Would you just play fair?
Be polite
Make a friend
Don't forget to share
Work it out
Wait your turn
Never take a dare
Get along
Don't make me come down there
Clean your room
Fold your clothes
Put your stuff away
Make your bed
Do it now
Do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn?
Would you like some hay
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone
Get Off the phone
Don't sit so close
Turn it down
No texting at the table
No more computer time tonight
Your iPod's my iPod if you don't listen up
Where you going and with whom and what time do you think you're coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me
Makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You'll appreciate my wisdom
Someday when you're older and you're grown
Can't wait 'til you have a couple little children of your own
You'll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now
I thank you NOT to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew
Would appreciate
Take a bite
Maybe two
Of the stuff you hate
Use your fork
Do not you burp
Or I'll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an A, Get the door
Don't get smart with me
Get a Grip
Get in here I'll count to 3
Get a job
Get a life
Get a PhD
Get a dose of...
I don't care who started it
You're grounded until your 36
Get your story straight
And tell the truth for once for heaven's sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff
Would you jump too?
If I've said it once, I've said at least a thousand times before that
You're too old to act this way
It must be your father's DNA
Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straight when you walk
A place for everything
And everything must be in place
Stop crying or I'll give you something real to cry about
Oh!
Brush your teeth
Wash your face
Get your PJs on
Get in bed
Get a hug
Say a prayer with Mom
Don't forget
I love you
**KISS**
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom's work never ends
You don't need the reason why
Because
Because
Because
Because
I said so
I said so
I said so
I said so
I'm the Mom
The mom
The mom
The mom
The mom
Ta-da
Taylor Mali: What a Teacher Makes
[T
What Teachers Make, or
Objection Overruled, or
If things don't work out, you can always go to law school
By Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com
Objection Overruled, or
If things don't work out, you can always go to law school
By Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com
He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about
teachers:
Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about
teachers:
Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.
I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests
that it's also true what they say about lawyers.
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests
that it's also true what they say about lawyers.
Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite company.
"I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor," he says.
"Be honest. What do you make?"
"Be honest. What do you make?"
And I wish he hadn't done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.
You want to know what I make?
I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won't I let you get a drink of water?
Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why.
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won't I let you get a drink of water?
Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why.
I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
I hope I haven't called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?"
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.
I hope I haven't called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?"
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.
I make parents see their children for who they are
and what they can be.
and what they can be.
You want to know what I make?
I make kids wonder,
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely
beautiful
over and over and over again until they will never misspell
either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely
beautiful
over and over and over again until they will never misspell
either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).
Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?
Hairy Beast writing activity
Hairy Beast grammar and writing idea
By Randa Abu Jamous
Here is an idea to practice various language skills. Most teenagers find the silly story funny and are very creative with the writing tasks.
There are spelling and grammar mistakes which have to be spotted and corrected and then they have to write the missing parts of the story.
.
Correct the mistakes and write the missing information.
Hairy Beast is very ugly. He have green fur and terrible warts all over his body. But he a very gently kind beast.
He is in love with Hilda Hippo a beautiful hippopotamus with a hard hart. She don’t like Hairy Beast because she think he is to ugly for her.
Hilda Hippo gets angry with Hairy Beast because he keep following her and she write him a nasty letter to tell him of her feelings
Dear Hairy,
Hairy Beast go wild when he read her letter and tears out tufts of his green fur in agony. poor sad Hairy is totally destroyed . his heart is broken.
Bertha Boa is a sweet thoughtful and kind serpent. She hear Hairys cries of agony and she slither to his side to see what is the matter.
When he tell her what happen she give him some good advice.
Hairy she say
One day a kangaroo called Kerry Kangaroo move into town. Hilda Hippo and all the other girls fall wildly in love with Kerry because he is very handsome charming and rich.
Hilda Hippo think he will fall in love her because she is the most beautiful girl of all. She write him a romantic love letter:
Dear Kerry
But Kerry Kangaroo like Bertha Boa . Hilda Hippo is very jealous and Kerry is annoyed by Hilda Hippo calling him on the phone and writing him love letters and he write her a short serious letter
Dear Bertha
Hilda Hippo cannot believe that Kerry don‘t love her and she go mad with jealousy and this is what she does.
Hairy Beast hear about Hilda Hippo and feels
When he see her in town next day he stop to say
The end
Teacher’s paper
Hairy Beast is very ugly. He has green fur and terrible warts all over his body. He is though, a very gentle, kind beast.
He is in love with Hilda Hippo, a beautiful hippopotamus with a hard hart. She doesn’t like Hairy Beast howeve, because she thinks he is too ugly for her.
Hilda Hippo gets angry with Hairy Beast because he kees following her and she writes him a nasty letter to tell him of her feelings:
Dear Hairy,
Hairy Beast goes wild when he reads her letter and tears out tufts of his green fur in agony. Poor, sad Hairy is totally destroyed . His heart has been broken.
Bertha Boa is a sweet, thoughtful and kind serpent. She hears Hairy’s cries of agony and she slithers to his side to see what is the matter.
When he tells her what happened she gives him some good advice.
Hairy she says
One day a kangaroo called Kerry Kangaroo moves into town. Hilda Hippo and all the other girls fall wildly in love with Kerry because he is very handsome, charming and rich.
Hilda Hippo thinks he will fall in love her because she is the most beautiful girl of all. She writes him a romantic love letter:
Dear Kerry
But Kerry Kangaroo likes Bertha Boa . Hilda Hippo is very jealous and Kerry is annoyed by Hilda Hippo calling him on the phone and writing him love letters and he writes her a short serious letter:
Dear Bertha
Hilda Hippo cannot believe that Kerry doesn‘t love her and she goes mad with jealousy and this is what she does.
Hairy Beast hears about Hilda Hippo and feels
When he sees her in town next day he stops to say:
Listen and react stories are an excellent method of promoting class interation. Children learn best when they are physically involved in an activity and the following idea is very lively and amusing. It not only develops listening skills but also speaking skills since there is almost always an animated discussion to distribute roles.
The idea is for students to listen for specific information and perform their actions accordingly.
The story is translated from a game used in birthday parties here in Germany and I was delighted with its success.
Each child is given a role and an action which he or she must perform when they hear their character mentioned in the story . They must sit down again down again each time after they have performed their action.
Age: 6-10 Year olds
Level: Any
Roles and actions
The King: raises and waves his hands in a royal greeting.
The queen: raises one hand and bows slightly.
The coachman: makes a whipping movement.
The horses: galops in a circle.
The carriage: rotates arms like wheels and goes round in a circle.
The Story
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived king and a queen.
One day the queen wanted to go for a ride in the carriage.
The king called for his coachman and asked him to get his carriage and horses ready.
The coachman went to the stables to get the horses and carriage ready.
The king and the queen climbed into the carriage.
The queen said to the king „King ,dear king, ask the coachman if the horses have had enough to eat“.
The king called to the coachman „coachman, coachman, hey coachman.... the queen wants to know if you gave the horses enough to eat?“
„Yes Sir, the horses have had enough to eat, her majesty the queen need not worry “ said the coachman and then whipped the horses and the carriage began to move.
The queen said to the king „King my dear king ask the coachman if the horses have had enough to drink „
The king called to the coachman „coachman, coachman, hey coachman.... .... the queen wants to know if you gave the horses enough to drink?“
„Yes Sir,the horses have had enough to drink, her majesty the queen need not worry “ said the coachman and then whipped the horses and the carriage began to move.
The queen said to the king „King, my dear king, ask the coachman if the carriage is well oiled“.
The king called to the coachman „ Coachman, coachman, hey coachman.... .... the queen wants to know if the carriage has been well oiled?“
The coachman walked round the carriage and checked it thouroughly and then replied to the king „„Yes Sir,the carriage is well oiled, her majesty the queen need not worry “ said the coachman and then whipped the horses and they began to move.
After a while the queen said to the king „ My dear king, I am so cold. Tell the coachman to take us home again.“
The king called to the coachman and told him to turn the horses round and take the carriage back home.
The coachman put the horses and carriage back in the stable and the king and queen went back into their palace.
The very first lesson with young learners
The very first lesson with young learners
The very first lesson
I start the first lesson with a greeting song. We stand in a circle holding hands and sing our “Hello song”.
After that I tell the kids to sit down in a circle using the sit down gesture so they understand. The minute they sit down, I tell them to stand up again and then we have a wild stand up and sit down game and I pretend to trick them into making a mistake when they have got the hang of it.
The willing children are also given the chance to tell us what to do.
Next we have a duck duck goose version of sit down stand up. The children sit in a circle. I go round tapping them on the head saying “sit down” until I tap one and say “stand up!” and this child has to chase me round the circle until I sit down in the vacated space.
I use hand puppets to say “hello, my name is…” I have Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street
Bert and Ernie then hide behind my back and I sing “Where is Ernie, where is Ernie?” He pops out and answers “Here I am, here I am”. I ask “ How are you today, sir?” and he answers “Very well, I thank you” run away, run away.
The children are given the puppets and we sing again.
Then, I tell the children to hide and I call them one by one singing the song and they come out and sit down. I sing “Please, sit down” rather than “Run away”.
Next, I show the children a red circle cut out of card and run my finger round the edge and say “A circle” then point to the colour and say “Red. A red circle”. I do the same with a green circle.
Each child then cuts out a red circle and a green circle. We then have a quick game of show me a red circle, show me a green circle and here too, I pretend to mix them up.
I then teach them the rhyme:
Red light, red light, what do you say? I say stop. Stop right away.
Green light, green light what do you say? I say go, but look each way.
The children then stand at one end of the room and we play a game of red light: Stop!/ green light: Go!
At some point during the lesson depending on how wiggly jiggly they get, I do a couple of action songs.
The children stand in a circle and we do “ Roll, roll, roll your hands as slowly as you can.
Roll, roll, roll your hands as quickly as you can” ( stamp your feet, shake your hands, nod your head)
Head and shoulders, knees and toes is also very popular at this stage.
If the time passes faster than planned, I then introduce parts of the face using plastic ears, nose, mouth and eye which I bought during the Carnival season. I put them in a bag and they have to feel in the bag and guess which part they have.
The children can then draw eyes, nose, mouth and ears on to the circle. This can also be done in the next lesson to review the vocabulary.
At the end of the lesson I teach them the words and gestures for “ Can I have a sticker, please? I spoke English today”. They choose a sticker and we sing a goodbye song.
light and warm
emerging softly
like a gentle breeze
if only I could capture it.
Poetry writing in the constructivist manner
1. On the first line write a noun of your choice
2. On the second line write two adjectives joined by and to describe this noun
3. On the third line write a verb and an adverb to describe this noun in action
4. Start the fourth line with like or as followed by a comparison
Start the final line with if only followed by a wish Poetry writing in the constructivist manner.
Below is an example of such a poem
Politician
phoney and false
lying desperately
like a mocking bird
if only I had the key to the bird cage
phoney and false
lying desperately
like a mocking bird
if only I had the key to the bird cage
Gum
tasty and funny
chew it rapidly
like Sir Alex Ferguson
If only I had some money
tasty and funny
chew it rapidly
like Sir Alex Ferguson
If only I had some money
Love
beautiful and painful
waiting anxiously
like a flower to grow
if only I could tell you my feelings
beautiful and painful
waiting anxiously
like a flower to grow
if only I could tell you my feelings
Students
responsible and intelligent
working happily
like an army of ants
if only I had the possibility to know all that wait for me to study
responsible and intelligent
working happily
like an army of ants
if only I had the possibility to know all that wait for me to study
Swimming
Fun and wet
Moving in flowing water
Like a little fish
If only I could swim forever
Fun and wet
Moving in flowing water
Like a little fish
If only I could swim forever
Smoke
Smelly and unhealthy
Killing people slowly
Like a bomb
If only the smoke could be forbidden.
SpringSmelly and unhealthy
Killing people slowly
Like a bomb
If only the smoke could be forbidden.
light and warm
emerging softly
like a gentle breeze
if only I could capture it.
Gossip Illustration
Divide the students into groups and give each group a picture of the people gossiping and students write what's happening in the gossip pictures.
