by Patty George Here’s a simple vocabulary game you can play with children of all ages! You can watch this video on our Global Literacy Channel to see a more detailed demonstration. First you will need a vegetable tray with compartments. Number each section 1-6. The center compartment can be used for rolling the die. Scatter words on index cards in each section.
We’ve selected words from the book One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies. When you roll the die, look for the corresponding number on the vegetable tray. Pick a word card from that compartment. Have your child define the word, act it out, use it in a sentence and/or illustrate the word. You can adapt this game a bit for younger children. For children who aren’t reading (or struggle to recognize or decode words), you can add objects. In the video, we added plastic animals to each compartment. You can roll the die and have your child pick an animal in the corresponding section. Then, have your child tell you the name of the animal. You can also have your child describe the animal or tell you what they know about it. This is a great way to build language skills! This game can be used to reinforce math skills as well. Rather than scattering vocabulary words in each section, try substituting addition or multiplication facts. Or, place coins in each compartment. Have your child roll the die a few times, collect the coins in the corresponding numbered sections, then practice counting the change. The possibilities are endless!
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by Patty George When children engage in play, it fosters language development. This is essential because language paves the way for literacy development. Here’s a fun and simple way to build your child’s oral language skills -- make theme-based prop boxes to help your child build language skills based on the books Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin and Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Greenfield Thong. Inside the box, place props that go along with the taco theme. For example, foam circles for burrito shells and shredded paper for meat, lettuce and cheese are great props. Other things to include in the box are tissue paper for wrapping the tacos and burritos, plastic baskets for serving, paper bags for take-out orders, a notepad for taking orders and a receipt book. All these items are a great way for children to use their imagination and vocabulary while playing. Encourage your child to talk while playing with the items in this prop box. There are many interesting words that go along with this theme such as mild, spicy, jalapeños, tortillas, quesadilla, guacamole, etc. As your child uses these words while playing with the props, language skills will be developed in a fun, engaging way. The number of children’s book titles has grown tremendously in recent years. Included in that growth are many new books from and about areas across the globe. This genre provides opportunities to explore many layers of meaning. Moreover, children’s literature usually explores ideas through both text and visual images thereby offering additional perspectives which are especially important for language learners.
For children and adults, children’s literature is often a non-threatening and engaging way to learn about the world. Through the pages of these books, we enter new worlds, meet new people, and explore new ideas. We can look into an unfamiliar space and perhaps pique our interest to learn more. Find a list of global books for children on our website! |
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