Language fun and play

Here you can find ideas that will encourage students to learn and use language.

Language refers to the ability to use words and understand what they mean (e.g., "roll" can mean the rapid turning or the bread you get while eating a meal). Language also refers to learning and using new words. It can also be described as a way to create or put words together (e.g. "Sadie ran to her bowl." instead of "Sadie ran bowl.").  Understanding and asking questions is a function of language too. As is the ability to make connections between words, predict, and follow directions. Some may not be aware but, interpreting social cues and acting appropriately to your environment is also a subset to language.

Mini Mysteries

Open the Google Doc I named Mini Mystery and choose one from below and answer the questions that you came up with. 
If you need to ask your parent for help to solve!

Read books together

Have a discussion with your child about each page or pages.  
Talk about the characters, the setting, and details of the pictures
If any word or words  are unfamiliar define and use them in another sentence.  Later try to use the word in other contexts.
Point out words or incorporate synonyms and antonyms for words that are in the story to build your child's vocabulary. 
Just before reading the ending or conclusion, stop and ask your child to take a "guess" at what they think will happen. 
Before you call it a night, ask your child to recall the sequence of the story alongside you or the main idea.


 

Include Categories

Talking about categories increases vocabulary, may improve your child's recall,  and understanding how objects are related. Category topics you could review may include:

tools

instruments

jobs people have

clothes

animals on farms

things in a house

animals that fly

toys

things in school

vegetables

shapes

snack foods


Exposure to Vocabulary 

Six simple steps outlined by Robert Marzano, whose research shows that following what is known as a six step process can help your student learn new vocabulary words.
Step 1. Provide a description, explanation, or an example of the new word.
Step 2. Ask your child to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.
Step 3. Ask your child to make a picture, draw, or design some representation of the word, idea, etc.
Step 4. Make up activities that engage your child that helps increase their vocabulary, start collecting words in a book for example.
Step 5. Periodically talk, discuss, or use these new words to help add to their knowledge.
Step 6. Try to set up games or opportunities that enable your child to use the terms that you have exposed them to.


 

 

Following Directions

Asking your child to follow directions increases their knowledge of concepts, may improve their memory, and provide practice to solve problems or develop strategies. Ask your child to follow directions that may have one or two steps or may include concept words such as:

first, second..

before

all

and

or

beginning-end

after

top/bottom

then

while

more

less

all...but

near/far

few/many


Practice!

If you know of a word, concept, or theme that your child learned in class, keep talking about it or use the same vocabulary even after the last assignment for it occurs. The more you use the language the longer the information and skills will stay with your child.  So "use it or lose it" is what one of my favorite college professors used to say all the time.