Up and Away - National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

What is this? – objects and pictures
Class organisation
Whole class.
Theme
Use with any of the Units of
Work of the primary curriculum.
Aims
Learn new vocabulary.
Learn the question ‘What is this?’
Associate objects with the
sound of the word and also
with pictures.
Materials needed
6-8 items of food/drink.
Pictures of same items.
Set of blank flash cards – see
page 191.
Preparation
Cut up and number the blank
flash cards.
Notes
It is important to put
vocabulary in a simple
language context. This gives
pupils an opportunity to
recognise the target word in
speech; to become familiar
with pronunciation; and, even
at the very beginning, speak
in phrases.
Stage 1 – Speaking
Focus Time
40 minutes.
Section 6 Literacy development for older pupils
Type of activity
Speaking – chain
activity.
Approach
1. Hold up a carton of milk (for example) asking, “What is this?”
Model the full reply ‘This is milk’. Say it three or four times. Invite
the class to say it with you and then ask individual pupils to say it.
2. Practise the question ‘What is this?’
3. Pass the carton to a pupil who asks the question of another pupil.
Repeat around the class.
4. Introduce approximately six other food/drink items for this
session.
5. Use a chain activity to practise the language structures. Invite one
pupil to choose a food/drink item. S/he asks, “What is this?” and
a second pupil answers. The second pupil chooses another item,
asks a third pupil the question and so on.
Introducing numbers
Use the blank flash cards on page 191 to make number cards. Put
the number cards on/next to the food/drink items and pupils ask
each other “What is number 5?”, “What is number 1?” etc.
Using pictures
1. Put the food/drink items in one area of the table and pictures of
the same items in another.
2. Focus on the objects first. Ask, “What is this?” to elicit the full
answer. Then do the same with the pictures.
3. Mix up and hand out the pictures. In turns pupils hold up their
pictures and ask each other “What is this?”
Extension
Put the pictures you use on to A3 or flipchart sheets for future
use. The sheets can be given a title, and pictures can be added as
new vocabulary is learned. Use the sheets for review sessions –
put the sheets on a wall and ask pupils to find and then remove
pictures that you (or their classmates) call out.
Use pictures together with the letter flash cards on pages 193-
195. Put the letter flash cards on a wall. Pupils find a picture and
think about the initial sound. They then put the picture under
the appropriate letter.
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