1. SJS Parent Workshop:
Language in Year 1 and 2
24.01.13

2. How did you
learn to drive?
Take a minute to jot down the
process you went through…

3. What is inquiry?
• Philosophy
• Approach is child driven
• Teaching and learning in context
• All subjects are strongly linked
• Acknowledge the need for explicit teaching and
learning of specific skills (tools)
• Looks different across the years
• Many models of inquiry

4. Confusion is
good…
… it means you are about
to learn something new!

5. Plant a row of Ps
• Prepare
• Pause
• Prompt
• Praise
• Probe
• Practise

6. Prepare
1. Take a quick look at the book your child has selected
before beginning. This will give you a chance to think
of ways to assist your child, if necessary.
2. Choose a time in the day or evening when neither of
you will be distracted.
3. Find a comfortable and well-lit spot to sit together.
4. Talk to your child about the book before you begin.
Look at the title and cover and talk about what you
might expect to find in the book. This is the best
time to introduce any new words that the child may
come across in the book.
5. If the child has selected a book that is too difficult,
read it to him or her, or take turns at reading short
passages.

7. Pause
• Often the best way to help your child is by
not `helping’ or intervening… straight away.
Suggestions or prompts which we hastily
offer can interrupt the child’s line of thought
and can lead to unnecessary confusion.
• When the child comes to a word that he or
she does not know, pause and count silently to
10, allowing the child time to work it out
unaided.
• In the meantime, you should be thinking about
ways you can help. At the end of the pause
ask, `Would you like me to help you?’

8. Prompt
The prompt is a hint to assist the child to `have a go’.
There are three situations where prompts can be
used.
1. Incorrect word used, but meaning is unchanged
• For example, if the text says, `The little dog played
with the big red ball’, but the child reads, ‘The little
puppy played with the big red ball.’
• You can help by directing the child’s attention back to
the sentence where the substitution was made and
repeat what the child said. Ask, ‘Does that look right?
At this point the child will probably self-correct. If
so, offer praise and continue. If not, draw his or her
attention to the print by saying, for example, ‘“Puppy”
begins with a “p”. What letter is at the beginning of
the word in the book?’

9. 2. Incorrect word used and meaning is altered or lost
• For example, if the text says, ‘The little dog played with
the big red ball’, the child reads, ‘The little day played with
the big red ball.’
• You can help by repeating what the child read, stressing the
incorrect word, and ask, ‘Does that sound right?’ or ‘Does
that make sense?’
3. The child does not say anything
Some prompts could help:
• Read aloud to the end of the sentence;
• re-read the sentence or passage;
• refer to the pictures;
• discuss experiences you have had that are related to the
story;
• sound out a ‘problem word’ or break it up into smaller parts;
• tell the child the word if, after two attempts, he or she has
not been able to work it out.

10. Praise
• Learning to read is a difficult task fraught with
pitfalls and inconsistent rules. The child who feels
good about himself will be in an ideal position to take
on these challenges.
• Help your child to see that he or she is making
progress by acknowledging his or her growing skills.
Be specific in the praise that you give (e.g. ‘I could
hear that you were sounding the word out. Well done,
Andrew!’).
• Maintain this genuine interest in your child’s work as
he or she moves through school by reading and
discussing the books he or she is studying.

11. Probe
• Recognising the words is only one small part of reading. The
other is being able to understand, interpret and use the material
that you have read.
• Try probing to encourage deeper understanding by re-visiting
the material in new ways. Perhaps you could encourage your child
to try the following:
• retell the story in his or her own words;
• draw a character or scene from the book;
• write to a friend recommending the book;
• make or bake something mentioned in the book.
As comprehension skills develop, nudge your child’s understanding
beyond the purely literal level through activities such as:
• discussing what messages you think the author was trying to
send;
• considering what you might have done in the same situation;
• sharing how you felt as different times throughout the story.

12. Practise
• Regular reading is habit-forming. Try to
establish a pattern where you and your
child read a little each day. While the
reading may be for work or pleasure, try
to view it as a normal part of your
routine. Children are more open to
learning if they can see that it has a
useful application in their lives.

13. Bus Stop
• 5 minutes on each table
• Play!
• http://www.online-stopwatch.com/

14. Oral Language
Games

15. Get into role
Look at the pictures, what will each of the characters act like? Get into role
as this character and use the space around you, in the way you think the
character would.
Discuss afterwards why you chose to act the way you did. You can use
photographs or magazine clippings for new characters. Try Google
Images.

16. Warm Up
You need to agree an action for this traffic light game, red might mean
freeze, yellow, act like an animal and green could be mime an action you
do in the morning. You decide what each light means and you must do that
action constantly until the traffic light changes. Keep watching, it might
change quickly or slowly! The leader decides when to change the traffic
lights.

18. What could it be?
The whole group needs to be sat in a circle.
You will also need a variety of unusual objects with no obvious purpose. A
large square of material, a cardboard tube, a shoelace etc.
The leader shows the object to the group and asks what it could be used
for, they demonstrate the first idea i.e. the square of material could be a
cape, head scarf, flag etc.
Pass the item around the group to find as many possible ways of using it.
Try to avoid repeats.

19. Party Time
You need a host in each group.
The host has to try and guess
which emotion the rest of the
group have come as. They ask
them “Are you happy / sad /
excited?” etc
As soon as the host guesses
correctly and the group say
“Yes” they continue a
conversation with the others in
the same manner.
Then a new host and emotions
are chosen.

20. You are Your You are You are You are
happy are sad excited shy crying
You are You are You are You are You are
tired worried proud scared ill
You are You are You are You are You are
jealous bored homesick confused guilty

21. Mime Time
In this game you have to make your
actions very clear so people can guess
what you are miming.
In teams of 6, one person stands at
the front and begins to mime an action
written on a card.
When the rest of their team have
guessed correctly, the next person
mimes a new action from the cards.
The team to win is the first team to be
sitting quietly, after guessing all 6 of
their mimes.

22. Brush Pay for Make and Open a Eat some Make a
your somethin toss a present food sandwich
teeth g pancake
Play on a Vacuum Play Make a Iron your Write on
games the football phone clothes a white
console carpet and score call board
a goal
Put on Have a Get Tie your Play Make a
music and shower dressed shoe lace tennis cup of tea
dance
Throw a Dig a Take a Post a Use a Build a
snowball garden dog for a letter computer snowman
walk
Hammer Close the Jump on Have a Drive a Take a
a nail into curtains a drink car photo
the wall trampolin
e

23. Story Circle
In this game a story is created!
The whole group contributes to the creation
and one person writes it on a flip chart.
Each person adds a word or short phrase
and takes the story in the direction they
would like it to go.
You may need to go around the group a few
times to get enough content.
The whole group then splits into smaller
groups of around 4 to create some freeze
frames of the story, explaining to the rest of
the group which part they are acting out.
These can be very funny with an
imaginative group.

24. I am thinking of…
The whole group needs to be sat in a circle.
Begin a rhythm of children clapping or tapping. One person is chosen to
start and says in time with the steady clapping:
“I – am – thin - king – of – types – of – food” (this could be changed to
colours, items of clothing, lessons at school etc)
All of the group must then provide an example in time with the clapping
(remember to match the syllables), if they miss more than one beat, or
repeat an item they miss their next turn by sitting back from the circle and a
new item is chosen.

25. Frustration
This game is to be played in pairs, the
same lines need to be repeated. No
other lines can be used, therefore the
expression must be changed each time.
Some scenes will need characters to be
frustrated, some angry, desperate etc.
The pairs can choose what is happening
in the scene and act it out using the
lines.
Each time encourage the pairs to put
themselves into role and really make the
audience believe the way they are
acting. Ask volunteers to perform in
front of the group who evaluate by
saying something they liked and
something that could be improved.

26. Can I have Stop it. I didn’t mean Can I play? Mum?
an ice to.
cream?
Make me. Yes you did. No, we’ve got Just a
No. too many minute.
people.
Hurry up. Help me. Why did you Go on tell It’s mine.
hit your me.
brother?
Wait a I can’t. No it’s not,
minute. I didn’t. I can’t it’s mine.
I’m telling. I don’t like What are you We’ve got to It’s bedtime.
you. doing? go now.
So? I don’t care. What does it I don’t want I’m not tired.
look like? to.

27. Nice to meet you
The whole group needs to be sat in a circle, this is best to be played with a
new group. The leader explains we are having a party and everyone has to
bring some food. Each person must think of a food that begins with the
same letter of their name and say “Hello, my name is (Chris) and I have
brought some (cheese)”.
The next person introduces themselves and also all of the people who
went before them. Silent clues may be given if people get stuck.
Hello my name is Chris
and I have bought some
cheese

28. Headband Acting
One person will need to wear a headband. A card is tucked under, or
attached to the headband (The headbands can be made from card). Each
person in the group can tell the headband wearer a clue about the card but
not say the actual item or object, alternatively the person can act out a
clue. From these clues they have to guess what item they are.

29. I am a I am a cat I am a I am an I am a I am a
lion dog elephant rabbit bird
I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a
pair of pair of pair of hat scarf pair of
socks trousers shoes gloves
I am an I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a
iron television teapot bed computer candle
I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a
car bike train chair table tree
I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a I am a
carrier coat book bar of mobile fridge
bag chocolate phone

30. Glue!
The whole group needs to be in a space, as soon as the leader shouts
“GLUE!” they are no longer allowed to move their feet. The leader will
shout out various actions to perform, the group must perform the action
any way they can without moving their feet. Anyone who moves their feet
must sit down. The person left standing is the winner. The actions may
include:
Ski
Do a ballet dance
Play football
Throw a ball
Skip
Jog

31. Who am I?
One member of the group is sat at the front on a
bench with a space next to them.
Another member is given a card, they have to go
up to the first person (they can sit down if they
want to) and pretend that the person already sat
down is the person on the card. The person
sitting down needs to guess who they are and
carry on the role play in that manner. Eg the
second person would enter the scene and say
“I’m really sorry sir, I forgot my homework” the
first person would then develop the role of a
teacher.
The scene is given 2 minutes or until it naturally
ends, and then the audience has to guess who
the first character was.

32. The person The person The person The person
sitting on the sitting on the sitting on the sitting on the
bench is your bench is your bench is your bench is Bart
teacher. brother. favourite pop Simpson.
star.
The thing The person The person The person
sitting on the sitting on the sitting on the sitting on the
bench is your bench is your bench is a bench is a
dog. best friend. police officer. famous
footballer.
The person The person The person The person
sitting on the sitting on the sitting on the sitting on the
bench is your bench is your bench is the bench is a
grandma. dad. Prime Hollywood
Minister. actor.

33. Big Chief
The whole group needs to be sat in a circle. An ‘investigator’ is identified
and leaves the room or turns their back whilst a ‘chief’ is identified.
The chief then chooses what action the whole group must follow, i.e.
clapping, running on the spot, waving arms in the air.
The group need to observe the chief carefully, in order to follow their
action, without giving them away.
The investigator is allowed 3 guesses before coming back into the circle.

34. Improvise
The whole group needs to be in pairs,
make up a pair with another person if you
have an odd number or observe if you
have even numbers.
Each pair chooses a scenario card where
there are 2 clear characters, they then
choose who will play which character, they
can swap after a couple of minutes to
have a go at both sides of the argument.
Try to avoid “Can I___”, “No”, “Please”,
“No” conversations and encourage greater
use of vocabulary. Allow time for
discussions and then ask pairs for
volunteers to show the rest of the group.

35. A – You have found a kitten on your way home from A – You score a goal in a playground football match,
school. He follows you home and you want to keep whilst you are celebrating your friend shouts “Offside”,
him. Persuade your parents. the goal is not allowed. You begin to argue
B – You do not let your child keep the kitten, you must B – You know the goal was offside, but also know your
find the owner and return him to them. friend will be upset with you because you called
offside, what do you do?
A – You want to play Monopoly, your friend wants to A – You really want to watch a 15 rated film on DVD,
play Cluedo. You think Cluedo is boring. you are 10 but you borrow it off your friends older
sister. You take it home and your mum finds it in your
bag.
B – You want to play Cluedo, your friend wants to play
Monopoly. You think Monopoly is boring.
B – You find a 15 rated DVD in your child’s bag, what
do you do?
A – You have to go to the dentist to have a filling. You A – You and your friend are deciding which clubs to
don’t want to go and think that if you say you feel sick sign up for. You want to join math's club but your friend
your parents wont take you. doesn’t.
B – Your son / daughter say they feel sick, but they B – Your friend wants to join math's club but you think it
have to go to the dentist. You’re not sure, what do you sounds really boring. You try to get them to join drama
do? club instead.
A – You are a teacher and are trying to teach one of A – You are a babysitter, one of the children will not go
the children their 5 x table. All they want to do is talk to bed because they are scared of the monster under
about TV shows. the bed. Try and reassure them that there is no
monster.
B – Your teacher is trying o help you learn you tables. B – You are convinced that there is a monster under
You find maths hard so are trying to distract them by the bed and don’t want to go to bed even though your

36. Zip, zap, boing!
The whole group needs to stand or sit in a circle.
Someone begins by saying “Zip” pointing to their
left or their right, the ‘zips’ then continue around the
circle in the same direction.
Introduce ‘boing’, when someone says “Boing” they
hold up their hands and the ‘zips’ have to travel
back in the opposite direction.
A ‘zip’ can be ‘zapped’ across the circle by pointing
and saying zap. That person then has the choice of
‘zipping’, ‘zapping’ or ‘boinging’!
You can add more actions, speed up or slow down
to make the game easier or harder. It’s great fun
and requires concentration.

37. Top tips on supporting language
learning – in any language
• Talk at home
• Talk when you are out
• Talk in the car, on the bus or MTR
• Talk about the TV or radio
• Talk with family
• Talk with friends
• Talk with your neighbours
• Talk about topics covered in school
• TALK
• Talk some more!

38. Top tips for supporting reading
– in any language
• Make it fun!
• Make it meaningful.
• Develop a passion for literature.
• Always TALK about the content first.
• Short periods of time regularly.
• Confidence & fluency before accuracy.
• Give the task a purpose and function.
• Provide a wide range of experiences, shopping list,
email, fax, letter etc
• Stress free.

39. Questions?
• Take a handout
• Email us and your classroom teacher at
any time
• VELoCity
• More Parent Workshops
coming up…