Talking Stories

Find out more about each of the Football World Cup 2010 teams. 

Click on the link: World Cup 2010 Team Map 

Then click on any continent and you will find out which countries from that continent are represented at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Then click on the country of your choice to find a map and some simple information about the country – at a primary age reading level.

You could make this into a class literacy activity with different pairs of children gathering simple information on different countries, then telling the class two or three interesting points about their chosen country.

Level 1

In the classroom this week: Re-assess alphabet sounds for every child.  Use the same Alphabet Assessment Sheet that you used before – just add a new date and remember to assess ALL the sounds, even the ones that were recognised last time.  Sometimes children forget!  Send home a copy of the assessment.  It’s important that you and the parents know which children have not yet mastered the alphabet.  NO CHILD WILL MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN READING UNTIL THEY HAVE LEARNT TO SOUND OUT EVERY LETTER OF THE ALPHABET.

Here’s an excellent PowerPoint presentation you can use to revise initial sounds using your interactive whiteboard:
Initial Sounds

This week’s Talking Story focuses on all the things that one small child is learning to do.  You can make your own I am special book in class.  Click on the link to download the lovely photocopiable sheets. 

In the computer lab this week:

Talking Story – Level 1 Core, “I can jump”

This story is about things we can do.  One of the activities is about rhyming words.  You can teach more about rhyming words using this animated poem about a king who loved to have butter for his bread.  It is written by A A Milne, the author of Winnie the Pooh.  I think you and your class will find it very funny!
The King’s Breakfast

Level 2

In the classroom this week: This week’s Talking Story is about animals and where they live.  One of the activities helps children to recognise rhyming words.  Why not take this further by playing this beautiful video of that famous animal poem, The Owl and the Pussycat.  This works particularly well on an interactive whiteboard.

Here is a worksheet you can use:
Animal Homes
Here is a printable book:
Animal Moms and Babies

In the computer lab this week:

Talking Story – Level 2 Beginner, “Can fish live in the desert?”

Level 3

In the classroom this week: This week’s Talking Story is about a country hen who takes a trip to the city.  Here is another animated story about the same theme.  It is particularly suited for using on an interactive whiteboard:
Country mouse and city mouse
Follow-up worksheet comparing and contrasting country and city life

In the computer lab this week: 

Talking Story – Level 3 Core, “Helga goes to the city”

Helga goes on a big adventure when she takes a trip to the city.  Here’s another story on a similar theme:
Teddy’s Adventure
Use it as an extension activity in the computer lab or play it on your interactive whiteboard at story time.

Level 1

In the classroom this week: This week’s Talking Story is about families.  The printable worksheet encourages each child to draw a picture of their family.  Handle this topic very sensitively.  Use the opportunity to strengthen each child’s self-esteem by being affirming and inclusive about every kind of family.  No child should ever feel awkward or inferior because of circumstances that are beyond their control.

If you have an interactive whiteboard, then here is a lovely story presented in sign language by children who are deaf or disabled.  The story is narrated in English too.  Take the theme further by describing how people are all different and families are all different.  Yet each person is equally precious.  Open this up for discussion in your class and encourage children to be accepting and tolerant of all kinds of differences between people.  Here’s the story:
Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Here’s another version of the same story, this time with a simple interactive reading activity at the end.  A group of learners could do this on their own using the interactive whiteboard:
Goldilocks with reading activity

In the computer lab this week: 

Talking Story – Level 1 Beginner, “Our families.”

Level 2

In the classroom this week: This week’s Talking Story (Three Little Warthogs) is a variation of a well-known fairy tale.  Here’s an interactive version from the internet:
The Three Little Pigs

Talk about the differences and similarities between these two stories.  In so doing you are building a framework that will prepare children to start a piece of writing on their own.  Now you can ask learners to write their own version of any favourite fairy tale (let them choose). 

You will be surprised at the quality of writing you will get because you have given children obvious structure or scaffolding that helps them to develop a piece of independent creative writing.

In the computer lab this week:

 Talking Story – Level 2 Beginner, “Three little warthogs.”

Level 3

In the classroom this week: Are you still remembering to send home one reading book each week this term?  We want to develop a love for reading at home!  Instead of despairing that children don’t look after the books properly, teach them how to do it.  Use supermarket carrier bags to wrap the books before putting them in schoolbags (with no leaking juice bottles)!  Get children involved in being book monitors and provide special classroom responsibilities (take register; switch on interactive whiteboard; carry teacher’s tea cup etc.) for those children who look after their books well.  Positive behaviour management (rewards) works so much better than sanctions (punishment).

This week’s Talking Story is about an old car.  Here’s an interactive story about another mode of transport:
Eric the Engine
What other modes of transport can children think of?  Could they write their own short story about one of these?
Have you ever thought of using your cell phone to video a child reading their own story?  Play it back on your interactive whiteboard.  Your class will be delighted!  It’s a brilliant way to encourage creative writing.  In time you can even develop collaborative editing by asking the class to suggest improvements… but this takes time and careful handling… Perhaps more about this another time.

In the computer lab this week: 
  Talking Story – Level 3 Beginner, “The old green car”

Level 1

In the classroom this week: We focus on capital letters.  Your children will already have seen capital letters in their names, and some children will have begun to recognise other capital letters as well.  Now is the time to do some alphabet revision, this time encouraging children to recognise and write the capital letters.  Here is a worksheet you can use:
capital_letters 

If you have an interactive whiteboard in your classroom, then use this fun resource to supplement this week’s Talking Story:
School Number Story

In the computer lab this week: Continue with:

  Talking Story – Level 1 Beginner, “Sara’s school.”

Level 2

In the classroom this week: Introduce the concepts of past, present and future tense.
Here’s a simple interactive quiz about past, present and future tense (to supplement the Talking Story activity on tenses).

EXTRA!
Enjoy four of Aesop’s Fables on your interactive whiteboard, and teach children the moral of each story!

In the computer lab this week: Continue with:

    Talking Story – Level 2 Beginner, “Sometimes.”

Level 3

In the classroom this week: Your children should now be writing in short sentences.  It’s a good time to do some work on capital letters and fullstops.  These resources work particularly well on an interactive whiteboard:
Starter Activity Part 1
Starter Activity Part 2
Main Session
Plenary
Capital Letters and Full Stops Worksheet

In the computer lab this week: Continue with:

 
Talking Story – Level 3 Beginner, “Who is making that noise?”

Level 1

In the classroom this week: Did you complete your alphabet assessments last week?  By the end of Grade 1, Term 1 your children should have covered the entire alphabet, and a good number of them should be fairly secure in their alphabet knowledge.  It’s crucial to let parents know which sounds their children have not mastered.  Parents want their children to succeed.  Enlist their help with the alphabet. 

Download this ALPHABET FRIEZE that you can print out and stick on the wall in your classroom.  (Scroll down the page to find the alphabet frieze.  Have a look at the other resources too!)

Play the game ALPHABET BEAR CHARLIE when you have a few minutes for revision at the end of the day.

You can make your own set of ALPHABET LOTTO to play in class.  Make one set for every four children.  (There are four lotto sheets to print out and four sets of letters to be cut up individually.)  Four children sit in a circle on the floor.  Each one has a lotto sheet.  All the individual letter cards are placed face down on the floor.  Each child has a turn to pick up an individual letter card and check whether it matches one of the letters on their lotto sheet.  If it does, they place it on the letter on their sheet.  If not they return the card to the middle, face down.  The winner is the first child to complete their lotto sheet.  Have fun!  Kids love this game.

If you have an interactive whiteboard you can read the story of THE GINGERBREAD MAN to your class.  This story does not have sound, but does have beautiful pictures.  Enjoy it in a quiet moment at the end of the morning.

In the computer lab this week:

 Continue: Talking Story - Level 1 Beginner, “Can you help me?”

Here’s another interactive resource you can use for alphabet revision.  Children can use this independently in the computer lab or as a classroom activity on the interactive whiteboard… It even has the sign language alphabet!
ALPHABET PRACTICE

Level 2

In the classroom this week: Did you complete all your assessments last week?  Regular, individual assessment is vital because it tells you where each child is at, and this helps to guide you in what to teach next.  We could call it the “PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT CYCLE”.  Good assessment informs your planning of the next lesson – if your children can do something you move on; if assessment shows you that most haven’t grasped the concept, you repeat, but try to teach the concept in a different way.

Do you need to revise initial sounds?  Here’s a terrific, interactive PowerPoint presentation contributed by Tina Godden.  It’s quite big (1.3Mb) so download it once and save it (Common on K in a Khanya school).  This is particularly fun to use on an interactive whiteboard.  Children can take turns to choose the correct letter and click on it.  Download here: Initial Sounds

If you have an interactive whiteboard in your classroom then give your children a treat and play the story of  HOW MONA LISA GOT HER SMILE.  It ties in nicely with this week’s Talking Story, focusing on smiles and feet – very important features of our bodies!  I think it will bring a smile to your face too!

In the computer lab this week:

Continue: Talking Story – Level 2 Beginner, “This is my body.”

Here’s a terrific game to play about PARTS OF THE BODY.  Children are given a clue and need to spell the correct body part…. Too many mistakes and the poor monkey will get squashed!!

Cut out and MAKE YOUR OWN SKELETON.
Then learn to sing the SCARY SKELETON SONG!
Finally, you can PRINT A SKELETON WORKSHEET.

 Level 3

In the classroom this week:  We continue with the assessment of key words.  I hope you found a parent helper to assist you in this time-consuming but really important task.  Last week you assessed all the Level 1 key words.  This week you need to assess the Level 2 key words.  Children should know these words in order to read adequately at Level 3.
Key Words Assessment Level 2 Lists 1-4 

If some of your children are not able to read the key words, this means they have not mastered their alphabet sounds.  Use the Level 1 and 2 alphabet revision activities above.  The children will not move forward in their reading until they know their alphabet sounds. 

This week’s Talking Story is about a boy who grows vegetables.  Want some more on this theme?  Here’s a story about a little old man and a little old woman who grew some vegetables.  Use this as an extension activity in the computer lab or play it on your interactive whiteboard at story time:
THE ENORMOUS TURNIP

In the computer lab this week:  

Continue: Talking Story – Level 3 Beginner, “A surprise for Daniel.”

If you enjoyed the jokes in this Talking Story, here are some more JOKES FOR KIDS!

Daniel was learning to plant vegetables.  Here are a couple of short activities to help you find out more about plants:
Learn to label the PARTS OF A PLANT.
Find out WHAT PLANTS NEED in order to live and thrive.

Level 1

In the classroom this week you will at last come to the end of teaching the alphabet!  Teach the letter ‘z’ on Monday, and send home the final Letter Z alphabet worksheet for homework.  During the rest of the week spend plenty of time revising all the alphabet sounds.  Those of you who have attended my “Jolly Phonics” training sessions will be familiar with this excellent method of using actions to reinforce each alphabet sound.  Download the ALPHABET ACTIONS here or visit the Jolly Learning website to find out more.

Send home the list of Alphabet Actions and encourage parents to revise all the letter sounds in this fun way.  Let them know that you will be assessing each child’s grasp of the alphabet sounds before the end of term.

If you have an interactive whiteboard in your classroom, then use this YouTube video for alphabet revision this week.  It’s an outstanding, fun song that will delight your learners!

In the computer lab this week:

You have a second week to continue with Talking Story – Level 1 Beginner, “Shoes.”

Here’s another story to watch and listen to:  This one is called the ABC Zoo - more alphabet reinforcement!

Level 2

In the classroom this week: You have a final week to revise the key words you have covered this term.
Level 1, List 1 
Level 1, List 2 
Level 1, List 3 
Level 2, List 1 

Next week I will provide you with an assessment sheet for checking all the level 1 key words.  It’s important to check each child, one by one, to see whether they can read these words.  This is a time-consuming task, so this week try to recruit a parent helper to assist you.  Make sure it is somebody who will be gentle, loving and encouraging!

Homework: Here is a final worksheet for the letter z:
Monday  

If you have an interactive whiteboard in your classroom, then here’s a well-known story you can watch and interact with.  It will tie in with the Talking Story you are working on at present:
Cinderella

In the computer lab this week:

  You have a second week to continue with Talking Story – Level 2 Beginner, “The wedding.”

Also, here’s a good computer-based game for practising the reading of high frequency words – this will help revising for next week’s assessment:
Wordreader

Level 3

In the classroom this week:  You will revise the final list of key words that your children should be able to read by the time they reach Grade 3. 
Level 2, List 4  (two pages)

Next week I will provide you with an assessment sheet for checking all the level 1 key words.  The week after that I will give you a Level 2 assessment sheet.  Are you serious about helping your children become fluent readers before they leave the Foundation Phase?  In the next two weeks you have some hard work ahead – assessing each child requires patience and time.  But it is essential for you to know where each child is at – this will help you give each one the right support next term.

This week try to recruit a parent helper to assist you.  Make sure it is somebody who will be gentle, loving and encouraging!

Homework this week is to learn to read this week’s list of key words.  Use these key words for a spelling test on Friday.  Also, encourage children to revise all the lists of words learnt this term:
Level 1, List 1 
Level 1, List 2 
Level 1, List 3 
Level 2, List 1 
Level 2, List 2 
Level 2, List 3 
Level 2, List 4  

If you have an interactive whiteboard in your classroom, here’s a story you can enjoy with your learners.  It ties in with the Talking Story you’re doing at present:
The Tooth Fairy

In the computer lab this week: 

 
  You have a second week to continue with Talking Story – Level 3 Beginner, “At the dentist”

Also, here’s a good computer-based game for building words – this will help children to put sounds together into short words:
Spell the Word

Are you one of the lucky teachers with an interactive whiteboard in your classroom?  I just LOVE this interactive alphabet  – I can think of SO many ways to use it with Foundation Phase learners:

When you click on the star on each letter, it gets hidden.  Click again and the letter re-appears.  You can drag letters onto the centre of the screen to make words.

1. You could use this for basic word building.  Children could guess the missing letters.  What I like about this activity is that it is ”bomb-proof” – a group of learners can work on their own at the whiteboard, building words and asking their friends to guess the missing letters.
2. You can use this alphabet resource to teach spelling, and to do some “look, cover, write, check” reinforcement work before Friday’s spelling test.  (Have you picked up that I’m a fan of spelling tests?  One day I’ll write a blog on spelling…)
3. You can use the alphabet to teach plurals; or past tense; or aphabetical order (hide all the letters and ask a child to tell you the ninth letter of the alphabet – then click to check).
4. Children can practice writing their full names.
5. Use it to play hangman.
6. Use it to teach the difference between vowels and conosonants, and the role played by vowels in word-building…. (Can anyone think of a word without vowels in it???)

What other ways can you use this resource with your children?  Share your ideas by adding a comment to this blog.