Ms Belinda  UELS  (June, 2023)

Language in Motion

This month UELS.1 students were working on prepositions of motion during grammar. Often the students do well in isolated grammar exercises but struggle to apply grammar when communicating. To help students make this connection, we highlight the grammar focus during other lessons. In the first grammar lesson, the teacher introduced the prepositions of motion. Students copied sentences using the words and completed written activities to ensure understanding. During the next lesson, we used movement. Students ran an obstacle course that emphasized the prepositions we were highlighting. For each task of the obstacle course, they said out loud what they were doing. Then they competed against each other using prepositions in their team-created obstacle course. The next day during writing lessons, we reviewed the activities from the previous class. Then students wrote a summary of their experience with the obstacle course. They were working not only on applying the prepositions but also report sequencing. Later that week, during listening class, students listened to a story about a hike in the forest and identified the preposition used to help readers understand the movement of the people and animals in the woods. Finally, we ended our focus in a writing class. We provided various photo prompts that showed animals in the forest doing activities. The students chose four of these photos to create a story map. They then wrote stories about their hike through the woods and what they saw. They successfully used the prepositions of motion in their tales. 

Mr Tshepo  ELS  (June, 2023)

Identifying, reading and using Dolch words

This year, LELS 1 students reviewed Dolch words from the Pre-Primer list and learnt new words from the Dolch Primer list. Dolch words account for 50-75% of all vocabulary found in reading materials. Students who recognize and know the meaning of Dolch words are usually able to read books, and comprehend reading materials, easily.

During the month of May, we identified, read and used Dolch words through various media, games and activities. First, students were introduced to Dolch words through chants, songs and online videosThen students separated various vocabularies into Dolch words and non-Dolch words. Next, students read Dolch words from word searches, BINGO game cards and reading texts. Then, students had to count how frequently those Dolch words appeared in text, look up the definitions of the words using dictionaries and use those words to complete gap-fill activities to test students’ comprehension abilities.

Once students were able to successfully identify a list of Dolch words, and read and comprehend their meanings in reading materials, they finally had to use their understandings to create and write sentences of their own. Students were able to create unique sentences using any Dolch words of their choosing and drew wonderful illustrations to demonstrate the meaning of the sentences.

Identifying, reading and using Dolch words not only helped improve the students’ reading skills during Guided Reading but also their reading comprehension and writing skills – showing the importance of Dolch words in learning English!

Mr Ryan UELS (April, 2022)

Mindful Listening and Speaking

In this lesson the objective is for students to learn about their superpower sense of listening and speaking by listening and responding to questions with kindness, attention and mindfulness.

The lesson begins by having students sit in a circle, to become quiet and to close their eyes. In this activity they will be guided to listen to sounds around them with curiosity, which is like a superpower. The class will be guided to take two deep breaths and notice their belly rise and fall.

The teacher then rings a chime three times and asks the students to focus on the sounds. The students were then asked to listen to sounds behind and in front of them. All along they will be guided to be mindful of their breathing.

The students are then divided into pairs and partners will take turns talking for one minute, while the other partner will only listen. They will need to discuss “Their favorite place they have visited and why it is their favorite?” We then come together as a group and discuss what they noticed while completing this activity. E.g. how does mindful listening help us in discussions and interacting with others?

The students will then go back to their desks and complete the My Superhero Senses worksheet. They will need to write down all the things they listened to and then draw a picture of themselves listening to their partner.