ACTIVE LISTENING

Good listeners are ACTIVE listeners. These are some simple strategies that can engage your students as they listen to instructions, books, or videos.

Schema
Teach sign language for "connection" (thumbs make circles with index fingers and join like a chain). Discuss that when they connect what is in the book with what is in their brain they make a "schema." If they've made a "schema" they can show you with their hands. Call on random students to explain how they connected personally with the book.

Me Too!
Teach children sign language for “me too!” (Extend thumb and pinky finger and place the middle three fingers on your palm as you point your thumb toward your chest.) Tell children when you are reading a book they can use the sign to let you know they’ve had a similar experience.



Don’t Understand
Children can use this sign when something is not clear to them. Put your index finger next to your brain and wiggle it like you are turning on a light as you shake your head “no.”

Understand
Pretend to scratch your brain.



Big Ears
Download a picture of a big ear and glue it to a craft stick. Remind the children when you hold up the ear, they need to use their "big ears" to listen.

Listening Chant (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know it”)
If you’re listening to me do like this- (make a face for children to imitate).
If you’re listening to me do like this-(make another silly motion for children to copy).
If you’re listening to me then be quiet as can be.
If you’re listening to me ____(line up, get ready for a story, get out your books, or whatever you want them to do).

ACTIVE LEARNING VOCABULARY

Vocabulary words will "stick" in children's brains with these strategies. They're also good for learning a second language.

Dramatize
When introducing new words invite children to dramatize what the words mean. They can dramatize with their faces, hands, or whole bodies.

EXHILARATED!

Pantomime
Children pantomime vocabulary words as classmates try and guess their word.



Sign Language
Learn how to sign vocabulary words by looking at videos online.

Brochure
Tri-fold a sheet of paper to make a brochure. Children write the word on the top section, the definition in the middle, and illustrate it or write a sentence in the bottom section.




Antonym Actions
Let children act out words that are opposite what the teacher says. For example:
Teacher says “hot.”
Children respond by shivering.
Teacher says “loud.”
Children respond by being quiet.

Synonyms
Call out synonyms for the students to interpret. For example:

Happy – delighted – joyful - gay - pleased

Angry – mad – furious
Sleepy – tired – fatigued

REMEMBER YOUR MANNERS

Manners can take you a long way in this world - although they are not included in most state standards! Manners are part of the “hidden curriculum” that we can nurture daily in little ways. This is a perfect time of year to talk about thanking others and what it means to be polite. Here’s a simple echo song to encourage children to use their “magic words.”

I Have Manners (Tune: “Are You Sleeping?” - Children repeat each line.)
I have manners,
I have manners,
Every day,
Every day.
If I want something
If I want something
“Please,” I’ll say.
“Please,” I’ll say.

I have manners,
I have manners,
Every day,
Every day.
When someone is nice
When someone is nice
“Thanks,” I’ll say.
“Thanks,” I’ll say.

*Role play when to say, “please,” “thank you,” “you’re welcome,” and “excuse me.”

Sign Language

Teach children these signs and use them as prompts:

Please - palm open on chest and circle around

Thank you - fingers on chin and then down to palm

How do you greet a new student?
How do you call a friend and invite them for a play date?
What do you do when someone pays you a compliment?
What do you do when someone gives you a gift?
What do you do when someone has a book that you want?

*Let the children use puppets to model what to do in similar situations.

Table Manners
There are several good books about manners, but I liked to use a stuffed animal to demonstrate negative behavior. I’d ask the children to help me show the toy the correct thing to do.
“Coco always chews with his mouth open. Who can show Coco the correct way to chew your food?”
"Coco just grabs food that he wants. What is the polite thing to do when you want someone to pass you food?”
“Coco eats his food and then runs out to play. What should Coco say before he leaves the table?”

SIGN TO LEARN

Sign language is multi-sensory, quiet, and engaging for children. Best of all, kids are curious to learn something that "most grownups don't know"!  Encourage the children to make “strong” letters. As children tighten up muscles in their hands, they will also be strengthening small motor skills.

Note!  There are several excellent free websites where you can learn to make the manual signs.

Where Are the Letters? 
Change the words to "Where Is Thumbkin?" to teach children how to make manual signs for the letters.
Where is A? (Place hands behind your back.)
Where is A? (Children repeat.)
Here I am. (Make "a" with your hand.)
Here I am. (Children repeat and make an "a" with their hand.)
What do you say A? (Wiggle hand.)
What do you say A? (Children repeat.)
/a/ /a/ /a/ (Make the short a sound.)
/a/ /a/ /a/ (Children repeat.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFyDR2yfhVQ

The Alphabet in My Hands 
(“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”)
I’ve got A /a/ /a/ in my hands. (Sign the letter “a.”)
I’ve got A /a/ /a/ in my hands.
I’ve got A /a/ /a/ in my hands
And I can read.
Continue signing and singing other letters.

Take photographs of the children making the manual signs and use them to make a book to go with the song.


Letter Box
Here’s another song you can use to teach children manual signs for letters. It goes to the tune of “Polly Wolly Doodle.”

I wish I had a letter box
To put my A in.
I’d take it out and go (Hold up sign for a.)
/a/ /a/ /a/
And put it back again. (Pretend to put hand back in box.)

Continue singing other letters and making signs for other letters.

Transitions
Teach children the manual sign for the first letter in their name. Dismiss children to line up by making the sign for their name.

Sign Language Center
Make a SIGN LANGUAGE CENTER with a pocket folder. Glue a copy of manual signs for letters on the inside of the folder. Write alphabet letters on index cards and place in the pocket. Children choose a card and then try to reproduce that sign. For older children, write sight words or spelling words on index cards for them to practice spelling manually.

*Make a matching game with letters and signs.

TIPS AND TRICKS - Secret Signals and Signs

Try simple hand movements and sign language to engage learners.

Secret Signals
Explain that your class will have some secret signals that no one else knows.
1. When you say “one”, they should sit criss-cross applesauce.
2. When you say “two,” they need to put their hands in their lap.
3. On “three,” they put a smile on their face.

*Make up additional secret numbers, such as “four” stand up straight and “five” hands by sides


Sign Language
Sign language is multi-sensory and challenging for children. (They love to learn things that their parents and siblings don’t know!) Introduce one of these signs each day for various classroom directions.

Pay Attention - palms pointing towards face
Stand Up - 2 fingers standing on palm and then point up
Line Up - 4 fingers extended on each hand
Sit Down - 2 fingers sitting and then point down
Wait - hands to side and wiggle fingers
Stop - chop hand on palm
Please - palm open on chest and circle around
Thank you - fingers on chin and then down to palm
Look, Listen, Learn - make “L” and place by eyes, ears, and brain

*Note! Look at asl.com, lifeprint.com, or another website with sign language videos.


Peace and Quiet
Make the “peace” sign with one hand as you put the index finger from the other hand on your mouth.

Magic Clap
Explain to the children that you have a magic clap to teach them. Every time you clap your hands, you want them to repeat the clap and look at you. Practice clapping various patterns until all the children have joined in.

FIVE MINUTE QUICKIE

Here are some quick tools that children can keep with their school supplies for a quick review if you have a few extra minutes in the day. All the children will be actively engaged and the teacher can easily look around the room (or screen) and assess responses.

Yes/No
Each child will need two index cards. Write “yes” on one in green and “no” on the other one in red. As you ask questions, children respond by holding up the card with their response. For example: “Our state is Arizona.” “Fish has the short /a/ sound.” “Blue and glue rhyme.” “Yesterday was Thursday.”
 

*Note! You can make the questions simple or complex depending on the ability of your students.

Sign Language
Teach children sign language for “yes” (make a fist and nod it up and down) and “no” (extend middle and index finger from thumb and open and close. As you ask questions, children respond with the appropriate sign.


Pinch Cards
Cut construction paper or heavy paper into 8 ½ “ x 5 ½” rectangles. Down the left side write the numerals 0-10. Write the very same numerals on the reverse side. As the teacher calls out math problems the children pinch the correct answer and hold up their cards. The teacher can quickly glance around the room to check responses.

*Make pinch cards for sight words, letters, numeral recognition 10-20, phonics, etc.

ACTIVE LEARNING - VOCABULARY

Vocabulary words will "stick" in children's brains with these strategies. These strategies are also good for learning a second language.

Dramatize
When introducing new words invite children to dramatize what the words mean. They can dramatize with their faces, hands, or whole bodies.

 

EXHILARATED!

Pantomime
Children pantomime vocabulary words as classmates try and guess their word.
            


Sign Language
Learn how to sign vocabulary words by looking at videos online.

                                                                   

Antonym Actions
Let children act out words that are opposite what the teacher says. For example:
Teacher says “hot.”
Children respond by shivering.
Teacher says “loud.”
Children respond by being quiet.

Synonyms
Call out synonyms for the students to interpret. For example:

Happy – delighted – joyful - gay - pleased

                                    
Angry – mad – furious
Sleepy – tired – fatigued

ACTIVE LISTENING

Good listeners are ACTIVE listeners. These are some simple strategies that can engage your students as they listen to instructions, books, or videos.

Schema
Teach sign language for "connection" (thumbs make circles with index fingers and join like a chain). Discuss that when they connect what is in the book with what is in their brain they make a "schema." If they've made a "schema" they can show you with their hands. Call on random students to explain how they connected personally with the book.

Me Too!
Teach children sign language for “me too!” (Extend thumb and pinky finger and place the middle three fingers on your palm as you point your thumb toward your chest.) Tell children when you are reading a book they can use the sign to let you know they’ve had a similar experience.

           


Don’t Understand
Children can use this sign when something is not clear to them. Put your index finger next to your brain and wiggle it like you are turning on a light as you shake your head “no.”
                             
Understand
Pretend to scratch your brain.
                                                             
Big Ears
Download a picture of a big ear and glue it to a craft stick. Remind the children when you hold up the ear, they need to use their "big ears" to listen.

Listening Chant (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know it”)
If you’re listening to me do like this- (make a face for children to imitate).
If you’re listening to me do like this-(make another silly motion for children to copy).
If you’re listening to me then be quiet as can be.
If you’re listening to me ____(line up, get ready for a story, get out your books, or whatever you want them to do).

ACTIVE LEARNING - SIGN LANGUAGE

You know I LOVE sign language! I’m certainly no expert, but if I can do it, anybody can do it. Let me give you a few reasons why I’m such a believer that sign language is the perfect vehicle for active learning.

It’s quiet.

It’s multi-sensory.

It’s engaging. (All I have to do is sing a song in sign language and I have children’s undivided attention.)

It’s good for differentiated instruction and for children who are non-English speakers.

It’s free and it’s simple.

It’s like bubblegum. Bubblegum? Yep! We need to figure out how to stick things in the brain, and sign language can provide that connection.

Sign language can be a powerful tool for classroom management.

Sign language can be a strategy to teach children how to communicate with friends and work through conflicts.

Sign language can provide ACTIVE LEARNING for skills and standards!

                    
*Sign letters as you sing alphabet songs.

*Sign spelling words.

*Sign phonics.

 
                                                         

*Learn signs for sight words.

*Learn signs for vocabulary words.

Alphabet Book
Make a class alphabet book where your students sign the letters.


SIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
Make a SIGN LANGUAGE CENTER with a pocket folder. Glue a copy of manual signs for letters on the inside of the folder. Write alphabet letters on index cards and place in the pocket. Children choose a card and then try to reproduce that sign. For older children, write sight words or spelling words on index cards for them to practice spelling manually.

WHAT'S THE GOOD WORD?

Sight words here, 

Sight words there,

Online or in person,

Sight words are everywhere!

In today's blog you'll find some whole body strategies to help your students learn sight words. Remember, the more senses you activate, the more likely the message will get to the brain.

Sign Language
Sign language is a wonderful kinesthetic way to “store” words in the brain. Sign language provides a “hook” or connection for children. After teaching children the manual signs for letters, you can finger spell words. You can also go to aslpro.com and click on the “dictionary” to learn signs for the words on the word wall. Practice saying words, reading words, and signing words at the same time. If children can’t recall a word, make the sign and you’ll be surprised what happens!

Say, Spell, Write, Read
Here’s a little formula to help children remember words. 
1st Say the word.
2nd Orally spell the word.
3rd Write the word.  (You could do this in the air or on your palm.)
4th Read over the word.

We Like to Move It
Stand and make motions as you read high frequency words. You can disco, hula, pony, monkey, jump, hop, march, clap, snap, swim and so forth.

Patty Cake
Let children patty cake high frequency words with a partner. Children face each other and say the word as they clap their hands. They cross and tap right hands and then left hands as they say each letter in the word. Then they put hands in the air and do “high five” as they say the word.

Sports Spell
Pretend to be athletes and spell words for different sports.

Basketball – Dribble the ball on letters and shoot the ball on the word.

Football – Hike the ball on letters and throw a pass as you say the word.

Soccer – Small kicks alternating feet for letters and a big kick for the word.

Swim – Say letters as you stroke and pretend to dive as you say the word.

Let children suggest motions for baseball, golf, volleyball, tennis, kayaking, and so forth.

Cheering Words
Children stand and step from side as they clap and cheer words:
Give me a B. B! I’ve got a B, you’ve got a B.
Give me an E. E! I’ve got an E, you’ve got an E.
Give me a D. D! I’ve got a D, you’ve got a D.
What’s it spell? BED! Say it again. BED!
One more time. BED!

Choral Reading
Read over the word wall in different voices. Say the words loud, soft, underwater, rock and roll, with an attitude, prissy, spooky, etc.