Showing posts with label English for children in Madrdi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label English for children in Madrdi. Show all posts

2.11.19

Let's play with phonemes!


Hello, everybody!


It's been a long time since my last post, because I've been a little busy designing some entertaining activities to review all the phonemes we saw last year, among other things because new children were enrolled in the classes. I also wanted to take advantage of the fact that the children were one year older to introduce simple crafts in which they could practice a little more their fine motor skills and manual oculus coordination... so much mental work and so little free time!


Today I wanted to show you the 3 board games - soon there will be 4 - with which I work the phonemes, together with the official material of the Jolly Phonics method such as the Activity Books and more material that comes to mymind as I go along in accordance with the needs and inclinations of the different groups.


Pass the Word


The first game is called Pass the Word #ad and consists of pieces that fit together like a puzzle, some of which contain a picture with their respective word and others contain letters of the alphabet. The game is about taking a piece with the image and looking for the letters that make up the word, as you can see in the photos. With this game, in addition to the visual recognition of the letters, you can check whether children already can 'write' the words in the right direction, ie from left to right or in the right order. In any case, it helps children to develop these skills through a manipulative game which entertains them a lot.


Alphabet Lotto
The second game is called Alphabet Lotto #ad and is essentially a phoneme lottery consisting of 5 double-sided boards, with drawings or with letters, 30 cards with drawings and 30 with letters. Thanks to this design it is possible to play in 4 different ways: by matching those cards that carry drawings with the boards that carry drawings, by matching cards that carry letters with the boards that carry drawings, by matching cards that carry drawings with the boards that carry letters or by matching cards that carry letters with the boards that carry letters. Here we help our pupils to practice both auditory and visual recognition of phonemes and, in addition, they learn vocabulary, improving their mnemonic skills.
Match and Spell


The latest member of the family is called Match and Spell #ad It contains 12 double-sided boards with three-letter words, 8 double-sided boards with four-letter words and several cards with letters to 'write' the words that appear on the boards. It presents 2 levels of play: in the first, the children, once they have chosen the board they want to complete, look for the letters one by one and pronounce them until they read aloud the whole word.  The second level of the game consists of choosing a board with the side that does not show the letters face up, only the image and the blank spaces, and taking the letters as they are pronounced. Here we also work on the visual recognition of phonemes, phonemic awareness when they use the boards without the letters and begin to develop the first reading skills. I especially like this game because it is very similar to some Montessori reading and writing preschool activities, which is one more guarantee of its usefulness...


The fourth game I'm going to buy soon is another Match and Spell, but NextSteps, #ad in which the boards and the cards come with words containing the 'digraphs' we're reviewing these days, such as sh-ee-p, b-a-l-oo-n, t-r-ai-n, qu-ee-n, and so on.


Have fun!

--> Quiero leer este post en español

7.7.15

Confessions of an English Teacher: A Little Story About Me


Last May was a particularly touching month. I had been told that it was going to be my last month at the public school in Madrid, the place where I have learnt almost everything I know about children, and about the right way to teach them.

I asked my students to draw me a picture of our time together, telling them to think about 'Lucy and our English classes' and these drawings are the result.



I was particularly impressed by Pedro's art. As you can see, he drew a tall house on a vast horizon and a sky filled with seagulls and a big bright sun.

When I saw the drawing, I travelled back to a turning point in my life, the moment when I made the decision to work with children.

Back in those days, almost 8 years ago, I was quite confused about my life. I didn't really like my job as a graphic designer, or Barcelona, the city where I was living. Everything was meaningless and I really needed a 'time out' to to escape the totally apathetic state I was in.

I felt the need for completely different surroundings, both culturally and environmentally. Fortunately I literally have friends all over the world, so I got in touch with the closest one, who, at the time, was living  in Trondheim, Norway, and we arranged a three-month-stay to take care of his baby daughter, Sandra, who was around 5 months old at the time.

Reflecting on one's life is a process that requires time and broad horizons, and here is where Pedro's drawing starts to make sense.

During the last month of my stay, I had the chance to live in a flat on the 14th floor of a new block of flats at the top of a hill, where I could enjoy views of the 'fjord' in all its magnificence!!! The storms coming in over the bay, the sun shining, the rainbows, and, of course, the seagulls. Have you ever seen seagulls fly, looking down on them from above? From the 14th floor of a hilltop flat, It was like I was flying with them.

When I saw Pedro's picture, a series of questions crossed my mind: 'How ddi you know, little boy?' How could you represent something I've never even told anyone?' Is it just a coincidence or some sort of connection?

Unfortunately I'll never know, but I really hope that during my English classes I will forever be able to transmit the feeling of freedom that little Pedro captured so well in his picture.


--> Quiero leer esta entrada en castellano (he descubierto que eso de usar 'castellano' en vez de 'español' es típico de los de Barcelona :D)




Lucy dedicates a lot of time and love to thinking about and writing the posts she shares with all of you. Because she believes that a better teaching is the key for a better future. If you find any help, value or joy in this blog, please consider becoming a supporting reader. A donation, in any amount, will be gratefully accepted.