Collaborative Learning : Literacy Activities

Description: The bingo game has been devised to encourage pupils to explore the theme of growing vegetables in relation to the Giant Turnip book. The matching activity reinforces the learning of core words from the story.  You might like to devise other ways of playing the game or substitute the vegetables with ones that pupils might be more familiar with.
You can buy the Giant Turnip book in various dual language editions from the books section of this site.

Learning Outcomes: Pupils will have familiarised themselves with the key vocabulary from the story in a fun way, as well as developing an understanding of what plants need to grow. They will have had the opportunity to practice language structures as outlined in the core text information.

Description: This game was designed to build confidence in producing poetry and also encourage speaking and listening skills. We have used animal haikus as the theme but you can adapt the activity to other themes or languages. Some cards have been left blank so that pupils can add their own animal haikus.

Learning Outcomes: Pupils will be able to write and narrate their own haikus. They will also have worked collaboratively with their partner.

Description: There are some words in the English language that have letters that are written but not pronounced - so called ‘silent letters’. Words containing silent letters are difficult to learn to spell, even for older children. This is why we have devised this activity to reinforce the learning of these awkward words, in a fun and interactive way.

Learning Outcomes: Children will have practised and improved their spelling of words which contain silent letters.

Description: Macbeth is one of the most popular Shakespeare plays that many students study. To give them a greater understanding of the play we have focused on the main characters in a fun game of Connect Four with a twist.

Learning Outcomes: Students will have gained a better understanding of the main characters in the play.

Description: This game was developed to give students a richer level of vocabulary, in a fun way. It introduces some well known similes, and having seen how a simile is constructed students can then be encouraged to develop their own.  If you make any interesting changes please send them to the address below so that we can expand our library of resources.

Learning Outcomes: Students will have developed an understanding of how similes work and will be able to make up some of their own.

Description: This game was developed to give pupils a richer level of vocabulary in a fun way.  It is best to first read The Giant Turnip book before starting the game. If you wish you can  hear the story in various languages with your TalkingPEN and the appropriate audio files. Visit www.mantralingua.com for details. To further develop the theme of this book you can also use the  companion activity Giant Turnip Bingo.

Learning Outcomes: Pupils will have developed a richer vocabulary aurally as well as in their writing. They will also have worked collaboratively with their partner.

Description: Spelling and phonics are vital in the learning of English and we have devised here a fun way for students to practise their vowel sounds and link them to the vowels used in various words.
 

Learning Outcomes: The Learning Outcome will be that pupils will have developed their literacy skills by practising the use of vowels and spelling.

Description: This is an activity to help build vocabulary and enhance creative writing skills. In the context of a connect four game, students are challenged to substitute commonly used adjectives with more interesting ones.

Learning Outcomes: Students will have developed their literacy skills by expanding their vocabulary to include a wider variety of adjectives.

Description: Learning to spell is not usually thought of as a fun activity but when you turn it into a game pupils will be more than happy to play and learn at the same time.

Learning Outcomes: Pupil will have improved their spelling by practising the writing of words with double and triple consonants.

Description: The correct use of punctuation is a key skill in writing. We have devised a fun activity to help children learn about using punctuation.

Learning Outcomes: Students will have gained a greater understanding of the correct ways of using punctuation.

Description: A Matching game and a Connect four game have been devised to help pupils become aware of the influence of Ancient Greek on the modern English language and how various Greek “roots” (phono, graph, cardio etc.) are combined to make a variety of technical and general words in English.

Learning Outcomes: Pupils will have developed their literacy skills through familiarising themselves with words that have Greek “roots”.