Literacy Language Arts Activities

Double or Single Consonants

Description: Students learning English often find they are not sure when a word needs a double or a single consonant. This game provides a fun way to give them practice in identifying single and double consonant words.

Learning Outcomes: Students will have improved their spelling by practising certain words and learning the reasons why, in general, some words have single consonants and others have double consonants.


 

Vowels (Connect Four)

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.

Compound Nouns

Description: This activity was developed in order to familiarise students with compound nouns but it also illustrates the historical development of language. Some of the words are no longer in use and some like treadmill have developed a new meaning. The activity can be used both for literacy and history.

Learning Outcomes: Students will have learned the meaning of compound nouns as well as having broadened their vocabulary.

Giant Turnip Rhyming Words

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.

Sufficient Suffixes

Description: Suffixes can be difficult to join onto words and spell, so we devised this game to give students a fun way to practise adding suffixes. The game also encourages the development of the students’ vocabulary by making them think of their own words and how to spell them.

Learning Outcomes: The Learning Outcome will be that students will have developed their literacy skills by practising the use of suffixes.

Simile Bingo

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.

Classic Tales

Description: This game is designed to consolidate children’s knowledge of some well-known folk tales and increase their literacy skills.
The stories we used are:
Goldilocks and the Three Bears;
The Three Billy Goats Gruff;
Buri and the Marrow;
The Elves and the Shoemaker;
The Little Red Hen and the Grains of Wheat

Learning Outcomes: Pupils will be able to define and describe the selected folk tales and identify the key themes, characters and settings.

Macbeth Connect Four

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.

Collection

Description: The Collections Game was developed to expand pupils’ vocabulary in a fun way. It will help them to identify items that are normally collected into groups such as bunches (flowers) or flocks (sheep). We have also provided spare blank cards for pupils to add more collective nouns or you could encourage them to make up their own for example, ‘What would you call a collection of computers?’

Learning Outcomes:
Pupils will have expanded their vocabulary by being able to name differing collective nouns.

Silent Letters

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.

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