Materials: (appendix 7)
strips with sentences
little cards with isolated words (identical with words in the sentences stated above)
pictures
There are the variations of design of the cards. The cards can be coloured or the words can be written in colours, or there is a grammar symbol above each word. The words are colour-coded in compliance with the Montessori system of grammar symbols.
Instead of the cards, the words can be written on small pebbles. It is better for manipulating them and pupils like it.
The Montessori Grammar symbols: noun- a large black triangle
article – a small, light blue triangle
adjective- a medium-size dark blue triangle verb- a large red circle
preposition- a green crescent adverb- a small orange circle pronoun- a tall purple triangle conjunction- a small pink bar
interjection- a gold triangle placed on top of a gold circle
Direct aim:
to construct sentences (practise combining the words and creating sentences)
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Indirect aim:
to repeat what the term “sentence” means, that sentences begin with the capital letter and finish with the full stop
to understand the function of parts of speech to develop reading fluency
acquire new vocabulary connected with the parts of speech build language skills
Control of errors:
the strips with the sentences
Procedure + information:
- The teacher introduces the material.
- He/she prepares a mat, places there a box with the strips with sentences, box with isolated words.
- Pupils are just familiar with the sentence structure from the Czech language. They together repeat very quickly what the sentence is, that it begins with a capital letter and finishes with a full stop. Usually, it makes sense.
-He/she chooses one sentence. He places this sentence on the mat.
-He/she takes the box with isolated words and constructs the chosen sentences from these isolated words on cards. He/she places these cards under the prepared sentence.
-He/she reads the sentence aloud.
-He/she asks pupils to do the same with the other sentences and cards.
Variations of presentation:
- When the sentence is constructed, teacher/pupil can change some words to see how it is possible to change the meaning of the sentence.
Example: The cat is brown. The dog is brown.
73 - If the teacher sees that children understand the topic, he can add the pictures corresponding to the sentences. Pupils read the sentence, construct the sentence and find the appropriate picture. The aim of this activity is to read the sentences with comprehension.
- Repeating of the known facts about the sentence structure can be done in a funny way. Teacher can ask questions or give pupils a short quiz.
Example: Does the sentence start with a small letter, with a nice picture, or a capital letter? What is at the end of the sentence? Is there a surprise? A spot? A full- stop? Why?
Follow- up activities:
- Pupils take the material and work with it individually or in pairs, small groups. When they finish, they choose sentences they like and copy them into their notebooks.
-Pupils can make up their own sentences and draw the appropriate pictures.
- Build-up the sentences: The next lesson, teacher prepares four envelopes. He/she writes down three/four sentences, cuts them into isolated words and gives them into one envelope. He/she does the same with other envelopes. He/she can write down the same sentences or vary them. Pupils are in groups (nests). Each group is given an envelope. The task is to use the isolated words from the envelope and construct the sentences. When they are finished, teacher checks the final product. He/she can ask some questions to get to know if pupils understand the meaning of the sentences. Another type of checking is to draw appropriate pictures for these sentences.
- Searching the words: This activity is a variation of the activity stated above. The aim is to repeat the structure of the sentences and connected with the movement. Movement in combination with thinking helps some pupils to memorize things and new facts. Teacher prepares twelve sentences for four groups. He/she writes them down in different colours. Three sentences are red, three blue, three yellow, and the last three are green. He/she cuts the sentences into several parts and hides
74 them around the class. Pupils create four teams and choose one colour. They are looking for the cards with words with their colour-code. When picking-up all the cards, they try to make construct sentences from these words (written on cards). - The Flintstone’s sentences: Pupils are in groups. They have about fifteen/twenty little pebbles. They use the special colours for writing on the stones/ceramics and write down the words on the pebbles, one word on one pebble. They combine the pebbles into sentences. Example:
It is possible to draw pictures of these sentences on the paper. When they are ready, they send the packet of these stones (with pictures) to another group. That group tries to build up the sentences.
- Worksheets: Pupils can fill in the worksheet. There are ten sentences. Some words are left in the sentences. The task is to write down the missing words. In the first exercise, they can choose from the offer, in the second exercise, they make up their own suitable word to fill in the blank space.
- Crazy dictation: Teacher dictates simple sentences. Children write them down with their second hand (the hand they are not used to writing).
- Picture dictation: Teacher dictates the sentences. Pupils do not write them down, but they draw them.
- Running dictation: Pupils are in groups. Each group has a pencil. One paper per group is placed at the end of the classroom. Teacher reads a simple sentence. The first pupil of the team runs to the paper, writes down the sentence and returns back. It goes on in the same way.
- Change your voice: This activity is focused on reading fluency. Teacher prepares sentences. One sentence is written on one strip of paper. There is also written the name of one person/occupation behind the sentence, in brackets. He/she puts sentences into the pile. Pupils take one card and read the sentence as a person stated in the brackets.
It
75 Example: I eat hamburger. (a hungry grandmother)
I am hungry and thirsty. (a plump opera singer) The pupils are nice! (an angry school-caretaker)
- Fact or Fiction??? – The aim of this activity is to create own sentences and listen to the sentences with comprehension.
One pupil prepares sentence/sentences and tells it/them to his/her classmates aloud. He/she can make up the sentence, or it can be from reality. The pupils guess if it is fact or fiction.
- Pantomime the sentence! - The teacher prepares strips with simple sentences. One pupil chooses on card, does not show it to the others, does not read it, but pantomimes it. The rest of the class guesses the sentence. Then the sentence is written on the board.
Feedback:
- The realization of presentation was pleasant. Pupils were interested and paid
attention to constructing sentences. They were keen on trying it on their own. - Generally, pupils managed building-up easy structures of sentences almost without any problems. Sometimes, a few of them forgot to use the articles, or they placed the adjective behind the noun.
- We varied the presentation and changed some words in sentences to get another meaning. Pupils created their own cards and changed the sentence during the presentation. They created funny examples. However, it helped very much because all of them understood the changes in the meanings and how to conduct them.
- During that lesson and the next lesson, all pupils wanted to work with that material. Most of them enjoyed creating their own sentences and drawing the pictures. However, some of them did not want to copy the sentences into their notebooks.
- Two lessons after the presentation, we played the game with the envelopes. It was a rather noisy activity. Children manage the building-up sentences well, but
76 they had difficulties to create teams and to organize their work in these teams. Finally, they managed the work on their own.
- One boy, who managed to do all the tasks very well and quickly, prepared the words on the stones. It was really appreciated by his classmates, who could use them for further practice
- We went through all the games listed as follow-up activities. Usually, pupils
enjoyed most of them. The best activity for them was “Fact or Fiction” and “Searching for the colour-coded card”. About fifty percent of the pupils were able to create their own sentences without any mistakes. The second half needed help. However, they managed to cooperate and helped their classmates to create sentences, or their corrected them.
- Finally, I have to say that we enjoyed the activities. However, it was necessary to calm the pupils down very often. When they were really keen on the activity, they started to speak very loudly.
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