Happy back-to-school to our Australian friends - we hope you have a wonderful week getting to know your new students and families. How lucky those little learners are to have you with them each and every day to keep them safe, happy and to help them learn.
We wanted to take some time today to remind you that we have a free coloring page that you may like to use this week, over in the club:
We would also love to share a free one page news day poster with you too. It is perfect for the small classroom with limited display space. Display it at student eye level and they will become very familiar with who is sharing news (show and tell) each day.
News is a very practical way to allow time for students to talk and listen in the classroom. With a simple and predictable framework it can offer support to those students who may be reluctant to share verbally. News can be structured as a whole class, small group or paired activity. Perhaps have a mix of all three throughout the year to offer variety. Using news groups and pairs offers an opportunity for students to practice talking each day rather than once a week.
News Pairs
- ask students to find a partner
- partners sit across from one another
- students each have 1-2 minutes to tell some news
- partners listen and have time to ask 1-2 questions
- ask students to write in a journal/diary after news-telling to report on their own news or their partners
At the beginning of the year you may like to give your students some prompts for talking, rather than free-choice news. Give students a school based scenario that involves language, and ask them to role play it in their 'news presentation' time. For example, requesting help from a teacher, ordering food at the canteen, seeking help from unfamiliar adults in the school office, requesting to join a game in the playground.
After a long summer break at home no doubt many of your learners will be itching to share, contribute and express themselves. We hope your classroom is a sea of happy voices!
Find the one page printable poster in Google Drive here: News Day Poster
If you need more bright, happy resources for your classroom displays, browse our website page that features our growing collection.