The name tags include a space for you to write your students name so they can locate their desk and have a model for how to write their name.
As well, an alphabet display and number line are featured for reference. I always recommend establishing some routines/games/activities to encourage your students to use their name tags in the first 5-10 weeks of school. Much of the rich valuable visual information in your classroom will go largely unnoticed and unused by your students unless you take some time to create a reason for them to attend to it. Pointing it out and talking about it won't help as much as giving them a reason to actively engage with it.
For the name tags, it's the alphabet. We want our learners to look here when they are writing or spelling to get support with letter formation. Also, remembering sounds. Play a morning game with the alphabet as your students go to their desks. Having a little routine to complete as they sit down gives them purpose and will help your behavior management too.
To play
- establish a routine of one student passing out a set number (e.g. 3) of counters to each student each morning - have them put them on their name tags (this will give each student the additional opportunity to learn friends names when it is their turn)
- when students go to their desk they choose to place their counters on any letters of the alphabet
- once everyone is ready you call letters and the students remove their counters if they have a counter on it, sliding it off their name tag
- the first child to remove all their counters may be declared the winner (it is pretty much reverse bingo)
Variations
- require your students to say the letter/sound back to you for practice and connecting symbol/sound
- flash letter cards as you call
- flash upper case letter cards
- say the letter name
- say the letter sound
- say a word beginning with the letter/sound
- say the letter before (alphabetical order)
- write the letter on a whiteboard as students watch and say
I found this game so effective in Kindergarten. It made my students more aware of the name tag in the corner of the desk.
- they got into a habit of looking at their tag and using the information on it, and they transferred that habit into other lessons and activities
- it reinforced our work in sounds/letters
- it required no extra prep for me
- it was easily differentiated
- it became part of our morning routine
- it helped all my students recognize their letters and sounds in a few minutes each morning
If you'd like your students to have a name tag like these you can find them in my TpT store!