Crisis in Japan

Dear Students

My wish is that you are all safe and coping during this terrible crisis that has struck your country.

sincerely

Ray

Shapes, Counting, Patterns, Instructions and origami

Learning Objectives

In this lesson you are going to learn how to identify shapes, say them as nouns and know their adjectives. for example rectangle (n) rectangular (adj).

After that, you will learn how to teach toddlers to use leaves from two species of native tree to count, recognise and make patterns, and make shapes.

Following this, you will learn how to give instructions in English.

We will then begin tranlsating your instructions for making a simple piece of origami.

Watch the following video called 'Fancy football' and answer the following questions:

1. What shape is a football?
   
2. How many footballs are caught and kicked in each segment?
3. Complete the expressions you hear on the video:

"Check this _____."

"Pick _____."

Shapes

A football is oval/eliptical/almond-shaped.

noun ; adjective

an oval; it's oval

a circle; it's circular

a sphere; it's spherical

a triangle; it's triangular

a pyramid; it's pyramidal

a cone; it's conical

a rectangle; it's rectangular

a box; it's a rectangular box

a cylinder; it's cylindrical

a y-shape; it's y-shaped

a mushroom-shape; it's mushroom-shaped

How do you teach math to toddlers?

Discuss the question with your classmates and tell the class what you think.

Read the following extract from an article on ECE and answer the questions

Gist question

What is the main point of the paragraph?

Comprehension Questions

What are the three kinds of mathematical experiences little children have?

1. How do little children experience ‘patterns’?
2. How do children experience space?
3. How do little children experience geometry?

The mathematical journey

The beginning of mathematical development starts from the very early days of a child's life. From birth very young infants are subjected to environmental factors that start them off on their life's mathematical journey. These might include the exposure to 'pattern', in the routine of an infant's day or the repetition of a musical mobile; the feeling of 'space', in the comfort of their swaddling blanket or the freedom to move limbs during nappy-changing; and the sound of 'geometric language', when being held by the carer who uses positional language such as 'up', 'round', 'over' or 'down'.

Answers

Gist question

The main point of the paragrah is that children begin experiencing mathematical concepts from birth.

Comprehension questions

1. They experience patterns, space and geometric language

2. They experience patterns in the routine of feeding and the notes of music from a musical mobile.

3. They experience space the tightness or looseness of a blanket or their nappies.

4. They experience geometry through prepositions of place and movement.

Article Source

http://www.educate.ece.govt.nz/learning/curriculumAndLearning/Learningresources/Mathematics/FocusingOnMathematics.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIVCjLALwQk

·

Answers to Listening: Vocabulary building for Toddlers

Answers

(Reading to a child and talking about the book, relating it to their lives will build vocabulary and your relationship with them.)

· Toddlers understand three times as many words as they use.

· Between the ages of 2 and 3 toddlers are learning up to ten new words a day.

· Introducing new words through conversation and books feeds their curiosity.

· Ask your child lots of questions about the topics that interest them

· Give them time to think of an answer.

· When they respond repeat their answers back to them and add a few more words to the conversation, so the child will learn new words related to the conversation

· Vocabulary building can be done easily by reading story books and discussing the illustrations.

· Talk about the picture in the book and relate them to your child's own life.

· If there is a picture of a grandmother talk about the child's grandmother etc.

· Connect the pictures to real life experience the child gets more meaning out of it.

· Children will remember the words they find interesting the best.

· Forget about flashcards just talk about life together.

· Having conversations with your toddler about what they find funny, interesting and even confusing not only helps expand their vocabularies but it helps develop your relationship too.

Building Vocabulary for Toddlers

Listening

Watch and listen to the following video on toddler education

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVYt9VP5erk

Pre-listening task

Key vocabulary:

· toddler - child learning to walk - walks unsteadily with small quick steps

Gist

Listen to the following recording and say what the key message.

Comprehension

Complete the following points made by the presenter of the video about how to build a toddler’s vocabulary:

· Toddlers understand ____________ times as many words as they use.

· Between the ages of 2 and 3 toddlers are learning up to ________ new words a day.

· Introducing new words through ___________and ____________ feeds their curiosity.

· Ask your child lots of ____________ about the topics that ____________ them

· Give them time to __________of an answer.

· When they respond, __________ their answers back to them and ________ a few more words to the conversation, so the child will learn _________words related to the conversation

· Vocabulary building can be done easily by reading story books and discussing the _________________.

· Talk about the picture in the book and relate them to your child's own _______.

· If there is a picture of a grandmother talk about the __________ grandmother etc.

· Connect the pictures to real life experience the child gets more meaning out of it.

· Children will remember the words they find ____________the best.

· Forget about flashcards just talk about life together.

· Having conversations with your toddler about what they find ___________, _________ and even ____________ not only helps expand their vocabularies but it helps develop your _____________ too.