LANGUAGE SKILLS CORE
Practicing and building on our language skills is one of those things in life that will help us to be the best we can be. Language skills revolve around reading, writing, speaking and listening. They involve the study of the mechanics of each of these main communication systems that help us to enjoy life. Studying language skills is one of the most interesting and useful activities you can put time into as a student. They are a part of our English Core because putting time in to strengthen language skills helps students to achieve their best in every subject. The better your language skills, the better you can do the things you want to do in your future.
One Direction's love of words has paid them big dividends. In 2016, while on hiatus, they still 'topped the Forbes list of highest-paid European celebrities'. They share their love of word and language knowledge to millions around the world by performing in Sesame Street, as do many other successful celebrities. Ed Sheeran, Destiny's Child, Usher, Alicia Keys, Adam Sandler, will.i.am, Katy Perry and many other artists have appeared on Sesame Street. Sesame Street showcases a universal belief in the importance of education and learning of language skills. Use the opportunities English class time gives you to develop up your language knowledge.
One Direction's love of words has paid them big dividends. In 2016, while on hiatus, they still 'topped the Forbes list of highest-paid European celebrities'. They share their love of word and language knowledge to millions around the world by performing in Sesame Street, as do many other successful celebrities. Ed Sheeran, Destiny's Child, Usher, Alicia Keys, Adam Sandler, will.i.am, Katy Perry and many other artists have appeared on Sesame Street. Sesame Street showcases a universal belief in the importance of education and learning of language skills. Use the opportunities English class time gives you to develop up your language knowledge.
Language Skills Learning
Language skills learning takes place in a variety of ways in English. One of the focused ways we study language skills is in our classes is through working with language skills sheets. These are used in whole class learning at times, but each student will have their own experience of learning with language skills and working on them independently is encouraged. Students can talk to teachers, from all their subject areas, about getting extension language skills tasks and units.
Language Skills Games
During classes language skills games can be a fantastic breather to get re-energised, as well as a wonderful way to 'get knowledge ready' or recap prior learning. Language skills and communicating go hand in hand, so having a go at language skills building activities is a fun way to set you up to be the best communicator you can. Social media interaction is all around us and presenting good language skills will be vital to helping you get jobs and business in the future. The following is a list of language skills games. If you know of some other games not listed here be sure to let your teachers know so we can build on this list of class breaker activities.
- PACMAN SPELLING - Take up a position and get ready to spell. Every correct word allows you a step towards zapping someone out of the game.
- KANGAROO SPELLING - Form a circle around the room. The first person to spell a word marks the home spot. When a word is set you can have a go or pass to the next kangaroo. When a word is spelled right everyone takes a jump forward. What is the best time your mob can get to jump around the room.
- PICTIONARY - Organise a person to be the word/phrase generator. Set up the class into two teams. A selected person needs to use drawing to get their team to guess the word/phrase.
- SYNONYMS STORM - A selected word is put on the board/centre of paper. How many synonyms can your class/team generate for the word?
- ANTONYMS SPIT - A selected word is put on the board/centre of paper. How many antonyms can your class/team generate for the word?
- WHAT'S THE WORD WOLF? One person is designated as the wolf. Everyone else lines up a distance from the wolf and asks, 'what's the word Wolf?' Everyone gets to move forward the amount of letters in the word. When Wolf senses everyone is close they can respond by calling, 'Dinners the word!' The wolf proceeds to turn around and chase everyone back to the starting point hoping to catch someone for dinner. The person caught becomes the new Wolf.
- ALPHABET STEW - The alphabet is written up on the board/piece of paper. A topic is given and players try to think up a related word for each alphabet letter.
- TRIP THE TEACHER - Can the class think up spelling words to trip the teacher up? One student can be the referencer, using a computer to check the teacher's spelling.
- NOUGHTS AND CROSSES WORD STYLE - Use a word that the spelling of trips you up in place of a nought or cross to practise its spelling.
- CELEBRITY HEADS - Three students are selected to be given a celebrity moniker they cannot see. They ask the student audience questions to provide them with clues to help them guess their celebrity identity. Each yes answer to a question affords them another question, but if they get a no the turn is passed on.
- CAST A WORD LINE - Students line up. A starter word is provided. Students need to think of a word starting with the last letter of the word previously said. If the word starts with the last letter of the prior word and has not been said by anyone before the student moves to the other side of the room. How long will it take the class to cast a line. (If a person is stuck for what the last letter of a word is they can ask the line for help).
- CLASSROOM BREAKERS - View this handy site for more classroom breakers.