2.2 More about words

Her red shawl, and the tree.

ELEANOR FARJEON

Read the “uncompleted” paragraph below.

I Remember

It was in the spring that I left home and set off on my journey.

At the end of the lane I stopped.

Taking a deep breath, I looked back ____________

(Write about 50 words).

This excerpt from your journal tells of what you:

Heard

Thought

Remembered

Felt

Saw

Use the IDEAS BLOCK to write down your sensitive perceptions.

Activity 5:

Using own ideas to write a paragraph

[lo 4.3, 4.4.1]

Assessment

Memorandum

ACTIVITY 1:

Have another good look at dictionaries. Test them by calling out a word to see who finds the word first. Let them read out the explanation of the words. Ensure that EVERY learner possesses a GOOD dictionary and that they are used! Daily! Suggest that they ask their parents to buy them a good dictionary for their next birthday – it is something they can keep for the rest of their lives! Give them a few words which have different meanings according to the context so that they understand HOW to use a dictionary!

ACTIVITY 2:

This can also be a time test. Now see if they can do it in their head! Not easy!

• Let them work out other questions using the same words e.g. ‘ dough’ is slang for …..? A very old-fashioned word for someone who is mentally unstable is ‘lunatic’. Where does this word come from and why is it old-fashioned?
• It is interesting for them to know that the word ‘ bankrupt’ really means ‘ to break the bench’, an early form of showing that someone trading outside a temple was no longer in business! Let them each find THREE other words and then tell the class what they have discovered. Let them feel how exciting a dictionary can be. This can, of course, lead on to a discussion about encyclopaedias, the value of the internet etc.

ACTIVITY 3:

Explain how knowledge of prefixes and suffixes helps with spelling! Give them a short spelling test (This can be done at the start of EVERY lesson! The results can be placed on a graph. They enjoy watching their progress).

ACTIVITY 4:

Explain that slang is vibrant, immediate, youthful, fun BUT it is limited – therefore it is considered non-acceptable. At some stage they have to move beyond slang and improve their vocabulary. They should already be keeping an A-Z book for storing the magnificent world of words! If not – encourage them or even insist. It is really in their own interests as words make up language and they knee-halter themselves by limiting their vocabulary!

ACTIVITY 5:

Journalling is an important therapy! Explain about being sense-sitive. Read out, store, display and frame the best, even just a phrase!

ACTIVITY 6:

Go over the assessment chart with them. Help them to edit and encourage, motivate, stimulate and PRAISE!