Rhymes help to build confidence in using English independently. They are a fun way to expand students’ early vocabulary, and they introduce simple sound and sentence patterns. Here is an example of a rhyme:
One, two, three-four-five
Once I caught a fish alive
Six, seven, eight-nine-ten
Then I let it go again.
What vocabulary, sentences patterns and sound patterns does this rhyme teach? Check your ideas with ours:
This is a planning activity for you to undertake in preparation for a lesson.
Go to Resource 3 and choose a short poem, rhyme or song in English to do with your students. You can also find a good rhyme or poem from your English textbook.
Practise saying or singing it in English, and practise doing the related actions. In the poem you chose, make sure you can identify:
Make a plan to use the rhyme with your students. Review your plan with a colleague or your headteacher.
Will you incorporate the poem into the English lesson, or do it at some other time?
Where will you teach it – inside the classroom or outside?
Is there a tune you can put to the words? Are there movements or gestures you can use?
What resources will you need? For example, will you use pictures or word cards to help students understand?
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