Tuesday 21 June 2016

Usage of Flashcards in a Young Learner's Classroom

Introduction of vocabulary to young learners needs special attention. It is a good idea to use real items to engage and involve them.  But it is not always possible or even realistic for teachers to present real items in the classroom. Flashcards could be a great way out in such a situation of introduction of new vocabulary as that the learners can have better understanding of the word or concept.
While introducing flashcards or picture cards in the classroom, try to build up a story by creating mystery or suspense about the cards. This adds to their curiosity and they tend to show their interest in learning. Rather than just flipping the cards and making them repeat words after it, incorporate the cards in various activities. Thus it will be engrossing and eventually the students will remember the words.


Now repeat the vocabulary learnt in other activities or as a part of other lesson that could be story book reading, preparing a worksheet or song. Allow the students to display meaningful gestures while singing together and in the due process practice vocabulary lessons.
Read More: Design Games to Teach Grammar to Young Learners
Some of the ways to introduce and review kid’s learning using flashcards:-
1-One of the simple yet ideal measures to engage student’s interest is by introducing a new item with a Mystery Box. And they give them hint about what is inside and let the student guess.
2- Go through the picture cards and then pick the one which you think will attract attention of the students due to its familiarity. Now place two cards on the floor of the classroom. Then divide the students into two teams and then line up and hand them an eraser to each of the students standing in the front. Now the teacher will call out one of the cards & two students will have to place the eraser on the correct card. Then whoever achieves it first, will win a point for his team. Repeat this several times with more cards while you introduce such vocabulary that are known to the students in the classroom and that point gives them vocal hints. 
3- In a comfortable classroom ambience make the students sit in a circle along with the teacher. The teacher initiates the game by passing the card to a student saying- this is a horse. The student takes the card and passes on to the next student repeating the same. The card passes across the classroom of students in circle. The card returns to the teacher in the same manner, he keeps it aside and passes a new card to the student with another introduction. This can be played tactfully by passing more cards or stopping them halfway and then passing a newer one.  In this game the students tend to learn vocabularies.
4- Choose six picture cards and number them 1-6 with a whiteboard marker and place them on the whiteboard with magnets. Divide the class into two teams. Then ask one student to roll the big dice which the entire class would watch eagerly which number comes up. The first student to say the name of the vocabulary card with the same number of the dice will win points for his own team. If no one knows the answer, make the student learn it and then repeat the game till everyone correctly knows all the names. When such situation arises introduce set of new cards.
5- Take two sheets of paper same as the picture cards. Make several holes randomly on one of the sheets. In the second sheet cut larger holes in the same spots. Cover a flashcard with this second sheet and at the top place the first one with small holes. Now as one looks at the picture could see only a part of it. Now the game would be to guess the whole picture while you slowly remove the large holed sheet gradually bit by bit.
The above mentioned activities can be immensely fruitful in engaging students. You can prepare some more activities based on your experience during Montessori teacher training. The courses on young learners prepare you adequately to deal with such difficult and diversified classroom.

No comments:

Post a Comment