Household Items

This was a multi-stage process in which we took one room at a time and then reviewed that room in conjunction with the next. The entire process covered approximately one and a half weeks in total.

           1. For each room in turn, we brainstormed what would be found there. These words were written on the board, and then we selected only three or four items common to everyone. The exception to this was the bathroom, which ended up with 9 or 10 items.

           2. For each room, we completed worksheets (photographs, then photos and text, then text only). For each worksheet, we completed it first as a class using the LCD and computer. The image was projected onto the whiteboard, and students filled in the work as a whole class.

           3. We used oversize images and words on the whiteboard, manipulating the images and words in as many ways as possible. This brought the kinesthetic element into the process.

          4. Finally, I supplied chart paper, divided into four quadrants. To begin, we named each room in turn (living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen). The students copied from an instructor-created example displayed at the front of the room. The instructor filled in the chart paper at the same time as the students. This was not presented as a finished product.

           5. In pairs, the students cut out pictures and laid them in the correct quadrant. Once the instructor had checked that everything was where it should be, glue sticks were supplied. The images were fixed in place.

           6. The instructor and students filled in the terms beneath the pictures. This was done together as a group activity at the front of the room.

           7. The students then returned to their projects and completed naming the items.

           8. The finished product was displayed and explained to another class.

Assessment: This was done informally throughout the process. Formal assessment came as one of the earlier worksheets (comprising all of the relevant terms in total) was collected.