Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Alphabet Chants
The following are simple chants to help students remember the sounds made by each
letter of the alphabet. Of course the words used in the examples may be changed
according to your students' vocabulary skills.
The general rhythm of each chant is the same. Please note the [CLAP] markings in the
first sample. This follows stressed syllables.
This is intended as a fun review, not a forced drill or rote memory project. Teach one or
two sounds a day like this. Vary chant by saying it loudly, saying it softly, saying it fast,
saying it slowly, saying it up high, saying it down low, asking all the boys to say it, asking
everyone wearing red to say it, etc. After students have memorized new sound, do a
quick review of old sounds. With just five to ten minutes a day of this review, even the
youngest learners will be able to associate words with their initial sounds.
A [CLAP] says /a/ [CLAP] like ap-[CLAP] -ple.
A [CLAP] says /a/ [CLAP] /a/ [CLAP] /a/ [CLAP].
B says /b/ like baseball.
B says /b/ /b/ /b/.
C says /c/ like cookie.
C say /c/ /c/ /c/.
D says /d/ like dinosaur.
D says /d/ /d/ /d/.
E says /e/ like elephant.
E says /e/ /e/ /e/.
F says /f/ like fireman.
F says /f/ /f/ /f/.
G says /g/ like goldfish.
G says /g/ /g/ /g/.
H says /h/ like hospital.
H says /h/ /h/ /h/.
Clothes Chant
This is designed as a fun review of basic clothing items. It is suggested that you
introduce this activity using the group exercise. The first few times through the chant,
the teacher will need to lead the activity. As students grow more comfortable with
modifying questions and responses, the teacher may reduce his or her level of
involvement until students are solely on their own.
As leaders develop within the student group, the teacher may begin practicing with
these using the individual exercise. (This also helps to prevent the better students from
growing bored while slower students are learning the required vocabulary.)
With five to ten minutes of practice per day, within one or two weeks, most (if not every)
student should be able to complete the individual exercise. At this point, students should
be able to include learn terminology in new contexts. (i.e. "Is So-ri's shirt red?" "No, it's
not. It's brown." or following simple instructions such as "Colour the boy's shoes
purple.")
Group:
What [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing to-day [CLAP]?
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] shoes.
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] shoes.
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] shoes today.
What else [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What else [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What else [CLAP] is [student] [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing to-day [CLAP]?
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] socks.
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] socks.
[Student]'s [CLAP] wear- [CLAP] -ing [color] [CLAP] socks today.
Continue for other articles of clothing (pants, skirt, shirt, dress, hat, etc.).
Individual:
What [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing to-day [CLAP]?
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] shoes.
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] shoes.
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] shoes to-day [CLAP].
What else [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What else [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing?
What else [CLAP] are you wear- [CLAP] -ing to-day [CLAP]?
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] socks.
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] socks.
I'm wear- [CLAP] -ing my [color] [CLAP] socks to-day [CLAP].
Continue for other articles of clothing (pants, skirt, shirt, dress, hat, etc.).
Mix a Pancake
This simple classic children's verse is particularly effective if children can follow the
process outlined and make pancakes in class. If this is not feasible, students will still
enjoy pantomiming the actions described.
Mix a pancake,
Stir a pancake,
Pop it in a pan;
Fry the pancake,
Toss the pancake,
Catch it if you can.
I'm going to . . .
Today
A: "Where did you go today?"
A: "Where did you go today?"
B: "Today I went to [place (i.e. school)]."
B: "Today I went to [place]."
B: "That's what I did today!"
Suggestion: Teach basic structure of chant, then choose a student to be B and perform the role of A.
After A has mirrored B's response, B becomes the next player A and chooses someone else to be B. You
may wish to have all students stand, then sit down after they have performed roles B and A. This will
ensure that all students get one turn before any student gets a second turn.
Traffic Lights
The red at the top
Tells us to STOP!
The green below
Tells us to GO!
The yellow in the middle
Tells us to WAIT!
Please don't worry-You won't be late!