Label items in the classroom. Ask the learner to match a duplicate set of labels. Take the labels off the items and have the learner return as many as possible.
Make and display posters on a topic such as healthy foods. Whenever possible, combine a word with a picture.
Make a chart that contains information about several learners. Elicit their input to record names and pertinent information (i.e., where they were born, how long they have lived in the city or state, etc.) in chart form. Then use the chart as a visual aid to make sentences, ask questions, and write a paragraph using the Language Experience Approach.
Display lists (ex: simple classroom rules, group work) created by your learners and you.
Design activities using environmental print (ex: Pepsi, Publix, stop sign, bumper stickers). Have learners bring in food containers, walk around the block to read signs, and/or make a map of the school, library or neighborhood.
Read real-life materials together: ads, comics, the weather page, photo captions, book titles.
Create picture dictionaries.
Play games such as Sorry, Bingo, Concentration, or Go Fish.
Play cassette tapes. Buy or make read-along books.
Create, present, and write short role-playing activities.
Model reading using patterned language such as predictable books, chants or songs.
Teach sound-symbol correspondence with names, countries, and other personal information.
Build a profile of the class and develop stories about the class as a whole.
Make greeting cards and sign names. Address envelopes.
Begin each lesson by writing the day, date, and topic on the board. Close each lesson by writing a one-sentence summary of the class that the learners dictate.
Develop writing skills by establishing dialogue journals for learners, even if early writing efforts consist of pictures and a few copied words.