A good method for using English in your classroom everyday is to teach classroom language (commands, vocabulary, grades, subjects, basic activities, basic questions and answers) early on. Here are some vocabulary and activities to engage your students in learning these things. Vocabulary: Commands: Listen Sit down Stand up Clear your desk Line up Please stop talking Get out your notebook, pencil, pen, etc. Look at me Vocabulary: pencil notebook pen backpack desk chair marker crayon glue scissors board eraser Grades: first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth Subjects: English Math Science Spanish Social Studies PE Art Music Basic Activities: writing coloring cutting studying listening looking Common Questions and Answers: May I go to the bathroom? May I sharpen my pencil? Can I leave? Can I throw this away? Yes you may _______/No, you may not ___________ What page? Activities to reinforce Everyday Classroom Language: Hand Gestures: Procedure: Explain commands to your students (translate into 1st language to explain if needed) and assign a hand gesture for each command. Simon Says: Procedure: A leader (teacher or student) tells the class to do a command (sit down, listen,etc), find one of the vocabulary words (pencil, notebook, etc.), pretend to do an activity (coloring, writing). If they do not do it or find it correctly, the student has to sit down. This is down until time runs out or there is a winner. Poster: Procedure: Write out any of the above mentioned words on posters to hang or bring into the classroom. The posters can include pictures, drawings, and translations to explain the words. I don't understand: Procedure: When a student asks any of the questions or says any of the above words in their first language. Just tell them you don't understand them (tell them in English). To get them to use those words in English have them use the hand gesture, look at the poster, show you the object, etc. The student cannot be given permission or told the answer until they use the English words.
