General Strategies

Songs, rhymes and finger play

You can songs and rhymes with repetitive phrases and encourage children to participate in finger plays where there are actions and hand movements coordinated with the words. These expose children to new vocabulary and help them to notice sounds and intonation patterns which develop their phonological awareness.

When introducing a song, rhyme, or finger play, you can consider the following steps:

1. Introduction: Sing or recite the song/rhyme/finger play once through.

2. Demonstration: Demonstrate the actions to make it easier for children to understand the words.

3. Focus on Words: Go through the lines so children can focus on the words.

4. Participation: Invite children to join in the song/rhyme/finger play.

5. Repetition: Sing/recite it multiple times in different contexts to help children remember.

Functional role-play

Children will take on different roles and act out situations in familiar settings. This allows them to use the language authentically and organise their own play. Here are some ways to support functional role-play:

• Choose familiar settings such as home, clinic, or restaurant

• Provide props and materials 

• Discuss and suggest roles with the children

• Take on different roles to initiate and extend children’s play. You can be a:

• Stage manager: Provide props and suggest ideas to enhance play without entering children’s play directly

• Co-player: Take on a role and join in the play while letting children take the lead most of the time

• Play leader: Actively participate in and extend the play by introducing new props or problems to be resolved

Language games

You can incorporate language games to create engaging contexts for children to practice using the language. Here are some tips to incorporate language games:

• Difficulty level: choose games that fit the child’s language level to avoid discouraging them

• Guidance for children: demonstrate how to play the game, give clear directions, and provide a list of useful phrases and/or sentences to help children participate and understand the game

These language games also provide opportunities to build executive functioning skills:

• Working Memory: Matching word and picture cards to build memory skills

• Inhibitory Control: Playing "Simon Says" to help children resist impulses

• Cognitive Flexibility: Drawing an object without lifting the pencil to encourage flexible thinking

Examples of language games:

1. Guessing Games: For example, "10 Questions" where children ask yes/no questions to guess an object the teacher is thinking of

2. Search Games: Such as "Find a Friend" where children move around, asking questions to find a friend who fits a given description

3. Matching Games: Like "Snap" where children match cards with pictures and/or labels based on similar sounds or rhyming words

4. Labelling Games: Involving matching word labels and pictures

Gradual release of responsibility

You can gradually shift responsibility for learning from the teacher to the children as they acquire language skills. The Gradual Release of Responsibility model involves three stages, “I Do”, “We Do” and “You Do”.

• "I Do": Demonstrate and role-model the skill for children to observe. This demonstration can be done in different contexts and situations. 

• "We Do": Children begin to apply the skill with the teacher’s facilitation. You may need to demonstrate or role-model a certain skill again.

• "You Do": Children have acquired foundational skills and can apply them to different contexts and situations. You may give reminders or suggestions to support their continued development. At this stage, children also gain the confidence to communicate with others which enhances their motivation for learning.

The diagram below shows how the model can be used to develop children’s reading skills:

When selecting materials and activities for children, you should ensure that they are:

• Developmentally appropriate and catered to their readiness and abilities

• Within the child’s zone of proximal development such that it provides sufficient challenge without being overwhelming