Creative hacks for language teachers and parents

Academics, standardized tests, curriculum… we are so focused on our lesson plans that we often forget the creative bit.

“Creativity is now as important in education as literacy” – Sir Ken Robinson.

Every teacher comes across the days, when students don’t wish to write a piece during their language class. The lesson plan falls flat. It’s a nightmare for every teacher. So what if students don’t wish to write. Can learning still take place? What next?

As teachers we should be flexible and have an open mind to alter or change our existing plans, when students don’t feel like writing and instead wish to be creative, that’s when their curiosity is at its peak.

Here are some hacks which will help every teacher have a backup plan with them and ensure that learning will still take place.

I like to keep it simple. I have tried them all in school classrooms in the past, and continue to pick them during my Creative Writing Sessions at my center ‘Fun Hammer’ across Grades 1-8.

We also need to keep in mind the right time to use them and how frequently we can add these activities into our classroom. Kids definitely love such active learning sessions, but writing formally is equally important.

Using these appropriately is important, and altering them as per our classroom needs can also be an option for the teachers. They can be used for homeschooling as well. Practicing them regularly at home has helped many parents to develop and build their children’s language skills.

Picture & Post

This is my personal favorite, and kids definitely enjoy this anytime during the language sessions.

What and Why?

Well, it is a shorter writing activity, which needs imagination and love for picture books. This can be an individual activity or can be done with a partner or as a group activity as well.

Picture & Post is a fun way to inspire creative writing. The child can be creative with words or sentences. They may explore a different way of writing through pictures, defining the voice, mood, theme and point of view.

I always have this ready as a writing center in my room. I place the best picture books from my collection in a book-basket with some post-its of different sizes and colors along with some stationary.

I set some procedures before introducing the activity. This activity comes in handy when my students don’t wish to write elaborate pieces or practice the descriptive writing with a fixed topic and writing sheets.

Things we need:

• Picture books
• Post-it

Writing material

Procedure:

Students pick one book from the book-basket with some post-it notes and writing material. They scan the book and choose one picture from the book, that they like.

Once they decide the picture on any page; they observe it and name the picture e.g the topic for the picture. They write the topic or heading on the post-it note.

They then think of all the words that flash in their mind while looking at the picture and list them under the topic on the post-it note. After, they frame at least five sentences using those words as a writing task.

The student then reads related parts of the story to understand differences or similarities between the author’s perception, point of view or voice associated with the picture from the book.

Teachers or parents can scaffold this at different levels and make it age appropriate. Naming things in the picture: Nouns or action words: Verbs can also be considered.

Sequencing comprehension passage and answer the questions

Sequencing is a very important skill for every child. This skill not only helps in organizing events but also helps to develop problem solving skills. Sequencing is a very essential skill for comprehending  language while they read the passages or books.

With this activity I also cater to various other skills like Beginning-Middle-End (BME), Arranging Events Chronologically, Topic Sentence, Supporting Details and Conclusions. My kids absolutely love this way of reading and responding to the questions from their comprehensions.

I pick up age appropriate passages and print them on A4 size sheets. These are than cut into three parts, so that it can be organized and pasted as BME by kids on their respective sheets. I keep the BME sheets ready in advance, with passages.

Things we need:

• Some cut out short, age appropriate comprehension passage.
• BME Sheets
• Glue

Writing materials

Procedure:

Provide the cut out passage and BME sheets to students with precise instructions. Keep it simple and clear the expectations before they start. Kids read all the parts first.

Next, they decide which part belongs to B-M-E as per their understanding and writing B-M-E on the right corner of the respective parts of passage. They may also sequence them 1-10 if it is a longer passage and as per the cut outs are provided.

Next, the teacher reads the actual passage to them; simultaneously kids make a note of the same by writing the correct number on the backside of the cut out.  They self-check it. Students are now ready to paste this on the BME charts. Once pasting is done, they can continue with the comprehension question and answers.

Vocabulary words with a slap

This activity brings a dead class back to life again. All we need are the vocabulary words on a cardstock cutout and a fly swatter. Yes, you heard it right, a fly swatter! Whenever we read during the language class, we write the challenging words on a cardstock with a synonym or its meaning.

This comes in really handy when kids are willing to take up an activity for writing tasks. Sight word cards or fry word cards can help as well for this activity. This can be a paired activity.

This game helps kids to review the vocabulary words and caters to the need of writing sentences or paragraphs and using them in sentences.

Things we need:

• Word Cards and list
• Fly swatter
• Writing materials and ruled blank sheets

Procedure:

Paired: In pairs, one student is the slapper and the other says a word loud. Two students take turns to be the slapper and say the words. They set themselves opposite each other with words lying on the floor between them. When the word below is said loud by one player the other player has to hit that word with the fly swatter.

Five words are said and hit in a row randomly from the word list. When it’s an incorrect hit they lose that word. Later, they use these words to write a short paragraph. Each word used carries +5 and each word lost -3.

In the end the teacher corrects their written material and points are granted accordingly.

I hope these activities help you get the class back to learning with fun!