Ideas for using flashcards

Summary

This script offers various engaging activities for teaching vocabulary to primary children using flashcards. Techniques include quick and slow reveals, memory games, lip reading, riddles, action games, and interactive patterns. These methods help children associate words with images, train memory, and practice language skills in a fun and interactive way.

Takeaways

• 🔖 Flashcards are a practical tool for teaching vocabulary to primary children.
• 👀 The 'flash' technique grabs children's attention by quickly showing a card and having them identify the item.
• 🐘 'Remodel' or 'recast' is used to help children who respond in their first language by gradually revealing the flashcard image.
• 📝 Initial activities can involve sticking flashcards on the board and having children repeat the words.
• 🎲 'What's missing' is a game where children close their eyes, a card is removed, and they guess which one is missing.
• 🧙‍♂️ 'Magic eyes' involves rhythmic repetition of words after flashcards are placed on the board.
• 👄 'Lip reading' activity helps children associate words with the speaker's mouth movements, a useful language learning strategy.
• 🐅 Creating riddles with flashcards helps contextualize vocabulary in familiar language settings.
• 👥 'Flashcard groups' is an action game dividing the class into groups, each assigned a flashcard with specific instructions.
• 🤹‍♂️ 'Hands on heads' is a team activity where children respond to their team's assigned flashcards by touching their heads.
• 🔗 'Flashcard chains' encourages interaction by having children in a circle ask and answer questions while passing cards.
• 🎯 'Kim's game' is a memory exercise where children memorize and recall as many flashcards as possible within a time limit.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of using flashcards in teaching primary children vocabulary?

Flashcards serve as a practical and useful resource for teaching vocabulary to primary children, helping them associate images with words and improve their memory.

What is the 'flash' technique mentioned in the script for introducing flashcards?

The 'flash' technique involves getting children's attention and quickly showing them a flashcard to identify the item on it, promoting quick recognition and response.

How does the 'slowly slowly' technique differ from the 'flash' technique?

The 'slowly slowly' technique involves gradually revealing the picture on the flashcard, allowing children to identify the item as soon as they recognize it, which can be useful for slower learners or those who need more time to process information.

What is the 'What's missing' activity and how does it work?

The 'What's missing' activity involves placing flashcards on the board, having children close their eyes, removing one flashcard, and then asking the children to identify which one is missing when they open their eyes.

How does the 'Magic eyes' activity help children with their memory and vocabulary?

In the 'Magic eyes' activity, children repeat words in a rhythmic way with flashcards on the board. As they become confident, the first flashcard is removed, and they continue repeating without it, helping to train their memory and reinforce vocabulary retention.

What is the purpose of the 'lip reading' activity in language learning?

The 'lip reading' activity provides children with a strategy to understand spoken language better by looking at people's lips when they speak, which can be very helpful in a foreign language learning context.

How can flashcard riddles be used to enhance vocabulary learning?

Flashcard riddles use familiar vocabulary to create context-based puzzles, encouraging children to think and apply the language they are learning in a fun and interactive way.

What is the 'flashcard groups' action game and how does it work?

The 'flashcard groups' game involves dividing the class into groups, each assigned a flashcard. The teacher gives instructions relevant to a group's flashcard, and the group performs the action, promoting listening skills and action association with vocabulary.

How does the 'Hands-On heads' activity engage children in vocabulary practice?

In the 'Hands-On heads' activity, children from two teams listen for their assigned flashcard words and respond by putting their hands on their heads, increasing their confidence in responding and promoting active listening.

What is the 'flashcard chains' activity and how does it provide language practice?

The 'flashcard chains' activity involves children sitting or standing in a circle, passing flashcards and asking questions related to the cards. It provides multiple opportunities for children to practice language through interaction and questioning.

What is 'Kim's game' and how does it help in revising vocabulary?

Kim's game is an activity where a set of flashcards from different lexical sets are displayed for a minute, after which they are removed, and children work in pairs to write down as many words as they can remember. It helps in revising and recalling vocabulary effectively.