I’m very happy to be working with our Basisstufler. Yesterday I decided to play a simple vocabulary game with them, using flash cards with no words – only pictures. I grouped the pictures into two different subject areas: animals and food. Grouping items into word fields or providing a recognisable context is essential when learning any vocabulary. Turning the exercise into a race to name the items as quickly as possible was a good, fun approach. Though I toned it down when it became clear that one of them was simply faster than the other!
This simple, short activity shows just how hungry young minds are for knowledge. It also shows how we, as teachers, we have to constantly look for new and creative ways to engage pupils. I will certainly return to the pictures and test them in a few days’ time. But for the time being, the skill shown by the two pupils playing a game to correctly identify and recall 30 (yes, 30) vocabulary items must not be underestimated!