Speaking & Listening Ideas for Key Stage 1
These lesson ideas were mainly trialled with Year 1 children but could easily
be adapted for Foundation and Year 2 children. Some do not require the use
of puppets, but as they are an ideal springboard for Speaking & Listening
activities, the main emphasis here is in using a simple puppet as an aid and /
or inspirational starting point. Many children communicate easily with their
own and other children’s puppets, giving a confidence which enables them to
develop important life skills. Although all pupils benefit from working with
puppets, children with language problems can be seen to make excellent
progress whilst participating in a fun activity. Suggestions for which puppets
to use can be found at the end of this document.
Ideally, Speaking & Listening activities should involve children working with a
partner discussing the ideas and suggestions, this way all have to participate
and not sit quietly letting the most confident children do all the work. Then
ideas from the partnerships can be shared when appropriate. Some small
group discussions are just as useful at various times.
A
Without a puppet
Using the above format of discussing in pairs and sharing back, use the
following ideas to stimulate the conversations. Add in your own anecdotes
where appropriate for each one as children will appreciate these, and it will
encourage them to share their own.
i)
Favourite toys and games
Why do they like that particular toy / game? When do they use it / play it?
When did they get it or learn it? In the shared whole class feed back,
encourage questions from the children to each other. Ask some yourself.
ii)
Favourite stories
What is their favourite story? What do they like about it? Who are the
characters in it? Tell the story to their partner. One or two to tell the whole
class the story. What different versions do the children know? Puppets can
be included here if traditional story sets are available. See below.
iii)
What is the best………?
…..present they have ever had? ……… holiday that they can remember?
……….day they have had in school? ………..thing they can remember happening
to them?
iv)
Seasonal discussions
Exciting things to do in warm weather. Where have they been on holiday?
What did they do whilst there? How did they travel? Did anything exciting
happen? What exciting things can they do at home in the summer? Belonging
to clubs and playschemes. What was their Christmas like? Discuss the best
thing that happened over Christmas. Give reasons for it being the best thing.
What are they looking forward to in the new year / term? Any New Year’s
Resolutions?
v)
Difficult things
What have they done that was really difficult? How did they do it? Did they
have help? Who helped them? Why was it difficult? How did they feel when
it was done? Use the Enormous Turnip story at the end of the lesson.
B
Using a simple Teaching Mitt
These can be made from an old glove or purchased for £5.
i)
Expressions – an excellent link with PHSE.
Each finger has a face with a different expression. One finger can be
used each day to make a special Expressions week of Speaking &
Listening, or a lesson a week could spread over five weeks.
a) Mr. Sad Face. What other names can we give him? What might have
made him sad? Discuss with a partner. Some children present the
ideas to the class. What might cheer him up? Talk to each other about
what sad things have happened to them. Anyone want to share?
Children to put on a sad face. Draw a sad face on the board and ask
what it is about the face that makes it look sad.
b) Mr. Surprised Face. What might have surprised him? Discuss with a
partner. Some children present the ideas to the class. What has
surprised them? Was it a nice surprise or an unpleasant one. Talk to
each other about their surprises. Pretend there is a parcel in front of
you, or actually have one. Discuss with each other what might be in the
parcel. Share. Pretend there is a knock at the door. Who is there and
why? Discuss – share. Children to put on a surprised face. Draw a
surprised face on the board and discuss what makes it look surprised.
See surprise puppets at the end of this document for an exciting
addition to the lesson.
c) Mr. Angry Face. Why is he angry? Discuss with others and share with
class. What might happen because he is angry? What might calm him
down? What has made them angry? Discuss and share if they wish.
Have they made someone else angry? Discuss. Children to put on an
angry face. Move around a space in an angry way. If animal head
puppets are available – What made the crocodile / gorilla / lion /tiger,
etc. angry?
d) Mr. Happy Face. Why is he happy? Discuss with partners. Share. What
has made them happy? Discuss. Share. Draw a happy face – what
features make him look happy? Put on a happy face. Move around the
room in a happy way.
e) Mr. Frightened / Worried face? What has frightened / worried him?
Discuss with partners. Share. What has worried or frightened them?
Did it work out all right in the end? Discuss. Share. Children to put on
a scared face. Draw a scared face on the board. What features make
it look frightened? If the tortoise puppet is available, have him hiding
in his shell and peering out. What is he worried about? Discuss. Share.
What will make him come out of his shell? What will make him go in
again?
f) All five fingers – moods and why we have them? What moods are the
children in today? Discuss with a partner. Why are they in the mood
they are in? Move around the room in a mood. Talk about feelings in
general. What can make our moods change?
ii)
People Who Help Us
a) The Nurse & the Doctor. Discuss with a partner their experiences of
doctors and nurses. Share. Include teacher’s own experiences. How do
these people help us? What exactly do they do? How do they help
through life – think from babies through to elderly people. Include
some role-play. One child to be a doctor / nurse / dentist and a
partner to be a patient. Make up a conversation.
b) The Fireman. Have they any dealings with the fire service? Have they
been on a fire engine? Do they know anyone who works for the fire
service? What do firemen do? What equipment do they need?
c) The Policeman. Discuss with partners any experiences with the police?
Share if appropriate. How do the police help us? Include some role
play. One child to be a policeman, another requiring some kind of
assistance. Make up a conversation.
d) Discuss any other people who help us – the postman is featured. There
is maybe a milkman, or other delivery people, teachers and other
school staff, of course. Discuss experiences, including teacher’s own.
C Surprise puppets
i)
Dinosaur hatching out of its shell
How does the dinosaur feel? Encourage links with feelings such as in the
Expressions Mitt above – i.e. worried, scared, happy, tired. Discuss with a
partner or in groups. When have they been tired; what kind of activities /
times make them tired? Walk around the room looking tired. What wakes
people up? What will make the baby dinosaur feel better? What experiences
have the children of seeing things hatch? Discuss and describe their
feelings. Act out a little scene of a mother or father waking up a child and
encourage appropriate reactions from the child who is woken.
ii)
Bear in a Honey Pot & Bee
What could be in the honey pot? Why is the bear in the honey pot? How long
has it been there? When will it come out? Why is there a bee on the honey
pot? What will the bee do now? What will the bear do next? Is the bear
friends with the bee? Why/ Why not? Discuss these questions and any
others in groups. Make up an oral story about the bee and the bear in the
honey pot. Discuss surprises – see Teaching Mitt above.
iii)
Rabbit in Lettuce and 6 mini-beasts
What could be in the lettuce? How long has the rabbit been there? When
will it come out? What other creatures are in there? Are they friends? Have
the children seen anything else in a real lettuce? Discuss in groups and make
up an oral story about this mini-environment. Discuss surprises – see
Teaching Mitt above.
D
Using working mouth puppets
This depends on the number of puppets available, but usually this would be
done in a group with an adult working with them. The children should put on a
‘puppet voice’ whilst working the mouths, talk to the puppet, and make the
puppet talk back to them. The teacher can demonstrate first and generally
lead and supervise the sessions.
i)
Developing a character for the puppet
Discuss and agree questions of things to find out about the puppet. For
instance, ask the puppet its name, age, favourite food, favourite TV
programme, what it is doing at the weekend, football team it supports, etc.
Children ask the puppets the questions using their own voice, then change to
their ‘puppet voice’ to create the answers. Puppets then talk to each other
with the adult responsible for the group making sure that the children follow
the usual conventions of conversation, i.e. looking at each other, keeping the
puppet faces an acceptable distance from each other. Swap puppets with
each other and repeat with different answers.
ii)
The way the puppet is dressed
This can also be done as a whole class activity, looking at the teacher’s
puppet, as well as in groups with the children studying their own puppet.
Describe the clothes the puppet is wearing. Why is it dressed like that?
What are the children’s best clothes like? When have they had to dress up?
When have they been really scruffy? What do they wear for scruffy
clothes? When else do they wear special clothes? (bed, outside in the rain,
etc.) The discussions can be held with their puppets or with each other.
iii)
General use
Many of the ideas already mentioned for discussions in pairs or groups can
be undertaken with puppets instead. The children think and talk for their
puppets as well as themselves, or communicate with their partner’s puppet
instead of with their partner directly, or puppet communicating with puppet.
E
Using Animal Puppets
Introduce the lessons with an animal puppet. Talk about the creature.
Depending on the one used it could be angry, frightened, frightening, sad,
happy, shy, etc. Ask questions such as: ‘Are big creatures nice?’ ‘Which
ones?’ ‘Are small creatures nice?’ ‘Which ones?’ ‘Have any of them met a
horrible creature?’ ‘What pets have they got?’ ‘Which animals don’t make
good pets?’ ‘Why not?’ ‘What creatures have they seen in a zoo or wildlife
park?’ ‘What creatures do they see in their environment that are not pets?’
Puppet Suggestions
At its simplest and least expensive, a Teaching Mitt such as the two
mentioned above are of great value. They are only £5 each and have a pocket
in the back of the hand for flash cards. These Mitts are for teacher use.
Working mouth puppets are ideal for group work, and the more the class has,
the more children can benefit in one session. These can be purchased
separately or in groups. The Puppet Buddies which we sell come in three
sizes, the small ones, great value at £16 each are ideal for Nursery to Year 1
children. The medium sized ones at £22 are suitable for Y1 to Y6, and the
large ones from Y3 to adult. Most of the puppets we sell are cheaper than
the recommended retail price. There are seven different puppets in the
small range, with a variety of nationalities, ideal for multi-cultural education;
eight puppets of varying nationalities and ages in the medium range, and six
in the large range.
The Animal Heads are beautifully made and exceptional value at £14. The
Surprise Puppets are very popular, and the Story Sets at £15 are a must for
every Key Stage 1 class. The sets of 6 different stories can be rotated
around the classes.
Main suggestions: For Nursery, and Year 1 – either Pack A, consisting of a
set of 4 small Puppet Buddies, 1 large Puppet Buddy for the teacher and 2
Teaching Mitts, or Pack B, consisting of the full set of 7 small Puppet
Buddies, 1 large Puppet Buddy for the teacher, 2 Teaching Mitts and 6 story
sets.
For Year 2 – either Pack C, consisting of 4 medium Puppet Buddies and 1
large one for the teacher; or Pack D, consisting of the full set of medium
Puppet Buddies and 1 large one for the teacher.
Ordering packs automatically gives you further discount on buying them
separately. Click on the Puppet Sales icon on the Home Page for full details
of these and all our other cut-price puppet offers.
Best of all, why not initially inspire the children with one of our innovative
and very popular puppet workshops where we bring in up to a hundred
puppets, and teach the children how to use them. It’s a day to remember!
Check out the details on the Puppet Workshops icon on the Home Page. We
bring the For Sale puppets with us.