What's a nice activity to do with ESL kindergarten students on the first day of school?

Question

This will be my 1st year teaching and I'll be teaching a kindergarten self-contained ESL class. The first 2 days of school are half-days and I needed an idea of something to do with them that perhaps gets them acquainted. Any ideas??? (They are ELLs and most probably won't know much ENglish, if any).

Answer 1

If you have a self-contained class, then you probably have them most of the day. In addition to the name game activities already posted, you might also want to do a "get-to-know the classroom" game. They may know some basic objects, like door, desk, computer, table, chair. If not, go over just a couple of these with them. Then give each student a classroom object to find - Mark, go stand by the door; Sally, go sit in a desk; Robert, go touch the computer. It gets them up and moving and you can play it several times. Later in the day, you can reinforce the activity by having the whole class go stand by their favorite object, then go around the room and the students have to name the object they have found. This can also be done several times.

You could also do some similar activities with basic classroom supplies - crayon, pencil, paper, scissors, markers, glue, etc. They may know some of these words. You could place the items around the room, and do the same sort of game I mentioned above (Mark, go find the scissors; Sally, go find the pencil; etc.). Later on for reinforcement, you could put several of these in a bag, pass the bag around, each student selects an object (maybe even without looking), then they have to name the object. You could even add a twist by teaching them the various colors of the crayons, markers, color pencils, etc.

One other thing, and I don't suggest you give them so many activities that their little heads will explode, but I like to overplan, then once things get going you'll know how much or how little they can handle. But another fun activity might be body parts. A simple head and shoulders, knees and toes song could be fun.

Maybe you could find a good little book about the first day of school. It's ok if they don't understand all or most of the words. Just be very expressive - I'm sure a book about the first day of school will have some emotions which you can easily act out on your face (Billy is very sad to leave his mommy, but by the end of the day he's very happy because he made a new friend - that kind of stuff). And if the pictures are really good, all the better.

All of these activities can be repeated for several days.

Good luck - I've got to do my 1st week lesson plan in the next couple of days myself, just in case I have any non-English speakers show up the 1st couple of days.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What's a nice activity to do with ESL kindergarten students on the first day of school?
This will be my 1st year teaching and I'll be teaching a kindergarten self-contained ESL class. The first 2 days of school are half-days and I needed an idea of something to do with them that perhaps gets them acquainted. Any ideas??? (They are ELLs and most probably won't know much...

Answer 3

Name Games For Kindergarten

Answer 4

Even simpler is "Sing a name"

Start with "sing a name" first 2 word the same note, 3rd word one note lower, then point to yourself and sing your name to the same notes. Then go around the circle so each child's name is sung. Go around at least 3 times, then move to something else. Do this every morning the first week.

Do the alphabet song too, as some of the children will know the alphabet, but by other letter names (ah instead of aye for A).

You might also do Old McDonald, especially if you have pictures to go with it.

For some children, clapping helps imprint the learning too.

Answer 5

I would play a simple name game with them so they can learn your and each others names. Maybe a simple rhyme, like
Biddely, diddely bumblebee
Won't you say your name for me?
(then say your own name and repeat it several times pointing at yourself: Miss Smith, Miss Smith, Miss Smith)

Then repeat the rhyme, pointing at one of the students. When they say their name, repeat it several times. Try to keep it in a rhythm.

Be sure you are smiling and having fun with it so they will understand that it's a game. If you mispronounce someone's name, smile and say help me! Try again til you get it right. They'll catch on. Have fun with it!

Answer 6

I teach ESL in Vietnam. I have a few old favorites I will share with you.
One is Tic Tac Toe. they usually know basic parts of the body like face, hand ect.
Put these into a game of tic tac toe. My kids love it. Another is musical chairs. This is fun even when they understand no English. I wish you luck.

Answer 7

Get a big, beautiful, hardcover, storybook to keep in the classroom. Something special with ornate illustrations. Add a little inscription from the heart inside the cover. It will also serve as a thank you to the teacher and is something she can keep for many more years of teaching.