Seasons

Learning About the Seasons of the Year

Over a number of sessions in ESOL class, these students have been exploring the vocabulary associated with the different seasons of the year. Our focus was Autumn as this is the current season in New Zealand. Text was selected to support language development.

Each student created a booklet, personalising experiences that they associated with a particular season.  Pictures were linked with key vocabulary. While the students speak in simple sentences the pronunciation of words is clear. 

This video demonstrates the language used to answer questions about a given season. 

What Does it Mean to be a Friend?

Shiako tying knots

Avi threading beads

Johnny concentrating on the task

Swali and Hasini admiring their work 

Healthy Friendships

After reading the story ‘A Friend for Jamie’ a group of Year 2 ESOL students discussed the concept of friendship. In the story a young student befriends a blind boy who wants to play softball. The children talked about the importance of inclusion and the how it would feel to be excluded because of a disability. They wrote about the qualities that they look for in their own friends. These included: trusting, caring, a playmate and someone who would always listen to you and help you out.  

Following the oral language, reading and writing component, the children each made a friendship bracelet. They helped each other to make the loops and tie the knots.  

Making Pumpkin Soup

A group of Year 3 students read the book 'Growing Pumpkins.' After discussing how a pumpkin could be used as an autumn vegetable,  it was decided that making pumpkin soup would provide a fun way to learn about instructional writing (recipes) and the ingredients used to make this particular soup.
Before the ingredients were prepared, the children drew pictures of the ingredients and wrote the quantity of each item to be included in the recipe, beside the picture.  The recipe, with instructions for making, were then written into their writing books.

Here is a video of the process: 

These are the children’s reflections of the process:

Sithum: We made pumpkin soup. It tasted like chicken soup except it was hotter and yummier because we put in lots of delicious ingredients. I liked its flavour.

Nabin: We made pumpkin soup and this is what I thought of it.  I liked the flavour and the taste made my mouth water.

Aayush:  I liked it because it was hot and it was yummy.

Manav: The soup was creamy and mushy.  I liked the flavour. It was hot and tasty. I was excited. 

Time for a Group Photo

Students receiving ESOL support came together for a group photograph.