QR Code App Tutorial

There has been much interest lately in how to use QR codes with young children. These are a very versatile tool in the classroom to help children find materials online and can also be used at home for parents who would like to create a digital 'library' for their children. They make artifacts in the classroom (e.g., photos, artwork, writing samples) come alive when they are included as part of the documentation. They are also an easy way to create a digital listening centre for children when access to smart devices is provided. In the following video I've demonstrated how to use a free app called QR Code Creator. Enjoy!

Barrier Games

 Barrier games are two sided game boards that use little manipulative pieces to create pictures. We have a store purchased one in our classroom. On Friday we placed it on a table and invited the children to use it. A player sits on each side and the children take turns giving each other instructions like "put the flag on the moon" or "put the spaceship on top of the planet". When the pieces are used up the players compare pictures to see if they match. The point of the game is to give clear instructions and be an active listener so that the pictures are identical.

Not only are barrier games fun, they encourage turn taking, active listening, and build oral language skills too!

Listening With a Purpose

Listening is the language ability that develops first and is used most often. True listening means not only hearing sounds in the environment, but also taking meaning from and responding to those sounds.  Listening is an essential part of the development of both written and oral language. We can best help children develop listening abilities by providing experiences that encourage careful listening. Many of these experiences take place in our classroom "Listening Center."  We change the materials at this center on a regular basis. So far at this center children have listened to CDs with lyrical music (Raffi), familiar circle time stories on CD, and presently Nursery Rhymes. 

We attempt to encourage children to visit the listening center by making it a comfortable, engaging area where they can independently use a CD player, headsets, and a variety of recorded materials. Through songs, poems and stories, children identify and differentiate between familiar or similar sounds, rhyming words, letter sounds, and speech patterns. They can also follow along to the oral story with a printed copy of the book.

Children's vocabulary, comprehension and critical thinking skills also get a boost from visiting this center. Listening experiences stimulate kids to express their own reactions in various ways, including verbal discussion, art, drama or stories of their own. Through these activities, children relate what they hear to their own experiences.

You can extend on this learning at home or during car trips. Try to encourage your child to identify particular sounds coming from the the outside world (e.g., traffic, animals, weather). Point out the differences in pieces of music. Play games with words by finding rhyming words or words that begin with the same sound. Visit the Amherstburg Library's books on CD and tape section and encourage your child to listen to stories on long car rides.