I know many teachers are raking their brains trying to come up with activities to teach a language online. The most natural approach is question-answer on screen or worksheets to complete and submit. This is quick and easy but not so engaging for our kids. Here are a couple of suggestions/prompts. I added the possible topic addressed in parenthesis:
For lower levels: Ask the kids to MOVE!
· How many steps can you count from your bedroom to your kitchen? (numbers)
· How many toy cars do you have? (numbers)
· Send me a picture of your favorite toy. Can you describe it? (vocabulary/adjectives)
· Go outside, get some sticks and build a bridge for me. Send me a picture and describe it.
· Draw a picture of your favorite season and share it with me, etc.
· Search in your closet. How many red socks do you have? (colors/numbers)
For upper levels:
· Post a picture of your favorite clothes. Do a fashion show. (clothes)
· Cook and share a picture/video of it. Explain what you made. (food)
· What did you eat for breakfast today? Share a picture and tell me about it. (food)
· Make a video telling me about your daily routine (routines).
· Read a short story and report on it. (vocabulary)
These are just some examples. As you see, these are not too sophisticated. Yet, they encourage kids to go about in their environment and perform instead of being passive in front of a screen. They also embed topics and elements they pertain to the kids’ lives making learning more personal and relevant.
Can you share other ideas to get kids off the screen that work for you?