Teaching action verbs to children can sometimes be a hurdle, and the challenge often intensifies when working with children with autism or young kids still building their vocabulary. Conventional teaching methods might not always hit the mark, as our little ones may find it tough to grasp abstract concepts or draw connections between actions and words.
As a mother of a non-verbal child on the autism spectrum, I’ve discovered that certain strategies not only work wonders with my son but can also be equally effective for all children, including those in their early learning stages or English Language Learners (ELLs). Today, I would like to share five of these dynamic strategies that are both practical and beneficial for teaching action verbs to a wide range of students.
Integrate Real-life Activities
Children often learn best through doing. Encourage your child to learn action verbs through everyday activities like cooking, cleaning, or playing. Say the verb aloud as your child performs an action, reinforcing the link between the word and the action.
Use Role-Play Games
Role-play games offer a fun and effective way to teach action verbs. Act out scenarios involving specific verbs, and then ask your child to perform the action. Pairing learning with play can make the process more enjoyable and impactful.
Introduce Action Songs
Music can be a powerful learning tool. Songs incorporating action verbs can help children connect them with their meanings. As your child enjoys the rhythm and melody, they’ll also learn new vocabulary! Truthfully, this tip ranks highest on my favorites list, and it’s the one that elicits an incredible response from my son. Here are our favorites:
“If You’re Happy And You Know It” is a classic that naturally brings joy to my child’s face. It introduces action verbs such as “clap”, “stomp”, and “shout” in the most entertaining way, allowing children to link verbs with their meanings experientially.
Next, we have “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”, a delightful tune that not only introduces action verbs like “touch” and “point” but also aids in learning about different body parts. It’s a two-in-one educational treat that never fails to engage.
Lastly, “The Wheels on the Bus” is an excellent choice to familiarize children with actions like “go round and round” or “open and shut”. The repetition and the catchy rhythm in this song make it easy for children to remember these verbs.
Read Together
Books are invaluable resources for teaching language. Choose children’s books featuring action verbs and read them with your child. Pause to explain the verbs as they come up and consider acting them out together for added comprehension. Let me share with you two cherished books in our home that have been instrumental in teaching action verbs to my son:
“Nothing-to-Do Puppy” by Cyndy Szekeres In this delightful tale, a lively puppy is constantly on the go, performing various actions throughout his day. This not only makes it a captivating read but also provides a wonderful opportunity to introduce and reinforce a variety of action verbs.
“Move!” by Robin Page: This book explores various animals and the unique movements they perform, effectively expanding your child’s action verb vocabulary. The vibrant illustrations are a perfect complement to the text, reinforcing the connection between action words and the depicted actions.
Utilize Interactive Digital Tools like Boom Cards
Seeing how positively our children respond to visual aids, I was inspired to create a unique set of Boom Cards, focused on teaching action verbs. These digital task cards bring together vibrant photos, animated GIFs, and audio prompts, fostering a rich, interactive learning experience.
In each card, the child is asked to identify what the person in the photo is doing. Then, they choose the correct animated image that matches the action. The animations truly appeal to children, while the feedback from educators has been nothing short of positive.
One educator, Billie H., enthused, “These are amazing! The audio lets my youngest learners practice this independently, the animation makes them so engaging and fun, and I work on verbs pretty much every day”.
Should you be interested in delving deeper into the world of Boom Cards, I’ve detailed in an earlier post how they have been transformative for our family.
These strategies can make teaching action verbs to children with autism simpler and more enjoyable. In turn, they help foster more effective communication and a greater sense of independence in our children.
Sharing our experiences can make a significant difference as we navigate this journey. I hope you find these methods as helpful as I have, and if you have other techniques that work well, I’d love to hear about them.
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