WORDS IN MIND

Module

Language Knowledge

Unit

Grammar in Context

Key Stage Targets

To develop an ever-improving capability to use English

-  to obtain and provide objects and information in classroom situations and through activities such as interactive games and simple open-ended role-play (I.D. e)

-  to interpret and use given information through processes or activities such as describing, explaining and to follow instructions (K.D. b)

-  to respond to characters and events in imaginative and other narrative texts through written means such as participating in dramatic activities (E.D.b)

Programme Outline

This programme aims to raise pupils’ awareness on the usage of four particular parts of speech in English, namely nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.

In a TV show entitled, “Words In Mind”, David and Mininda, the host and hostess, introduce two special guests to the audience. The first guest is Mr Nelson Noun, a magician. As his surname suggests, he likes to collect things. In the show, he tells us what kinds of things he likes to collect and demonstrates how he can read people’s words in their minds.

The second guest is Miss Veronica Verb. As a member of the verb family, she always moves around. In the show, we see her vitality and energy and how she keeps herself busy and active. She also shows us how different verb forms are used to describe past, present and future actions.

We also learn about the use of adjectives in an advertisement, “Nancy’s Lost and Found”. Nancy shows us how the use of vivid and explicit adjectives adds colour and interest to the things we describe.

Finally, we see how the use of adverbs adds feeling and detail to the actions we describe.

Communicative Functions

  1. Draw attention to people and things and describe them briefly
  2. Give a simple account of things that have happened and things that people did in the past
  3. Describe the manner and frequency with which people carry out actions and the purposes and results of these actions
  4. Talk about future events

Suggested Activities

1.  Before watching the programme, teachers can write a random list of words on the blackboard. The words should include some nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Ask pupils to read the words on the blackboard and identify and group the words with the same parts of speech together.

2.  Teachers can explain to pupils that nouns are labeller of things like objects, animals or persons; adjectives are used to add more colour, interest and information to nouns; verbs are words that tell actions and adverbs are used to add more feeling and colour to the actions described.

3.  Briefly introduce the programme outline to the class. Ask pupils to write down on a piece of paper some examples of nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs mentioned in the programme.

4.  Make sure that pupils have Copymaster 1 and 2 before viewing the programme. In Part 1, they have to read David and Mininda’s descriptions and write down the name of the objects.

Answers: 1. A hamburger; 2. A laptop computer

5.  In Part 2, pupils need to listen to a description of the dog mentioned in the segment, “Nancy’s Lost and Found”. Teachers may repeat the segment to enable pupils to tick the correct answers.

Answers: 1. old; 2. plump; 3. black and white and spotted

6.  In Part 3, pupils need to listen to the interview of Miss Veronica Verb in the programme carefully and fill in the blanks concerning her activities. Teachers need to draw pupils’ attention to the form of the verbs. For example, the use of past form to describe past actions and future form for future actions.

Answers: 1. did, jogged, rode 2. danced/perfomed a dance 3. will play, will go

swimming/will swim

7.  To arouse pupils’ interest in the use of adverbs, teachers can play an Adverb Game. They can ask the pupils to sit in a circle. One pupil leaves the classroom, while those left behind choose an adverb (e.g. slowly). When the pupil outside returns, she has to observe how the others perform actions in the manner of the adverb and guess the adverb. Pupils can take turns to guess the answer.

Copymaster 1

Words In Mind

Part 1 Nelson Noun’s Magic

What magic does Nelson Noun perform? What does he give to David and Mininda?

  1. Read Mininda’s description:

It’s made of two round pieces of bread.

It’s got some beef in the middle.

And I like it with onions and pickles.

What does Nelson give to Mininda? ______

  1. Here’s David’s description:

Its shape is like a rectangle.

When I open it, I see a monitor.

I can type words on it.

It’s sometimes black or grey.

What does Nelson give to David? ______

Copymaster 2

Words In Mind

Part 2 Nancy’s Lost and Found

What does the dog that Nancy found look like?

Read the following carefully and tick (  ) the correct answer.

1.  / The dog is /  old
 young .
2.  / The dog is /  thin
 bony
 plump
 fat .
3.  / The colour of the dog is
 black and brown and spotted
 black and white and spotted
 black and white and striped .
Part 3 Interview with Miss Veronica Verb

What does Veronica Verb do to keep herself fit?

1. / What did Miss Verb do before the show in the morning?
She ______some exercise, ______in the park and ______her bicycle.
2. / What did Miss Verb do in the show?
She ______.
3. / What will she do after the show?
She ______tennis and ______.


Copymaster 3

Words In Mind

Song: Words In Mind

Words in mind

Words in mind

What are the words in your mind?

Say the nouns and the verbs

Add the adjectives or adverbs

Think them twice

Say them right

Tell your people your

Words in mind

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