E A R T H S I D E
USEFUL TEACHING IDEAS FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS
Teach Something Meaningless
When Was the Last Time You Taught Some Really Good Nonsense to Your Class?
Letters and phonemes need to be combined in order to make word-meanings. As teachers we tend to want to teach these two skills at the same time, (1)the combining of sounds and (2)the meaningful words or sentences they combine to make.
Splitting the activities is often more effective, however, allowing children the time to immerse themselves in combinations of sounds before introducing actual words and sentences as the central teaching point. If a division is not observed, then the immersion in sound will be run over by the frantic haste to reach meaning. Most nursery rhymes and songs have little actual meaning and are simple word pictures; the emphasis is on rhyme, alliteration and, well, fun. They are, nonetheless, the backbone of literacy.
Song, rhyme and tongue twisters can be used to great effect. Tongue twisters are generally meaningless or absurd;
Silly scorpions ski incessantly
-and nonsense rhymes are a fun way for children to realize that mistakes are not bad, and that some make them intentionally;
…All mimsy were the borogoves
And the momeraths outgrabe…
(Carroll)
Teachers can easily and without fear make up words and sounds, rhymes and twisters for these purposes. Brainstorming made-up words within each combination of sounds can be a good way to get young children engaged without a fear of being wrong, which is a central concern for children of particular temperaments.
Some teachers will baulk at teaching ‘nonsense’ to their students. English, however, is full of nonsense. Our language is the historical equivalent of a massive car pile-up on the A13. It is, in a way, a language full of trickery and deceit, with almost as many exceptions as rules. Don’t be afraid of nonsense, just use it sensibly.
Earthside Education
http://www.earthsideeducation.com/
earthside.education[at]westnet.com.au
(+61) 0449 025167
Some teachers will baulk at teaching ‘nonsense’ to their students. English, however, is full of nonsense. Our language is the historical equivalent of a massive car pile-up on the A13. It is, in a way, a language full of trickery and deceit, with almost as many exceptions as rules. Don’t be afraid of nonsense, just use it sensibly.
Earthside Education
http://www.earthsideeducation.com/
earthside.education[at]westnet.com.au
(+61) 0449 025167
ES003© Sean David Burke 2010. Free to Copy as is.
Sean is the author of Lighting the Literacy Fire: Creative Ideas for Teachers and Parents
Earthside Blog Index
1. Get a Grip: Starting the Day with a Handshake
3. Teach Something Meaningless
5. The Teacher as a Sower of Seeds
8. A Succession of Memorable Experiences
9. Writing Verses for Your Class
