Learning Language Location: 1.0

• Indicator of Progress
• Teaching Strategies

Supporting materials

• Related Progression Points
• Developmental Overview of Space (PDF - 32Kb)

Indicator of Progress

Success depends on students being able to use everyday language of location confidently and accurately.

Students will pass through several stages in learning any vocabulary. Firstly they will understand words in a general way, then they will be able to use them when prompted (e.g. within a lesson) and only later will they use them in their own spontaneous language. In parallel, they will first understand the meaning in only a general sense, and it will become precise later. An important part of activities at this level is to make their understandings more precise.

See more about Learning Language Location

Illustration 1: Understanding language of actions or using it themselves?

Young students starting school should be able to follow instructions such as these

"Put your lunch on the table"
"Put your apple inside your lunchbox"
"Stand beside me"
"Stand between Samuel and Lisa"
"Put the teddy bear on the table under the umbrella".

Many students will be able to understand these instructions, but will not be able to describe verbally what they have done.

Other students will seem to be able to carry out instructions such as "Stand beside Lisa and Samuel" and "Stand between Lisa and Samuel", but will not understand the difference between these two. For example, asked to stand between, they may only go and stand near.

Illustration 2: Using language of location spontaneously

Students having achieved this will be able to look at pictures in books or photos, and describe them using the appropriate location language. For example in the first photo, I can see the cat in the box. This is simple language. But in the next picture the cat is in his bed on the mat on the floor. This is simple language but it is used in a compound way, so indicates a higher level of achievement. When this level is achieved, students can use more advanced location language (underneath etc.), and also use it in compound ways.

The cat is inside the box. The cat is underneath the lid of the box. I can see his right paw. His ears are in front of the lid.
The cat is in his bed on the mat on the floor. The cat is against the side of the bed. His collar is around his neck and between his head and his body.

 

Illustration 3

Examples of the types of tasks that would be illustrative of location concepts, aligned from the Mathematics Online Interview:

• Question II (a) – ‘First year of schooling detour’ - Place teddy beside, behind, in front of …

 

Teaching Strategies

Learning the language of location employs the following principles.

• Students’ location vocabulary is built gradually from their earlier known vocabulary, and new experiences.
• Teachers need to model new vocabulary.
• Students need multiple opportunities to use new words in structured situations.
• Teachers need to monitor that students can eventually use the new words spontaneously, in their own free language constructions.
• Checklists of target words and phrases are useful to make the most of opportunities for language development that arise in daily routines.
• Physical activities will generally be more appropriate than paper-based activities at this level.
• Careful observation is needed to see if students understand instructions precisely, rather than generally.

 

Activity 1: Simon says provides games to model new language and then to test students' understanding.
Activity 2: In the playground is a reminder that most learning about location will be in the context of physical movement.
Activity 3: Placing objects around the room provides experiences placing everyday objects in given locations. It provides opportunities for the teacher to model vocabulary, and for the students to use it themselves.
Activity 4: Describing the location of shapes provides experiences placing shapes then drawing and talking or writing about where the shapes are located.

 

Activity 1: Simon says …

This game focusses on modelling the language of location. Both versions of this game need to be played often to benefit language learning.

Simon says- This version models language of location.

• As the teacher performs an action, for example, places his/her hands on head, she/he says either "Simon says put your hands on your head" or "Put your hands on your head".
• If the teacher starts an instruction with the words "Simon says" students must replicate the action.
• If the instruction is not introduced with the words "Simon says" then students must not do the action and are eliminated from the game if they do it.

For example: "Simon says put your hands on your head" means that students must put their hands on their heads, otherwise they are out. But "Put your hands on your head" means students should not move, keeping their hands where they are. If they put their hands on their heads after this instruction they are out.

The teacher (or student leader) clearly demonstrates each action, whether Simon says or not, so that students have to listen for the "Simon says" cue, not just copy the teacher's actions. They will be caught out by just copying.

Simon only says- This version of "Simon says" tests language rather than modelling it.

The game is played in the same way, but the teacher (or student leader) does not do any of the actions. The students have to listen both for "Simon says" and for what the action is.
Instructions can be at many different levels of difficulty for example:

Easy: Put your hands on your head.
Harder: Put your hands behind your head.
Harder: Put your right hand behind your knee.

It is a good idea to make a checklist of target vocabulary before playing the games.

 

Activity 2: In the playground

Playing games and doing physical activities provides an excellent opportunity for developing the language of location. Again, make a checklist beforehand to ensure good coverage.

Examples:

• Crawl through the tunnel, crawl around the tunnel, crawl over the tunnel, crawl behind the tunnel, crawl across the tunnel.
• Stand next to, behind, alongside, near, to the left of, ... Play among the trees. Play between those trees.
• Get the beanbag that is second from the left. Get a beanbag that is not second from the left.

 

Activity 3: Placing objects around the room

Teacher asks students to place objects in certain places around the room using location language. For example: “Jack, put the red telephone behind the bookcase.” Once students can follow oral instructions, give them cards with the instructions written on them. For example, “Put a red block next to a blue block.” “Put Big Ted underneath the table.” "Put your photo above Ella's and to the right of James'."

• Include instructions that may be surprising, and cannot be guessed just from the context.
• Increase challenge by selecting less familiar words used by using compound combinations.
• Students could also draw pictures showing these locations.

Variation: Choose students to give the instructions to another student. Take note of the location words they use.

 

Activity 4: Describing the location of shapes

Ask students to select 2D shapes from a collection and place them according to given instructions. For example: “Place your red rectangle next to your blue rectangle.” Ask them to tell you all the ways this can occur.

 

Choose students to give the instructions to another student.

Students should be able to draw pictures of the locations of the shapes. Before students can write well, assessment of students' vocabulary must be oral, so take note of the location words that students use.