Classroom Commands for ESL

The classroom commands flashcards have been a best seller in the TPT store. Use them to relieve your stress by having to translate. Don't be overwhelmed.Here is a link to the resource to improve your classroom communication. Useful for school counselors.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Commands-Flashcards-1816475

On the first day of class students learn the vocabulary related to inside classroom actions. Make it easy for them to understand and respond to the commands. The ability to follow directions requires daily practice.

Use the commands in class as often as you can. Using the word and picture flashcard will help students focus with all the directions given in English and help you not to translate. Most of the time students don´t know what to do when you give a command, the visuals guide the students to complete the action. 

   Watch the video of the complete resource and check all the flashcards:

School Counselors can help English Learners by incorporating the flashcards as visuals for the students of all languages that need an extra aid to adapt to the new language, if it is in an English Language Speaking Country or at an English language school. Help your students connect to the classroom environment in an easy way. The learners will engage into the activities as they will understand what has be done,no matter their age. 

Language is a communication tool!

Here are the Classroom Commands flashcards!

This set is for the younger learners. The cards come in the letter size for in a classroom setting and small cards, four in one page, for distance teaching. Many teachers display them as rules for their students.

 

This  set is thinking of the older students and the clip art that I used is different. It comes in the letter size, one in each page and then a smaller size for distance learning,four in one page. Perfect to use for your classroom management and get better at your classroom expectations.

A video with all the flashcards!

 The cards come in handy for the start of the school year to introduce students to the language to communicate with you online or not. School sucess will start if your students can follow directions in class.

Here are 4 activities for you. 

 Activity 1. Miming.Give instructions to the class and have them mime the command.  Start with the listen flashcard. The students can touch their ear as they say listen! There are a lot more flashcards that you can use for miming.

Activity 2. Simon Says. I am sure that you know the famous game. Play it using the flashcards if you need to.

Activity 3. Scrambled words on the board. If you are doing distance teaching use a small board and write a command in a jumbled order and have the students unscramble it and write it down on a piece of paper and show it to you or shout the command. Then show the flashcard to confirm or not the answer.  

Teacher: aeeprt

Activity 4. The robot. This is another famous game. Each student will be a robot that will follow the command given by you or a student. They can’t speak, just follow the command. After you say the command word, wait a few seconds and show the flashcard so the students that didn’t understand can do the command action.

CREATE puppets for easy directions to your class.

You can cut the picture and the word and glue it onto a craft stick.

You can make smaller puppets using the smaller set of commands flashcards for ESOL.

The use of this functional language should be clear, specific, and in a positive manner as in the flashcards starting with a verb. Students will do a physical response to the action.

Teacher: Sit down.

I created a set of commands symbols to represent the imperatives (included in the file). You can also put them on the board when you need them. Give orders by pointing to the symbol card. There are a lot more for your classroom instructions.

Don´t use questions in a commandclassroom imperative, it can be thought as a request, like whether you can do it or not.

Teacher: Can you please write your name ?  

The correct form is: Please, write your name.

Use short phrases in an imperative form, as your lessons continue, add new words to the command verb. Repeat until your children are familiar with all these new words.

Teacher: Listen to me.

         Write with your pen.

Grab student´s attention before each command. I use shakers or any noisy object , that will indicate the class that an instruction will come. Also, vary the volume and pitch of your voice. Use gestures and body language. Establish eye contact with the students when giving an order.

After giving the instruction, take the time to pause, wait, give the students the opportunity to comply, don´t threaten them. Stand close to the students when giving a command. Use some student´s name when giving a command. Be polite and respectful.

Teacher: Roberto, be quiet, please.

Don´t use commands as criticism.  Teacher: Mary, didn´t you listen ?  say: Mary, please listen .Touch her ear or show her the listen symbol.

Give the commands one at a time. Repeat maybe once, but not a series of 5 times each command. Even more when working with the youngest learners.  Always praise the students for complying to all the commands.

Teacher: Please ,sit down. (pause)  Thank you, class.

             Take out your book. (pause) ( Ok, very good)

           Open your book on page 12. (pause) ( Great, we are ready)

Too many and unnecessary commands are annoying . Think if you are giving commands that are not contributing to the lesson.

Don´t use STOP commands, such as:

Teacher: Stop coloring. Don´t  color. All commands should be positive.

The stop sign is mainly for games, and used with the Go sign.

 Collocations are words that can work together. It´s a combination of a verb and a noun. Give examples and have students make more collocations with all the other flashcards.

Teacher: Look at the board.

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Father’s Day Printable Resources 2020

I know that many countries will celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday. But many others have different dates. Anyway, here is the free resource for this Holiday. It can be done with preschool children or with the older ones. 

For the tie and the medal add a pin behind each one using tape.                                        

For the bookmarks add yarn.

Here is the FREE link to the resource! and Happy Father's Day.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fathers-Day-Printable-Resources-5685437

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Simple Present Tense and the Days of the Week

Find the Simple Present Tense and Days of the Week ESL Activities for Elementary ELLs resource here:    https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Simple-Present-Tense-and-the-Days-of-the-Week-5573405 and save time by just printing and you are ready to go. This blog post provides suggestions to create effective learning of the unit.

Teaching the simple present tense alongside the days of the week provides meaningful opportunities for elementary English language learners to practice grammar in context. This post shares practical activities using flashcards, worksheets, games, and a printable book to help students build sentences and communicate daily routines confidently.

 Days of the Week

Students review days of the week using cards in different sizes to activate prior knowledge and prepare for sentence building.

Verb flashcards are used to introduce routine actions and provide visual support for grammar learning.

The teacher combines day and verb cards to model sentences such as “Tom cooks on Monday,” demonstrating grammar in context. 

Introduce each verb flashcard and place it under a day of the week and say a sentence.  

     Teacher: Tom cooks on Monday.  Or  Teacher: Tom cooks on Mondays.

I want to state that checking on several book series there are both ways, use the one that suits your curriculum.

Write or circle the letter S of the verb. Write in a different color the word ON.  Have the students try to say a sentence for each day of the week.

VIDEO Sentence building with days and verbs ESL activity:

Combining time expressions with verbs helps learners understand grammar as a communicative tool rather than isolated rules.

Third person singular S

A visual “S” prop helps students notice and remember the third-person verb ending during sentence practice. 

I made a letter S on a stick. I cut the biggest “S” I found in an old magazine a glued it onto a craft stick. Use it to introduce or to remind students to use the 3^rd person singular S.

Small card activities

Smaller cards allow flexible practice in centers, small groups, and distance learning contexts. 

Manipulating cards and building sentences visually supports comprehension and encourages oral production in beginner learners.

I am making the cards a little smaller for you to use for distance learning and on a small board. 

I glued a craft stick behind each one.

Here a video on how to use them to teach online.

Worksheet practice

Worksheets provide structured opportunities for reinforcement and can be used for independent work or fast finishers. 

They will become handy for fast finishers.

  

 

Printable book

The printable book integrates reading with vocabulary and days of the week, allowing students to glue images and build comprehension. 

A printable book for Simple present and the days of the week  

There is a small text on each page and there are  pictures and days of the week to glue on the correct page. Take a look at the video. 

Simple Present Tense Puzzle extension

Sentence puzzles encourage collaborative practice and creative sentence construction while reinforcing grammar patterns.

 Many students don’t even know how to relate with puzzle. This is an opportunity to create some puzzles. I added a blank puzzle for students to create their own puzzles to exchange with other students.

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Town, Community Helper and Transportation for ESL Part 2

Here is the link to the complete product:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Town-and-Community-Helpers-plus-transportation-themes-for-the-ESL-learner-3735921

 This is the blog post for part 1.

https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2018/03/town-and-community-helpers-plus.html    Either go to the post or watch the video:

                 I added a board game. I printed it on a letter size paper. 

                                           Watch the video.

All the town items are in a road circuit. This game will not need a die. Each student will pick a transportation marker, which I taped an opened clip behind the card. The first student picks a card from the pile and reads the questions. Then, moves the transportation marker to the town place and puts the card on it. If the student knows the answer can place the card, if not, that student can’t place the card. The winner is the student that places the most cards on the road. Watch the video:

                                         

 A teacher that bought this product said that the cards were too small. I appreciate when teachers say something to improve. I made the cards a little bigger and they work well for sorting.  The cards can be used for distance teaching by placing a craft stick behind each one and turned into flashcards. The actual flashcards that come in the product are classroom size.

It can be sorted on a table or use the pocket chart. Have the students make sentences.

Teacher: The zoo keepers are at the zoo. They have a jeep.

Just 4 Worksheets for sorting the town places, the community helpers or jobs and transportation. 

First, have the students color the worksheets as you dictate each one, or even better have the students dictate how to color each one. Then, students write the word for each item in all the worksheets.

Teacher: The post office is purple.

Have the students cut all the cards from the worksheets. There are many things that you can do with them. I just thought of sorting.

Students can write sentences on their notebooks.

 

All the community helpers resources have been bundled.                 Check them out here.   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Community-Helpers-Unit-for-ESL-BUNDLE-6415647

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