Hats: Choral Speaking in Primary Education

Henk van Oort

Henk van Oort trained as a primary teacher before taking a Masters Degree in English at the University of Amsterdam. His forty years' teaching comprises work as general teacher, teacher of English and headmaster. He is also a teacher trainer on the PILGRIMS summer courses at Canterbury, England. He recently wrote 'Challenging Children' with DELTA in which he published 100 activities for the English lesson in the primary classroom. E-mail: vanoort-breman@quicknet.nl

Age Group: 8 - 12

Preparation:

Divide your class into seven groups according to the seven days of the week. Each group makes a hat according to the text below either in the handicraft lessons or at home.

Procedure:

1. Ask your pupils to stand up.
2. No text is to be seen. Introduce difficult words orally only: they repeat the words after you have said them.
4. Only when you are content with their pronunciation you show them the full text.
5. Each group says the assigned text of the day in chorus. Only the last lines are said by the whole group.
Don't forget to explain the expression My hat! expressing utter amazement.

This activity will be a success on parents' nights and such occasions. Parents like to see their children being dressed up and speaking a foreign language.

Rationale

Choral speaking is a big help in foreign language teaching. Unknowingly pupils help each other by speaking aloud together. Memory functions are stimulated. The oral approach guarantees a correct pronunciation because there is no written image that might influence pronunciation. Fun for all.

HATS

I have got a hat
I have got a Sunday hat
A hat with ribbons
Ribbons all around my Sunday hat.

I have got a hat
I have got a Monday hat
A hat with flowers
Flowers all around my Monday hat.

I have got a hat
I have got a Tuesday hat
A hat with feathers
Feathers all around my Tuesday hat.

I have got a hat
I have got a Wednesday hat
A hat with leaves
Leaves all around my Wednesday hat.

I have got a hat
I have got a Thursday hat
A hat with pearls
Pearls all around my Thursday hat.

I have got a hat
I have got a Friday hat
A hat with rings
Rings all around my Friday hat.

I have got a hat
I have got a Saturday hat
A hat with stars
Stars all around my Saturday hat.

All:

Hats, hats, hats
A hat for every day
Hats, hats, hats,
Hats are here to stay

My hat!!!!!!

Please check the Methodology and Language for Primary Teachers course at Pilgrims website.