“A place for everything….” But what are those places called?
Beginning Learners:
As you explore where things are kept, learn the words for the things and the places and location words, such as “in” or “on” as well as some verbs for putting things in storage and taking them out.
Possible vocabulary:
Places where things are kept, such as:
| Cupboard | Closet | Storeroom | Cabinet |
| Pantry | Basket | Box |
or whatever the places are called.
Things stored in each place, such as:
| Clothing | Dishes and kitchen utensils |
| Different kinds of food | Blankets |
Location words, such as:
| In | Into |
| On top of | Under |
Verbs:
| Put away | Put X in Y |
| Take out of… |
The actual vocabulary will vary with the culture and language. Take pictures of things in each storage compartment, and also the compartment. Use the Look and Listen and Do technique to learn the names of everything. Put things in boxes, take them out again and so forth.
Sample Activities:
Activity 1: The Language Helper (LH) says the name of each item and you point to it.
Activity 2: The LH says “The dishes are in the cupboard” You point to the picture of dishes in the cupboard.
Activity 3: The LH says “Where are the dishes?” You either point to the cupboard or say “in the cupboard.”
Intermediate Learners:
You take a picture of a container with various things in it, and ask the Language Helper (LH) to describe the picture in a short paragraph. It might sound something like this: “This is a picture of a cupboard. Inside the cupboard there are dishes and glasses and cups and saucers.” or “This is a picture of a shed. Inside the shed are bags of seed and gardening tools. There is also a bicycle.” You record the LH describing the picture. Ask about any words you don’t know. Afterwards you can listen to the recording and then try to describe some of the pictures yourself.
