Teaching Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Through Drama

Just because there is a new grammar, punctuation and spelling test at the end of KS2 doesn't mean you need to rush for practice test papers. Teaching Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling is a creative solution to the new test. All children need to learn the rules of spelling, punctuation and grammar but they don't only have to be learned while sitting at a desk. For teachers who are tired of worksheets, exercises and reading schemes, this book offers a new approach to teaching literacy, through movement, speech and drama. There are over 70 clearly described and ready-to-use movement activities, covering each of the rules that children are expected to know and use in the SATs during Year 6. Pupils will gain a firm understanding of language through these innovative movement, speech and drama activities. Extensions and challenges enable the activities to be used and enjoyed throughout Key Stage 2. Through acting out parts of speech, letter strings and punctuation, children will internalize the language and absorb ideas, skills and understanding. They will be able to draw on this stored knowledge and use it wherever they need it in the future - when they are being tested - but, more importantly, in their own writing. The combination of visual, aural and kinaesthetic approaches means that the activities suit all types of learner and can be confidently used with both large and small groups. A wide range of ability levels, and even mixed ages, may be easily taught together and high achievers may be challenged alongside those receiving extra support. In addition to literacy understanding, pupils will also develop skills in problem solving, teamwork and social confidence. Suitable for use with all Key Stage 2 children, but particularly Years 5 and 6.

Table of Contents:
Introduction. GRAMMAR ACTIVITIES: Is that your name? (Proper nouns and common nouns); Tell me more (Adjectives that describe nouns); Which one? (Adjectives of order); As clever as that (Nouns and adjectives in similes); To do it together (Verbs - root forms); Now or later? (Verb tenses); Who will do it? (Active and passive verbs); Describe it to me (Adverbs of manner); When was that? (Adverbs of time); Where shall we go? (Adverbs of place); Constructing theories (Connectives/conjunctions - single words); All link up (Connectives/conjunctions - two or more words); Opposite ideas (Prefixes to change meaning); This way or that way? (Suffixes to change meaning); Different forms (Suffixes to change tense or type of word); Who's it? (Pronouns - to replace nouns); His or hers? (Pronouns - singular or plural and possessive); Combining words (Compound adjectives - using hyphens); Where are you now? (Prepositions - relative positions); Say it carefully (Word order - for meaning); Be my partner (Clauses that work alone but may be joined); Lift us out (Subordinate clauses); Excuse me (Degrees of formality - strangers, requests, complaints, occasions and events); Quite correct (Degrees of formality - school, books and essays); Familiarity (Degrees of formality - home, family and friends); Could you tell me? (Asking and answering questions); Do as I say (Giving orders and commands); Break it down (Using paragraphs). PUNCTUATION ACTIVITIES: Taller than some (Full stops and capital letters to make sentences); May I ask you? (Using question marks); How amazing! (Using exclamation marks); Find the links (Commas to divide clauses); Wait a moment (Commas to create pauses for reading aloud); Keep us apart (Commas to separate items within a list); Ready to speak? (Commas in complex sentences and speeches); That one's mine (Apostrophes to indicate possession); What's missing? (Apostrophes to indicate missing letters or words); And then - (Using an ellipsis); What did he say? (Inverted commas in speech and dialogue); Is that true? (Inverted commas used for effect); Make a report (Inverted commas used in exact reporting); What happened next? (Dashes); And also - (Brackets to enclose extra information); And by the way - (Brackets to add an aside); I'll tell you more (Brackets to give further explanation); On the other hand (Semi-colons to separate or balance contradictions); I don't think so (Semi-colons to separate or balance preferences or opinions); Is there a reason? (Semi-colons to separate or balance explanations or comparisons); A whole group (Colons before lists); Your turn (Colons before speeches or instructions). SPELLING ACTIVITIES: Begin to rhyme (Initial letters and rhymes); Make a pattern (Common spelling patterns); Spells of wizardry ('Magic e' words); Already happened (Adding 'ed' to regular words to make the past tense); Scare him off (Adding 'ed' to words ending in 'e'); Double time (Adding 'ed' and doubling consonants); Do it now (Adding 'ing' to regular verbs in the present tense); Swap with me (Adding 'ing' to words ending in 'e'); It takes two (Adding 'ing' and doubling consonants ); More of us (Regular plurals - adding 's' or 'es'); Yes, I'm coming (Irregular plurals - words ending in 'y'); Change the letter (Irregular plurals - words ending in 'f'); Leave me alone (Irregular plurals - words that stay the same); Mix up (Unusual plurals); End it now (Word endings - that sound the same and are often confused); How does it end? (Word endings - that can be hard to remember); Quietly does it (Silent letters as initials); Not a sound (Silent letters within words); Hide inside (Spelling longer words - by finding smaller words inside them); Put us together (Spelling longer words - by joining words together); What do you hear? (Homophones); Which way round? (Words containing 'ie' or 'ei'); Catch the beats (Syllables). Index of learning objectives.

About the Author :
Debbie is an early years, primary education and drama consultant.