Learning classroom vocabulary
The students will learn how to sign the names of familiar classroom objects.
Play Clip 7.1a: Things in the classroom. Tell the students to watch the presenters signing each vocabulary item.
Replay the clip and have them sign along with the presenters. Point out that DVD signifies both the disk player and the disk and that you express "DVD" with fingerspelling. If you are talking about putting a DVD into the DVD player, you fingerspell DVD and then add a movement that indicates putting one into a player. Play clip 7.1a again to illustrate this point.
Hand out Worksheet 7.1: Classroom vocabulary as a reference sheet for the students.
Make a set of large flashcards from Worksheet 7.2. Show these to the class one by one and have the students respond by signing correctly.
Group task
Make sets of small cards using worksheet 7.2 as a template, enough for one set per group. The students place the cards face up on the desk. They take turns to point to a vocabulary item and ask another student in the group to respond by signing the name of the item.
Give the groups time to practise this task. Then begin the task again. This time, if a student cannot sign the item by the count of five, the others sign the name of the item, and when the student repeats it correctly, the others earn a point.
In groups and using the same set of cards, the students place each card face down on a desk. They take turns to turn over a card and sign to another student "WHAT SIGN IX-loc (point to card)?". The designated student signs the name of the item, for example, "IX-loc DVD".
Finally, speed up the task so that your students can build their fluency, linking the signs to the items naturally and automatically without having to stop and think about it for too long.
Recalling previous learning
For recall of vocabulary and expressions, they have learnt in previous units and to find out what’s happening in the story, have the students view Scene J – On board. Find out what meaning they make of the scene. As usual, play the scene several times and use the Scene J transcript to help you lead the discussion.
Are you finding that your students read NZSL more easily now? Or do they need many more opportunities to view the scenes? If so, find ways to incorporate more viewing time into your NZSL lessons.
