Mind the gap and get writing

Mind the gap : punctuation prompts

This activity is to encourage the children to write messages that they already know in the target language....

e.g a question , a statement , a command  or a spoken response

Before attempting the task the children need to be secure in their knowledge of spoken phrases.

You could try the activity at first with Y4 toward the end of the year of learning or Y5 and Y6 based on their knowledge of personal information questions and answers .

Children in the activity are being encouraged to show us what they can write rather than penalised for not knowing the correct phrase .

Just what can the children recall and attempt to write in the target language

At the start of the academic year in Y4 give children, working with a partner, strips of paper which just contain target language punctuation and an appropriate  gap for the missing words e.g.

• target language question marks
• exclamation marks
• target language speech marks
• a full stop
• a comma and a full stop

Here’s a Spanish example

¿........................................................................?

Increase the challenge 

Expect the children as they progress through Y4 and in to Y5 to work individually on an activity like this .

Give out two mind the gap challenges - so that children need to think of a question and an appropriate response

Increase this to four or five mind the gap strips and encourage the children to create a short written dialogue/ role play or conversation

You can differentiate the task by providing some children with a mind the gap text. 

An AfL Transition Opportunity 

This is an activity which could be used for simple AfL at the start of the Y7 academic year , especially if it's an activity the children have grow used to in UKS2 . Teachers can see what the children can recall , create and write.