How to teach remotely using Cambridge Little Steps

How to teach remotely with

Teaching and learning online is probably new for you and your students. These are challenging times, but it is important that your students keep up their English and feel secure that life is going on as normal. So, focus on making the online experience fun for all of you and even though you cannot see the children, make sure you encourage, praise and reassure them during the online lessons. If possible, contact the parents and explain how you will be running the lessons and how they can help. This is particularly important for children at this age, who may be easily distracted and even confused by this new way of learning. Set up a way of communicating with parents/carers and explain what you would like the children to do between classes.

Get the students to practice good learning habits by asking them to prepare their learning space – have their books, colored pencils etc. ready before they start and stress how important it is that they do their ‘homework’. And make sure they have been to the toilet before the class, as you won’t necessarily know if they pop out.

Here are some suggestions for how you could use the units in the Cambridge Little Steps coursebooks and materials to support your online classes.

The link below takes you to the teaching resources. You can download and share these links with your students. They include links to all the audio and video files in the coursebook lessons: www.cambridge.org/littlesteps The suggestions below are based on a combination of: click here

> live lessons online > ideas for homework and self-access study While we normally try to limit the use of L1 in the classroom, there will be times when clarifying key words may be helpful to make sure all the students are clear about meaning. Don’t be tempted to use lots of L1, though. Use it only when you know that your students will benefit from the extra support. Try to make the using of English part of the fun.

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Useful tools in live classes: SCREEN-SHARING: share Presentation Plus (if you have it), image files, audio files and short video files (bandwidth permitting).

G R E AT F O R : > giving instructions

> sharing stories and songs

> setting up tasks

> create your own ‘boardwork’ on screen – extra pictures, words etc to support the lesson (just as you would in the classroom).

> presenting grammar or vocabulary

If you don’t have this, hold your book up to the camera and point at sections of the page you are focusing on.

To find out more about how to conduct a live online lesson and make use of these functions in your online class, please follow this link: https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2020/03/16/using-video-conference-platformteaching-online/ click here

POSTING WORK: if your school has a website or blog, it would be good to create a space where classes can upload photos, videos, their work and share it. If your school doesn’t have this, it would be really great if you could create a blog for each of your classes.

You can also ask parents to email you student’s work, videos etc.

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A suggested structure for an online course following a mainly synchronous approach Teachers will find different ways of conducting these online courses. Timings may be different to the lessons children usually have. It is a good idea to schedule at least 2 lessons a week, so that students get into a rhythm of learning. The lessons suggested below are designed for about 15 minutes in length, as practically, longer lessons online may be difficult to sustain. Short and frequent is much better at this age.

If you can see and hear your students, you will be able to see what they are doing, how much time it takes them and respond appropriately. If you cannot see or hear them, you should imagine how they will be responding, give sufficient time for them to follow your instructions and give praise and support. Use their names (all of them from time to time) to create the illusion that you are aware of them. It is a good idea to imagine them doing the lesson with you.

Some lessons are very hard to do online and can be left out. Once you are back in the classroom, you will catch up on these games and fun activities. You can ask students (via their parents/carers) to watch appropriate videos and stories on YouTube, BBC and British Council websites, as well as go over lessons and act the stories and dialogues out with their puppets instead.

Puppets It may be a nice idea to have your own puppet to help you give lessons. That puppet can be used as an example friend/member of the family and to demonstrate dialogues. Plus, it can help your students pay attention to the screen if he/she does or says funny/naughty things.

Ask children to make 2 puppets of their own, which they can use during classes to practice dialogues, songs, movements and lots more. They will be more likely to speak aloud in English if they are using different voices for their puppets. They can make more than two if they want.

Using different funny voices with the puppets helps students avoid repeating words and phrases with lack of inflection. If they are trying to be funny, they will be more focused on the meaning of what they say. Remember to model language as naturally as possible when you want students to repeat what you say.

Puppets can be made from the insides of toilet rolls, old socks, fabric or these are made from small wooden picnic spoons.

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Here is an example from Cambridge Little Steps, Level 2 To best prepare your students for an online lesson, ask them to > look at the previous lessons and test themselves on the vocabulary they have learnt recently by covering the written words with a small piece of paper and saying the word out loud (maybe someone at home like an older sibling can help). > Before a new unit, look through the pages and check if they know of the words already. > Make small flashcards of pictures of key vocabulary they can use during their lessons e.g. to raise or point to when you say them or to lift up when they hear them in a song or chant.

Tell them exactly what flashcards they will need beforehand.s they will need beforehand.

Use the activity books as you normally do. Most teachers set exercises from the Activity Books for homework. Make sure you go over these tasks the following lesson. If you can see the students on camera, ask them to hold up the pages they have worked on between lessons and congratulate them on work well done. If you can’t see them, ask parents/carers to send you photos of the work. If this is not possible, don’t worry about it, praise them for working at home and remind them what they need to be doing in L1, so that it is clear.

There are a number of tasks we do in class like drawing which will be best done by children on their own and not during the live online lesson. This program suggests what can be done by the children on their own. Make it clear to them when they should do this.

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Warmers: Why not start each lesson with a song or game (like Simon Says) that the students know well.

Encourage them to join in and have fun. This should get them into a positive mood before they start the main part of the lesson.

Throughout lessons use ways of ensuring students are paying attention and not drifting off because you aren’t there in person. You can use class management chants like: Eyes on the Door Feet on the Floor Hands behind your back And say no more And ‘shout-outs’, where you shout the first half of a phrase and the students have to shout back the second half. e.g.

Teacher

Students

Hocus Pocus!

Everybody focus!

All set!

You bet!

Oh me!

Oh my!

Chiko. Chiko!

Boom. Boom!

You can find lots more like this online e.g. Pinterest.

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What do we do at home?

Listen.

Say.

living room

Sing. dining room

kitchen

bedroom

bathroom Key Vocabulary: living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom

31

Tracks: 13 and 14

Lessons are based on a page of the Student’s Book, but of course, your lessons may be longer and you can choose which homework to set.

Lesson 1: Introduction.

1 2

Welcome the students and tell them they are excellent for joining in these online lessons and doing work on their own.

Online class

Introduce your puppet and ask children to introduce theirs to you.

Revision from previous lesson.

Online class

Ask children to play a game with you. Give instructions: Wash your hands. / Brush your teeth.

First do the actions with the students, then just give the instructions.

Congratulate them on doing a good job.

3 4

Walk around your home with your laptop (if possible or show room flashcards.)

Show each room and ask questions. e.g. This is my bathroom. What do I do here? Do I brush my teeth? Do I wash my face? Yes. Show page 31 of the Student’s Book on screen.

Ask ‘What do we do at home’ Pause for answers (if you can see and hear the children, respond).

If you can’t see/hear them, echo possible answers, e.g. ‘Yes, we eat in the dining room.’

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Online class

Online class

5

Tell children they will listen to a song and they will do actions to go with the words.

Online class

Model these.

Play the song again and encourage children to join in. Repeat.

6 7

Show students a picture or actual room, say this is my favorite room. e.g. the living room. Say ‘This my chair. This is the TV, I love watching TV etc.’ Independent work.

Ask children to draw their favorite room in the house.

They can practice talking about that room in English with their puppets.

Activity Book page 31.

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Online class

Story

What is the story about?

Listen.

Point.

Say.

A Fun Game

candy Let’s play Find Tabby!

door

This is the kitchen.

water

Key Vocabulary: candy, door, water, excited, washing dishes, singing, taking a shower, sleeping

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Key Language: What’s the story about? What can you see? Who are the characters?

Track: 15

Lesson 2: Story Part 1.

1 2 3

If you can see / hear the students, ask them to show you their pictures of their favorite room, one at a time and tell you something about it. If not, show them the picture of your favorite room and tell them about it.

Online class

Say the Story Time Chant (page 17) and encourage them to join in.

Online class

Display page 32.

Online class

Check the vocabulary – candy, door, water (using phonics cards or real objects).

Say the words clearly and ask students to repeat them.

Ask students to use their puppets to repeat the words using their funny voices.

Ask students what rooms they can see.

Point to each one and say the name of the room clearly. Ask them to repeat.

4

Play the first 2 scenes in track 15.

Ask students to follow the story and point to what they hear in the pictures.

Model this first.

Ask students to repeat what the children say after they hear the words on the track.

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Online class

5

Focus on phonics.

Ask students to listen to the words at the end of the audio or say them yourself, if possible showing a flashcard for each word.

Begin by getting students to listen to and then repeat the hard /k/ sound.

Then go through the words: c-c-c-c-candy. c-c-c-c-cat etc.

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10

Independent work.

Students practice the /k/ words with their puppets.

Set task from Activity Book 32.

Online class

Story

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How does the story help us answer our Big Question?

Listen.

Point.

Say. This is the bathroom.

This is the bedroom.

You found Tabby.

A candy for you and a candy for me!

Key Vocabulary: candy, door, water, excited, washing dishes, singing, taking a shower, sleeping Key Language: Where’s (Daddy)? (He)’s in the (kitchen). What’s (he) doing? (He’s washing dishes.)

Track: 15

Lesson 3: Story Part 2.

1

Show the flashcard of bathroom.

Online class

Ask students what do you do in the bathroom?

Wait for responses.

Do an action e.g. wash my hands and do the action at the same time. Ask students to say and do with you.

Do the same for bedroom.

2

Sing the Story Time Chant together.

Online class

Show page 32.

Review previous lesson: Ask if children remember what happened in the story.

Ask questions about the pictures e.g. are they in the bathroom?

3

Show page 33.

Ask what they see.

Point and ask e.g. is this the kitchen? No, it’s the bathroom.

Repeat the questions and answers. Ask students to repeat them.

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Online class

33

4

Students look at their books and follow the story with their finger.

Online class

Play the last 2 parts of track 15.

Pause after each scene and ask questions. e.g. where is mummy? Pause. She is in the shower.

Where is Tabby? In the bedroom.

Ask students to repeat.

5 6

Ask students to take their puppets. One is Sara and the other Tommy.

Play the whole track again and students speak along in character.

Independent study: Students practice the story with their puppets.

Students draw a picture of the rooms in their home showing family members doing different things. e.g. Daddy cooking in the kitchen.

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Online class

Values

3

Is it important to help at home?

Look.

Say.

Color.

Key Vocabulary: help, home, wash, set the table, watch TV Key Language: What’s (she) doing? (She)’s (setting the table). Is it important to help at home?

Lesson 5: Values.

1 2

Revise names of rooms using flashcards and/or giving clues e.g. you can mime an action like washing your hands or say ‘I wash my hands here’.

Online class

Ask students to look at page 35 / display it on screen.

Online class

Ask what are the children doing for each picture?

Pause for responses.

Then give the answer. Allow time to students to repeat.

3

Ask which pictures show helping at home.

Online class

Students color the frames of the pictures that show helping at home.

OR add more language practice by telling students which colors to use for each picture. i.e. Find the picture – she’s washing vegetables. Color the frame blue. Etc.

4 5 6

Tell students about your puppet – what they do to help at home. You can use the puppet to show laying the table in a funny way.

Ask if they help at home.

Remind students of their Clean Up Chant for helping in the classroom.

Sing the chant together.

Independent study.

Students draw a picture of how they help at home.

If possible, they share with the class or with you.

Activity Book, page 35.

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Online class

Online class

35

Vocabulary

Where in the house can you find these objects?

Listen.

Stick.

Trace.

bed

couch

shower lamp

fridge Key Vocabulary: shower, bed, couch, lamp, fridge.

36

Key Language: Where does the shower go? In the bathroom.

Track: 16

Lesson 6: Vocabulary.

1 2

Do the Hokey Pokey song and dance and encourage the students to join in at home.

Online class

Make sure they are clear about left / right / in / out.

Ask your puppet to help you with the words.

Online class

Say, show me a couch and the puppet shows the wrong one.

Ask the students if that’s the right picture.

Tell the puppet that the students say it’s wrong.

Let the puppet try again.

Make this as funny/silly as possible BUT make sure the right picture is matched to the words on page 36.

3

Ask students to look at page 36.

Show the page on screen.

Ask students which rooms they see, pointing to one at a time.

Pause and then say the word clearly.

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Online class

4

Ask students to find the stickers on page 137.

Online class

Tell them NOT to put the stickers on the page yet.

Go through each sticker one at a time showing it and asking e.g. ‘what is this?’ ‘it’s a shower.’ ‘where does it go?’ ‘in the bathroom’. Then stick it in the correct place.

You can use your puppet to ask the questions.

5 6

15

Play ‘guess the word’.

Use clues like – ‘I sleep in my ……’

Leave long pauses, where you encourage students to call out the right word then say e.g. ‘Well done, you are right. I sleep in my bed’.

Independent study.

Students to the task in Activity Book, page 36.

Ask them to draw a big picture of a house showing the different rooms: bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room etc. for the next lesson.

Online class

Language

3

Where does the shower go?

Look.

Say.

Match.

Key Vocabulary: shower, bed, couch, fridge, lamp, kitchen, living room, bathroom, bedroom, dining room Key Language: What’s this? A (bed). Where does it go? In the (bedroom). The (bed) goes in the (bedroom).

Lesson 7: Language.

1

Revise key language.

Online class

Using flashcards review the vocabulary: shower, bed, couch, fridge, lamp.

Ask students to get out their big pictures of a house.

Ask ‘where does the shower go?’

Pause. Then say yes, in the bathroom.

Ask them to show with their finger where the shower goes - in the bathroom.

Continue with the rest of the vocabulary.

2

Ask the students to look at page 37.

Online class

Point to the shower. Ask ‘where does this go?’

Draw a line to match with the bathroom.

Ask students to look carefully and draw the lines to match the object to the picture.

Ask and answer the questions with your puppet. Ask students to get their puppets and repeat the dialogues after you.

3

Tell the students you are going to tell them a story and they need to act it out using their puppet and the big picture they drew of the house.

Model with your picture and puppet e.g.

This is my friend, Puppet, he likes to cook eggs in the kitchen. He dances in the living room etc.

Encourage students to act out the story with their puppets.

If they can get a parent/carer to photograph them doing this, they can share with you and you can share next lesson with the whole class.

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Online class

37

4

Ask students to have their house picture and colored pens/pencils ready.

Do a picture dictation. e.g. There are 2 red lamps in the living room. Draw 2 red lamps in the living room.

Slowly go through items for each room.

Have a picture ready which you drew showing the objects correctly colored in each room, so students can compare with theirs.

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Independent study.

Students do Activity Book page 37.

Online class

Concept

Where’s Tickles?

Look.

Say.

Circle.

Key Vocabulary: in, on, under, bed, box, chair, robot, doll

38

Key Language: Where’s Tickles? Tickles is (under) the (bed).

Lesson 8: Concept.

1 2 3 4

Start with a song e.g. This is the way - from page 42.

Online class

Present the words: in, on, under. You can use your puppet or household objects for this.

Online class

e.g. Look Puppet is on the chair.

Ask students to get one of their puppets and follow your instructions. e.g. put your puppet on your head, under your chair, in your bag etc.

Display page 38.

Ask ‘Where is Tickles?’

Pause while students answer.

Say – ‘Yes, he’s under the bed’.

Continue with other objects in the picture.

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Online class

Online class

5

With your puppet model the Q&A dialogue:

Online class

e.g. ‘Where is the robot?’ / ‘It’s in the box.’ Use different funny voices for the two speakers.

Ask students to get both their puppets and practice the dialogues by repeating after you.

6

TPR. Tell your students they are robots and they have to follow your instructions.

Tell them to stand up, sit on the chair, sit under the table etc.

Allow plenty of time for them to do and return to screen.

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Independent study.

Activity Book page 38.

Online class

Vocabulary

3

What do they do at home?

Listen.

Say.

Color.

cook

sweep the oor

set the table

watch TV

make the bed

Key Vocabulary: make the bed, sweep the oor, set the table, watch TV, cook

39

Key Language: What does (he) do at home? (He cooks).

Track: 17

Lesson 9: Vocabulary.

1 2

Sing a song that students know with them.

Online class

Ask students to look at page 39.

Online class

Point at each picture and say what the people are doing.

He cooks / she sweeps etc.

Ask students to listen and repeat.

Now ask students to get one of their puppets to listen and repeat.

3 4 5

Play track 17.

Ask students to listen and point at the correct pictures.

Play the track again and this time students repeat the phrases.

Ask students to trace the words.

Online class

TPR.

Online class

Ask students to do the actions as you say them e.g. make the bed.

Pause after you say the phrase, then do the actions yourself.

Ask students to use their puppets; one gives the instruction, the other does the action.

6

Independent study.

Ask students to draw a picture of themselves (or their puppet) doing one of these activities at home.

Activity Book page 39.

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Online class

Language

What is the family doing?

Look.

Follow.

Say.

Key Vocabulary: mother, grandmother, father, grandfather, brother, sister, make the bed, cook, watch TV, set the table, sweep the floor

40

Key Language: Who’s this? What’s (she) doing? (She’s sweeping.) The father’s cooking. The mother’s making the bed.

Lesson 10: Language.

1 2 3 4

Play Simon says, recycling the language in this unit.

Online class

Revise vocabulary for family members using flashcards and/or the pictures on page 40.

Online class

Revise the actions from the previous lesson using the pictures on page 40.

Online class

Focus on the action and the target structure – he’s/she’s cooking.

Ask students to repeat the phrases after you.

Ask students to look at page 40.

Online class

Model using your finger and start by pointing at the first picture.

Ask – ‘Who is this?’ pause. ‘Yes, it’s father or daddy’.

Show your finger following the line and arriving at the picture of cooking.

Ask ‘What is daddy doing?’ Pause. Say ‘Daddy is cooking’.

Do the rest of the family together slowly.

Ask students to repeat the activity on their own using a puppet.

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Play a game.

Explain that you are going to ask children to do different activities and they do them until you say FREEZE, when they must stop as still as a statue.

Independent study.

Activity Book page 40.

Online class

Oracy

3

Where are Mia and Leo?

Listen.

Match.

Say.

Key Language: Where are you? I’m here! Where’s (Leo)? (He’s) in the (living room). (He’s) under the (bed).

41

Track: 18

Lesson 11: Oracy.

1 2 3

Sing a song the students know together. Do actions that go with the song and encourage students to copy you.

Online class

Use flashcards to revise vocabulary used so far in this unit.

Online class

Using your puppet, practice vocabulary: tired, hungry, dirty, sick.

Online class

You could tell a little story using pictures to support meaning: Puppety walked a long way in the sun. He is very tired. ZZZZ make snoring noises. etc.

Now tell the story again and make suggestions. Puppety is hungry. Puppety, eat a sandwich. Puppety is dirty. Puppety, take a shower.

Repeat everything slowly, but naturally and ask students to repeat.

Ask students to practice this language again with their puppets.

4

Ask students to look at page 41.

Point at each picture and ask students what they see. Pause and then say e.g. Leo is under the bed.

Play track 18.

Pause after each question and ask students to repeat.

Play the whole track again and ask students to repeat.

Play the track again and this time students use their puppets to repeat the dialogue using their voices.

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Online class

5

Model your puppet playing hide and seek in the room you are in.

Hide the puppet so the students don’t see where it is.

Say, Puppety, Puppety where are you?

Is she under my chair?

Make sure your camera shows under your chair and that the puppet is not there.

Is she in my bag?

Do this 5 or 6 times and then finally ‘find’ Puppety.

Ask students to play this game with their puppets.

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Independent study.

Students play the ‘Where are you?’ game with their puppets again Activity Book page 41.

Online class

Numeracy

3

How many shapes can you see?

Say.

Count.

Color.

C

13

14

15

Key Vocabulary: numbers 1–12, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen

43

Key Language: How many (stars) can you see? Let’s count.

Lesson 13: Numeracy.

1 2

Revise numbers 1-12 using pictures, things around you

Online class

Ensure students are focused on meaning and you model the words clearly and allow for plenty of repetition.

Ask students to shout out what number comes next when you ring a bell or say ‘GO’.

Online class

e.g. one, two GO! Nine, eight, seven GO!

3 4

Sing and act out the song ‘Ten in the Bed’.

Model the first verse, turning round and falling at the end of it.

Then ask students to sing along and do the actions.

Ask students to look at page 43.

Point at the bed.

Ask students ‘How many stars can you see?’

Point and count them together.

Ask children to color the stars carefully while repeating the word ‘thirteen’.

Do it with them.

Do the same for the couch and the fridge.

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Online class

Online class

5

Show one hand. Ask ‘How many fingers do you have?’

Show me five fingers, show me two feet etc.

Model ‘show me … two hands’ and ask them to repeat.

Ask students to play this game with their puppets.

6

25

Independent study.

Ask students to make big pictures for the numbers 13, 14 and 15. You can send them outlines. If they can have some pasta shapes, seeds or cereal as well as glue, they can have some fun (maybe with a parent or older sibling helping out).

Online class

Project

Make.

Say.

What do we do at home?

1 2

Key Vocabulary: bedroom,

living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, shower, bed, couch, lamp, fridge,

3

4

cook, sweep the floor, set the table, watch TV, make the bed Key Language: Do you help

at home? What do you do at home? I’m here. I cook. (She)’s (cooking).

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Lesson 14: Project - OPTIONAL. You can explain, show and model this activity which students can then make in their own time and then play with their puppets.

Once a unit is finished, it would be nice to send each student a message congratulating them on working so hard online and saying you understand if it is difficult for them and you miss them, too.

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We hope you find these guidelines helpful.

In addition, you may find the further resources at cambridge.org/ littlesteps and also inside Cambridge One if you have access. click here

Another great source of songs and rhymes is Super Simple songs: https://supersimple.com/super-simple-songs/. click here

It features traditional songs and nursery rhymes that are easy to learn and help children practice vocabulary in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere.

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