As a foreign language, English is present in the lives of the little ones since they attend nursery school, where thanks to the teacher, they will have their first contact with this language. As they grow older, the hours of English study tend to increase. One of the favorite exercises that you can propose to children is English dictation for class 3 so they can be perfect when they grow up.
At an early age, in full neuronal development, synapses begin to form more quickly.
That is why it is said that boys and girls learn very quickly and it is a good time to learn a second language apart from the mother tongue since You will be able to learn both without any problem and favors your cognitive development.
Improving listening in English is essential for children to develop the ability to speak. Many theories recommend starting with a focus on reading and listening to the beginning levels. Thus, it improves vocabulary and recognition of structures and increases self-confidence to produce orally and in writing.
In the Curriculum Bases for the English language, the Chilean Ministry of Education stipulates that one of the objectives for children in primary education is to listen and demonstrate understanding of information about simple texts. For this, it is suggested that visual aids that adapted, clear dialogues are used with repetition of known words.
Doing dictations is one of the most used resources in Primary, not only to learn to write but also to set spelling rules. It is an exercise that has been in force for decades due to the good results of learning to write. If you think your child needs reinforcement in this area, you can use these 23 dictations for 7-year-olds.
What are the benefits of dictations for primary school children?
For children to obtain all the benefits of dictations, they must use texts according to their age and learning level. Therefore, it is preferable to work on short texts and let them evaluate the exercise themselves.
- Dictation helps children to set spelling rules.
- They allow the child to self-correct the exercise.
- The child becomes aware of his faults and discovers what he has to improve.
- It is an exercise that improves reading comprehension.
- Children acquire a greater vocabulary.
- Enhances the concentration and attention of the student.
- It is an easy exercise to perform, and that allows assessing the child’s writing level.
To help your child reinforce the skills and concepts the school develops, you can:
Strategies to improve listening in English
- A drawing with instructions for coloring
Print a card with a blank drawing, ready for your children to color it. Then, ask him to paint it by following the instructions you give him. For example: “Color the books on the table” (“Coloring books are on the table”). If you have doubts about the pronunciation of a word, you can always go to applications like Word Reference.
2. The question game
Read a text or play a short recording with speed and vocabulary appropriate for your child. Then, Think of questions to which the answer is “yes” or “no,” and begin asking them. To make your kid perfect in dictation then you should try to make him learn 3rd grade words and let him memorize them.
In addition to exercising listening skills, attention and concentration are reinforced. This strategy is ideal if your little one needs to study for a test in any school subject.
3. Dictation of drawings
This activity is good for spending time with the family and learning at the same time. It would be best if you started by giving each participant a blank sheet of paper and a pencil.
The next step is to start giving instructions, for example: “In the middle of the paper, there is a house.” Afterward, everyone’s drawings are compared to see who followed the directions appropriately.
4. Complete song lyrics
One of the most popular activities in English classes is receiving the lyrics to a song with blanks. Some words must be removed so that the listener can complete them.
The advantage of this exercise is that you can use your children’s favorite melodies and repeat them as many times as necessary. There are also applications, such as Lyrics Training, that have a database connected to YouTube. Other ways to improve listening in English without leaving home.
4. Description of characters
Give your children several pictures with people doing activities and wearing different outfits. Then, begin to describe one of them and state characteristics that allow them to be easily identified.
The children should associate the traits you mentioned with one of the illustrations. You can increase the difficulty level depending on the age and knowledge of English that the boys have. You can also use the SpellQuiz platform to make it easier for your kid to learn.
Conclusion: When you use these means to improve listening in English, you will not only help your child, but you will also strengthen your skills in a second language and remember concepts that you may have forgotten. With all these exercises you will soon see positive results in school performance.
