Aims/Objectives
Tasks which exemplify reading in Welsh as a Second Language L2 – L4 (KS2)
Ideas for activities to improve pupils’ language skills
The activities will promote pupils’ key skills – thinking, communication, number, ICT
To promote and develop pupils’ information skills and geographical understanding.
Contents
An English translation of the 6 books for teachers who have only a little Welsh
Vocabulary and incidental language phrases for use in presenting geography work
Ideas for activities to improve pupils’ language skills and scaffolds or templates for writing.
An introduction to the teachers’ guidelines
The guidelines include a number of activities to accompany the factual books. Some of the activities have been fully developed and accompanying frameworks/scaffolds are included in the document. There are also ideas for activities which may be developed by teachers and learners in the most appropriate ways for their particular needs.
On the whole, the activities correspond to the level of the books – e.g. Botswana – Level 2. More challenging activities are sometimes included so that pupils at higher levels are able to read and enjoy the books and respond to them at their own levels.
Level 2: Reading
Recognise simple and familiar words and phrases within their experience …. begin to show an interest in written material by reading a few passages …. show understanding of what they have read by responding to the content orally or non-verbally.
Level 3: Reading
Respond to simple texts which include an increasing range of words ….respond to factual material by referring to aspects they like.
Level 4: Reading
Show understanding of the main flow of paragraphs in familiar contexts …by recognising an increasing range of words and phrases and key facts …respond to the texts read by referring to significant details in the text.
Teachers may select the most relevant activities for them – they are not expected to undertake all the activities.
Please note: Making and using flash cards with the relevant vocabulary before reading the text (see the vocabulary at the back of the book) would help the pupils to better understand the text and would therefore help them to respond more freely.
Activities and Key Skills
Key Skills / Communication / Thinking / Number / ICTActivity 1 –
KWL grids / √ / √
Activity 2 –
QADS grids
Activity 3 –
Triangles / √
Activity 4 –
Venn diagram / √
Activity 5 –
Diamonds / √
Activity 6 –
Time (o’clock) / √
Activity 7 –
The time around the world / √ / √
Activity 8 –
Weather / √ / √ / √
Activity 9 –
Where is it? / √
Generic Activities
The following activities are relevant to all the reading books.
Activity 1
√ Before reading any of the books
KWL/KWHL grids
The following grids may be used to develop learners’ thinking skills and their understanding of the text. They enable both learners and teachers to examine prior learning. Before they read the book or as they look at the cover, learners may write/say in the first column what they know about the country, e.g. Lesotho. In the second column, learners may write/say what they would like to know about the country, e.g. Lesotho. When they have read the book, learners may write/say what they have learnt/know about the country, e.g. the weather in Lesotho.
Example of a KWL grid:
What do I Know? / What do I Want to know? / What have I Learnt?e.g. What do I know about Lesotho? / e.g. What is the weather like in Lesotho? / e.g. The weather is very hot in Lesotho.
Teachers may fill column ‘W’ with questions linked to the teaching objective, giving the learners an opportunity to choose further questions.
Example of a KWHL grid.
What do IKnow? / What do IWant to know? / How did I find out? / What have I Learnt?Activity 2
QADS grids
Like the KWL grids, QADS grids are a more focused tool for researching a particular question, e.g. a specific question on one of the books, e.g.
Question / Answer / Details / Source/Page?e.g. What kind of work do the people of Botswana do? / e.g. farming
basket making….. / e.g. looking after the sheep / Botswana book
Pictures and text
Page 18
Learners may be asked a question, or a series of questions (or invite them to write their own questions, e.g. Sut mae pobl yn teithio i Ffrainc? (How can we travel to France?). The activity allows the learners to look for possible answers. The learners must collate the information they gather and produce clear and concise answers. They may note any details which they feel add to their answer, or which they feel are of interest to the discussion, in the Details column. Finally, they must provide accurate details of their research sources so that other learners may use them.
Activity 3
Triangles
The learners place information and feelings on various parts of the triangle as shown. It provides an opportunity for the learners to link senses and emotions.
e.g. Imagine you are in New Zealand. What do you hear? How do you feel?
e.g.
Activity 4
Venn diagrams
Learners may use Venn diagrams to help them classify factors relating to a particular topic and to see relationships between these factors. Teachers may present the categories to the learners when working at very simple levels and progress to learners categorising with justification as experience increases. (e.g. level 2 – comparing two countries – similarities and differences, e.g. Botswana and France – comparing ways of travelling in the two countries/work/homes, etc).
Another variation is to identify each ‘circle’ and present an overarching problem and allow learners to research ideas and present their results using Venn diagrams. Are elephants a problem in Botswana? (one circle - yes (i.e. elephants are a problem) and the other circle (no – elephants are not a problem in Botswana) and the middle circle – not sure).
Example: Comparing Wales and Patagonia
Activity 5
Diamond Ranking
Learners may use ‘diamond ranking’ to express their opinion about a particular issue (e.g. What do I like about Botswana? What do I dislike about Botswana?) When they have read the book learners express their opinions using ‘diamond ranking’. This tool promotes discussion or reflection about the relative importance of a range of factors. Diamond ranking, as opposed to simple ranking, encourages a focus on the single most important – or the one you agree with most strongly – then the next two and the last one. Learners place them in a diamond shape as shown (Level 2) and then justifytheir decisions (Level 4).
9 Grid Diamond 16 Grid Diamond
e.e. problem eliffantod/ problem fawr
e.e. fy hoff beth am y wlad/ dw i’n casáu …
e.e. fy hoff anifail/gweithgaredd hamdden yn y wlad/ fy nhas beth am y wlad …
e.e. Pam mae pobl yn mynd ar wyliau i Paris? Prif reswm/ rheswm lleiaf..
[e.g. elephant problem / big problem
e.g. what I like most about the country / I hate …
e.g. my favourite animal/leisure activity in the country/ my least favourite animal, etc.
e.g. why do people go on holiday to Paris? Most important reason / least important reason.]
Activity 6
Diwrnod Ysgol / Faint o’r gloch?
[The School Day / What time?]
Use the book Botswana to discuss the school day for children in other countries. Extend this dicussion by asking the learners to compare the school day in Wales with the school day in Botswana.
Prompting questions….
Faint o’r gloch mae plant Botswana yn codi?
Pryd maen nhw’n mynd i’r ysgol?
Sawl awr maen nhw’n yr ysgol?
Beth maen nhw’n wneud ar ôl ysgol?
Pryd maen nhw’n mynd i’r gwely?
[What time do children in Botswana get up?
When do they go to school?
How many hours do they spend in school?
What do they do after school?
When do they go to bed?]
Diwrnod plentyn yn BotswanaGweithgaredd / Amser (o’r gloch)
Codi yn y bore
Mynd i’r ysgol
Diwrnod ysgol
Ar ôl ysgol
Mynd i’r gwely
Extending the task
Faint o’r gloch wyt ti’n codi?
Sawl awr wyt ti’n yr ysgol?
Beth wyt ti’n wneud amser hamdden?
Faint o’r gloch wyt ti’n mynd i’r gwely?
[What time do you get up?
How many hours do you spend in school?
What do you do in your leisure time?
What time do you go to bed?]
As they read the book learners may note their answers in a table. Learners may compare the school life of a child in Botswana with that of a child in Wales, adding an extra column to the table. The information in the table may also be expressed in graph form.
Diwrnod plentyn ynBotswana / Diwrnod plentyn yng
Nghymru
Gweithgaredd / Amser (o’r gloch) / Amser (o’r gloch)
Codi yn y bore
Mynd i’r ysgol
Diwrnod ysgol
Ar ôl ysgol
Mynd i’r gwely
Discuss the time, i.e. Faint o’r gloch mae …….. yn mynd i’r ysgol? (What time does … go to school?), and compare this with the pupils’ daily routine.
Mae plentyn yn Botswana yn mynd i’r ysgol am saith o’r gloch.
Dw i’n mynd i’r ysgol am……
[A child in Botswana goes to school at seven o’clock.
I go to school at…… ]
Activity 7
Amser
Time/Time zones
Os ydy hi’n 3 o’r gloch yng Nghymru, faint o’r gloch ydy hi yn Paris?
[If the time in Wales is 3.00p.m, what time is it in Paris?]
Llenwch y tabl. [Complete the table]
Dinas / Gwlad / Gwahaniaeth amser (oriau) / Amsere.e. Paris / Ffrainc / + 1 / 4.00 y.h.
e.e. Gaborone / Botswana
Give the learners the table and ask them to read the information, and then say/write a sentence to say what time it is.
Mae hi’n 4 o’r gloch yn Paris.
[It is 4 o’clock in Paris.]
Activity 8
Y tywydd
Discussing the weather
As they are reading the book ask the learners to describe orally/in writing the weather of the country/countries. They should be encouraged to use words such as POETH and OER as well as the names of the seasons as appropriate.
the seasons:
gwanwyn [spring]
haf [summer]
hydref [autumn]
gaeaf [winter]
e.e. Beth ydy’r tywydd yn Lesotho? Disgrifiwch y tywydd yn Lesotho.
Sut mae’r tywydd yn Lesotho yn yr haf/gaeaf?
Pa mor boeth ydy’r tymheredd yn yr haf yn….Lesotho?
Pa mor oer ydy’r tymheredd yn y gaeaf yn…….Patagonia?
A ydy hi’n bwrw glaw llawer yn y gaeaf yn Lesotho?
Faint o law sy’n disgyn yn Botswana yn yr haf?
[e.g. What is the weather like in Lesotho? Describe the weather in Lesotho.
What is the weather like in Lesotho in summer/winter?
How hot is the temperature in summer in….Lesotho?
How cold is the temperature in winter in…….Patagonia?
Does it rain much in winter in Lesotho?
How much rain falls in Botswana in summer?]
Many of the books refer to temperature. The following words and phrases should be used:
gradd [degree]
54˚C – pum deg pedwar gradd Celsius
minws [minus]
-54˚ C- minws pum deg pedwar gradd Celsius
Activity 9
Ble mae?
Locating countries (geography skill)
e.g.
Edrychwch ar dudalen 2 Botswana
Pa wledydd sydd o gwmpas Botswana?
Enwch y gwledydd o gwmpas Botswana.
[Look at Botswana, page 2
Which countries surround Botswana?
Name the countries surrounding Botswana]
Learners may respond by naming the countries orally or in writing.
Mae Namibia a Zimbabwe o gwmpas Lesotho.
[Nambibia and Zimbabwe are the counties surrounding Lesotho.]
Activity 10
I ba gyfeiriad mae.....?
Using the compass…..In what direction is….?
Edrychwch ar y cwmpawd ar dudalen 2 Gwlad yr Iâ.
I ba gyfeiriad mae Prydain o Wlad yr Iâ?
[Look at the compass on page 2 of Gwlad yr Iâ.
In what direction is Britain from Iceland?]
Learners may be asked to respond orally or in writing using the following pattern:
Mae (Prydain) yn y de.
Mae (y Cylch Arctig) yn y gogledd.
Mae (yr Ynys Las) yn y gorllewin ac mae (Norwy) yn y dwyrain.
Activity 11
Expressing opinions about the country’s flag
Questions such as the following may be asked, with the learners answering them either orally or in writing.
Edrychwch ar y faner ar dudalen 3 Gwlad yr Iâ a thudalen 2 Ffrainc.
Wyt ti’n hoffi baner Cymru? Ydw/ Nac Ydw.
Wyt ti’n hoffi baner Gwlad yr Iâ? Ydw/Nac Ydw – level 2
Wyt ti’n hoffi baner Ffrainc? Ydw/ Nac Ydw – Pam? – level 3
Ydw, dwi’n hoffi’r faner achos dw i’n hoffi’r lliwiau.
Nac ydw, dydw i ddim yn hoffi lliw coch.
Wyt ti’n gallu dweud pa liw ydy baner Gwlad yr Iâ/Ffrainc?
[Can you say what is the colour of the flag of Iceland/France?]
Coch, gwyn a glas ydy lliwiau baner Ffrainc.
Activity 12
Teithio i….. / teithio yn …….
Travelling to…./ travelling in…….
Edrychwch ar dudalen 3 Ffrainc.
Sut mae pobl yn teithio i Ffrainc?
Edrychwch, e.e. ar dudalen 5 Botswana.
Sut mae pobl yn teithio yn Botswana?
Ydy pobl yn teithio mewn car i…..?
Ydy pobl yn gallu hedfan i…..?
Learners may be asked to describe ways of travelling orally or in writing.
They should be encouraged to use the words (geographical terms) used in the books.
e.g
Maen nhw’n hedfan i Ffrainc.
Mae pobl yn beicio yng Ngwlad yr Iâ.
Activity 13
Bywyd gwyllt / anifeiliaid / adar
Wildlife / animals / birds
Edrychwch ar dudalen 8 Botswana.
Pa anifeiliaid sy’n byw yn Botswana?
Ewch i dudalennau 9 a 10 Seland Newydd.
A ydych yn gallu disgrifio'r adar yn Seland Newydd?
[Look at Botswana, page 8.
Which animals live in Botswana?
Turn to pages 9 and 10 of Seland Newydd.
Can you describe the birds in New Zealand?]
Questions such as the following may be asked and the learners encouraged to answer orally/in writing.
Beth ydy enw’r anifail/adery yman?
Ble mae e’n byw?
Beth mae e’n bwyta?
Pa liw ydy e?
Ask the pupils to complete the following table. (level 3/4)
Llenwch y tabl yma:
Anifeiliaid / adar
Enw’r anifail / Ble mae e’n byw? / Beth mae e’n bwyta? / Beth mae e’n yfed?e.e. eliffant / coedwig / dail o’r coed / dŵr
Animals/birds
Animal’s name / Where does it live? / What does it eat? / What does it drink?e.g. elephant / The forest / Leaves from the trees / water
Activity 14
Ffeil ffeithiau
Creating a profile/factfile
Profile
Picture
Enw:……………………………………………………………………
Byw: …………………………………………………………………..
Hoffi: …………………………………………………………………..
Bwyta:……………………………………………………………………
Activity 15
Cerdyn post
Postcard
Edrychwch ar dudalennau 9, 12, 16 a 19 Lesotho.
Dychmygwch eich bod ar wyliau yn Lesotho.
[Look at pages 9, 12, 16 and 19 of Lesotho.
Imagine you are on holiday in Lesotho.
e.g. Use the following template to write a postcard from any country.
Helô o ………….Dw i ar wyliau yn ……….!
Mae ‘r tywydd yn …………………..yma.
Mae’r gwesty’n …………………………..
Yn ……………. mae pobl yn byw mewn
……………………………………………… .
Dw i wedi bod yn siopa yn …………….
Heddiw es i i weld pobl yn …………….
Dw i’n mwynhau.
Hwyl!
……………………… /
Activity 16
Gweithgareddau hamdden / gwyliau
Leisure activities/holidays
Hysbyseb
Advertisement
Learners may look at the activities in a particular country and make a poster to advertise the event/activity, using the following format:
Teitl: ………………………….
Beth: ……………………………
Ble:……………………………..
Pryd:……………………………
poster
Edrychwch ar dudalen 15 Seland Newydd.
Beth mae pobl Seland Newydd yn ei wneud yn eu hamser hamdden/gwyliau?
[Look at page 15 of Seland Newydd.
What do the people of New Zealand do in their leisure time/on holiday?]
Mynegi barn [expressing opinion]
Dw i’n mwynhau…. e.g. naid bungee
Dw i’n casáu……e.g. cerdded ar yr iâ
Creating a poster….
(search the internet for photographs/create a poster on the computer)
Dewch ar wyliau i ….e.e. Gwarchodfa Natur Mokolod
Dewch i gael hwyl yn…..
Fe gewch gyfle i ………..
- search the internet for pictures of Paris, e.g. Disneyland, the Eiffel Tower, etc, to create a holiday brochure.
Activity 17
Disgrifio gweithgaredd
Describing an activity
Edrychwch ar dudalen 13 Ffrainc.
Beth mae pobl Ffrainc yn hoffi ei wneud?
[Look at Ffrainc page 13.
What do the people of France like doing?]
The pupils can be asked to express an opinion:
Wyt ti’n hoffi….? (Level 2)
Ydw/nac ydw.
Wyt ti’n hoffi …..? Pam? (Level 3 / Level 4)
Ydw, achos mae…./ Nac ydw, achos mae…..
Pupils can talk about what they do/ what they like doing, e.g.
Dw i’n chwarae pêl-droed gyda ffrindiau.
Dw i’n hoffi mynd am dro ar y traeth.
Dw i’n mwynhau mynd i lan y môr yn y gwynt.
[I play with football with friends.
I like to go for a walk on the beach.
I enjoy going to the seaside when it’s windy.]
Activity 18
Bwyd/bwyta…
Food/eating
Edrychwch ar dudalen 12 Patagonia.
Learners may be asked to answer orally/in writing,e.g.
Beth mae pobl Patagonia yn ei fwyta?
Maen nhw’n bwyta…….
Edrychwch ar dudalennau 11 a 12 Ffrainc.
Beth mae pobl Ffrainc yn cael i frecwast?
Mae pobl Ffrainc yn cael bara, coffi/siocled poeth i frecwast.
Llenwch y tabl isod.
Yn gyntaf… / Prif gwrs / Pwdin / Diode.e.
Plan a menu, using the template below.
Activity 19
Games
A game of looking for a word/phrase/facts, e.g.
Beth sydd ar dudalen 8 Patagonia?
Beth sy’n dechrau gyda ‘p’ ? (Pengwin)
[What’s on page 8 Patagonia?
What starts with the letter ‘p’?]
Tudalen 10 Patagonia:
Faint o wyau sy mewn un nyth?
[How many eggs are there in one nest?]
Activity 20
Writing an e-mail
If the pupils have an e-mail address at school, you could ask them to imagine that they are on holiday in one of the 6 countries featured in the books and that they are sending an e-mail to a friend or family.
Activity 21
Pupils may use the template below to send a letter to a pen friend.
………………………
……………………….
………………………..
Annwyl …………………..
Helô!
Fy enw i ydy ……… . Dw i’n …… oed. Dw i’n byw yn ………………. gyda …………………………………………………………………………………… .
Dw i’n mynd i Ysgol ……….. . Yn yr ysgol dw i’n dysgu ……………………… a ……………………… . Mae fy nhad / mam yn gweithio yn …………………………………………………………………………. .
Yng Nghymru mae llawer o ……………………… a ……………………… .
.
Mae pobl yng Nghymru yn hoffi ………………… yn ei hamser hamdden.
……………. ydy hoff chwaraeon pobl Cymru. Mae pobl Cymru yn hoffi …………………………… hefyd.
Dw i’n mynd ar fy ngwylia i …………………………………………………… .
Dw i’n mwynhau mynd yno achos ………………………………………….. .
Wyt ti eisiau bod yn ffrind post i fi?
Hwyl fawr!
……..
Dyma luniau o Gymru
Generic questions about the books
- Beth ydy teitl y llyfr?
- Pwy ysgrifennodd y llyfr?/ Pwy ydy awdur y llyfr?
- Beth sy ar glawr y llyfr?
- Disgrifiwch ar lafar beth sy ar y clawr.
- Edrychwch ar y cynnwys.
Sawl tudalen sy’n y llyfr?
- Beth sy ar y dudalen olaf yn y llyfr?
- What is the title of the book?
- Who wrote the book/Who is the author?
- What is on the cover of the book?
- List the different things on the cover, e.g.
- Look at the contents.
How many pages are there in the book?
- What is on the last page of the book?
Gineric games and activities
Buzz / Ping (A vocabulary quiz to be played before reading the books)
Teacher to ask:
Beth ydy ………. yn Gymraeg?
One team = Buzz sound
Other team = Ping sound
The team to make Buzz/Ping sound if they know the answer.
Which page quiz: “Pa dudalen …..?”
Teacher to ask:
Pa dudalen sy’n dweud, e.e. bod pobl Ffrainc yn hoffi beicio?
[Which page states that, e.g. the people of France engoy cycling?]
Reading strategy activity
Teacher to say:
Chwiliwch am air un sy’n gwneud y s˘n:
[Look for a word which has the following sound in it]