Language Lingo - Activity Instructions

Tune In

Review the children in ‘Little Miss Jessica Goes to School’ and how they are different from each other. All of us are different in lots of different ways. That’s what makes us all special. Some differences between people we can see, like eye colour hair colour, skin colour. What differences did we see in ‘Little Miss Jessica Goes to School?”

different heights
dark hair and light hair
hearing aids
big scar.

Some things that make us different we can’t see just by looking at someone, like the things we like or the things we are good at. One of the boys at Jessica’s school was different because he could speak two languages.

Find Out

What languages do we speak? Different languages are spoken by different groups of people. They use different words and different sounds to tell other people things.

You may need to establish with the children which language they are speaking, whether it is English or another language.

In France, people speak French. In Spain, people speak Spanish. Can anyone think of any other languages? Discuss with the children the languages they are aware of. There are lots of different ways children can learn about other languages, including through

speaking another language with their family
having a friend or family member who speaks that language
watching TV shows
learning language at the centre.

This is a great time to talk about the First Nations language of the Country your centre is on. You might have words in this language displayed around your centre that you can remind the children about. The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) has some great resources if you are looking to learn more.

Take Action

Throughout the day, play songs for the children in different languages. You might play music during lunch and snack times, during relaxation time, or during quiet activities. Discuss with the children

which song they think it is
which language it is and where/by whom that language is spoken
which parts they like and/or can copy.

Here are some of our favourites!

Hello Around the World (multiple)	Hello Around the World \| Say Hello in Different Languages I Song for Kids
Thank You Song (multiple)	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE2TibdWMC0
Happy Birthday (multiple)	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvqwmWZgIL0
I am Australian (Yawuru/English)	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrcUKgP_sks
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (Japanese)	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aJ7dzeB3Ro
Lizards on the Wall (Indonesian)	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pea9FDl-SQs
Frere Jacques (French)	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRldRvROU3A

Language Lingo

Activity Summary

Activity Type

Target Age

Activity Guides and Printables

Activity Details

Skills

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required