RL.C.46 POINTS TO 2 OBJECTS WHEN DESCRIBED BY FUNCTION, CHOICE OF 4

RL.C.46 POINTS TO 2 OBJECTS WHEN DESCRIBED BY FUNCTION, CHOICE OF 4

Now your child is ready to select objects when they are described not by name, but by the purpose for which they are used. This exercise will help your child to learn relationships between objects and action words. It will also teach her to respond to a different kind of direction, isolating the most important words from a long and complicated sentence.

At Macquarie we have found that this is a favourite activity for many children, as it involves lots of interesting doing as well as listening.

In order to show small steps of progress, this task has been divided into 3 in the D.S.I. The children receive a plus when they can select 2 of 4 objects presented, then another when they can select 4 of 6 and one more when they can select all 6. The 3 items, RL.C.46, 47 and 48, should be seen as a continuum.

You can use any objects that can be described in terms of what they do, or what they are for.

Here are some suggestions – we also give the question that could be asked for each object:

Spoon – ‘Which one do we eat with?’
Cup – ‘Which one do we drink with?’
Ball – ‘Which one do we throw (or catch or bounce)?’
Book – ‘Which one do we read?’
Knife (or scissors) – ‘Which one do we cut with?’
Sock (or shoe) – ‘Which one do we wear on our foot?’
Paintbrush – ‘Which one do we paint with?’
Toothbrush – ‘Which one do we clean our teeth with?’
Hat – ‘Which one do we wear on our head?’
Whistle – ‘Which one do we blow?’

Choose any items that your child is familiar with, or that you feel it would be useful for your child to know. Pictures could be used for assessment purposes, but for teaching purposes it is best to use either the real objects or toy miniatures.

How to Assess

Materials: 4 functional objects known to your child.

Method: Place the objects on the table in front of your child. You can name them if you wish.

For each object, ask a ‘which one’ question, like those suggested above. If your child selects an object correctly, test it again a few minutes later, so that you can be sure your child has not made a lucky guess.

Score plus if your child selects at least 2 objects, in 2 tries for each object. If your child selects more than 2 of the objects, assess her now on the next item in this sequence: RL.C.47.

How to Teach

Demonstrate and talk about the use of each item at the start of each teaching session, and at all opportunities during the day. Let your child have a turn at using each item too.

Use the same techniques for helping your child to select the correct item as have been used throughout this sequence (refer to RL.C.20).

Sometimes it is necessary to reduce the number of choices, building up gradually from a choice of just 2 objects.

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

This is just as important as the more structured work you do in your special teaching session. When you encounter functional objects during the day, talk about what they do as well as what they are. Place special emphasis on the objects you have selected for your objective. It may help to place extra examples of these in your child’s play area. Show your child different examples of the objects you have chosen – she needs to know that all cups are for drinking, whether they are big or little, red or blue, glass or plastic, plain or patterned.

Remembering and Extending

Once your child can select at least 2 of the 4 objects you can increase the number of alternatives to 6, as in the following items in this sequence.