First English (Windows app)

English as an additional language for pre-school and early primary school

An interactive software package for independent or group use.

Both UK and US vocabulary included

First English has been developed specifically for children of pre-school and early primary school age. No reading ability is required. There is an option to display the text of what you hear, and if this is selected, then clicking on the text allows you to hear the words repeated. A recording option is available to allow learners to compare their own pronunciation.

The package consists of 60 topics and a range of activities to use these with. Some activities can be used with a large group and a smartboard. Others are more appropriate for individual pupils at a computer.

The activities are:

• Words (the learning page): Click on the pictures to hear the words spoken. The captions are optional.

• Quiz (the testing page): Learners are asked to find an item and click on it. The pictures can be kept in the same order or shuffled.

• Sentences: This activity uses the vocabulary of the topic in meaningful contexts and introduces some new aspects of the language. A matching exercise is included.

• Three games to practise the vocabulary. “Snap” involves two pupils sitting at one computer. As the pictures change, the players have to be ready to press their chosen key when the two are the same. “Memory” (matching pairs), for one or two players, and “Puzzle” (identifying objects from some of the pieces of a jigsaw). “Puzzle” and the two player version of “Memory” are suitable for whole-class use.

A list of the vocabulary used is included

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