Matching Pictures
Aims
This activity is designed to:
- teach your child new words
- teach your child to look carefully at pictures and to identify differences and similarities
- encourage your child to pay attention and join in a learning activity for short periods of time
When to start
This activity is suitable for children who understand 50 to 60 words and say or sign 10 or more words.
Children who have completed See and Learn Vocabulary 1 will be ready to start matching pictures in See and Learn Vocabulary 2.
Selecting vocabulary
We recommend that you teach your child a few words at a time. Start with words that your child will be most interested in. (See guidance in Using See and Learn Vocabulary 2.)
Modelling and prompting
At first, model the activity. Demonstrate the steps in the activity, encouraging your child to watch and listen.
When your child starts the activity, prompt them as needed to help them complete the task successfully.
If your child is not yet able to pick up the cards, help them to pick them up and place them. Similarly, if they need help pointing, assist them at first.
Steadily reduce your prompts as your child becomes more confident.
Instructions
| 1 | Show your child the picture cards | |
[Cards]: Select pairs of picture cards for each of the words you wish to work with. Place one of each pair in front of your child. Vary the order and position of the cards each time you work on this activity. :::::
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[Apps]: From the Main Menu screen, select Activities > Matching Pictures. Select the picture cards you wish to work with and the number of cards to present (start with 2). Tap the start button. ::::
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| 2 | Attract your child's attention Say "let's match pictures". Encourage your child to look at the picture cards. |
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| 3 | Present a picture card to match | |
[Cards]: Hand your child the first of the cards to match. :::::
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[Apps]: Tap the card to 'turn over'. ::::
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| 4 | Ask your child to match the picture ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Point to the picture card that you are asking your child to match and say the word - for example, say "foot". Say "put [foot] with [foot]" At first, you may need to prompt your child while they learn the activity. Point to the picture card that matches the card presented. Help your child to place the card over the matching card. If your child correctly matches the picture, say "yes - [foot] - this is [foot]" If you are modelling or prompting, repeat the word after you have matched the picture together - say "this is [foot] - [foot]" [Apps]: Your child can drag the presented card over the matching card or simply tap the matching card to indicate their selection. |
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| 5 | Present the next picture card to match | |
[Cards]: Hand your child the next card to match. :::::
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[Apps]: Tap the card to 'turn over'. (If prompts are enabled, the card is turned over automatically.) ::::
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| Point to the picture to match and say the corresponding word. | ||
| 6 | Repeat steps 4 and 5 Repeat steps 4 and 5 until your child has matched each card. |
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Apps settings
The apps include the following settings that control how the activity is presented:
- Number of choices - sets the number of cards to be presented for matching.
- Number of answer attempts - sets the number of incorrect answers that can be given before prompting the correct answer.
- Time to wait for answer. Initially, this is indefinite to allow you to demonstrate and explain the activity.
- Provide prompts - turns on recorded voice prompts. We recommend that you provide the spoken prompts at first, and consider turning this option on when your child has begun to learn the activity.
- Enable applause - enables/disables playing applause at the end of the activity.
Recording progress
You can record your child's progress using the Matching Pictures record.
Enter the dates your child first started to practise matching each picture, and the dates your child first matches each picture with prompting and then independently (Figure 2).
Figure 2 | Example Matching Pictures record sheet
Moving to the next activity
You can move on to the next activity (Selecting Pictures) when your child can successfully match a set of pictures 5 times.
You should also start to match a new set of words. (See guidance in Using See and Learn Vocabulary 2.)
Opportunities for additional practice
Find other opportunities to use the words you are teaching throughout the day stressing the specific words. For example, at bath time you can ask "Here is the [soap]" or "Let's find your [towel]?". When dressing, you can ask "Shall we put on your [jumper]?" and at mealtimes, "Let's find a [yogurt]". You may find it helpful to keep a list of the words you are teaching on the fridge door or a noticeboard.
Find objects or toys for the words that you are teaching. Set up play situations so that you can use the words and show what they mean - for example, "I am [kissing] doll", "Shall we put on doll's [dress]?", "Doll is [jumping]". (Note: we are using "doll" in every example because we are teaching single words at this stage - not two word phrases.)
Put the pictures or objects in a bag and let your child take them out one at a time then look at them together and name them.
Point out examples of the words that you are learning when you look at picture books with your child.
Play games to illustrate up and down with action games and toys - for example, "Put your hands [up], put your hands [down]" and "Let's lift doll [up], let's put doll [down]".
Collect some example of big and little items - for example, big and little balls, big and little spoons, or shoes (child and adult). At this stage, name them for example "this is a [big] ball, this is a [little] ball".
Teaching additional vocabulary
We also suggest you teach your child to understand a number of useful early words that cannot be easily illustrated in pictures including this, with, what, picture, match, find, want, and it.
These are useful for your child to understand for following instructions but are not usually among the first words children say. Some of these words are used in activity instructions (this, with, what, picture, match).
You can also teach these words with additional games:
Put out two or more pictures or objects on the table and ask "Which one do you [want]?" Your child can respond by pointing if they are not yet signing or saying the word.
You can a play a game with a post box or bag. Hand your child a picture card and say "Would you like to put [it] in the box (or bag)?"
You can put objects or pictures in a bag, take them out one at a time yourself and say "What is [this]?" for items you know your child can sign or say the word.
You can hide pictures or objects around the room and say "Can you [find] the pictures (or objects)?".
You will also find yourself using all these words during every day talk with your child.
Continue to also use the words taught as additional words in See and Learn Vocabulary 1 (look, more, gone, in, finished, wait, what, where, put, show, me and point). The more often children hear these words during everyday activities the quicker they will learn them.
Social words
Social words such as "bye-bye", "hello/hi", "thank-you/ta", "good boy/girl", "night-night", and "no" are among the first words children understand and use. They will often learn gestures for them before they can say them. We have not listed these as they are usually taught naturally but do keep encouraging your child to understand and use them as they are very effective for encouraging your child to actually communicate and get a reaction.
