The Alphabet Train Puzzle is an easy-to-use ABC puzzle, which instantly
captures the interest of beginning students, both in preschool and elementary
school. Using puzzles in class for a short, cooperative activity is a
win-win situation. Why? Youngsters have an innate desire to put things in
order, and puzzles reach out, beckoning children to try to assemble the
pieces to make the whole. Puzzles also facilitate cooperation among the
students. Using this puzzle to learn the ABCs and their corresponding
vocabulary helps plant the seeds of an English base.
The Alphabet Train puzzle is huge. Once assembled, it measures over two
meters in length. This means it is an ideal floor puzzle, which works well
on both tatami or a floor mat. It can be put together on a table - as long as
it is a long one!
The puzzle is illustrated in strong, primary colors. The twenty-six large,
easy-to-handle pieces consist of one capital and small letter along with two
vocabulary words which begin with the corresponding letter. For example,
the Aa letter reveals a plump, red apple wearing an apron. The Bb letter
shows a smiling bear holding a balloon.
A good way to play the puzzle is as follows:
Lay out all the pieces on the floor. The teacher takes the Aa (apple/apron)
piece to start the Alphabet Train. The teacher then asks the children to
find Bb. The child who does so says Bb and inserts it next to the Aa. Then
the teachers asks for Cc. The child who finds it says the letter Cc and
inserts it next to the Bb. This continues until all the letters have been
assembled in order.
I think it is very important for the teacher to insist that the children take
his/her lead and assemble the puzzle putting the letters in order. This
accomplishes two things: first, it teaches the children alphabetical order.
And secondly, it fosters group cooperation.
After the puzzle has been assembled, the teacher can then point to the ABCs
with a pointer (since the puzzle is so long, a pointer really helps). The
children can recite the ABCs or sing the Alphabet Song with the teacher.
Then the teacher can introduce the two vocabulary words for each letter.
In addition, the teacher can ask each student to point to the letter their
name begins with. The teacher can also point to one illustration on the
puzzle and say, "I like DOGS," which is one of the Dd illustrations. Then
the students, one at a time, can point to the illustration they like.
When all activities have been completed, the teacher can ask the students to
take the puzzle apart and put everything back in the box. The students
should do that as a cooperative group. And once the pieces have been put
back in the box and the top has been placed over the box, a student should
hand the box to the teacher saying, "Here you are," to which the teacher
will reply. "Thank you."
I mention this final aspect because I am a strong believer in giving the
responsibility of putting games back/away to the children. It puts them in
control in a positive way. The children in my classes always want to be the
person who gets to hand the game to the teacher and say, "Here you are."
Helene Jarmol Uchida
Helene Jarmol Uchida is a veteran teacher with teaching, curriculum
development and teacher training experience in the U.S., Greece and Japan.
She is the director of the Fukuoka-based
Little America English Schools
and lectures at Fukuoka Kyoiku Daigaku. She holds the LATEM seminars every year
in cities throughout Japan and is also the author of 'The Challenge Book',
an interactive English book and CD especially created for Japanese elementary school students.
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