Area of Interest: Diverse communication settings
Skills: Speaking and Listening
Competences: Social competence and Discourse competence
Age Bracket: 0 – 5
Time Commitment: Under 30 minutes
Affordability: €
Materials:
Regular mealtime items already present in school canteen
Simple cleaning items (cloths, brushes) appropriate for young children
Expert recommendations:
This activity uses natural mealtime moments in the school canteen to practice the minority language through simple actions and words. The focus is on making language learning part of the existing routine without disrupting the flow of mealtime. If other teachers are involved in the routine during mealtime, and specially if not everyone speaks the minority language, we recommend that you stick to the same task and use the same words every day. If you do not normally look after the children during mealtime, you can easily adapt this activity to other routines that take place in the school, like hand-washing or queueing to go to the park.
Available Languages:
No translations available for this item.
Step 1: During the meal (5-10 minutes every day)
- Use simple, consistent phrases in the minority language while children eat
- Name foods as children take their seat to eat,
- Practice basic expressions (“more please,” “finished”)
- Model simple questions (“Do you like it?” “Are you full?”)
- Count items together when natural opportunities arise
Step 2: Clean-up time (5 minutes every day, for older children able to put their plates away)
- Turn cleaning into a simple game with clear tasks, making the routine predictable and quick
- Practice “thank you” and “you’re welcome”
- Use short commands (“wipe the table,” “push in the chair”)
- Praise effort in the minority language (“well done”, “good job”)
Important tips for this and any other routines
- Maintain normal supervision priorities.
- Don’t expect children to speak. Focus on understanding instead.
- Use the same key phrases daily, keeping language simple and repetitive.
- Communicate with other teachers and the children’s parents so they know which words to reinforce if they wish to.