Just a minute

by Nicky
(Rotorua, NewZealand)

On a Wednesday I give four children a card to take home that says:

Just a Minute Reporter
Tomorrow I am the Just a Minute Reporter. I will speak to my group about something for just a minute. I am allowed to bring something from home to share.

So on Thursday I have four reporters who do just that to a group each. The group are allowed to ask questions.

The children all return to the mat where I ask any particular child to share what their reporter said. This is where the children show how well they listened. I model to the class how to write the news just shared by that child and we discuss fullstops, capitals and how to sound out spelling as I write.

Then the children go and write in their own books what their reporter said.

This is a great oral language activity that leads on to writing. The writing also allows the children to write about someone else instead of writing about themselves all the time with sentences that always start with I am ...etc.