ESL Getting to Know You Activities - Start Here!
ESL getting to know you activities are so important at the beginning of the school year! These activities are great for introducing routines, building confidence, finding out about background knowledge, and of course, getting to know your students!
But there is so much to do!
That’s okay! You can do as little or as much as you have time for, and while you are getting to know your students, you are actually beginning to cover all four language domains (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) as well as the content standards in the primary grades. The resources as shown are best for first and second grade, but you can also adapt them to use with other grades without too much difficulty. For example, with Kindergarten you can assist with writing. Students can dictate what their pictures are about and you can begin to model writing conventions. A quick note about adapting for older students is below!
Getting to Know Your Primary Students
To use as shown, I use open class with a “Jump!” name chant and the “My Name” song shown in the picture. We sing it to the tune of Frère Jacques. This builds confidence and helps students get to know each others’ names. Plus it starts the class with movement and engagement. Then I read the book I made, “Getting to Know Our Friends” (cover shown at the top and in the book holder in the photo). On the first day, we focus on routines such as entering and exiting the small group room, getting supplies, taking turns to speak, etc.) so we do not do any writing activities unless there is extra time.) In future lessons, we revisit the page we are working on and we practice the speech bubbles with question and answer frames.
ESL Lesson Planning Format
Here is one way you could use these ESL Getting to Know You activities over the next several days:
Day 2 –
Warm-up: Jump! Name Chant and “My Name” Song
Review Expectations for Listening and Speaking
Read and discuss That’s Not My Name! by Anoosha Syed.
Use the speech bubbles to practice asking and answering questions.
Model writing by using your own printable copy and doing a simple think aloud as you write and draw.
Continuing the ESL Getting to Know You Activities
Day 3
Review name chant and song.
Read Our Class is a Family or Our School is a Family by Shannon Olsen.
Use speech bubbles to talk about grade levels and teachers. Be sure to discuss the many teachers they may work with during the school day including Music, PE, or Art.
Model how to draw and write to complete the matching printable. If you have time encourage students to talk to a classmate about their drawing.
Future ESL Lessons
Follow the same general format over the next few days to build routines. Change the chants and the books to match the writing activity for that day. Pick the pages that you think will be most meaningful for your students, or practically, which books are available for you to pair with the writing. (See below for a list.) Don’t forget to practice asking and answering questions using the speech bubbles and revisit previous ones. Encourage other teachers to ask these questions too. Use the “Vocabulary to Know” pages to support students’ answers both in speaking and in writing.
If students are working independently on their “Getting to Know You” writing activities you may have a chance to do some individual students checkins. Give it a try! Staple the completed pages together for each student. These are great to display and wonderful to send home with a note to the family saying, “It is wonderful getting to know _!” And I have a freebie for that! Check it out on TPT. It also comes with other positive notes to send home.
Companion Book List and Supplemental Materials
That’s Not My Name! by Anoosha Syed.
Our Class Is a Family and Our School Is a Family by Shannon Olsen
Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez
Isabel and Her Colores Go to School by Alexandra Alessandri
Our Favorite Day of the Year by A.E. Ali
(Find these here- Amazon It’s an affiliate link so I may get a small commission if you make a purchase.)
Other helpful resources:
Reading A-Z Books on readinga-z.com such as:
“It is School Time” for support writing about favorite school subjects or “Games We Play” for writing about favorite sports and games.
Epic- getepic.com (free website for educators)
Playground Games by Pam Holden
School Days by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly
Birthday by Julie Murray
I Like to Come to School By Jean Feldman and Holly Karapetkova (Can be sung to the tune: “The Farmer and the Dell”)
Plus a video: Favorite Subject
See below for a couple ideas for older students.
For Grades 3-5
You can use different reading and writing resources with older students. You will want to supplement with other books such as My Name is Sangoel by Karen Williams and blank writing paper or use an alternate final product. Above is an interview sheet for students to interview a partner and write about them that is also found in this resource. Students can also create a poster about themselves or a create a PowerPoint. You can model with a simple one of yourself.
ESL Getting to Know You Resource on TPT
This “ESL Get to Know You Activities” Resource can be found on TPT. Just click the image below.
Come find me on Instagram too! @the_esl_teacher where I share lots of info about life in an ESL classroom including more resources and tips!
