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Celebrate International Day with this language-focused activity, designed for primary school children. This fun and educational word hunt activity allows children to explore and appreciate 11 different languages from around the world. To begin, children should choose three languages from the 11 featured in the activity and stick the corresponding flags onto their recording sheet. They can then use the recording sheet to find words hidden around the classroom, such as “Friends,” “Water,” and “Book” for MP1/Key Stage 1 children. MP1/Key Stage 1 children are tasked with finding three words for each of their choosen languages, while MP2 and MP3 children are challenged to find five and seven words, respectively. As they find the words, children copy down the word in the script of their chosen languages. The 11 languages featured in the activity are Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Polish, German, Vietnamese, Thai, Khmer (Cambodian), Russian, and Kannada (a language of India). This activity allows children to discover the similarities and differences between languages, promoting respect and fascination for the languages of the world. It’s a great way to foster a love for learning about different cultures and languages in a fun and engaging way! The activity typically lasts 50-60 minutes, depending on the skill of the word hunters. It’s worth noting that all the words have been verified by adult speakers of the language.

For a larger set of fun icebreakers and “All About Me” tasks, see my Back to School Welcome Back & About Me Pack First Day Partner Activity – "All About My Friend" A simple, engaging first day of school activity to help children settle in and make new connections. Working in pairs, pupils ask each other questions about favourite things, goals for the year, and special skills. Great for speaking, listening, and building class community. Includes: Ready-to-use worksheet Editable Microsoft Publisher file Fonts: Topmarks and Rockwell (free to download)

Panicking? I have been. This resource has 2 simple first day activities. One worksheet is a 'find someone who' double sided questionnaire...students can circulate around the room and try to find a classmate who has or can x,y,z and write the name in the box. (you may need to edit some of the questions for your school and grade) Other worksheet (Getting to know you)I may put on the tables when students arrive and they can fill in the answers about themselves and their interests, strengths and weaknesses. Hope they help new classes.

More or Less Homework?? Discussion Activity Designed to allow me to evaluate the group work skills of a group of four grade 3 students and to see if they are demonstrating 'cooperative learning behaviours'. I hope that it has been designed to encourage the exchange of ideas (exploratory and cumulative talk) and not just work out the logistics of completion (presentational and or argumentative talk). [However, it will require explaining and modelling] It is, (I think) a 'meaningful open-ended task' and has been worded so that students can interpret each reason as a pro or a con(:so that they can 'create their own meaning') Furthermore, it is difficult enough for there to be a potential of failure if they don't work collaboratively. Based on research articles and designed specifically for grade 3 international (inc. some high level ESL) students to complete in 20-25 minutes.

54 A4 thought provoking statements to be used as a thought for the day. I use them at the beginning of the day with a grade 3 class, but have also used them with a grade 1 class. Get a student to select one, pop it in a A4 card case display at the side of the white board - then as a class discuss what it means and how & why they should follow the advice. Uploaded a Word doc if you want or need to edit it, plus a PDF in case anyone has any font issues. "By sharing and helping others I get more done."

Classroom management behaviour chart. Start on the earth, move up to sun and then rainbow. Down to clouds and then storm clouds. Use clothes pegs or blu-tac names.

Posters for students to set class/school goals, with a space below each for them to list the steps they will need to take to achieve their goals. 4 versions: 3 pdf files with sassoon font: one with lines, one with numbers, and one with numbers and only 2 callout bubbles. 1 word doc with comic sans. I will edit the documents and replace ‘my’ with the name of the student and print one off for each child in my class. Plus one for myself, so that I can set some personal (teaching) goals for myself. I will also print out a large ‘to achieve by xx/xx/xxxx’ so that the goals are time sensitive and display this alongside the student’s posters. Also included some display headings, quotes, and stars to make a classroom display.

Back to School | Welcome Back | About Me – First Day Activities Pack (Years 2–6) Start the school year with engaging, ready-to-use activities designed to help learners reconnect, share their holiday experiences, and get to know each other. This pack supports smooth transitions back into learning and works brilliantly for the first week of term. What’s included: All About Me – UK and International versions with clear, child-friendly icons. Perfect for lower primary and for re-engaging pupils after the summer break. All About My Friend – interview-style sheets that encourage cooperation, speaking, and listening skills as learners find out more about their classmates. 25-Question “Find Someone Who…” Holiday Quiz – Kagan-style cooperative activity in UK-specific and generic international versions. 25-Question “Find Someone Who…” Getting to Know Classmates Quiz – ideal icebreaker for any age group. Interview a Friend – structured interview prompts for Years 4–6 covering favourites, holiday experiences, the new school year, and personal interests. 40 Quiz-Quiz-Trade Cards – holiday and getting-to-know-you prompts for whole-class mingling and conversation practice. 25 Quiz-Quiz-Trade Cards – generic, child-friendly questions for making connections in the first week. Features: Clear, child-friendly icons feature throughout to support EAL learners and keep primary pupils engaged. Activities promote speaking, listening, and cooperative learning using familiar Kagan structures. Suitable for Years 2–6; A4 sheets can be enlarged to A3 for younger year groups or learners needing more visual space. UK and International versions included where relevant. Whether you’re focusing on Back to School, giving a warm Welcome Back, or using About Me activities to learn more about your pupils, this pack gives you ready-to-go resources for an engaging start to the year. Looking for a quick, stand-alone activity? Try my First Day Partner Activity – All About My Friend