Scissors
Scissors are great for:
- Word and picture collages
- Dissecting words or sentences
- Creating texts
Here are some ideas for activities to do with your scissors. Click on each tab to find activities in that category that you can use in a tutoring session.
There is something very pleasing about using scissors. They are tactile and often create a lovely sound when you use them to cut paper. Using scissors in a session creates positive emotions that will help beginner learners as they start on a journey towards literacy.
Letter shapes
- Write large letters on a piece of paper (tricky ones that can get mixed up or reversed are b, d, q, p, m and w).
- Cut them out so you get a sense of their shape.
- Think of words that contain each letter.
- Write the word using the cut out letter.
Note: You can use this activity in an online session using a document camera.
Creating collages with pictures and words cut out of magazines is a very relaxing way to spend a tutoring session. Not only can it be a great way to read and recognize words but it is also a great way to introduce real reading materials, like magazines, flyers, newspapers, into a session.
Goal inspiration board
- Let your learner choose a goal that is important to them.
- Cut out magazine photos that are related to the goal.
- Cut out words and phrases that will inspire them to work towards that goal.
- Glue the words and pictures onto a piece of cardboard.
- Encourage your learner to put the board some place visible so it will inspire them every day.
Creative greeting card
- Let your learner choose a celebration and person they would like to make a card for.
- Cut out magazine photos that are related to the occasion.
- Cut out words and phrases that create a nice message.
- Glue the words and pictures onto a piece of cardboard that can be folded to make a card.
- Encourage your learner to give that card to the person it is made for.
Found poetry
- With your learner, look through magazines and cut out words and phrases that are surprising, interesting, unusual or that you just like a lot.
- Say them aloud so you can hear if you like the way they sound.
- Place all the words and phrases in front of you and play with their order.
- When you are happy, glue the words onto a piece of card and start a poetry collection.
Favourite word scrapbook
- Take an exercise book. Divide it into sections relevant to your learner, for example:
- adjectives I like
- adverbs I like
- inspirational words
- funny words
- weird words
- words that are important
- With your learner, look through magazines and cut out words that fit the sections.
- Say them aloud so you can hear if you like the way they sound.
- When you are happy, glue the words into the book. Add cut out pictures or notes.
Grammar can be a little dry if you just use worksheets and books. Using model texts and learner texts with a pair of scissors can bring in more active learning and move towards a more multisensory approach.
Run-on sentences
- Write a text with run-on sentences.
- Cut the text into strips. Then cut the strips after every complete thought.
- Arrange the strips on the table or on a blank piece of paper.
- Add punctuation (you could use sticky notes for this, or mark the paper).
- Ask your learner to rewrite the text with all the punctuation.
Note: You can use this activity in an online session using a document camera.
Reading a passage can become more active with a pair of scissors.
Summarize with scissors
- Find a good article in a newspaper that your learner would like to read.
- After reading, ask your learner to cut out the main ideas with scissors.
- Arrange the strips on the table or on a blank piece of paper to form a summarized version of the story.
- Read it together.
Language experience story
- Find a language experience story that your learner wrote in a previous session.
- Re-write the story with each sentence on a separate line.
- Cut the story into strips.
- Mix up the sentences.
- Arrange the strips on the table and ask your learner to put them back in order.
- Read together to check if the story makes sense.
Note: You can use these activities in an online session using a document camera.
Make spelling rules and patterns more visual and introduce some kinesthetics and sound with a pair of scissors.
Root word hunt
- Cut out words that contain root words in the headlines and captions of a newspaper, magazine or flyer.
- Separate the root word from its prefixes and/or suffixes with scissors.
- Separate root words, prefixes and suffixes into piles.
- Mix and match to created new words.
- Write the words on flashcards.
Note: You can use this activity in an online session using a document camera.
Sometimes learners want to improve their numeracy. Fractions and scissors are a natural match!
Fractions
- Cut up index cards in halves, thirds and quarters to visualize fractions.
- Find pictures and cut them up to see fractions in real life, e.g., a picture of a pizza, apple, group of things to be divided.
Note: You can use this activity in an online session using a document camera.
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