Children can struggle to learn the months. As teachers and parents, we recognize the significance of this fundamental learning concept. 3 Tips for Teaching Months of the Year will help get you up and going with fun and easy ideas to implement.
Tip 1: When to Teach Months of the Year
In Preschool and Kindergarten, you should start teaching the Months of the Year. Typically, young children begin learning to recite the months in preschool and progress to kindergarten to learn how to read and write them.
There are many entertaining and memorable ways to teach the months of the year. (yay!). Begin to teach the names of the months in order. The best ways to ensure these fundamental idea sticks are through songs, sign language, dance, visual displays, and interactive games.
Tip 2: Activities to Teach Months of the Year
Teach with a Calendar
Keep an interactive daily calendar on the wall, display it on your smart board, or print it for each student to bring. Bring awareness to the days of the week, months of the year, seasons, and dates. Do this daily as you talk about the current month and day. Consider also devoting space in your room (hang up a poster or decorate a bulletin board) where you list all the months of the year in order.
Teach Months of the Year with Songs
Learning the seasons and holidays associated with each month of the year is as important as memorizing the names of each month. Kids love to learn by singing and signing songs because it does not feel like learning.
Songs are an enjoyable way to reinforce your lessons because they repeat the names and aid in memorization. Here is a personal favorite of ours that your students will undoubtedly enjoy.
“Oh, My Darling, Clementine” is the tune you will use for this fun song. It does a lot to help them remember that there are 12 months.
There are 12 months, there are 12 months,
There are 12 months in the year.
There are 12 months, there are 12 months,
There are 12 months in the year.
January, February, March, and April
May, June, and July,
August, September,
October, November,
after December, start again!
Teaching Months of the Year with Games
Our favorite is the online interactive Boom Learning.
Calendar ASL Vocabulary is an interactive sign-learning game. This 52-card set progressively teaches Calendar-related signs. Part one begins with the student learning the words and signs. Then test their understanding. Part 2 requires the student to see the sign and identify the matching word. Then, guided by the sign, they unscramble the words, and finally, they write the words themselves.
Calendar Words included (10):
Week, Year, Today, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Play along and see how often you can incorporate these little lessons into your daily routines. You just may be surprised at how fast they pick it up.
Tip 3: Incorporate Months with Sign Language in Your Room
Teaching Sign Language with English can benefit all children, whether hearing or deaf. The monthly calendar labels are perfect for your bulletin board or pocket charts. Incorporate alongside your circle time routine to teach children about the months of the year, ASL, and fingerspelling. It is a great way to get your students to recognize the months while learning and reinforcing sign language in the classroom.
Use the bonus labels to teach the current month and which months come before and after it. You will receive a blank editable card on which to create your label(s).
Hints for incorporating ASL Monthly Calendar Labels
Here are a few suggestions that can make the learning process smoother. You’ll find it simpler to remember and to practice frequently with these tips for teaching months of the year.
- Use the calendar labels for visual support to remember the signs.
- Begin with just a few signs.
- As you make a sign, always say the word it stands for.
- Don’t sign too fast.
- Find opportunities throughout the day.
- Use the sign and speak it at the same time
- Check here to see which calendar is free
We know these three Tips for Teaching Months of the Year will begin to build a solid foundation of learning for your kids. These simple and fun Sign Language-supported activities will make learning the months as easy as 1-2-3.
Teachers and students, keep track of your daily schedule in this unique ASL Calendar Planner. These are especially appreciated as gifts for Special Education teachers, Deaf and hard of hearing teachers, and anyone that loves to keep Sign Language in their daily activities.
Want more fun ideas for your children? See our Sign Language Games.
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