"Beginners Verbs" Introduction

The "Verbs" Program is designed to help children understand and perform actions associated with objects and themselves, improving their ability to follow verbal directions. Teaching children verbs is foundational for communication and developing motor skills. This program emphasizes the importance of active listening, attention, and the understanding of body movements, which are essential for successfully following directions and performing actions.

Before introducing the Verbs Program, ensure that the child has developed strong listening skills. This involves being able to maintain attention and comprehend verbal instructions.

In conjunction with the Verbs Program, it would be beneficial to combine it with the Attributes Program, simple-steps-4-learning.teachable.com/p/beginners-the-attributes-program. which helps children understand the functions and uses of objects. This understanding provides the groundwork for teaching verbs, as children need to know what to do with objects as they are learning action words.

Key Elements of the Verbs Program

The Verbs Program is built on practical visual materials, to cover a list of 150 foundational verbs that help children begin to understand and express actions. These verbs are essential for communication and are used to give instructions or describe actions. Some key aspects of this program include:

Following Directions: You will discover why a child will not understand or follow directions through actions. When a child is asked to “jump” or “run,” they will understand what is expected of them and how to respond.

Body Awareness: If a child struggles to imitate or perform an action, the reason might be a lack of body awareness. It’s important to ensure that they have the foundational understanding of body parts and their movement. To help with this, start with the "Beginners Vocabulary program" that includes a step focused on body parts among 9 other categories.

https://simple-steps-4-learning.teachable.com/p/beginners-vocabulary/?preview=logged_out

Once the child is aware of their body and its movements, they can begin to follow instructions using those body parts.

Verbal Directions

The Verbs Program focuses on helping children follow verbal directions, a skill that directly relates to reading comprehension and communication. For example, if a child is asked to “throw the ball,” the program will help determine whether the issue lies with the child’s ability to perform the action (e.g., throwing) or their understanding of the verb itself (e.g., "throw").

If a child struggles to follow directions, it might be because they are not yet able to focus long enough to understand the full instruction. In this case, revisit the listening programs https://simple-steps-4-learning.teachable.com/p/simple-steps-4-learning-beginner-program-sounds

• to help the child build the attention span needed to follow directions.
• At the end of the program, children should be able to respond rapidly to 30 action verbs.

Real-World Applications of the Verbs Program

This program helps children see how powerful words can be. When children can use verbs to instruct others, such as saying "mommy, jump" or "mommy, clap," they begin to understand the connection between words and actions. This not only enhances their vocabulary but also empowers them to engage with the world in a meaningful way.

Furthermore, this program supports non-verbal communication. For example, parents often hope to see their child smile when asked to take a picture, but the child may not understand the command. By teaching verbs such as “smile,” children will learn the connection between the verb and the desired action, improving their responsiveness.

By working through The Verbs Program , children will not only learn important verbs but will also gain confidence in their ability to interact with others and their environment through words and actions.