We’ve been studying prepositions a lot here at Character Ink Blog! I’m excited to teach parents and teachers how to teach prepositions in a way that allows students to be able to come up with 100 prepositions fairly quickly!
Prepositions must be reviewed over and over. They should be taught in a way that teaches their FUNCTION (not just in rhyme or song). Then we must practice them over and over and over again IN REAL SENTENCES. Below are three simple steps I follow….but before you read the steps, here are some other preposition helps for you!
1. Slideshow: 5 Tips for Prepositions From Language Lady
2. LIVE Preposition Teaching Video
3. Why Teach Prepositions (thorough explanation for teachers!)
4. Prepositional Phrases in Punctuation Puzzle
5. Slideshow: 5 MORE Tips for Prepositions From Language Lady
6. Great preposition practice download for elementary and middle school students (using Beauty and the Beast and the castle!)
7. Preposition Practice Packet download using little tissue tube and Preposition Practice Pal
AND…..We have a Tricky Trick download sheet for your young students to practice their prepositions with their little Preposition Practice Pal (click on the image below to download this two-page doc!)
1) I teach the part of speech known as prepositions with objects and Preposition-Check Sentences.
a. I start out with a Preposition Practice Pal (like in this week’s Tricky Tricks Download!).
b. Then I move to Preposition-Check Sentence.
I teach that there are over 200 of them (if you include two-word or more prepositions), and that students can learn more than half of them simply by using Preposition-Check Sentences:
a. Spatial– The angel flew ____ the clouds. (Or Piggly Wiggly flew _____ the tube….or whatever object you use.)
b. Time—The kids played ________ class.
OR use objects, such as a bathroom tissue tube and a little toy character—place the character all around the tube to practice prepositions.
Note: Songs and rhymes are fine–but in addition to that, I would use a method that teaches the ROLE prepositions play in sentences (such as the above check sentences). Songs and rhymes limit students to the 30 or so that they memorize and do nothing to help them branch out and learn dozens and dozens more through their PURPOSE.
2) I teach students to find prepositional phrases and isolate them with parentheses in their sentences.
This is crucial because the sentence’s main subject and main verb are not found in prepositional phrases. (See the slideshow “5 MORE Tips for Prepositions From Language Lady”!) I teach them this by asking them aloud (for the oral practice sentences we do together during the Teach-Practice-Apply steps):
a. PREP Whom? (TO whom, FROM whom?)
b. PREP What? (OVER what, BESIDE what?)
3) We do this over and over again until finding prepositions and prepositional phrases is second nature to them.
Then, and only then, can they match their subjects and verbs, write properly with prepositional phrase openers, and more.
P.S. What would you like to see a slideshow about or a Tricky Trick download for your students? I’d love to prepare it for you!
Click or tap on the image below to download this three page “Tricky Trick”!
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