Activities to Develop Receptive

Language and Comprehension

Skills
Primary 7 years+

This NEPS Good Practice Guide was developed by educational

psychologists. It is based on current knowledge in this area. It is
intended as a guide only. Not all the suggestions here will apply
to any one student or situation.

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Introduction
The 15 activities in this resource pack are intended to be used by teachers and/ or
parents to help develop the language skills of children, typically those in the age
range 7 -12 years. They can be used with individuals, small groups or whole
classes. They typically do not require any additional equipment or resources. We
expect that these activities will be of particular use to children receiving School
Support or School Support Plus.

There are two other NEPS Good Practice Guides focusing on language skills:

 Activities to Develop Expressive Language Skills

(typically for children aged 7-12 years)
 Language Group Activities
(typically for children aged 4-10 years and those at early stages of language
development)

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Activity 1. Sequencing oneself by age in a line with classmates.

Children line up in the room according to their age. Children need to discuss birth
dates with each other. Have the oldest person line up first. Children will know
they are in the right place when everyone in front of them is older than they
are and everyone behind them is younger.

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Activity 2. Following direction when facts about oneself are mentioned.

1. Pretend to be asleep, if you ate Weetabix this morning.

2. Wiggle your nose and touch your left ear, if your family has a pet.
3. Touch the toes of your right foot three times, if you have brothers or sisters.
4. Tiptoe to the front of the room and then hop back to your place, if you went to
this school last year.
5. Do two jumping jacks and then hold out both hands if you live in ______ .
6. Shake hands with someone if you are left-handed.
7. Rub your stomach, touch your right ear and then pat your head four times if
you brought your lunch to school today.
8. Stamp your foot the same number of times as your age and then say
'happy birthday', if your birthday is during the summer.
9. Pat your head three times, touch your left ear, and then touch your right ear if
you have lived in the same place all your life.

10. Whistle three times and then cover your mouth with one hand, if you can
whistle.
11. Stand on one leg if there are twins in your family.
12. Put your hand on your head if your shoes are black.
13. Open your shoe laces and push down your socks if you have curly hair.
14. Turn around and quack three times with your hands on your head if you
support Manchester United.
15. Take a bow if you're wearing a uniform.
16. If you have black hair, clap three times.
17. If you have short hair, stand behind your chair.
18. If you're wearing a nose ring, cover your face.
19. If your first name starts with an A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H or I, wave your hands
in the air.
20. If you are wearing a watch. Tell your partner the time.

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Activity 3. Following, directions that require the substitution of the
name of a body part for a rhyming word.

1. Touch your partner's bed with your left hand. (head)

2. Touch your check and then your partner's rose. (neck, nose or
toes)
3. Touch your partner's ships. (hips or lips)
4. Tap your partner's pin three times. (chin or shin)
5. Close your pies, open them again, and touch your partner's
ned. (eyes; head)
6. Touch your partner’s year and then your own seal. (ear; heel)
7. Touch your partner's week with your land. (cheek; hand)
8. Show your wreath to your partner. (teeth)
9. Show your partner your list and your rose. (fist or wrist; nose)
10. Touch your partner's tree and care. (knee; hair)
11. Scratch your fear with your tail. (ear; nail)
12. Hold your tin with your sand. (chin, hand)
13. Bite your rung with your sheet. (tongue, teeth)
14. Tap your tee with your list. (knee; fist)
15. Raise your grands above your bed. (hands, head)
16. Put your list below your fin. (wrist, chin)
17. Move your peg up and down. (leg)
18. Put your sand on your lace. (hand, face)
19. Touch your see with you beer. (knee, ear)
20. Put your plum in your south. (thumb, mouth)

Activity 4. Miming a favourite activity for others to identify.

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Activity 5. Rapidly naming one number in response to a
given direction

1. 3-10-7-4 Tell me the third number

2. 6-1-7-2 Tell me the largest number
3. 3-2-1-5 Tell me the even number
4. 4-9-6-10 Tell me the number between 9 and 10
5. 2-4-8-10 Tell me the missing number
6. 2-1-4-10 Tell me the odd number
7. 9-7-5-3 Tell me the next number
8. 6-1-9-3 Tell me the last number
9. 9-1-7-6 Tell me the first number
10. 8-1-6-5 Tell me the second last number
11. 10-3-1-5 Tell me the first number
12. 6-1-5-2 Tell me the largest number
13. 1-2-4-5 Tell me the missing number
14. 2-1-4-10 Tell me the odd number
15. 4-7-6-1 Tell me the number between 7 and 1
16. 2-10-3 Tell me the largest even number
17. 5-9-4-8 Tell me the third number
18. 1-2-3-5 Tell me the number not in place
19. 1-3-5-7-10 Tell me the number that does not belong
20. 4-9-6-0 Tell me the second number

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Activity 6. In a series of three words, naming the one that
is different.

1. farm, form, farm

2. part, part, port
3. score, score, scar
4. hard, hard, heard
5. are, are, our
6. your, you, you
7. knife, life, knife
8. each, beach, each
9. ash, ash, trash
10. drench, drench, wrench
11. night fright, fright
12. pear, peer, pear
13. drink, drink, sink
14. big, big, pig
15. green, green, been
16. pole, hole, hole
17. too, too, loo
18. car, star, car
19. lamp, stamp, stamp
20. pool, tool, pool

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 Activity 7. Riddles

1. I have 88 keys, some black, some white, but don't try to lift me I'm not very light (piano)

2. Black and white and read all over (newspaper)

3. What gets wetter as it dries (towel)

4. Two hands but can't write (clock)

5. This is a word that rhymes with cat; it goes on your head because I'm a (hat)

6. What has more teeth than you but can't bite (comb)

7. What goes over the water, under the water but never touches the water (an unlaid egg)

8. This is a word that rhymes with bun. You feel warm when I shine because I'm the (sun)

9. This is a word that rhymes with bake. I'm delicious to eat because I'm a (cake)

10. This is a word which rhymes with smelly. I wibble and wobble because I'm a (Jelly).

11. This is a word which rhymes with fog. I bark and I growl because I'm a (dog)

12. You'll find us near ponds or sitting on logs. We jump and we croak because we are

(frogs).

13. This is a word which rhymes with coat. I sail on the sea because I'm a (boat).

14. This is a word which rhymes with up. You can drink out of me because I'm a (cup)

15. This is a word which rhymes with meat.; You use me for walking because I'm your

(feet).

16. This is a word which rhymes with pear. I grow on your head because I'm your (hair).

17. This is a word which rhymes with spoon. I shine brightly at night because I'm the

(moon).

18. When you bang me hard I go rumpa - turn - turn. I'm played in a band because I'm a
(drum)

19. This is a word that rhymes with toes; you use me to smell because I'm your (nose)

20. I'm useful for journeys when you're going far, but I need lots of petrol because I am a
(car)

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Activity 8. Unscrambling jumbled sentences

1. my forgot I lunch
2. called out referee The time
3. O'Brien her is Mr. teacher
4. dog has My legs four
5. breakfast made I my quickly
6. chair Sit on your
7. teacher no The said talking
8. 80 granny is My
9. man I that like
10. three table the on There cups are
12. chips you, Do, rice or want.
13. me your homework see Let
14 in front The is window of the sink
15. football field large has school The a
16. dropped The teddy the bear baby
17. river into The fox jumped the
18. ground the Mary on fell her knee and cut

19. near a lake was donkey The

20. smashing is this school think I

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Activity 9. Listening to four words and identifying their
common sound.

1. girl, leg, smog, gun (g sound)

2. think; nothing, both, thank (th sound)
3. raining, singing, playing, eating (ing sound)
4. peach., teacher, cheese, church (ch sound)
5. wanted, edge, education incredible (ed sound)
6. laugh, level, value, yell (l sound)
7. zero, surprise, lazy, as (z sound)
8. hit, hang, house, handle (h sound)
9. dangerous, food, daisy, dip (d sound)
10. share, crashing, wash, ship (sh sound)
11. bus, sock, bicycle, cigar (s Sound)
12. laugh, giraffe, faraway, face (f Sound)
13. pilot, apple, lipstick, poor (p sound)
14. able, rabbit, dab, baby (b sound)
15. call, ache, castle, rack (k sound)
16. ten, enter, send, leg (e sound)
17. rage, jar, engine, gymnastics (g sound)
18. yummy, make, animal, dumb (m sound)
19. rapid, ponder, ape, dip (p sound)
20. stamp, last, faster, pester (st sound)

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Activity 10. Identifying the word in a series that does not
belong and telling why.

1. Salmon, chair, mackerel, trout

2. Ten, nine, eight, seven, three
3. Pencil, newspaper, book, magazine
4. Oak, beech, chestnut, daffodil
5. Jumper, trousers, vest, shirt
6. Runners, sneakers, trainers, shoes
7. October, November, December, April
8. Yoghurt, milk, beef, cheese
9. Angry, furious, happy, livid
10. Marathon, Champion, Poundworld, Lifestyle
11. Brother, cousin, sister, sibling
12. Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, Michael Jackson, RL Stine.
13. Cork, Kilkenny, Belfast, Galway.
14. story, pen, novel, essay.
15. pleasant, harmful, evil, nasty
16. 222, 334, 555, 777,
17. biscuits, tea, coffee, milk
18. Jack, Mary, Jane, Ann
19. raven, eagle, wasp, robin
20. Burgerking, McDonalds, Eason, Abracababra
21. apple, onion, strawberry, orange
22. stamp, address, sellotape, envelope
23. cardigan, tie, pyjamas, shirt

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Activity 11. Items that come next in a sequence.

1. Saturday, Sunday, Monday (Tuesday).

2. 28, 24, 20 ...................... (16.)
3. Second, minute, hour..... (day)
4. February, March, April ... (May)
5. e, f, g, h ......................... (I)
6. Autumn, winter, spring .... .(summer)
7. 5c, lOc, 20c ................... .(50c)
8. shoulder, elbow, wrist .... .(knuckle)
9. m, l ,k ,j ......................... .... (i)
10. 8, 6, 4 ............................ ..... (2)
11. 1, 3, 5, 7 ....................... ..... (9)
12. hip, thigh, knee, shin,.... (ankle)
13. roots, trunk, branches ... (leaves)
14. June, May, April ............ (march)
15. blue, black, blue, brown... ... (blue)

16. 1 o'clock, 5 past 2, 10 past 3 ........... (15 past 4)

17. John, 2, Peter, 2, Sarah ........................ (2)
18. Bop, A, Bop, E, Bop I, Bop, O, Bop ........ (U)
19. Tuesday, Monday, Sunday .................. (Saturday)
20. March, May, July, September.............. (November)

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Activity 12. Naming words which are opposite and using
them in sentences

1. The dragon looks happy ........... sad

2. Today is a cold day ................. warm
3. The paint is white ..................... black
4. good ...................... bad
5. fast ......................... slow
6. big .......................... small
7. large....................... little
8. often .......................seldom
9. purchase ................. sell
10. private ..................... public
11. add ......................... subtract
12. vacant .................... engaged
13. lost .......................... found
14. enter........................ exit
15 rich........................... poor
15. sleep ...................... wake
17. tall .......................... small
18. loud ........................ quiet
19. smooth ................... rough
20. accept .................... refuse
21. long ........................short
22. tame...................... wild
23. intelligent .................... stupid
24. fat................................ thin.

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Activity 13. Number sequences

If a number is ................ more than 20 clap your hands.

If a number is ................ less than 20 tap your foot.

1. 12- 29 - 32 (tap, clap, clap)

2. 100-120- 2- 18 (clap, clap, tap, tap)
3. 18- 24- 28 (tap, clap, clap)
4. 21- 86- 3 (clap, clap, tap)
5. 4- 5- 7 (tap, tap, tap)
6. 31- 2- 32 (clap, tap, clap)
7. 14- 15- 20- 102 (tap, tap, clap, clap)
8. 4- 19- 18- 21 (tap, tap, tap, clap)
9. 16- 44- 2- 1 (tap, clap, tap, tap)
10. 3 -27- 2- 4 (tap, clap, tap, tap)
11. 4- 21 (tap, clap)
12. 6- 3 (tap, tap)
13. 18- 24 (tap, clap)
14. 7- 9 (tap, tap)
15. 18- 21- 22- 6 (tap, clap, clap, tap)
16. 19-18- 3- 14 (tap, tap, tap, tap)
17. 27- 26- 31- 45 (clap, clap, clap, clap)
18. 44- 94- 7- 26 (clap, clap, tap, clap)
19. 7- 8- 2-16 (tap, tap, tap, tap)
20. 3-107- 81-21 (tap. clap, clap, clap)

Give rhythm and ask children to suggest number

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Activity 14. Remembering and stating words missing
from a sentence.
Teacher says sentence then repeats sentence omitting
BOLD word, the child is to give the omitted word.

1. Throw the soccer ball back. Throw the …....ball back.

2. He was absent because he was quite ill.
3. Put the small book back in the library.
4. He ate the ripe banana at lunchtime.
5. She fell on the muddy ground and cut her knee.
6. Peter walked slowly to the school as he had no homework
done.
7. Andrew told his mam he wanted a sizzling sausage for his
tea.
8. Emer bought a tall doll in the toyshop yesterday.
9. I watched a silly TV programme last night.
10. The boy wrote an interesting essay for the competition.
11. Amanda screamed as she watched the horror film on
Tuesday.
12. The chocolate biscuits vanished from the tin.
13. The room was full of sick people.
14. The muddy river overflowed onto the narrow footpath.
15. The heavy rain continued to pour down on the young
children.
16. A small bicycle was the cause of the accident.
17. We heard funny noises in the dark cave.
18. I don't like that slow creepy music.
19. Right after my ninth birthday, I'm going to a football match.

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 Activity 15. When you hear…

Stand up when you hear the name of….

A. something shiny fling, ding, ring, sling
B. a pop group scones, bones, rolling stones, cones
C a TV programme The Den, ten, Ben, men

Tap your head when you hear:

A. a colour too, blue, stew, grew
B. a subject rats, cats, maths, flats
C. a make of car poured, sword, bored, Ford.

Shake your arms when you hear

A. a drink smoke, coke, broke, awoke,
B. a food cake, rake, bake, lake
C. a profession curse, nurse, purse

Cover your eyes when you hear

A. a football player rigs, bigs, jigs, Giggs, figs
B. something made from glass:
s bottle, skittle, rattle, thistle
C. something you can wear shirt, Bert, skirt, flirt,

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