Parent Guide

Name of child:

2
Welcome
Dear parents,

Kindergarten is such an important time because it shapes

your child’s attitude to learning English. Children learn
best if they feel safe, supported, and happy in their
learning environment. That’s why I wrote First Friends.
The course has been designed to make sure all our young
learners get the best possible start when learning English.

It is always valuable to reinforce what your child is

learning in an enjoyable way by showing them the fun
that can be had by playing with English at home.

We are here to help and support the academic success

of your child.

With my very best wishes,

Author Susan Iannuzzi is an

international teacher trainer
and expert in early literacy.
She has also worked in
education as a teacher,
editor, and program director.

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How to use this Parent Guide:

The First Friends Parent Guide is designed to help you support

your child’s English language learning. Each parent guide tells
you what your child is learning in the classroom and suggests an
activity for you and your child to do together at home.

For each unit, there is a single parent guide for you to either print
out or use online.

Each guide follows the same format:

First, vocabulary and language structures Unit
1 Hello
are presented, followed by the unit’s value,
everyday English, and alphabet letters. Vocabulary:
My child knows these words and numbers:
Tess, Baz, Jig, Pat, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ant, bear

Review the material with your child by Structure:

My child can say hello and introduce himself or herself.
opening the Student Book and having Hello. What’s your name? I’m (Baz).

your child point to and say the words and Value and everyday English:
My child knows the importance of being polite.
phrases. Check the boxes on the parent How are you? I’m fine.

Alphabet:
guide when your child finishes each section. My child can recognize and say the letters and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 1, Student Audio CD tracks 1–8 (Songs: tracks 3, 5 and 8)
Next, options for extra practice in the First Home study activity:
Friends Activity Book and on the Student Point to the pictures below and have your child tell you the names of the characters.
With your child wave at each of the pictures in turn and say Hello (Tess). How are you?.
Audio CD are given.

Listen to the CD and do the Activity Book

exercises with your child.
1 2 3 4
Lastly, a Home Study Activity is suggested
for you and your child to do at home.
My child has completed Unit 1!
When you are finished, check the box to
show that your child has completed the unit.
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© Oxford University Press No unauthorized photocopying. All rights reserved

How to help your child learn:

In addition to using First Friends Parent Guides, there are many ways that
you can help your child learn. Here are some ideas.

Make
1 your home a great place to learn. Model a positive
attitude toward learning. Give your child space and time to do
homework without distraction. Take part in your child’s education,
too. Look at the First Friends Student Book and Activity Book and
let your child tell you what he or she has learned in school that day.
Listen to the Student Audio CD together at home or in the car,
doing the drills, repeating the dialogues, and learning the songs
together until you can sing them along to the karaoke versions or
without the CD. Make time to read with your child every day.

Praise
2 your child often, when doing the Home Study Activities.
This will help your child gain confidence. Point out wrong answers
gently and encourage your child to find the correct answer. Keep
the focus on finding the answer, not on the mistake, and be sure to
praise your child’s efforts.

Ask
3 questions. First Friends teaches critical thinking skills. In
each unit, Lesson 3 focuses on a different skill, such as patterning,
grouping, or matching. You can encourage critical thinking in your
child at home. Asking your child questions is one way to prompt
your child to think. Be open to your child’s questions and ideas, too.

Encourage
4 good values. First Friends teaches basic values. Talk
about each value with your child. Encourage your child to practice
the value at home. Brainstorm ideas for how to do this, and then
acknowledge and praise your child’s good behaviour. Be sure to
model it, too!

Make
5 learning fun! Sing and role-play together. Do arts and
crafts from the Student Book together, or come up with your own
projects. Involve the whole family in your child’s learning and go
on field trips in your neighborhood. Whenever possible, point out
connections between First Friends and your child’s life. This will help
your child learn to use English in real-life situations.

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 Unit
1 Hello
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words and numbers:
Tess, Baz, Jig, Pat, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ant, bear

Structure:
My child can say hello and introduce himself or herself.
Hello. What’s your name? I’m (Baz).

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of being polite.
How are you? I’m fine.

Alphabet:
My child can recognize and say the letters and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 1, Student Audio CD tracks 1–8 (Songs: tracks 3, 5 and 8)

Home study activity:

Point to the pictures below and have your child tell you the names of the characters.
With your child wave at each of the pictures in turn and say Hello (Tess). How are you?.

1 2 3 4

My child has completed Unit 1!

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 Unit
2 My Family
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words:
brother, dad, grandma, grandpa, mom, sister, cloud, donut

Structure:
My child can ask about people and identify family members.
Who’s this? It’s my (grandma).

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of respecting our elders.
After you. Thank you.

Alphabet:
My child can recognize and say the letters and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 2, Student Audio CD tracks 9–15 (Songs: tracks 12 and 15)

Home study activity:

With your child, look at pictures of your family. Point to each picture and ask Who’s this?
Have your child answer It’s my (grandma).

My child has completed Unit 2!

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 Unit
3 My School
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words:
crayon, bag, table, pencil, book, chair, elephant, frog

Structure:
My child can ask about and identify things.
What’s this? It’s a (bag).
My child can listen to and perform simple actions.
Stand up. Sit down. Quiet, please.

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of behaving at school.
Please open your book. Sorry, (Miss Jackson).

Alphabet:
My child can recognize and say the letters and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 3, Student Audio CD tracks 16–22 (Songs: tracks 19 and 22)

Home study activity:

With your child, take turns giving and performing commands from Unit 3 (Stand up.
Sit down. Quiet, please. Please open your book). Play a game of Simon says …,
Call out commands for your child to follow. If you begin the command with Simon says …,
your child has to follow the command. If you just give the command without saying
Simon says …, your child should not follow the command.

My child has completed Unit 3!

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 Unit
4 Colors
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words:
blue, green, purple, yellow, red, orange, gift, hug

Structure:
My child can ask about and describe objects by color.
What color is it? It’s (red).

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of taking turns.
It’s your turn.

Alphabet:
My child can recognize and say the letters and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 4, Student Audio CD tracks 23–29 (Songs: tracks 26, 27, and 29)

Home study activity:

Walk around your home with your child, looking for items in the Unit 4 colors. Point to
an item and ask your child What color is it? After he or she answers, say It’s your turn and
have your child choose an item to ask you about.

My child has completed Unit 4!

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 Unit
5 My Toys
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words:
jump rope, doll, teddy bear, ball, car, toy box, igloo, jam, kangaroo

Structure:
My child can describe toys by color.
It’s a (red) (teddy bear).

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of sharing with others.
Here. Have my (teddy bear).

Alphabet:
My child can recognize and say the letters , , and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 5, Student Audio CD tracks 30–37 (Songs: tracks 33 and 36)

Home study activity:

Invite your child to choose a few of his or her favorite books. Look through them and find
pictures of the Unit 5 vocabulary items. Point to each item and have your child say It’s
a (blue) (ball).

My child has completed Unit 5!

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 Unit
6 My Face
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words:
face, mouth, nose, eyes, ears, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, lemon, monkey, nest

Structure:
My child can identify parts of the face using pronouns.
Wash your (face). Dry your (ears).
My child can listen to and perform simple actions.
Touch your ears! Clap!

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of keeping clean.
Wash your (face), please. Yes, (Mom).

Alphabet:
My child can recognize and say the letters , , and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 6, Student Audio CD tracks 38–44 (Songs: tracks 41 and 44)

Home study activity:

With your child, count to ten out loud. Then, stand in front of a mirror together and take
turns identifying parts of the face. Invite another family member or two to join you, and
then count the number of (ears) you can see.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
My child has completed Unit 6!
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 Unit
7 My Clothes
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words:
pants, jacket, shoes, T-shirt, skirt, cap, octopus, penguin, quiet

Structure:
My child can identify clothes using pronouns.
This is my (skirt). These are your (shoes).

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of respecting your clothes.
Put on your (smock). Yes, (Miss Jackson).

Alphabet:
My child can recognize and say the letters , , and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 7, Student Audio CD tracks 45–51 (Songs: tracks 48, 49, and 51)

Home study activity:

Provide paper and art supplies, and invite your child to draw or paint a picture of a boy
and a girl wearing the items of clothing learned in Unit 7. Then have your child point to
and say each item.

My child has completed Unit 7!

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 Unit
8 Food
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words:
banana, cookie, orange, tomato, sandwich, water, rainbow, sun, tiger

Structure:
My child can ask about and request quantities of food.
How many (cookies)? Three (cookies), please.

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of eating healthily.
Have a healthy snack.

Alphabet:
My child can recognize and say the letters , , and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 8, Student Audio CD tracks 52–59 (Songs: tracks 55 and 58)

Home study activity:

With your child, look in your refrigerator. Have your child find and name any of the foods
learned in Unit 8. You can also do this activity at the supermarket!

My child has completed Unit 8!

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 Unit
9 On the Farm
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words:
goat, cow, horse, chicken, duck, pig, up, violin, wave

Structure:
My child can ask about and identify animals.
Is it a (goat)? Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t. It’s a (cow).

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of respecting nature.
Don’t touch, please.

Alphabet:
My child can recognize and say the letters , , and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 9, Student Audio CD tracks 60–66 (Songs: tracks 63, 64, and 66)

Home study activity:

With your child, look at the big picture in Lessons 1 and 2. Point to an animal and
ask Is it a (goat)? After your child answers, have your child point to an animal
and ask you about it.

My child has completed Unit 9!

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 Unit
10 Big and Small
Vocabulary:
My child knows these words:
big, small, thick, thin, long, short, box, yo-yo, zipper

Structure:
My child can ask about and describe things by size.
It’s (big). Is it (short)?

Value and everyday English:

My child knows the importance of working together.
Let’s do it together. OK.

Alphabet:
My child can recognise and say the letters , , and .

Extra practice:
Activity Book Unit 10, Student Audio CD tracks 67–74 (Songs: tracks 70 and 73)

Home study activity:

Label three boxes THIN, SMALL, and LONG. Then walk around your home with your
child and find things that belong in each category. For each item he or she finds, have
your child say It’s (small) and put it in the correct box.

My child has completed Unit 10!

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