Follow a Point and Look Together
Follow a Point and Look Together
An adult's point can invite shared attention, without requiring the child to follow. The aim is connection and response, not a performance task.
Today's Approach
Amara is about 1 year 9–10 months old. Keep each activity to 3–8 minutes. Looking, pointing, making a sound or saying one word, staying quiet, pausing, or declining all count. Use only the poster and audio; do not require objects, answers, repetition, performance, touch, or eye contact.
A4 Teaching Picture
Open the teaching picture to download or print
Goals
- Communication: hear and see “I point to the bird. We look together.” and “I point to the moon. You can look somewhere else.” in natural descriptions.
- Understanding: A point is an invitation, not a command.
- English: understand two short descriptions with picture support, without repeating.
- Quantity: the adult points one-to-one through one ball, two apples, and three cups, without requiring an answer.
Materials
- Only the A4 teaching picture above, printed or displayed full-screen.
- The English audio below at a comfortable volume.
- No cards, toys, food, containers, or any other physical objects are needed.
1. Chinese Picture Talk
Time: 5–8 minutes.
An adult points to a bird outside and a moon picture on the wall; the child may look anywhere. Say slowly, “我指向小鸟。我们一起看。” and “我指向月亮。你也可以看别处。” once each, then pause to notice what Amara actually attends to.
Amara may look anywhere, point, make a sound, say one word, stay quiet, pause, or decline. Do not ask “What is this?” or “Who is doing it?” Do not correct, score, or request a retelling.
2. English Time
Time: 3–5 minutes.
Download today's English audio
Transcript: English time. Listen, look, or point. I point to the bird. We look together. I point to the moon. You can look somewhere else. One ball. Two apples. Three cups. All done.
Play it once. The adult may gently point to the matching picture as the audio plays. Repetition, movement, and looking at the adult are not tasks.
| English | Chinese | Possible response |
|---|---|---|
I point to the bird. We look together. | 我指向小鸟。我们一起看。 | Look, point, make a sound, or say one word |
I point to the moon. You can look somewhere else. | 我指向月亮。你也可以看别处。 | Listen quietly, pause, or decline |
3. Early Quantity: 1, 2, 3
Time: 3–5 minutes.
Use only the three separate bottom boxes: one ball, two apples, and three cups. The adult moves one fingertip one-to-one and says “one, two, three” once. Do not count the main picture, words, or border, and do not ask Amara to identify numerals.
4. Adult Response and Boundaries
Time: 3–5 minutes.
The adult can say, “I noticed your signal.” Describe the place Amara looks toward. If she turns away, pushes the screen, becomes quiet, or says no, respond promptly: “You want to pause. We will stop.”
Safety and Development Note
A point is an invitation, not a command. The poster and audio support shared looking only; they never replace real supervision. Adults are responsible for real safety, hygiene, feeding, body care, and necessary boundaries. Do not use quizzes, correction, rewards, scores, forced repetition, or comparison.
Gentle Bedtime Recall
Time: 3–5 minutes.
Say “I point to the bird. We look together.” and “I point to the moon. You can look somewhere else.” once, then point through the bottom groups of one, two, and three. Looking, pointing, a sound, one word, quiet, pausing, or declining may all end today's recall.