Fun with Character: Please and Thank You
These words are words of gratitude and appreciation that we express to others. Using the word ‘please’, in a respectful tone, tells the listener that we don’t expect the action but are respectfully requesting it. Expressing gratitude with the words ‘thank you’ recognizes another’s contribution. When used properly, both phrases have humble foundations. Perhaps students can research how to say these words in other languages and make posters for the classroom. You could also write these words in other languages and have them guess which language and whether they are please or thank you. Has anyone heard them used, perhaps in the home, from a grandparent or even Sesame Street! You probably already encourage your students to use these words, model them yourself, praise them when they use them and patiently wait to hear them when they are missing.
Please
Spanish – por favor
French – s’il vous plait
Italian – per favore
German – bitter
Thank you
Spanish – gracias
French – merci
Italian – grazie
German – danke
Using sign language is another way to express please and thank you. Watch this YouTube video for please and thank you in sign language. The video also contains a short song in sign language.
To process this activity, ask these or similar questions:
Do you hear please and thank you a lot?
How does it make you feel to hear it?
Did any of the foreign words or sign language appeal to you to use?
Do you think that you will pay more attention to these two words now?
