Aural Discrimination of Consonant Sounds, /Tz/ and /Ɀ/ for Primary 3

Class: Primary 3
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 2
Age: 8 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: English Studies
Previous Lesson: .
Topic: Listening/Speaking, Reading, Writing
Subject Matter: Aural discrimination of consonant sounds: /tz/ and /Ɀ/; Reading a simple passage for plain facts (comprehension); Writing a simple composition on “How I spent my last holiday’’.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

• identify words containing /tz/ and /Ɀ/ sounds.
• understand plain facts from a simple comprehension passage.
• identify difficult words in a passage.
• explain the use of simple present and past tenses.
• understand the guidelines for writing a simple composition.
• recall rules for correct punctuation and capitalization.
• identify appropriate past tenses for narrative writing.

Affective Domain:

• listen attentively to the teacher’s pronunciation.
• listen carefully to explanations of difficult words and tenses.
• follow instructions for organizing a composition.

Psychomotor Domain:

• pronounce words with /tz/ and /Ɀ/ sounds correctly.
• form simple sentences using words with these sounds.
• write sentences containing these sounds.
• read a simple passage silently.
• use difficult words in new sentences.
• read aloud in groups and individually.
• answer comprehension questions based on the passage.
• write a simple composition on “How I spent my last holiday” with a clear title and indentation.
• use past tenses, capital letters, and punctuation correctly.
• organize events chronologically.
• read their compositions aloud to the class.

Social Domain:

• suggest additional words and sentences for practice.
• participate in group reading activities.
• share their holiday experiences orally with the class.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• State Unified Scheme of Work
• Macmillan English for Primary Schools 3
• https://www.education.gov.ng

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Charts showing consonant sounds /tz/ and /Ɀ/ and example words.
• A simple reading comprehension passage.
• Chalkboard/whiteboard and markers.
• Pupils’ notebooks and pens/pencils.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils to develop important communication skills by improving their ability to distinguish and produce specific consonant sounds. It also enhances their reading comprehension, enabling them to understand written information. Furthermore, it guides them in expressing their ideas clearly and correctly in written form, which is essential for academic success and daily life.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are expected to have basic knowledge of English alphabets, simple sentence formation, and an understanding of simple words and tenses.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Listening/Speaking

Aural Discrimination of Consonant Sounds: /tz/ and /Ɀ/

Aural discrimination means being able to hear and tell the difference between sounds. Today, we are learning to distinguish between two consonant sounds: /tz/ and /Ɀ/.

The /tz/ Sound

This sound is often found in words like:

• Church
• Teach
• Catch
• Match
• Kitchen

The /Ɀ/ Sound

This sound is often found in words like:

• Treasure
• Pleasure
• Measure
• Casual
• Vision

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Reading

Comprehension: Reading for Plain Facts

Reading comprehension is understanding what you read. When we read for plain facts, we look for the main information directly stated in the passage.

Tips for Reading Comprehension

• Read the passage silently first.
• Identify difficult words and try to understand their meaning from the context.
• Read the questions carefully before looking for answers in the passage.
• Answer questions using information directly from the text.

Simple Present and Past Tenses

Verbs change form to show when an action happens. This is called tense.

• Simple Present Tense: Used for actions that happen regularly or are always true.

  Examples: “The sun shines every day.” “She eats breakfast.”

• Simple Past Tense: Used for actions that happened and finished in the past. We often use definite time adverbs like ‘yesterday’, ‘last week’, ‘an hour ago’.

  Examples: “The minister visited last week.” “I played football yesterday.”

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Writing

Composition: “How I Spent My Last Holiday’’

A composition is a short piece of writing where you share your thoughts, experiences, or ideas on a specific topic. Today, we will write about your last holiday.

Guidelines for Writing Your Composition

• Title: Your composition must have a title, for example, ‘’How I Spent My Holiday’’. The title should be centred at the top.
• Indentation: Start each new paragraph by leaving a small space (indentation) at the beginning of the first line.
• Verbs in Past Tenses: Since you are writing about what happened in the past, use verbs in their past tense forms (e.g., went, played, saw, ate).
• Size: Keep your composition precise and suitable for your age and ability.
• Vocabulary: Use simple and appropriate words.
• Rules of Writing:
  • Start every sentence with a capital letter.
  • Use correct punctuation marks (full stops, commas, question marks).
  • Organize your events chronologically, meaning in the order they happened.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Lesson 1: Listening/Speaking and Reading

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and introduces the lesson by asking them if they can tell the difference between similar-sounding words.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greetings and share their thoughts.
Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the concept of sound discrimination and prepare for the lesson.

Step 2: Aural Discrimination of Consonant Sounds

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes words containing /tz/ and /Ɀ/ sounds on the board (e.g., Church, Treasure, Teach, Measure). The teacher pronounces the words clearly, demonstrates the sound production, and then pronounces them again, asking pupils to imitate.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, pronounce the letter sounds and words several times, imitating the teacher’s pronunciation.
Learning Point: Pupils learn to distinguish and pronounce the /tz/ and /Ɀ/ consonant sounds.

Step 3: Sentence Formation with Sounds

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Practice/Application
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher makes simple sentences with the words (e.g., “The church has a bell,” “He found a treasure”) and asks pupils to repeat after him/her. The teacher then encourages pupils to suggest more words and sentences.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, repeat the sentences, and suggest additional words and sentences for further practice. They also write sentences in their notebooks.
Learning Point: Pupils practice using the sounds in context and develop sentence construction skills.

Step 4: Introduction to Reading Comprehension

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Introduction/Guidance
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces a simple reading passage (e.g., “The minister’s visit on the Prize Giving Day’’) and tells the pupils to read it silently to understand the main facts.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils read the passage silently, focusing on understanding the plain facts.
Learning Point: Pupils engage with the reading material and practice silent reading for comprehension.

Step 5: Understanding the Passage

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher identifies difficult words from the passage, explains their meanings, and uses them in sentences. The teacher also explains the use of simple present and past tenses as they appear in the passage.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanations, make sentences with new words, and ask questions about the tenses.
Learning Point: Pupils expand their vocabulary and understand the application of simple present and past tenses.

Step 6: Reading Aloud and Answering Questions

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Assessment/Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to read sections of the passage aloud in groups and individually. The teacher then asks comprehension questions based on the passage.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils read aloud and answer the questions orally and in their notebooks.
Learning Point: Pupils practice reading fluency and demonstrate their understanding of the passage.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. Pronounce the words “Church” and “Treasure” clearly.
2. Make a sentence using a word with the /Ɀ/ sound.
3. What is the main idea of the reading passage?
4. Give an example of a sentence in the simple past tense.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of clear pronunciation and understanding what is read.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and ask any final questions.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their learning from the lesson.

Lesson 2: Writing

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them about their last holiday, encouraging them to share a fun memory. The teacher then introduces the topic of writing a composition about their holiday.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and briefly share their holiday experiences.
Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and prepared to write about their personal experiences.

Step 2: Discussing Holiday Experiences

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Brainstorming/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher facilitates a brief class discussion where pupils tell how they spent their last holiday individually, sharing key activities and places visited.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils briefly tell how they spent their last holiday to the class one by one.
Learning Point: Pupils recall and organize their holiday memories, preparing for written expression.

Step 3: Composition Guidelines – Title and Indentation

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Instruction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the importance of a clear title, “How I Spent My Holiday,” and demonstrates how to indent (give a paragraph space) at the beginning of each new paragraph on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively to the guidelines and ask clarifying questions.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the initial structural requirements for their composition.

Step 4: Composition Guidelines – Tenses and Vocabulary

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Instruction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils to use verbs in the past tenses when describing past events. The teacher also advises them to use simple, clear sentences with appropriate nouns and pronouns, and to observe all rules of writing regarding vocabulary.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the instructions and answer simple questions about past tense verbs.
Learning Point: Pupils learn to apply correct grammar and appropriate vocabulary in their writing.

Step 5: Composition Guidelines – Punctuation and Chronology

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Instruction/Demonstration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils of the correct usage of capital letters at the start of sentences and for proper nouns, and the correct use of punctuation marks (full stops, commas). The teacher also stresses the importance of organizing events chronologically.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and ask questions about punctuation and organizing events.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the importance of mechanics and logical flow in writing.

Step 6: Writing the Composition

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides the pupils to write their compositions in their notebooks, moving around the class to offer individual assistance and check for adherence to guidelines.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils write in their notebooks, following all the guidelines provided.
Learning Point: Pupils apply all learned rules to produce their own composition.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is the first thing you should write at the top of your composition?
2. What tense should you use when writing about your last holiday?
3. Mention two rules for using capital letters in a composition.
4. Why is it important to organize your events chronologically?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks a few pupils to read out what they wrote to the class and praises efforts, offering constructive feedback. The teacher then summarizes the importance of good composition writing.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils read out what they wrote and listen to feedback and the summary.
Learning Point: Pupils gain confidence in sharing their writing and reinforce their understanding of good writing practices.

Home Task: Write four correct English sentences that demonstrate the main language skill in Listening/Speaking, Reading, Writing.

Lesson Keywords

• Aural Discrimination – The ability to hear and tell the difference between sounds.
• Consonant Sounds – Speech sounds produced by obstructing the breath in the mouth.
• Comprehension – The ability to understand what you read or hear.
• Composition – A piece of writing on a particular subject.
• Indentation – Leaving a small space at the beginning of a line to mark the start of a paragraph.
• Past Tense – A verb form used to describe actions that happened in the past.
• Punctuation – Marks like full stops, commas, and capital letters used in writing to make meaning clear.
• Chronologically – Arranging events in the order in which they happened.

Differentiation

For struggling learners, the teacher will provide simpler words for sound discrimination and simpler passages for reading. They will also be given sentence starters for composition writing. Advanced learners will be encouraged to use a wider range of vocabulary in their compositions and suggest more complex sentences during sound practice.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Teachers should ensure that they have clear charts for sound discrimination and a suitable, age-appropriate comprehension passage ready before the lesson. Emphasize practical application in all sections. Encourage pupils to be creative in their composition while adhering to the guidelines. Regular practice and positive reinforcement are key to developing these language skills.