Class: Primary 3
Term: 1st Term
Week: 8
Age: 8 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: English Studies
Previous Lesson: Oral Composition Aural Discrimination, /I/ and /I,/.
Topic: Listening and Speaking, Reading, Writing, Grammatical Accuracy
Subject Matter: Pronunciation of vowels and diphthongs; Comprehension and Independent Reading; Writing narrative passages; Present Perfect Tense.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain:

Identify and differentiate between vowel and diphthong sounds.
Understand short passages and identify difficult words.
Define a narrative passage and identify its key features.
Explain the use of the present perfect tense.

Affective Domain:

Listen attentively to spoken words and sounds.
Show interest in reading independently and learning new vocabulary.
Appreciate the importance of correct grammar in communication.
Develop confidence in expressing ideas through writing.

Psychomotor Domain:

Accurately pronounce vowel and diphthong sounds in isolation and within words.
Read short passages clearly and answer comprehension questions.
Write a simple narrative essay using appropriate tenses.
Formulate sentences correctly using the present perfect tense.

Participate actively in pronunciation drills and reading activities.
Share ideas and written work with classmates.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum for Primary 3 English Studies.
State Unified Scheme of Work.
Macmillan Primary English for Nigerian Schools, Primary 3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn1R49kY1pI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hW2N4M7Y5o

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

A chart showing vowel and diphthong sounds with example words.
A selected short reading passage.
Whiteboard and markers.
Pupils’ English textbooks.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils develop fundamental English language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Mastering these areas enables pupils to communicate effectively, understand written information, and express themselves clearly in various situations.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have basic knowledge of letter sounds, simple sentence construction, and can read short words.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

LISTENING AND SPEAKING

Pronunciation of Vowels and Diphthongs

Vowel sounds are single speech sounds produced with an open vocal tract, allowing air to flow out freely. Diphthongs are a combination of two vowel sounds in a single syllable, where the sound begins as one vowel and moves towards another.

Vowel Sounds

/æ/ as in cat, man
/e/ as in bed, hen
/ɪ/ as in sit, pin
/ɒ/ as in hot, dog
/ʌ/ as in cup, sun
/ʊ/ as in put, book
/iː/ as in tree, see
/uː/ as in blue, moon
/ɑː/ as in car, father
/ɔː/ as in ball, door
/ɜː/ as in bird, girl
/ə/ as in about, teacher (schwa)

Diphthong Sounds

/eɪ/ as in say, day
/aɪ/ as in my, time
/ɔɪ/ as in boy, coin
/əʊ/ as in go, boat
/aʊ/ as in cow, house
/ɪə/ as in near, here
/eə/ as in hair, chair
/ʊə/ as in sure, tour

READING

Comprehension and Independent Reading

Reading comprehension is the ability to understand and interpret what is read. Independent reading is when pupils read by themselves to improve their fluency and understanding.

To improve reading comprehension and independent reading:

Read a passage carefully to get the main idea.
Identify and write down difficult words.
Find the meaning of difficult words in a dictionary.
Use the new words in sentences to understand them better.
Read different types of books and stories.

WRITING

Writing Narrative Passages

A narrative passage is a story that tells about events or experiences. It describes what happened, to whom, and usually in the order it happened.

Key features of a narrative passage:

It tells a story, often about a personal experience or an event.
It usually uses past tense verbs (simple past, past continuous).
It has characters, a setting, a plot (what happens), and sometimes a lesson.

Example Topic: “The day I travelled to the village.”

GRAMMATICAL ACCURACY

Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is used to talk about an action that started in the past and continues to the present, or an action that was completed recently and has a connection to the present.

It is formed using “has” or “have” + the past participle of the verb.

Examples:

Cleaned: I have cleaned the table. (The table is clean now.)
Washed: She has washed her clothes. (Her clothes are clean now.)
Eaten: Ben has eaten the rice. (The rice is finished.)
Stolen: Janet has taken my pencil. (My pencil is gone.)

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Lesson: Listening and Speaking, Reading, Writing, Grammatical Accuracy

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 to recall some vowel sounds they know.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher and respond by naming some vowel sounds.
Learning Point: Pupils are prepared for the lesson and recall prior knowledge.

Step 2: Listening and Speaking – Pronunciation of Vowels and Diphthongs

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays a chart of vowel and diphthong sounds, pronounces each sound clearly, and gives example words. The teacher then guides pupils to practice pronouncing the sounds.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, observe the chart, and practice pronouncing the vowel and diphthong sounds with the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils learn to identify and pronounce various vowel and diphthong sounds.

Step 3: Reading – Comprehension and Independent Reading

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Reading/Facilitation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reads the first paragraph of a short passage from their textbook and writes difficult words on the board, explaining their meanings. The teacher then tells pupils to read the remaining paragraphs independently.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen as the teacher reads, note difficult words, and then read the rest of the passage silently. They write out other difficult words.
Learning Point: Pupils develop reading comprehension skills and identify new vocabulary.

Step 4: Writing – Narrative Passage

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Instruction/Guidance
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what a narrative passage is, highlighting that it tells a story and uses past tense verbs. The teacher then guides pupils to write a short narrative essay on “The day I travelled to the village.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation and begin to write their narrative essays based on the given topic.
Learning Point: Pupils understand how to write a simple narrative essay.

Step 5: Grammatical Accuracy – Present Perfect Tense

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Examples
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the present perfect tense, explaining its use and structure (has/have + past participle). The teacher writes examples on the board and explains each one.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, observe the examples, and identify the present perfect tense in sentences.
Learning Point: Pupils learn to identify and understand the present perfect tense.

Step 6: Class Discussion and Correction

Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Feedback
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to share some of their written sentences or pronunciation challenges and provides immediate feedback and corrections.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share their work or ask questions, receiving feedback from the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils receive clarification and correct common errors.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

Pronounce the vowel sound in “cat” and “tree.”
What is a diphthong? Give one example.
What is a narrative passage?
Complete the sentence using the present perfect tense: “She _______ (finish) her homework.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of practicing pronunciation, reading, writing, and using correct grammar.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and ask any remaining questions.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and understand the practical application of the skills learned.

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

Lesson Keywords

Vowel – A speech sound produced with an open vocal tract.
Diphthong – A sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable.
Comprehension – The ability to understand what is read or heard.
Narrative – A story or account of events.
Present Perfect Tense – A verb tense used for actions completed recently or continuing from the past to the present.

Differentiation

For pupils who are fast learners, the teacher can encourage them to read more complex passages or write longer narrative essays. For pupils who need more support, the teacher will provide extra practice with pronunciation, simpler reading passages, and more guided writing exercises.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Teachers should ensure active participation from all pupils during pronunciation drills and reading activities. Provide individual feedback on writing tasks. Encourage pupils to use dictionaries regularly to build their vocabulary. Emphasize the connection between correct grammar and clear communication.