Speech: Learning Word Sounds Through Songs for Primary 2

Class: Primary 2
Term: Second Term
Week: 7
Age: 7 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Speech
Previous Lesson: Second Term English Language Studies Examination
Topic: Speech: Learning Word Sounds Through Songs
Subject Matter: Songs, that can help the pupils to learn sounds in words.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify specific word sounds in songs.
• Recognise words that contain the taught sounds.
• State the benefit of learning sounds through songs.

Affective Domain

• Participate actively in singing songs to learn sounds.
• Enjoy learning English sounds through musical activities.

Psychomotor Domain

• Sing simple songs with emphasis on particular word sounds.
• Produce the taught word sounds clearly.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Primary 2 English Studies Textbook
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Audio/video clip
• Recorder
• Chart showing words with target sounds
• Flash cards with words and pictures
• Textbook
• Notebook
• Reading passages

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils develop phonemic awareness and improve pronunciation by making learning word sounds enjoyable and memorable. Using songs leverages children’s natural inclination for music, making abstract sound concepts concrete and easier to grasp. It provides a foundational skill for reading and spelling.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can listen to and follow simple instructions, recognise some letters of the alphabet, and sing basic nursery rhymes.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Speech: Learning Word Sounds Through Songs

How Songs Help Learn Word Sounds

1. Songs use rhythm and repetition, which makes it easy to remember sounds.
2. Singing helps pupils practice making the sounds correctly and clearly.
3. Songs make learning fun and engaging, helping pupils to stay interested.
4. It helps pupils connect sounds to specific words.

Examples of Word Sounds and Words

1. Sound: /a/ (as in apple)
   1. Apple
   2. Ant
   3. Alligator
   4. Axe
2. Sound: /b/ (as in ball)
   1. Ball
   2. Bat
   3. Book
   4. Bag
3. Sound: /k/ (as in cat)
   1. Cat
   2. Car
   3. Cup
   4. Cow

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Repetition, Singing.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils, reviews a previous simple song, and asks them how songs help them remember things. The teacher then introduces the topic: learning word sounds through songs.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, recall the previous song, and listen attentively to the new topic.

Learning Point: Prior knowledge activation

Step 2: Explanation of Learning Through Songs

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains why songs are good for learning sounds, highlighting repetition and fun. The teacher plays a short audio clip of a simple song and points out how sounds are repeated.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation and the audio clip, understanding the benefits of songs.

Learning Point: Song sound benefits

Step 3: Introduction of Sound /a/

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the /a/ sound (as in apple) using flash cards and a chart. The teacher then leads pupils in a simple song that features words starting with the /a/ sound (e.g., “Apple, apple, red and round, /a/, /a/, /a/ sound”).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the flash cards, listen to the teacher, and try to make the /a/ sound. They listen to the song.

Learning Point: /a/ sound recognition

Step 4: Guided Practice for Sound /a/

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Repetition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides the pupils to sing the /a/ sound song together, ensuring they emphasize the /a/ sound in words like ‘apple’, ‘ant’, ‘alligator’. The teacher corrects pronunciation where necessary.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song with the teacher, focusing on pronouncing the /a/ sound correctly.

Learning Point: /a/ sound practice

Step 5: Introduction of Sound /b/

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the /b/ sound (as in ball) using flash cards and a chart. The teacher then leads pupils in another simple song that features words starting with the /b/ sound (e.g., “Bounce the ball, /b/, /b/, /b/, /b/, ball, bat, book”).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the flash cards, listen to the teacher, and try to make the /b/ sound. They listen to the song.

Learning Point: /b/ sound recognition

Step 6: Guided Practice for Sound /b/

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Repetition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides the pupils to sing the /b/ sound song together, ensuring they emphasize the /b/ sound in words like ‘ball’, ‘bat’, ‘book’. The teacher provides further correction.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song with the teacher, focusing on pronouncing the /b/ sound correctly.

Learning Point: /b/ sound practice

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. Sing a song that has the /a/ sound.
2. Give two words that start with the /b/ sound.
3. How do songs help us learn sounds?
4. What sound do you hear at the beginning of “cat”?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Sound identification

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes about how songs help learn sounds and the examples of sounds and words into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Board note recording

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reinforces that songs are a fun and effective way to learn word sounds and encourages pupils to practice singing and listening for sounds at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the importance of practising.

Learning Point: Main lesson reinforcement

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Listen to songs at home or ask your parents to sing simple songs with you. Try to identify words that start with the /a/ and /b/ sounds. Write down:

1. Two new words you heard with the /a/ sound.
2. Two new words you heard with the /b/ sound.
3. A sentence explaining why you enjoy learning sounds through songs.

Lesson Keywords

• Speech – The ability to express thoughts and feelings by articulate sounds.
• Sounds – The particular way a word or letter is pronounced.
• Songs – Musical compositions, often with words, that can be sung.
• Pronunciation – The way in which a word is spoken.
• Rhythm – A strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils struggling with sound recognition, the teacher can provide one-on-one repetition, use larger flash cards, or provide more visual cues and slower song tempos. Focus on one sound at a time until mastery.

Extension: For advanced learners, the teacher can introduce more complex sounds or ask them to identify words with the target sounds in a short story. They can also be encouraged to create their own short songs for new sounds.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For videos on learning word sounds through songs for Primary 2 English Studies, search on YouTube for: Primary 2 English word sounds songs