Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before the lesson, prepare flashcards or picture charts of objects starting with ‘L’ (like lion, leaf, lip), a large chart showing uppercase ‘L’ and lowercase ‘l’, and a whiteboard or large paper for tracing. The central idea is for pupils to recognise the letter ‘L’, identify its sound, and associate it with familiar objects, demonstrating this by pointing, saying the sound, and attempting to trace the letter. Ensure a clear space for pupils to sit comfortably and engage with the visual aids and tracing activities.
Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: Second Term
Week: 3
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Literacy
Previous Lesson: Introduction to Letter K (Sound, Recognition, Picture Reading and Writing)
Topic: LETTER L: SOUND RECOGNITION, PICTURE READING AND WRITING
Subject Matter: Listening and Speaking: Talking about news and happenings at home and in the community. Reading: Picture reading, recognising familiar objects and relating the sound of Ll to Lion, Leaf, Lip. Writing: Tracing, colouring and writing Ll. Songs, Rhymes and Poems: Singing traditional rhymes, songs and poems and acting out characters.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify the uppercase letter ‘L’ and lowercase letter ‘l’.
- Recognise and say the sound of letter ‘L’ (luh).
- Name familiar objects that start with the ‘l’ sound, such as lion, leaf, and lip.
- Recall and share simple news or happenings from home or the community.
Affective Domain
- Show interest and participate actively in discussions about news and happenings.
- Enjoy listening to and singing songs and rhymes related to the letter ‘L’.
- Demonstrate enthusiasm during picture reading and sound recognition activities.
Psychomotor Domain
- Trace the uppercase letter ‘L’ and lowercase letter ‘l’ with their fingers or a pencil.
- Colour pictures of objects that start with the ‘l’ sound.
- Act out simple characters or actions from songs and rhymes.
Social Domain
- Take turns to share news and happenings with classmates.
- Participate cooperatively in group activities like singing and picture reading.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
- Early Childhood Care and Education curriculum resources
- Suitable early-years literacy workbook/textbook
Instructional Materials
- Flashcards or picture charts of objects: Lion, Leaf, Lip
- Large chart showing uppercase ‘L’ and lowercase ‘l’
- Learning stamps (for letter ‘L’)
- Storybook or picture book with ‘L’ words
- Crayons
- Pencils
- Exercise books or plain paper
- Chalk and chalkboard/whiteboard
- Jigsaw puzzles (featuring ‘L’ objects if available)
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is crucial for 3-year-olds as it introduces them to a new letter of the alphabet, ‘L’, and its corresponding sound. Learning letter sounds helps build foundational phonological awareness, which is essential for future reading and writing. By connecting the letter ‘L’ to familiar objects and engaging in tracing and singing, pupils develop early literacy skills in a fun and interactive way, preparing them for more complex language tasks.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can already identify some letters of the alphabet, recognise a few letter sounds, and name some common objects around them. They can also engage in simple conversations and follow basic instructions.Lesson Content/Board Summary
LETTER L: SOUND RECOGNITION, PICTURE READING AND WRITING
The letter ‘L’ makes the sound /luh/.
Uppercase L: L
Lowercase l: l
Words that start with the ‘l’ sound:
- Lion (Show picture of a lion)
- Leaf (Show picture of a leaf)
- Lip (Point to your lip or show a picture)
Tracing and Writing ‘L’ and ‘l’:
How to write ‘L’:
Start at the top, draw a straight line down.
Then, from the bottom of that line, draw a short line across to the right.
How to write ‘l’:
Start at the top, draw a straight line down.
Sound Rhyme: The ‘L’ Sound Song
Tune: “Mary Had A Little Lamb”
Lyrics:
L, L, L, the ‘luh’ sound makes,
‘Luh, luh, luh’, for goodness sakes.
Like a Lion, big and strong,
‘Luh, luh, luh’ all day long.
L, L, L, the ‘luh’ sound makes,
‘Luh, luh, luh’, for goodness sakes.
Like a Leaf upon a tree,
‘Luh, luh, luh’ for you and me.
Actions: For “Lion”, make big paw motions. For “Leaf”, flutter hands gently. For “Luh, luh, luh”, point to mouth.
Watch and Practise
Key Words
- Letter – a symbol used in writing to represent a sound.
- Sound – what we hear when we say a letter.
- Lion – a large wild cat.
- Leaf – a flat, green part of a plant or tree.
- Lip – the soft edge of the mouth.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Begin by showing the uppercase ‘L’ and lowercase ‘l’ on a chart. Emphasize the ‘luh’ sound by making it clearly and having pupils repeat it. Use the picture cards to introduce ‘Lion’, ‘Leaf’, and ‘Lip’, saying each word slowly and clearly, highlighting the initial ‘l’ sound. Have pupils repeat the words and sounds after you.
What to show or demonstrate: Display the large letter ‘L’ and ‘l’ charts. Point to each letter, say its name, and make its sound. Show the picture cards one by one, naming the object and asking pupils to repeat. Demonstrate the correct strokes for tracing ‘L’ and ‘l’ on the board, using large movements, and then guide pupils to air-trace.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce “The ‘L’ Sound Song” by singing it clearly and performing the actions. Sing it a few times, encouraging pupils to join in with the sounds and actions. Repeat the song throughout the lesson to reinforce the ‘l’ sound and associated words.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to learn more about the letter ‘L’ and its sound. Play the video, encouraging pupils to watch and listen carefully. After watching, ask pupils to name some ‘L’ words they heard or saw in the video and practise making the ‘l’ sound again as demonstrated.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils can correctly identify ‘L’ and ‘l’ from other letters. Listen for clear pronunciation of the ‘luh’ sound. Check if they can associate the sound with the pictures. For tracing, ensure they are attempting the correct stroke direction, even if their lines are not perfect.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
- Play-based Learning
- Demonstration
- Guided Practice
- Songs and Rhymes
- Picture Talk
- Question and Answer
- Repetition
- Practical Activity
Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction (5 minutes)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engagement/Listening
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets pupils and asks them to share one happy news or happening from their home or community from the previous day. The teacher listens attentively and encourages participation.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils take turns to share simple news or happenings with the class.
Learning Point: Pupils develop speaking and listening skills and feel valued.
Step 2: Introduction to Letter ‘L’ and its Sound (5 minutes)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Recognition/Phonics
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the letter ‘L’ (uppercase and lowercase) using a chart. The teacher makes the ‘luh’ sound clearly and asks pupils to listen and repeat. The teacher demonstrates air-tracing ‘L’ and ‘l’.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the letter ‘L’ and ‘l’, listen to the ‘luh’ sound, repeat the sound, and air-trace the letters with their fingers.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise letter ‘L’ and its sound.
Step 3: Picture Reading and Word Association (5 minutes)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Association/Vocabulary
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows flashcards of a lion, a leaf, and a lip. For each picture, the teacher says the word, emphasizing the initial ‘l’ sound, and asks pupils to repeat the word and the sound.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the pictures, repeat the words (lion, leaf, lip), and practise making the ‘luh’ sound for each word.
Learning Point: Pupils associate the ‘luh’ sound with familiar objects.
Step 4: Rhyme Reinforcement (3 minutes)
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Auditory Learning/Memory
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing “The ‘L’ Sound Song” (from the Board Summary) with actions. The teacher sings it a few times, encouraging full participation.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song along with the teacher, performing the actions for lion and leaf.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce the ‘l’ sound and ‘L’ words through song and movement.
Step 5: Video Reinforcement (3 minutes)
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Multimedia Learning/Observation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the educational video about the letter ‘L’ and its sound. The teacher encourages pupils to watch, listen, and identify ‘L’ words.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video, listen to the sounds and words, and try to identify new ‘L’ words or reinforce existing ones.
Learning Point: Pupils gain additional exposure to the letter ‘L’ and its sound in a dynamic format.
Step 6: Tracing, Colouring, and Writing ‘L’ (5 minutes)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Fine Motor Skills/Pre-writing
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes worksheets with large outlines of ‘L’, ‘l’, and pictures of ‘L’ words. The teacher guides pupils to trace the letters with their fingers first, then with pencils, and finally to colour the pictures.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils trace ‘L’ and ‘l’ on their worksheets, then colour the pictures of lion, leaf, and lip.
Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and begin to form the letter ‘L’.
Step 7: Evaluation/Review (4 minutes)
Time: 4–5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.
- “What letter did we learn today?” (Show ‘L’ chart).
- “What sound does this letter make?”
- “Can you point to the picture of a lion?” (Show flashcards).
- “Show me how you trace the letter ‘L’ in the air.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.
Step 8: Conclusion (1 minute)
Time: 1 minute
Teaching Skill: Summarisation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their participation and summarises that they learned about the letter ‘L’, its sound, and words that start with ‘L’. The teacher encourages them to look for ‘L’ words at home.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the summary.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and are encouraged to extend it beyond the classroom.
Lesson Keywords
- Letter – A written symbol representing a sound.
- Sound – The specific noise a letter makes.
- Lion – A large wild cat with a mane.
- Leaf – A flat, green part of a plant.
- Lip – The soft outer part of the mouth.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who struggle, provide larger tracing outlines for ‘L’ and ‘l’, use hand-over-hand guidance for tracing, and offer more one-on-one repetition of the ‘luh’ sound and ‘L’ words. Use real objects (e.g., a real leaf, point to own lip) for concrete understanding.
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, encourage them to identify other objects in the classroom or outside that start with the ‘l’ sound. They can also try to draw simple ‘L’ words or use letter stamps to make the letter ‘L’.
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