Letter X, Sound Recognition and Picture Reading for Pre-School Level 2

Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: Third Term
Week: 6
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Letter W Sound, Words and Writing
Topic: Letter X: 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 Xx to Xmas, X-ray, Xylophone. Writing: Tracing, colouring and writing Xx. 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 ‘X’ and lowercase ‘x’.
• Recognise the sound associated with the letter ‘X’ (as in X-ray).
• Name objects that start with or contain the letter ‘X’ from pictures (X-ray, xylophone, Xmas).

Affective Domain

• Participate actively in talking about their home and community.
• Show enthusiasm while singing songs and rhymes about the letter ‘X’.

Psychomotor Domain

• Trace and colour the letter ‘X’ and ‘x’ correctly.
• Attempt to write the letter ‘X’ and ‘x’ with guidance.
• Perform actions related to songs and rhymes.

Social Domain

• Take turns speaking during group discussions.
• Engage cooperatively in classroom activities.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
• Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources
• Suitable early-years literacy workbook

Instructional Materials

• Flashcards of uppercase ‘X’ and lowercase ‘x’
• Picture cards of an X-ray, a xylophone, and a Christmas tree (Xmas)
• Chart posters showing the letter ‘Xx’ and example words
• Crayons
• Pencils
• Writing paper with dotted lines for tracing
• Whiteboard and markers/chalk
• Storybook or picture book (optional, for general picture reading)

Rationale for the Lesson

Learning to recognise the letter ‘X’ and its sound is an important step in developing early literacy skills. At this age, associating letters with familiar pictures and sounds helps children build a foundation for reading and writing. This lesson also encourages communication and social interaction through sharing personal news and participating in songs, fostering holistic development.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can recognise some other letters of the alphabet and their sounds. They can also hold a crayon or pencil and make scribbles or simple lines.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Letter X: Sound Recognition, Picture Reading and Writing

Listening and Speaking: News and Happenings

Talking about things that happen at home and in our community helps us share and listen to each other.

Letter Xx and its Sound

The letter ‘X’ can make a /ks/ sound, like in “X-ray” or “box”. It can also be at the beginning of words like “Xmas” and “Xylophone”.

• Uppercase X: X
• Lowercase x: x

Picture Reading: Words with Letter Xx

• X-ray: A picture of the inside of your body, like bones. (Starts with X, sound /ks/)
• Xylophone: A musical instrument with wooden bars that you hit to make sounds. (Starts with X, sound /z/)
• Xmas (Christmas): A special celebration time. (Starts with X, sound /z/)

Tracing and Writing Letter Xx

We trace the letter ‘X’ by drawing two slanted lines that cross in the middle.

• Uppercase X: Start at the top, draw a slanted line down to the right. Go back to the top, draw another slanted line down to the left, crossing the first line.
• Lowercase x: Same as uppercase, but smaller.

Sound and Action Rhyme: “My Letter X”

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

X, X, my letter X,
Makes a sound like /ks/, /ks/, /ks/.
Like X-ray, we can see,
Xylophone for you and me.
X, X, my letter X,
Makes a sound like /ks/, /ks/, /ks/.

Actions: For /ks/ sound, make a crossing motion with arms. For X-ray, point to chest. For Xylophone, pretend to play a xylophone.

Watch and Learn: The Letter X

Key Words

• X-ray – A picture of bones inside the body.
• Xylophone – A musical instrument.
• Xmas – Another name for Christmas.

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 (News and Happenings)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Communication/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and encourages them to share one piece of news about something that happened at home or in their community. The teacher models by sharing a simple piece of news first.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher and take turns sharing their news with the class.

Learning Point: Pupils practise listening and speaking skills, and feel comfortable sharing.

Step 2: Introduction of Letter Xx and its Sound

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Recognition/Phonics

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the letter ‘X’ and ‘x’ using flashcards. The teacher says the letter name and demonstrates the /ks/ sound (like in “box” or “X-ray”). Pupils repeat after the teacher.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the flashcards, repeat the letter name ‘X’ and its /ks/ sound after the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise the letter ‘X’ and begin to associate it with its sound.

Step 3: Picture Association and Identification

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Association

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows picture cards of an X-ray, a xylophone, and a Christmas tree (Xmas). The teacher names each picture, highlighting that they either start with ‘X’ or contain the ‘X’ sound. For X-ray, the teacher emphasizes the /ks/ sound. For Xylophone and Xmas, the teacher clarifies they start with X but have a different initial sound.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the pictures, repeat the names, and try to make the /ks/ sound for X-ray.

Learning Point: Pupils relate the letter ‘X’ to familiar objects and pictures.

Step 4: Rhyme and Video Reinforcement

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Auditory Learning/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing the “My Letter X” rhyme with actions. After the rhyme, the teacher plays the educational video about the letter X.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme, perform the actions, watch the video, and listen for the letter ‘X’ and its sound.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce letter ‘X’ recognition and sound through song and visual media.

Step 5: Tracing and Colouring Letter Xx

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Fine Motor Skills/Pre-writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes tracing worksheets with large ‘X’ and ‘x’ outlines. The teacher demonstrates how to trace the letter with a crayon, emphasizing the crossing strokes. Pupils are guided to trace and colour the letters.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils pick up their crayons and carefully trace and colour the uppercase ‘X’ and lowercase ‘x’ on their worksheets.

Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and practise the formation of letter ‘Xx’.

Step 6: Guided Writing Practice

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Writing/Formation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates writing ‘X’ and ‘x’ on the whiteboard. The teacher then guides pupils to attempt writing ‘X’ and ‘x’ on their worksheets or in the air with their fingers.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher, then try to write ‘X’ and ‘x’ on their own or trace in the air.

Learning Point: Pupils practise writing the letter ‘Xx’ with guidance.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4–5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. “Show me the letter X on the flashcard.”
2. “What sound does X make in X-ray?”
3. “Can you name a word that starts with letter X?”
4. “Trace letter X in the air with your finger.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and effort. The teacher reminds them that they learned about the letter X today.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s praise and pack up their materials.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and consolidate learning.

Lesson Keywords

• X – The twenty-fourth letter of the alphabet.
• X-ray – A picture of the bones inside our body.
• Xylophone – A musical instrument.
• Xmas – A short way to write Christmas.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle with letter recognition, provide larger flashcards and more one-on-one repetition of the letter name and sound. Use hand-over-hand guidance for tracing. Focus primarily on recognising the letter ‘X’ rather than perfect formation.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concept, encourage them to identify other objects in the classroom or pictures in books that might contain the letter ‘X’ (e.g., “box,” “fox”). Ask them to draw a simple picture of an X-ray or xylophone.