Introduction to Lesson Note – Pre-Nursery First Term Phonics Week 2 – 3
This Lesson Note – Pre-Nursery First Term Phonics Week 2 – 3 helps you starts off the journey of teaching your child to become fluent reader by age 5, be it from a school classroom or home. By the time your child is 5 years old, going to Primary 1; he or she should be able to read effortlessly.
I do not mean simple reeling off of common words from text such as in the Queen Primer series alone; but actual reading with ability to pronounce “new” or “strange” words with ease. Their pronunciation should be accurate. And they would have acquired firm foundation for spelling and vocabulary.
How Can You Teach Your Child to Read Fluently By 5?
The fastest way to teach your child to read fluently by the time he or she is five years, is through Phonics. This is a method I personally employed over a period of 10 years to teach children how to read. And the result is remarkable. Also, this is the method included as Phonics in the Early Childhood Education curriculum.
I wrote this Phonics guide based on the Scheme of Work for Pre-Nursery. The scheme contains a breakdown and progression of Phonics lesson for pre-schoolers. Private schools that run preschool and day care institutions uses the Pre-Nursery Scheme of Work to prepare children for Nursery education. In government setting however, it is recommended that parents provide this training (care). Even parents of children that attends preschool still augment with home care.
If you are interested in getting the Pre-Nursery Scheme of Work, please click here to download from our website store. Or Click here to download it from our store on Paystack.
Recommended Phonics Textbook for Nigerian Schools
In preparing this guide, I consulted one of the latest Phonics Textbooks for children between 2 -5 years; together with one or two websites – which I list in the references at the end of the post. The Phonics textbook, I Can Read With Phonics, is a systematic approach to learning to read in a fun and easy way.
Activities in the book covers Phonemic awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency and Comprehension. They were creatively presented and cognitively/developmentally appropriate for leaners between 2 -5 years. The author is an experienced teacher and reading instructor.
Published by Ahmadu Bello University Press, I personally recommend this Phonics textbook for parents and Schools in Nigeria. I reference exercises from the book in this guide. To get a copy for your child or to adopt the textbook for your school; kindly send us a request and you will get reply under 5 minutes. Or click here to Chat we us on WhatsApp
How to develop Lesson Plan from Lesson Note – Pre-Nursery First Term Phonics Week 2 -3
I wrote this Lesson Note – Pre-Nursery First Term Phonics Week 2 – 3; in outline of standard lesson plans. However, I advise teachers that want to use this note for official purpose – i.e., to create their lesson plans which they will submit to their supervisors – to follow our guideline to writing standard lesson plan. To make it faster, click here to get my lesson plan template for N300 only. Or click here to get it from paystack.
REMARK: If you find the terms lesson plan and lesson notes confusing, quickly read this article on their differences.
Lesson Note – Pre-Nursery First Term Phonics Week 2 – 3
Topic: Aa – Bb Sounds
OBJECTIVE
At the end of the lesson, the pupils should be able to:
- produce both sounds (individually), and together
- name objects that begin with each
PRESENTATION
The teacher teaches the topic, one step after another as I have laid out below.
Step 1: Introduction
To introduce the lesson, the teacher introduces the pupils to the concept of reading:
- S/he reads and narrates an interesting short story from a book
- Then the teacher asks the pupils whether the story was interesting
- Thereafter, s/he asks the pupils if they have heard any other interesting story in the past – and if there is any, willing pupil(s) may be allowed to share their stories.
- After the pupils’ stories, or if there is none; the teacher asks where stories come from – i.e. where people – such as their parents – get stories from.
- Following the pupils’ responses, the teacher explains that there are a lot of interesting stories in books. And if only they could read; they would be able to learn a lot more stories. Succeeding this, the teacher asks if they would like to learn how to read.
- The pupils should say yes. Therefore, the teacher reveals that to be able to read, they must learn about words; and to learn words, they must learn about letters and their sounds.
Finally, the teacher reiterates that each of the letters which the learned in their Letter Work lessons has unique sound. And this is the sound we make when we pronounce. Thence, the teacher reveals they are going to learn the sound of the letters so they would be able to read.
From there, the teacher revises the meaning of the keywords – read, words, letters and sounds – as s/he has taught them in Letter Work.
Step 2: Producing the Sound of Letter A – /a/
Following the introduction, the teacher teaches the pupils the basic (short) sound of letter A – /æ/ as in the following steps:
- Write or display alphabet A. Then ask the pupils to name it – as a reminder to Letter Work class
- Explain that the alphabet is so-called (the name) only when we write it alone – i.e., when the letter is standing alone. But if we write the alphabet together with other alphabets (to form a word), such as “An” and “At”; then we make or call the sound of the letter instead of the name. The teacher emphasizes the meaning of a word – as a (meaningful) combination of alphabets.
- Succeeding the explanation, the teacher makes the short /æ/ sound
- Then s/he teaches the pupils how to make the short A (/æ/) sound as follows:
- Direct them to open their mouth so that you (the teacher) can see their tongue and lower teeth
- Tell them to place their tongue under their lower teeth
- Finally, let them exclaim ah! briefly
The teacher repeats this with the pupils many times in a fun manner. S/he may make the pupils do it in turns.
Step 3: Objects or words beginning with /a/
After the pronunciation exercise, the teacher tells the pupils that there are lots of words which begins with the /æ/ sound – some of such words being names of people, objects, place and animals around us,
Then teacher asks if any pupil could mention a name of a person, animal, place or object or things we say that when we want to mention, starts with the /æ/ sound.
Afterwards, the teacher gives examples of such short words which begins with /æ/:
Ant, Adam, Apple, Ali, Arm, etc.
Note: First of all, display the picture of each before asking the pupil to mention the name – the picture serves as cues. And this aid retention.
Other Short Words that Begin with Short A /æ/ Sound
After such names as above, the teacher explains that there are things (words) which though may not be names; but we say when discussing with people that also begins with /æ/ sound. S/he may request pupils to mention anything that we (people) say which begins with the sound.
In the end, the teacher lists the following with appropriate picture to illustrate the meaning:
At
“An” or “And” (pick only one to avoid confusion)
As
Am
Al
Ax
Warning:
Do not use word like Aeroplane. First, the A does not take the /æ/ sound. And secondly, the word is too long __ hence, it may constitute difficulty to some of the pupils.
For each of the sample word, the teacher makes the pupils pronounce with emphasis on the beginning /a/ sound.
Short A sound /æ/ Rhyme
In order to further aid retention and add more fun to the lesson, the teacher teaches and sings the short A sound /æ/ rhyme – in page 5 of I Can Read with Phonics Textbook – with the pupils, many times. Make sure to demonstrate as like a soldier, LOL.
Step 4: How to pronounce /b/
After learning and practicing the /a/ sound, the teacher teaches the pupils how to pronounce the sound for alphabet B (/b/) as follows.
- Write or display the letter b and ask pupils to name it – as a reminder
- Explain that the letter is so-called (the name) only when we write it alone – i.e., when the letter is standing alone. But if we write the alphabet together with other alphabets (to form a word), then we make or call the sound of the letter instead of the name. The teacher emphasizes the meaning of a word – as a (meaningful) combination of alphabets.
- Next, the teacher makes the /b/ sound
- Then s/he teaches the pupils how to make the /b/ sound following these steps:
- Tell the pupils to open their mouth and withdraw their tongue – i.e., pull the tongue back so that it does not touch the teeth or any part of their inner mouth particularly the palate.
- While their tongue remains in that position, let them put their lips firmly together.
- Finally, tell them to let out air at once without opening their lips wide.
The teacher practices this with the pupils many times, in a fun manner – such as fall the paper with B sound game.
Step 5: Objects/words beginning with /b/
After the pronunciation exercise, the teacher tells the pupils that there are a lot of words that begins with the sound /b/ which they will see when they start reading. Some of such words are names of objects, animals, person or things we do.
Hence, the teacher asks the pupils if any could mention an object, animal or person which when we want to say, we begin with /b/ sound.
Afterwards, the teacher gives examples such words with illustration (where possible):
Ball
Boy
Ben
Boot
Bag,
Bat,
Baba,
Bee, …
The teacher pronounces and make the pupils to pronounce each word repeatedly with emphasis on the beginning /b/ sound.
Warning:
Avoid using words like bread which has two consecutive consonants as this pose difficulty to the pupils at this stage. I also advise that you do not include word like Baby. This is because the letter A in the word carries sound other than the one for week. And this may cause confusion for the pupils. However, if a pupil mentions it as example, you should duly acknowledge that it is correct.
Other Short Words that Begin with B /b/ Sound
After such names as above, the teacher explains that there are things (words) which though may not be names; but we say when discussing with people that also begins with /b/ sound. S/he may request pupils to mention anything that we (people) say which begins with the /b/ sound.
In the end, the teacher lists the following with appropriate picture to illustrate the meaning:
Ba
Be
Bi
Bo
By
Note:
The focus is on making the pupils able to produce the /b/ sound. Hence, practice with them many times.
/b/ Rhyme
In order to further aid retention and add more fun to the lesson, the teacher teaches and sings the /b/ sound rhyme – in page 5 of I Can Read with Phonics Textbook Level 1 – with the pupils, many times. Make sure to demonstrate as like a soldier, LOL.
Step 6: Blending /æ/ and /b/
After learning how make both /æ/ and /b/ sounds the teacher teaches the pupils to blend both sound or at least attempt to.
To do this,
- S/he forms two letter word (&) with both letter ab & ba
- Teacher explains that ab and ba are words – since both are a combination of letters. Hence,
- S/he demands who can read/pronounce the words by calling the sounds together.
- After receiving attempts, the teacher pronounces each word:
- pronounce the first sound /a/, then the second, giving some seconds delay initially. Then do same again and again, reducing the delay each time until both blends to sound as one
- Let the pupils do same.
Note that ab and ba may be confused for the same thing. Hence, he teacher explicitly tell them the difference that a comes first in ab while b comes first in ba.
EVALUATION
- To assess the pupils’ understanding, the teacher displays some objects whose spelling begins with /b/ and /a/ make the pupils identify or name the object then s/he asks the beginning sound whether /a/ or /b/
Examples of words /objects
Bone
Bread
Ankle
Bed
- Let the pupils do the first and second row of exercises in page 6 of I Can Read with Phonics Textbook Level 1
CONCLUSION
The teacher concludes the Lesson Note – Pre-Nursery First Term Phonics Week 2 -3 by marking the pupils’ books and giving them appropriate feedback. S/he may direct parents on how to guide their children through exercises if such requires further practice.
MATERIALS CONSULTED
Dictionary.Com. (n.d.). WORDS THAT START WITH “B”. Retrieved from Dictionary.Com: https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-finder/words-that-start-with-b/
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). “Ew” and other Words Added to the Scrabble Dictionary 2018. Retrieved from Merriam-Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/new-scrabble-words-2018/frowny
Obiorah, I. R. (2020). I Can Read with Phonics. Zaria, Kaduna: Ahmadu Bello Press Limited.
YouGoWords. (n.d.). 2 Letters and Start With A. Retrieved from YouGoWords: http://www.yougowords.com/start-with-a/2-letters