English Home Language
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Reg. No.: 2011/011959/07
English Home Language
Facilitator’s guide
Grade 3
SAMPLE
CAPS aligned
T Duganzich H Erasmus Dr N Scheepers
Introduction for the facilitator
Impaq’s approach to language in grade 3
We use language to think and communicate. When learners use language effectively they are able to think critically, obtain knowledge, express their creative abilities and identity, as well as their feelings and ideas. They also interact better with others and manage their experiences. Home language is an important foundation and shapes learners’ ability to communicate and learn.
In grade 3, it is important to teach language effectively and create learning opportunities and interactions that focus on the development of learners’ abilities to listen, speak, think, argue, read and write. This learning programme contains 20 units that stretch over 40 weeks and each unit covers 10 days (or two weeks).
Each day offers one or two detailed language sessions on these aspects:
• Listening and speaking
• Reading and phonics
• Writing and language structure
Listening and speaking
Listening and speaking form the foundation of learning and that is why, in grade 3, time is dedicated to focused activities to develop these skills. During the listening- and speaking sessions, learners are encouraged to improve their vocabulary and language structure. The facilitator must create ample opportunity for learners to talk spontaneously about a topic. Should learners be unable to have a meaningful conversation, the facilitator may ask questions directed at helping the flow of the conversation.
The listening- and speaking activities include conversations on specific topics, image discussions, introducing new stories to learners and speeches. The programme offers dedicated listening- and speaking sessions but these are, in some instances, integrated with reading- or writing sessions.
SAMPLE
In each learning unit, sessions are allocated specifically to listening- and speaking activities. It is, however, important that the facilitator integrates listening- and speaking skills with other learning areas. This gives learners the opportunity to think critically, listen attentively and talk when they are interacting or doing other tasks.
Reading
Developing learners’ reading skills is an important component of this programme. The year plan is based on the reader series: The adventures of Ben, Lebo and Hanna (Phases 9 – 12). Each phase has five stories. As the learners progress through the year, the stories and sentences gradually become longer.
The programme is developed to promote word recognition and sentence construction. The learners read with increasing fluency and understanding and rely on high-frequency words (that appear regularly in most reading passages) to improve their reading skills. The facilitator uses sight words should learners still find some words difficult or if the words are unfamiliar. For learners who are more advanced readers, there is no need to use sight words.
The programme provides for shared-, group guided- and independent reading when the learners read with the facilitator, as well as individual reading. Learners are continuously introduced to new reading passages as well as comprehension tests and poems. However, there are sessions where learners will be expected to read unseen texts.
The reading series is mostly used for group guided reading where learners read the same text in a group or with the facilitator. There is enough time in the session to allow learners to progress at their own pace and they may read more pages than indicated. Once a learner has finished the story, there is provision in the group guided reading/independent reading for them to reread the story or any other suitable book on their level. Learners must not become bored with reading the series more than once.
Additional reading passages including comprehension tests, jokes, recipes and cartoon strips are used in shared reading. In some instances, learners read the passage as a group and at other times by themselves. The additional reading is on their developmental level and should spur them on to read the text by themselves. If learners can read very well, there is no need for the facilitator to read the passages to them, they can read it themselves.
During independent reading sessions, learners read to themselves or they may read in pairs.
Phonics
Each learning unit includes a range of phonics activities which alternate between the introduction of new sounds, embedding sounds and new spelling rules that include plurals, silent letters, synonyms and antonyms, suffixes, syllables, prefixes and alphabetical order.
The phonics sessions are spread across the 20 learning units. Learners revise all the are, air, ear, ere and eer sounds from grade 2 and are then introduced to more complex sound combinations at the end of words. They learn new spelling rules throughout and there is enough time for revision and to entrench what they have learnt. It also requires learners to each week write the familiar words in their exercise books.
Handwriting
SAMPLE
Throughout the year learners systematically master handwriting skills. They revise patterns that promote handwriting as well as all the letters in cursive writing they learnt in grade 2. Learners may still print their letters until the end of term 2, after which they have to use cursive in all their books. In the first two terms, learners use lead pencils to write in their books. Learners who can write well may start experimenting with ballpoint pens from term 3, provided they work neatly. Learners who experience difficulty writing with a pen, and who have to erase pencil writing often, may leave writing with a pen until term 4.
Writing
Writing activities focus on the learners’ abilities to write meaningful sentences, whereas handwriting focuses on the skill of forming letters correctly. Writing activities start with short, simple stories or sentences. As the programme develops, learners are challenged to plan and write their own stories, newspaper reports, book reviews, diary entries, dialogues and so on.
Learners are introduced to nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, prepositions and adverbs. They also do simple exercises to help them write exclamations, questions and statements both in spoken language and in written format.
Materials and resources
Grade 3 learners should write with lead pencils and with a pen from term 4. All the written activities are set out in the workbooks. However, learners will need two blank A4 exercise books for creative writing, drawing and other activities. Use exercise books with slightly thicker lines. Learners must write on the lines and no longer over three lines as in grades 1 and 2. (Buy A4 feint and margin books.)
How to use the materials and resources
The grade 3 package includes:
• A facilitator’s guide
• Workbook 1: Reading and Phonics, Units 1 – 10
• Workbook 1: Reading and Phonics, Units 11 – 20
• Workbook 2: Writing and Handwriting
• Readers from the reading series: The adventures of Ben, Lebo and Hanna
• Learner aid
• Facilitator aid
• Assessment (portfolio book)
• Assessment guidelines and memorandum
You have to buy:
• Retractable crayons and colouring pencils for writing and colouring activities
• A lead pencil, pen (from term 3 or 4), sharpener and eraser for writing exercises
• Scissors, ruler, glue (Pritt and wood glue) for activities
• Two blank exercise books for creative writing and class activities
Facilitator’s guide
This guide contains 20 learning units. Every learning unit is spread over two weeks and covers 10 days. Each day is divided into three to five language sessions that include listening and speaking, reading (group guided, paired- and independent reading), phonics, writing and handwriting. Refer to the proposed daily programme for the time allocation of the sessions.
Each session is concluded with two information boxes – Conceptualisation and Resources. The conceptualisation box summarises the concepts that are embedded, while the resources box provides a list of items provided (i) and/or required () for the session.
SAMPLE
Two symbols are used in each session.
The owl indicates what the facilitator must do.
The pencil indicates what the learner must do.
Workbook 1: Reading and Phonics
Workbook 1: Reading and Phonics, Units 1 – 10 and Workbook 1: Reading and Phonics, Units 11 –20 contain 163 activities that develop reading skills, new phonics, language concepts and spelling rules.
Workbook 2: Writing and Handwriting
This workbook contains 143 activities that develop creative writing and handwritings skills.
Grade 3 ~ English Home Language
Reading series: The adventures of Ben, Lebo and Hanna
The reading series is developed specifically for the Grade 3 English Home Language programme.
Facilitator aid
The facilitator aid contains spelling words, phonics and sight words to support the readers.
Learner aid
The learner aid contains spelling words, spelling tests, phonics and pattern cards.
SAMPLE
Per week: 25 hours
Suggested timetable for Grade 3
Home Language (HL): 7/8 hours
First Additional Language (FAL): 3/4 hours
Mathematics: 7 hours
Life Skills (LS): 7 hours
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09:30 – 10:00
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SAMPLE
Skills: Personal and Social Well-being and Beginning knowledge
10:50 – 11:15 Home Language: Handwriting 25 min Home Language: Group guided reading 25 min Home Language: Shared reading 25 min Home Language: Group guided reading 25 min Home Language: Handwriting 25 min
11:15 – 11:40 Home Language: Group guided reading 25 min Home Language: Group guided reading 25 min Home Language: Shared reading 25 min Home Language: Group guided reading 25 min Home Language: Writing 25 min
11:40 – 12:00 FAL: Listening and speaking 20 min FAL: Reading, phonics and language structure 20 min FAL: Listening and speaking
min FAL: Reading, phonics and language structure 20 min FAL: Listening and speaking 20 min
12:00 – 12:15
12:15 – 13:25
FAL: Reading, phonics and language structure 30 min
Learning unit 1
Day 1 Week 1
Session 1: Listening and speaking: ‘It’s cool to be kind’
Introduce learners to the story: ‘It’s cool to be kind’
• Refer to the illustration on the opening page of the story. What do Carin and Ben see on the open parking bay?
• Why is there a wheelchair painted on the parking bay?
• Why is Mom not allowed to park there?
• How do you think Carin feels? (Refer to the expression on her face). Why do you think Carin is cross?
• Read the title of the story aloud to learners.
• Talk to learners about being healthy and having a healthy body for which we should be grateful. Learners must understand that it is a privilege to be able to walk, run and jump, to see, hear and talk.
• Have a conversation around disabilities, for example, people who use wheelchairs because they are unable to walk, people who cannot walk without help, people who are blind, people who are deaf, etc.
• Guide the conversation according to learner participation.
Session 2: Phonics: sh-, -sh,
ch- and -ch
Revise the sounds sh-, -sh, ch- and -ch. Play a game with the learners. Divide them into groups.
• Give each group one minute to write as many words as possible with the sh- sound.
• Give a point for each word that the group could think of that the other groups do not have.
• Repeat the exercise with the other sounds.
If there is only one learner, the facilitator may play with him/her.
Spelling words 1 watch, sheep, cheat, wash, shop, munch, rich, chips, rush, stash
Session 3: Handwriting
All handwriting sessions in grade 3 are in cursive. Learners acquired the skills in grade 2 to write all lower case letters (small letters) and some capital letters in cursive. During the first term we will revise all the capital letters and small letters.
Demonstrate how to write a capital V and a small v
Complete activity 1 in workbook 2. Complete the letters to the end of the line. Write the words in cursive.
vSAMPLE
VSession 4: Group guided reading: ‘It’s cool to be kind’
Refer to this morning’s listening- and speaking session. The learners are already familiar with the title and theme of the story.
• Introduce learners to difficult words in the text. Determine what their reading level is. Most grade 3 learners will be able to read independently, while others read better with the guidance of the facilitator. If necessary, use the sight words for learning unit 1 (refer to facilitator learning aid) to introduce unknown words, or allow learners to decipher the words themselves.
• Learners work in pairs and read pages 8 to 9 of the story with a friend.
Day 2
Session 1: Listening and speaking: Play a game
Play a game: What is your secret?
• Learners write their secret on a piece of paper. They all write something about themselves. It must be something that no one knows, or that no one can see at first glance. For example: My dog’s name is Bruno; I play the guitar, My grandfather uses a walking stick, etc. Learners are not allowed to write anything that one can see, for example, I wear glasses; I have long black hair.
• If there are fewer than 15 learners, the game can be played as a class. Divide bigger classes into groups of eight or more.
• The class/group put all their ‘secrets’ into a container or hat.
• Each learner draws a ‘secret’.
• For example, a secret could be: I love taking my dog for a walk.
• Learners talk to one another and ask questions to find out whose secret it is, for example: Do you have a dog? If that learner does not have a dog, they continue to the next learner. If they do have a dog, ask whether they like taking their dog for walks.
• Continue with the game until everyone knows whose secret they drew
Session 3: Handwriting
Demonstrate how to write a capital W and a small w.
Complete activity 2 in workbook 2. Complete the letters to the end of the line. Write the letters in cursive.
Sessions 3 and 4: Group guided reading: ‘It’s cool to be kind’
Learners work in groups. Divide the class into groups based on the learners’ reading ability.
• Work with one group while the others read in their group. Manage the session to ensure that all the groups receive equal attention.
• Introduce learners to difficult words in the text. Use the sight words from learning unit 1, if necessary.
• The learners in the group take turns to read sections of the text on pages 10 to 11 of the story.
• Discuss the development of the story and answer any questions they may have about the text.
Day 3
Session 1: Listening and speaking: Share an experience
Learners share news or personal experiences. They must identify an experience or event they want to share with the class. Allow two or three learners to share their news. Next time let other learners share their news until everyone has had the opportunity to share their news/experience.
SAMPLE
• Learners tell a story. Take note of sentence construction and vocabulary.
• The other learners listen without interrupting. They may react by asking questions and talking about the speaker’s story. Listen to their discussion and guide the session by asking additional questions or by sharing ideas/opinions.
• Manage the session to ensure that a few learners are able to share their news/experience.
Session 2: Phonics: sh-, -sh, ch- and -ch
Learners complete activity 1 in workbook 1. Read the text with the learners. They identify the words with the correct beginning and ending sounds and write them on the correct lines. Learners must also choose one word from each column and make new sentences with the words.
Sessions 3 and 4: Shared reading: Comprehension test
Do the comprehension test in workbook 1, activity 2 with the learners. Follow these steps:
• Learners read the first paragraph quietly to themselves.
• They then predict what happens after the first paragraph.
• Read the entire text to the learners, who follow in their own books.
• Read the questions.
• Reread the text and the learners circle the information that relates to the questions.
• Answer the first two or three questions together with the learners.
• Learners answer the rest of the questions. Assist those who need help.
Learners answer the comprehension questions in workbook 1, activity 2.
Answers
1. Why could Lawrence Walters not become a pilot? His eyesight wasn’t good enough
2. How many balloons did he use? 42 balloons
3. How high did he fly? 4 900 m
4. How did he make sure he did not fly too high? He took his air rifle with him to shoot at the balloons.
5. Why was he afraid to shoot the balloons at first? He was afraid he would become unbalanced and fall.
SAMPLE
6. What did he wear just in case? A parachute
7. How did he land? He shot a few balloons and slowly descended until he landed Before he landed he became entangled in power lines.
8. Why is it illegal to fly like this? Because he interfered with the airport’s flight routes.
9. Do you think it is a dangerous thing to do? Why? Learner’s own answer. Possible answer: Yes, it is a dangerous thing to do because he could have been injured or killed if his chair fell.
Session 5: The structure of a story
Learners are already familiar with the structure of a story. Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end. Talk about the writing process. Learners must understand that every text has a specific structure and that it is necessary to follow a process when you write something.
• Firstly, plan what you want to write, for example, what is the text about? What do you want to say? In what sequence/order must it be written?
• After you have done your planning, you may start to write. Remember, a story has a beginning, a middle and an end. Similarly, an article, essay or other text also has a beginning, a middle and an end. You introduce the reader to the content and use the middle to describe what happens to the characters or what problems they encounter. The end ties up all the loose ends or the writer comes to a conclusion.
• Always read your text when you are done writing. Look carefully at the spelling, grammar and punctuation as well the sentence construction and order. Make the necessary changes.
• Now the final version is ready and you may give it to someone to read, or write it in your book.
This morning you shared news or a personal experience. Write six to eight sentences about the event or about something that happened to you. Plan your sentences and write them in your exercise book. Read your sentences and correct all the errors. Rewrite it if you think you need to change it.
Day 4
Sessions 1 and 2: Shared reading: Poem: ‘Wind on the hill’
SAMPLE
Read the poem in workbook 1, activity 3 to learners. They must listen carefully.
• Discuss the content of the poem.
• Discuss any difficult words in the poem.
• Identify the rhyming words in the poem.
• The learners circle the rhyming words with different colours.
• Think of more words that rhyme with the rhyming words in the poem.
• Use the poem for role playing. One learner reads the poem while two other learners act it out.
Sessions 3 and 4: Group guided- or independent reading
This is the last reading session for the week and it may be used for guided- or independent reading. Learners may read the book again as a group. Learners with advanced reading skills, who can read the story with ease, may read a book of their choice or one that is available in class.
Option 1: Group guided reading: Learners work in groups. Divide the class into groups based on the learners’ reading ability.
• Work with one group while the others read in their group. Manage the session to ensure that all the groups receive equal attention.
• Introduce learners to difficult words in the text. Use the sight words from learning unit 1, if necessary.
• The learners in the group take turns to read sections of the text on pages 8 to 11 of the story.
• Discuss the development of the story and answer any questions they may have about the text.
Option 2: Independent reading: Learners may read any book at a suitable level.
Session 5: Writing: Spelling test 1
Learners write the spelling test on the given page in the learner aid. They are tested on the words given to them on day 1 of this week. Say each word aloud and use it in a sentence so learners can hear the meaning of the word in context.
Day 5
SAMPLE
Session 1: Listening and speaking: What do you say about ...?
Introduce the activity: What do you say about ...?
• Write a word on the board which learners talk about in their groups. They must be familiar with the word to encourage discussion.
• Use a word/term of your choice (from the Life Skills themes or the week’s theme), or use one of these: shopping centre, the senses, school rules.
• Learners work in groups of three to five. They discuss the word and share their knowledge with one another. One learner in each group makes notes about the word.
• Learners are allowed five minutes to write down as many facts as possible. Each group then