RLS: Commnicating at School and in the Classroom

# RLS: Commnicating at School and in the Classroom ## Reading- Read brief accounts of school activities, school timetables and notices IRREGULAR VERBS ### Introduction Welcome, Form One students! In this lesson, we will learn how to understand different types of texts you often see at school: short stories about school activities, daily schedules (timetables), and important announcements (notices). We'll also dive into a special type of verb called "irregular verbs" which are very common in English. ### Key Concepts #### 1. Understanding School Activity Accounts School activity accounts are short descriptions that tell you about events that have happened or will happen at school. They help you stay informed about what's going on. * **What to look for:** * **What happened/will happen?** (e.g., sports day, school trip, concert) * **When?** (Date and time) * **Where?** (Location) * **Who participated/is invited?** * **Why was it held/is it being held?** (Purpose) * **Tips for reading:** * Read the title carefully. * Look for keywords like "yesterday," "last week," "next month," "will be held." * Identify the main points quickly. #### 2. Reading School Timetables A school timetable shows your daily or weekly schedule. It tells you which subjects you have, at what time, and in which classroom. Learning to read it correctly is crucial so you don't miss any lessons! * **What to look for:** * **Days of the week:** Usually listed across the top or down the side. * **Time slots:** Indicates when each lesson starts and ends. * **Subjects:** The names of your lessons (e.g., English, Maths, Science). * **Teachers' names (sometimes):** Who will teach the lesson. * **Classroom numbers (sometimes):** Where the lesson takes place. * **Tips for reading:** * Find the correct day first. * Then, find the correct time slot. * Read across or down to find the subject. #### 3. Reading Notices School notices are important announcements that tell students, teachers, or parents about important information, rules, or upcoming events. They are usually posted on notice boards or read out in assemblies. * **What to look for:** * **Headline/Title:** This tells you the main topic of the notice. * **Date:** When the notice was issued. * **From/By:** Who is giving the information (e.g., Head Teacher, School Secretary). * **The Message:** The main content of the announcement. * **Action/Deadline:** What you need to do or by when (e.g., "Return forms by Friday," "Meeting at 3 PM"). * **Tips for reading:** * Read the headline and first sentence to get the main idea. * Scan for important dates, times, and places. * Understand what action, if any, is required from you. #### 4. Irregular Verbs Most verbs in English form their past tense and past participle by adding "-ed" (e.g., walk, walked, walked). These are called **regular verbs**. However, many common verbs do not follow this rule. They change their spelling in different ways. These are called **irregular verbs**. * **Why are they important?** You need to know them to speak and write correctly about past events. * **Three forms of verbs:** * **Base Form (Present Simple):** The original form of the verb (e.g., *go*). * **Past Simple:** Used for actions completed in the past (e.g., *went*). * **Past Participle:** Used with helping verbs like "has," "have," or "had" (e.g., *gone* in "has gone"), or in passive voice (e.g., "was eaten"). * **Examples of Common Irregular Verbs:** | Base Form | Past Simple | Past Participle | | :-------- | :---------- | :-------------- | | be | was/were | been | | become | became | become | | begin | began | begun | | break | broke | broken | | come | came | come | | do | did | done | | drink | drank | drunk | | eat | ate | eaten | | find | found | found | | give | gave | given | | go | went | gone | | have | had | had | | know | knew | known | | make | made | made | | read | read | read | | run | ran | run | | see | saw | seen | | speak | spoke | spoken | | take | took | taken | | write | wrote | written | ### Vocabulary * **Account:** A report or description of an event or experience. * **Timetable:** A schedule showing the times at which certain events or tasks are planned to take place. * **Notice:** A formal announcement or warning, especially one put in a public place. * **Irregular Verb:** A verb that does not follow the usual pattern of adding "-ed" to form its past tense and past participle. * **Base Form:** The simplest form of a verb, without any endings (e.g., *sing*). * **Past Simple:** The form of a verb used to describe an action completed in the past (e.g., *sang*). * **Past Participle:** A verb form that can be used with auxiliary verbs (like *have*) or to form passive sentences (e.g., *sung*). ### Examples #### 1. School Activity Account Example **School Talent Show Success!** Last Friday, our school hall was filled with excitement as students showcased their amazing talents in the annual Talent Show. Form One student, Amina, sang a beautiful song and won first prize. The event, which began at 2:00 PM, also featured impressive dance routines and comedy sketches. Everyone had a wonderful time! * **Questions:** * What happened? School Talent Show. * When? Last Friday. * Who won first prize? Amina, a Form One student. #### 2. School Timetable Example **Form One - Monday Schedule** | Time | Subject | Classroom | | :---------- | :----------- | :-------- | | 8:00 - 9:00 | English | 1A | | 9:00 - 10:00 | Mathematics | 1B | | 10:00 - 10:30 | Break | | | 10:30 - 11:30 | Science | Lab 1 | | 11:30 - 12:30 | History | 1C | * **Questions:** * What subject do you have at 9:00 AM? Mathematics. * Where is the Science lesson? Lab 1. #### 3. School Notice Example **IMPORTANT NOTICE: Library Closure** **Date:** October 26, 2023 **From:** School Librarian Please be informed that the school library will be closed for maintenance next Tuesday, November 1st, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Students are advised to borrow any necessary books before this date. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. * **Questions:** * What is the notice about? Library Closure. * When will the library be closed? Next Tuesday, November 1st. * Who issued the notice? School Librarian. #### 4. Irregular Verbs in Sentences * I **go** to school every day. (Base Form) * Yesterday, I **went** to the park. (Past Simple) * I have never **gone** to that city before. (Past Participle) * She **eats** an apple for breakfast. (Base Form) * This morning, she **ate** a banana. (Past Simple) * Have you ever **eaten** sushi? (Past Participle) ### Exercises #### Exercise 1: Reading Comprehension Read the following text and answer the questions: **School Art Competition Results!** The annual school Art Competition was held last Thursday in the Multi-Purpose Hall. Students from all forms participated, submitting beautiful paintings and sculptures. Form Three student, David Lee, won the overall prize for his stunning landscape painting. All participants received a certificate. The winning artwork will be displayed in the main office for the next two weeks. Thank you to all who joined! 1. When and where was the Art Competition held? 2. Who won the overall prize? 3. What will happen to the winning artwork? #### Exercise 2: Irregular Verb Practice Fill in the blanks with the correct Past Simple form of the irregular verbs in brackets. 1. Yesterday, I __________ (see) a cat on the roof. 2. My friend __________ (eat) all the cake. 3. We __________ (go) to the beach last weekend. 4. She __________ (write) a letter to her grandmother. 5. The bell __________ (ring) five minutes ago. ### Assignment 1. **Create a School Notice:** Imagine your class is organizing a clean-up day for the school garden. Write a short notice (3-5 sentences) to inform other students about it. Include: what it is, when, where, and what students should bring. 2. **Complete the Irregular Verb Table:** Copy and complete the table with the missing forms of the irregular verbs. | Base Form | Past Simple | Past Participle | | :-------- | :---------- | :-------------- | | speak | __________ | spoken | | __________| came | come | | give | gave | __________ | | begin | __________ | begun | | find | found | __________ | 3. **Sentence Writing:** Write three sentences using any three different irregular verbs in their Past Simple form. ### Summary Today, we learned essential skills for reading and understanding different types of texts at school. We covered how to get information from school activity accounts, timetables, and notices. We also explored irregular verbs, which are verbs that change their spelling in the past simple and past participle forms, unlike regular verbs that simply add "-ed." Mastering these irregular verbs is key to speaking and writing English accurately about past events. Keep practicing reading these texts and remembering your irregular verbs, and you'll become a great English speaker! ## Vocabulary- Numbers **Introduction:** Welcome to our lesson on numbers! In English, numbers are everywhere – from telling your age to counting objects, giving phone numbers, or even talking about dates. Learning to recognize, say, and write numbers correctly is a fundamental skill that will help you communicate much better in English. Let's dive in and master numbers together! **Key Concepts:** ### Numbers from 0 to 10 These are the basic building blocks of all numbers. * 0 - Zero * 1 - One * 2 - Two * 3 - Three * 4 - Four * 5 - Five * 6 - Six * 7 - Seven * 8 - Eight * 9 - Nine * 10 - Ten ### Numbers from 11 to 20 These numbers have special names, but you'll notice some patterns. * 11 - Eleven * 12 - Twelve * 13 - Thirteen * 14 - Fourteen * 15 - Fifteen * 16 - Sixteen * 17 - Seventeen * 18 - Eighteen * 19 - Nineteen * 20 - Twenty ### Numbers from 21 to 100 #### The "Tens" These are important to learn as they form the base for numbers between 21 and 99. * 10 - Ten * 20 - Twenty * 30 - Thirty * 40 - Forty * 50 - Fifty * 60 - Sixty * 70 - Seventy * 80 - Eighty * 90 - Ninety * 100 - One Hundred #### Combining Tens and Ones To make numbers like 21, 35, or 99, we combine the "tens" with the single numbers (0-9) using a hyphen. * 21 - Twenty-one * 35 - Thirty-five * 48 - Forty-eight * 53 - Fifty-three * 67 - Sixty-seven * 72 - Seventy-two * 84 - Eighty-four * 99 - Ninety-nine ### Larger Numbers #### Hundreds To say numbers in the hundreds, we use "hundred" after the number of hundreds, followed by "and" and then the remaining two-digit number (if any). * 100 - One hundred * 200 - Two hundred * 345 - Three hundred and forty-five * 901 - Nine hundred and one #### Thousands For thousands, we use "thousand". * 1,000 - One thousand * 2,000 - Two thousand * 5,400 - Five thousand four hundred * 10,567 - Ten thousand five hundred and sixty-seven * 100,000 - One hundred thousand #### Millions For millions, we use "million". * 1,000,000 - One million * 2,500,000 - Two million five hundred thousand ### Ordinal Numbers Ordinal numbers tell us the position or order of something (e.g., first, second, third). * 1st - First * 2nd - Second * 3rd - Third * 4th - Fourth * 5th - Fifth * 10th - Tenth * 20th - Twentieth * 21st - Twenty-first * 100th - One hundredth **Vocabulary:** * **Number:** A word or symbol that indicates a quantity or amount. * **Cardinal Number:** A number used for counting or stating a quantity (e.g., one, two, three). * **Ordinal Number:** A number indicating a position in a series or order (e.g., first, second, third). * **Digit:** A single numeral (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). * **Hyphen:** A punctuation mark (-) used to join words or parts of words, especially in compound numbers like "twenty-one". **Examples:** * **Age:** "I am **thirteen** years old." * **Quantity:** "There are **seven** books on the table." * **Phone Number:** "My phone number is **zero-seven-two-five-four-nine-eight-three-one** (072549831)." * **Counting:** "Let's count from **one** to **ten**." * **Date:** "Today is the **first** of September." * **Time:** "The class starts at **eight** o'clock." * **Cost:** "This pen costs **twenty** shillings." **Exercises:** 1. Write the following numbers in words: * a) 5 * b) 12 * c) 28 * d) 40 * e) 73 * f) 100 * g) 256 * h) 1,000 2. Write the following words as numbers: * a) Nine * b) Sixteen * c) Thirty-one * d) Fifty-five * e) Eighty * f) One hundred and five * g) Seven hundred twenty * h) Two thousand three hundred 3. Fill in the blank with the correct ordinal number: * a) January is the _______ month of the year. * b) In a race, if you come after the person who is second, you are ______. * c) Sunday is the _______ day of the week. 4. Answer the following questions using full sentences and numbers in words: * a) How many fingers do you have on one hand? * b) How many days are there in a week? * c) What is your favorite number between 1 and 20? **Assignment:** 1. Ask five different people (family or friends) their age and write it down in both numbers and words. For example: "My mother is 45 years old (forty-five)." 2. Find five objects in your home. Count them and write down how many of each there are, in words. For example: "I have three chairs." 3. Write your phone number and your house number (if you have one) in words. 4. Write down the names of the first ten students in your class alphabetically, and next to each name, write their position using an ordinal number (e.g., "1st - Alex"). **Summary:** Today, we learned all about numbers in English, from zero to millions! We covered cardinal numbers for counting and quantity, and ordinal numbers for position. Remember the patterns for 'tens' and how to combine them, and don't forget the importance of 'hundred' and 'thousand'. Practicing these numbers will make you more confident in everyday English conversations. Keep practicing, and you'll master them in no time! ## Grammar- The Present continuous tense ### Introduction Welcome to this lesson on the Present Continuous Tense! In English, verbs change their form to show *when* an action happens. The Present Continuous Tense is very useful because it helps us talk about things that are happening **right now** or around **this time**. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to form and use this tense correctly. ### Key Concepts #### What is the Present Continuous Tense? The Present Continuous Tense is used to describe: * **Actions happening at the moment of speaking.** (e.g., "I **am writing** notes now.") * **Temporary actions that are happening around the present time**, but not necessarily at the exact second of speaking. (e.g., "He **is studying** a lot this week.") #### Forming the Present Continuous Tense To form the Present Continuous Tense, we follow a simple formula: **Subject + 'to be' verb (am/is/are) + Main Verb + -ing** ##### The 'to be' Verb (am/is/are) The correct form of 'to be' depends on the subject: * **I** \( \to \) **am** * **You, We, They** \( \to \) **are** * **He, She, It** \( \to \) **is** ##### Adding '-ing' to Verbs Most verbs just add '-ing' to the end, but some have special rules: * **Most verbs:** Add '-ing'. * `play` \( \to \) `playing` * `read` \( \to \) `reading` * `go` \( \to \) `going` * **Verbs ending in '-e':** Drop the '-e' then add '-ing'. * `dance` \( \to \) `dancing` * `write` \( \to \) `writing` * `make` \( \to \) `making` * **Verbs ending in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern (and are one-syllable or stressed on the last syllable):** Double the last consonant then add '-ing'. * `run` \( \to \) `running` * `sit` \( \to \) `sitting` * `swim` \( \to \) `swimming` #### Negative Form To make a sentence negative, we add **'not'** after the 'to be' verb: **Subject + 'to be' verb (am/is/are) + not + Main Verb + -ing** * *I am **not** listening.* (or *I'm not listening.*) * *She is **not** sleeping.* (or *She isn't sleeping.*) * *They are **not** playing.* (or *They aren't playing.*) #### Question Form To ask a question, we put the 'to be' verb **before** the subject: **'To be' verb (Am/Is/Are) + Subject + Main Verb + -ing?** * ***Am** I talking too fast?* * ***Is** he reading a book?* * ***Are** you enjoying the lesson?* #### Time Expressions Often Used with Present Continuous These words often appear with the Present Continuous Tense: * now * right now * at the moment * currently * today * this week/month/year * these days ### Vocabulary * **Tense:** A form of a verb that shows when an action happens (e.g., past, present, future). * **Continuous:** Happening without stopping; ongoing. * **Subject:** The person or thing performing the action in a sentence. * **Verb:** A word that describes an action, state, or occurrence. * **Auxiliary verb:** A verb (like 'am', 'is', 'are') used with a main verb to form tenses, moods, or voices. ### Examples Here are some examples of the Present Continuous Tense in sentences: #### Positive Sentences * I **am studying** English right now. * The students **are listening** to the teacher. * My sister **is reading** a novel these days. * It **is raining** heavily outside. #### Negative Sentences * We **are not watching** TV at the moment. * He **is not playing** football today. * The cat **is not sleeping** on the sofa. #### Question Sentences * **Are** you **understanding** the topic? * **Is** she **going** to the market? * **What are** they **doing**? ### Exercises 1. **Fill in the blanks** with the correct form of the verb in Present Continuous Tense: * I ______________ (eat) my lunch now. * They ______________ (play) basketball in the park. * She ______________ (write) a letter to her friend. * We ______________ (not/watch) TV tonight. * ______________ you ______________ (listen) to music? 2. **Change these sentences** into the **negative form**: * The birds are singing outside. * He is doing his homework. * I am walking to school. 3. **Change these sentences** into the **question form**: * My mother is cooking dinner. * The dog is barking loudly. * You are wearing a new uniform. ### Assignment 1. Write five sentences describing actions that you **are doing right now** in your classroom or at home. * Example: "I am sitting at my desk." 2. Write five sentences describing what your family members or friends **are doing currently** (e.g., this week, today, these days). * Example: "My brother is learning to play the guitar." 3. Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences: * She is play outside. * They not are going to the cinema. * Am you read a book? ### Summary Today, we learned about the Present Continuous Tense. Remember: * We use it for actions happening **now** or **around now**. * The formula is: **Subject + am/is/are + Verb-ing**. * For negative sentences, add **'not'** after 'am/is/are'. * For questions, put **'am/is/are'** before the subject. Keep practicing, and you will master this important tense! ## Speech Work- Pronunciation /b/ and /p/ ### Introduction Welcome to our lesson on speech work! Today, we are going to learn how to pronounce two important sounds in English: /b/ and /p/. Mastering these sounds is crucial for clear communication, as confusing them can sometimes change the meaning of what you want to say. We will explore how to make each sound correctly and understand the key differences between them. ### Key Concepts #### Understanding the /p/ sound The /p/ sound is an **unvoiced** sound. This means that when you make this sound, your vocal cords do not vibrate. You can feel this by placing your hand on your throat while saying the sound – you should not feel any vibration. To make the /p/ sound: * Close your lips tightly together. * Build up a little air behind your lips. * Release the air with a sudden burst, pushing it out. * Your vocal cords should not vibrate. #### Understanding the /b/ sound The /b/ sound is a **voiced** sound. This means that when you make this sound, your vocal cords vibrate. You can feel this by placing your hand on your throat while saying the sound – you should feel a vibration. To make the /b/ sound: * Close your lips tightly together, similar to the /p/ sound. * Build up air behind your lips. * Release the air with a sudden burst, but this time, turn on your voice. * Your vocal cords should vibrate. #### The Difference: Voiced vs. Unvoiced The main difference between /p/ and /b/ is whether your vocal cords vibrate or not. * **/p/ is unvoiced:** No vibration in your throat. * **/b/ is voiced:** You will feel a vibration in your throat. Think of them as partners: they are made in the same place in your mouth (with your lips), but one has a voice, and the other doesn't! ### Vocabulary * **Voiced sound:** A sound produced when the vocal cords vibrate in your throat (e.g., /b/, /d/, /g/). * **Unvoiced sound:** A sound produced without vibration from the vocal cords in your throat (e.g., /p/, /t/, /k/). * **Minimal pair:** Two words that are identical in every way except for one sound, and this difference changes the meaning of the word (e.g., 'pat' and 'bat'). * **Pronunciation:** The way in which a word or a language is spoken. ### Examples Let's look at some words with /p/ and /b/. #### Words with /p/ * **At the beginning:** `pen`, `pig`, `paper`, `public`, `place` * **In the middle:** `happy`, `apple`, `sleepy`, `important`, `pepper` * **At the end:** `cup`, `stop`, `shop`, `top`, `keep` #### Words with /b/ * **At the beginning:** `boy`, `book`, `banana`, `big`, `boat` * **In the middle:** `baby`, `rubber`, `number`, `problem`, `about` * **At the end:** `cab`, `job`, `robe`, `club`, `web` #### Minimal Pairs (words that differ only by /p/ or /b/) * `pat` / `bat` * `pig` / `big` * `pear` / `bear` * `park` / `bark` * `pool` / `bale` * `rope` / `robe` * `cap` / `cab` * `rip` / `rib` * `cup` / `cub` ### Exercises 1. **Listen and Identify:** Your teacher will say some words. Raise your hand if you hear the /p/ sound, and clap once if you hear the /b/ sound. 2. **Say it Right:** Practice saying these words aloud, paying attention to whether your vocal cords vibrate or not. * `pack` - `back` * `pull` - `bull` * `pin` - `bin` * `pie` - `buy` * `lap` - `lab` 3. **Fill in the Blank:** Choose the correct letter (`p` or `b`) to complete each word. * `_ig` (pig or big?) * `_at` (pat or bat?) * `cu_` (cup or cub?) * `ro_e` (rope or robe?) * `_ook` (pook or book?) ### Assignment 1. **Reading Practice:** Read the following sentences aloud, making sure to pronounce the /p/ and /b/ sounds clearly. * Peter bought a big blue book. * Please put the pen on the table. * My baby loves to play with a rubber ball. * The cab driver stopped at the shop. * I hope to be happy. 2. **Word Hunt:** Find five more words that start with /p/ and five more words that start with /b/. Write them down and practice saying them. 3. **Sentence Creation:** Choose three minimal pairs from the list (e.g., `pat/bat`, `cap/cab`, `rip/rib`) and use each word in a separate sentence. For example: "I will `pat` the dog." and "The `bat` flew into the cave." ### Summary In this lesson, we have learned about the pronunciation of the /p/ and /b/ sounds. Remember, the key difference is that /p/ is an **unvoiced** sound (no vocal cord vibration), while /b/ is a **voiced** sound (vocal cords vibrate). Both sounds are made by closing your lips and releasing air, but the presence or absence of voice makes all the difference. Keep practicing these sounds, and your pronunciation will improve greatly!