Phonemic awareness and phonics


The learners will spend 15 minutes per week on phonics and phonemic awareness. These are introduced in texts, with additional activities in both the Learner‟s Book and in the Workbook. A comprehensive phonics programme has been built into Oxford Successful English. In Grade 3, learners need to consolidate what


they have learned in Grade 2 and in their Home Language. They need to know that some sounds are not the same in all languages. They also need to be able to identify the letter–sound relationships of all single letters and to build up and break down three-letter words. Consonant and vowel digraphs such as ss, ph, wh, ai, ea, oi, etc. are taught for the first time in Grade 3. Learners also need to be able to recognise the silent -e and distinguish between long and short vowel sounds. Detailed guidance on teaching phonics is included in the weekly lesson guidelines in each unit of the Teacher‟s Guide.


Teaching Writing in Grade 3


In Grade 3, learners are consolidating their writing in English. They are also beginning to learn about grammar in English, such as simple tenses and countable and uncountable nouns. Learners need to spend approximately an hour


a week on writing activities in Grade 3. Each activity needs to be guided, so that learners use sentence frames to write simple sentences. They also need to start writing longer


paragraphs and different kinds of texts, such as list and charts. All this writing forms an important foundation for Grade 4, when their writing across the curriculum will be in English. The weekly teaching guidelines provide


suggestions for these activities. There are also several writing activities in each theme in the Learner‟s Book. The Workbook provides activities for additional practice and consolidation. Learners will have learned handwriting skills


and letter formation in their Home Languages. They will later also learn to draft, write and edit in their Home Languages. They can apply this knowledge and these skills when they write in English.


Teaching Language in Grade 3


It is important that learners develop vocabulary and a good knowledge of English grammar if they want to be capable of using English as the LOLT in Grade 4. In Grade 3, learners learn new vocabulary and sentence structures through listening to and reading English texts. They also .


start learning about the rules of English grammar, for example, that we say “a cup”, but “water” (without an “a”). Don‟t drill the rules into the learners‟ heads. The learners will learn these rules by hearing, reading and using English every day. By the end of Grade 3, First Additional


Language learners are expected to be able to understand between 1 500 and 2 500 words used in context. These words include high frequency (sight) words and new vocabulary words. Lists of these words are provided in the teaching guidelines for each week in Oxford Successful English.


Oxford Successful English First Additional Language series and forms of assessment


In Grade 3, you will use the Annual National Assessments (ANA) for baseline assessment at the beginning of the year. You will also conduct both formal and informal assessments of the learners during the year.


Formal programme of assessment


Learners will need to complete six formal assessment tasks during the year. These assessments will be recorded. A complete formal assessment programme is included in Oxford Successful English Grade 3. Please refer to page 154 of this Teacher‟s Guide for the suggested programme. Assessment tools and suggestions, as well as recording sheets, are provided in the teaching notes and on pages 157–164 of this Teacher‟s Guide.


Informal assessment


In addition, you will need to assess the learners informally during daily activities. This informal assessment will help you to plan the work you do with the learners, but does not have to be recorded formally. You will find suggestions for at least one informal assessment activity in all the weekly teaching guidelines.


The needs of young learners Learners in the Foundation Phase need to acquire a number of skills to prepare them for the demands of the Intermediate Phase and beyond. An appropriately structured environment that recognises the unique needs of young learners can help to lay the foundation for future success. The most common needs of young learners are shown in the table on page 14.


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