Lesson Plan: Listening and Talking - Understanding Stories and Texts

Topic: Listening and talking Desired Outcome: To help students understand stories and other texts, ask questions, and link their learning with what they already know. Suitable for: Early level (Scottish curriculum) Focus: Letter and Sound Recognition (Letter “Aa”), Letter Formation (Letter Aa), High Frequency Word(s) (“All,” “apple,” etc.), Picture Reading, Following Directions

Materials: - Picture book with a story containing the letter “Aa” and the high-frequency words “all” and “apple” - Flashcards with the letter “Aa” and pictures of objects starting with the letter “Aa” (e.g., apple, ant, astronaut) - Whiteboard or chart paper - Markers - Worksheets for letter formation practice - Worksheets for picture reading and following directions

Introduction (10 minutes): 1. Greet the students and explain that today, we will be focusing on listening and talking skills to help us understand stories and other texts. 2. Show the flashcards with the letter “Aa” and the pictures of objects starting with “Aa.” Ask the students if they can name the objects and the sound they hear at the beginning of each word. 3. Introduce the high-frequency words “all” and “apple” and explain that we will be learning how to read and write these words today.

Listening and Talking Activity (15 minutes): 1. Read the picture book aloud to the students, emphasizing the letter “Aa” and the high-frequency words “all” and “apple” whenever they appear in the story. 2. Pause at certain points in the story to ask questions related to the plot, characters, or vocabulary. Encourage students to make connections with their own experiences or prior knowledge. 3. After reading the story, engage the students in a discussion about the story. Ask open-ended questions such as: - What happened in the story? - Who were the main characters? - What was your favorite part of the story? - Can you think of a time when you had a similar experience?

Letter Formation Activity (10 minutes): 1. Display the letter “Aa” on the whiteboard or chart paper. 2. Demonstrate how to correctly form the letter “Aa” using the appropriate strokes. 3. Provide each student with a worksheet for letter formation practice. Students should trace and write the letter “Aa” multiple times. 4. Circulate around the classroom to provide individual support and guidance as needed.

Picture Reading and Following Directions Activity (15 minutes): 1. Distribute worksheets with pictures of objects starting with the letter “Aa” (e.g., apple, ant, astronaut). 2. Instruct the students to carefully look at each picture and follow the directions provided (e.g., color the apple red, draw a line from the ant to the apple). 3. Encourage students to read the directions aloud and ask for clarification if needed. 4. Monitor the students’ progress and provide assistance as necessary.

Conclusion (5 minutes): 1. Review the letter “Aa” and the high-frequency words “all” and “apple” with the students. 2. Ask the students to share one thing they learned or enjoyed during the lesson. 3. Provide positive feedback and praise for their efforts in listening, talking, letter formation, and following directions. 4. Assign optional homework, such as practicing letter formation or reading a story with their family.

Note: The duration of each activity can be adjusted based on the students’ attention span and progress.