1.11 Chapter 3: licky lizard and the wise old owl 08

English home language

The wops are here

Educator section

Memorandum

Introduction

The adventures of the Wops family are closely related to the experience of every learner in Grade I, boys as well as girls. They may be exposed to a different environment if they live in towns and cities and through the stories become aware of what it is like to live in a forest without the ordinary amenities like running water and electricity.

Educators need to remember that many learners in Grade I will not have attended Grade R and consequently skills, strategies and concepts for Grade R will not have been learnt. The educator in Grade I must ensure that these are covered in the work that is done with these learners.

Listening and speaking should form a firm foundation on which to build literacy. The degree to which learners can speak their home language will vary according to circumstances, and educators should be aware of their levels of competence.

Language development is a gradual process and learners need the support of the educator to become increasingly more accurate in the use of their home language.

In Grade I learners become involved in listening to and reading stories, writing for genuine purposes, and learning phonics. The classroom environment should be a place that reflects and encourages all aspects of learning the home language.

Time scheduled for the modules 1 to 8

All learners should complete all eight modules doing approximately two modules per term. Allow the learners to proceed at their own speed.

Overview module 1: here come the wops

This module introduces the Wops family. They are similar to people yet have different characteristics. They live in the forest and the animals are their friends.

Body parts are discussed and educators can assess the learners’ auditory perception, spatial orientation and sequencing skills.

Learners read and illustrate the sentences, poems and rhymes and are taught the writing patterns and the corresponding letters viz. v , w , n , and m .

These sounds are also taught.

Integration of themes

• A Healthy environment

The Wops family live in the forest, have no amenities like electricity and spacious homes.

They live a life dependant on nature; fruit and berries, etc. They therefore look after their habitat. We should follow their example and care for our environment.

• Social Justice

Although the Wops have no earthly riches they are warm, friendly and helpful. People do not have to be rich to gain our friendship. Be sensitive towards people who have different cultures and who lead different kinds of lives.

• Human rights

Everyone has the right to have shelter and food. Children should be cared for by their parents.

Educator questions the learners.

• It is important for them to memorise the way to Willy's house in correct sequence, as the next activity for them to do is to place the pictures in the right order.
• The learners use their completed pages to re-tell the way to the Wops.

Educator Page

• How well did the learners listen?

• The educator questions the learners and assesses their listening skills.
• Discuss the problems they think Willy and his family could experience.
• Suggest solutions that the wise old owl might offer.
• Make a beautiful wise old owl in the art class using scraps of brown, grey, white and black paper.
• Tear the paper into small pieces and arrange them on the owl, drawn by the educator.

• Assess visual discrimination. Learners match the shapes on the top half of the page to those on the bottom half, join them with a line and colour them. On the following page word shapes are matched to line shapes.

• Learners can read the sentences, then cut along the lines, shuffle the sentences and build new ones, e.g. "Daddy cooks the food". These could be used several times until learners can recognise and read them fluently. Ask the learners to practise at home. Keep words and sentences in a container or plastic bag.

• Listening exercises for either outside or in the classroom.
• A page is used to assess the learner's spatial orientation and to see whether he/she is aware that a whole (in this case his body) consists of different parts. Learners draw the parts of the body and cut these out. They paste them on the following page to create Willy. The educator can assess whether the parts are drawn in proportion and whether the learners have a good perception of their bodies.
• Discussion of parts of the body can help the perception of their bodies becoming clearer.

Leaner section

Content

• I can find, cut out and paste things that begin with a…

LO 4.1.1 LO 4..1.2 LO 4.1.3