ENGLISH FIRST & FAL 2:
READING AND PHONICS
EFPR6211 A2
SHARFAA ISMAIL
ST10442811
ROSEBANK COLLEGE CAPE
TOWN
BED Y2
TASK ONE
1.1 Stage 1: Emergent Reading – Children begin to understand that
print carries meaning and may start to recognize some letters or
familiar words.
2. Stage 4: advanced decoding
1.2 Stage Four of reading development, known as "Reading for Learning
the New," typically occurs between Grades 4 to 8. At this stage,
learners begin to use reading as a tool to acquire new information and
expand their knowledge beyond everyday experiences. In contrast,
Stage Six is known as the "Construction and Reconstruction" stage,
where readers engage in critical reading, analyzing, and synthesizing
information from multiple sources. While Stage Four focuses on
learning new content through reading, Stage Six is characterized by
the ability to read selectively, form independent judgments, and apply
complex thinking. This final stage usually occurs in late adolescence or
adulthood when readers become self-directed and purposeful in their
reading.
1.3 Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate
individual sounds called phonemes in spoken words. It is a critical pre-
reading skill that helps children understand that words are made up of
separate sounds, which can be blended, segmented, or changed to
create new words. Phonemic awareness does not involve written
letters but rather the auditory and oral manipulation of sounds.
Developing this skill is essential for learning to read and spell, as it
supports the understanding of how letters and sounds work together in
the English language.
1.4 Phonics is the method of teaching reading by connecting sounds
(phonemes) to written letters or letter combinations (graphemes).
Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language. Phonics
involves teaching how these sounds relate to letters and how they are
used to decode written words.
1.5 There are 44 phonemes in the English language.
1.6 There are 26 graphemes in the English language (corresponding to
the letters of the alphabet), but over 250 grapheme
combinations can represent the 44 phonemes.
1.7 The words was, because, and children are categorized as high-
frequency words because they appear very often in written and spoken
English. These words are commonly used in everyday communication
and are essential for reading fluency and comprehension. Learners are
encouraged to recognize these words by sight to improve reading
speed and accuracy, as they often do not follow standard phonetic
rules.
1.8 1. Grammar and sentence structure understanding –
specifically verb tense and subject-verb agreement.
2. Comprehension and contextual reading – the ability to use
context clues to predict and supply appropriate words.
1.8.2 Learners who are unable to fill in the blanks correctly in a Cloze test
may be experiencing several reading difficulties. These include poor
grammatical knowledge, particularly with verb tense and sentence
structure, which prevents them from understanding how the missing word
fits grammatically. They might also struggle with vocabulary and context,
making it difficult to use surrounding words as clues. Weak comprehension
skills can hinder their ability to grasp the overall meaning of the passage.
Additionally, they may lack decoding and inference skills, which are crucial
in interpreting implicit meaning and making logical connections in text.
1.8.3 To assist a learner struggling with the Cloze test, I would first
identify the specific areas of difficulty, such as grammar or vocabulary. I
would then use guided reading sessions to model thinking aloud, showing
how to use context to predict missing words. Small group interventions
focusing on verb tense and sentence construction would reinforce
language rules. I would also provide vocabulary-building activities and
simplified Cloze exercises to build confidence. Encouraging pair work can
help learners learn from peers. Consistent feedback and praise for
progress can increase motivation and help reduce reading anxiety.
1.9 One effective activity is a “Read and Retell” session. After reading a
short story aloud, learners are asked to retell the story in their own
words, either verbally or through drawings and simple sentences. This
activity develops comprehension by requiring learners to recall details,
sequence events, and express understanding in their own language.
The teacher can prompt learners with questions like “What happened
first?”, “Who are the main characters?”, and “Why did that happen?”
This encourages active listening and deeper engagement with the text,
while also supporting vocabulary development and sentence
construction.
1.10
Independent Level Instructional Frustrational
Level Level
Reads orally in a Vocalises in silent Signs of fatigue, such as
rhythmical, expressive reading rubbing eyes
manner
Has a relaxed reading May be a little nervous Unnatural head and lip
posture movements
Reads silently during Observes most Stumbles or stops at a
silent reading without punctuation few words only
vocalisation
Does not use finger- Word-by-word reading Makes comments that
pointing are not relevant to the
text
Poor reading posture
May use finger
pointing
TASK 2
2.1 Schemata are mental frameworks or structures that help
individuals organize and interpret information. In literacy, they refer
to prior knowledge and experiences that learners bring to
understanding new texts and concepts.
2.2 Understanding schemata is crucial for Foundation Phase
teachers because it allows them to build on what learners already
know. When teachers activate prior knowledge before introducing a
new story or concept, learners can connect new information with
existing mental frameworks. This makes comprehension easier and
enhances memory retention. Recognizing the relevance of
schemata helps teachers select appropriate storybooks and design
lessons that cater to learners' backgrounds and experiences. In
doing so, they support more meaningful learning, especially in
diverse classrooms where learners come from various cultural and
linguistic backgrounds.
2.3 1 The activity is a Story Retelling with Picture Cards session.
Learners will first listen to the teacher read a story aloud. Afterward,
the teacher will distribute picture cards depicting scenes from the
story. Learners will work in small groups to sequence the cards in
the correct order and retell the story in their own words using the
cards as prompts. The teacher will encourage the use of key
vocabulary and ask guiding questions to prompt thinking.
2. This activity supports emergent literacy by developing
comprehension, sequencing, and oral language skills. Retelling a
story encourages learners to recall details, structure events
logically, and use narrative language. It also promotes vocabulary
acquisition as learners practice using new words from the story. The
visual aids help learners make connections between spoken and
visual language, strengthening their understanding of story
structure and boosting their confidence in expressing ideas.
Collaboration in small groups fosters communication and listening
skills.
2.4.1 The activity is called Draw and Label My Favorite Story Scene.
After reading a story, learners will choose their favorite part and
draw it on paper. The teacher will help them write simple labels or
short sentences to describe the drawing, using vocabulary from the
story. Word banks and phonics charts will be available to support
learners’ spelling.
2 This activity promotes early writing skills by encouraging learners to
express ideas through both drawing and print. It strengthens fine motor
skills, vocabulary recall, and phonics awareness. Labeling and sentence
writing help learners understand that spoken words can be represented in
writing, which is key to emergent literacy. The activity also fosters
creativity and personal connection to the text, which boosts motivation
and engagement. By integrating drawing with writing, learners begin to
see themselves as capable communicators.
TASK 3
the three little
pigs
Sequence of Events:
Pigs leave home to build their own houses Main Characters:
First pig builds straw house — wolf blows it down Three Little Pigs
Second pig builds stick house — wolf blows it down Big Bad Wolf
Third pig builds brick house — wolf fails to blow it down
Wolf tries to trick pig but fails — pig outsmarts him
Plot:
Pigs build houses out of different materials
Setting:
Wolf blows down two houses Countryside, various homes (straw
house, stick house, brick house)
Third pig’s brick house withstands wolf’s
efforts
3.2.2
The Three Little Pigs is an excellent storybook for developing emergent
writing skills in Grade R learners. Its repetitive structure, clear sequence of
events, and familiar characters provide a scaffold for early writing tasks.
One effective strategy is the “sequence and write” activity. After listening
to the story, learners can draw and label each pig’s house, then write
simple sentences such as “This is a straw house,” or “The wolf blew the
house down.” This helps them understand narrative flow while practicing
vocabulary, sentence construction, and print awareness.
Another effective example is creating an alternative ending. Learners are
encouraged to use their imagination and dictate or write what might
happen if the third pig invited the wolf in for tea, for example. The teacher
supports the writing with word banks and sentence starters like “What
if…” or “Then the wolf…” This not only builds creative thinking but also
introduces early writing mechanics like punctuation and structure.
The story’s familiar repetition (“I’ll huff and I’ll puff…”) also helps learners
internalize sentence patterns, making it easier for them to reproduce and
manipulate language in their own writing. Overall, the book’s simplicity
and strong narrative structure make it an ideal tool for supporting the
development of emergent writing skills in fun and meaningful ways.
3.3.1
The mathematical concept taught through The Three Little Pigs is sorting
and classifying by material. Learners explore different materials (straw,
sticks, bricks) and group them based on properties such as texture,
weight, and strength. This introduces basic data handling skills like
comparing, grouping, and categorizing objects.
3.3.2
A hands-on learning strategy will be used, where learners examine real-
life materials (straw, sticks, and small bricks or blocks). In small groups,
they touch, observe, and discuss the materials, then classify them using a
sorting chart. Each group shares their reasoning, encouraging language
development and peer collaboration. The teacher guides discussions using
questions like “Which material is heavier?” or “Which one would make a
strong house?” This inquiry-based strategy promotes critical thinking and
reinforces mathematical language.
3.3.3
The Three Little Pigs provides a relatable and engaging context for
exploring materials. The story introduces each building material and the
consequences of using them. This naturally leads to mathematical
exploration why did the straw house fall down? What makes the brick
house stronger? Learners relate these questions to real-world
comparisons. By linking storytelling with tangible materials, the book
becomes a springboard for math discussions and experiments. After
sorting, learners can even vote on the strongest material and create a
class graph, integrating data handling. The narrative context helps them
remember the properties of materials through story association.
TASK 4
4.1 Successful schools prioritise improving the quality of teaching and
learning.
4.2 One finding was that learner performance in literacy and numeracy at
the Foundation Phase level was very poor.
4.3
Reducing class sizes
Increasing education budgets
Raising teacher qualifications
Changing school governance structures
4.4 One strategic lever is increasing the number of qualified Foundation
Phase teachers who are proficient in African languages.
4.5 The Department of Education strongly supports using learners’ Home
Language as the medium of instruction, especially in the Foundation
Phase. This approach is crucial because it allows young learners to grasp
fundamental skills such as listening, speaking, reading, writing, and
reasoning more effectively when taught in a language they understand
well. When learners are taught in a familiar language, they are more
confident, participate more actively, and are better able to build cognitive
and literacy skills. Conversely, introducing a second language too early as
the medium of instruction can cause confusion and hinder comprehension,
especially in literacy and numeracy development. By strengthening Home
Language instruction in the early years, learners establish a strong
academic foundation, which improves overall educational outcomes in
later grades. Therefore, ensuring that teaching and assessment are
delivered in learners' Home Languages wherever possible is a key
strategy to bridge learning gaps and promote equity in education.
4.6
1. A national advocacy campaign to promote the Foundation Phase as a
critical and rewarding career path, particularly targeting African language-
speaking students.
2. A clearly defined and resourced career pathway for Foundation Phase
teachers to improve the status and attractiveness of the profession.