Setswana First Additional Language - Term 4 - Week 1

Reading fluency is the ability to read smoothly and with expression. It involves recognizing words quickly and understanding their meaning. Today, we will practice reading short texts in Setswana, focusing on how to read with feeling. We will also discuss the importance of punctuation in conveying the right message.

Here is a short text: 'Ngwana o a tshega. O rata go bapala le bagwera ba gagwe.' (The child is laughing. He loves to play with his friends.) Let's read this together. Notice how the punctuation marks help us understand how to express the sentences. When we see a full stop, we pause, and when we see a question mark, we raise our voice at the end.

Now, let’s read another short text together: 'Mma o a dira borai. O fa ngwana borai.' (The mother is making food. She gives the child food.) As we read, pay attention to how we can use our voices to show excitement or calmness. After reading, we will discuss what the text is about and how it makes us feel.

For independent practice, I want you to write three sentences about your favorite activity. Remember to use correct punctuation and spacing. After writing, you will read your sentences aloud to a partner. Focus on using expression in your voice to make your sentences come alive!

• Reading slowly and carefully
• Reading smoothly and with expression
• Reading without understanding
• Reading only in silence

Answer: Reading smoothly and with expression

Reading fluency involves reading quickly and with the right emotions, making the text more engaging.

• Read faster
• Pause
• Shout
• Skip the sentence

Answer: Pause

A full stop indicates the end of a sentence, so we pause before moving on.

Answer: By changing the tone of my voice.

Changing the tone of voice helps convey emotions and makes the reading more interesting.

• Full stop
• Comma
• Exclamation mark
• Question mark

Answer: Question mark

A question mark indicates that the sentence is asking something, and we should raise our voice at the end.

Answer: I love to play soccer.

This answer shows the student’s ability to express their favorite activity in a complete sentence.

• It makes the text longer
• It helps us understand how to read the text
• It is not important
• It makes reading boring

Answer: It helps us understand how to read the text

Punctuation guides our reading by indicating pauses and the tone of the sentences.

• Throw them away
• Read them aloud to a partner
• Keep them secret
• Change them completely

Answer: Read them aloud to a partner