Sesotho First Additional Language - Term 1 - Week 2

Phonics is the relationship between sounds and their spellings. In Sesotho, understanding phonics helps us read and write effectively. Today, we will focus on the sounds of vowels and consonants, and how they combine to form words. We will practice by listening to words, repeating them, and identifying their sounds.

Let's take the word 'ntate' (father). We can break it down into sounds: n-t-a-t-e. Notice how each sound corresponds to a letter. Now, let's build a new word using the same sounds but changing the order. If we rearrange the sounds, we can create 'tante' (aunt). This shows how changing sounds can lead to new words.

I will say a series of words, and you will repeat them after me. After that, we will identify the first sound of each word. For example, if I say 'moholo' (big), you will say 'm' is the first sound. Let's practice with five more words: 'nka' (I can), 'bana' (children), 'litsela' (roads), 'metsi' (water), and 'tsohle' (everything).

Now, it's your turn to create sentences. Using the words we practiced, write three sentences. Remember to use correct punctuation and spacing. For example, you can write: 'Nka ja metsi.' (I can drink water.) After writing, share your sentences with a partner and read them aloud.

• m
• o
• h

Answer: m

The first sound in 'moholo' is 'm'.

• Nka ja metsi.
• Ja nka metsi.
• Metsi ja nka.

Answer: Nka ja metsi.

The sentence 'Nka ja metsi.' means 'I can drink water.' and is correctly structured.

Answer: father

'Ntate' translates to 'father' in English.

• bana
• metsi
• ntate

Answer: bana

'Bana' means 'children' in Sesotho.

Answer: Nka ja metsi.

An example sentence is 'Nka ja metsi.' which means 'I can drink water.'

• t
• h
• e

Answer: e

The last sound in 'tsohle' is 'e'.

• a
• e
• b

Answer: b

'B' is a consonant, while 'a' and 'e' are vowels.

Answer: water

'Metsi' means 'water' in English.