Sierra Leone Class 1 Syllabus - Language Arts

This syllabus outlines the language arts curriculum for Class 1 in Sierra Leone, based on the National Curriculum Framework and Guidelines for Basic Education. It is structured in three terms, with specific learning outcomes, recommended teaching styles, assessment methods, and suggested resources for each unit.

Term 1:

• Unit 1: Language Structure - Greetings: Focuses on different greetings for various times of day (morning, afternoon, evening). Students learn to identify and use these greetings appropriately in different settings.
• Unit 2: Language Structure - Identification: Introduces question words (What, Your, My) and teaches students to differentiate between asking and answering questions using proper intonation and polite terms like "Sir," "Madam," and "Please."
• Unit 3: The Alphabet: Covers writing the English alphabet in lowercase, identifying and recognizing lowercase letters in different words.
• Unit 4: The Alphabet Sounds: Introduces vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) and their differentiation from vowel names. Students identify and form two and three-letter words with each vowel sound.
• Unit 5: The Alphabet (Continued): Reinforces writing the alphabet in lowercase, differentiating between upper and lowercase letters.
• Unit 6: The Alphabet Sounds (Continued): Reinforces vowel sounds and their use in two and three-letter words.
• Unit 7: The Alphabet Sounds (Double Vowels): Introduces double vowel sounds ("ee" and "oo") and consonant blends (e.g., "ch," "sh," "bl"). Students identify and pronounce words with these sounds.
• Unit 8: Word Building: Focuses on building words using vowel sounds, double vowel sounds, and consonant blends.
• Unit 9: Language Structure/Vocabulary: Teaches students to name body parts and classroom objects, answering the question "What is this?"
• Unit 10: Simple Commands: Introduces simple commands and appropriate responses. Students learn to recognize and obey commands orally.
• Unit 11: Language Structure: Introduces simple pronouns (it, he, she) and basic colors. Students relate pronouns to objects/persons and identify colors by name, associating them with different items.

Term 2:

• Unit 12: Revision: Reviews concepts learned in Term 1.
• Unit 13: Language Structure (Oral Activities): Focuses on identifying classroom objects by name and answering simple questions related to them using "yes" or "no."
• Unit 14: Language Structure (Counting): Covers counting from 1-50 using classroom objects, relating numbers to objects and persons in different classrooms.
• Unit 15: The Alphabet Sounds: Reinforces vowel sounds in three and four-letter words and introduces additional consonant blends.
• Unit 16: Syllables or Pronunciation: Focuses on identifying and pronouncing one and two-syllable words, emphasizing vowel sounds.
• Unit 17: Structure (Earlier): Introduces action words and simple prepositions in sentences.
• Unit 18: Structure: Students answer questions about themselves and classroom objects orally.
• Unit 19: Structure: Students talk about their pets/animals at home and their families, identifying family members and relationships.
• Unit 20: Structure: Reinforces the use of simple pronouns (he, she, it, my, her, your, our, his) related to classroom objects and things at home. Students practice telling short stories and describing pictures orally.

Term 3:

• Unit 21: Revision: Reviews concepts learned in Term 1 and 2.
• Unit 22: Structure (Counting Continued): Continues counting from 36-50, relating numbers to objects and persons.
• Unit 23: Structure (Question and Answer Drills): Students express themselves in simple short answers about themselves, their families, and friends.
• Unit 24: Structure (Making Short Sentences): Introduces the use of "this," "that," "these," and "those" related to singular and plural objects at different distances.
• Unit 25: The Alphabet: Reinforces writing lowercase and uppercase letters.
• Unit 26: The Alphabet: Focuses on writing capital letters and matching them to their lowercase counterparts.
• Unit 27: Structure (Names): Teaches the use of capital letters for names of persons and places.
• Unit 28: Structure (Short Sentences): Reinforces using capital letters for names in sentences.

This detailed syllabus provides a comprehensive framework for teaching Language Arts to Class 1 students in Sierra Leone. The syllabus emphasizes oral communication, foundational literacy skills, and vocabulary development. Further details on the curriculum can be found in the official syllabus document: