QUESTION 1
1.1 Design THREE activities that you can teach to learners falling under the following stages of
literacy development as outlined by Hill (2008). Provide one activity for each stage.
The study guide outlines a progression of literacy development based on the work of Hill (2008),
from pre-reading to early fluent reading (HLT3701, Study Guide, pp. 78-79). The following
activities are designed to target each specified stage.
a) Activity for the Independent Reading Stage
The study guide defines the independent reading level as when a child can read 98-99% of the words
on a page, allowing them to read fluently and with expression (HLT3701, Study Guide, p. 118). For
this stage, the focus is on building stamina, fluency, and a love for reading.
Activity: "Read & Recommend"
Grade Level: Grades 2 or 3
Objective: To practise independent reading and develop comprehension and summarising skills
through peer recommendation.
Materials: A selection of age-appropriate, levelled readers available in the classroom library or
reading corner, and a "Recommendation Card" template.
Procedure:
Select: Learners choose a book from the classroom reading corner that they can read
confidently on their own.
Read Silently: Learners read the book independently, at their own pace. This is a quiet,
sustained reading time.
Complete the Recommendation Card: After finishing the book, learners fill out a simple
"Recommendation Card" (see template below).
Share: Learners place the completed card in a designated pocket inside the book. Other
students can browse the books and read the recommendations to choose their next book.
Rationale: This activity encourages independent reading by providing choice. It moves beyond
simple decoding to comprehension and summarising, aligning with the goal of reading for
meaning (HLT3701, Study Guide, pp. 24, 84). The recommendation element also adds a social,
engaging dimension to the task, motivating learners to read and share their thoughts, which is a
key aspect of a language-rich classroom (HLT3701, Study Guide, p. 22).
Recommendation Card Template:
Book Title: _____________
Name of Recommender: _____________
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What was your favourite part? _____________
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes / No
, b) Activity for the Sentence Writing Stage
The writing progression in the study guide shows that learners first write simple sentences with most
words correctly spelt and then progress to writing two or more coherent sentences (HLT3701, Study
Guide, pp. 130-131). This activity aims to support that development.
Activity: "Sentence Building Story"
Grade Level: Grade 2
Objective: To construct coherent and descriptive sentences using given vocabulary.
Materials: Flashcards with vocabulary words related to a theme (e.g., "The Zoo") and writing
paper.
Procedure:
Revise Vocabulary: Show the flashcards (e.g., lion, cage, roar, keeper, eat, strong, fast) and
discuss their meanings and pronunciation, linking to oral language development (HLT3701,
Study Guide, p. 37).
Oral Practice: Ask the learners to make sentences orally about the zoo using the words. You
can scaffold this by saying, "Who can make a sentence about the lion?"
Write Sentences: Distribute the writing paper. Display the vocabulary on the board. Instruct
learners to write at least three sentences about the zoo, using the vocabulary words. Start the
learners off with a writing frame (HLT3701, Study Guide, p. 121) such as:
"At the zoo, I saw a ________."
"The ________ was ________."
Share: Allow learners to read their sentences to a partner. Partners can provide positive
feedback, e.g., "I liked the word you used," which is a form of peer assessment (HLT3701,
Study Guide, p. 155).
Rationale: This activity focuses on moving from oral language to written expression. Using
familiar themes (like the zoo) builds on the learners' frame of reference and vocabulary
(HLT3701, Study Guide, p. 20). The vocabulary cards and writing frames provide scaffolding,
which is essential for helping students construct meaning (HLT3701, Study Guide, pp. 58,
121).