I’m trying to assist a JTE make a juku lesson for elementary students, focusing on phonics.
I’ve only taught secondary school so no experience (or desire) to teach anything under 2nd year junior high school, but as a native speaker, seems she thinks I can help \~ so I’ll try.
I see samples of the text LET’S GO. Is that the text for Grade 1-6, so LET’S GO 1 is first grade and so on?
Or is there another series being used? Any links to some decent-ish short phonics lessons, starting at Ground 0 that are used in JP?
Also, at what grade/age are they taught simple weather (It is sunny, It is rainy) and weekdays and date to say “It is Monday, October 14.” I find 2nd year junior high can struggle on that, so perhaps that comes in grade 5 or 6?
Many thanks!
8 comments
3 es and 4 es to my knowledge learn about days of the week and weather phrases. K+2 is colors and alphabets if they do learn English
If you want phonics specifically, I would look at a series like Oxford Phonics World.
“what grade/age are they taught simple weather (It is sunny, It is rainy) and weekdays and date to say ‘It is Monday, October 14.'”
That’s like age 5 stuff, kindergarten and preschool.
So you want a book or just activities?
https://www.mext.go.jp/en/policy/education/elsec/mext_00032.html
Mext website link with lesson plans for “Let’s Try 1” and “Let’s Try 2” which are the English books for public 3rd grade and 4th grade. Weather and days of the week are introduced in 4th grade and months and ordinal numbers are introduced in 5th grade as birthdays.
Another vote for Oxford. I’ve used the first three books of Oxford phonics for my own kids and they’re brilliant, no room for disambiguation. Can read quite well now. The first book is super simple but you can choose your level, selecting the likes of diphthongs and blends etc.
The Elementary schools in my city all use Jolly Phonics from 1st grade on up.
I did Days and Weather starting in 3rd-grade when I ran my school’s 1-6 English program… but that was 15 years ago and I’m sure it was hardly representative of what is common these days.
As others have suggested, Oxford Phonics World [[https://elt.oup.com/student/oxfordphonicsworld/?cc=jp&selLanguage=ja](https://elt.oup.com/student/oxfordphonicsworld/?cc=jp&selLanguage=ja)] is really nice for focusing on phonics. I also really like Think, Read, Write (TRW) [[https://www.elflearning.jp/](https://www.elflearning.jp/)] for writing and phonics grouped together by sound rather than just ABC order.
I actually really like the Let’s Go series but as a study book for grammar, reading and writing. You can check out their resources online to get a feel for what is in the book. They have videos and chants available as well as vocab on their site. I wouldn’t say that the book series will match their grade though. Again, check out the site and flip through the book to see the level of the questions and reading required.
[https://elt.oup.com/student/letsgo/?cc=jp&selLanguage=ja](https://elt.oup.com/student/letsgo/?cc=jp&selLanguage=ja)
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As for when they learn simple weather and the such. It depends on the area and if they even will commit it to memory. In my area, most kindergartens will learn all the basic stuff by the time they finish their third year. (ABC’s, Colors, Shapes, Days, Months, Counting, Food, Holidays, Family, Body Parts, etc.)