Appendix H - Transcript of a lesson

Zambia: Lusaka Rural. School I, Grade 3.

Number in class = 45 (20 boys, 25 girls)

T: English reading. We are going to read the story that is Chuma
and the Rhino. That is paragraph 3 and 4, which has been written on the board.
Who can read the first sentence in paragraph 3? Yes, (??)

P: Look at that hippo's mouth father

T: Read aloud.

P: Look at that hippo's mouth father.

T: Once more.

P: Look at that hippo's mouth father.

T: Yes. The sentence is "Look at that hippo's mouth father".

Class: Look at that hippo's mouth father.

T: Look at that hippo's mouth father.

Class: Look at that hippo's mouth father.

T: Yes. (Points) What is that sentence? Who can read the next
sentence? Simon?

P: It is very big isn't... isn't it, said Chuma.

T: Again.

P: It is very big isn't it, said Chuma.

T: Thank you. The sentence is: It is very big isn't it, said
Chuma. Read.

P: They were walking slowly and quietly when they saw a very big
rhino.

T: (??) Read the sentence.

P: They were walking slowly and quietly when they saw a very big
rhino.

T: Yes. They were walking slowly and quietly when they saw a very
big rhino. Read.

Class: They were walking slowly and quietly when they saw a very
big rhino.

T: They. Say they.

Class: They.

T: They.

Class: They.

T: Now read the sentence once more.

Class: They were walking slowly and quietly when they saw a very
big rhino.

T: Yes. Segono. (??) The last sentence.

P: (??)

T: (Nyanja) Right.

P: The rhino was near a tree and he was eating grass.

T: Thank you. The rhino was near a tree and he was eating grass.
Read.

Class: The rhino was near a tree and he was eating grass.

T: The rhino was near a tree and he was eating grass.

Class: The rhino was near a tree and he was eating grass.

T: OK. Now who can read paragraph three? Paragraph three. Ben.

P: Look at ..Look at that...that...that...that hippo mouth Father.

T: Hippo's. Hippo's.

P: Hippo's mouth father. It is very big.. it.. it... isn't it?

T: Isn't it?

P: Isn't it said Chuma.

T: Start again. Start again.

P: Look at... look at that hippo's mouth father. It is very big
isn't it, said Chuma. Said hippos....

T: No, no, no. What's the word. Not said.

P: (Whispers: Yes)

P: Yes, hippos... hippos have very big mouth.. mouths said his
father. Crocodiles have very big mouths too.

T: OK, that's alright. It's alright. Let's see, yes, Samuel.

P: Look at that hippo's mouth. Father. It is very big... it... it
is very big isn't it, said Chuma. Yes... yes... hippos very big...

T: Have

P: Yes hippos very very big mouth said his father. Yes hippos
very...

T: Have very big mouths.

P: Yes, hippos have very big mouths said his father. Crocodiles,
crocodiles have very big mouths too.

T: Thank you. OK. Look at that hippo's mouth father. It is very
big isn't it? said Chuma. Yes, hippos have very big mouths, said his father.
Crocodiles have very big mouths too.Together read that paragraph.

Class: Look at that hippo's mouth father. It is very big isn't it?
said Chuma. Yes, hippos have very big mouths, said his father. Crocodiles have
very big mouths too.

T: OK. The fourth paragraph. You.

P: Chuma and his father walked away from the river. They walked
away from the crocodiles. They walked away from the hippos. Now they were
walking between the trees. Chuma liked to walk between the trees.

Y: OK that's very nice. Another one? (???) Musa.

P: Chuma and his father walked away from the river. They walked
away.

T: They walked.

P: They walked away from the river, and they walked away from the
crocodiles. They walked away from the hippos. Now they were walking between the
trees. Chuma liked to walk between the trees.

T: Thank you. Chuma and his father walked away from the river.
They walked away from the crocodiles. They walked away from the hippos. Now they
were walking between the trees. Read the sentences.

Class: Chuma and his father walked away from the river. They
walked away from the crocodiles.

T: They walked away from the crocodiles.

Class: They walked away from the crocodiles. They walked away from
the hippos.

T: They walked away from the hippos.

Class: They walked away from the hippos.

T: You mustn't say "walked", "walked". Say "walked".*

Class: Walked.

T: Walked.

Class: Walked.

T: They walked away from the hippos.

Class: They walked away from the hippos.

T: The next sentence.

Class: Now they were walking between the trees.

T: Thank you. The next sentences (writes). Try.

P: They walked slowly and quietly between the trees.

T: (Nyanja) Read.

P: They...

T: They walked slowly.

P: They walked slowly between the trees.

T: Come in. Come in. (A pupil enters).

P:... the trees.

T: Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. Yes, (??)

P: (???) They walked slowly and quietly between the trees. They
were walking slowly and quietly when they saw a very big rhino. The rhino was
near a tree and he was eating grass.

T: OK. Thank you. Now... They were... Sorry. They walked slowly
and quietly between the trees. They walked slowly and quietly between the trees.
They were walking slowly and quietly when they saw a very big rhino. The rhino
was near a tree and he was eating grass. Read the sentences.

Class: They walked slowly and quietly between the trees. They
walked slowly and quietly between the trees. They were walking slowly and
quietly when they saw a very big rhino. The rhino was near a tree and he was
eating grass.

T: OK.

END OF LESSON

* I could not perceive any difference between
teacher's and pupils' pronunciation of these words.

Informal Assessment of Understanding

After the lesson a brief informal assessment of the pupils'
understanding was conducted, as follows:

EW draws a hippo on the board. 5 pupils raise hands to
name it in English. First pupil says "Rhino". Second "It's hippo."