Lesson Plan | Socioemotional Learning | Alphabet and Phonetic Alphabet

Objectives

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage of the Socio-emotional Lesson Plan is to establish a solid foundation for learning the alphabet and the phonetic alphabet, while also developing the socio-emotional skills of the students. By understanding the lesson objectives, students can direct their efforts and focus, facilitating the internalization of the content and the development of necessary cognitive and emotional skills.

Main Goals

1. Recognize the letters of the Portuguese alphabet and associate each letter with its corresponding sound.

2. Differentiate the sounds that can be perceived from the letters themselves, understanding the relationship between phoneme and grapheme.

Introduction

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

Emotional Warm-up Activity

Deep Breathing for Focus and Concentration

The chosen emotional warm-up activity is Deep Breathing. This technique helps promote focus, presence, and concentration, allowing students to calm down and prepare mentally for the lesson. Deep Breathing consists of inhaling deeply through the nose, holding the breath for a few seconds, and exhaling slowly through the mouth. This simple practice can reduce stress and increase mental clarity.

1. Ask students to sit comfortably in their chairs, with their feet resting on the ground and their hands resting on their knees.

2. Instruct them to close their eyes or fix their gaze on a point ahead.

3. Explain that they should inhale deeply through the nose for approximately four seconds, feeling the air fill their lungs.

4. Ask them to hold their breath for four seconds.

5. Then, instruct them to exhale slowly through the mouth for six seconds, releasing all the air from their lungs.

6. Repeat the deep breathing cycle five times, or until the students seem calmer and more focused.

7. After the last exhalation, ask the students to slowly open their eyes and bring their attention back to the classroom.

Content Contextualization

The alphabet and the phonetic alphabet are fundamental for effective communication. They not only help us read and write but also understand how sounds relate to the letters we use daily. Imagine the excitement of learning to read your first words or the satisfaction of communicating clearly in a new language. Understanding these concepts can open doors to new opportunities and connections with others. Moreover, by recognizing and understanding the emotions associated with learning, such as frustration when mispronouncing a sound or joy when pronouncing a word correctly, students can develop greater emotional resilience and communication skills.

Development

Duration: 60 to 75 minutes

Theoretical Framework

Duration: 20 to 25 minutes

1. Portuguese Alphabet: The Portuguese alphabet consists of 26 letters, including 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and 21 consonants (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z). Each letter may have graphic variations that include accents and cedillas.

2. Phonemes and Graphemes: Phonemes are the sounds we produce when speaking, and graphemes are the written representations of those sounds. For example, the letter 'c' can represent two different phonemes, as in 'casa' (sound /k/) and 'cidade' (sound /s/).

3. International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA): The IPA is a phonetic notation that uniquely represents each sound of speech. In Portuguese, we use the IPA to better understand the correct pronunciation of words. For example, the word 'casa' is represented as /'kaza/ in the IPA.

4. Practical Examples: Use examples of words that students know to illustrate the relationship between letters and sounds. For example, the word 'gato' has four letters (g, a, t, o) and four phonemes (/g/, /a/, /t/, /o/).

5. Analogies: Compare the alphabet to a puzzle where each piece (letter) has a specific place that contributes to the complete image (word). Similarly, phonemes are the sounds that, when combined correctly, form comprehensible words.

Socioemotional Feedback Activity

Duration: 35 to 40 minutes

Exploring Sounds and Letters

In this activity, students will work in pairs to identify and relate letters to their respective sounds using practical examples. Additionally, a socio-emotional component will be incorporated where students will reflect on their emotions while learning something new.

1. Divide the class into pairs.

2. Distribute a set of cards with letters of the alphabet and another set with simple words (e.g., casa, bola, gato).

3. Ask students to relate the letters to the corresponding sounds in the words.

4. Then, each pair should choose a word and write its phonetic representation using the IPA.

5. Request that they share their words and phonetic representations with the class.

6. After the activity, ask students to reflect on how they felt during the learning process and share their emotions with their partner.

Group Discussion

For group discussion and socio-emotional feedback, use the RULER method. Recognize the emotions that students express during the activity. Understand the causes of those emotions, such as difficulty in learning new concepts or satisfaction in getting it right. Label the emotions correctly, helping students identify if they are frustrated, anxious, happy, or proud. Express empathy and support, encouraging students to share their experiences and feelings openly. Regulate emotions by promoting self-control and resilience strategies, such as the deep breathing practiced during the warm-up. This approach not only facilitates content learning but also strengthens students' emotional intelligence.

Conclusion

Duration: 20 to 25 minutes

Emotional Reflection and Regulation

To conduct an emotional reflection and regulation, ask students to write a paragraph about the challenges faced during the lesson, such as difficulties in understanding the relationship between phonemes and graphemes or in using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Then, promote a group discussion where students can share their experiences and strategies used to manage their emotions. During the discussion, encourage students to use the RULER method, recognizing, understanding, naming, expressing, and regulating their emotions related to learning.

Objective: The objective of this reflection is to encourage self-assessment and emotional regulation of students, helping them identify and use effective strategies to deal with challenging situations. This practice aims to strengthen students' emotional intelligence, promote a healthier learning environment, and prepare students to face future challenges in a more resilient and confident manner.

Closure and A Look Into The Future

Conclude the lesson by proposing that students set personal and academic goals related to the content learned. Ask students to write down a personal goal and an academic goal on a piece of paper. For example, an academic goal could be 'practice the correct pronunciation of five new words using the IPA each week' and a personal goal could be 'read aloud a paragraph from a book every day to improve fluency.' Discuss as a group how these goals can be achieved and the importance of maintaining a constant focus on continuous development.

Possible Goal Ideas:

1. Practice the correct pronunciation of five new words using the IPA each week.

2. Read aloud a paragraph from a book every day to improve fluency.

3. Recognize and accurately name emotions during the learning process.

4. Use deep breathing techniques to stay calm and focused during studies.

5. Share challenges and successes with peers and teachers to gain emotional support. Objective: The objective of this section is to strengthen students' autonomy and practical application of learning. By setting personal and academic goals, students are encouraged to adopt a proactive stance regarding their own development, ensuring the continuity of the learning process and personal growth. This helps create a sense of responsibility and commitment to their own progress, as well as fostering planning and organizational skills.