Hoofstuk 1. Getting to Know Each Other GRATIS
Saying Hello
Every day at school, you greet your teacher and your friends. In English First Additional Language, learning to greet people is one of the very first things you learn. You can say Good morning, Hello or simply Hi to someone you know well. A polite greeting shows respect, just like saying Goeie more in Afrikaans.
When you meet someone new, you can introduce yourself by saying your name and asking for theirs. For example, Thandi might say, Hello, my name is Thandi. What is your name? and her new friend Sipho could answer, Hi Thandi, I am Sipho. Practising these short conversations helps you feel confident when you speak English in class or outside school, perhaps at a shop in Polokwane or at a friend's birthday party in Durban.
Listening and Following Instructions
In the classroom, your teacher gives instructions such as Stand up, Open your book or Please be quiet. Listening carefully and doing what is asked helps the lesson run smoothly. If you do not understand an instruction, it is perfectly fine to ask, Please can you repeat that?
Reading Labels and Short Texts
You will often read short texts, such as a name tag, a classroom poster or a welcome sign. Even if you do not know every word, pictures and the words around a new word can help you guess its meaning. This is called using context clues.
Writing About Yourself
Writing simple sentences about yourself is an important skill. You might complete a personal-information form with your name, surname, age and the school you attend. Remember to start every sentence with a capital letter, for example: My name is Lerato. I am ten years old.
The Alphabet and Important Verbs
Knowing the alphabet in order helps you look up words in a dictionary and spell your name correctly. Two very important verbs to learn this term are to be and to have.
- I am, you are, he is, she is, it is, we are, they are
- I have, you have, he has, she has, it has, we have, they have
Nouns are naming words, like school, teacher and friend. These are called common nouns because they name general things, not a specific one. Practise these words every day, and soon greeting people and talking about yourself in English will feel natural and easy.