Mastering Critical Reading and Vocabulary: The Police Officer’s Job
Subject: English Language
Class: JSS 2
Term: First Term
Week: 4
Topic: Reading and Comprehension: Critical Reading and Vocabulary (Word Families: The Police Officer’s Job)
Duration: 40 minutes
Behavioural Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- Define critical reading and its importance.
- Identify and explain the steps of critical reading.
- Recognize word families related to the police officer’s job.
- Use vocabulary from word families in sentences.
Keywords:
- Critical Reading
- Word Families
- Vocabulary
- Police Officer
- Comprehension
Set Induction:
The teacher begins by asking students what they know about critical reading and the role of a police officer. This engages their interest and connects to their prior knowledge.
Entry Behaviour:
Students should have a basic understanding of reading comprehension and be familiar with the concept of vocabulary.
Learning Resources and Materials:
- Texts on critical reading
- Vocabulary charts
- Whiteboard and markers
Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge:
Students have practiced reading comprehension techniques and explored various jobs. They will now combine these skills to learn about critical reading and specific vocabulary related to police work.
Embedded Core Skills:
- Critical thinking
- Vocabulary development
- Analytical skills
Instructional Materials:
- Handouts on critical reading
- Example texts about police officers
Content:
A. Critical Reading
i) Meaning:
Critical reading is an active process of reading that involves analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting the text rather than just understanding it at a surface level. It requires readers to question the author’s motives, the context of the text, and the validity of the arguments presented.
ii) Steps of Critical Reading:
- Preview the Text: Look at headings, subheadings, and any highlighted or bolded text to get an overview.
- Ask Questions: What is the main idea? What are the author’s intentions?
- Read Actively: Take notes, highlight important points, and summarize sections in your own words.
- Evaluate Arguments: Assess the evidence provided. Is it credible? Does the author use reliable sources?
- Reflect: Consider how the text relates to your own knowledge and experiences. What impact does it have on your understanding of the topic?
B. Vocabulary: Word Families Related to The Police Officer’s Job
Word families are groups of words that share a common base or root and have related meanings.
- Police:
- Policeman (noun): A male officer of the police.
- Policewoman (noun): A female officer of the police.
- Policing (verb): The act of maintaining law and order.
- Police officer (noun): A person who enforces the law.
- Arrest:
- Arrested (verb): To be taken into custody.
- Arresting (adjective): Describing someone or something that captures attention.
- Arrestable (adjective): Capable of being arrested.
- Investigate:
- Investigator (noun): A person who investigates.
- Investigation (noun): The process of investigating something.
- Investigative (adjective): Relating to the act of investigating.
- Crime:
- Criminal (noun): A person who commits a crime.
- Criminalize (verb): To make something illegal.
- Criminality (noun): The state of being criminal.
Presentation:
Step 1:
The teacher revises the previous lesson on reading strategies and introduces the concept of critical reading.
Step 2:
The teacher explains critical reading, its meaning, and the importance of questioning and analyzing texts. The teacher guides students through the steps of critical reading with examples.
Step 3:
The teacher introduces word families related to the police officer’s job, discussing the meanings of each word and how they are connected.
Teacher’s Activities:
- Explain the meaning of critical reading and its significance.
- Guide students through the steps of critical reading using examples.
- Introduce vocabulary related to the police officer’s job and illustrate how word families work.
Learners’ Activities:
- Participate in discussions about critical reading and its importance.
- Take notes on the steps of critical reading.
- Complete exercises identifying word families related to the police officer’s job.
Assessment:
Evaluation Questions:
- What is critical reading?
- List the steps of critical reading.
- Why is it important to question the author’s motives while reading?
- Define the word “police officer.”
- Name two words from the word family of “investigate.”
- What does it mean to “evaluate arguments”?
- Give an example of how you might reflect on a text after reading it.
- How do “arrest” and “arrestable” relate to each other?
- What is the difference between a policeman and a police officer?
- Why is it useful to learn word families?
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions:
- Critical reading is an _______ process that involves analyzing the text.
a) Active
b) Passive
c) Simple
d) Boring - The first step of critical reading is to _______ the text.
a) Ignore
b) Preview
c) Memorize
d) Write - A _______ is a person who enforces the law.
a) Criminal
b) Police officer
c) Suspect
d) Witness - When someone is _______ for a crime, they are taken into custody.
a) Released
b) Arrested
c) Charged
d) Freed - An investigator conducts an _______ to gather information.
a) Arrest
b) Investigation
c) Inquiry
d) Examination - The word “criminal” is part of the _______ family of “crime.”
a) Word
b) Vocabulary
c) Phrase
d) Sentence - To be _______ means to be capable of being arrested.
a) Arrest
b) Arrestable
c) Criminal
d) Detained - The word “policing” refers to the act of maintaining _______.
a) Order
b) Peace
c) Crime
d) Law - A _______ is someone who investigates crimes.
a) Police officer
b) Witness
c) Investigator
d) Judge - The steps of critical reading help us _______ the author’s message effectively.
a) Misunderstand
b) Ignore
c) Analyze
d) Forget
Conclusion:
The teacher reviews the importance of critical reading and vocabulary related to the police officer’s job, ensuring students understand how to apply these concepts. Feedback is provided on their performance in the exercises.