ENGLISH LANGUAGE NOTE FOR JSS 2 (GRADE 8)

TERM: 2nd Term
CLASS: JSS 2
SUBJECT: English Language

---

1. SPEECH WORK: Consonants /θ/ and /ð/

In English, the letters "th" can represent two different sounds. Both are called dental fricatives because your tongue touches your upper teeth.

A. The Voiceless /θ/ (as in "Think" and "Mouth")

• Description: This is a "quiet" sound. No vibration occurs in your throat (vocal cords).
• How to produce it: Place the tip of your tongue between your upper and lower teeth and blow air out.
• Examples:
  • Beginning: Think, Thin, Through.
  • Middle: Author, Nothing, Mathematics.
  • End: Mouth, Bath, Fifth.

B. The Voiced /ð/ (as in "Father" and "Lathe")

• Description: This is a "noisy" sound. Your vocal cords vibrate.
• How to produce it: The tongue position is the same as /θ/, but you add your voice (vibration).
• Examples:
  • Beginning: The, They, That.
  • Middle: Father, Mother, Weather.
  • End: Lathe, Bathe, Smooth.

---

2. GRAMMAR: Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Reported Speech is used when we tell someone what another person said without using the exact words.

Rules for Changing Direct to Reported Speech:

1. Remove Quotation Marks: Do not use (" ").
2. Change of Tense: Usually, the present tense changes to the past tense.
   • Is/Am $\rightarrow$ Was
   • Will $\rightarrow$ Would
   • Can $\rightarrow$ Could
3. Change of Pronouns: "I" might change to "He" or "She."
4. Change of Time/Place:
   • Now $\rightarrow$ Then
   • Today $\rightarrow$ That day
   • Here $\rightarrow$ There

Examples:

• Direct: Tunde said, "I am going to the market."
• Reported: Tunde said that he was going to the market.
• Direct: Mary said, "I will call you tomorrow."
• Reported: Mary said that she would call me the next day.

---

3. VOCABULARY: Synonyms

Synonyms are words that have the same or nearly the same meaning as another word.

---

4. WRITING: Biography Writing

A Biography is a detailed account of a person's life written by someone else.

Features of a Biography:

• Written in the Third Person (He, She, They).
• Chronological Order: Starts from birth, childhood, adulthood, to death (or present day).
• Highlights achievements and major life events.

Example: A Short Bio of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was born on November 16, 1904, in Zungeru, Nigeria. He was a great statesman and a leader in the struggle for Nigerian independence. He attended schools in Nigeria and later studied in the United States. In 1963, he became the first President of Nigeria. Known as "Zik of Africa," he was also a famous journalist. He died in 1996, leaving behind a legacy of unity and nationalism.

---

5. COMPREHENSION SKILLS: Identifying Signals and Redirecting Attention

When reading or listening, certain words act as "traffic lights" to help us follow the main points.

• To List Points: Firstly, Secondly, Finally, In addition.
• To Show Contrast: However, On the other hand, But.
• To Redirect Attention (Move to a new point):
  • "Let us now look at..."
  • "Turning our attention to..."
  • "Moving on to the next point..."
  • "Regarding the issue of..."
• To Summarize: In conclusion, To sum up, Overall.

---

6. LITERATURE: Folktales and Traditional Chants

A. Folktales

Folktales are traditional stories passed down orally from generation to generation.

• Characteristics: They often feature animals (like the Tortoise/Alabahun), teach a moral lesson, and explain why things are the way they are (e.g., "Why the Tortoise has a cracked shell").

B. Traditional Chants

These are rhythmic phrases or songs recited during ceremonies, festivals, or rituals.

• Example: Hunters' chants (Ijalla in Yoruba culture) or incantations used to praise a king or deity.

C. Simple Poem on Laziness

Title: The Sleeping Farmer

The sun is high, the birds all sing, But Kola hasn't done a thing. His hoe is rusty, his soil is dry, While busy neighbors pass him by.

"I’ll work tomorrow," the lazy boy says, Wasting his youth in a sleepy haze. But when the harvest time draws near, He’ll have only hunger and a salty tear.

For hands that fold and eyes that close, Reap only weeds where the yam crop grows.

---

Class Activity / Homework

1. List five words containing the sound /θ/ and five for /ð/.
2. Change this sentence to reported speech: The teacher said, "I have marked your scripts."
3. Write a synonym for: Huge, Silent, Assist.
4. Mention one moral lesson you learned from a popular Nigerian folktale.