GRADE

8 Extended Programme

with

Mauritius Institute of Education

under the aegis of
Ministry of Education,Tertiary Education,
Science and Technology

Based on the National Curriculum Framework - Nine-Year Continuous Basic Education (2016)
with

i
 Professor Vassen Naëck - Head Curriculum Implementation, Textbook Development and Evaluation

ENGLISH PANEL

Dr Aruna Ankiah-Gangadeen - Panel Coordinator, Associate Professor, MIE

Nipti Rajni Kamal Gopaul - Educator
Soneebaye Mawooa - Educator
Heshwary Ramjus - Educator
Jennita Boyjonauth-Somaroo - Educator

Design
Vedita Jokhun - Graphic Designer

© Mauritius Institute of Education (2021)

ISBN : 978-99949-53-23-3

Acknowledgements
The English textbook panel wishes to thank:
- Radha Rani Baichoo (Associate Professor, MIE) for proofreading and vetting.

Consent from copyright owners has been sought. However, we extend our apologies to those we might have overlooked.
All materials should be used strictly for educational purposes.

ii
 Foreword

We are pleased to offer you a new series of textbooks for the Extended Programme for the Nine Year
Continuous Basic Education (NYCBE). These textbooks have been designed in line with the National
Curriculum Framework (NCF) and syllabi for Grade 7 (the Foundation Year), Grade 8, Grade 9 and the
Extended Year 9. This set of textbooks aims at providing a smooth transition from Grade 6 so that
learners gradually get initiated into the requirements of secondary schooling. The content has been
adapted to the needs of the learners in the Extended Programme, designed to allow learners to progress
at their own pace and attain the objectives of the Nine Year Continuous Basic Education. As per the
philosophy propounded by the NCF, the content and pedagogical approach, as well as the activities,
have been crafted to allow for an incremental and continuous improvement of the learners’ cognitive
skills, ensuring that all learners complete the four years of the Extended Programme. The content is
contextual and based on the needs of Mauritian learners. Care has been taken to provide the basics
that should help every student develop key competencies, knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that
would make him or her a successful learner for the grades beyond.

The comments and suggestions of a variety of stakeholders have been kept in mind while designing
these textbooks. We are especially appreciative of those made by Educators who have been part of
our validation panels, and whose suggestions emanate from long-standing experience and practice
in the field. The Grade 7 textbooks have been reworked for 2019 based on the extensive feedback
and comments received from schools and educators. The Grade 8 textbooks have also been adjusted
accordingly.

The production of this series of textbooks, within a relatively short period of time, has been a challenge
to the writers who have invested a considerable amount of time, effort and energy into the process.
I would, therefore, wish to thank all those who have been part of the whole process for the time
they devoted to it and for their perseverance. The panel coordinators are to be commended for their
leadership and insistence on maintaining the standard and quality of the textbooks, while ensuring that
the objectives of the National Curriculum Framework are met.

Every endeavour involves a number of dedicated, hardworking and able staff whose contribution
needs to be acknowledged. Professor Vassen Naëck, Head Curriculum Implementation and Textbook
Development and Evaluation, had the very demanding task of ensuring that all panel leaders are
adequately guided with respect to the objectives of the NYCBE, while ascertaining that the instructional
designs are appropriate for the age group being targeted.

I also have to acknowledge the efforts of the Graphic Artists and the Graphic Unit of the MIE for putting
in much hard work to ensure that MIE publications have a distinctive quality and standard. My thanks
go equally to the support staff who have worked hard to ensure that everyone receives the necessary
support within a work environment that is conducive to a creative endeavour. I am thankful to all those
who provided the support, both within and outside the MIE, and to the Ministry of Education, Human
Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research for giving us the opportunity to be part of the
whole reform process.

Dr O Nath Varma
Director
Mauritius Institute of Education
iii
 Preface

Fun with Phonics is a supplementary component that aims to support the teaching and
learning of English for students on the Extended Programme. Phonics is an enjoyable and
effective way to teach students to decode letters into sounds and read unfamiliar words.
Student who are initiated into phonics become autonomous and fluent readers with more
ease. The development of phonetic awareness also improves spelling which impacts positively
on writing. The activities in the booklet are simple and easy to carry out. They are engaging and
will help promote students’ participation.

To make optimal use of this supplementary resource, make time for phonics activities on a
regular basis. Once students have learnt a sound, encourage them to identity this sound in
words they happen to encounter while involved in other tasks. Also encourage them to come
up with other words having the same sound. To ensure that phonetic awareness develops
effectively, practise sound recognition, word segmentation and blending sounds often. While
carrying out the activities, read aloud the words or texts emphasising the sound(s) being
taught. Ask students to listen carefully and repeat, or listen and work out the task according to
the instructions. Provide as much practice as required and revise frequently.

We hope that the activities in Fun with Phonics prove to be pleasurable and effective.

The writing team

iv
Let’s Get Started!

v
vi
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 1 I identify sounds.

Activity 1a - I listen to the words and identify the sound at the beginning of each word.

Teaching tip:
For all activities where students have to listen, read the words/texts aloud at an
appropriate pace.

four table goat bin

apple nose mug zero

leg pan cake jam

1
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 1b - I observe the pictures and read.

Teaching tip:
Help students to read the sentences if required. Draw their attention to the
letters that have been highlighted and practise other words with similar sounds.

1 2

Brian kicks the ball. It hits the bottle.

3 4

The teacher takes the ball. It shows an alligator, an avocado and an

She gives Brian a book. astronaut.

5 6

He puts the book on

But Brian likes toys. the table.

2
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 1c - I listen to the sound at the beginning of each word and I write the words in the
correct column.

tap apple bell

bag avocado two

/b/ / / /t/

Activity 1d - I play “I spy with my little eye”.

I spy with my little eye

something beginning with /p/.

Pen

Pencil 3
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 2 I identify sounds.

Observe the pictures and read the sentences.

/m/
P h o n i c s

/s/
/ /

1 2

This is Dylan’s mum. She is making muffins.

3 4

Some muffins are sweet. Some are made with olives.

Some muffins are salty. Some are made with oranges.

5 6

The muffins smell so good. Dylan likes muffins very much.

4
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 2a - I say these words aloud.

Let’s say these words together!

octopus mouse sun ox

mug spoon orange drum

seven ostrich worm bus

Can you identify the sound / / or /m/ or /s/ in these words?

5
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 2b - I write the words in the correct column.

Dylan, his mum and Oshika are going to the beach.

What will they take with them?

muffins sunglasses book oranges

swimsuit radio table mat

milk cheese olives sandals

/m/ /s/ / /

6
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 3 I write the correct word.

ot
kn

Two of these words do not have the same sound

at the end. Cross them out!

pot lot bed cot

hat spot

7
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 4 I learn new sounds.

/l/
P h o n i c s

Celebrations are great fun! Let's sing one more song together.
/p/
What sounds can you hear the most?
/I/
/aI/

Puff out the candles on the pink cake.

P /p/-/p/-/p/,

/p/-/p/-/p/. Action: Hold up

your finger, as if
Puff out the candles on the pink cake.
it is a candle,and
Puff! Puff! Puff! pretend to put it
out, saying p, p, p.

We lick our lollipops.

We lick our lollipops.

/l/-/l/-/l/-/l/!

We lick our lollipops. Action: Pretend to lick

a lollipop and say l, l, l.

/i/,/i/,/i/ there's ink on the table.

/i/,/i/,/i/ there's ink on the table.

Ink on the table, ink on the table,

/i/,/i/,/i/,/i/,/i/. Action: Shake your

hands as you say i,i,i.
8
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 4a - I choose and write the correct letters to complete the words.

L I P

__ encil __ ear

__ emon __ ion

__ nk __ gloo

Activity 4b - I choose and write the correct words.

________________ ________________

________________ ________________

pink pig lips lick

9
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 5 I learn new sounds.

Do you remember the sound /i/ as in ink?

Let’s name some words with the sound /i/.

pig fish

gift ship

Activity 5b – I identify the two sounds.

Now, you know these two sounds.

Identify the correct sound in the following words.

Write the words in the correct box.

/i/ like in pig /ai/ like in nine

kite bin smile tick

10 bike hill pie fish

 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 6 I learn new sounds. Teaching tip:

Help the students to read the poem. Draw their attention to
the sounds of the letters that are highlighted. Practise other
words with the same sounds.

/d/

P h o n i c s
/e/
/f/

Dino is a dinosaur.
He likes drums and dance.
He likes to hide under the bed.

Fino is a giraffe.
He sees fish and flies.
He fears the fox and the wolf.

Elly is an elephant.
She likes to paint empty eggs.
she rests in her shed.

Say the words and identify the position of the sounds!

Activity 6a - I circle the letters that produce the sounds indicated.

/d/ /f/ /e/

drum bed fox wolf elephant leg

11
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 6b - I write the correct letter to complete the word.

___ oll ___ ive ___ gg

bir ___ lea ___ p ___ n

d l e f m

Activity 6c - I write the correct word and say it aloud.

ed
b

sh

Let's say these tongue twisters together!

Four fat foxes and four fresh fish.

‘Ding Dong’, Dino's at the door.
Elephants don't eat eggs.

12
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 7 I identify sounds: /k/.

Listen to this story. What sound can you

hear at the start of the words in green?

What sound can you hear at

the end of the words in purple?

One day, a king went to fly his kite in the At the park, he saw a kangaroo and
park. a koala.

The king saw a man near the lake. He was The king saw his friend Karl. He was riding a bike.
reading a book.
13
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 8 I identify the sound and I write the missing letters.

lock ne___

chi___ tru___

so___ du___ bri___

clo___
li___
si___

14
sti___ ki___ ro___
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 9 I read the poem aloud.

RRRR! RRRR! Remove the rats!

Where are the rats, Dan?

There are no rats, Lizy. I am having fun with the /r/ sound!

Ok. Let’s have fun together!

Activity 9a - I underline the words with /r/ in the poem. I say these words.

RRRR! RRRR! Remove the rats.

Rita raises the broom.

The rats run right into the red room.

Roll down the shutters.

Rush! Rush!

They race to the roof.

Did you find the words with /r/ in the poem?

That was easy, wasn’t it? Let’s have more fun with the /r/ sound!

15
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 10 I choose the words starting with /r/. I put them in my silly soup.

Silly Soup

I make silly soup.

I put:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

16
 English | Grade 8 Extended

a robot a rose an ox

some raindrops a pen a ring

an umbrella a bag a rock

a car a shoe a rabbit

17
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 11 I put the sounds together and read the words aloud.

Teaching tip:
Demonstrate how to blend sounds to make words. Ask students to do the same.

r e d red

r o d rod

c a r car

f u r fur

t r ee tree

c r y cry

18
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 12 I put the sounds together and read the words aloud.

Well done! Let’s read more words with /r/.

b + r = br

br oom br other br own

f + r = fr

fr uit fr iend fr og

t + r = tr

tr uck tr ee tr ain

19
 Fun with Phonics

d + r = dr

dr um dr aw dr ess

c + r = cr

cr ab cr oss cr ocodile

p + r = pr

pr am pr ince pr ize

g + r = gr

gr ass gr een gr ey

Do you know other words with these sounds?

20
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 13 I identify and write words beginning with the sound /s/.

Help Sally the pirate to fill up her treasure chest.

Put the coins with the /s/ sound in it.

boots flag sun sea parrot

beard sword fish ship sand

21
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 14 I sing a song: The itchy witchy spider.

Teaching tip:
Sing the song and ask students to sing along. Draw their attention to the sounds
in the words that are highlighted.

The itchy witchy spider was crawling on a mat,

In came a wizard and nearly squashed it flat,

Off ran the spider, it hid under a chair,

No-one can see it hiding under there.

The itchy witchy spider was crawling in the room,

In came a witch, with her little broom,

Off ran the spider, it hid under a cup,

But the little witch wants to sweep it up.

Did you notice the words in purple?

Let’s say these
sounds together:
<sp> <sq> <sw>
22
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 15 I identify sounds in the poem.

There was a wizard called Harry Potter. He was learning to read.

He was reading a magic spell:

Spiff, spaff, spoff,

Snip, snap, snop,

Frogs like to hop.

Step, stap, stall,

Smell, smile, small,

Cat on a wall.

Swell, sweel, swoop,

Swash, swish, swoosh,

Bird in a bush.

23
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 15a – I cut and paste the correct letters to complete the words.

ail owman

ick ory

ider ade

an im
24
 English | Grade 8 Extended

sn sn

sp sp

st st

sw sw

25
 Fun with Phonics

26
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 15b - I write the correct letters to complete the words.

__ __ uare __ __ uid

Sq Pl Th Sq

__ __ oke __ __ ile

Fr Sm Sm Br

__ __ eep __ __ ate

Sl Fl Pr Sl

__ __ ip __ __ irt

Sk Gl Ch Sk 27
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 16 I identify the sounds / / and /u:/.

/i:/
P h o n i c s

/u:/ Listen to the words below and identify the common sound!

box dog orange pot

All these words have the / / sound! Let’s listen

to the song below and learn a new sound!

n g
The OO – So
w it)
’re happy and you kno
(Tune: If you
on.
'o o ' sa ys “O O” like in spo
Sometimes .
'o o ' say s “O O” like in zoo
Sometimes moon,
m e s 'o o ' sa ys “OO” like in
Someti
on.
tooth and so

p.
'o o' sa y s “O u” like in sou
Sometimes p.
o ' sa ys “O u” like in grou
Sometimes 'o you,
m e s 'o o ' sa ys “Ou” like in
Someti
and route.
Cannon]
song” by Pam
m “OO-moon
[Adapted fro

Let’s think of other words with this

28 sound and continue the song.
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 16a - I match the pictures to the words.

moon

broom

soup

boot

spoon

group

Activity 16b - I write 'o', 'ou' or 'oo' to complete the words.

t ____ th s ____ ck s ____ p

m ____ p sch ____ l gr ____ p

29
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 17 I listen to and read a poem.

Let’s learn a new sound, Karen.

It's very easy.

Ok Dan! Let’s listen to the poem

and read along.

Meet the sheep

Mr Sheep is strange but sweet,

He eats three peas and has two big feet.

Mrs Sheep is the queen of beads,

Her knees are black and her hair is green.

Teeny Sheep likes cream and beans,

He has red cheeks and his hands are clean.

They all play hide and seek.

Under the big peach tree.

That is a funny poem! Let’s say the underlined words aloud.

Can you name other words with this sound?

30
 English | Grade 8 Extended

Activity 17a - I play a Sound Race game.

lips
bees
peach

green leaf

fish

Activity 17b - I match the pictures with the corresponding words.

meat knee bee sea

31
 Fun with Phonics

Activity 17c - I write the words in the correct columns to complete my basketball teams.

Team Team

ee ea

eagle knee bead

feet leaf sleep

32
© Mauritius Institute of Education - 2021

ISBN: 978-99949-53-23-3