Term 3, Week 7
31 Aug – 6 Sep 2026
This week’s topic
Reading is fun: integrating listening and speaking, phonics, shared reading, handwriting and writing around the theme of reading, using the vocabulary, songs and skills listed in the ATP
Your Week Ahead
This week we get to celebrate reading itself as the theme. It sounds simple, but it is actually a lovely opportunity to build enthusiasm for books in a language that many of your Grade 1 learners are still finding their feet in. By Term 3, most learners have had several months of exposure to English sounds, simple sentences and classroom routines, so this week is about pulling those threads together around something joyful: books, stories and the idea that reading opens doors.
In the CAPS sequence, Term 3 is where phonics knowledge starts combining more visibly with real reading behaviour. Learners are no longer just sounding out isolated letters, they are starting to use those sounds to unlock whole words in a shared reading context. This week’s theme gives you a natural reason to talk about books, authors, pictures and the pleasure of a good story, all while reinforcing the phonics and vocabulary learners need for the rest of the term.
Coming into this week, learners should already be comfortable with classroom instructions in English, basic greetings, and a growing bank of sight words from shared reading sessions earlier in the term. If a few learners are still shaky on this, that is fine. The theme is forgiving because you can pitch the same activities at different levels simply by adjusting how much support you give during shared reading and phonics time.
This Week’s Lesson Plan
Day 1: Introduce the theme with a listening and speaking activity, talking about favourite books and stories learners know, and build oral vocabulary around words like book, story, read and page.
Day 2: Phonics focus session, revising and extending sounds already covered this term, with learners blending sounds into simple words connected to the reading theme.
Day 3: Shared reading of a big book or story about reading or books, with the teacher modelling fluent reading and learners joining in on repeated phrases.
Day 4: Handwriting practice focused on letter formation, using words from the shared reading text, plus a short group activity retelling part of the story in learners’ own words.
Day 5: Writing activity where learners draw and label a favourite book or story, consolidating vocabulary and sounds practised through the week, followed by informal assessment of participation and understanding.
Download Your Lesson Plan
Download the full 5-day lesson plan as a Word document. Includes detailed activities, differentiation notes, and assessment guidance.