Linking Words and Phrases

Overview

This 45-minute lesson is designed for preschool students in New Zealand as part of the "Informative Writing Adventures" unit, lesson 6 of 10. The goal is to introduce and explore simple linking words and phrases such as "also," "another," and "together with" to help children connect ideas in their early informative writing, aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum English goals for years 0-3.

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Curriculum Alignment

Learning Areas and Strands

English, Year 0-3, Speaking, Writing, and Vocabulary Development

• Communication for Learning:
  • Use spoken language to communicate ideas in complete sentences with simple linking words (e.g., also, another, together with) to connect ideas.
• Vocabulary and Grammar:
  • Correctly use precise vocabulary suitable to audience and purpose including basic conjunctions and linking words.
• Writing to Inform (Year 1 level progress):
  • Begin to use linking words and phrases to group information logically and clarify ideas (e.g., also, another, together with).
  • Use topic-related vocabulary and simple paragraphs.

Key Competencies

• Thinking: Encourage children to make connections within their ideas.
• Using Language, Symbols, and Texts: Express ideas clearly using linking words.
• Managing Self: Develop confidence in expressing and writing ideas.
• Relating to Others: Work collaboratively and listen to peers.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Recognise and understand the function of simple linking words "also," "another," and "together with."
• Use these linking words orally to connect ideas in sentences.
• Attempt to use them in their own simple sentences or drawings explaining information.
• Develop vocabulary related to their writing topics.

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Resources Required

• Picture cards illustrating linking words: "also," "another," "together with"
• Simple sentence strips with examples using target linking words
• Puppets or props for story/activity engagement
• Chart paper & markers
• Worksheets with pictures and sentence starters
• Drawing materials (crayons, paper)
• Digital audio recording device (optional, for play-back and reflection)

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Lesson Outline (45 minutes)

1. Warm-up and Context Setting (5 minutes)

• Greet students and briefly revisit prior lessons on writing and sharing ideas.
• Introduce the lesson topic: "Today we will learn special words that help us join our ideas when we talk and write!"
• Use puppets or props to model two simple sentences connected with "also," e.g., "I have a dog. Also, I have a cat."

2. Teaching Linking Words (10 minutes)

• Show the picture cards for "also," "another," and "together with."
• Explain each linking word in simple language:
  • "Also means ‘and’ or ‘too’."
  • "Another means ‘one more’ or ‘a different one’."
  • "Together with means doing or having something with someone or something else."
• Use sentence strips with examples and read them aloud, pausing for students to repeat.
• Use visual supports and gestures to reinforce meaning.

3. Guided Practice - Oral Sentence Combining (10 minutes)

• In pairs, students use puppets or pictures to create sentences combining ideas using one of the linking words.
• Provide sentence stems for support (e.g., “I like apples. Also, I like ___.”)
• Teacher circulates and offers positive feedback and gentle scaffolding.

4. Independent Activity - Drawing and Writing (15 minutes)

• Children draw a simple picture about a familiar topic (e.g., their favourite animal or food).
• Encourage them to use sentence starters with the linking words to describe their picture verbally or with adult help to write a simple sentence (e.g., “I have a cat. Another cat is black.”)
• Teacher supports individual students as needed, especially emergent writers or ESL learners, by modelling or scribing.

5. Sharing and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Invite students to share their sentences/drawings with a buddy or the class, highlighting the linking words used.
• Reinforce the importance of linking ideas to make their writing clear and interesting.
• Celebrate effort and encourage noticing linking words in stories read aloud.

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Assessment

• Formative Observation:
  Monitor student participation in oral sentence combining and their use of linking words during pair work and sharing.
• Learning Evidence:
  Collect samples of student drawings and dictated/written sentences to check for correct or emerging use of linking words.
• Teacher Feedback:
  Provide immediate positive reinforcement and model correct usage where necessary.

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Teaching Considerations

• Use visual supports and manipulatives to aid understanding of abstract linking words for preschoolers.
• Provide repeated exposure and practice over time for retention.
• Support vocabulary development explicitly (teach pronunciation, meaning, and use in context).
• Scaffold for English Language Learners as indicated by the English Language Learning Progressions framework.
• Use clear, slow speech and sentence stems to aid students with emerging oral language.
• Create a safe, encouraging environment for attempts, respecting different learning paces.

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Extension Ideas

• Create a classroom "Linking Words" bulletin board with pictures and examples to revisit in future lessons.
• Integrate linking words into daily storytime and interactive read-alouds to reinforce usage.
• Encourage students to listen for linking words in conversations and stories at home.

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Summary

This lesson leverages the New Zealand Curriculum's emphasis on oral language development, vocabulary precision, and early writing structures. It provides preschool students with foundational skills for connecting ideas through linking words, contributing to their emerging informative writing capabilities in a playful, interactive, and inclusive way.

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This lesson plan draws on guidance from "Te Mātaiaho | English in the New Zealand curriculum years 0–6" documents, especially the sections on vocabulary development, sentence structure, and writing to inform for early years learners, .