Prepared by: The Lenasia Muslim Association

 مَ  Write the letter clearly, big and bold on the chalkboard (Write the Fatha sign above the letter in a different colour chalk)  Draw a picture beginning and matching to the sound of the letter being taught E.g. مَ Masjid/Madina (if charts are available place it on the board so that the children could recognise the picture and the sound of the new alphabet taught.)

The pictures are just examples to assist the pupil to understand the pronunciation of the letter, however the correct Makhraj of the letter must be taught by the teacher

 Ask the pupils to recognise the picture on the chart and on the board  Once the child has answered correctly, now ask the child what (sound) does the picture start with. E.g. Masjid as in the above example starts with ‘ma’. Majority of the children would answer in the affirmative. ( Always ask the children to pick up their hands and not scream out the answer.) (this will ascertain those children who did not understand or are having a problem). Class control and discipline are of vital importance when delivering the lessons  There after drill the letter few times.

 Ask each pupil to read out the letter loud and clearly to see if he or she is pronouncing the letter correctly.  Ask the pupils to interact and give examples of words that starts with the same letter. (This will enable you to make out which pupil is not coping with recognition and matching sounds etc.  After thorough drilling of the new letter remove all pictures and charts leaving only the letter taught to the pupils and question them regarding this letter.

Firstly, the new letter introduced for the day must be written onto the chalkboard for e.g. بَ Thereafter explain to the pupils that بَ needs a partner or friend who will join him on the left. But in order to do so we will have to cut off half of the above letter so that it could be joined easily. so بَ will be erased half way on the board e.g. بَ will become Now from amongst the letters taught thus far, ask the pupils to choose out one letter. For e.g. مَ Thereafter join it to the بَ, thus becoming بَمَ This should be drilled by writing other examples. (Always remember the examples given in the Kitaab are guidelines, however the teacher can write her own examples as well and ask the children to read them.

1. Now using the same letter بَ, explain to the children that بَ needs a partner or friend on the right hand side also 1.1. So in order to give بَ a partner we will have to give it a hand in order to join up with its friend ( a hand should then be attached onto his right side so that its partner could hold his hand... Thereafter choose a letter from amongst the letters taught and joined it to the بَ on the right we could also tell them that the half of the َ which was cut of when joining its partner to the left will now be used and stitched onto the right of the so that it has a hand to hold onto his partner

P.s. Write the letters in different colour chalk. For e.g.. The main letter بَ in this example would be red and its 2 partners on the right and left would be white.  Using these ideas and concepts would insha-Allah be useful and effective.  (these ways of speaking to them are just few examples of making the lesson interesting and understandable to the little ones. There are many other ideas which are not mention here today but which could be used as well, when coming across to the children.)

 1. Some letters in the Arabic alphabet cannot be given a joining hand on the left of it, therefore it would be important to make the children aware of those letters when introducing them with their examples. Examples of such letters are: و – ر – ز – ا The above letters could accept hands on the right of it but not on the left when joining other letters to them. (this should be explained on the board using different colour chalk as well) 2. Write the letters in different colour chalk. For e.g.. The main letter بَ in this example would be red and its 2 partners on the right and left would be white.

 At the beginning of the year, due to minimum sabak (1 – 4 lines) given daily, each pupil would be able to read the full sabak to the Ustad on the next day. However if and when the sabak increases, then due to time constrains each child would have to read 1 to 2 lines of the sabak, depending on the total of children in the class and the amount of sabak given the day before.  When sabak is being tested in class, a progress sheet listing the name of each child would come in handy. The teacher would record the mistakes made by the child and this would enable the teacher to keep a record of the problems a child is having and the teacher would then work on that particular mistake.

 The Fathah should only be introduced and taught after a few letters have been learnt. By now the pupils would understand that there has been the same line appearing on top of each letter thus far.  The fathah should be differentiated by using a different colour calk.  Explain to the children that this line that has been appearing everyday on all the letters, has its own name. And it is called the fatha.  A fatha always comes on top of the word.  A fatha gives an ‘a’ sound at the end of the letter E.g. Wa, fa, ma, ba and so on. Explain to them how and where does the ‘a’ sound come, by reading out every the letters taught thus far and making them hear that sound. Thereafter the fatha should be revised everyday and the last 2 points be revised everyday on the chalkboard. E.g. 1. A fatha always comes on top of the word. 2. A fatha has an ‘a’ sound.

 Introducing the kasra would be the same as fatha, however the rules for kasra and dhammah are different. KASRA 1. Always comes at the bottom of the word. 2. Always has an ‘e’ sound. E.g. we, fee, me, be DHAMMAH 1. Always found on the top of the word. 2. Always has an ‘oo’ sound. E.g. woo, foo, moo, boo These rules must be revised daily and tested. Examples must be done on the board with the alphabets and then changed from one sign to another in order to differentiate the signs.

 A lesson a day for revision would be sufficient.  Different ideas on doing the revision lesson: ( Most of these ideas could be used in 1 day, however due to time constrains whichever method the teacher finds more useful and effective should then be applied and carried out daily.) 1. Ustaadh reads and students repeat, (This would be just a quick boost start to the lesson and would give the children an idea as to how well and fluently the lesson has to be recited when it be his/her turn) 2. Every student should get a turn to read one line each. 3. Ask the children to be well alert and then each child reads a block and the next follows and so on until the page is revised 2-3 times. (Each child should be alert and read immediately after the one like a train moving and whoever delays to read his/her block has delayed the train. 4. Always make them read in different directions when doing revision: for e.g.. Instead of always making them read across from right to left, ask them to sometimes read down the ladder or up the ladder or right to left and left to right. This will ensure that they do not memorize the words but recognise them well. 5. Sometimes when revision is read the pupils should be asked to repeat what his/ her colleague has recited in order to attain concentration. Etc.

 The words that are put together in the towards reading the Qur’aan, are just ideas and examples of different letters joined together, therefore children should not be taught these words parrot fashion or of by heart. The main objective is the recognition of the Qur’aan. So, in order to achieve and deduce that the children have recognised the letters and not by hearted them is to do the following:

1. Ask them read in different directions when doing revision: for e.g.. Instead of always reading across the page from right to left, ask them to sometimes read down the ladder or up the ladder or right to left and left to right. This will ensure that they do not learn the words parrot fashion. 2. After introducing the new letter, write it on the board few times with joining hands on each side. Now ask one by one each child to choose any letter from those learnt and then join it to the word, making up their own constructed three letter word and there after ask the third child to read and this would confirm if they have understood the lesson as well as recognised it as well.

 Important factors that should be noted and rectified: A. Recognition of the letters. B. Fluency. Meaning that a 3 or 4 letter word should not be dragged along but read together in a good joining pace. C. Pronunciation of the letters.

 Write the letter which has been taught for the day in every child’s notebook and then ask them to try to write it themselves. If writing is difficult ask the child to draw a picture or find a picture matching to the letter and paste it next to it.  Ask the children to imaginary write the letter on their palms with their fingers while pronouncing the letter.  At the end of each week during break or after the Qur'an lesson, take the children out to the sand and make them write the letters taught for the week on the sand individually. E.g. If asked to write the ل they should insha- Allah be able to write it if letters have been drilled well.  (For children with a learning problem) Clay could be one of the options. Ask the child to shape the letter with the clay.

 Colour chalk  Charts with the letter written in big and bold together with a picture suitable and starting with the same sound of the letter. E.g. مَ Masjid/Madina  Clay (this would work efficiently with children having a problem recognising and differentiating between the letters taught

 Lastly, we would like to take this opportunity of thanking one and all for their attention and dedication and may Allah accept every one of our efforts and make the task of every teacher in this Ummat of Nabi Muhammed (S.A.W) easy and rewarding.  These were just a few tried and tested guidelines and we haven't fulfilled and covered everything, thus we ask one and all to forgive us for any shortcomings on our behalf and to please remember the Lenasia Muslim Association in your humble duaas. The Lenasia Muslim Association Saeeda Ismail