English Studies is a fundamental subject that holds a central position in students’ educational progression. It entails an extensive examination of language, literature, and communication abilities crucial for both academic advancement and personal development. In JSS3 in Nigeria, English Studies is foundational, playing a key role in students’ overall development by focusing on language proficiency, literature appreciation, and critical thinking.
English Studies is a vital part of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) syllabus that evaluates students’ language proficiency, understanding, and appreciation of literature. Mastery of English Studies is crucial for BECE success, enabling students to communicate effectively, comprehend written material, and express their thoughts clearly.
English Studies in JSS3 in Nigeria is highly important for BECE preparation, providing students not only with essential language skills but also fostering critical thinking and analytical capabilities essential for success in the examination and beyond.
The crowning event for Jss3 and the Junior Secondary school as a whole is the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) which is taken mid-third term. The assessment methods for English studies include written examinations, which may consist of multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, and essay-type questions. These exams are conducted in a controlled environment to ensure fairness and integrity.
Furthermore, continuous assessment, which involves periodic tests, assignments, and projects conducted throughout the academic session, also contributes to the overall BECE assessment. This allows for an all-around evaluation of students’ performance and progress over time.
| LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION: UNIFIED SCHEMES OF WORK FOR JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL | ||
| English Studies Scheme of Work for Junior Secondary School 3(JSS3) | ||
| Class | J.S.S 3 | |
| Subject | English Studies | |
| Term | First Term | |
| Week | Topic | Breakdown |
| 1 | REVISION OF LAST TERM’S EXAMINATION | |
| GRAMMAR | Parts of speech – Revision | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Scanning for main points | |
| COMPOSITION | Informal letter – Letter to my best friend on my plan for the academic session | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Introduction to Fiction and Non Fiction II. Examples of Non Fiction | |
| 2 | SPEECH WORK | The Schwa / ə / sound – about, doctor, above, etc. |
| GRAMMAR | Expressing/Describing Emotions (Verb + Preposition) | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Skimming for Specific Information | |
| COMPOSITION | Writing to a pen – pal | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Poetry Analysis II. Use the recommended text on prose. | |
| 3 | SPEECH WORK | Stress and Intonation continued. |
| GRAMMAR | Adverbs of Frequency – (often, always, occasionally). | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Reading to cultivate the skill of referencing. | |
| COMPOSITION | Write a story on the topic – All that glitters is not gold | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Use the recommended text on prose II. Characterization, Theme, Plot in the prose text | |
| 4 | SPEECH WORK | Consonants / 3/ and / d3 / – leisure/ledger and garage/large. |
| GRAMMAR | Changing positive statements to negative statements using ‘not’. | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Practice scanning, skimming and normal rate reading. | |
| COMPOSITION | How to care for a motor vehicle. | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Comprehensive study of the prose text. II. Introduction the rhyme scheme. | |
| 5 | SPEECH WORK | Contrast consonants / d /, / ð /, / θ / and / z / — advert, father, loathe and zip. |
| GRAMMAR | Modal Forms – will, can, could, may, that’s Direct and Indirect Forms of Modals | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | I. Reading to differentiate between facts and opinions. II. Vocabulary Development – Tourism | |
| COMPOSITION | Distinguish between the Features of Formal and Informal Letters. | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Use the recommended drama text II. Study the different types of rhyme scheme. | |
| 6 | SPEECH WORK | Contrast between / 3: / and / ɔ: / |
| GRAMMAR | Adjectives and Adverbs Expressing Willingness/Unwillingness using Modal Verbs + Adverbials | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Reading to make deductions from a selected passage. | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Use the recommended drama text. II. Characterization, Diction, setting and plot in the recommended drama text. | |
| 7 | SPEECH WORK | Consonants / s /, / ʃ / and / tʃ / — ceiling, short, machine and cheque. |
| GRAMMAR | Adverbs of place and manner | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Refer to week 5 | |
| COMPOSITION | Debate – Corruption is worse than armed robbery | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. More on Rhyme Schemes. II. Identification of Costumes and Props in the Drama text | |
| 8 | SPEECH WORK | Consonants / ʃ / and / tʃ / — sheep/chip and fish/pitch. |
| GRAMMAR | Idiomatic Expressions. | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Refer to week 6 | |
| COMPOSITION | Descriptive Essay – My Favorite Subject | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Questions on the prose text II. Questions on the drama text. | |
| 9 | SPEECH WORK | Consonants / w / and / j / |
| GRAMMAR | Adverbs of Cause or Reason – so that, in order, so as. | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Identification of the topic sentence a given passage. | |
| COMPOSITION | Debate – child trafficking is worse than stealing. | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Review of the prose text. II. Review of the drama text. | |
| 10 | REVISION | |
| 11. – 12 | EXAMINATION | |
| Term | Second Term | |
| Week | Topic | Breakdown |
| 1 | REVISION OF LAST TERM’S EXAMINATION QUESTIONS | |
| SPEECH WORK | Consonants / t / and / 0 / — tin/thin and tick/thick. | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Reading for Critical Evaluation. | |
| COMPOSITION | More on writing to a Pen – Pal | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Review the features of folktales II. Discuss some folktales. | |
| 2 | SPEECH WORK | Consonants contrast / t / and / s / — tailor/summer, pit/mouse, pat/ pass. |
| GRAMMAR | Prepositions which express relations with people (with, for, against) | |
| LISTENING COMPREHENSION | Listening for implied meanings | |
| COMPOSITION | The School Prize – Giving Day | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Poetry – Write a short poem on – The lonely child II. Write a short story on – How the tortoise got the pattern on his shell | |
| 3 | SPEECH WORK | Contrast consonants / ʃ / and / 3 / — mission/pleasure and vision/measure. |
| GRAMMAR | The Simple Sentence. | |
| LISTENING COMPREHENSION | Listening to get the main gist or the main points in a paragraph. | |
| COMPOSITION | At the Bus Stop. | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Literacy devices in a selected poem II. Use the recommended text on prose | |
| 4 | SPEECH WORK | Contrast between vowels / ʌ / and / a: / — much/march and pun /par. |
| GRAMMAR | The Compound Sentence | |
| LISTENING COMPREHENSION | Listening to questions in order to answer them. | |
| COMPOSITION | Informal letter – A letter to a friend him/her about your best subject | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Use the recommended text on prose. II. Identification of the features of prose. | |
| 5 | SPEECH WORK | Nasal sounds / m /, / n / and / / ŋ / — mentor, knotty/naughty, fling |
| GRAMMAR | Punctuation Marks – The Uses of the Capital Letter. | |
| LISTENING COMPREHENSION | Listening to interpret ideas in a selected passage. | |
| COMPOSITION | Informal letter – A letter to your grandfather/mother telling them that you are coming to spend your forthcoming holidays with them. | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Use the recommended drama text. II. Theme / Setting / Characterization in the recommended drama text. | |
| 6 | SPEECH WORK | Vowels / æ / and / 3: / — bath/birth, arm/earn and farm/firm |
| GRAMMAR | Pronouns – Reflexive and Relative Pronouns. | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Revisit week 5 of 1st term. | |
| COMPOSITION | Article Writing – The evils of youth unemployment | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Use the recommended drama text. II. Lead students to write a playlet. | |
| 7 | SPEECH WORK | Vowels / ɜ: / and. / ɜ / — brought/hot, malt/pot and fought/cot. |
| GRAMMAR | Personal Pronouns – Rules guiding the use of personal Pronouns. | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Revisit week 2 of 2nd term | |
| COMPOSITION | Expository – Drug addiction | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Poetry – Language in poetry II. Construct sentences with irony and Hyperbole | |
| 8 | SPEECH WORK | Vowels / u / and / u: / — pull/pool, bush/sue and sugar/food |
| GRAMMAR | Demonstrative Pronouns | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Reading to summarize paragraphs. | |
| COMPOSITION | Argumentative Essay – Teachers are Better than Farmers in a Society | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | Summarizing the prose text | |
| 9 | SPEECH WORK | Vowel / ə / ( among, above, doctor, again, teacher, about, pastor) |
| GRAMMAR | Differentiating between Demonstrative Pronouns and Demonstrative Adjectives. | |
| READING AND COMPREHENSION | Revisit week 1 of 2nd term | |
| COMPOSITION | Expository writing – Population Explosion | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Revision of the drama text II. Revision of the drama text using relevant questions. | |
| 10 | REVISION | |
| 11-12 | TESTS AND EXAMINATIONS |
| Term | Third Term | |
| Week | Topic | Breakdown |
| 1 | REVISION OF 2nd TERM’S EXAMINATION | |
2 | SPEECH WORK | Review of Monotones |
| COMPREHENSION/VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT | Look at Some Past Questions | |
| ENGLISH STRUCTURE | Review of Nouns and Pronouns | |
| COMPOSITION | Review of Narrative/Descriptive Essays | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | Review of Major/Minor Characters Theme, Plot, Tragic/Comic Elements and Diction. | |
3 | COMPREHENSION /VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT | Use past questions |
| ENGLISH STRUCTURE | Review of Verbs and Adverbs | |
| COMPOSITION | Review of Argumentative / Expository Essay | |
| SPEECH WORK | Review of Diphthongs | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | I. Review of Literacy Terms for Poetry II. Metaphor, Simile, Alliteration, Irony and so on | |
4 | COMPREHENSION/VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT | |
| ENGLISH STRUCTURE | Review of Adjectives, Conjunctions, Prepositions and Interjections | |
| COMPOSITION | Revisit informal letter, Formal letter and their features | |
| SPEECH WORK | Review of Consonant Sounds | |
| LITERATURE IN ENGLISH | Use past questions | |
| 5-10 | REVISION | Use Past Questions for all Aspects of the Revision. |
| 11 | EXAMINATION |
The recommended English Studies textbooks for JSS3 include but are not limited to the following:
