Grade 6 English Study Notes

Welcome to Strand 1: Child Labour

In this strand, you will explore the theme of child labour — what it is, why it is harmful, and how we can work together to stop it. Through listening, speaking, reading, grammar, and writing activities, you will develop important English language skills while also learning about the rights of children.

What is Child Labour?

Child labour refers to the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives them of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend school, and is harmful to their physical and mental health.

Suggested Vocabulary for This Strand

The Sound /ɪə/

The sound /ɪə/ is a vowel sound heard in many English words. It is the sound you hear in the middle or end of words like tear, appear, and engineer.

How to Produce the Sound /ɪə/

Say "ee" and then gently move to a short "uh" — blending them smoothly together as one sound: /ɪə/. Your lips should be slightly relaxed.

Words with the Sound /ɪə/

Tongue Twister Practice

Say this aloud to practise: "Every year it is clear that engineers appear here to volunteer."

Key Point

The spelling patterns ear, eer, ere, and ier commonly produce the /ɪə/ sound.

📖 Poem: Lost Childhood

Read and recite this poem about a child who has been forced to work.

Forced to work daily,
With a meagre pay, to support my big family,
Working from dawn to dusk,
Pain tearing my flesh, tears filling my eyes,
Bad experiences I have to bear,
Lost childhood at such a young age.

Too much work, too much fear,
Too much responsibility,
Becoming weak and dying slowly,
No time to play, no time for school,
Every day is work, work and more work!
Lost childhood at such a tender age.

But there is hope for all children,
If we all volunteer to raise our voices,
If we speak against child labour,
We can put a smile on their faces once again,
Fight for a cause and restore their dreams,
Say no to child labour! Restore the lost childhood.

Understanding the Poem

Key Point

The phrase "working from dawn to dusk" means working the entire day — from sunrise to sunset. This is one sign of child labour: children working unreasonably long hours.

📖 Story: Philip

Read this story carefully. It will help you practise listening for the main idea and specific details.

Philip came from a humble background. At the age of fourteen, his family entrusted him to an uncle who promised to take him to a good school in Mombasa. He also promised to pay school fees for Philip.

Once in Mombasa, Philip's uncle made him collect seashells and sell them to tourists who visited the beach. At the end of the day, the uncle would take all the money and beat him up if he did not sell much. Philip worked like a dog but his uncle was a hyena — he was greedy for money and never appreciated Philip's efforts. At times, the uncle would force Philip to beg for money from tourists or go to bed hungry.

One day, Philip did not sell anything. He was dog-tired, as hungry as a wolf, and in deep thought on his way home. Suddenly he saw a tourist across the road. He crossed in a hurry and was almost knocked down by a speeding vehicle. Misfortunes never come singly. However, every cloud has a silver lining. The car belonged to a child activist, Madam Amira, who stopped and asked what was wrong. Philip burst into tears and told her everything. Madam Amira promised to reunite him with his family and provide care and protection.

Philip is now sixteen years old and happy to be back with his family. He does his best at school and plays with his friends, knowing that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Comprehension — Main Ideas and Specific Details

Expressions in English

Expressions make our spoken and written English more interesting and powerful. There are five main types used in this unit.

1. Similes

A simile compares two things using the words "as" or "like".

2. Metaphors

A metaphor says one thing IS another — without using "as" or "like".

3. Proverbs

A proverb is a short, wise saying that gives advice about life.

4. Idioms

An idiom is a phrase whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of its words.

5. Fixed Phrases and Phrasal Verbs

Extensive Reading — Selecting Reading Materials

Extensive reading means reading widely on your own — many types of materials — for enjoyment or general information. You do not need to understand every word. The goal is to read a lot and enjoy it.

Types of Reading Materials

How to Select a Good Reading Material

When choosing what to read, consider these four things:

1. Type of material — Is it a storybook, a magazine, or a factual book?
2. Language used — Is it easy enough for you to understand most of it?
3. Information you need — Will it give you what you are looking for?
4. Your interest — Are you interested in the topic? Reading is more enjoyable when you choose something you like.

Key Point

Age-appropriate materials are those that suit your reading level and interests. Always choose materials whose language you can mostly understand so that reading is enjoyable rather than frustrating.

📖 Story: A New Beginning

Read this story about a family and child labour on a tea farm.

Jojo's father, Mr Kinja, was desperate. He had unexpectedly lost his job as a supervisor at a tea factory. Jojo and his siblings were getting used to living on a single meal a day — very distressing, as they had lived a life of abundance before.

One day, a wealthy man, Mr Kuri, moved to their village. He needed workers for his tea farm. Mr Kinja got a job there and received good wages. Wanting more money, he brought his whole family to work on the farm. They worked from dawn to dusk.

At first, Jojo thought it was a good idea. But as time went by, he could no longer play with friends, and his dream of becoming a doctor was dim. Mr Kuri — as greedy as a hyena — paid workers by the kilograms of tea they picked. Everyone had to work like a donkey to earn more.

"My husband, please allow the children to go back to school!" Jojo's mother pleaded — but it fell on deaf ears.

"This is child labour!" Jojo muttered to himself and wept.

One afternoon, a government siren was heard. Inspectors had arrived. Children were ordered to crouch in the tea bushes. Jojo could see terror in his father's eyes — and that was the moment Mr Kinja realised what he had done. Soon after, he quietly told his children: "You are going back to school on Monday."

Key Vocabulary

Using Reference Materials

Reference materials are books and resources that you use to find specific information. Unlike storybooks, you do not read them from beginning to end — you dip into them to find what you need.

Common Reference Materials

How to Use a Dictionary

1. Words are arranged alphabetically — from A to Z.
2. Find the first letter, then the second, then the third, and so on.
3. The definition gives you the meaning of the word.
4. The pronunciation guide (in brackets) shows you how to say it.
5. The part of speech tells you if it is a noun, verb, adjective, etc.

How to Make Notes

After reading a reference material, make notes by:

• Writing down the main points — key ideas only, not every sentence.
• Listing new words and their meanings.
• Writing a short summary in your own words.

Sample Notes on Child Labour

Grammar: Determiners

Determiners are words that come before nouns to tell us how many or how much of something we are talking about. In this lesson, you will learn about some and each.

The Determiner: SOME

Some is used to show a small or unspecified amount of something. It is used before:

• Plural countable nouns — things you can count, used in plural form.
• Uncountable nouns — things you cannot count, like water or food.

The Determiner: EACH

Each shows that all items in a group are considered individually, one by one. It is always used before a singular countable noun and takes a singular verb.

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