ALASKA ACADEMY: DISCOVERING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN “AND – BUT

Conjunctions such as “and,” “but,” and “or” are fundamental in the English language.

However, for 3rd graders to use them accurately, coherently, and fluently, it is vital to clearly understand the nuances between them.

In Class 3A4’s English Grammar lesson, through the “Act & Guess” game and specific sentence models, Ms. Trần Thị Hà skillfully guided the Alaskids to discover:

And: Used for similar ideas.

But: Connects two different or contrasting ideas.

Or: Connects choices or possibilities.

It turns out that Alaskids use these “bridges” to connect their thoughts every day! With this realization, the real-life scenarios presented by Ms. Hà became simple and easy for the students to navigate.

The lesson on “and – but – or” was even more deeply ingrained as the students transformed into “Conjunction Doctors” to “examine” and “heal” paragraphs where conjunctions were misused. Through these “medical cases,” not only was their grammar knowledge reinforced, but their critical thinking and teamwork skills were also sharpened.

If the ultimate goal of language is application, then Class 3A4’s production phase was full of delightful surprises. Through a picture-matching game, the Alaskids flexibly and vividly applied structures such as “I like… and…” or “I want… but…”. Complete, accurate English sentences were confidently produced by the students, filling the classroom with a joyful learning atmosphere.

A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Trần Thị Hà and Class 3A4 for such a creatively approached lesson. Alaskids love English and can use the language naturally and coherently because they are nurtured in such engaging and happy environments!