Achieve Fluency in Verbal Communication
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SPEAK 2.0
Achieve Fluency in Verbal Communication
Acknowledgements
Academic Authors: Sneha Sharma, Chandani Goyal, Ayushi Jain, Sayani Sarkar, Laraine O’Connell
Creative Directors: Bhavna Tripathi, Mangal Singh Rana, Satish
Book Production: Rakesh Kumar Singh, Tauheed Danish, Narendra Shahi, Prajapati Surendra, Upendra Pandey
Project Lead: Sneha Sharma
VP, Learning: Abhishek Bhatnagar
All products and brand names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks or trade names of their respective owners.
© Uolo EdTech Private Limited
First edition 2026
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser and without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above-mentioned publisher of this book.
Book Title: Speak 2.0 2
ISBN: 978-93-89057-62-1
Published by Uolo EdTech Private Limited
Corporate Office Address:
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CIN: U74999DL2017PTC322986
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Illustrations and images: www.shutterstock.com, www.stock.adobe.com and www.freepik.com
All suggested use of the internet should be under adult supervision.
Preface
In the age of globalisation and unprecedented technological advancement, English stands as a universally comprehensible medium of communication. It has evolved into one of the essential tools that learners require to thrive in today’s world and secure their future. Studies from across the globe show that English communication skills significantly impact on career prospects and lifelong learning.
Functional and fluent communication skills in English, encompassing the crucial facets of LSRW (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing), are pivotal to children’s knowledge acquisition, intellectual, socio-emotional development and lifelong learning.
In particular, robust listening and speaking skills not only form the bedrock of the language learning process but also pave the way for enhanced reading and writing capabilities. Yet, the majority of educational efforts prioritise teaching reading and writing from the very outset, sometimes neglecting listening and speaking skills. These foundational skills are often overlooked in educational institutions due to high pupil-teacher ratios, lack of opportunities to express themselves in English, and most significantly, a lack of structured and dedicated class time for honing these skills.
It is within this context that Uolo Speak 2.0 has been introduced as a groundbreaking English program tailored for learners in pre-primary to grade 8, with a special emphasis on English listening and speaking. In alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 and the learning outcomes set forth by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the books comprise 12 chapters on essential functional skills, with the last three advantage chapters to be used at the teacher’s discretion, depending on learners’ readiness.
The Speak 2.0 book serves as the classroom-based avenue for developing functional speaking skills. The book contains teacher-led English speaking and listening activities that adhere to the highly recommended and research-based teaching-learning method known as the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR). This approach systematically guides learners to master the targeted competencies. Through these activities, learners engage in high-quality, age-appropriate, and experiential tasks that foster confidence and fluency in English. The accompanying Teacher Manual provides in-depth implementation plans for these activities.
AI lies at the heart of Speak 2.0, powering digital experiences that make learning English speaking dynamic and personalised. The package comes with digital content, provided free of cost, to ensure a seamless and holistic learning experience for children.
The mobile interface ensures consistent practise of functional English skills, while learners participate in speaking tasks enriched with AI-based evaluation and real-time feedback. Acting as a smart companion, AI guides pronunciation, sharpens usage and enhances accuracy, encouraging learners to practise with confidence. With this seamless blend of AI-driven practice and feedback, learners steadily build fluency and gain the confidence to express themselves effectively in everyday communication.
Uolo Speak 2.0 offers a potent, captivating and unique learning experience for learners. It embodies a pragmatic, results-oriented approach to cultivating indispensable functional English skills required for the 21st century. We extend our warmest wishes to all educators, parents and learners as they embark on this exciting journey with Uolo Speak 2.0, filled with fun and joyful experiences.
Dr Laraine O'Connell
D. Litt., English, North West University, South Africa
I am a veteran English teacher and lecturer, with a great love for English and for teaching. I have taught English and trained teachers over many years. I live in South Africa and it is a wonderful experience working with a company promoting the learning of English in India.
The Product Philosophy
Welcome to the Speak journey!
The program is a thoughtfully crafted activities-based learning experience that builds students’ speaking skills in English. The program, with dedicated time and space within the classroom, becomes a platform to practice speaking and listening skills in everyday scenarios. These scenarios are created by way of teacher-led activities, which cater to specific competencies in English.
Coursebook
Speak on the Spot Activities
Prepared-speaking Activities
Teacher Manual
DIGITAL
Student and Teacher Apps
Talking Books
Listening and Speaking Projects
Interactive Practice Quizzes
The classroom program is augmented by the digital world, which is presented to the students through the UOLO App. The app includes projects that are closely associated with the activities in the coursebook. The projects allow a fear-free practice time to children at home and are AI evaluated. The app also includes quizzes in listening, speaking, reading and writing that can be done at home.
Key NEP Recommendations
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, introduced by the Government of India, represents a transformative shift in the country’s education system. It aims to create a more holistic, dynamic and multidisciplinary approach to education. NEP 2020 focusses on fostering conceptual understanding, skills, values and competencies that align with the demands of the 21st century, while also preserving India’s rich cultural heritage. UOLO is fully committed to actualising the vision of NEP 2020 by meticulously adhering to its outlined recommendations.
1. Comprehension and understanding
2. 21st-century skills, values and dispositions
CompetencyBased Education
3. Application in real life
4. Holistic and integrated learning
5. Enjoyable and engaging
6. Collaborative and exploratory activities
NEP Pages 12, 17, 22
Teaching and Learning Pedagogy
7. Technology-based solutions
NEP Pages 3, 11, 12, 27
8. Assessment of core concepts and application skills Assessments
NEP Pages 12, 18, 22
NEP Compliance: Features of Our Book
Captivating Texts
Exposure to rich literature, as stories and poems, that demonstrate essential speaking behaviours and competencies
1 2 3 4 5
Vocabulary and Phonics Support
Build mastery in new words usage, and expression, while also strengthening phonics skills to lay a strong foundation for reading and pronunciation 1 2 7
Animated Talking Books
Enhanced listening comprehension and elevated English learning experience through animations that bring each text to life
1 5 7
Project-based Learning
Digital projects and supportive platforms that present English speaking opportunities in a fear-free environment
2 3 4 5 7 8
Language Activities and Presentations
Classroom activities and presentations that help build confident expression and language usage in everyday scenarios
2 3 4 5 6 8
1 Comprehension and understanding
2 21st-century skills, values and dispositions
3 Application in real life
4 Holistic and integrated learning
5 Enjoyable and engaging
6 Collaborative and exploratory activities
7 Technology-based solutions
8 Assessment of core concepts and application skills
Instructional Model
‘In the 21st century, language teaching must go beyond traditional approaches and must aim to enable students to use language skills in real-life contexts for a wide variety of purposes.’ (NEP, 2020)
According to Vygotsky and Krashen’s theory of second language teaching, language acquisition happens best when learners are engaged in purposeful and meaningful tasks in an anxiety-free, non-judgmental, communication-oriented, input-rich, supportive and stress-free environment, along with a lot of scaffolded practice. This approach to second language teaching is also highlighted by the NIPUN Bharat Mission document and NEP, 2020.
In this context, the Speak 2.0 series, along with the learning activities designed in it, can play a crucial role in creating an input-rich environment, employing diverse avenues for speaking practice in a fear-free and non-judgemental setting, coupled with real-time feedback.
The book has been developed based on the ‘Gradual Release of Responsibility’ (GRR) model— a teaching-and-learning model that has been widely recommended by the NEP, 2020 and the NCF, 2022-23. The GRR has been promoted by educational researchers and practitioners all over the world for its effectiveness in promoting student engagement and a deep understanding of content and skills.
The GRR model includes three steps, each one consecutively shifting the ‘responsibility’ from teachers to learners so that learners become independent users of the language.
I do: The teacher first provides explicit instruction and modelling that initiate the learning process.
We Do: As learners begin to grasp the content and skills, the teacher also begins to shift the responsibility to them, facilitating guided practice where the teacher and the learners participate collaboratively.
You Do: Finally, the learners take full ownership of their learning through independent practice and the application of the skills learnt in the program.
Based on this approach, there are three core instructional models on which the activities work (please refer to lesson plans in the Teachers' Manual for greater clarity). These are:
Fully guided; Modelled speaking by the teacher
Collaborative; Shared speaking between the learners and the teacher
Independent practice and application by the learners
To sum up, the programme has been created to do away with the fear of speaking in English among learners and allowing them to express themselves confidently in English in real-life situations.
Mapping with NCF 2023
Mapping with NCF 2022
The National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF) , released in 2023, is developed based on the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and to enable its implementation. The NCF provides guidelines for designing school syllabi and textbooks in India. It aims to improve the quality of education by making it more relevant, engaging, inclusive, and learner-centric. To achieve this, the NCF has articulated precise Learning Standards through well-defined Curricular Goals and Competency statements. These statements serve to harmonize the syllabus, content, pedagogical practices, and assessment culture, ensuring a cohesive and comprehensive educational experience. Curricular Goals: Curricular Goals are statements that give directions to curriculum development and implementation. They are derived from Aims and are specific to a Stage in education. Competencies: Competencies are learning achievements that are observable and can be assessed systematically. These Competencies are derived from the Curricular Goals and are expected to be attained by the end of a Stage.
C-3.1 Shows coordination between sensorial perceptions and body movements in various activities
CG-3 Develops a fit and flexible body
C-3.2 Shows balance, coordination, and flexibility in various physical activities
C-3.3 Shows precision and control in working with hands and fingers
C-3.4 Shows strength and endurance in carrying, walking, and running
C-4.1 Starts recognising ‘self’ as an individual belonging to a family and community
C-4.2 Recognises different emotions and makes deliberate efforts to regulate them appropriately
CG-4 Develops emotional intelligence, i.e., the ability to understand and manage their own emotions, and responds positively to social norms
C-4.3 Interacts comfortably with other children and adults
C-4.4 Shows cooperative behaviour with other children
C-4.5 Understands and responds positively to social norms in the classroom and school
C-4.6 Shows kindness and helpfulness to others (including animals, plants) when they are in need
C-4.7 Understands and responds positively to different thoughts, preferences, and emotional needs of other children
C-5.1 Engages in age-appropriate work at school and/or at home
CG-5 Develops a positive attitude towards productive work and service or ‘Seva’
C-6.1 Shows care for and joy in engaging with all life forms
CG-6 Develops a positive regard for the natural environment around them
C-7.1 Observes and understands different categories of objects and the relationships between them
CG-7 Makes sense of the world around through observation and logical thinking
C-7.2 Observes and understands cause and effect relationships in nature by forming simple hypotheses and uses observations to explain their hypotheses
C-7.3 Uses appropriate tools and technology in daily life situations and for learning
C-9.1 Listens to and appreciates simple songs, rhymes, and poems
C-9.2 Creates simple songs and poems on their own
CG-9 Develops effective communication skills for day-to-day interactions in two languages1
C-9.3 Converses fluently and can hold a meaningful conversation
C-9.4 Understands oral instructions for a complex task and gives clear oral instructions for the same to others
C-9.5 Comprehends narrated/read-out stories and identifies characters, storyline, and what the author wants to say
C-9.6 Narrates short stories with clear plot and characters
C-9.7 Knows and uses enough words to carry out day-to-day interactions effectively and can guess the meaning of new words by using existing vocabulary
C-11.1 Develops phonological awareness and is able to blend phonemes/ syllables into words and segment words into phonemes/syllables
CG-11 Begins to read and write in Language 2
C-11.2 Recognises most frequently occurring letters of the alphabet (forms of akshara) of the script and uses this knowledge to read and write simple words and sentences
Chapter at a Glance Walkthrough of Key Elements
Chapter text: Main text to demonstrate targeted competency
Keywords: Keywords from the text with meaning and pronunciation
A phonic concept linked to the chapter to strengthen decoding, reading skills and pronunciation
E-Speak 2: A short, open-ended, assessment-type project on the mobile app
Gaming Zone: A worksheet aligned with the theme
Practise: Guidance on how to practise at home
Present: Instruction on how to present in the class
Chapter Outcomes
Introducing Oneself
Talking About a Routine
Sharing What I Like
Asking Questions
Describing Something
Describing Places
Asking for Help
Talking About Past Events
Asking for Permission
Briefly introduce oneself
Respond to simple questions about oneself and one’s family, in a few words
Answer questions about daily routine
Talk about one’s daily routine and activities
Identify and express their own likes in simple words or sentences
Answer simple questions about their likes
Ask simple ‘wh’ questions to gain information in a real-life context
Participate in conversations, meaningfully and politely
Identify important details from a description
Describe 2–3 key details about something or someone
Use simple words to describe familiar places
Answer simple questions about a place
Request politely for help
Respond politely to others’ request for help
Answer simple questions on what they did
Answer simple questions on what someone is doing
Ask for permission, politely
Respond to someone’s requests, politely and in simple sentences
Talk about one’s feelings using simple sentences
Understand others’ feelings
Follow simple instructions
Give very simple instructions to do something
Use simple future expressions like “I will …” or “I am going to …” to talk about plans
Answer simple questions about one’s plans for the next day/the near future.
Chapter 1
Introducing Oneself
Hello! My name is Rohit. I am in Class 2.
Talking Book
Beginning Middle End
ink pin kiwi
insect fix taxi
Know About Me
Chapter 2
Talking About a Routine
I study and water the plants in the evening.
What do you do in the evening?
shiny (shai.nee): bright bounce (bawns): to make something move up after hitting a surface quickly (kwik.lee): at a fast speed slope (slowp): side of a hill or mountain, higher on one side
/b/ sound
Phonic Bytes
These words begin with the /b/ sound. Circle them in the story.
Write ONE more word starting with the /b/ sound.
Reflection Journal
4 new words I learnt:
Say what you do at these times.
In the morning, I...
In the afternoon, I...
In the evening, I...
At night, I...
How do I feel when I talk about my day?
Chapter 3
Sharing What I Like
I like cycling, flying kites, skipping and drawing.
Talking Book
neighbourhood (nay.buh.huud): the place around your home perfect (per.fekt): completely correct
Digraph /ch/
Phonic Bytes
A digraph is when two letters come together to make one new sound (like ch):
ch
These words end with the /ch/ sound.
Find and circle TWO words ending with the /ch/ sound in the story.
Write ONE more word ending with the /ch/ sound.
I Like...
I like to eat
I like to play
I like to read
I like to watch
I like to go to
Asking Questions Chapter 4
Who wants to answer the question?
Can I answer?
Talking Book
Chapter 5
Describing Something
This is a colourful bird.
Talking Book
friendly (frend.lee): kind and happy fluffy (fluhf.ee): covered in soft fur fur (fur): soft hair of an animal collar (ko.luh): a small belt around the neck of a dog
Phonic Bytes
Starting Blends
Blends are two or more consonants that come together in a word. You can hear each sound.
Blends that come at the beginning of a word are called starting blends. For example: The word clap, begins with the blend ‘cl.’ Both the /c/ sound and the /l/ sound are pronounced. Say these words after your teacher.
Find and circle ONE word starting with the cl blend in the story.
Write ONE more word starting with the cl blend.
Reflection Journal
4 new words I learnt:
One word to describe my:
favourite fruit
favourite animal
favourite toy
Write 1–2 lines to describe your school.
How well can I describe different things?
Chapter 6
Describing Places
I love this park. The park has swings and slides.
Talking Book
Phonic Bytes
Ending sound /z/
Sometimes words end with the letter ‘s’ but make the /z/ sound.
cars chairs toys leaves
These words end with the /z/ sound.
Find and circle any TWO words in the text ending with the /z/ sound. Write ONE more word that ends with the /z/ sound.
Can you please give me a crayon?
Asking for Help
Sure, take this crayon.
Talking Book
Help… Can you help me, please? I need… I need your help. Please help… Please help me find my pencil. Could you… Could you help me open this box? Will you please… Will you please share your crayons with me?
E-Speak 1
Practise at Home
Project 7A
The Kite
Aarav’s kite is stuck in a tree. He asks his brother to help him get the kite. Listen and record it.
Project 7B
The Ball
Anju can’t find her favourite ball. She asks her father to help her find it. Listen and record it.
Project 7C
The Puzzle
Tanaya cannot finish her puzzle. She asks her mother to help her complete it. Listen to what she says and record it.
Phonic Bytes
The Long /ee/ Sound
When two e’s come together, they make the long /ee/ sound. Let us learn about some words that have the long /ee/ sound at the end. bee see free three
Find and circle any ONE word in the story that has the /ee/ sound.
Talking About Past Events
I ate lunch, ran and answered the questions.
What did you do at school today?
Talking Book
puddle (puh.dl): a small pool of water on the ground reached (reecht): to get to the place success (suhk.ses): a thing that goes well
Phonic Bytes
Starting Blend /sp/
Blends are two or more consonants that come together in a word. You can hear each sound.
Blends that come at the beginning of a word are called starting blends. For example: The word speak, begins with the blend ‘sp.’ Both the /s/ sound and the /p/ sound are pronounced. Say these words aloud.
spin spider sport spring
Find and circle ONE word starting with the sp blend in the story.
Write ONE word beginning with the sp blend.
Practise: Practise your lines aloud in front of your family members.
Present: Tell your class about your experience.
Asking for Permission
Can I use your blue crayon?
Talking Book
Expressing Feelings
I am feeling happy today!
Talking Book
excited (uhk.sai.tuhd): feeling very happy and full of energy
hopscotch (hop.skoch): a game in which players hop into and over squares drawn on the ground scared (skeuhd): afraid that something bad might happen hide (hide): to be in a place where no one can see you
Phonic Bytes
/l/ sound with ll
The letters ll come together but make only one /l/ sound. We often see ll at the end of short words. For example: hill well mall roll These words have the /l/ sound with ll in them. Circle any TWO words with ll in the story. Write ONE more word ending with ll.
Following and Giving Instructions
Please stop! Do no cross the road.
Talking Book
Phonic Bytes
Long Vowel /i/
Today, we will learn a special sound. This is the long vowel /i/. The long vowel /i/ says its own name – /i/, like in the word kite. Here are some words with the long /i/ sound: bike ride smile five Listen carefully and say each word slowly. Can you hear the /i/ sound in the middle.
Find and circle ONE word with the long /i/ sound in the story. Write ONE new word with the long /i/ sound.
Reflection Journal
Tell your friends how to get ready for school. First, Then, Finally, How well can I give and follow instructions? 1 I need help.
Talking About Future Plans
Today, I will go to the park.
That sounds fun! I will eat ice cream at night.
Talking Book
About the Book
This SPEAK 2.0 book aims to systematically build English language skills in learners and enable them to verbally express themselves in real-world situations. Each chapter focusses on building specific English language competencies and weaves together activities that are research-based, age-appropriate, contextual, experiential and joyful. The activities adhere to the highly recommended and research-based teaching-learning method known as the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR), which has been endorsed by the NEP 2020 and the NCF 2022–23. Through the series, learners receive dedicated time and space within the classroom to express themselves in English which helps them in becoming confident speakers of the language.
Special Features
• Activity-Based Learning: The book offers joyful experiential activities that build English communication competencies.
• Texts per the NEP 2020 Themes: The book has exciting and stimulating texts that pave the way for English communication activities.
• Tech Integration: The book works in sync with our digital component, where various other activities and projects are undertaken. Learner outputs are evaluated through an AI-based speech recognition engine.
• Teachers’ Manual: The book is complemented by the Teachers’ Manual that enables teachers to conduct each session effectively.
About Uolo
Uolo partners with K-12 schools to provide technology-enabled learning programs. We believe that pedagogy and technology must come together to deliver scalable learning experiences that generate measurable outcomes. Uolo is trusted by over 15,000+ schools across India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
ISBN 978-93-89057-62-1
