Differentiation between /b/ and /v/ sounds

Differentiation between /b/ and /v/ sounds

Differentiation between /b/ and /v/ sounds
Field of Linguistics:	Phonetics: Articulatory Phonetics
Class:	1st of ESO
Class size:	16 students
Age:	12-13 years old
Language Level:	A1
Duration:	60 minutes
Standards (national, of the school):	Teachers assist language learners to make connections between the sounds they hear and the way they are represented in writing so as to become independent English speakers/learners. This lesson helps learners to distinguish between the /v/ and /b/ initial sounds. That is a step towards improving the four language skills.
Target Language:	English
Target Vocabulary	B: black, brown, blue, bus, banana, bat, bear, bee V: violet, van, vegetables, vest, volcano, vacuum

Prior Knowledge:

Students have been exposed to the /b/ sound in previous lessons and can identify words beginning with b.

Description of lesson:  

In this lesson, learners will learn to first pronounce the initial /v/ sound and then practice differentiating between the /b/ and /v/ initial sounds in words.

Skills/outcomes:

Language Skills: Speaking (missing sound), Listening (Tom’s day), and Reading and Writing (tongue twister).

Domains:

§  Affective: Receiving and responding to a phenomenon by pronouncing the /v/ initial sound (Objective 1).

§  Cognitive: Usage of procedural knowledge to compose a tongue twister that includes the /b/ and /v/ initial sounds (objective 3).

§  Psychomotor: Perception or Awareness by distinguishing two initial sounds (Objective 2).

Specific Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

o   Pronounce the /v/ sound through teacher-led instruction using a mirror with little pronunciational difficulties.

o   Differentiate between the /b/ and /v/ initial sounds by correctly identifying at least four of them in listening activity.

o   Compose at least a three worded tongue twister incorporating the /b/ and /v/ initial sounds.

Material:

ü  PowerPoint presentation (link here ):

Ø  Word generator (slide 2).

Ø  Lesson objectives (slide 3)

Ø  Word list ( slide 4)

Ø  Missing sounds (slides 5-7)

Ø  Listening activity “Tom’s Day” (slide 8 )

Ø  Tongue Twister (slide 9)

ü  Mirrors

ü  Minimal pair online activity (click here)

ü  Listening pyramid online activity (click here)

Lead in (5minutes):

Word Generator: Teacher encourages students to work in pairs. Teacher projects a two column chart on the whiteboard (slide 2). Each pair has 2 minutes to write as many words as possible starting with B and V. Teacher will provide prompts. At the end of the two minutes, each pair shares their list of words and teacher writes the words in the table.

Review of Content (/b/ sound) (5minutes):

Teacher writes and then explains the objectives of the lesson (slide, 3). Teacher gives each student a mirror. Teacher shows the class’ generated list of /b/ words (slide, 4). Teacher says first the /b/ sound and then each word and allows students to repeat and look at their mouths in the mirror paying close attention to its shape and that it is closed when pronouncing the /b/ sound.

Presentation of Content (10minutes):

Teacher encourages students to put down the mirrors. Teacher writes the letter ‘v’ on the whiteboard. Teacher shows students how to position their mouths before they say the sound. Teacher uses her mouth as an example to show students that their top teeth need to touch their bottom lip. With their teeth and lips in this position, students imitate the teacher's /v/ sound.

Teacher writes four simple words starting with the /v/ sound and allows students to listen and repeat.

Teacher encourages students to take up their mirrors and look into the mirrors while they make the /v/ and /b/ sounds. Students listen and produce the /b/ and /v/ sounds. Using the words on the whiteboard, teacher asks individual students to attempt a pair of words (one /v/ and one /b/ sound). After a row of students has pronounced a pair of words, teacher gets the class to practice each /v/ and /b/ letter sound. Teacher collects mirrors at the end of this activity.

Practice of Content (18minutes):

Missing Sound (8minutes): Teacher projects an image on the whiteboard (slides 5-7). Beside the image, teacher writes all but one of the sounds. For example, there is a picture of a van on the board, teacher writes ‘an’ beside it and the students have to provide the missing sound. Encourage students to raise their hands in order to participate. There are 9 images so about 9 students will get to participate.

Pen and Eraser (10minutes): Teacher divides the class into two groups. Each group is assigned a name. In the front of the classroom, teacher puts a pen and an eraser on the table. The pen is the /b/ sound and the eraser, /v/ sound. One person from each team steps forward. Teacher says a word with either /b/ or /v/ initial sound (Use words in target vocabulary). The first student to raise the correct object wins a point for his or her group. Game continues until the time ends or each student got an opportunity to participate.

Final Activity (15minutes):

Teacher hands each student a copy of the listening sheet. Each student works independently. The class listens to Tom describing his day. While listening, the pupils look at the words in the parentheses and circle the ones Tom mentions. Teacher plays audio thrice (slide, 8). Teacher asks students to swap papers and students do peer-correction. Teacher monitors class.

            Possible extensions: Students can use their IPads and go to the links for ‘minimal pair’ and ‘listening pyramid’ activities. They are encouraged to complete the exercise. Instructions: Listen and choose the word you hear.

Wrap up (10minutes):

Part 1: Teacher writes the tongue twister “Betty loves the velvet black vest best” on the whiteboard (slide, 9). Teacher says the tongue twister and allows the class to repeat it.

Part 2: Each student has five minutes to create his or her own tongue twister incorporating the /b/ and /v/ initial sounds. A tongue twister needs at least three words. At the end of the five minutes, each student shares his or her tongue twister. After each student has shared, the class checks if they have completed all the objectives (slide,10) and then exit the classroom.