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.

How do we learn things?

How do we learn things? (Study)

Lesson Plan: Small class size

Topic	How do we learn things? (Study)
Duration	45 minutes
Education Level	Fifth year of Primary School (5֯EP)
English Level	A2
Age	ten years old
Class size	one to eight students

Main Aim:
Students will have developed their fluency on the topic of studying.
Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:

• Formulate at least three questions surrounding vocabulary related to studying.
• Answer questions in a complete way based on a text.
• Have a conversation about studying as a way of learning things with little to no grammatical errors when using the present tense.

Material:

Target Vocabulary:

Time-table, test, textbook, essay, certificate, head-teacher, exam, course project, dictionary and experiment.

Lead In (5minutes):

Word bubble: Teacher asks student three questions about learning. The questions are:
What did you learn today? Where and when did you learn it?

Preparing to speak (7minutes):

Teacher draws a table on the chalkboard with three headings: School, Classroom, and Words to talk about learning. Teacher adds a word under each heading as an example and allows student to write three more words relating to each heading. Teacher says that the table will help us to talk about the student’s school routine.

Useful Language (20minutes):

Word to Picture Association: Teacher places a card of words and pictures of the targeted vocabulary that was taken from the passage. Student is required to match the words to the pictures. Teacher can help students to understand the words by giving examples or student can use her dictionary.
Let’s Communicate: Teacher places all the word cards on the table. Student and teacher take turns to create and pose questions using the words at least five words will be chosen.
Read an article about Tomas’ way of learning new things:
Student is encouraged to look at and keep in mind the words under the headings on the chalkboard. She reads the passage and looks if any words from her list on the chalkboard were mentioned. She answers the guided questions orally.

Speaking Task (7 minutes):

Discussion:
Student and teacher have a five minutes discussion about studying as a means of learning and ways persons study.

Feedback (2minutes):

Teacher provides feedback about the outcome of the lesson and highlights errors and allows student to correct them.

Wrap Up (5minutes):

Hangman: Teacher chooses a word from the lesson and draw lines on the board amounting to the letters in the word. Teacher provides student with one clue and she attempts to guess the word by providing a letter. If the letter does not exist in the given word, a part of the man’s body is drawn. The student continues to make attempts until there is a full man. When she gives the correct word, it is her turn. Game continues until time runs out.

Lesson: Animals

Lesson: Animals

General:

Topic	What’s this?
Duration	60 minutes
Education Level	Second year of Primary School (2֯EP)
English Level	Pre-A1
Age	Seven  years old
Class size	Four
Gender of Students	Three females and one male
Specific Objectives	At the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1.       Inquire about the name of an animal based on the image shown using the structured question ‘What’s this?’ with no grammatical error. 2.      Label the picture of two animals with (one or) few grammatical errors. 3.      State the names of four animals in English incorporating the learnt structure, ‘It’s a’ with one or few grammatical errors.
Structures	What’s this? It’s a…
Target Vocabulary	cat, dog, pig, cow, duck, bird, chicken, fish

Materials:

Song	‘Farewell’- Lyrics: So Long, farewell to you my friend, Goodbye for now until we meet again.
Labelled Flashcards	First set (cat, dog, pig, cow) and Second set (duck, bird, chicken, fish)
Stationary	A4 paper, crayons, pencil, markers, eraser

Anticipated Problems and Solutions:

Problems	Solutions
1.      Persistent use of mother tongue	After second warning to speak English, student’s name tag will be demoted to the appropriate section on the stoplight poster.
2.      Evidence of a toy in the class	At the beginning of the class, encourage students to put all items in their bags.
3.      If a student doesn’t know the answer	Provide a prompt by formulating the target vocabulary with my mouth.
4.      If a student forgets to say a word in the chunk	Provide a cue by using my fingers to represent each word in the chunk and shake the finger of the forgotten word.

Lesson Overview:

Warm Up:

1.       Welcoming and seating arrangement

2.      Greetings – Pass the candle

New Learning and Practice:

1.       Introduce structure ‘What’s this?’

2.      Teach structure ‘It’s a’ + first set of the target vocabulary

3.      Play ‘What’s this?’

4.      Play ‘Missing Animal’

5.      Teach structure ‘It’s a’ + second set of the target vocabulary

6.      Play ‘What’s this?’

7.      Play ‘Slow reveal’

Assessment:

1.       Draw two animals.

2.      Play ‘Cross the river’

Wrap Up:

1.       Sing ‘Farewell’ song

2.      Quick Review of Content

Lesson Procedure and Timing:

Warm Up (3 minutes):

1.       Welcoming

Greet each student by name. Say ‘Stand here + [Student’s name]. Use gesture to indicate that he/she should stand behind a chair around the round table.

2.      Greetings – Pass the candle

Take up the red candle and ask the student to my immediate right one of the learnt question (What’s your name?). After the student responds, he/she takes the candle. Say to him/her ‘Ask [Student’s name] the question’. This activity continues until the candle is in the teacher’s hand. Repeat the process using another one of the learnt structured questions (How are you? Or how old are you?). The candle is passed until it is back into the teacher’s hand. Say “Sit down!”

New Learning and Practice (30 minutes):

1.       Introduce structure ‘What’s this?’

Say to students, ‘look’ and ‘listen’. Say the structured question first in two parts, (‘What’s’ then ‘this?’). Say the structured question in its entirety, (‘What’s this?’) along with its accompanied gesture in order to aid in student’s understanding that a question is being asked. Say to students ‘listen’ and ‘then repeat’. Say ‘What’s this?’ twice.

2.      Teach structure ‘It’s a’ + first set of the target vocabulary

Say to students, ‘listen’ and ‘be quiet’ using the appropriate gestures. Hold up one of the flashcards from the first set and say the featured animal on the flashcard to ensure proper pronunciation. Then say ‘It’s a + featured animal’. Say to students ‘listen’ and ‘then repeat’. Say ‘It’s a + featured animal?’ twice. Continue until all animals in the first set of flashcards have been said.

3.      Play ‘What’s this?’

A.     Hold up a flashcard to each student and ask the structure, ‘What’s this?’ Students reply.

B.      Say ‘look’, ‘Raise your hand if you know’. Hold up a random flashcard from the first set and pose the structure, ‘What’s this?’ The student who answers correctly gets the card. Continue until all the flashcards are gone. Say ‘Cards, please’ to students.

4.      Play ‘Missing Animal’

Say to students ‘close your eyes’. Lay the flashcards on the table in front of the students. Flip one of the flashcards on its back. Say to students ‘open your eyes. Encourage students to raise his/her hand if they know the answer.  Point to the faced down flashcard and ask the structure ‘What’s this?’ Choose a student, if the response is correct; it’s that student’s turn.

5.      Teach structure ‘It’s a’ + second set of the target vocabulary

Say to students, ‘listen’ and ‘be quiet’ using the appropriate gestures. Hold up one of the flashcards from the first set and say the featured animal on the flashcard to ensure proper pronunciation. Then say ‘It’s a + featured animal’. Say to students ‘listen’ and ‘then repeat’. Say ‘It’s a + featured animal?’ twice. If the target vocabulary contains more than one syllable, break the pronunciation into syllables. Continue until all animals in the second set of flashcards have been said.

6.      Play ‘What’s this?’

A.     Hold up a flashcard to each student and ask the structure, ‘What’s this?’ Students reply.

B.      Say ‘look’, ‘Raise your hand if you know’. Hold up a random flashcard from the first set and pose the structure, ‘What’s this?’ The student who answers correctly gets the card. Continue until all the flashcards are gone. Say ‘Cards, please’ to students.

7.      Play ‘Slow reveal’

Encourage students to raise his/her hand if they know the answer. Using A4 sized parchment paper, hold the second set of flashcards with the pictures facing towards the teacher.  The first card should be turned around so it is facing the students but is hidden as it is behind the parchment paper.  Slowly pull the flashcard up inch by inch so the students can only see part of the flashcard.  As the picture is slowly revealed pose the structure, ‘What’s this?’ to the students so they can try and guess what it is.  The first student to guess correctly keeps the card. Continue until all the cards have been revealed. Ask for the flashcards back from the students.

Assessment (20 minutes):

1.       Draw two animals and label them

Give each student half of an A4 paper. Put the pencil holder, crayon box and marker holder on the table. Say ‘Write your name’. Model the instruction. Say ‘Draw an animal’. Model the instruction. After students have completed this step, point to the crayons and say ‘Colour the animal’. Model the instruction. Upon completion of this step, hold up your drawing of an animal and ask one student, ‘What’s this?’ After that student responds, say ‘[Student’s name] ask the question to [Student’s name]’. Ensure everyone has had a chance. Take a marker and say ‘Take a marker’. Say ‘Write the name of the animal’. Model the instruction. Repeat the steps for the second animal. At the end, collect the students’ papers.

2.      Play ‘Cross the river’

Place all eight flashcards on floor in winding manner and a ruler to show where the game begins.  Stand behind the ruler. Say ‘Line please’. After all the students are cued behind the ruler, model the activity. Each card represents a stepping stone in the river. A student begins the game after the class shouts the structure, ‘What’s this?’. Students must say the structure, ‘It’s a + featured word’, in order to step on it and cross the river. If a student doesn’t know the featured animal, he/she has to stop on the known animal. Another student gets to begin the game. After all students have begun the game, help will be provided by the teacher to students in a descending order. Once help has been provided, all the students repeat the stated chunk and then that student has to start over. Whenever a student successfully cross the river or say all the words on the flashcard, the class shouts ‘hooray’.

Wrap Up (5 minutes):

1.       Sing ‘Farewell’ song

Encourage students to pack up his things. Say “stand up! It’s time to say goodbye” to indicate the beginning of the song. Everyone sings the song and do the associated action two times.

2.      Quick Review of content

Take up flashcards. Stand at the door and say ‘Line please!’ Hold up a random animal flashcard and ask ‘What’s this?’ to each student. Change the flashcards for each student. Student answers then leave the class. If a student answers incorrectly: a) Change the flashcard and ask the question again, b) help the student by formulating the word with your mouth or sounding out the word and ask student to repeat it.