Mastering the Voiced Dental Sound /ð/ in English
Diction Speech Work Primary 5 First Term Lesson Notes Week 5
Subject: Diction (Speech Work)
Class: Primary 5
Term: First Term
Week: 5
Age: 10 years
Topic: The Consonant Sound /ð/
Sub-topic: Voiced Dental Consonant
Duration: 40 minutes
Behavioural Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
- Identify the voiced dental consonant sound /ð/.
- Pronounce words containing the sound /ð/ correctly.
- Differentiate between the voiced dental sound /ð/ and the unvoiced dental sound /θ/.
- Use words with the sound /ð/ in simple sentences.
Keywords: Voiced, Dental, Consonant, Sound, Pronunciation
Set Induction:
The teacher will play an audio recording of someone pronouncing words like “this,” “that,” and “weather” to draw the attention of the pupils to the sound being produced in these words.
Entry Behaviour:
The pupils are familiar with basic consonant sounds and can identify some common consonants in words.
Learning Resources and Materials:
- Flashcards with words containing the sound /ð/.
- Audio clips of correct pronunciation.
- Charts showing the correct tongue position for dental consonants.
Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge:
The teacher will ask the pupils to recall the previous lesson on consonant sounds and how different sounds are made by various parts of the mouth and tongue.
Embedded Core Skills:
- Listening skills
- Speaking skills
- Pronunciation accuracy
Learning Materials:
- Flashcards
- Audio devices
Reference Books:
- Lagos State Scheme of Work
- English Language Textbook for Primary Schools
Instructional Materials:
- Flashcards
- Phonics chart
Content:
- Explanation of the Voiced Dental Sound /ð/:
The sound /ð/ is a voiced dental consonant. It is produced by placing the tongue between the upper and lower teeth and vibrating the vocal cords while pronouncing the sound. The sound is commonly spelled as “th” in English words. - Examples of Words with the Sound /ð/:
- This /ðɪs/
- That /ðæt/
- Bathe /beɪð/
- Weather /ˈwɛðər/
- Together /təˈɡɛðər/
- Further /ˈfɜrðər/
- Southern /ˈsʌðərn/
- Clothe /kloʊð/
- Father /ˈfɑːðər/
- Mother /ˈmʌðər/
- Sentence Practice:
a) That man is a great public speaker.
b) My parents did me a favour by sending me to the best schools.
c) What is life if we can’t clothe the naked?
d) Cynthia is teething.
e) Breathe in and out.
Evaluation Questions:
- My ______ is a very good speaker.
a) teacher
b) father
c) sister
d) dog - The baby is ______.
a) crying
b) eating
c) teething
d) walking - It is cold because of the ______.
a) sun
b) moon
c) rain
d) weather - We ______ together.
a) sleep
b) sing
c) laugh
d) walk - My ______ is in Lagos.
a) school
b) friend
c) family
d) mother - She bought new clothes for ______ father.
a) her
b) my
c) the
d) our - The weather was better ______ today.
a) than
b) then
c) that
d) this - He ______ the door when he left.
a) closed
b) clothe
c) cloth
d) cleaned - Breathe ______ before you speak.
a) up
b) down
c) out
d) in - The ______ sound is voiced.
a) /θ/
b) /ð/
c) /f/
d) /s/ - We should learn how to ______ our parents.
a) respect
b) disobey
c) laugh at
d) ignore - He ______ a big favour for me.
a) makes
b) doing
c) did
d) does - She bought a ______ coat for winter.
a) thick
b) thin
c) that
d) this - I ______ the noise outside.
a) hear
b) speak
c) saw
d) think - We always work ______ in class.
a) separately
b) together
c) alone
d) silently
Evaluation:
- What is the sound /ð/?
- It is a voiced dental consonant sound.
- How is the /ð/ sound produced?
- By placing the tongue between the teeth and vibrating the vocal cords.
- What letters often represent the /ð/ sound in English?
- The letters “th.”
- Can you give examples of words with the /ð/ sound?
- Words like “this,” “that,” and “weather.”
- Is the sound /ð/ voiced or unvoiced?
- It is voiced.
- What is the difference between /ð/ and /θ/?
- /ð/ is voiced, and /θ/ is unvoiced.
- Is “this” an example of the /ð/ sound?
- Yes.
- Is “bath” an example of the /ð/ sound?
- No, it uses the /θ/ sound.
- What part of the mouth is used to make the /ð/ sound?
- The tongue is placed between the upper and lower teeth.
- Which word has the /ð/ sound: “bathe” or “bath”?
- “Bathe” has the /ð/ sound.
- Is the /ð/ sound found in the word “father”?
- Yes.
- How do you pronounce the /ð/ sound?
- Place your tongue between your teeth and voice the sound.
- Is the word “teething” an example of the /ð/ sound?
- Yes.
- Does the word “southern” have the /ð/ sound?
- Yes.
- What is the correct pronunciation of “weather”?
- It is pronounced /ˈwɛðər/.
Presentation:
Step 1: The teacher revises the previous topic on consonant sounds.
Step 2: The teacher introduces the /ð/ sound using examples like “this” and “that,” demonstrating its pronunciation.
Step 3: The teacher allows pupils to give more examples of words with the sound /ð/ and corrects their pronunciation where necessary.
Teacher’s Activities:
- Demonstrates how to pronounce the /ð/ sound.
- Engages pupils in listening and speaking exercises.
- Provides feedback on pronunciation.
Learners’ Activities:
- Listen to the teacher’s explanation.
- Practice pronouncing words with the sound /ð/.
- Participate in sentence-building exercises using the sound.
Assessment:
- Which word contains the /ð/ sound?
a) Bathe
b) Path
c) Sit
d) Pot - Pronounce the following words: “mother,” “together,” “weather.”
- Differentiate between the sounds /ð/ and /θ/ by providing examples of words for each.
Evaluation Questions:
- What is the /ð/ sound called?
- How is the /ð/ sound different from /θ/?
- Give two examples of words with the /ð/ sound.
- Is “bathe” an example of the /ð/ sound?
- What is the spelling for the /ð/ sound in most words?
- Does the word “father” contain the /ð/ sound?
- Can the /ð/ sound be found in “together”?
- How do you pronounce the word “weather”?
- Which sound is used in the word “teething”: /ð/ or /θ/?
- What part of the mouth is used to make the /ð/ sound?
Conclusion:
The teacher goes around the class to mark pupils’ work, ensuring that they correctly pronounce the words with the /ð/ sound.