Aural Discrimination of Diphthongs

English Grammar 

Speech Work 

Second Term Lesson Note

Primary 6 

Aural Discrimination of Diphthongs

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to 

1. Say the meaning of Diphthongs 
2. Distinguish the discrimination of Diphthongs 
3. Draw the contrast between the duo sounds when used in words 
4. Construct reasonable sentences using the words to bring out their meaning

Entry Behaviour

The young learners are already familiar with phonics and diction in their previous classes.

Instructional Materials

• Audio Visual Resources 
• Flash cards 
• Recommended English Textbook 
• Chart 
• Online Resources 

Methods of Teaching

• Class Discussion
• Group Discussion
• Asking Questions
• Explanation
• Role Modelling
• Role Delegation

Reference Materials 

• Scheme of Work
• Online Information
• Textbooks
• Workbooks
• 9 Year Basic Education Curriculum

Content 

What are Diphthongs?

A diphthong is a vowel sound that is pronounced with a glide between two vowel sounds. In English, diphthongs are formed when a vowel sound is pronounced with a glide from one vowel sound to another. For example, the word “oil” has a diphthong in it because the “o” sound is pronounced with a glide from the “o” sound to the “i” sound. Other common English diphthongs include the “ou” sound in the word “out,” the “ow” sound in the word “cow,” and the “oy” sound in the word “boy.” Diphthongs are important to recognize in English because they can affect the way a word is pronounced and spelled.

What are the examples of Diphthongs?

Here are some examples of diphthongs in English:

• “ou” as in “out”
• “ow” as in “cow”
• “oy” as in “boy”
• “oi” as in “oil”
• “au” as in “proud”
• “aw” as in “paw”
• “oi” as in “coin”
• “ui” as in “fruit”
• “oy” as in “toy”
• “ue” as in “blue”

It’s important to note that the pronunciation of diphthongs can vary depending on the speaker’s accent. Some speakers may pronounce diphthongs differently than others, and some diphthongs may not be pronounced as diphthongs at all in some accents.

What is the Aural Discrimination of Diphthongs?

Aural discrimination of diphthongs refers to the ability to distinguish between different diphthongs by listening to them. This is an important skill for people who are learning to speak a language that uses diphthongs, as it allows them to accurately produce the sounds of the language and communicate effectively with others.

To develop aural discrimination of diphthongs, it is helpful to listen to and practice saying a variety of diphthongs. This can be done through activities such as listening to recordings of diphthongs and repeating them, or practicing saying words that contain diphthongs. It may also be helpful to work with a language tutor or a speech therapist who can provide guidance and feedback on pronunciation.

In addition to listening and speaking practice, it can also be helpful to study the phonetic transcriptions of diphthongs to understand how they are formed and how they differ from other vowel sounds. This can help to improve aural discrimination by providing a more detailed understanding of the sounds and how they are produced.

What other names are Diphthongs also called ?

diphthongs are sometimes referred to as gliding vowels because they involve a glide or transition from one vowel sound to another. The term “diphthong” comes from the Greek word “diphthongos,” which means “having two sounds.” This refers to the fact that a diphthong is formed by combining two vowel sounds into a single syllable.

In English, diphthongs are typically formed by combining a vowel sound with a glide or semivowel, such as “w” or “y.” For example, the diphthong “ow” in the word “cow” is formed by combining the “o” sound with the glide “w.” Similarly, the diphthong “oy” in the word “boy” is formed by combining the “o” sound with the glide “y.”

Diphthongs are an important part of the English language and can affect the way words are pronounced and spelled. Understanding how diphthongs are formed and how they differ from other vowel sounds is an important skill for anyone learning English or working with the English language in some capacity.

What are the eight Diphthongs in English Language?

There are eight common diphthongs in the English language:

1. /eɪ/ as in “day”
2. /aɪ/ as in “buy”
3. /oʊ/ as in “go”
4. /aʊ/ as in “now”
5. /ɔɪ/ as in “boy”
6. /aʊə/ as in “hour”
7. /eə/ as in “care”
8. /ɪə/ as in “near”

It’s important to note that the pronunciation of diphthongs can vary depending on the speaker’s accent. Some speakers may pronounce diphthongs differently than others, and some diphthongs may not be pronounced as diphthongs at all in some accents. In addition, there are other diphthongs that are less common or may only appear in certain words or phrases.

1. Diphthong /eɪ/ as in “day”

The /eɪ/ diphthong is typically formed by combining the vowel sound “e” with the glide “y.” For example, in the word “day,” the /eɪ/ diphthong is formed by combining the “e” sound with the glide “y.” Similarly, in the word “lay,” the /eɪ/ diphthong is formed by combining the “a” sound with the glide “y.”

More examples of the /eɪ/ diphthong as in “day”:

1. “lay”
2. “play”
3. “say”
4. “gray”
5. “may”
6. “way”
7. “pay”
8. “sway”
9. “ray”
10. “fray”

2. Diphthong /aɪ/ as in “buy”

The /aɪ/ diphthong is typically formed by combining the vowel sound “a” with the glide “y.” For example, in the word “buy,” the /aɪ/ diphthong is formed by combining the “a” sound with the glide “y.” Similarly, in the word “my,” the /aɪ/ diphthong is formed by combining the “a” sound with the glide “y.”

Examples of the /aɪ/ diphthong as in “buy”:

1. “cry”
2. “fly”
3. “sly”
4. “ply”
5. “try”
6. “by”
7. “my”
8. “die”
9. “pry”
10. “spy”

3. Diphthong /oʊ/ as in “go”

The /oʊ/ diphthong is typically formed by combining the vowel sound “o” with the glide “w.” For example, in the word “go,” the /oʊ/ diphthong is formed by combining the “o” sound with the glide “w.” Similarly, in the word “so,” the /oʊ/ diphthong is formed by combining the “o” sound with the glide “w.”

Examples of the /oʊ/ diphthong as in “go”:

1. “so”
2. “know”
3. “grow”
4. “fro”
5. “low”
6. “show”
7. “throw”
8. “pro”
9. “sew”
10. “toe”

4. Diphthong /aʊ/ as in “now”

The /aʊ/ diphthong is typically formed by combining the vowel sound “a” with the glide “w.” For example, in the word “now,” the /aʊ/ diphthong is formed by combining the “a” sound with the glide “w.” Similarly, in the word “paw,” the /aʊ/ diphthong is formed by combining the “a” sound with the glide “w.”

Examples of the /aʊ/ diphthong as in “now”:

1. “paw”
2. “sauce”
3. “bough”
4. “cough”
5. “loud”
6. “gauge”
7. “doubt”
8. “slough”
9. “flour”
10. “scour”

5. Diphthong “oy” as in “boy”

The “oy” diphthong is typically formed by combining the vowel sound “o” with the glide “y.” For example, in the word “boy,” the “oy” diphthong is formed by combining the “o” sound with the glide “y.” Similarly, in the word “toy,” the “oy” diphthong is formed by combining the “o” sound with the glide “y.”

Examples of the “oy” diphthong as in “boy”:

1. “toy”
2. “joy”
3. “ploy”
4. “annoy”
5. “soy”
6. “cloy”
7. “roy”
8. “decoy”
9. “employ”
10. “troy”

6. Diphthong /aʊə/ as in “hour” 

The /aʊə/ diphthong is typically formed by combining the vowel sound “a” with the glide “w” and the vowel sound “e” or “u.” For example, in the word “hour,” the /aʊə/ diphthong is formed by combining the “a” sound with the glide “w” and the “u” sound. Similarly, in the word “flour,” the /aʊə/ diphthong is formed by combining the “a” sound with the glide “w” and the “u” sound.

Examples of the /aʊə/ diphthong as in “hour”:

1. “flower”
2. “shower”
3. “tower”
4. “power”
5. “dour”
6. “cower”
7. “devour”
8. “sour”
9. “poured”
10. “scour”

7. Diphthong / eə/ as in “care”

The /eə/ diphthong is typically formed by combining the vowel sound “e” with the vowel sound “a” or “o.” For example, in the word “care,” the /eə/ diphthong is formed by combining the “e” sound with the “a” sound. Similarly, in the word “wear,” the /eə/ diphthong is formed by combining the “e” sound with the “a” sound.

Examples of the /eə/ diphthong as in “care”:

1. “wear”
2. “fair”
3. “bear”
4. “dare”
5. “stare”
6. “tear”
7. “pear”
8. “square”
9. “swear”
10. “tare”

8. Diphthong /ɪə/ as in “near”

The /ɪə/ diphthong is typically formed by combining the vowel sound “i” with the vowel sound “e” or “o.” For example, in the word “near,” the /ɪə/ diphthong is formed by combining the “i” sound with the “e” sound. Similarly, in the word “here,” the /ɪə/ diphthong is formed by combining the “i” sound with the “e” sound.

Examples of the /ɪə/ diphthong as in “near”:

1. “here”
2. “fear”
3. “clear”
4. “year”
5. “cheer”
6. “ear”
7. “tear”
8. “nearby”
9. “rear”
10. “gear”

Presentation

The lesson presentation is done step by step. The class teacher or subject teacher does the following

1. Revise the previous lesson which also includes learners previous knowledge that is related to the new topic
2. Introduce the new lesson by teaching the pupils from known to unknown
3. Pupils are to pronounce the words having each sound aloud
4. Pupils, in small groups produce more words having the duo sounds on each card
5. Pupils generate more words that are related to each sound of Diphthong and they voice the sound of the Diphthong
6. Give a board summary of the topic that has just been taught

Conclusion

To conclude the lesson, the class teacher or subject teacher does a brief review of what he or she has just taught the pupils. He ask you questions that are related to the topic to ascertain if the learners have actually assimilated and understood the new topic that has just been taught

Evaluation

Objective Questions

1. What is a diphthong? A. A vowel sound that is pronounced with a glide between two vowel sounds B. A consonant sound that is pronounced with a glide between two consonant sounds C. A vowel sound that is pronounced with a glide between a vowel sound and a consonant sound D. A consonant sound that is pronounced with a glide between a vowel sound and a consonant sound
2. Which of the following is NOT a diphthong in English? A. “ou” as in “out” B. “ow” as in “cow” C. “oy” as in “boy” D. “ee” as in “meet”
3. Which of the following words does NOT contain a diphthong? A. “oil” B. “out” C. “cow” D. “meet”
4. What is another term for diphthongs? A. Gliding consonants B. Gliding vowels C. Monophthongs D. Polyphthongs
5. How many diphthongs are there in the English language? A. 8 B. 12 C. 16 D. 20
6. Which of the following diphthongs is NOT pronounced with a glide from one vowel sound to another? A. /eɪ/ as in “day” B. /aɪ/ as in “buy” C. /oʊ/ as in “go” D. /i/ as in “seat”
7. How can aural discrimination of diphthongs be improved? A. By listening to and repeating diphthongs B. By studying the phonetic transcriptions of diphthongs C. Both A and B D. Neither A nor B
8. Which of the following is NOT a common diphthong in English? A. /eɪ/ as in “day” B. /aɪ/ as in “buy” C. /oʊ/ as in “go” D. /ee/ as in “seat”
9. Can the pronunciation of diphthongs vary depending on the speaker’s accent? A. Yes B. No C. Only in some accents D. Only in certain words or phrases
10. What does the term “diphthong” mean in Greek? A. Having two sounds B. Having three sounds C. Having four sounds D. Having five sounds

Theory Questions

1. What are diphthongs and how do they differ from other vowel sounds in English?
2. How many diphthongs are there in English and what are some common examples?
3. What are the letter combinations that typically form each of the English diphthongs?
4. How do diphthongs affect the pronunciation of a word and how can they be identified when listening to spoken English?
5. In what ways can the spelling of a diphthong differ from its pronunciation in English, and how can this be accounted for when learning to speak or spell English words?