Speech Work : Consonant contrast /s/ and /z/

Subject: 

English language

Term:

Second Term

Week:

Week 5

Class:

Primary 5 / Basic 5

Topic :

Speech Work : Consonant contrast /s/ and /z/

Learning Objectives :

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

1. Recognize and pronounce the sounds correctly
2. Generate ten words that contains the sounds
3. Draw the contrast between the sounds when used in words
4. Construct sentences with the pairs of sounds
5. Students will also be able to identify the difference in the production of /s/ and /z/ sounds
6. Students will be able to produce the /s/ and /z/ sounds correctly
7. Students will also be able to use the /s/ and /z/ sounds in words correctly

Learning Activities

1. Pupils in groups identify the given sounds on the charts and pronounce them distinctively
2. Pupils as a class mimic the mouth positioning model to pronounce the sounds
3. Pupils in a group come up with at least ten words on each sound
4. Pupils in small groups, contrast the production of both sounds in words eg grace – graze, course – cause, face -phase, dense-dens, fierce – fears etc

Embedded Core Skills

1. Communication and Collaboration
2. Critical thinking and problem solving
3. Leadership skills and Personal Development
4. Creativity and Imagination

Learning Materials

• Wall charts
• Audio player
• Video clip
• Wall charts
• Laptop
• Chart paper or whiteboard
• Markers or pens
• Word lists with /s/ and /z/ sounds
• Tongue twisters and phrases with /s/ and /z/ sounds
• Audio recordings of /s/ and /z/ sounds

Content

The /s/ and /z/ sounds are known as “sibilant” consonants and are produced by directing a stream of air through a narrow channel in the mouth, causing a high-pitched hissing sound.

The /s/ sound is produced with the blade of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge, which is the bony ridge behind the upper front teeth, whereas the /z/ sound is produced with the blade of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge and vocal cords vibrating, resulting in a voiced sound. The primary difference between the /s/ and /z/ sounds is the presence or absence of vocal cord vibration.

Words that contain the Consonant sound /s/

Sail, sit, sing, sun, sea, seal, sock, soup, snake, snow, sell, sound, space, spice, special, speech, spirit, support, system, science.

Words that contain the Consonant sound /z/

Zoo, zip, zone, zero, zebra, zinc, zeal, zigzag, zombie, zephyr, zenith, zircon, zen, zodiac, zipper, zebra, zinger, zenana, zillion, zephyr.

The contrasts or differences between the two Consonant sounds /s/ and /z/

1. Pronunciation: The /s/ sound is produced by bringing the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge (just behind the upper teeth), while the /z/ sound is produced by bringing the tongue closer to the dental ridge (just behind the upper front teeth).
2. Voicing: The /s/ sound is unvoiced, meaning that the vocal cords do not vibrate when producing the sound, while the /z/ sound is voiced, meaning that the vocal cords do vibrate when producing the sound.
3. Spelling: The /s/ sound is often spelled with the letter “s” in English, while the /z/ sound is often spelled with the letter “z” in English.
4. Word Examples: Words like “sit” and “cat” have /s/ sound , while words like “zoo” and “buzz” have /z/ sound.
5. Word Pairs: Words like “sip” and “zip” , “sad” and “zap” have different meanings and spelling but the same pronunciation except for the voiced/unvoiced distinction.
6. Sound in different languages : The /s/ sound and /z/ sound are present in many languages, but their exact pronunciation and use may vary. For example, in Spanish the /s/ sound is often pronounced more like /th/ and the /z/ sound is often pronounced more like /s/.

1. Grace – Graze: The /s/ sound in “grace” is produced by bringing the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge, while the /z/ sound in “graze” is produced by bringing the tongue closer to the dental ridge.
2. Course – Cause: The /s/ sound in “course” is unvoiced, while the /z/ sound in “cause” is voiced.
3. Face – Phase: The /s/ sound in “face” is spelled with an “s” while the /z/ sound in “phase” is spelled with a “z”
4. Dense – Dens: The /s/ sound in “dense” is pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge, while the /z/ sound in “dens” is pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge.
5. Fierce – Fears: The /s/ sound in “fierce” is unvoiced, while the /z/ sound in “fears” is voiced.
6. Loose -Loos: The /s/ sound in “loose” is pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge, while the /z/ sound in “loos” is pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge.
7. Rise – Rize: The /s/ sound in “rise” is pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge, while the /z/ sound in “rize” is pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge.
8. Sip – Zip: The /s/ sound in “sip” is pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge, while the /z/ sound in “zip” is pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge.

More Examples In Sentences

“I will graze my cows in the field after I finish my course, but before that I need to zip my jacket and rise early to avoid the fierce heat”

“The phase change of water from liquid to gas is a dense topic to understand but the density of the substance is important in many scientific courses”

“I will sip my tea while reading a novel, but I will zip it up in my bag before I leave for my cause”

“I will face my fears and rise to the challenge, but I will also graze on some snacks to fuel my energy”

“The dens of the lion are hidden deep in the jungle, but the fierce lion can be heard roaring from miles away”

Evaluation

1. In the word “grace”, the /s/ sound is produced by: a) Bringing the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge b) Bringing the tongue closer to the dental ridge c) Vibrating the vocal cords d) None of the above
2. In the word “cause”, the /z/ sound is: a) Unvoiced b) Voiced c) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge d) None of the above
3. In the word “face”, the letter “s” represents: a) The /s/ sound b) The /z/ sound c) Both a and b d) None of the above
4. In the word “dense”, the /s/ sound is: a) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge b) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge c) Voiced d) None of the above
5. In the word “fears”, the /z/ sound is: a) Unvoiced b) Voiced c) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge d) None of the above
6. In the word “loose” the /s/ sound is: a) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge b) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge c) Voiced
7. In the word “rize” the /z/ sound is: a) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge b) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge c) Unvoiced d) None of the above
8. In the word “sip” the /s/ sound is: a) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge b) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge c) Voiced d) None of the above
9. In the word “zip” the /z/ sound is: a) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge b) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge c) Unvoiced d) None of the above
10. In the word “dens” the /z/ sound is: a) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the dental ridge b) Pronounced with the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge c) Voiced d) None of the above

Lesson Presentation

The lesson is broken down into step by step

Introduction:

• Begin the lesson by introducing the topic of speech sounds, specifically focusing on the /s/ and /z/ sounds.
• Explain to the students that these two sounds are similar, but have some important differences in pronunciation, spelling, and use.

Activity 1: Identification of /s/ and /z/ Sounds

• Provide the students with word lists containing both /s/ and /z/ sounds.
• Have the students identify which words contain the /s/ sound and which words contain the /z/ sound.
• Check for understanding by having individual students read the words aloud and identifying which sound they are producing.

Activity 2: Production of /s/ and /z/ Sounds

• Provide the students with tongue twisters and phrases that contain /s/ and /z/ sounds.
• Have the students practice saying the tongue twisters and phrases, focusing on producing the /s/ and /z/ sounds correctly.
• Use audio recordings of /s/ and /z/ sounds to help students with the correct pronunciation.

Activity 3: Use of /s/ and /z/ Sounds in Words

• Provide the students with a list of words that contain /s/ and /z/ sounds.
• Have the students use these words in sentences, making sure to use the /s/ and /z/ sounds correctly.
• Check for understanding by having individual students read their sentences aloud and identifying which sound they are producing.

Closure:

• Review the main points of the lesson, focusing on the differences in pronunciation, spelling, and use of the /s/ and /z/ sounds.
• Encourage the students to continue practicing the /s/ and /z/ sounds in their daily speech.
• Assign homework or additional activities to reinforce the material covered in the lesson.

Assessment:

• Observe students during the activities, take notes and give feedback.
• Collect the sentences made by students and check for the accuracy of the /s/ and /z/ sounds used.
• Assign a quiz or test on the material covered in the lesson.

Note: These activities are just a suggested way of teaching the topic, you can adjust or add more activities or resources as per your teaching style and class need.