Aural Discrimination of the Vowels /ɑː/ and /ɒ/ Speech Work English Grammar Primary 6 First Term Lesson Notes Week 2

English Language Lesson Note: Speech Work

Subject: English Language
Class: Primary 6
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 11 years
Topic: Aural Discrimination of the Vowels /ɑː/ and /ɒ/
Sub-topic: Contrast, Pronunciation, and Sentence Usage
Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioural Objectives:

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

1. Draw the contrast between the vowel sounds /ɑː/ (as in “part”) and /ɒ/ (as in “pot”).
2. Identify and distinctively pronounce the vowel sounds /ɑː/ and /ɒ/.
3. Use words containing the vowel sounds in sentences.

Keywords:

• Aural discrimination
• Vowel sounds
• Pronunciation
• Contrast
• Sentence usage

Set Induction:

Begin the lesson by saying the words “part” and “pot” aloud, and ask pupils to listen carefully to the difference in the vowel sounds. Ask them if they can hear how the words sound different.

Entry Behaviour:

Pupils are familiar with basic vowel sounds and can pronounce simple words.

Learning Resources and Materials:

• Flashcards with words containing /ɑː/ and /ɒ/ sounds.
• Audio recordings of words and sentences with these vowel sounds.
• Chart showing the phonetic symbols for /ɑː/ and /ɒ/.

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge:

Pupils have learned about basic vowel sounds and can identify different vowel sounds in words.

Embedded Core Skills:

• Listening skills
• Pronunciation
• Phonemic awareness

Learning Materials:

• Lagos State Scheme of Work
• Flashcards
• Audio recordings
• Chart

Instructional Materials:

• Flashcards
• Audio recordings
• Chart

Content

1. Understanding Vowel Sounds /ɑː/ and /ɒ/:
   • /ɑː/: This is a long vowel sound, as in the words “part” and “lark.” It is pronounced with the mouth open wider and the tongue positioned lower in the mouth.
   • /ɒ/: This is a short vowel sound, as in the words “pot” and “lock.” It is pronounced with the mouth slightly less open and the tongue positioned higher than for /ɑː/.
2. Contrasting the Sounds /ɑː/ and /ɒ/:
   • Examples of /ɑː/:
     • “part,” “lark,” “car”
   • Examples of /ɒ/:
     • “pot,” “lock,” “dog”
   • Practice saying these words, focusing on the difference in vowel length and mouth position.
3. Using Words in Sentences:
   • /ɑː/:
     • “I parked the car in the garage.”
     • “The lark sang a beautiful song.”
   • /ɒ/:
     • “I put the pot on the stove.”
     • “The dog is locked outside.”

Evaluation Questions:

1. The vowel sound in “part” is ______.
   • a) /ɒ/
   • b) /ɑː/
   • c) /ɛ/
   • d) /ʊ/
2. The vowel sound in “pot” is ______.
   • a) /ɑː/
   • b) /ɒ/
   • c) /iː/
   • d) /ʌ/
3. The word “lock” contains the vowel sound ______.
   • a) /ɒ/
   • b) /ɑː/
   • c) /uː/
   • d) /e/
4. The word “lark” contains the vowel sound ______.
   • a) /ɒ/
   • b) /ɑː/
   • c) /i/
   • d) /ɔ/
5. The word “part” has a ______ vowel sound.
   • a) short
   • b) long
   • c) silent
   • d) double
6. The word “pot” has a ______ vowel sound.
   • a) long
   • b) short
   • c) silent
   • d) double
7. In the word “car,” the vowel sound is ______.
   • a) /ɒ/
   • b) /ɑː/
   • c) /e/
   • d) /i/
8. In the word “dog,” the vowel sound is ______.
   • a) /ɒ/
   • b) /ɑː/
   • c) /ʊ/
   • d) /e/
9. The vowel sound /ɑː/ is pronounced with the mouth ______.
   • a) open wider
   • b) closed
   • c) slightly open
   • d) rounded
10. The vowel sound /ɒ/ is pronounced with the tongue positioned ______.
    • a) lower in the mouth
    • b) higher in the mouth
    • c) at the front
    • d) at the back
11. “Park” and “pot” have different vowel sounds because of the ______.
    • a) length of the sound
    • b) spelling
    • c) meaning
    • d) consonants
12. The word “part” rhymes with ______.
    • a) cart
    • b) cot
    • c) hot
    • d) dot
13. The word “lock” rhymes with ______.
    • a) bark
    • b) dock
    • c) shark
    • d) mark
14. The vowel sound /ɑː/ is ______ in words like “part.”
    • a) short
    • b) silent
    • c) long
    • d) mixed
15. The vowel sound /ɒ/ is found in the word ______.
    • a) lark
    • b) pot
    • c) part
    • d) park

Class Activity Discussion :

1. Q: What is the vowel sound in “part”?
   A: The vowel sound in “part” is /ɑː/.
2. Q: What is the vowel sound in “pot”?
   A: The vowel sound in “pot” is /ɒ/.
3. Q: How do you pronounce the vowel sound /ɑː/?
   A: /ɑː/ is pronounced with the mouth open wider and the tongue lower.
4. Q: How do you pronounce the vowel sound /ɒ/?
   A: /ɒ/ is pronounced with the mouth slightly open and the tongue higher.
5. Q: What is an example of a word with the /ɑː/ sound?
   A: An example is “part.”
6. Q: What is an example of a word with the /ɒ/ sound?
   A: An example is “pot.”
7. Q: Can you use the word “lark” in a sentence?
   A: “The lark sang a beautiful song.”
8. Q: Can you use the word “lock” in a sentence?
   A: “I locked the door.”
9. Q: What is the difference between /ɑː/ and /ɒ/?
   A: /ɑː/ is a long vowel sound, while /ɒ/ is a short vowel sound.
10. Q: Which sound is longer, /ɑː/ or /ɒ/?
    A: /ɑː/ is longer.
11. Q: How is the word “park” pronounced differently from “pot”?
    A: “Park” has a long /ɑː/ sound, while “pot” has a short /ɒ/ sound.
12. Q: What is the vowel sound in “car”?
    A: The vowel sound in “car” is /ɑː/.
13. Q: What is the vowel sound in “dog”?
    A: The vowel sound in “dog” is /ɒ/.
14. Q: Why is it important to learn about vowel sounds?
    A: It helps with pronunciation and understanding different words.
15. Q: Can the vowel sound change the meaning of a word?
    A: Yes, different vowel sounds can change the meaning of a word.

Presentation

Step 1: Revision of the previous topic

• The teacher revises the previous topic by asking pupils to recall what they learned about basic vowel sounds.

Step 2: Introduction of the new topic

• The teacher introduces the vowel sounds /ɑː/ and /ɒ/, explaining how they are pronounced and their differences.

Step 3: Guided practice

• The teacher leads pupils in practicing the pronunciation of words containing the sounds /ɑː/ and /ɒ/, then using them in sentences.

Teacher’s Activities:

• Demonstrate the pronunciation of the vowel sounds /ɑː/ and /ɒ/.
• Provide examples of words and sentences containing these sounds.
• Engage pupils in listening and repeating exercises.

Learners’ Activities:

• Listen carefully to the vowel sounds and repeat them.
• Practice pronouncing words with /ɑː/ and /ɒ/ sounds.
• Use the words in sentences.

Assessment:

• Ask pupils to pronounce words with the vowel sounds /ɑː/ and /ɒ/.
• Have pupils create sentences using words with these sounds.
• Provide feedback and correct any pronunciation errors.

Evaluation:

1. What is the vowel sound in “lark”?
2. How do you pronounce the word “lock”?
3. Can you give an example of a word with the /ɑː/ sound?
4. What is the difference between /ɑː/ and /ɒ/?
5. How do you use “part” in a sentence?
6. How do you use “pot” in a sentence?
7. Which sound is longer, /ɑː/ or /ɒ/?
8. Can you pronounce “car” and “dog” correctly?
9. Why is it important to learn about these vowel sounds?
10. Can you explain the pronunciation of /ɑː/?

Conclusion:

The teacher goes around to mark and provide necessary feedback to ensure pupils can distinguish and pronounce the vowel sounds /ɑː/ and /ɒ/ correctly.

More Useful Links :

• Aural Discrimination of Consonant Sounds Speech Work English Grammar Primary 6 First Term Lesson Notes Week 3
• Intonation Practice and Stress in Speech Speech Work English Grammar Primary 6 First Term Lesson Notes Week 4
• Intonation Practice Questions and Statements Speech Work English Grammar Primary 6 First Term Lesson Notes Week 5