Mastering Long and Short Vowel Contrasts

Subject: English Grammar
Class: JSS 3
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 12-14 years
Topic: Speech Work – Long and Short Vowel Contrasts: /uː – Ʊ; Ʒː – Ʌ; Ә – e – ɒ – ɔː/

Sub-topic: Identifying and Pronouncing Vowel Contrasts

Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioural Objectives

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

1. Identify long and short vowel contrasts.
2. Pronounce words with these vowel sounds correctly.
3. Differentiate between the sounds using examples.

Keywords

Vowel, contrasts, pronunciation, long, short

Set Induction

The teacher asks students to read a list of simple words aloud, then asks them to reflect on the differences in how some words sound, especially when comparing long and short vowels.

Entry Behaviour

Students are familiar with basic vowel sounds and pronunciation.

Learning Resources and Materials

• Flashcards showing words with long and short vowels.
• Audio clips of vowel sounds.

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge

Students have learned about simple vowels in previous lessons. This lesson builds on that knowledge by focusing on differences in pronunciation between long and short vowel sounds.

Embedded Core Skills

• Listening skills
• Pronunciation
• Critical thinking

Reference Books

• Lagos State Scheme of Work
• Essential English Language for JSS 3

Instructional Materials

• Flashcards
• Whiteboard
• Markers

Content

Explanation of Long and Short Vowel Contrasts

1. /uː/ vs /Ʊ/:
   • /uː/: pool, screw, blue, shoes, moon
   • /Ʊ/: good, cook, put, push, look
2. /Ʒː/ vs /Ʌ/:
   • /Ʒː/: first, purse, earn, thirsty, world
   • /Ʌ/: cut, come, blood, honey, money
3. /Ә/ vs /e/:
   • /Ә/: about, baker, sailor, labour
   • /e/: bed, bread, said, bend
4. /ɔː/ vs /ɒ/:
   • /ɔː/: war, pork, saw, sword
   • /ɒ/: pot, what, gone, cob

Examples and Practice

Students are asked to practice the pronunciation of the following words by repeating them after the teacher.

15 Fill-in-the-blank Questions with Options

1. The vowel sound in “blue” is ___.
   a) /uː/
   b) /Ʊ/
   c) /e/
   d) /Ʌ/
2. The vowel sound in “cook” is ___.
   a) /uː/
   b) /Ʊ/
   c) /e/
   d) /Ʌ/
3. The vowel sound in “first” is ___.
   a) /Ә/
   b) /e/
   c) /Ʒː/
   d) /Ʌ/
4. The vowel sound in “come” is ___.
   a) /Ә/
   b) /e/
   c) /Ʊ/
   d) /Ʌ/
5. The vowel sound in “world” is ___.
   a) /uː/
   b) /Ʒː/
   c) /Ә/
   d) /Ʌ/
6. The vowel sound in “pork” is ___.
   a) /ɔː/
   b) /ɒ/
   c) /uː/
   d) /Ʊ/
7. The vowel sound in “pot” is ___.
   a) /ɔː/
   b) /ɒ/
   c) /uː/
   d) /Ʊ/
8. The vowel sound in “labour” is ___.
   a) /Ә/
   b) /e/
   c) /uː/
   d) /Ʒː/
9. The vowel sound in “bend” is ___.
   a) /Ә/
   b) /e/
   c) /uː/
   d) /Ʌ/
10. The vowel sound in “war” is ___.
    a) /ɔː/
    b) /ɒ/
    c) /uː/
    d) /Ʊ/
11. The vowel sound in “moon” is ___.
    a) /uː/
    b) /Ʊ/
    c) /e/
    d) /Ә/
12. The vowel sound in “honey” is ___.
    a) /uː/
    b) /Ʒː/
    c) /Ʌ/
    d) /e/
13. The vowel sound in “baker” is ___.
    a) /Ә/
    b) /e/
    c) /uː/
    d) /Ʊ/
14. The vowel sound in “sword” is ___.
    a) /ɔː/
    b) /ɒ/
    c) /uː/
    d) /Ʊ/
15. The vowel sound in “blood” is ___.
    a) /Ә/
    b) /Ʒː/
    c) /uː/
    d) /Ʌ/

15 FAQs with Answers for Better Understanding

1. What is a vowel contrast?
   • A vowel contrast shows the difference in how vowels sound in different words.
2. What is the difference between /uː/ and /Ʊ/?
   • /uː/ is a long vowel, while /Ʊ/ is short.
3. Is “cook” a long vowel or short vowel?
   • It’s a short vowel (/Ʊ/).
4. Which sound is in “first”?
   • /Ʒː/.
5. Is “blue” a long or short vowel?
   • Long vowel (/uː/).
6. What is the sound in “cut”?
   • /Ʌ/.
7. What is the difference between /Ә/ and /e/?
   • /Ә/ is a schwa, a neutral sound, while /e/ is a short vowel.
8. Is “bed” a short vowel?
   • Yes, it’s /e/.
9. What vowel sound is in “war”?
   • /ɔː/.
10. What sound is in “pot”?
    • /ɒ/.
11. Is “moon” a short vowel?
    • No, it’s long (/uː/).
12. What is the sound in “honey”?
    • /Ʌ/.
13. Is “said” a long vowel?
    • No, it’s a short vowel (/e/).
14. What is the vowel sound in “sword”?
    • /ɔː/.
15. Is “world” a long or short vowel sound?
    • Long vowel (/Ʒː/).

Presentation (Steps 1-3)

1. Step 1: The teacher revises the previous topic on basic vowel sounds.
2. Step 2: The teacher introduces long and short vowel contrasts, explaining each sound with examples.
3. Step 3: The teacher encourages students to pronounce the words listed and make corrections where necessary.

Teacher’s Activities

• Introduce vowel contrasts with examples.
• Demonstrate the correct pronunciation of each word.
• Guide students in practicing pronunciation.

Learners’ Activities

• Repeat the words after the teacher.
• Listen to audio examples of vowel contrasts.
• Practice the sounds in pairs or groups.

Assessment

Ask the students to identify whether the vowel in the following words is long or short:

1. moon
2. put
3. thirst
4. sword
5. bread

Evaluation Questions

1. What is the vowel sound in “blue”?
2. Is the sound in “cook” long or short?
3. What vowel contrast is found in “world”?
4. Is “come” pronounced with a long vowel?
5. What sound does “sailor” have?

Conclusion

The teacher goes around to assess students’ pronunciation and provides individual feedback.