Mastering Stress and Intonation in English Speech Work English Grammar JSS 3 First Term Lesson Notes Week 5
LESSON PLAN
Subject: English Language (Speech Work)
Class: JSS 3
Term: First Term
Week: 5
Age: 13-15 years
Topic: Stress and Intonation
Sub-topic: Identifying and Using Stress and Intonation Correctly
Duration: 40 minutes
Behavioural Objectives
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- Define stress and intonation in English.
- Identify stressed syllables in words and phrases.
- Use appropriate intonation patterns when speaking.
- Differentiate between stressed syllables in nouns and verbs.
Keywords
- Stress
- Intonation
- Syllable
- Pitch
- IPA transcript
Set Induction
The teacher asks students to say the word “record” in two ways: as a noun and as a verb. The teacher explains that stress placement changes meaning.
Entry Behaviour
Students have learned basic consonant and vowel sounds in previous lessons.
Learning Resources and Materials
- Flashcards with stressed and unstressed words
- Phonetic symbols chart
- Audio recordings with varied intonation patterns
Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge
The teacher links today’s topic with previous lessons on sounds, emphasizing that stress and intonation are essential for natural pronunciation.
Embedded Core Skills
- Listening skills
- Speaking skills
- Phonological awareness
- Analytical thinking
Reference Books
- Lagos State Scheme of Work
- New Oxford Secondary English Course
Instructional Materials
- Flashcards
- Audio clips
- IPA transcripts
CONTENT
What is Stress in English?
- Definition: Stress is the emphasis placed on certain syllables in words or certain words in sentences.
- Characteristics of Stressed Syllables:
- They are louder.
- They are longer.
- They have a higher pitch.
- English as a Stress-Timed Language:
- Stressed syllables appear at regular intervals, while non-stressed syllables are shortened.
- Examples of Word Stress (Bold Indicates Stressed Syllable):
- holiday
- alone
- admiration
- confidential
- degree
- Stress in Grammatical vs. Lexical Words:
- Grammatical words (e.g., articles, prepositions) are usually not stressed.
- Lexical words (e.g., nouns, verbs) must have at least one stressed syllable.
- Using the IPA to Identify Stress:
- Garden: [ˈɡɑːdən] (First syllable stressed)
- Humidity: [juː’mɪdɪ.ti] (Second syllable stressed)
- Stress in Verbs vs. Nouns:
- Some two-syllable words change stress based on their function.
- Verb: to record | Noun: record
- Verb: to permit | Noun: permit
- Some two-syllable words change stress based on their function.
What is Intonation in English?
- Definition: Intonation is the rise and fall of the voice when speaking.
- Types of Intonation:
- Rising Intonation: Used in yes/no questions (e.g., “Are you coming?”).
- Falling Intonation: Used in statements and wh-questions (e.g., “Where are you going?”).
Class Activity Discussion (15 FAQs)
- What is stress?
- Stress is the emphasis on a syllable or word.
- What is the difference between stress and intonation?
- Stress emphasizes syllables; intonation changes the pitch of the voice.
- How do you know which syllable to stress?
- You can check the word’s IPA transcription in a dictionary.
- What is the IPA symbol for stress?
- It is the symbol ‘ placed before the stressed syllable.
- Why is stress important?
- It helps convey meaning clearly in speech.
- Can stress change a word’s meaning?
- Yes, for example, record (noun) vs. record (verb).
- What is an example of a rising intonation?
- “Are you coming?”
- What is falling intonation?
- When the voice falls at the end of a sentence (e.g., “I am leaving now.”).
- How do grammatical words affect stress?
- They are usually unstressed in sentences.
- Can a word have more than one stressed syllable?
- Yes, compound words like “thermometer” have multiple stresses.
- What is an example of a noun-verb stress shift?
- Transport (noun) vs. transport (verb).
- What happens if stress is misplaced?
- The meaning of a sentence may become unclear.
- Do questions always use rising intonation?
- No, wh-questions use falling intonation.
- Can stress patterns differ across dialects?
- Yes, stress can vary between British and American English.
- What is stress-timed rhythm?
- It means that stressed syllables occur at regular intervals in speech.
Teacher’s Activities
- The teacher revises the previous lesson on consonant sounds.
- The teacher introduces stress and intonation, using examples and IPA transcripts.
- The teacher writes words with stress on different syllables on the board.
- The teacher plays audio clips of questions and statements, asking students to observe the intonation patterns.
- The teacher gives students words to pronounce, correcting where necessary.
Learners’ Activities
- Students listen to the teacher’s explanation of stress and intonation.
- Students repeat words and phrases with correct stress and intonation.
- Students use dictionaries to find IPA transcriptions of words.
- Students participate in group activities, practicing stress and intonation.
Evaluation Questions
- What is stress in English?
- How do you identify a stressed syllable?
- What is the IPA symbol for stress?
- Give two examples of words with different noun-verb stress patterns.
- What is intonation?
- When do we use rising intonation?
- How does stress affect the meaning of a word?
- Write the IPA transcription for the word “mushroom.”
- Which syllable is stressed in the word “thermometer”?
- What is stress-timed rhythm?
Evaluation (Fill-in-the-Blank Questions)
- Stress is the _____ given to certain syllables.
- a) pitch
- b) emphasis
- c) silence
- d) speed
- The IPA symbol for stress is _____.
- a) ˌ
- b) ‘
- c) :
- d) /
- Rising intonation is used for _____.
- a) wh-questions
- b) statements
- c) yes/no questions
- d) commands
- The word “record” as a verb is stressed on the _____.
- a) first syllable
- b) second syllable
- c) third syllable
- d) last syllable
Class Work
- Stress is the _____ given to certain syllables in words.
- a) silence
- b) speed
- c) emphasis
- d) tone
- A stressed syllable is usually _____ than an unstressed syllable.
- a) softer
- b) louder
- c) faster
- d) quieter
- In the word “holiday”, the stressed syllable is _____.
- a) ho
- b) li
- c) day
- d) none of the above
- The IPA symbol used to show stress in a word is _____.
- a) /
- b) ˌ
- c) ‘
- d) :
- English is a _____-timed language.
- a) tone
- b) stress
- c) syllable
- d) pitch
- Rising intonation is often used for _____.
- a) yes/no questions
- b) wh-questions
- c) commands
- d) statements
- Falling intonation is typically used for _____.
- a) questions
- b) greetings
- c) statements
- d) requests
- Which word has stress on the second syllable?
- a) garden
- b) alone
- c) mushroom
- d) thermometer
- The word “permit” has stress on the _____ syllable when used as a verb.
- a) first
- b) second
- c) third
- d) last
- When the word “record” is used as a noun, the stress falls on the _____.
- a) second syllable
- b) first syllable
- c) last syllable
- d) entire word
- Which of the following typically does not receive stress in sentences?
- a) Nouns
- b) Verbs
- c) Articles
- d) Adjectives
- In the phrase “Are you coming?”, the intonation rises at the _____.
- a) beginning
- b) middle
- c) end
- d) none of the above
- Stress patterns help speakers to _____.
- a) write faster
- b) organize sentences
- c) convey meaning clearly
- d) confuse listeners
- Which sentence uses falling intonation?
- a) “Where are you going?”
- b) “Is he at home?”
- c) “Are you ready?”
- d) “Can you help me?”
- A compound word like “thermometer” has stress on the _____ syllable.
- a) first
- b) second
- c) third
- d) last
Conclusion
The teacher moves around the class, listening to students practice stress and intonation. Corrections and feedback are given to improve their pronunciation and speaking skills.
This lesson helps students improve their fluency and comprehension by mastering the use of stress and intonation in English speech