Contrasting Vowel Sounds /e/ and /ɜː/ Speech Work English JSS 1 Second Term Lesson Notes Week 9

Lesson Note: Speech Work (English Grammar) – JSS 2, Second Term, Week 9

Captivating Title

Mastering Vowel Contrasts: Differentiating /e/ and /ɜː/

Focus Keyphrase

Contrasting vowels in English (/e/ and /ɜː/)

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Speech Work: Contrasting Vowel Sounds /e/ and /ɜː/ (JSS 2 Second Term)

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contrasting-vowels-e-and-ɜː

Meta Description

Learn how to differentiate vowel sounds /e/ and /ɜː/ with examples such as egg and burn in this JSS 2 Speech Work lesson.

Lesson Plan

Subject: English Language
Class: Junior Secondary School 2 (JSS 2)
Term: Second Term
Week: 9
Age: 11–13 years
Topic: Speech Work
Sub-Topic: Contrasting Vowel Sounds /e/ and /ɜː/
Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioral Objectives

At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

1. Recognize and articulate the vowel sounds /e/ and /ɜː/.
2. Differentiate between words that contain the contrasted sounds.
3. Use the vowel contrasts accurately in sentences.
4. Improve their pronunciation by practicing the distinctions.

Keywords

• Vowel contrasts
• /e/ and /ɜː/
• Pronunciation

Set Induction

The teacher will write the words pet and shirt on the board, ask students to pronounce them, and highlight the difference in vowel sounds.

Entry Behavior

Students are familiar with vowel sounds in English and have practiced specific vowels in isolation.

Learning Resources and Materials

1. Flashcards with example words for each sound.
2. Phonetic chart for vowel sounds.
3. Audio recordings for practice.

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge

The teacher will remind students of the vowel sounds discussed in previous lessons and explain that today’s lesson focuses on contrasting /e/ and /ɜː/.

Embedded Core Skills

• Listening
• Speaking
• Pronunciation

Content

Vowel Contrasts: /e/ vs /ɜː/

1. Understanding /e/
   • /e/ is a short vowel sound, pronounced with the tongue slightly raised and the mouth slightly open.
   • Examples:
     • egg, pet, bed
2. Understanding /ɜː/
   • /ɜː/ is a long vowel sound, pronounced with the tongue in a mid-central position and the mouth relaxed.
   • Examples:
     • burn, shirt, bird
3. Common Confusions
   • pet (/e/) vs. pert (/ɜː/).
   • egg (/e/) vs. erg (/ɜː/).
4. Practicing Contrasts
   • Listen to pairs like bed and bird, pet and pert, and practice pronouncing them.

15 Fill-in-the-Blank Questions (Evaluation)

1. The vowel sound in pet is ___.
   a) /ɜː/ b) /e/ c) /a/ d) /o/
   (Answer: b)
2. The vowel sound in shirt is ___.
   a) /e/ b) /ɜː/ c) /a/ d) /o/
   (Answer: b)
3. Which word contains the sound /e/?
   a) Burn b) Egg c) Bird d) Shirt
   (Answer: b)
4. The word bird contains the ___ sound.
   a) /e/ b) /ɜː/ c) /a/ d) /o/
   (Answer: b)
5. The vowel sound in bed is ___.
   a) /ɜː/ b) /e/ c) /a/ d) /o/
   (Answer: b)
6. The word burn contains the ___ sound.
   a) /e/ b) /ɜː/ c) /a/ d) /o/
   (Answer: b)
7. Which vowel sound is in shirt?
   a) /ɜː/ b) /e/ c) /a/ d) /o/
   (Answer: a)
8. The sound in egg is ___.
   a) /e/ b) /ɜː/ c) /a/ d) /o/
   (Answer: a)
9. The sound in pet differs from pert by ___.
   a) duration b) pitch c) stress d) articulation
   (Answer: d)
10. The vowel sound in bird is ___.
    a) /ɜː/ b) /e/ c) /a/ d) /o/
    (Answer: a)

15 FAQs with Answers (Class Activity Discussion)

1. What are vowel contrasts?
   Differences between similar vowel sounds in English.
2. What is the vowel sound in pet?
   The short vowel /e/.
3. What is the vowel sound in shirt?
   The long vowel /ɜː/.
4. How do you pronounce /e/?
   With the tongue slightly raised and the mouth slightly open.
5. How do you pronounce /ɜː/?
   With the tongue in a mid-central position and the mouth relaxed.
6. What is the vowel sound in egg?
   The short vowel /e/.
7. What is the vowel sound in burn?
   The long vowel /ɜː/.
8. Why are vowel contrasts important?
   They improve pronunciation and clarity in English.
9. How is /e/ pronounced?
   With the tongue slightly raised and the mouth slightly open.
10. How is /ɜː/ pronounced?
    With the tongue in a mid-central position and the mouth relaxed.
11. Give an example of a word with /e/.
    Pet.
12. Give an example of a word with /ɜː/.
    Bird.
13. Which sound is longer, /e/ or /ɜː/?
    /ɜː/.
14. Differentiate /e/ and /ɜː/.
    /e/ is short, while /ɜː/ is long.
15. What is the difference between pet and pert?
    Pet uses /e/ while pert uses /ɜː/.

Presentation Steps

Step 1: Revision of Previous Topic

• Review the vowel contrasts from Week 8.

Step 2: Introduction of New Topic

• Introduce the vowel sounds /e/ and /ɜː/ using examples.

Step 3: Student Contributions and Corrections

• Students practice pronouncing words and identifying vowel contrasts.

Teacher’s Activities

1. Demonstrate the correct pronunciation of /e/ and /ɜː/.
2. Provide examples and correct student errors.

Learners’ Activities

1. Listen to the teacher’s explanations and examples.
2. Practice pronouncing the vowel contrasts.
3. Identify the sounds in given words.

Assessment

Ask students to:

1. Differentiate between /e/ and /ɜː/ in pet and shirt.
2. Provide examples of words containing each sound.

Conclusion

The teacher will summarize the importance of vowel contrasts and encourage students to practice identifying and pronouncing them in daily communication.