English Module 3

Introducing sounds and the associated symbols

Introducing the connection between script and sound (which is a second arbitrary item)

1. script-recognition-Alphabets-lowercase-non-phonetic pronounciation
2. script-recognition-Alphabets-uppercase-non-phonetic pronounciation
3. script-recognition-Alphabets-uppercase-phonetic
4. script-recognition-Alphabets-lowercase-phonetic

44 sounds of English language

This is a teacher resource, to support teachers to hear the 44 sounds in the English language (with associated words) to learn the correct pronunciations

Combination of sounds and scripts

Activity - Listening to the sound of the alphabet and seeing the writing of the alphabet, click here

Sensitizing the ear to the sound and shapes

Audience

1. Young children
2. Any audience that will need the beginning literacy skills in English.
3. Reinforcement for adults (useful for second language learning)

Resources

1. Audio clips of the sounds in the language
2. Interactive materials which will introduce the script and the sound
3. For very young children, sensorial activities like writing in sand, tracing on sand etc of the letters
4. Animations showing the formation of the script for each sound along with the recording of the sound
5. Simple words,and commonly used words - audio of the words, images of the word (no focus on script) to register and build vocabulary
6. Concrete items which are commonly used / accessed / seen
7. Basic verbs
8. Word categories - animals, plants, relationships - See a list in this spreadsheet
9. Simple sentences

Unit 1 - Isolation and introduction to sounds

Activity - For the words already introduced, the teacher will introduce the sounds the mouth makes when saying the words. To begin with, restrict it to beginning sounds.

"What is the sound your mouth makes when you say book?". The students may be able to say "b"

Here the local language should not be used. While children can listen and speak multiple languages, reading multiple script symbols is not to be encouraged.

Again the pictures of the words can be projected and students can work in pairs/ groups to say the sounds.

The teacher can record these and play for the class; this can be a peer assessment activity also.

Unit 2 - Showing the connection between sounds and script

Self learning, learners can browse through the letters and hear the sounds and register

Activities / processes (assessment)

1. Self assessment - Quiz oneself - identify and utter the sound on seeing the letter.
2. Hearing the sound and writing the letter

Unit 3 - Minimal Pairs

As English is not a phonetic language, two words can sound similar even though they are spelt quite differently. This audio resource of minimal pairs elaborates examples of such words

Unit 4 - Developing audio resources

Audio resources are essential for language learning, as 'listening' is foundational of the four skills. Teachers can develop audio resources using the resources they already have - their phone/computer to record natural, animal and human sounds; edit audio tracks using Audacity a free and open source audio editor. Such editing can be simple enough to bring in background music

The teacher can work with students to develop resources that use/build on local cultural resources - stories/folklore, songs, sayings, etc. which can be translated into simple English equivalents. Such resources can provide a comfortable learning space for early language learning too. They can also be multilingual to provide a multilingual learning environment

RIESI has been supporting participants in its CELT and PDGELT programs to develop audio resources.