Stressing Syllables
Class level: Elementary – High school / Lesson Time: 55 minutes
English level: Beginner to Advanced / Expected number of students: 20 - 40
Context: Understanding where stress goes in words
Teaching aids: White/chalk board, appropriate writing utensils for board
Learner objectives:
For all students to be able to correctly stress syllables and practice correct pronunciation. / Teacher aims:
Involve all students in an engaging lesson.
Expose students to speaking English in a structured learning environment.
Procedure / Phase / Timing
Before class begins prepare flashcards that have two, three and four syllables. (The maker of this lesson has produced and uploaded hundreds of various flashcards onto this website. Feel free to use which ones will work best with your class).
Tell the students you will start with a clapping game where you the class and the teacher will say words together and clap when they hear stressed syllables.
If this is the first time reviewing syllables and stress the teacher will need to explain this by writing words from the flashcards onto the board broken up to show where the stress is in the words.
Show the flashcards to the class one at a time.
(1) Ask the class to say the fruits and vegetables displayed on the flashcard.
(2) The teacher models the correct pronunciation by reading flashcard.
(3) The class re-reads the flashcard. Clapping out the stress with the teacher as the card is read.
Review the stressed syllables activity table with the class. You can also write/draw the chart on the board if you do not want to run make “X” number of photocopies for this lesson. Students can copy the stressed syllables chart from the board you make or this can be an oral lesson without writing.
Activity:
Go over the first three items in the chart with the class to show them how to complete the chart. Then have the students complete the rest of the chart in pairs before the class reviews the rest of the chart as a whole class activity.
Closing Activity
End the lesson by having the students name various words with two and three syllables that either you (the teacher) or they (the students) will write on the board.
Review with the class where the stress is in the English words they presented.
1. Say the words with the class several times so they can practice pronunciation and locate the stressed syllables.
2. Note the stress of the words on the board by circling the syllables in the words and checking where is the stressed syllable in the word. / Engage
Study
Activate
Closure/
Study / 15 minutes
15 minutes
15 minutes
15 min minutes
Name______Date______
Stressing Syllables
Word / Mapped stress / # of syllables / Stressed SyllableAp ple / X x / 2 / #1
El le va tor / X x x x / 4 / #1
Com pu ter / x X x / 3 / #2
Pre si dent
Coun try
Pho to graphy
De mo cra cy
Cri ti cal
Graph ic
Blackboard
Bedroom
Teacher
Desk
Pencil
Korean
American
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