Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Word Pronunciation

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Objectives stage is crucial for establishing the learning goals of the lesson and directing students' focus towards the most important aspects of English pronunciation. By clearly defining what is expected to be achieved, students can better prepare themselves and engage in the proposed activities, knowing the reasons behind each practice and exercise. This initial clarity helps maximize the use of lesson time, ensuring that all efforts are aligned with the desired outcomes.

Main Objectives:

1. Develop students' ability to recognize and correctly apply English sounds in word pronunciation, highlighting the importance of this aspect for effective communication.

2. Familiarize students with the basic pronunciation rules of English, such as vowel sound, the use of long and short vowels, and the influence of silent vowels and consonants.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage active participation from students through practical and interactive exercises that promote the use of correct pronunciation.
2. Develop students' self-criticism and self-correction skills, so they can improve their pronunciation independently.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of the Introduction stage is to engage students through problem situations they may have already encountered or may face in a real context, utilizing prior knowledge about the pronunciation of English words. Moreover, the contextualization of the topic with real examples and curiosities serves to motivate students to understand the relevance of correct pronunciation and how it impacts effective communication in everyday and professional situations. This initial approach aims to prepare students for the practical activities that will follow, applying what they have learned theoretically in a more conscious way.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine a friend of yours is trying to pronounce the word 'schedule' and is failing. How would you help your friend correct the pronunciation?

2. Think of a situation where you need to ask for 'water' in a restaurant, but the pronunciation you are using is not being understood. What would you do to improve your pronunciation and be understood?

Contextualization

Correct pronunciation is vital not only for comprehension but also for cultural and social acceptance in an environment where English is used. For example, common pronunciation errors in words like 'beach' and 'bitch' can lead to misunderstandings and embarrassing situations. Additionally, pronunciation directly influences the speaker's perception and credibility in using the language. Interestingly, in British English, the pronunciation of 'th' is often replaced by 'f', as in 'fink' for 'think', and this is part of the regional accent that can be very charming but also challenging for learners.

Development

Duration: (70 - 75 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to allow students to practically and interactively apply their prior knowledge about the pronunciation of English words. Through playful and challenging activities, they will have the opportunity to correct and enhance their pronunciation in a collaborative learning environment, promoting confidence and the ability to express themselves clearly and correctly. By choosing one of the proposed activities, the teacher can adapt the class to the specific needs and interests of the group, ensuring effective and engaging learning.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - Word Challenge

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice the pronunciation of English words and develop argumentation and explanation skills.

- Description: In this activity, students will be divided into groups of up to 5 people. Each group will receive a list of commonly mispronounced English words, such as 'clothes', 'colonel', and 'Wednesday'. The challenge will be to discuss and decide the correct pronunciation of each word within a set time. After the discussion, a representative from each group will go to the board and pronounce the word. The group will earn points based on pronunciation accuracy and the explanation of how they reached that conclusion.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Distribute the list of words to each group.

• Give 10 minutes for them to discuss and decide the correct pronunciation of each word.

• Each group must choose a representative to go to the board.

• The representative will pronounce the word and explain their choice of pronunciation.

• Score each correct pronunciation and coherent explanation.

Activity 2 - Pronunciation Cinema

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Improve pronunciation through practice in real contexts and develop listening and speaking skills.

- Description: Students, still in groups, will choose short scenes from movies, series, or videos in English that contain important dialogues. Each group should practice the pronunciation of the lines, focusing on the words that challenge pronunciation the most. After preparation, each group will present the scene, with one member acting, and the others evaluating the pronunciation. There will be a discussion after each presentation to explain the difficulties encountered and how they were overcome.

- Instructions:

• Groups choose a scene from an English video.

• Practice the pronunciation of the lines, identifying challenging words.

• Prepare the scene presentation, focusing on correct pronunciation.

• Present the scene to the class.

• Discussion about the difficulties and strategies used.

Activity 3 - Pronunciation Treasure Hunt

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Engage students in an active and fun learning environment, dynamically improving pronunciation.

- Description: In this playful activity, groups will receive a map of the school with clues in English that lead to different points where they must find cards with words to pronounce. Each card will have a word and a score associated with the correct pronunciation. After finding all the cards, the group returns to the classroom for a final pronunciation challenge, where each correctly pronounced word is worth extra points.

- Instructions:

• Prepare a map of the school with clues in English.

• Divide the students into groups and distribute the maps.

• Groups follow the clues and find the cards with words.

• Return to the classroom for the final pronunciation challenge.

• Score each correct pronunciation and precision in executing the activity.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning, allowing students to reflect on what they learned and share insights with their peers. Through group discussion, students have the opportunity to verbalize and deepen their understanding while receiving feedback from different perspectives. This exchange helps reinforce knowledge and the importance of correct pronunciation, as well as developing communication and collaboration skills.

Group Discussion

To start the discussion, the teacher can ask each group to share their experiences and discoveries during the activities. It is suggested that each group presents a summary of the main points discussed and learned, focusing on how practice helped improve their pronunciation and understanding of words. The teacher should encourage the exchange of ideas between groups, asking about the strategies used and what they found most challenging and most effective.

Key Questions

1. What were the most difficult words to pronounce and why?

2. How did the activity help improve your pronunciation compared to traditional practice?

3. Was there any strategy you found particularly useful for correcting pronunciation?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The purpose of the Conclusion stage is to consolidate the knowledge acquired during the lesson, ensuring that students can link practical activities with the theoretical concepts discussed. Additionally, it serves to reinforce the importance of correct pronunciation as an essential component of effective communication in English. This recap helps students internalize the learnings and appreciate the applicability of knowledge in real situations, preparing them to use it confidently and consciously.

Summary

In the conclusion of the lesson, the teacher should summarize the main topics discussed about the pronunciation of English words, emphasizing the basic rules such as vowel sound, the use of long and short vowels, and the influence of silent vowels and consonants. The practical activities carried out, such as the 'Word Challenge', 'Pronunciation Cinema', and the 'Pronunciation Treasure Hunt', should be recapped, highlighting the lessons learned and the improvements observed in students' pronunciation.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson was carefully designed to connect theory with practice, utilizing dynamic and interactive activities to apply students' prior theoretical knowledge. Through exercises like the 'Word Challenge', where students had to discuss and decide on the correct pronunciation in groups, and 'Pronunciation Cinema', which put them in real language use situations, theory was experienced and internalized, facilitating the understanding and practical application of pronunciation rules.

Closing

Finally, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of correct pronunciation in English, not only for effective communication but also for cultural and social integration. Pronunciation errors can lead to misunderstandings and affect the speaker's confidence. Therefore, by correctly applying pronunciation rules, students are not only improving their language skills but also increasing their ability to express themselves clearly and confidently in English-speaking environments.