U.'Ye the exercise below to introduce your students to the 45 phonetic sounds of American Bnglish and.

American EngUs'b file's unique sounds pictures.

American English File gets your students talkingl

Gettlng started: Choose .5 cams for eachlesson

• For the first lesson choose 2 short vowel sounds, for example IV and. fret and 3 consonant sounds /pJ. Itt, lilli!.

.Gd the students to look at the pictures and gu.ess what the sounds are. Coned any mistakes,

making sure the students produce sounds clearlyto avoid confusion later,

• II! pairs get the students to copy the pictures and the letters of the 5 selected cards. OIl Have student 1 write a word using the phonetic letters.

OIl Have student 2 read the word.

• When an students are confident with the letters, stick the cards 0.0. the classro om. wan for future reference.

Repeat the procedure In subsequent lessons until all the cards have been learned,

Vowels

Consonants

rI] [E] [t] [I] .....____. [I] ~ [1I] ~ [jf] i.__._.i'>1 .____..

r&J[j]~~ [l][52]~~

~~[i]rn

r

• vowels fol'low-ed by Irl

• dipthongs

• voicsd

• unvoiced

Activity 1 - Beat the clock

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, I

Language focus:

Pronunciation ofselected vowels and consonants Using vowels and consonants to make words

-

Aim:

To make as many words as possible using HI SOlLUld picture cards

Materials Required: All sound picture cards ('72) Paper and pend]. for each team Timer (optional)

Preparatlon. Review the vowel and consonant sounds pictured on the following cards using the Getting Started. notes,

Select: Vowels 2 4 5 7 13 Consoaants 22-32 36 38-43 and 45.

Divide the cards into two packs - vowels and consonants.

P.laying the game

.' Ask ten students. to choose a vowel picture card or a consonant picture card.

Take the top card from the coned pack. and attach It to the board so the letter can be seen.

• Divide the class into 2 or more teams.

• Using the ten cards OJ!l the board, ten the teams to make as many words as, possible' using the sounds on the board but with English spelling,

'. Use the timer (if available) or give students 2 minutes to beat. the clock. .. Ask each team. to tell you how many words they have fou nd,

.. The team with the highest number of words reads their list to the class

while you check to see if they are correct Alternatively, the team can write their words 0'11 the board themselves for everyone to check.

• The team that has the largest number of correctwords wins a point. The team with the longest word also gets a point.

• Play the gatne a few m.ore times,

• Add up the points at the end of the activity to see which team is the winner.

P.ay more games to challengethe class:

a .. Add the fOUOMElg consonant cards into the original pack 22 23 25 28 29 30 38 :3 9' 43.

b. Use aU 72 sound picture cards [0 give a greater range of possible words,

c. Decrease the amount of time for students to find t11Je words.

Activity 2 - Stepping stones

Recognition and pronunciatton ofword sounds

Vo cabulary review

Help yOllr team across the board, and back, while blocking the oilier teams fmrn making progress

Materials Reqjuin;:d: One pack of sound. picture cards 1-45

Language focus:

Aim:

Thumb tack or push pin - to attach cards and. counters to the board Diflerent w~.ore\d. counters - I for each team

Review the vowel and consonant sounds pictured '0]11 the cards using the Get1tiiBg Started notes,

Stick the sound picture cards on the board in random order and. in a grid system of 9 cards honzonrally and :5 cards vertically

'~=' =-- .. ,~

I.~~- ..... _- ..

I.!::::::===I

~

P.[<¥fing the g~me

• DIvide the class into 2 or more teams. Place one colored counter for each team next to the first sound picture car-ds on the left of the board. (See diagram above)

• Teams start on the left side of the grid and take turns telling you the sound on the first card and a woldbegtnnlng wUI:! that sound. If they can th ink of a correct word their teams counter is moved onto the card.

'. When each team has had their first turn they (an 1110V'€ in arty direction,

They must try to block the 'Other team and also try to gettothe other side ofthe board <lind back Teams cannot land on a card that already has a counter on it.

• No word can be used twice in the game and the' word chosen cannot be the picture on the card.

~ The team thai! gets across the board and back first is thewlnner,

Play more gallJles to dmllenge the class.

a, Play the game again but remove one card from each row, Teams must go around the spa-.ce.

b. Teams choose a word that has, the sound on the card ill. it, but must not be the initial sound,

Activity 3 - Categories

language focas,

Pronunciation of selected vowels and consonants

Aim:

Using vowel and consonant sounds to make specific category words

To find words from different categories that start with the selected sounds

Materials Required: One pack of sound picture cards 1-45 Board pens,

Preparanom

Review the vowel and consonant sounds pictured on the following cards using the Gettilng Started notes.

Select: Va-wets 2 4 5 I B Consonants 22-32 36 38-43 and 4.5.

""rite 3 categories at the top of the board, e.g. fruit, car, and countries.

P'laying the game

• Shuffle the consonant and vowelpicture cards and give one to each. student.

• Divide the class into 2 or more teamsand divide the board into the sanae number of sections.

• Divide the sound picture cards equally between teams. Putaside any remaining cards.

" Select one student from the first team to attach the]!" sound picture card to the board in their team's section, The team. then has 1:0 tel] the class a word from each category that begins with the sound on their card. For example the sound Ipl could be used for pineapple (fruit), Pontiac (call), and Poland. (country)"

Teams can discuss answe rs between themselves.

Give them 1 point for each correct word.

gvape

povt..tfnc

• Write the scores on the board as YoOu go along.

Continue the' game until all studen ts have put their cards on the board,

3

• The winning team is the one with the most points.

Play more games to cbaUeug,e the class:

a. Use the fun range of sound picture' cards, 1-45 to give a greater range of sounds or choose categories that are more challenging for the class,

b. Use the game as a dictionary Or computer exercise. Give each team a dictionary or access. to a computer. Set a time frame for searching for words for each oftheir cards. "''ben time is up. play the game as before.

Activity 4 - Sounds bingo

langll!H~ge incus:

A~:m:

Recognition of selected vowels and consonants

To be the first to tum over their sound picture cards

Materiab Requirced: AU sound picture cards (72}

A checklist of all 45 sOUJJJ.ds (see Inside front cover of this leaflet)

Sheets of A4 paper.each cut Into 6 squares

If necessary, review the vowel and. consonant sounds pictured. on the following cards using the Getting Swted. notes

Select: Vowells 12457-1013-1518-20 Consonants 22-32 34~36 38~43 and 45 .. Shuffle the cards"

Pla.ying the game

~. Distribute the sound picture cards equally among the students ... Put aside any

remaining cards. ' .

~. Using the checklist, call out the phoruc sounds in random order.

• Individual students should repeat the sound if they have it, and hold it up for you to check, They then put it face down on their desk.

• The winner is the first person to' have all their cards face down"

.~ Play the gmne a few more times,

Ph,,}, more game.s to dudlengethe class:

a. Distribute all the n cards and play the g:<Ul1e again.

b. Students can write their own phonetic characters.

~ Give all students 10 cut-up paper squares.

• Get them to write a different phonetic sound on each piece"

• Callout the sounds (checking them off your checklist to make sure you don't miss any).

.. Any student who has written the s,oUF!d m ust raise their hand and call out aword beginning: with that sound.

.. If thev are correct they can cross out that sound,

I "

• The winner is the first student who has all their sounds crossed out