SCIENCE FAIR (A PROJECT COME TRUE) AT SCHOOL

Here I share a compelling experience I have recently had with some of my students.

I will start by thanking the whole staff that made this possible; however, I am going to tell my own plot about the development of this incredible work. Now, I am going to narrate what we did.

We developed an action project that contained a five-chaptered framework over which the students focussed on writing based on a fact conditioned by UNO ´s yearly planning. We extracted four aspects to delimit the topic of interest according to the resolution available. For example, we chose the Year of Mountains and the students mentioned a possible theme to work with. We considered the variable object of study, the focus to give to that variable and then, space and time.

We also worked on the general features that an action project commonly has. As an illustration, we had progressive workshops on which a problem was talked about and created the goals to achieve and offer some dable solutions and recommendations. We also went deeply into the topic and researched about it for a quite long time and mentioned the type of research, materials and procedure. This project had a quantitative approach with which we discerned an acceptable methodological process.

The students also prepared outstanding replicas of impeccable pieces of atifacts, such as a water purifying filtre or solar panel. Conversely, they took the idea of a research project like a documentary research and made models of Mount Everest and explained the campsites for turists and how COVID-19 pandemic affected turism in the area. I can solely say they were deemed a great job by viewers in the event.

To finish, families were keyed up and they applauded their kids. The satisfation is really big and there are no words to express how fulfilled I felt that day. To mention some thanking thoughts, I will add the names of some amazing teachers that made that day a heyday, Aura, Kelly, Erika, Isabel, Willian, Emily, Raylet, Alejandro, Elba, María and many others. Let´s attach some evidence on this.

_{IDEA SCHOOL / NAGUANAGUA, VENEZUELA}

By Eduardo Becerrit

ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY; STAGES

Adapted by Eduardo Becerrit.

Description of the sound / ɝ/:

 

/ ɝ/= The open-mid central unrounded vowel, or low-mid central unrounded vowel, is a sound known as difficult to master, the position of the tongue is halfway between a back and a front vowel sound. It is very sonorous, and it sounds like a semi /r/ consonant.

Problems for Venezuelan speakers:

 

Most of Venezuelan English-learners have difficulty mastering this sound because of degree of tension put at the time of saying it. People get confused by a /r/ or just simply do not say it by substituting it for another one. Another thing is that this phoneme does not exist in Venezuelan (Castilian) repertoire, and students get it complex at early and late stages.

Tips for producing the sound:

 

There are ways to be in presence of the /ɝ:/, for example: a hint is having a look-see on the word having a pairing vowel-r; ur, er, ir, yr or the conceivable ear, ere, irr, err orthographical signals. Be cafeful, ear by itself is a single unit; but, united to other possible spellings can be a / ɝ/.

Spelling		Position
Letters	Initial		Middle	Final
Ur	Urgent		Burst	Blur
Er	ergonomics		Berth	Her
Ir	ᴓ		Bird	Stir
Yr	ᴓ		Myrrh	ᴓ
Ear	Earn		Heard	ᴓ
Ere	Erelong		ᴓ	Where
Irr	ᴓ		ᴓ	Whirr
Err	Err ‘day		ᴓ	ᴓ
Urr	ᴓ		Purring	Burr

Description of the /eə/ diphthong:

/eəʳ/ is a diphthong commonly pronounced with a centering ending in /ə/, the production of this diphthong is made up by putting tongue from a more front position to a more centered one.

Problems for Venezuelan speaker:

According to teflpedia.com (2015), “when using words containing “eəʳ” Spanish speakers tend to confuse /eəʳ/ with /ɪə/ i.e. they assume that “bear” rhymes with “dear”. And tear vs tear really irritates them.” Consequently, it is said that this puzzling problem is given at all stages.

Tips for producing the sound:

This diphthong occurs with the thinkable combinations of are, air ayr, eir, ear, aire, aero, ar, and ari. The resemblance of these sounds falls mainly in their orthographical relationship.

Spelling		Position
Letters	Initial		Middle	Final
Are	Area		Blared	aware
Air	Aired		Blairite	chair
Ayr	Ayrshire		ᴓ	ᴓ
Eir	Eire		heirloom	heiress
Ear	ᴓ		wearable	wear
Aire	ᴓ		ᴓ	Millionaire
Aero	Aeroplane		ᴓ	ᴓ
Ar	ᴓ		Sarah	ᴓ
Ari	ᴓ		Various	ᴓ

Reference:

Teflpedia.com, (2015). IPA phoneme /eə/ – Teflpedia. [online] Available at: http://teflpedia.com/IPA_phoneme_/e%C9%99/ [Accessed 19 Jun. 2015].

ORTHOGRAPHY EXERCISE: (0+8 ITEMS) CHOOSE THE WORD

TEACHER´S VERSION

INSTRUCTIONS:

SOUNDS: / ɝ/ vs /eəʳ/

1. Tell the students to choose the unnecessary word that contains the sound that does not match in the trial.
2. Advise them to circle them

SAMPLE:

0. Bird    There   Flare

Exercise key answers:

1. Care         Chair           Burst
2. Eire     Heirloom          First

3. Urgent       Berth         Daredevil
4. Earn          Aware        Earth
5. Were         Where        Fair
6. Aeroplane Burrs        Various
7. Hair           bare           Stirrer
8. Yearn         Her            Heir

/ ɝ/: Burst, first, berth, urgent, earn, earth, were, burrs, stirrer, her, yearn.

/eəʳ/: Care, chair, Eire, heirloom, daredevil, aware, where, fair, aeroplane, various, bare, hair, heir.

REMEMBER:  if a student do not know the pronunciation of a word, tell him/her once.

ORTHOGRAPHY EXERCISE: (0+8 ITEMS) CHOOSE THE WORD

 

STUDENT´S VERSION

INSTRUCTIONS:

SOUNDS: / ɝ/ vs /eəʳ/

1. Follow the teacher´s instructions to complete the task.

SAMPLE:

1. Bird     There    Flare

Exercise key answers:

1. Care         Chair               Burst

2. Eire           Heirloom          First

3. Urgent       Berth              Daredevil

4. Earn           Aware             Earth

5. Were          Where             Fair

6. Aeroplane   Burrs             Various

7. Hair             bare                Stirrer

8. Yearn          Her                 Heir

If you are not familiar with any of these words, ask the teacher to pronounce it once.

TEACHER`S HANDOUT

1. 1 LISTENING PRACTICE

1. 2 Minimal Pair Drills in Isolation

1. 3 Identification Task

Read one member of a pair of words and have the students indicate whether you are reading from Column 1 or Column 2.

SOUNDS: / ɝ/ vs /eəʳ/

Column 1	Column 2
/ ɝ/	/eəʳ/
0. Fur	0. Fair
1. Were	1. Where
2. Curd	2. Cared
3. Blur	3. Blare
4. Her	4. Hair
5. The clerk	5. De klerk
6. Per	6. Pare
7. Per	7. Pear
8. Care	8. Cur

STUDENTS` HANDOUT

1. LISTENING PRACTICE

1. Minimal Pair Drills in Isolation

1. Identification Task

Listen to each word pronounced and place a check mark (√) in  Column 1 if the word uttered has the  / ɝ/ sound or place the check mark (√) in  column 2 if the word uttered has the /eəʳ/ sound.

SOUNDS: / ɝ/ vs /eəʳ/

Column 1	Column 2
/ ɝ/	/eəʳ/
0.           √	0.
1.	1.
2.	2.
3.	3.
4.	4.
5.	5.
6.	6.
7.	7.
8.	8.

REACHING CONSENSUS

UNIVERSITY OF CARABOBO

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF MODERN LANGUAGES

SUBJECT: PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY

 

TEACHER´S HANDOUT

        Communicative Practice and Feedback

 

        Reaching a Consensus

 

Ask students to work in groups of four. Envisage that you and your learners will take a tour around England following the steps provided to carrying out the talkative activity.

1. Firstly, each of the individuals choose 2 destinations from the list below
2. Secondly, join a partner, share your choices, and make list with the two final places.
3. Thirdly, the groups utterly argue what places they selected, and choose one final last stop
4. Finally, every cluster of people presents their top one to the rest of the class and justifies their answer.

PLACES TO VISIT	LOCATION WORDS	CLASSY THERE-WORDS
South Dock /sauθ  dɑːk/           OR Rotherhithe /rɑːðɜːhaiθ/	Southern  /ˈsʌðən/ Adj. From south, in the south	Thereafter /ðɛərˈɑːftəʳ/    Loc adv (from then)           a partir de ahí
St. Katherine Docks / saint ˈkæθərɪn dɑːks/	Southwest [ˈsaʊθˈwest] Adj.  (south-western region)	Therein   /ðɛərˈɪn/ formal loc adv (in that thing or place) en eso
River Thames /ˈrɪvəʳ tems/	Northernmost  /ˈnɔːðənməʊst/ Adj. Sample: the northernmost town in Europe	Thereabouts /ˈðɛərəbaʊts/ Loc adv (near that place) por ahí por allí, por allá
Southwark Park / sauðəʳp pɑːʳk/	Northbound   /ˈnɔːθbaʊnd/ Loc adj. (going towards the north) en dirección norte Adv (towards the north) Hacia el norte loc adv.	Thereby /ˈðɛəˈbaɪ/ Loc adv (by that means) así, de este modo, de esa manera
		Thereupon /ˈðɛərəˈpɒn/ Formal Loc adv  (immediately after that) inmediatamente después, a continuación, enseguida

 

River Thames	Possible Discussion   Student A: I would pop in The River Thames because I reckon I may hook up with the Queen of England, therein learn about the Beefeaters.  Student B: Yes, I agree to your plan We even delight in the corridor of the bridge, and see its structure.
South Dock	Possible Discussion   Student A: I was thinking of going to South Dock. This is the northernmost dock in the lower part of England. Student B: Today could be your lovely-jubbly day, I reckon I shall go northbound to Skelmersale as yestreen.
Southwark Park	Possible Discussion   Student A: Hi, mate, have you spent a day at Southwark Park? Student B: No, I haven´t. Would you fancy going to another one? Student A: I do not know the onions about the other parks thereabouts. Student B: They are nice as well. Student A: I ok your plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNIVERSITY OF CARABOBO

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF MODERN LANGUAGES

SUBJECT: PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY

 

STUDENT´S HANDOUT

Communicative Practice and Feedback

        Reaching a Consensus

 

 

Work in groups of four. Envisage that you will take a tour around England.

Follow your teacher´s instructions.

(BRING A PRONUNCIATION DICTIONARY TO CLASS IF NECESSARY)

PLACES TO VISIT

River Thames                           South Dock                                Southwark Park Here, you must place an image of the place.

LOCATION WORDS	CLASSY THERE-WORDS
Southern  from south, in the south	Thereafter (from then)
Southwest (south-western region)	Therein formal (in that thing or place)
Northernmost Sample: the northernmost town in Europe	Thereabouts (near that place)
Northbound (going towards the north) (towards the north)	thereby  (by that means)
	Thereupon formal (immediately after that)

FEATURES OF THE SPOKEN LANGUAGE

According to Brown (2007, pp. 326-327) notes additional features of the spoken language that make a big difference between writing and speaking and that they all are really hard for English students to learn.

     CLUSTERING: Fluent speakers group words together rather than uttering each word.

This consists of phonological processes and Stress patterns implied into the language. For example: This happens in Referential Stress (Numbers, affixes, etc.), Differential Stress (Noun/Verb & Adjective/Verb), Differential Stress (Noun Compound), Phonological Processes: Assimilation (Progressive, Regressive, Coalescent, and Gemination), Dissimilation (Haplology) and Linking processes.

        REDUCED FORMS: Speakers use contractions, elisions, and reduced vowels. For example: This tends to happen when a phonological process called Deletion appears.

        PERFORMANCE VARIABLES: The speaker is permitted to pause and hesitate, using filler words and expressions such as uh, you know, like…

This supplies a more natural speech for users to sound more like a native speaker.

          COLLOQUIAL SPEECH: Informal terms are permitted and common.

Idioms, Slang and informal expressions are COOL.

        RATE OF DELIVERY: The speaker controls the rate of delivery for the listener; a reader can read at his or her own pace.

    STRESS, RHYTHM, AND INTONATION: Rhythmic and intonation patterns can be important in conveying meaning in spoken language.

Spoken language features from englishwithmrsmith