### Lesson Plan: English Comprehension for Senior Secondary 2
#### Topic: Speech Work - Stress Placement on Two or More Syllable Words
**Duration: 60 Minutes**
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**Objectives**:
1. Understand the concept of stress in multi-syllable words.
2. Identify the correct stress placement in commonly used two or more syllable words.
3. Improve pronunciation and enhance listening skills through practice.
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### Materials Needed:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Audio recordings of words with stress patterns
- Flashcards with words of varying syllables
- Handouts with exercises
- Audio-visual equipment (optional)
- Online resources (optional)
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### Lesson Outline:
#### Introduction (10 minutes)
1. **Greeting and Settling Down**:
- Welcome the students and ensure they are seated comfortably.
2. **Warm-Up Activity**:
- Ask students to pronounce a few randomly selected multi-syllable words (e.g., "banana," "command," "photograph").
- Observe their pronunciation and take note of common mistakes for later reference.
3. **Objective Overview**:
- Explain the importance of stress in understanding and speaking English correctly.
- Provide a brief overview of the plan for today's lesson.
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#### Direct Instruction (15 minutes)
1. **Definition and Importance of Stress**:
- Write the word "stress" on the whiteboard and define it in the context of phonetics.
- Explain how incorrect stress can change the meaning of words or make speech difficult to understand.
2. **Rules for Stress Placement**:
- Introduce basic rules for stress placement in two or more syllable words. For instance:
- In two-syllable nouns and adjectives, stress usually falls on the first syllable (e.g., 'TAble, 'HAPpy).
- In two-syllable verbs and prepositions, stress usually falls on the second syllable (e.g., to 'reLAX, to be'lIEVE).
- Discuss any exceptions to these rules using example words.
3. **Examples and Listening Practice**:
- Play audio recordings of words with correct stress patterns.
- Write the words on the board and mark the stressed syllable. For example:
- 'PHOTOgraph (photograph)
- pho'tographic (photographic)
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#### Guided Practice (20 minutes)
1. **Interactive Activity**:
- Distribute flashcards with multi-syllable words.
- Ask students to work in pairs to identify and mark the stressed syllable on each word.
- Go through the answers together, discussing any discrepancies and explaining the correct stress placement.
2. **Choral Repetition**:
- Have the class repeat the words after you to practice correct pronunciation.
- Focus particularly on commonly mispronounced words.
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#### Independent Practice (10 minutes)
1. **Handout Exercise**:
- Distribute handouts with sentences containing multi-syllable words.
- Ask students to read the sentences silently, then mark the stressed syllables in each word.
- Monitor and assist students as they work.
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#### Conclusion (5 minutes)
1. **Review**:
- Recap the day's lesson by asking a few students to volunteer words and demonstrate the correct stress placement.
2. **Feedback and Questions**:
- Encourage students to ask questions if they have any uncertainties or need further clarification.
3. **Homework Assignment**:
- Assign a short paragraph for students to read aloud at home, focusing on correct stress placement.
- Ask them to practice with a family member or record themselves to self-evaluate.
### Assessment:
- Continuous observation during activities.
- Participation in choral repetition.
- Accuracy of stress placement in written exercises.
- Feedback and questions from students.
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### Extension Activities:
- Online exercises and games that focus on stress in multi-syllable words.
- Listening to and repeating native speaker podcasts or videos.
- Pronunciation apps that highlight correct stress placement.
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By the end of this lesson, students should have a clear understanding of how to identify and correctly place stress on multi-syllable words, which will aid in their overall English comprehension and speaking abilities.