Minimal Pairs Lesson

Minimal Pairs Lesson

To start my lesson on Minimal Pairs, I would identify two or three pronunciation problem areas my Ells are having and use that as my target language for the lesson. In order to keep this lesson under 5 minutes, but produce results, I believe the students need to be active and correspond with each other to check for errors with-out the teacher looming over them as they work.

In this particular lesson I focus on the vowel sound minimal pairs, since they seem to give most L2 learners the most problems. I have the students break-up into groups of three or four per group. A list of 16 vowel sound minimal pairs will already be listed and numbered on the board (1-32) in order to save time. The vowel sound minimal pairs are written on the board into a T-chart format that shows the vowel sounds written in IPA with example words written underneath the corresponding vowel sound field…like in the example below.

The /i/ Sound

The /ɪ/ Sound

1.SLEEP                                                                                                                 9.SLIP

2.PEACH                                                                                                              10.PITCH

3.BEAT                                                                                                                 11.BIT

4.HEEL                                                                                                                 12.HILL

5.SKIED                                                                                                               13.SKID   

6.SCENE                                                                                                              14.SIN

7.REACH                                                                                                             15.RIDGE

8.LEAVING                                                                                                         16.LIVING

Step 1

The students will start with repeating the following words as the teacher says them aloud. For example…the teacher will start off by saying SLEEP/SLIP, PEACH/ PITCH…thus stressing the vowel sound for students to hear the distinction between the two words.

Step 2

After repeating the words, I will then tell the students that I am going to say five words from the group. It is their job to write the # of the word I say aloud on a piece of paper. I will only say the word only once. The word is said at natural speaking speed.

Step 3

The students will then write the word on their piece of paper. They will be asked to compare answers. Any answers that are different are to be discussed with-in the group.

Step 4

This process is repeated for the other 16 words for the following vowel sound minimal pairs.

The /e/ Sound

The / ɛ/ Sound

1.      CHASE                                                                                                            9.CHESS

2.      WAIT                                                                                                              10.WET

3.      BLADE                                                                                                           11.BLED

4.      FAIL                                                                                                               12.FELL

5.      GATE                                                                                                              13.GET

6.      RACED                                                                                                           14.REST

7.      WASTE                                                                                                           15.WEST

8.      RAID                                                                                                               16.RED

Step 5

Repeat steps #2 and #3.

The teacher will then give the correct answers to both groups of words.