A phonetic item

The goal of the first stage is to create conditions for learners' assimilating the suggested phonemical item intuitively and spontaneously.

It is achieved by means of the first-time presentation of a phonemic item in microtexts (in which it is given in bold type) supplied with illustrative pic­tures. The task to the learners is as follows: "Listen and try to understand what these texts are about." This is a task in listening comprehension.

The teacher works with two pointing rods. With one he points at the combina­tion of letters sh and with the other at the visual images of words containing it. The teacher reads the texts twice or thrice expressing some affective exaggeration, using various gestures, movements and mine.

F ig. 9.

A pictorial support to present a phonetic item in an oral speech-visual-and-graphic situation

2. The goal of the second stage is to form in learners initial imitative reading of the text.

The teacher asks for a volunteer to come up to the screen or the poster and read

the text aloud imitating the teacher. Then two more volunteers do the same.

After this the learners use the cards and sitting at their desks read the text

one by one.

3.The goal of the third stage is to introduce elements of oral speech activity with the use of the phonetic item introduced. Tasks in oral speech activity are given.

The teacher works with the pictures and pointing rods in the way it was shown above. However, now she/he puts questions to the picture and an­swers them in order to show the learners a pattern of their further activity. The questions are intentionally constructed in such a way that it is impos­sible to answer them avoiding pronouncing words with —sh. To achieve it no general questions are given, because they can be answered with " Yes. " or "No." and do not require answers including words with -sh, e.g.:

Who is she ? — She is Shirley Shore.

What is this?— This is Shirley's shirt.

Why is she cold? — Her shirt is short.

Where is Shirley ? — She is in a shop.

Who is in the shop ? — Shirley is in the shop.

What is this ? — This is a shawl.

Where are the shawls? — The shawls are on the shelf.

Where is shawl now?- The shawl is on Shirley's shoulder.

In case of need the teacher can carry out the above activities with ques­tions twice or trice for the learners better understand the patterns of their

future activity.

Then a pair of volunteers is invited to come up to the poster. The task is as follows: "Ask and answer questions to the pictures using words with —sh".

The teacher helps them to do it.

Some more pairs of learners are invited to carry out the task. 4. The goal of the fourth stage is to organize a question— answer talk con­nected with the contents of the situation on the picture.

The first task is carried out in pair work: sitting at their desks learners put

questions to each other.

The second task is carried out individually by each learner: 1." Within

three minutes make up as many questions to the text as you can and write

them down."

The third task is: "Put questions to each other and answer them ". The teacher controls the students, fixes limitations in time and points at those who are to ask and who are to answer questions. 5.The goal of the fifth stage is to organize a free talk with the use of the words containing -sh, however the contents of the talk are not to be connected with those of the picture and the text read. The tasks are as follows:

1. "Forfive minutes make up and write down as many questions containing the words with —sh which you can find in the text." The teacher is walking from desk to desk helping each learner in making up sentences.

1. " Talk with each other putting and answering your questions ".

6.The goal of the sixth stage is to check whether the learners have assimi­lated the introduced phonemic item.

The teacher takes the poster away. The tasks are as follows: 1. Who knows words with —sh ? When the children raise their hands, the

teacher asks them.

2. If you can write words with —sh on the chalkboard, come up to it and write them.

3. Who can read the following words: shut, sheep, ship, shawl, sheet, shift, shell? Usually learners enjoy carrying out such tasks.