ESOL Sc/E2.1a Use stress & intonation adequately to make speech comprehensible / meaning understood
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Adult ESOL > Speaking > Speak to Communicate > ESOL Sc/E2.1 Speak clearly to be heard and understood in straightforward exchanges >
Sc/E2.1a Use stress and intonation adequately to make speech comprehensible and meaning understood
| Component skill and knowledge and understanding. Adults should learn to: |
Example of application and level | Sample activities |
| know where the stress falls in familiar words, and place stress appropriately |
– Sorry to bother you – Yeah? – Well, I need to ask you … Could I possibly leave at 12 today? I’ve got an appointment . . . |
Learners listen to a simplified weather report in order to identify the number of syllables in familiar words. Learners discuss the content of the forecast and the vocabulary, e.g. sunny spells, thundery showers. They are then asked to identify the stressed syllable in these words, by saying whether it falls on the first, second, third, etc. They practise saying the words with correct stress in sentences from the forecast. |
| – understand that, in sentences, the most important content words are often stressed, and place stress appropriately |
Learners work on stressing content words appropriately as part of an activity around giving and responding to instructions. Learners talk about the internet in small groups, using some discussion questions, e.g. Do you know how to use the internet? What is a search engine? The whole class suggest instructions for new users of the internet, e.g. First you click on the internet explorer icon, then you type in the . . . The instructions are written up on the board and read aloud. Learners are asked to identify the stressed and unstressed words within the sentences and are asked why certain words are stressed in preference to others. Learners listen to the sentences read aloud and clap the rhythm. Half the class give the instructions while the other half of the class beat the rhythm. Learners work on computers to access the internet. |
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| – develop awareness that English has a stress-timed rhythm and make a distinction between stressed and unstressed syllables in their own words |
London is bigger than Addis. | In the context of seeking work, learners listen to questions with end-fall or end-rise intonation to identify which are polite and which are not, e.g. Can I see the manager? How much is the pay? What are the hours? Learners practise in threes: one person asks questions using cue cards that indicate politeness and rudeness; the other two have to decide what attitude it projects. |
| - use intonation appropriately in statements and questions and to indicate attitude, e.g. politeness |
I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that. Could you explain it again, please? |
Source: Department for Education and Skills (2001) Adult ESOL Core Curriculum, DfES (2001)
- Related Adult Literacy Curriculum links: SLc/E2.1 Speak clearly to be heard and understood in straightforward exchanges
- Related Functional Skills English links: E2.5 Clearly express straightforward information and communicate feelings and opinions on a range of straightforward topics
