Identify word rhythm [2]
Short description | Mark stressed and unstressed syllables | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Category | |||
Group size | SOLO PAIRS SMALL GROUPS CLASS | ||
Materials |
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Duration | 20 minutes | Level | 2️⃣ |
Goal of this exercise is improving
the perception
of word stress as a functional feature of language.
The children realise that every word has a stressed part but can have several unstressed parts. This exercise is very important for the process of learning to write, because German words can only ever be difficult to spell in the stressed part.
Instructions
Prepare large and small symbols (board magnets, building blocks, small stones...).
Teacher:
I will explain the meaning of stressed and unstressed parts of a word. Accented means louder, more energy, spoken with more breath, a little higher. Unstressed means quieter, a little more slurred, maybe even a little slurred....
In this game we use larger stones for stressed, smaller stones for unstressed.
The children write their names on a piece of paper.
They say their name and try to recognise the number and order of the stressed and unstressed stones they need to represent their name.
Elisabeth oOoo
Variations
For very young children who cannot yet write, and to vary the exercise, picture cards from board games (e.g. memory) are suitable for recognising the word rhythm. Example: Locomotive oooOo...