Chapter Graphic : Word power
Loading Images

  Level: Year 4 and year 8
Approach: One to one
Focus: Pronouncing correctly English words that would be unfamiliar for many students.
148k
Resources: List of words, masking card.

Questions / instructions:
I'm going to show you a list of words that you probably haven't seen before. This activity is for you to show me how you work out and say words. As you see each word, try to work it out and tell me how you think the word is said. You can have two tries at each word.

Here is the list.

Place list of words before the student.

Place the masking card under each word as it is presented.

Remember, you can have two tries at each word. If you work a word out in parts or syllables, that's fine. But also try to say the whole word.

 
% responses
  
% responses
y4
y8
y4
y8
Pronounced correctly
marmoreal
26
64
concentration
53
89
misanthropical
–
48
malign
–
25
notoriety
–
13
dignity
63
89
prerogative
–
25
knubble
–
67
stamina
40
83
fragility
25
64
suburbia
25
61
amphibious
–
56
strident
–
77
instantaneous
10
52
venial
–
27
hydrodynamics
–
49
scared
17
55
impartiality
–
15
spoonerism
37
77
inimitable
–
47
stratosphere
–
69
interventionist
–
61
inconsequential
–
33
jaundice
9
30
pneumatic
–
48
Commentary:
Year 4 students were asked to attempt only 10 of the 25 words. A good proportion of students succeeded with regular but unfamiliar words like marmoreal, suburbia and spoonerism. Less predictable words like impartiality, jaundice and venial were handled less well. On average, 36 percent more year 8 than year 4 students succeeded with words that both years attempted.
 
Chapter Graphic
 Loading Images