Chant

This rap is great for practising connected speech - see video here! Consonant to vowel links are indicated, plus one vowel to vowel link.

This chant has a waltz rhythm – each stressed syllable is separated by two unstressed syllables. The overall form of the text is a limerick. It has an unusual density of the sound /w/ - a semi-consonant created by movement of the lips.

This chant is made up of five rhyming couplets, and it has an unusual density of TH-sounds (the hard TH in 'earth' and the soft TH in 'brother'. The hard TH is called ‘theta’, and for convenience, I’ll use that name to refer to both sounds.

Project the image and do any or all of these activities:

This short video (see link below) is a rap. It features a high density of the vowel minimal pair in ship and sheep – namely, fit and feet, sit and seat, bit and beat and fill and feel. Note that the vowel in the first word in each pair is shorter, with the mouth muscles more relaxed.

This is a fun rap activity for young learners, focusing on the vocabulary of odd jobs which kids might do. It will help them to retain vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and get a bit of movement into the classroom.