Speech Work: /əu/, /iə/, /ai/ and /ei/ – JSS1 English Lesson Note (Third Term)

A diphthong is a vowel that contains two sounds, with a glide from the first vowel. The word comes from a Greek word meaning double sound. A pure vowel contains only one sound. In this lesson, students practise five diphthongs: /ei/, /əu/, /ai/, /iə/ and /uə/, and classify them as centring or closing diphthongs.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• explain what a diphthong is;
• state the difference between a pure vowel and a diphthong;
• identify the diphthongs /ei/, /əu/, /ai/, /iə/ and /uə/ in the words rain, spoke, high, hear and tour;
• name the two groups of diphthongs: centring and closing.

What is a diphthong?

The word “diphthong” is from a Greek word, which means double sound. Diphthongs are also vowels. The difference is that a pure vowel contains only one sound, while a diphthong contains two sounds with a glide from the first vowel.

Which diphthongs are in this lesson?

Evaluation

Diphthongs can be divided into two groups, namely centring and closing diphthongs. Classify the diphthongs in the table above into these two groups.