teaching Syllable Stress

[anupumh]

Hi All,

I would like to know from all the teachers that how do you introduce the topic of syllable stress (stressing a specific syllable in polysyllabic words).
Every language does not have variable syllable stress, English is stress timed languag and other languages may not be so (asian languages like hindi are syllable timed).
How will you make the student realize the importance of syllable stress in english (can you suggest any activity or exercise or game)?

What are the various ways to count syllables and how do you break a word in syllables?

Then how many rules/patterns are avaialble for syllable stress (tion rule, ity rule, verb/noun rule. abbriviation rule, cy rule, etc)? Do you have a comprensive list of all these rules and patterns and their exceptions?

Thanks a pile

[Ikramullah]

Replied below.

[Ikramullah]

It it important to know what syllable is. Students cannot understand stress in words unless they know syllables. Well, a syllable is the combination of a vowel sound with one or some consonant sounds. For example, in the word computer, we have three vowel letters and three vowel sounds:
cOmpUtEr It is therefore a three syllable word, and in the word, chocolate, we have four vowel letters but two vowel sounds:
chOcolAte --- {e at the end of a word is silent, however, some exceptions exist (cafe, fiancee)}
two vowel letters are silent in the words and the others produce sounds, so this word is a two syllable word.
The word, bite, is a one syllable word.
There are various ways to teaching stress in words:
1. You can use a rubber band. a syllable that is not stressed should be pronounced without making a clap, but a syllable that is stressed should be pronounced with making a clap. Tie your hands with the rubber band.
Look at the word, computer.
E.g.: com pu ter
no clap clap no clap
2. You can show stressed syllables with capital letters.
E.g.: comPUter
3. You can use special marks over stressed syllables, undrline them or use different font type and style.
E.g.: computer

+
computer computer computer
Vowel sounds = syllables in a word.
I hope it helps you.
See you soon with the other information.