Why Our Hermano/Brother Turkey Eats Corn from Our Fields

“ESL Pronunciation & Ethical Communication: A Multicultural Thanksgiving Poem: Why Our Hermano/Brother Turkey Eats Corn from our Fields.” written by Norma Landa Flores, author of “Street Corner Flight,” in “Mirrors & Windows: Connecting with Literature, EMC/Paradigm Publishing, is available on digital download @teacherspayteachers.com and is a 10 page Oral Communication and Pronunciation Lesson that includes the Poem entitled, “Why Brother Turkey Eats Corn in Our Fields, A Multicultural Thanksgiving Thought,” on page 2. Page 2 also provides directions on how to articulate the consonants [ θ ] [ ð ]

& [ f ].

Page 3 contains “Multiple Choice Questions for Discussion,” with spaces for the inclusion of student’s atitudes, beliefs and values about the topic or the questions.Page 4 is the [ ð ] Voiced “TH” Consonant, [ θ ] Unvoiced “TH” Consonant and [ f ] Unvoiced “F” Consonant Articulation Assessment form with which students may take turns pronouncing and assessing each other.

Page 5 is the ACCESS form, Assessment of Communication Competence and English Speaking Skills, with which students take turns reading the sentences on page 4 again and assess each other’s use of eye contact, audibility, use of vowels & consonants, articulation of word endings, conveyance of meanings & emphasis and communication of message function & intention.

Page 6 lists, “Contexts & Standards-Based Criteria for Assessing

[ ð ] [ θ ] and [ f ] Consonant Articulation Assessment. These standards for speaking and listening were agreed upon by the National Communication Association Task Force on Speaking and Listening Skills of which the author, Norma Landa Flores was a contributing participant. Pages 7-10, is the Appendix with helpful Suggestions for the Teacher/Facilitator to more easily teach an oral communication lesson creating relevancy due to the Thanksgiving theme.

This material is suitable for students in grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 and above. In addition, the content is very helpful for any age level student learning English as a Second Language or for special needs students having difficulty pronouncing [ ð ]

[ θ ] and [ f ].

“ESL Pronunciation & Ethical Communication: A Multicultural Thanksgiving Poem,” encourages verbal communication, cooperation and oral collaboration. You can very conveniently order it by visiting @teacherspayteachers.com and entering “Oral Communication” in their Search window. Have a Creative, Fruitful and Happy Thanksgiving Lesson!

Norma Landa Flores is also the author of “Assessment of Oral Communication and Pronunciation Competency,” in “Teaching Oral Communication Grades K-8, Allyn & Bacon Publishing and “Pronunciation and Communication: Oral Skills for Speakers of English as a Second Language,” McGraw-Hill/Primus Publishing.