7.Teaching Pronunciation


Aims: (1) to encode and decode messages correctly.
(2) to give variety, life to repetition.
  • Knowledge about Pronunciation
  1. Sciences dealing with Pronunciation
    1. Basic elements of Pronunciation
      1. word stress: variable: main/secondary/unstressed
      2. sounds: how sounds are formed: E. Sound System vs. Sound System
      3. phonemic alphabet
      4. word linking
      5. sentence stress/ voice range/ intonation patterns
        1. two basic intonation tunes: fall/rise
        2. functions of intonation: accentual/syntactic/attitudinal.
      6. fluency
        1. static elements in Pronunciation: sounds/word-stress/word-linking
        2. expressive forms: sentence-stress/voice range/intonation pattern
    1. R.P. (received pronunciation)
    2. Tone patterns/ groups.
      1. three tones: falling./rising/fall-rise

  • Knowledge of ELT
  1. Ways of preventing Pronunciation mistakes
.1 drilling exercises for Recognition
    1. drilling exercises for Production
    2. Correct students’ mistakes!
    3. Expose students to authentic language!

  1. Problems with English Pronunciation
    1. Consonant Clusters: sounds disappear or change
    2. Vowel clusters
    3. Homophones

  • CLASSROOM OBSERVATION: PHONOLOGY

1. List the major non-native features of pronunciation that you hear:
1.1 Note who makes the major non-natives features of pronunciation: all students; some; a few.
1.2 Listen to one student and see if he/she consistently makes the same errors.
2. Can you identify a pattern of/rationale for correction of non-native pronunciation?
3. List the correction methods the teacher uses.
4. What is the source of language produced in the classroom: teacher %; student %; other %.
5. Is the language produced (by teachers, students, other)”naturally” produced (eg. vis-à-vis weak forms, elision, rhythm, speed, etc.)?
6. Can you identify any listening comprehension problems that relate to phonological features (e.g. weak forms)? How does the teacher resolve any problems?

  • Reflection as Exercise:
  1. Pronunciation skills overlap with rhetorical skills (posture, loudness, pace, eye contact, compensation strategies, and use of feedback). How much practice is given to the latter ones in the English class? Reminiscence your own learning experience.
  2. It is considered that many apparent pronunciation problems, e.g. in stress and intonation, are really processing problems created by artificial or too difficult tasks. Agree or disagree in well-articulated discourse.
  3. Phonological awareness (especially of weak forms etc.) is important for listening as well as speaking. Think of ways to efficiently train students in this strategy.
  4. Approve or disapprove of the idea that intonation is always a matter of tendencies not rules.
  5. Add to the list of compensation strategies: rephrasing; repetition and redundancy; slower/louder speech; spelling out; miming; use of visuals; (translation); checking with listeners;……… .
  6. The following correction/feedback features are in-built dimensions of the language class learning/teaching activities: positive (what to do) not error-based; built into task design; from other learners, not just from teacher; global before detailed. Think back of your learning experience and tick off those features you are most accustomed with.
  7. What should be the criteria for text choice for teaching/learning materials to be used when teaching pronunciation?
  8. Below is a dialogue without punctuation. Decide upon two possible scenarios:
  • What is the situation?
  • Who are the people?
  • How do they feel? What is their attitude?
  • How will they speak?
Practise speaking the dialogue with different stress and intonation patterns for the two situations.
A Where were you last night
B Why
A Well I rang at ten o’clock and you weren’t in
B No I went to the cinema.
A Oh really Who with
B Just an old friend from university
A Oh
  1. Consider this piece of writing:
I’ve live derl ife that’s full
I’ve travel dee chan devery byway
But morm uch more than this
I’d idit my way.
What helped you make sense of it; if any?
  1. Along with theatre techniques to spur creative language learning, jazz chanting represents an instance of spontaneous communication which appeals to students’ emotional and imaginative potentials, Here is an example of a jazz chanting based on Q&A pattern:
How do you like your coffee?
Black! Black!
How do you like your tea?
With lemon, please.
How do you like your steak?
Medium rare.
How do you like your eggs?
I don’t care!
Sunny-side up?
I don’t care!
Poached on toast?
I don’t care!
Over-easy?
I don’t care
Soft-boiled? Hard-boiled?!
I don’t care!
How about an omelet?
I don’t care!
Come on, tell me!
This isn’t fair.
I told you the truth.
I really don’t care! (Major Decisions)
What are the advantages of using such jazz chanting in the language class?