English PronunciationEnglish can be a very difficult language to pronounce for many reasons. Many teachers do not spend a sizeable amount of time on pronunciation relative to other facets of English, however pronunciation is a major key to being understood by others. Furthermore, knowing how to produce and being able to discern the many sounds made in the English language is important to literacy.
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Vowels• English has 9-12 contrastive vowels
• In comparison, Spanish has five • Mastering the English vowel sounds can be daunting. |
Timing• English is a stress-timed language (a different amount of time is spent on each syllable). Also known as intonation.
• One who still carries the time of their native language will not sound like a native English speaker. |
• ELLs may bring with them great diversity in languages. Some may be syllable-times (rhythmic) like Spanish, French, or Cantonese.
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In Practice• Teachers must set priorities. Focus on key elements.
• Communication is one of the first major goals of language learners. |
Structuring Pronunciation Practice Model
based upon the article Pronunciation As Thinking: A Model for
Teaching Teenagers and Adults by Tara Elyssa (TESOL Journal, Summer 1999)
1. Model the Feature |
Present the feature in an interesting way to the students. You can use visuals or objects whose names have the feature you wish to emphasize. Create rhymes or phrases using the feature that will grab student's attention.
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2. Raise Consciousness |
This where a more "explicit" style comes into play. The teacher should draw attention to the feature and make comparisons and contrasts in their pronunciation versus how it was modeled. When showing students the words have them repeat many times. Also have students describe how spelling does or does not affect how those particular words are pronounced.
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3. Structure the Practice |
Provide a passage that students will find relevant and interesting, it may even elicit an emotional response! This is especially true for older learners. At the end of the passage consider including a question that uses the pronunciation feature, and that will cause students to respond.
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4. Produce the Feature for
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This is where students will have the opportunity to be creative. If you are familiar with the PACE model, the idea is quite similar. Students should be encouraged to produce something, and to even relate it to their own culture. The product can also be integrated into another activity where students read it aloud. Be sure to provide feedback for students before this last step so they will be able to focus on the pronunciation and feeling of the product they created.
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Jazz Chants
Jazz chants are a fun and engaging way to work on pronunciation with learners of all ages. Check out the video below to see them in action!
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