Pronunciation: Just do it! Pronunciation: Just do it! (part 2)(part 2)

The key to intelligibilityThe key to intelligibility

Toni HullEnglish Language Fellowth.in.tesol@hotmail.com

www.italldepends.pbworks.com

Topic IntroductionTopic Introduction

TASK 1: What’s the TASK 1: What’s the problem?problem?1. Watch the video clip. There is a breakdown in intelligibility. What’s the problem? Why does it happen?

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Coast Guard = organization that helps boats who have troubles while at sea

“may day – may day” = a radio signal used when boats are in danger (like “SOS”)

2. If you were the young man’s English teacher, what advice would you give him?

TASK 2: Awareness – what TASK 2: Awareness – what you see (and don’t see)you see (and don’t see)What sounds are being said?

1. _________ 2. _________ 3. _________ 4. _________ 5. _________

http://http://www.soundsofenglish.org/www.soundsofenglish.org/

http://www.manythings.org/mp/m30.html

http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/#phonetics/#

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TASK 3: Using MirrorsTASK 3: Using Mirrors1. Look at yourself pronouncing

/s/ and /ʃ/ and /tʃ/2. Look at yourself pronouncing

see, she, chee[tah]3. Look at your partner saying

the sounds: do you look the same?

What other sounds are commonly mispronounced / confused by Vietnamese learners?

1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ 4. ________________

Isolate the sounds; look at each other pronouncing them; look at yourself in the mirror.

Analyze what you see. Are your lips opened or closed? Are your lips round, spread or neutral? Can you see your tongue? Are your teeth touching? How far apart are they? Does your jaw move?

Analyze what you can’t see. Where is your tongue? Does it move? Which direction?

Choose one sound to report to the full group about.

TASK 4: Phoneme TASK 4: Phoneme ExerciserExerciser

With students:With students:Give phoneme and categories to students Working in groups, students think of words Students put words on board – check and

practice words◦give extra points to students with unique words

Extension 1 :◦Students write sentences with their words and

read them out to the class as dictationExtension 2:

◦have students trade their words◦students have to make a role-play with the

words

TASK 5: Pronunciation TASK 5: Pronunciation JourneyJourney2 Players: Reader and Traveler

Preparation: Reader secretly chooses 4 words in the minimal pair set (either left or right), numbering them 1,2,3,4 on his/her list. Reader secretly does journey to see what the destination will be with those choices.

The Game:The Game:Traveler places his marker at 1.Reader reads 1st word.Traveler moves his/her marker

either to the Left or Right depending on where it is located on the list. Traveler moves to position 2 on the journey and waits.

Reader reads 2nd word (action repeats as above).

After 4 words are read/4 moves made – players check to see if they have arrived at the same destination.

If players are not at the same place, redo (same roles, same words).

If players are at the same place, switch roles.

TASK 6: Consonant TASK 6: Consonant ClustersClustersBackwards Buildup: don’t

explain to the students – just do it …◦end tend etend retend

pretend◦ass lass class

IN GROUPS: Choose 2 or 3 consonant clusters that your students struggle with. Think of 2-3 words that you can use Backwards Buildup to practice with. Write out the break-down sequence. Practice. Present to group.

TASK 7: Final stopsTASK 7: Final stopsHow important are final stops?◦Put the rock in the cap. vs. ◦Pu the ro in the ca.

TASK 8: Put X in YTASK 8: Put X in Y

What you need: game board – 16 squares – each labeled

differently (choose a theme) – 1 for each player

game cards – at least 10 – showing language point you are studying – 1 set for each player

game wall – folded paper / cardboard that keeps players from seeing each other’s boards – 1 for each pair

How to play:How to play:Students take turns telling each other where to

place game cards on the game board. Player 1 calls out a card and location.

◦ “Put the word “make” in the K box.”◦ It’s important that he/she use the full sentence

so that the target words are pronounced in a sentence.

Both Players put their cards in the specified box.When Player 1 has called out all his /her cards,

Player 2 tells Player 1 where the cards are. If there are differences, Player 1 repeats

directions.Finally, they remove the wall to see if their boards

really are the same.Then Player 2 takes his/her turn.

TASK 9: Read my lips!TASK 9: Read my lips!Step 1: Practice by mouthing

these sentences in your mirror.DON’T MAKE ANY SOUND!

◦Hello.◦Nice to meet you.◦Where are you from?

Step 2: Try it with a partner.◦Take turns reading (NO SOUND) your

sentences and guessing what the other is saying.

TASK 10: Word StressTASK 10: Word StressDo you think your students are successful in saying the following words? ◦playing – saying – crying – driving -

singing◦information – recreation – separation –

invitation◦city – pretty

What solutions can we think of?

TASK 11: Word TASK 11: Word SentenceSentenceObjective: to build awareness of both

word and sentence stress patternsGive or elicit words for practice, being

sure to get a range of stress patterns.Students identify the word stress

patterns.Students create sentences with similar

stress patterns. Students read out their sentences, and

other students identify which stress patterns are being used.

Example:Example:

politician ooOo It’s important.

policeman oOo He’s English.

WORD STRESS PATTERN

SENTENCES

alternate (v)semestercurriculumhumanitarianinterruptiondetermination

TASK 12: IntonationTASK 12: Intonationgive students the transcript of an audio or

video textthey mark the text where they think the

stressed words are in each sentence students listen to the clip (2-3 times as

needed) to compare their guesses with real clipteacher asks students to focus on 2-3 specific

sections.teacher diagrams those sentences and asks

students why intonation rose/fell at those places

Extension: students practice speaking the clip with similar intonation

from KUNG FU PANDAfrom KUNG FU PANDA

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TASK 13: The Obama TASK 13: The Obama WorkshopsWorkshops

Students try to imitate not only the vocabulary and grammar, but the rhythm and gestures. Do you think is a good way to practice? Why? Why not? http://dotsub.com/view/8f210320-14a6-4fa5-b1a4-2e9611020126

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TASK 14: PracticeTASK 14: Practice

from from http://www.teenkidsnews.comhttp://www.teenkidsnews.comElephants are sending text messages in

Kenya. To protect local farms, the elephants have been tagged with devices that send a message when they get too close to civilization. That way the elephants can be shooed away before the crops are damaged.

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There’s disturbing news about our generation. In 17 of America’s largest cities, more than half the high school students don’t graduate. The lowest graduation rates are in Detroit, Indianapolis and Cleveland. Kids are much more likely to complete high school if they grow up in suburbs or small towns.

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TASK 15: AudacityTASK 15: Audacity

Record students – let them hear themselves and analyze their own speaking production.

Completely free software available online at: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Thank you Thank you for your participation!for your participation!

Toni HullEnglish Language Fellowth.in.tesol@hotmail.com

Materials from this workshop are available at: italldepends.pbworks.com

some exercises adapted from How to Teach Pronunciation, Gerald Kelly, 2000, Pearson Education Limited

BONUS: Shadow ReadingBONUS: Shadow Reading

Students work with a text that is available in both print and audio/video.

Students practice reading the text aloud at the same speed, rhythm, and intonation as the audio sample

After several practices, the sound is turned off after 10 or 15 seconds. Students continue reading.

The sound is turned on again at a later point to see if students are still in sync with the audio.