New Gadgets for Your Pronunciation Toolbox Marla Yoshida UC Irvine Extension International Programs

Why do you need pronunciation tools? Teaching pronunciation, like any craft, is easier if you have the right tools.

Why do you need pronunciation tools? Show, don’t just tell. Students have many different learning styles. Tools that students can see or manipulate are valuable visual and kinesthetic aids.

Favorite gadgets from my pronunciation toolbox

Mirrors Let students see what their mouths are doing CDs work fairly well too.

Dental Model Show what’s happening inside the mouth You can also use your hands.

Listening tubes Students can hear their own voices more clearly while background noise is blocked out. “Paper Phone” Instructions

Pipe cleaners Model the intonation of sentences. Pronunciation is important. Is pronunciation important? Why is pronunciation important?

Rubber bands Stretch to emphasize stressed syllables or to show the contrast between tense and lax vowels

Drinking straws Help students feel tongue position for /r/ and /l/. Encourage lip rounding for /w/, /kw/,and/uw/. Use a bigger straw for / U /. To practice intonation, use as a baton to “conduct an orchestra.”

Feathers or tissue paper Practice aspiration of voiceless stops /p/, /t/, /k/

Glass blobs, beans, etc. With large and small blobs, students form syllable and stress patterns for words.

Balloons Demonstrate the difference between voiced and voiceless sounds.

Where’s the pronunciation tool store? Craft stores, toy stores, party supply stores, Home Depot, Lowes, your garage, junk drawer, or kids’ toy box List of sources for dental models and listening tubes: unciation-supplies.html unciation-supplies.html

Use your imagination! Many ordinary items can be creative additions to your pronunciation teaching toolbox!

Questions?

1. Cut the pattern out of heavy paper.

2. Fold up on the heavy dotted lines.

3. Roll and tape the ends.

4. Overlap and tape the center section.

5. Fold up the sides and tape them to the rolls at the ends.

6. The finished “paper phone.” Return to gadgets