1. Pronunciation: Just do it! (part 2) The key to intelligibility
Toni Hull
English Language Fellow

2. Topic Introduction

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

4. 2. If you were going to help the young man with his intelligibility problems, what steps would you take?

5. FOCUS: /s/ etc.

7.
play

10. TASK 2: Using your hands
To help students understand tongue position for a sound
stand sideways to the students
put your hand next to your cheek
use your hand as an external-to-the-mouth model for what your tongue is doing inside your mouth
Or use a drawing/diagram/model/etc.

11. TASK 3: Using Mirrors 1. 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? can you see the same differences?

12. Work in groups:
What other sounds are commonly mispronounced / confused by Vietnamese learners?
Isolate the sounds, look at each other pronouncing them, then look at yourself in the mirror.
Analyze what you see.

13. FOCUS: /f/ NOT /p/
/f/ place top teeth firmly on lower lip – release air continuously – no voice
/p/ place your lips firmly together – stop the air completely – then pop the lips open – no voice
Most students do fine when practicing the isolated sound, but the /f/ often slips to a /p/ when preceding a word!

14. TASK 4: Chopsticks
Student places chopstick horizontally against upper teeth – which forces the upper lip up.
He/she practices the /f/ sound (with different vowel sounds).
Then he/she practices words: fast, feel, fun, follow, family, favorite
Combine with mirror practice.

15. TASK 5: Consonant Clusters
Backwards Buildup: don’t explain to the students – just do it …
problem emlemblemoblemroblemproblem
street – swim – clean

16. TASK 6: Final stops How important are final stops?
Put the rock in the cap.
vs.
Pu the ro in the ca.

17. TASK 7: 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

18. 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.

19. Discussion: Word Stress
Do you think your students are successful in saying the following words?
playing – saying – crying – driving - singing
information – recreation – separation – invitation
city – pretty – healthy
What solutions can we think of?

20. TASK 8: 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.

21. FOCUS: Stress-timed Rhythm
In stress-timed rhythm, intervals between primarily stressed syllables tend to be equal, regardless of number of syllables.

22. TASK 9: One and then a two and then a…
objective: highlighting that English is a
stress-timed language and that each of the “thought groups” takes roughly the same amount of time to say (even as the phrase adds syllables) by using weak forms & elision
First practice this:
slap both thighs
clap your hands
click your right fingers
click your left fingers

23. 1. 3. 2. 4. SAY thighs 1 hands 2 right 3 thighs 1 and then left 4
hands 2 and then
right 3 and then
left 4 and then 2.
SAY
thighs 1 and
hands 2 and
right 3 and
left 4 and 4.
SAY
thighs 1 and then a
hands 2 and then a
right 3 and then a
left 4 and then a…

24. TASK 10: Backward Buildup
Learners practice a sentence or phrase by repeating the last thought group, then adding another group with each
repetition until the whole sentence has been produced
Practice sentences:
Near his house, / he has a small field / and he grows /a few vegetables. (Grade 6)
The first papermaking machine / was invented / in the late 1700s/ by a Frenchman. (Grade 8)

25. TASK 11: Intonation
Listen to the clip from Horton Hears a Who. How many meanings can you give the single word in the clip? What are they?
play

26. TASK 12: Oh…
How many ways can you say “Oh”? Look at the suggestions below. Can you think of more?
disappointment
anger
surprise
understanding
anticipation
Others????

27. On your own, practice saying “Oh” with different intonation.
In groups, take turns saying “Oh” with different intonation. Does everyone in the group agree on the intonation meaning? Work together to create the perfect examples to demonstrate to – and test - the rest of the group.

28. TASK 13: How many ways?
Look at the different intonation patterns for the question “You want me to give him money?“
Complete the 2nd sentence to illustrate a possible misunderstanding.
YOU want me to give him money? I thought …..
You WANT me to give him money? I thought …
You want ME to give him money? I thought …
You want me to GIVE him money? I thought …
You want me to give HIM money? I thought …
You want me to give him MONEY? I thought …

29. TASK 14: The Motorbike

30. DISCUSSION: The Obama Workshops
play
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?

31. TASK 15: Shadow Reading/Mirroring
Students try to speak at exactly the same speed and rhythm as an audio or video sample
Then they try with the sound turned down.
In the middle of the recording the sound is turned up again to see if the students are still in time with the recording.

33. from http://www.teenkidsnews.com
Elephants 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.
PLAY

34. There’s disturbing news about our generation
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.
PLAY

35. FOCUS: Audacity
Record students after the Mirroring activity or other activity.
Completely free software available online at:

36. Bottom line : give learners as many opportunities to speak as possible!

37. TASK 16: Role-Play - Vocabulary review
Your group will be given a list of 8 words
Create a role-play on any topic
You must use 4 of the words on the list somewhere in your role-play.
Everyone in your group must have a speaking role.
Write 2 comprehension questions about your role-play and give them to Ms. Toni.
for example: What does Khuyen want from Ngoc? Why did Hue call her mother?
Perform your role-play for the class.
After you perform, the class will
be asked the 2 comprehension questions
be shown your list of words and be asked to identify the 4 words you used
NOTE: give different groups – 10 words – have to create story using 5 words - they write words on board – perform – ss. have to say which words – have to retell using words

38. agree
blond
cruel
emigrate
fair
injure
match
precaution

39. agree
blond
cruel
emigrate
fair
injure
match
precaution

40. appear
chore
curly
escape
fishing rod
knife
mobile
reserved

41. arrange
commercial
demonstrate excited
folk tale
look after
object
rice cooker

42. assistant
conduct
device exhibition
generous
magically
orphanage
rise
traditional

43. bead
countless
directory
experiment
graze
mark
own
rug

44. seem
stationery
transmit
scissors
sound
festival
joke
message

45. slim
straight
volunteer
sink
steamer
upset
safety
sociable

46. VIDEO RESOURCES http://www.manythings.org/mp/m30.html
x.html
“The Obama Workshop”
- free software
- Horton Hears a Who

47. Thank you for your participation!
Toni Hull
English Language Fellow
PowerPoint of this presentation is available at:
italldepends.pbworks.com