1.      

     

2. Think about what ‘Phonology’ studies?

3. Segmentals Supra-Segmentals
Word stress
Vowel phonemes
Prominence
Consonant phonemes
Rhythm
Connected speech
Intonation

4. What practical ideas can I use to get started?

5. Pronunciation Ideas (not requiring technical background)
Model new words in context
Modeling intonation
Recognize the feeling
Use dialogues
Chants
Shadow reading
Voice settings

6. Which Pronunciation? What country?
US, UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa…
Standard or Non-standard?
Received Pronunciation (RP)
General American English (GA)
What style?
Casual, Academic?

7. What are realistic pronunciation goals we should aim at?

8. Think about what is possible in your context
Native or
Native-like
(traditional)
English as an International language (EIL)
Intelligibility (current)

9. Starting Points for Pronunciation
It may be very hard to teach an accent that is not one you can naturally use yourself
Students need to learn pronunciation that will allow them to be understood in the contexts where they are most likely to need to use the language
It is often appropriate and honest to:
(a) teach the pronunciation you speak yourself
(b) draw attention to local variations you are aware of
(c) highlight differences in accent that appear in course material

10. What do I need to know?

11. Some important concepts about sounds
Phonetic symbols are used to represent sounds as conventional letters are not be enough to represent sounds
E.g: Caught  How many letters are there?
How many sounds are represented in symbols?
Phonemes are the sounds in a language that distinguish meaning. If mispronounced, they can change meaning.
E.g: How can the (sum/sun) be so large?
Phonemes are divided into two major groups: Vowel phonemes and consonant phonemes. These may vary from language to language.
Variations in pronunciation of phonemes are called “allophones.” Allophones do not affect meaning

12. How can I help learners with phonemes (segmentals)?
   
     

13. (Received Pronunciation)
Phonemes in English
Standard British
(Received Pronunciation)
Standard American
(General American)
Are the phonemes in your language the same or different?

14. About phonemic symbols..
For teaching purposes, phonemic charts help to organize sounds in a concrete visual manner
Becoming familiar with sound transcriptions is an important step towards autonomous learning (E.g: looking up pronunciation in dictionaries)
The use of phonemic symbols will be useful for learners as long as they know which sounds they refer to

15. The Speech Organs (articulators)
Charts showing speech organs are an important tool for learners to become better aware of sound articulation
However, it is wise to remember that these charts do not necessarily translate into automatic “good pronunciation”

16. Pronunciation Games to familiarize Ss with phonemic symbols
Category words
Phoneme Bingo
Anagrams

17. General Ideas for working with Phonemes 
General Ideas for working with Phonemes
Integrate phonemic work into all your teaching of grammar and lexis
You can encourage your Ss to make a record of the phonemic transcription as well as the spelling of new items
Observation of mechanics: let students watch how you produce sounds
Ear-training: get Ss to distinguish sounds in words
Tongue twisters: to work on particular sounds or to contrast them
Transliteration: get Ss to write out word(s) or sentence in phonemic script
Train learners in using a dictionary to find pronunciation as well as spelling
Keep a phonemic chart on the wall of your classroom
Tap out words on the chart and ask Ss to say the words
Use the chart for pointing out correct sounds when students pronounce something wrong
Try a phonemic crossword

18. Phonemic Crossword Down Across “_____your time!” No movement; still.
Past of 1 Down
Some teachers do this too much!
5. Soldiers work for this organization
6. Past of 7 Across
7. ‘______ here!
Down
“_____your time!”
No movement; still.
A clock makes this noise.
You use this to make your hair tidy.

19.    
How can I help learners with word stress, prominence, rhythm, intonation (supra-segmentals)?

20. Word Stress
Word stress is basically the emphasized syllable in a word. E.g: Teacher 
Getting the stress wrong can seriously damage your chances of being understood
Words have their own stress pattern. They are fixed with very few exceptions.
A stressed syllable in a word is usually noticeable by being slightly louder, longer and higher in pitch (tone levels) than the syllables next to it
If you check a dictionary, you will usually find at least two types of word stress; namely, primary and secondary.
Check your book/dictionaries and look at the different ways word stress is marked

21. Prominence (sentence stress)
Prominence refers to the main syllables emphasized in a tone group
Stress is also an important feature of sentences, when it is known as prominence or, less accurately sentence stress
Prominence is show in terms of tone units (sections of speech with one main stress).
The main stress is known as the tonic syllable (or nucleus); there may also be one or more secondary stresses. Changes in prominence make substantial differences to meaning
E.g: Did you buy the green car? (not something else)
Did you buy the green car? (not another color)
Did you buy the green car? (not sell)
Did you buy the green car? (you, not somebody else)

22. 1.      
Connected Speech: Fluent speech in which words are not pronounced separately. A number of recognizable pronunciation changes occur, including weak forms and elision
What are you going to do?
1.      
2. 
What differences do you notice?
Elision (elimination), assimilation (change), intrusive sounds (insertion)?

23. []
The Schwa
The most common weak form (unstressed) vowel sound in English
It is the only sound to be given its own name
Ss will take a lot of convincing that words are really pronounced with schwa weak forms in natural English; instead, they may feel that using “full vowel sounds must be ‘correct’ English
Because the schwa is a short and unassertive sound, there is a danger that in focusing on it in classroom sentences, it might lose its natural weak character

24. Awareness-raising and practice ideas
[]
Awareness-raising and practice ideas
De-schwaed texts
Stress and unstress
Learn a limerick
Count the words

25. Intonation
Try saying common phrases such as hello or thank you (even in your language) with different intonation patterns. Think about how you feel

26. Intonation Sometimes referred to as the ‘music’ of language
We use it as a kind of equivalent of written punctuation
It is closely connected with prominence, for the main movement of intonation begins at the tonic syllable
The movement can be upwards (a rise), downwards (a fall), a rise with a fall (a rise-fall), a fall with a rise (a fall-rise) or flat. The movement is usually marked with arrows.
Intonation has a definite effect on meaning and also gives us information about the speaker’s attitude
Using unintended intonation may cause misunderstandings. If wrong intonation is used, a learner may sound bored or even offensive

27. Practical ideas for working on ‘intonation’
Work with a function grid
Get students to mark intonation patterns on dialogues
Get students to say the same single word with different intonation to convey completely different meanings
Use these differences to prepare and practice some one-word conversations
Hum, whistle, sing the sentence without words before you say it
Indicate intonation with hand gestures, waves, etc.
Exaggerate intonation (this can be funny)
Exaggerate lack of intonation
Encourage students to ‘feel’ the emotion as they speak. Emotions of anger, interest, surprise, boredom, etc. can naturally power the intonation

28. Designed as a companion for “Learning Teaching” Methodology V by J
Designed as a companion for “Learning Teaching” Methodology V by J. Gonzales
Office of Academic Research - ICPNA