Teacher Discussion Forums

I was looking for some ideas on how to teach pronunciation in my ESL classes. I glanced through the pronunciation forum discussion and read through the ones that looked like they might contain some info, but found nothing. So, I'll start if off.....

I've taught pronunciation in a number of ways:

Using phonics cards that I've made. In basic classes, I practice the AEIOU sounds a lot. I'm teaching in the US, so I teach our accent.

I have student use mirrors. We have a list of difficult words and they watch me pronounce the words and try to copy the form of my mouth and tongue in the hand held mirrors (from the dollar store!)

Taping. We have a list of words and those words in a sentence. The students pass a microphone and each one reads the list of words and sentences and then we play it back and say stop when we think someone was a bit off. I elicit the correct pronunciation and the student practices it again.

Listening to music with words. I recommend students do this to improve pronunciation & intonation.

Make sentances like, 'I walk to work', 'Where were you?', etc. with words that sound rather similar so that students have to really differentiate between the two, or more words and learn how to pronounce them in order to communicate. Practice one or two sentences per class. Have each student say it aloud.

Any other ideas?
Katie K

Katie
I don't have anything to add to your list; but when I was learning a second language I had a Walkman with tapes of songs that I liked because they pronounced the words clearly. I walked to work often, so I got plenty of practice singing along (in my head!!!), and my teachers commented on my improved pronunciation.

The method might appeal to some in the 15 to 45 age group (I was 50 at the time!) although not all would like English music, or would like to be seen with headphones on the bus. But if they're really serious about learning English .....

Good luck.
Norm.

Katie--

I am going to be teaching a pronunciation class next semester, so I've been thinking about how I'm going to do it. I know I will spend a lot of time on individual sounds and minimal pairs in different ways. However, I know it will also be necessary to focus on the rhythm of English, on stress patterns, reduced vowels, liaisons, etc. I sometimes do this with jazz chants I've made myself. (Jazz Chants is a book that you might want to look at. There are now several books in the series.) I have the class repeat the sentences, mark the stress, mark the liaisons, the reductions, and focus on the rhythm. Here's one I wrote that my students like a lot (I use American English, I might add. Don't know what it might sound like with a different variety of English. ) Maybe it will give you some ideas on things you can do.

What’ll He Do at the Zoo?

What’ll he do at the zoo, at the zoo,
What’ll he do at the zoo?
He’ll wander around and look at the bears,
And visit the elephants, too.

When’ll he go to the zoo, to the zoo,
When’ll he go to the zoo?
He’ll go to the zoo when he’s ready to go.
I think it’ll be around two.

How’ll he go to the zoo, to the zoo,
How’ll he go to the zoo?
He’ll probably drive or go on a bus,
Or a bicycle built for two.

Great stuff, Lorikeet.
We had a little concert to finish off last year, and our class learned four short, amusing animal poems. We found it was best to split the class into groups of four, each witha different poem, and each with at least one "leader" who was a bit more confident and had a better sense of rhythm (they're all older adult immigrants, with a range of first languages and different levels of shyness).
Over the couple of weeks that they were learning their poems there was just a bit of competition; but I think when one group was performing the others were also interested in listening and questioning why they said it this way rather than that. The vocabulary was sometimes a bit out-of-the-way, but I think they enjoyed playing with these odd words, and there were enough everyday expressions to make it useful. Your jazz chants are winners in that respect, Lorikeet. Hope you have fun with them, Katie.

Norm.

Wonderful ideas!
Thanks all.
Katie