Pronunciation What to focus on 1 Sounds vowels

Pronunciation – What to focus on: 1. Sounds (vowels, vowel length, consonants, consonant clusters) 2. Syllables (which you count by vowel sounds) 3. Word stress (syllable you want to emphasize) 4. Rhythm (pattern of strong/weak stress and long/short pronunciation) 5. Intonation (the rise and fall of the voice when speaking)

Pronunciation – Principles: 1. Plan (be aware of likely difficulties or diagnose them and prepare activities that will focus on these problems) 2. React to opportunities (look for opportunities to teach and practice pronunciation as they arise in the classroom – unplanned moments) 3. Avoid the teaching of individual sounds in isolation (practice sounds within the contexts of whole phrases, short sentences, and interactive classroom tasks – ones that provide opportunities for meaningful communication) 4. Expose students to a wide variety of accents (not just the standard American and British accents found in most textbooks – use TV shows, movies, Internet content, etc. ) 5. Develop general techniques for modeling and correcting (model > choral repetition > individual repetition)

Pronunciation – Principles: 1. Use a variety of activities (developing awareness, focused explanations, context, games, etc. ) 2. Personalize and encourage spontaneity (connect to students’ lives and use practiced items freely) 3. Keep affective considerations in mind (provide support when helping learners modify their ways of pronouncing English) 4. Provide feedback on progress (support students’ efforts, guide them, and provide cues for improvement – help them know where to place their energies) 5. Recycle activities (to recall and reinforce)