Chapter 6.

Pronuncuation
 Key question
Pronunciation is definitely the biggest
thing that people notice when you are
speaking English.

Share your secrets with peers and ponder

how to tweak your students’ pronunciation.
 Goals of this chapter
• You will be able to

 provide your own definition of pronunciation.

 explain the following concepts:

fluency/accuracy, speech intelligibility,
segmental and suprasegmentals, variation in
the sound system of English.

 understand and discuss benefits of using

gadgets/props and slow motion speaking in
the pronunciation class.
 What is pronunciation?
• The way that sounds are perceived by
the hearers

• Variations: a central feature of English

pronunciation(e.g. British/Irish/Indian)

• Refer to pg. 112(Reflection).

 Background of teaching
pronunciation

• 1940-50s: Listen & Repeat

 behaviorism

• 1960-70s: explicit attention(IPA)

• 1980s-current: CLT
 Principles for teaching
pronunciation
• Foster intelligibility during spontaneous
speech.
• Keep affective considerations firmly in mind.
• Avoid the teaching of individual sounds in
isolation.
• Provide feedback on learner progress.
• Realize that ultimately it is the learner who
is in control of changes in pronunciation.
 Classroom techniques & tasks
• Openness to change
• Contextualized minimal pairs
• Gadgets & props
• Slow motion speaking
• Tracking
• Techniques from drama & theater arts