VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE

COURSE SYLLABUS
I. General information

1. Course title PRONUNCIATION

2. Course code NVA108

3. Type of course (compulsory, optional) Compulsory

4. Level of course Bachelor

5. Year of study (if applicable) 1

6. Semester when the course is delivered 1

7. Number of course credits allocated 3 (2 theoretical credits + 1 practical credit)

Independent study: 90 hours
8. Name of lecturer(s) N/A

9. Mode of delivery (face-to-face, distance face-to-face, distance learning

learning)

10. Prerequisites N/A

11. Language of instruction English

12. Work placement(s) N/A

II. Course overview

● The course introduces the English sound system including segmental elements (consonants, vowels,
and diphthongs), and supra-segmental elements (intonation, stress, strong forms and weak forms,
rhythm and linking).
● The course helps students to familiarize themselves with the international phonemic symbols, spelling
rules, strong forms and weak forms, stress, intonation and linkings, and to practice English sounds
through listening and speaking, and drills.
III. Course learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. identify the nature of sound articulation and production of supra-segmental features
2. correctly produce segmental and supra-segmental features
3. select ICT applications for learning and research
4. demonstrate communication and teamwork skills
5. show positive responses to cultural diversity

IV. Recommended or required readings

Required Texts and Materials
● Classwork
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Baker, A. (2006). Ship or sheep – An intermediate course (New Edition). Cambridge: CUP.
● Homework and Self-study
Hancock, M. (2003). English pronunciation in use: Intermediate. Cambridge: CUP.
Supplementary Texts and Materials
● Hewings, M. (2007). English pronunciation in use: Advanced. Cambridge: CUP.
● Mortimer, C. (1985). Elements of pronunciation: Intensive practice for intermediate and more advanced
students. Cambridge: CUP.
● O’Connor, J. D., & Fletcher, C. (1989). Sounds English: A pronunciation practice book. Singapore:
Longman.

V. Course contents and schedules

Planned learning activities and
Sessions Course contents Required readings
teaching methods
Course introduction Lecture
1 Unit 1. /iː/ (sheep) Baker, A. (2006). pp. 1-10 Discussion
Unit 2. /ɪ/ (ship) Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 4. /æ/ (man) Lecture
2 Baker, A. (2006). pp. 15-26 Discussion
Unit 6. /ɑː/ (heart) Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 8. /ɒ/ (clock) Lecture
3 Baker, A. (2006). pp. 29-35 Discussion
Unit 9. /ɔː/ (ball) Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 10. /ʊ/ (book) Lecture
4 Baker, A. (2006). pp. 36-42 Discussion
Unit 11. /uː/ (boot) Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 12. /ɜː/ (girl) Lecture
5 Unit 13. /ə/ (camera) Baker, A. (2006). pp. 43- 51 Discussion
Progress Test 1 (A2) Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 15. /eɪ/ (male) Lecture
6 Unit 16. /aɪ/ (fine) Baker, A. (2006). pp. 54-62 Discussion
Unit 17. /ɔɪ/ (boy) Individual/Pair/Group Practice

Unit 18. /aʊ/ (house) Lecture

7 Baker, A. (2006). pp. 63-69 Discussion
Unit 19. /əʊ/ (phone) Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 20. /ɪə/ (year) Lecture
8 Baker, A. (2006). pp. 70-75 Discussion
Unit 21. /eə/ (chair) Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 23. /p/ (pen) Lecture
9 Baker, A. (2006). pp. 81-88 Discussion
Unit 24. /b/ (baby) Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 25. /t/ (table) Lecture
10 Unit 26. /d/ (door) Baker, A. (2006). pp. 89-96 Discussion
Progress Test 2 (A3) Individual/Pair/Group Practice

Unit 27. /k/ (key) Lecture

Baker, A. (2006). pp. 97-
11 Discussion
Unit 28. /ɡ/ (girl) 104 Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 32. /ʃ/ (shoe) Lecture
Baker, A. (2006). pp. 114-
12 Discussion
Unit 33. /ʒ/ (television) 119 Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 34. /tʃ/ (chip) Lecture
Baker, A. (2006). pp. 120 -
13 Discussion
Unit 35. /ʒ/ (January) 177 Individual/Pair/Group Practice

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 Unit 42. /θ/ (thin) Lecture
Baker, A. (2006). pp. 151 -
14 Discussion
Unit 43. /ð/ (feather) 158 Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Unit 45. /m/ (mouth)
Unit 46. /n/ (nose) Lecture
Baker, A. (2006). pp. 162-
15 Discussion
Unit 47. /ŋ/ (ring) 171 Individual/Pair/Group Practice
Progress Test 3 (A4)
TBA Final Exams (A3, A4)

VI. Assessment scheme

Assessment Tasks Percent Score Percent of Total Grade

A1. Participation 50% Midterm 30%
A2. Progress test 1 50%
A3. Progress test 2 100%
A4. Progress test 3
Final exams Final 70%
● A5. Oral 40%
● A6. Written 60%
100%
100% (Passing
Grade: 5/10)

(See detailed rubrics attached.)

VII. Course alignment matrix

Programme learning Teaching and Assessment
Course learning outcomes (CLOs)
outcomes (PLOs) learning activities tasks
CLO1 – identify the nature of sound
A2 + A3 + A4
articulation and production of supra- PLO1 – L1 L+D+P
+ A5 + A6
segmental features
CLO2 – produce segmental and supra- L+D+P A2 + A3 + A4
PLO1 – L1
segmental features + A5 + A6
CLO3 – select ICT applications for L+D+P A2 + A3 + A4
PLO3 – L1
learning and research + A5 + A6
CLO4 – demonstrate communication and L+D+P
PLO3 – L1 A1
teamwork skills
CLO5 – show positive responses to cultural L+D+P A2 + A3 + A4
PLO6 – L1
diversity + A5 + A6
(Note: L = Lecture, D = Discussion, P = Individual/Pair/Group Practice)
VIII. Course policies
A. Grades
Grade Policy: All grades are public and transparent to all students. Instructors are required to inform students
of their midterm scores during course time. Any queries about their midterm scores should be raised and
answered TWO WEEKS prior to the instructor’s submission of the scores to the Faculty Academic Office.
Group Work Policy: All group members are required to take part in a group oral presentation and/or written
project and thus receive the same score(s) based on the whole group’s performance. Once formed, groups
cannot be changed except for cases of students’ extended hospitalization.
B. Technology and Media

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Students are encouraged to contact instructors via email after class hours if they have any queries about the
course contents, lessons, etc. The instructor’s email address should be provided in the first meeting of the
course.
C. Student Expectations
1. Attendance in all sessions is strongly recommended. Participants are required to give advance notice of
their absence in case of illness or any other situations. However, 80% is the minimum attendance required
for a student to take the final test.
2. The use of mobile phones and/or laptops for personal purposes without instructors’ permission is forbidden
during class time.
3. Participants are expected to be well prepared and take an active role in class discussions and work
collaboratively with their peers.
4. Forms of plagiarism and cheating will lead to a failing grade or zero on the assignment or test.

Date of approval: January 2021

Approved by Prepared by

Department of Language Skills

Nguyen Dang Nguyen, Ph.D.

Dean, Faculty of English Linguistics and
Literature