Chapter 9 Teaching Pronunciation

9.1 The nature of pronunciation

9.2 Aspects of pronunciation
9.3 Principles for teaching pronunciation
9.4 Methods of teaching pronunciation
 Objectives

Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to:

• understand the nature of pronunciation
• discuss aspects of pronunciation
• outline principles for teaching pronunciation
• conduct different classroom activities for teaching pronunciation
 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.1 The nature of pronunciation

Brainstorm and answer the following questions.
1) How did you learn English pronunciation?
2) Do you consider pronunciation important for an ESL/EFL
learner? Why or why not?

Pronunciation
Producing side Receiving side

How we pronounce Who the speakers are a

words, phrases, and s nd what they are like
entences

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.1 The nature of pronunciation

Give some examples to show the differences between
segmental phonology and suprasegmental phonology.

Segmental phonology

individual sounds (the phonemes)

differences in conceptual or semantic meaning

Suprasegmental phonology

differences in stress, rhythm, and intonation

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.2 Aspects of pronunciation

Work in pairs. Discuss and answer the following
questions:

1) According to your learning experience, what makes

it difficult for you to learn English pronunciation?
2) Have you ever been instructed to imitate the native
accent?

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.2 Aspects of pronunciation

Which of the following aspects do you think is the most
challenging to Chinese English learners? Why?
Aspects of pronunciation

Individual Word Rhythm Flow of

sounds & stress Intonation speech
stress

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.2 Aspects of pronunciation

Work in pairs. Study the rhyme below and decide which
aspects of pronunciation are reflected in this exercise.

individual sounds
intonation
flow of speech
...

苏教版英语课本三年级上册
Unit 11, p. 69

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.2 Aspects of pronunciation

According to Lenneberg(1967), “There is a wide consensus that
only a few people can acquire native-like accent especially after
the age of puberty”. If that is true, what should be MORE realistic
goals of teaching and learning pronunciation?

Intelligibility Reduction of certain accent features

Comprehensible words, p Avoidance of both segmental

hrases, and utterance and suprasegmental errors

Confidence in speaking

Friendly and encouraging

atmosphere of learning to
foster learners’ confidence
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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.3 Principles for teaching pronunciation

Work in groups. Discuss the following question
and share with each other your experiences.

How did your English teacher teach you pronunciation?

Ask you to listen to the native Correct your pronunciation

speakers' pronunciation? errors again and again?

Organize dubbing activities?

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.3 Principles for teaching pronunciation

Expose Set Take affective

students to intelligibility factors
native as the goal into consideration
speakers’
pronunciation

Has your teacher followed these principles for teaching

pronunciation?
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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.4 Methods of teaching pronunciation

Answer the following questions:
1)What methods are most frequently used to teach and learn
pronunciation according to your experience?
2)Are those methods effective? Why or why not?

Visu Fluency Auditory

Non-verbal
al practice stimulation
language
aids

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.4 Methods of teaching pronunciation

Visual aids

 Exaggerating articulation
Visually demonstrate sounds by various degrees of lip-
rounding and lip-spreading

 Sammy diagrams
Diagrams of the different places of articulation

 Mirrors
Students looking at their mouths in a mirror, noting the
position of their lips and tongue

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.4 Methods of teaching pronunciation

Non-verbal language
How can you use non-verbal language to help students practice
the the following sounds?

1. popular / popularity
 Conducting
2. music / musician
 Tapping 3. China / Chinese

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.4 Methods of teaching pronunciation

Fluency practice
 Slow speech
Say a sentence with a difficult combination of
sounds slowly and accurately before working up to
a more natural tempo

 Acceleration
With each repetition of the sentence, increase the
speed.

 Limericks
Emphasize the stress-timed and rhyming aspect of
English.

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.4 Methods of teaching pronunciation

Auditory stimulation
 Minimal pairs
Pairs of words or phrases in a particular language
that differ in only one phonological element
A big black bug bit a
big black bear, made
the big black bear
bleed blood.
 Tongue Twisters
Get students to actively listen and find the
contrasts between different sounds.

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.4 Methods of teaching pronunciation

Auditory stimulation
 Intonation and stress practice
Communicative situations where intonation and stress are
used can be involved to increase authenticity

Transliteration or transcription practice

A word, a phrase, or a sentence in the form of phonemes
can be given and transcribed into normal spelling

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 实用英语教学法教程 Chapter 9

9.4 Methods of teaching pronunciation

Watch the two videos and figure out how these two
teachers teach the pronunciation of “th” sound.
How to pronounce the “th” sound

How to Pronounce the "Th" Sound | English Lessons Pronunciation: "th"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9CdgopSW0I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH6frSvVrEU

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 Assignment

Design a lesson plan to teach the

English sound /ʒ/.

Teach the sound to your partner

following your lesson plan.

Evaluate whether your lesson is effective

or not. Improve the lesson if necessary.