Pronunciation: Incorporating it into your lesson TEAM WorkshopTeaching ESL for excellence2 April 2011

Fluency:Linking of Consonant & Vowel Sounds•one evening

o neevening

•a serious accident a seriou saccident

•the exact opposite the exac topposite

Fluency:Linking between consonant sounds• a warm breeze

• I’ve seen it

• starting tomorrow

• stop now

• heard tell

• make bread

/p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/ + /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/ OR /m/, /n/

No air is released smooth change to the second sound

No break between the sounds

Fluency:Same consonant sounds•some milk

•glorious sunshine

•it’s half full

One lengthened consonant sound is made

Fluency:Vowel Sound + Vowel Sound•who is it?

•go away

•can you see it?

• it’s completely empty

/w/

/w/

/j/

/j/

/u:/, /a℧/, /Ə ℧ / /w/

/i:/, /ei/, /ai/, / Ɔi/ /j/

Fluency:Contracted forms•had, would ‘d (It’d be wonderful.)

•Is, had ‘s (She’s left.)

•Have ‘ve (I could’ve gone.)

•Are ‘re (We’re winning.)

Fluency:Ellipsis & ‘Near Ellipsis’•I’m not sure.

Not sure. / ‘m not sure.•It’s really hot.

Really hot / ‘s really hot.•Is that Ken?

That Ken? / ‘s that Ken?•Have you seen my keys?

Seen my keys? / v’y seen my keys?

Fluency:Leaving Out Consonant Sounds• an old car• I changed clothes• Can you find Mark?

• ask him.• Did you meet her?

• almost• already

• a bottle of water• a waste of time

Fluency:Words that lose a syllable•average•happening

•considerable•history

•carefully•family

•national•personal

•government•vegetable

So…How can you incorporate and

teach these aspects of pronunciation into your class?

In class…•Choose one aspect of pronunciation

(fluency, stress, intonation, weak forms, phrasing, etc)

•Highlight as you teach dialogues/conversations

•Students read a text/conversation and highlight themselves

Highlight aspects of pronunciation related to fluency in this short dialogueA: What sort of car are you planning to

buy?

B: I was thinking of a buying second-hand car from this car yard. But because I don’t know anything about cars, I paid for the RACQ to inspect it. And they found all kinds of things wrong, so, of course, I did not buy it.

Highlight aspects of pronunciation related to fluency in this short dialogueA: What_sort of car are you planning_to buy?

B: I was_thinking of buying a second-hand car

from_this_car yard. But because I don’t know

anything about cars, I paid_for the RACQ to

inspect it. And they found all kinds of

things_wrong, so, of course, I didn’t buy it.

/j/

/j/

Examples taken from:English Pronunciation

in Use: Advanced

Martin Hewings

Cambridge University Press, 2007.