ESL EFL magazine

ISSUE 05 VOL. 08 DECEMBER 2016

ESL/EFL

USD 3.00

PRONUNCIATION MAGAZINE How

is

pronunciation

necessary

in

learning

a

language?

Brainstorm what aspects are important in teaching pronunciation.

What

is

the

alphabet

phonemic

and

how

is

it

taught?

International Phonetic Alphabet

Veronica

AcuĂąa

Teaching Pronunciation ULACIT

INSIDE:

Pronunciation activities

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ESL/EFL MAGAZINE

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ENTRY 1 WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF PRONUNCIATION IN THE ACQUISITION OF A LANGUAGE?

1 Define what pronunciation is and its importance in learning a language.

Pronunciation is the act or result of producing the sounds of speech, including articulation, stress, and intonation, often with reference to some standard of correctness or acceptability1 . In other words, pronunciation is how we say words. And, it is important in learning a language to convey the right message because with the correct pronunciation will avoid making mistakes that are very common in the acquisition of a foreign language.

2 What aspects are important in teaching pronunciation?

In teaching pronunciation these aspects are important: the speed and the fluency because people who are learning a second language tend to speak fast, which makes a misunderstanding of what they are trying to say. So, teachers are in charge to teach the importance of the right speed. Likewise, it is important that students understand that fluency is not a synonym of speaking fast.

Intonation and stress are aspects that are essential in teaching pronunciation, because in the way that we intonate or stress a word we can change completely the message that we are trying to say in the first place.

3 What aspects should a teacher take into consideration when teaching pronunciation?

It is important that teachers take into consideration students’ background. For instance: .

English Level, cultural aspects (there are countries which some sounds are not produced it in the target language) and, common mistakes in their mother tongue. Once the teachers gather that information they can establish the proper strategies to teach pronunciation in their 1 pronunciation n d Dictionary com Unabridged Retrieved September 16 2016 from Dictionary com classroom websitehttp www dictionary com browse pronunciation . ( . ).

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ESL/EFL MAGAZINE

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TEACHING PROUNCIATION

ENTRY 2 TIMELINE WITH THE EVOLUTION OF PRONUNCIATION TEACHING

(1800-1900) DIRECT METHOD

AThe DM pushes the students to be able to understand the language directly without translating it. No translation is allowed news article is on a well-defined topic or topics that are related.

(1940- 1950) AUDIOLINGUALISM AND ORAL APPROACH

The Audio-Lingual Method is an oral based approach. It drills students in the use of grammatical sentence patterns. It has a strong theoretical based on linguistics and psychology .

(1970) SILENT WAY/THE COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING

it is characterized by the attention paid of production of both sounds and structures of the target language from the initial stage of instruction.

(1890)

THE REFORM MOVEMENT

This movement was a movement that influenced a lot the teaching pronunciation. Thanks to this movement the International Phonetic Alphabet emerged.

(1960) COGNITIVE APPROACH

it is influenced by the transformational- generative grammar .

(1980) COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE

this approach is focused on language as communication brings renewed urgency to the teaching of pronunciation, since both empirical and anecdotal evidence indicates that there is a threshold level of pronunciation for nonnative speakers of English.

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GLOSSARY

ESL/EFL MAGAZINE

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ENTRY 3

Consonants / Place of Articulation: • Bilabial: (From bi ´two´ + labial ´lips´). The primary constriction is at the lips (/p, b, m, w/) • Labiodental: (from labio ´lip´ + dental ´teeth´). The primary construction is between the lower lip and upper teeth (/f, v/).

• Interdental: (from inter ´between´ + dental ´teeth ´). The primary constriction is between the tongue and the upper teeth (/θ, ð/) • Alveolar: (from alveolar ridge). The primary constriction is between the tongue and the alveolar ridge (t, d, s, z, n, l/) • Palatal: (from palate). The primary constriction is between the tongue and the palate (/š, Ž, Č, ĵ, r, y/) • Velar: (from velum). The primary constriction is between the tongue and the velum (/ k, g, ŋ /) • Glottal: (from glottis, which refers to the space between the vocal cords). The primary constriction is at the glottis (/h/).

Manner of Articulation: • Stops: Two articulations (lips, tongue, teeth, etc.) are brought together such that the flow of air through the vocal tract is completely blocked (/p, b, t, d, k, g/) • Fricatives: Two articulators are brought near each other such that the flow of air is impeded but not completely blocked. Fricative (/f, v, θ, ð, s, z, š, Ž, h/) • Affricates: Articulations corresponding to affricates are those that begin like stops and end like fricatives (Č, ĵ) • Nasals: It is one in which the airflow through the mouth is completely blocked but the velum is lowered, forcing the air through the nose (/ m, n, ŋ/)

Liquids and Glides• Liquids and Glides: Both of these terms describe articulations that are mid-way between true consonants and vowels; however, they are both generally classified as consonants. Liquid is a cover term for (/l, r/). The term glide refers to an articulation in which the vocal tract is constricted, but not enough to block or impede the airflow (/w, y/).

Obstruents: Consonants that have been divided into stops, fricatives, and affricates.

Sonorants: Consonants that have been divided into nasals, liquids, and glides.

Voicing: For any articulation corresponding to one of these consonant phonemes, the vocal cords are either vibrating (/ b, d, g, v, ð, z, Ž, ĵ, m, n, ŋ, r, l, w, y/) or not (/p, t, k, f, θ, s, š, Č, h/) Level of representation: we are able to say that two segments are identical on one level of representation yet different on another.

Allophones: it occurs when specific properties of a phoneme vary according to its position in a word.

Phonological Rules: It consists of rules that essentially translate segments on one level into segments on another level.

• Aspiration: In this data, /p/ has two allophones, [ph] and [p] • Vowel Lengthening: It is related to the length of the vowels and consonants in a particular segment.

• Vowel Nasalization: A nasalized vowel is perceived as being pronounced with the velum lowered • Assimilation: A vowel becomes more like an adjacent nasal consonant by becoming nasalized itself.

• Flapping: In this data, both /t/ and /d/ become [r] (an alveolar flap) under certain circumstances. Flipping is a special case of neutralization, a process that obliterates the contrast between two segments in a particular environment.

Rule Ordering: • Consonant Cluster Reduction: It deletes a stop consonant from a cluster, or series, of consonants.

• Nasal Assimilation: it reflects the fact that a nasal segment is assimilating in place to an adjacent consonant segment.

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ESL / EFL MAGAZINE

CONSONANT PHONEMES CHART Entry 3

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ESL / EFL MAGAZINE

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TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ENTRY 4 WORD SEARCH PUZZLE ACTIVITY BY : VERONICA ACUÑA . SUSANA BRENES , CATALINA CESPEDES , VERONICA MORA Materials: * The teacher gives the worksheet to the students. *Pencil.

How to play it: The teacher must read the instructions before the game start, then the students must start at the same time and the first person that find the ten words wins.

Instruction: Consonant cluster in a word is a group of consonants with no vowels between them. For example, in the word “spring” [sprɪŋ] begins with a consonant cluster. Can you find all the consonant clusters in the phonemic spelling in this word search? Then write them as in normal letters. The words are written either horizontally , vertically , diagonally, and upside down.

1. _______________________ 2. _______________________ 3. _______________________ 4. _______________________ 5. _______________________

6. _______________________ 7. _______________________ 8. _______________________ 9. _______________________ 10. _______________________

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ESL / EFL MAGAZINE

19 TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ENTRY 5 General Objective *Recognize pronunciation patterns.

Specific Objectives *Encourage the student to practice pronunciation. *Identify the different sounds in a minimal pair of words. *Improve student’s pronunciation and their production ability.

Activity by: Veronica Acuña, Alonso Calvo, Veronica Mora

Description This activity can give students the opportunity to hear the difference between the minimal pairs1; recognize the different sounds in the word written on the card and clearly pronounce the difference when they have words with similar sounds. Then, each student has to find his/her group of words with similar sounds to produce a small paragraph and present it to the class.

Procedure The teacher will put on the whiteboard six groups of minimal pairs [i:] [ɪ], [əʊ] [ɔ:], [n] [ŋ], [f] [θ], [ð] [z], [æ] [ʌ], [d] [ʤ]. Then, the teacher will give to each student a card with one word. So, each student has to find their minimal pair for each group (five people per minimal pair) when all the students are together they have to invent or produce a "rap" with the words they have in their group. And present it to the class.

Students have 5 min approx. to complete the task.

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ESL / EFL MAGAZINE

19 TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ENTRY 6

E L Z Z U P D R O W CROSS

Instructions: Complete the crossword by filling in a word that fits each clue Activity by: Veronica Acuña

Across 2. A voiced sound that can function as the peak of the syllable.

3. It is how the mouth is divided into different sections in order to produce different sounds 6. position it is a visible factor that characterizes the production of vowel sound 7. vowels are articulated with muscles that are more relaxed.

8. sound are the core of the syllable.

10. these vowels / iy, ey, ɑ, ɔ, ow, uw/ are example of

w/ ro /y/ yb gniynapmocca na tuohtiw slewov :edilg tnecajdA tnemevom edilg gniynapmocca na tuohtiw slewov :slewov elpmiS .elballys eht fo kaep eht sa noitcnuf nac taht dnuos deciov A :tnaronoS .dexaler erom era taht selcsum htiw detalucitra era :slewov xaL sdnuos tnanosnoc lanif tuohtiw selballys :elballys nepO fo selpmaxe era /wu ,wo , , ,ye ,yi / slewov eseht :esneT dnuos lewov fo noitcudorp eht seziretcarahc taht rotcaf elbisiv a si ti :noitisop piL sdnuos tnereffid ecudorp ot redro ni snoitces tnereffid otni dedivid si htuom eht woh a si :tnardauQ elballys emas eht nihtiw edilg tnecajdanon a yb dewollof dnuos lewov a fo gnitsisnoc slewov :sgnohthpiD elballys eht fo eroc eht era :dnuos lewov rewsnA /

ɑ ɔ

Down 1. vowels consisting of a vowel sound followed by a nonadjacent glide within the same syllable 4. glide vowels without an accompanying by /y/ or /w/ 5. vowels without an accompanying glide movement 9. Syllables without final consonant sound.

Añadir un poco de texto

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ESL/EFL MAGAZINE

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ENTRY 7

Activity by: Veronica AcuĂąa, Alonso Calvo, Veronica Mora

Some people live for the fortune Some people live just for the fame Some people live for the power yeah Some people live just to play the game Some people think that the physical things Define what's within I've been there before But that life's a bore So full of the superficial Some people want it all But I don't want nothing at all If it ain't you baby If I ain't got you baby Some people want diamond rings Some just want everything But everything means nothing If I ain't got you

But everything means nothing If I ain't got you Some people want it all But I don't want nothing at all If it ain't you baby If I ain't got you baby Some people want diamond rings Some just want everything But everything means nothing If I ain't got you

Some people search for a fountain Promises forever young Some people need three dozen roses And that's the only way to prove you love them And in a world on a silver platter And wondering what it means No one to share, with no one who truly cares for me Some people want it all But I don't want, nothing at all If it ain't you baby If I ain't got you baby Some people want diamond rings Some just want everything

If I ain't got you with me baby Nothing in this whole wide world don't mean a thing If I ain't got you with me baby

If ain't got you by Alicia keys

Stress word Contraction Linking Reduction Blends Assimilation Epenthesis

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ESL / EFL MAGAZINE

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ENTRY 8 THINK ABOUT THE LEARNERS THAT YOU HAVE TAUGHT OR PLAN TO TEACH. WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU BELIEVE THESE LEARNERS WILL FACE IN THE AREAS LISTED IN QUESTION 3?

by Veronica Acuña

if the student has good basic grammar knowledge it will be easier for him/her to learn pronunciation.

T

eaching pronunciation is an area that it is very important but it is a process to that does not give the due importance. Many learners have a really hard time learning pronunciation patterns. Especially, stress and intonation because every language has different outlines. I think, also the fluency and the pronunciation of the mother tongue pronunciation is a feature that many students keep in mind and it is really hard for them to avoid. And if the teacher is not a native speaker the students will have problems to pronounce the words correctly.

Not everyone in the classroom in an ESL classroom has the same abilities and it is really hard for all of them and for the teacher gather all the group on the same level. For that reason, all the material that teacher will use to teach pronunciation have to be clear and easy to follow. I think, teachers have to make activities and worksheets easy to follow according to student’s needs. Likewise, it is essential to work in students’ motivation because learn stress intonation and this kind of subject can be really boring.

However, grammar goes together with pronunciation because there are some rules that the student has to follow in order to understand why the article “a” goes after a consonant and “an” goes after a vowel. It sounds simple but this is a common mistake that learners of a second language make many times. Hence, if the student has good basic grammar knowledge it will be easier for him/her to learn pronunciation.

Another challenge that students have to face is that they do not have the opportunity to practice with a native speaker which it is the best way to learn correctly the second language.

However, non-native speaker teachers have the knowledge to teach pronunciation. At the same time, they have to work with different tools that may help them with the topic. Nowadays, there are many tools like phonetic charts that have been developed by native speakers or YouTube channels that can facilitate it teaching pronunciation

ESL/EFL MAGAZINE

PAGE 11

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ENTRY 9

Activity by: Veronica Acuña and Veronica Mora

General Objective • Recognize vowels pronunciation patterns.

Specific Objectives • Identify the different vowels sounds.

• Improve student’s pronunciation vowels.

Description This interactive activity can give students the opportunity to identify the different sounds in vowels using a virtual roulette.

Procedure The teacher has to divide the class into two groups group red and group black. Each group have to select a leader; however, the rest of the members have the chance to help his/her representative. The teacher will use a virtual roulette. The leader of each group has to spinner the roulette that has a specific color which represents a specific vowel sound. The teacher then will give he/she a word with the color that the roulette showed it to the student. Finally, the leader has to categorize the word in the different vowels groups on the whiteboard. If the group are right with the classification of the word they will gain a coin. The team with more coins’ wins .

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ESL/EFL MAGAZINE

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

ENTRY 10

S P I T 0 1 FOR A TEACHER Group Activity

Group Activity by: Veronica AcuĂąa Susana Brenes Ignacio Diaz Maripaz Fonseca Ma. Fernanda GuzmĂĄn Adriana Herrera Tiffany Mata Johnny Mora Nicole Murillo Lidia Villalobos

1. Explain the students the difference between pitch and intonation.

2. Try to use movies or series to bring examples according to the unit concepts.

3. Use story tales to find the different intonation patterns.

4. No finality: teach them how to count the syllables with a card game.

5. Show the students different songs to bring examples.

6. Use simple sentences to apply all the definitions (prominence, intonation, finality, no finality, expressing emotion, getting attention, etc.)

7. Expressing emotions by using role plays, in that moment students can use the different utterances.

8. Draw the intonation with the students.

9. As a professor put the students exemplify with your own words.

10. At the end of the unit show the most common mistakes that non-native speakers made while learning.