How to teach English pronunciation using phonemes and games
Proper pronunciation is often overlooked in the field of language education. English textbooks and instruction manuals barely touch on the subject.
However, proper pronunciation is an important part of learning the English language! The number of words with similar sounds but completely different meanings can cause a lot of confusion if the correct pronunciation is not taught.
Can pronunciation be taught? Yes! Just keep in mind that textbooks may not always cover all approaches to teaching this important language skill.
Wrong Ways to Teach Pronunciation
Teaching pronunciation along with vocabulary introduction is a common mistake. Auditory learners and EFL learners who speak a related language can easily learn the pronunciation using this method, but those with a markedly different mother tongue will struggle.
Learning pronunciation through exercises is another popular method and can be effective for some, particularly when combined with studying the inconsistent patterns of English spelling. Disabilities, however, still apply to some students.
Can we effectively teach these students for whom traditional textbook suggestions fall short? Again, yes! There is one starting point that can benefit all students, and that is the study of phonemes.
Step One – Introduction to Phonemes
The phoneme is the only sound that marks the clear difference between similar words. For example, in the ‘at’ family of words (cat, fat, mat, sat), the phoneme is the initial letter (/c/, /f/, /m/, /s/). Using phonemes to teach pronunciation focuses on these different units of sound. The best way to start is to have students listen for and identify these differential sounds.
Enter phonemes in pairs for best results, such as /t/ and /d/. Ask students to repeat the sound, then simple words: ‘tip’, ‘dip’, ‘tuck’, ‘duck’. Drawn diagrams of how to hold the lips and tongue can also be helpful. Visual learners can also benefit from phonetic language symbols to help differentiate between phonemes that are spelled the same but sound different; the ‘th’ in the two words ‘thanks’ and ‘there’, for example.
Step Two – Practicing Phonemes
Once students have grasped the concept and are able to identify the phonemes, they should practice making the sounds accurately. This is where pronunciation charts can come in handy. Many sounds like ‘r’ and soft ‘g’ are articulated inside the mouth and it can be frustrating for students trying to duplicate them. Diagrams of the correct mouth and tongue position for these sounds can be found in many books and can be expanded for larger classrooms.
By now, you’ve probably realized that teaching ESL students pronunciation will take time. Learning a second language requires, to a certain extent, a reprogramming of the brain; new neural pathways must be created to process the new information. It is like a baby learning to speak at an accelerated rate: new facial expressions and sounds must be learned and applied.
Step Three – Word Pronunciation
When we teach at the phonemic level, we take noises and make them meaningful. When we work on pronunciation at the level of conversational dialogue, a new set of barriers appears.
Anxiety is a fairly common symptom among ESL students. The fear of failure makes them rigid and nervous, and this is often evident in their behavior. Repetitive word games such as Jazz Chants, clapping rhymes, and other structured activities can relieve much of this pressure and allow students to focus on pronunciation and intonation. self-confidence.
Learned helplessness is a less easy obstacle to detect. This refers to our psychological tendency to ‘give up’ after a few unsuccessful attempts, especially if there are negative comments from the teacher or classmates. The solution is simple: stay positive! Praise every progress, no matter how small, record student progress so she can hear her improvement regularly, and don’t forget to recognize slow students as well as fast ones!
Finally, a word about accents.
Cultural identity is the last and perhaps the most important issue to be addressed. ESL and EFL students who are learning English simply for business purposes often do not intend to assimilate and will not want to give up their accent entirely, as it sends a clear message about their roots and history.
The main objective here is not to reach a hypothetical standard of English pronunciation, but simply to ensure that all students can be easily understood. Any ‘foreign’ accent, in the end, is probably no more distracting than those of native English speakers from different parts of the world.
Games can also be helpful here, to break the ice and lessen the stress on accents. Imitations are a wonderful way to help students improve their pronunciation and also have fun. Many famous personalities can be used as models and students will have a lot of fun guessing who they are. Students will often find that their pronunciation will improve markedly as they imitate the speech patterns of their favorite actors and celebrities. They can even mimic the teacher for an added note of hilarity!
All of these ideas can be expanded and modified to fit the needs of your particular class. Teaching pronunciation to ESL students is very necessary, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. Just work on it a little during each class and watch your students’ skills grow!