Pronunciation: Just do it! (part 2) The key to intelligibility Toni Hull English Language Fellow th.in.tesol@hotmail.com www.italldepends.pbworks.com

Topic Introduction

TASK 1: What’s the problem? 1. Watch the video clip. There is a breakdown in intelligibility. What’s the problem? Why does it happen? play Coast Guard = organization that helps boats who have troubles while at sea “may day – may day” = a radio signal used when boats are in danger (like “SOS”)

2. If you were going to help the young man with his intelligibility problems, what steps would you take?

FOCUS: /s/ etc.

http://www.soundsofenglish.org/

http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/# play

http://www.youtube.com/user/JenniferESL

http://www.manythings.org/mp/m30.html

TASK 2: Using your hands To help students understand tongue position for a sound stand sideways to the students put your hand next to your cheek use your hand as an external-to-the-mouth model for what your tongue is doing inside your mouth Or use a drawing/diagram/model/etc.

TASK 3: Using Mirrors 1. Look at yourself pronouncing /s/ and /ʃ/ and /tʃ/ 2. Look at yourself pronouncing see, she, chee[tah] 3. Look at your partner saying the sounds: do you look the same? can you see the same differences?

Work in groups: What other sounds are commonly mispronounced / confused by Vietnamese learners? Isolate the sounds, look at each other pronouncing them, then look at yourself in the mirror. Analyze what you see.

FOCUS: /f/ NOT /p/ /f/ place top teeth firmly on lower lip – release air continuously – no voice /p/ place your lips firmly together – stop the air completely – then pop the lips open – no voice Most students do fine when practicing the isolated sound, but the /f/ often slips to a /p/ when preceding a word!

TASK 4: Chopsticks Student places chopstick horizontally against upper teeth – which forces the upper lip up. He/she practices the /f/ sound (with different vowel sounds). Then he/she practices words: fast, feel, fun, follow, family, favorite Combine with mirror practice.

TASK 5: Consonant Clusters Backwards Buildup: don’t explain to the students – just do it … problem emlemblemoblemroblemproblem street – swim – clean

TASK 6: Final stops How important are final stops? Put the rock in the cap. vs. Pu the ro in the ca.

TASK 7: Put X in Y What you need: game board – 16 squares – each labeled differently (choose a theme) – 1 for each player game cards – at least 10 – showing language point you are studying – 1 set for each player game wall – folded paper / cardboard that keeps players from seeing each other’s boards – 1 for each pair

How to play: Students take turns telling each other where to place game cards on the game board. Player 1 calls out a card and location. “Put the word “make” in the K box.” It’s important that he/she use the full sentence so that the target words are pronounced in a sentence. Both Players put their cards in the specified box. When Player 1 has called out all his /her cards, Player 2 tells Player 1 where the cards are. If there are differences, Player 1 repeats directions. Finally, they remove the wall to see if their boards really are the same. Then Player 2 takes his/her turn.

Discussion: Word Stress Do you think your students are successful in saying the following words? playing – saying – crying – driving - singing information – recreation – separation – invitation city – pretty – healthy What solutions can we think of?

TASK 8: Read my lips! Step 1: Practice by mouthing these sentences in your mirror. DON’T MAKE ANY SOUND! Hello. Nice to meet you. Where are you from? Step 2: Try it with a partner. Take turns reading (NO SOUND) your sentences and guessing what the other is saying.

FOCUS: Stress-timed Rhythm In stress-timed rhythm, intervals between primarily stressed syllables tend to be equal, regardless of number of syllables.

TASK 9: One and then a two and then a… objective: highlighting that English is a stress-timed language and that each of the “thought groups” takes roughly the same amount of time to say (even as the phrase adds syllables) by using weak forms & elision First practice this: slap both thighs clap your hands click your right fingers click your left fingers

1. 3. 2. 4. SAY thighs 1 hands 2 right 3 thighs 1 and then left 4 hands 2 and then right 3 and then left 4 and then 2. SAY thighs 1 and hands 2 and right 3 and left 4 and 4. SAY thighs 1 and then a hands 2 and then a right 3 and then a left 4 and then a…

TASK 10: Backward Buildup Learners practice a sentence or phrase by repeating the last thought group, then adding another group with each repetition until the whole sentence has been produced Practice sentences: Near his house, / he has a small field / and he grows /a few vegetables. (Grade 6)   The first papermaking machine / was invented / in the late 1700s/ by a Frenchman. (Grade 8)

TASK 11: Intonation Listen to the clip from Horton Hears a Who. How many meanings can you give the single word in the clip? What are they? play

TASK 12: Oh… How many ways can you say “Oh”? Look at the suggestions below. Can you think of more? disappointment anger surprise understanding anticipation Others????

On your own, practice saying “Oh” with different intonation. In groups, take turns saying “Oh” with different intonation. Does everyone in the group agree on the intonation meaning? Work together to create the perfect examples to demonstrate to – and test - the rest of the group.

TASK 13: How many ways? Look at the different intonation patterns for the question “You want me to give him money?“ Complete the 2nd sentence to illustrate a possible misunderstanding. YOU want me to give him money? I thought ….. You WANT me to give him money? I thought … You want ME to give him money? I thought … You want me to GIVE him money? I thought … You want me to give HIM money? I thought … You want me to give him MONEY? I thought …

TASK 14: The Motorbike

DISCUSSION: The Obama Workshops play Students try to imitate not only the vocabulary and grammar, but the rhythm and gestures.   Do you think is a good way to practice? Why? Why not? http://dotsub.com/view/8f210320-14a6-4fa5-b1a4-2e9611020126

TASK 15: Shadow Reading/Mirroring Students try to speak at exactly the same speed and rhythm as an audio or video sample Then they try with the sound turned down. In the middle of the recording the sound is turned up again to see if the students are still in time with the recording.

from http://www.teenkidsnews.com Elephants are sending text messages in Kenya. To protect local farms, the elephants have been tagged with devices that send a message when they get too close to civilization. That way the elephants can be shooed away before the crops are damaged. PLAY

There’s disturbing news about our generation There’s disturbing news about our generation. In 17 of America’s largest cities, more than half the high school students don’t graduate. The lowest graduation rates are in Detroit, Indianapolis and Cleveland. Kids are much more likely to complete high school if they grow up in suburbs or small towns. PLAY

FOCUS: Audacity Record students after the Mirroring activity or other activity.   Completely free software available online at: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Bottom line : give learners as many opportunities to speak as possible!

TASK 16: Role-Play - Vocabulary review Your group will be given a list of 8 words Create a role-play on any topic You must use 4 of the words on the list somewhere in your role-play. Everyone in your group must have a speaking role. Write 2 comprehension questions about your role-play and give them to Ms. Toni. for example: What does Khuyen want from Ngoc? Why did Hue call her mother? Perform your role-play for the class. After you perform, the class will be asked the 2 comprehension questions be shown your list of words and be asked to identify the 4 words you used NOTE: give different groups – 10 words – have to create story using 5 words - they write words on board – perform – ss. have to say which words – have to retell using words

agree blond cruel emigrate fair injure match precaution

agree blond cruel emigrate fair injure match precaution

appear chore curly escape fishing rod knife mobile reserved

arrange commercial demonstrate excited folk tale look after object rice cooker

assistant conduct device exhibition generous magically orphanage rise traditional

bead countless directory experiment graze mark own rug

seem stationery transmit scissors sound festival joke message

slim straight volunteer sink steamer upset safety sociable

VIDEO RESOURCES http://www.manythings.org/mp/m30.html http://www.soundsofenglish.org/ http://www.uiowa.edu/%7Eacadtech/phonetics/# http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/studentnews/03/18/transcript.fri/inde x.html http://www.youtube.com/user/JenniferESL http://www.teenkidsnews.com http://www.teenkidsnews.com/video/videos/241/school-drop-outs http://dotsub.com/view/8f210320-14a6-4fa5-b1a4-2e9611020126 “The Obama Workshop” http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ - free software http://www.traileraddict.com/ - Horton Hears a Who

Thank you for your participation! Toni Hull English Language Fellow th.in.tesol@hotmail.com PowerPoint of this presentation is available at: italldepends.pbworks.com