Using the WEPP (Web-based English Pronunciation Programme) to Empower Students with Pronunciation Skills 利用標準英文口語拼音網上課程 加強學生英文拼音能力 Terri Leong English Language Centre The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Aim of WEPP Web-based English Pronunciation Programme (WEPP) aims to provide secondary school students with an online learning environment to learn English pronunciation and the International Phonetic Alphabets (IPA) sounds. It also aims to assist teachers to incorporate pronunciation training into their English lessons.

Overview 1.Project overview – Strengths, features, users’ feedback 2.WEPP website - Demo 3.Technical and pedagogical implication 4.Practical Ideas for teaching and learning 5.Discussion and feedback

Strengths of the WEPP A fun, easy, and effective English phonics and phonetics training courseware Unique, innovative and exciting way to learn English pronunciation Systematic and holistic approach of learning English pronunciation Practical and interactive tutorials and exercises for phonemic training The use of tutorial lessons, interactive tasks, charts, games, and animation to maintain users’ interest Enhancement of satisfaction and joy in teaching and learning User-friendly interface and flexible release dates

The WEP programme and its corresponding e-books can be used in the classroom, language lab, or in self-access learning. The core of WEP programme is a web-site which provides students and teachers with a virtual learning platform to access the on-line materials. Each teacher and student will be given a user name and password to access the site. Each unit of Weekly work starts with a default tutorial, followed by some practice tasks, and end with the assessment quizzes based on the topics. Scores will be recorded for each unit of assessment quiz. To motivate students, a top-ten list will also be generated automatically according to individual class results. Teachers can also access the site for progress checking. Features of the WEPP

Users’ Feedback Gained the phonemic (IPA) skill that enhance their confidence in word pronunciation, Reported that their accents and flat tones could gradually be removed, Could better appreciate the beauty of sounds and became more willing to speak up, Could master the skills of sentence chunking and able to read-aloud poems and create their own poems.

WEPP Demo

Website Interfaces For Student  View & access contents  View scores For Teacher  View & access contents  View students’ progress  Additional functions for teachers; i.e. teacher notes, videos For School Administrator  Same as Teacher’s Interface  Additional functions for school administrators / head teachers

Website Menu Screenshots Student Teacher School Administrator Additional function for School Administrator One of the additional function for Teacher & School Administrator

My Teaching Daily Task (All daily task items) Weekly Task (All 11-week task contents for teaching and tutorials) e-Books (Hyperlink to contents of the past weeks) Games (Extra practices for enhancing pronunciation skills) Teacher’s Notes (Suggested ideas for teaching, classroom activities, and hyperlink resources)

Daily Task Two sets of Daily Task  Pronunciation Exercise Stressed Syllable Identification (with/out sound recording facility)  IPA Practice Typing Task using the IPA Learning Device (A Tie to link Spelling Patterns with IPA symbols)

Games

Ways to integrate the WEPP with School Curriculum Two Ways  Offering Pronunciation Training Workshops ( 5 Language Arts Lessons Daily Web Tasks )  Conducting Pronunciation MMLC Sessions (11 Lessons + 11 Weekly Quizzes and 100 Daily Web Tasks ) Roles for Teacher & Students Material used  Workshops - Phonics Lesson 4, Sets of Handouts, and WEPP Website ( Daily Mode)  Pron. MMLC Sessions (Dynamic Mode) Outcomes  Learn 44 IPA letters, Segmentation, Create and recite own stories/ poems (Phonemic Awareness skills)  Recognise IPA sounds/ pronounce words

Language Arts Lessons- Aim and Objectives  can appreciate the stress placement and rhythm in both word pronunciation and sentence reading  understand how the 44 IPA sounds or letters help to describe the sound system of English language  read and write short poems in right prosody as opposed to jerky, hesitant and poor pronunciation  can produce the alliteration and rhyming effect at the start and end of the words in sentence writing.

MMLC Pron Lab Sessions - Course Objectives  understand the relationship between sound and spelling patterns in words  be able to differentiate the 44 phoneme sounds of English  be able to count the number of syllables in words and phrases  be able to read words and phrases with appropriate stress.

Overall Design of WEPP Website Skill Training (Thought Expression – Intonation) Knowledge Building (Pronunciation) Awareness Raising (Confidence)

Daily Web Release Schedule

Weekly Web Release Schedule

Preparation Work – MMLC Sessions School to subscribe and join the WEPP Schedule the weekly release dates Book MMLC for the 11 sessions Students to register into the groups corresponding to their school teachers Prepare lessons and meet students weekly to work through the web-based tutorial lessons and finish the quizzes in the MMLC Be prepare to reward students who finish the scheduled tasks

Preparation Work – Language-Arts Workshops Subscribe and join the WEPP Schedule the daily release dates Students to register into the groups corresponding to their school teachers Get copies of the Phonics Lesson Book 4 To copy sets of lesson Worksheets. d_id=174&feature_id=1583

Task You are going to listen to a short presentation on the vowel sounds. Be ready to learn and memorise the 20 Vowels and its corresponding letters to represent the sounds. Pay special attention to the spelling patterns (phonics) and their corresponding sounds (IPA).

24 Consonants

Rule No. 1: Short Vowel Sounds Words with one vowel usually have short vowel sounds. The short vowel sound words always end in a consonant.

Rule No. 2: Long Vowel Sounds Sound of a long vowel is the same as the name of the vowel letter. Words with two vowels usually have long vowel sounds. The first vowel letter usually says its name while the second vowel letter is silent. There are a number of ways to spell these long vowel sounds.

Rule No. 3: R-controlled Vowel Sounds When a vowel is followed by an ‘r’ in the same syllable, that vowel is ‘r- controlled’. It is not long nor short. ‘R-controlled ‘er, ir and ur’ often sound the same ( like ‘er’ ). Examples : ‘terms, sir, fur, for, or/der’.

Rule No. 4: Diphthong Sounds Diphthongs are vowels where the tongue and/ or lips change position, so that there are two parts to making the sound. Since the sounds are not making at the near position in the month, they involve a broad gilding movement from one point of articulation to the other.

Task 2 Read the two poems and identify number of syllable sounds by tapping out the sounds you hear. Then identify the stressed syllable-sound, now say it longer, louder, and higher. Feel the rhythm while you read the poem. Keep reading faster and faster. Remember you will be able to recite the poem by remembering both the sounds and meaning of the poem.

Task 3 Read the word list. With your partner make up as many phrases as you can from the list. Verb phrase indicates action and Noun phrase indicates subject. Sentences will be built up with phrases, mainly with noun phrases and verb phrases.

Task 4 Write subject-verb-object sentences. Expand the sentences and increase their complexity. Read-aloud the sentences and make sure that you can differentiate between statements and questions by the rise or fall of the tone at the end of the sentence.

To Join WEPP