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My top 10 resources for learning about and teaching pronunciation

Pronunciation has been referred to as the CINDERELLA of language teaching in that it has been
neglected, and become disconnected from other language learning activities (Underhill, 2010). Yet, it is
known to exercise an important influence on all four language skills, not only speaking: when we read, we
sub-vocalise words, or hear them in our mind; when we listen, our awareness of pronunciation will affect
what we are able to hear and how the sounds we hear are represented in our mind. When we write,
knowledge of sound-spelling relationships comes into play, as we hear the words internally first. (Hancock,
2013; Underhill, 2010). This all-encompassing element of teaching is the focus of the latest post in
my ELT Top 10s series.
So here we are:
My top 10 resources to help you get Cinderella to that ball! (Click on any picture to be taken directly to
the corresponding resource.)

BOOKS:

1. Sound Foundations by Adrian Underhill
This book is fantastic. I came to it with nearly zero knowledge of phonology and little idea of how to teach
pronunciation effectively. It revolutionised my approach to teaching pronunciation and reading it marked
the beginning of an interest in this element of teaching that continues into the present. Its written in a
way that makes it accessible to anybody, regardless of knowledge level. It is a guided discovery to
phonology and pronunciation, and contains a great number of activities that you can do alone to enhance
your own understanding, or with your learners to help them develop theirs. There is also a classroom
toolkit of further activities designed for classroom use. A word to the wise, though, dont read it in
public: it will get you making noises and faces that you may not necessarily want to share with the general
public! ;-)
2. Teaching the Pronunciation of English as a Lingua Franca by Robin
Walker
This book recognises that pronunciation is no longer connected only with native speaker speech and
sounds. English has become a globalised language, a lingua franca, and in many contexts learners will use it
with fellow non-native speakers rather than native speakers. Have you ever wondered about the practical
applications of Jennifer Jenkins lingua franca core? Do you know about English as a lingua franca but
struggle to see how to apply this in the classroom? Then this book is for you. It also comes with an
accompanying audio CD of sample speech from 15 ELF speakers, which you can put to various uses, helped
by the book.
3. Pronunciation Games by Mark Hancock
A collection of games for teaching different aspects of pronunciation, this book is a must-have for any
staffroom. The games are divided into three sections: 1. Syllables and stress; 2. Sound awareness; 3.
Connected speech. Each game comes with complete instructions and photocopiable materials for you to
take into class with you. Why not play the games with a colleague before using them with your students, so
that you know what to expect? This book is completely different from Sound Foundations, being materials
rather than theory-based, but both remind us that pronunciation need not be dry and dull, and provide us
with a way to make it stimulating and engaging.




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ONLINE RESOURCES AND ASSOCIATIONS:

4. The Adrian Underhill online bundle!
a. Sounds: the pronunciation app

Screenshot of the Macmillan Sounds app website
An ELTon award winner in 2012, this wonderful app is aimed at learners of English but can be equally as
useful for teachers. You can hear the sounds on the chart, example words with those sounds in them,
record&play back your own pronunciation, practice your phonemic spelling (great if you dont know
phonemic script and have embarked on a Delta!) and use a variety of quiz modes to test yourself on what
youve learnt. It also comes with extra materials such as lesson plans and tips from the brilliant Mr
Underhill, himself. (Can be used on both Apple and Android operating systems. Free version with fewer
features, paid version at 3.99)
b. Adrians Pron Chart Blog

Screenshot of Adrian Underhills pron chart blog
So youve discovered the wonderful pron. chart and now you want to know what to do with it, how to use it
with your learners and generally find out more about the marvellous world of pronunciation. This blog
would be a good place to start. Here, you can learn all about how to integrate the chart into your lessons
and how best to help your learners get their mouths around pronunciation. (Free resource)
c. A youtube video of an Adrian Underhill pronunciation workshop
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Screenshot of Adrians workshop youtube clip
And if you want to see it all in action, in the flesh, have a watch of this great youtube clip, in which
Adrian demonstrates a range of techniques for making pronunciation more physical and visible for learners
and teachers! (Free resource!)

5. ELF Pronunciation
This blog is maintained by Katy Simpson and Laura Patsko two teachers with an interest in teaching
pronunciation to learners who need English as a lingua franca, who wont be speaking to native speakers in
the majority of their interactions. They have come together to create this fantastic resource for other
teachers. From non-native speaker models to adaptations of well-known games for learners (so that the
games become more ELF-friendly) to information about resources such as BBC Voices, and more, this blog
has something for everybody. Its full of practical, helpful information and materials for taking ELF
pronunciation into your classroom, and its free! Cant say fairer than that.

6. English Communication Global
This is Robin Walkers site. On it you can find a mixture of great resources e.g. articles, links to books
that may be of interest, materials, blog posts so it is not just the services offered, although these may
be of interest to you too e.g. coaching for presentation-giving and INSET training workshops. Well worth
having a look!

7. Hancock McDonald English Language Teaching
This website is maintained by Mark Hancock and Annie McDonald, successful speakers and materials
writers, and is a pronunciation treasure trove of quality content. You can find talks, materials, activities,
blog posts, articles and more, all related to pronunciation and related issues. And, its free! So what are
you waiting for? Get discovering and experimenting!
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8. Teaching English British Council
The Teaching English British Council website has a collection of articles relating to pronunciation that
would be worth reading if you want to extend your knowledge and understanding in this area. All freely
available! If you are interested in English as a Global language, due to the effect this has on pronunciation
teaching and, indeed, all other areas of teaching, then dont forget to have a look also in the research
publications section, where you can find The future of English as well as other publications, all freely
available to download.
Another interactive phonemic chart, this time by The British Council and freely available to use online, in
addition to being downloadable as an app.
9. IATEFL Pron. SIG
If you are interested in pronunciation, you might like to think about joining IATEFLs Pron. SIG. This
would connect you with like-minded individuals and entitle you to receive Pron SIG newsletters too. Like
other IATEFL SIGs, you can expect webinars and pre-conference events around your area of interest.
The Pron. SIG also have a Facebook page which you can like for free:
Again, this is a great way to connect with others who have a keen interest in all things pronunciation-
related and keep up with any new developments in this area of teaching.
10. Online learner dictionaries

Screenshot of Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary


Screenshot of Macmillan Online Dictionary

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Screenshot of Cambridge Learners Dictionary
And finally, lets not forget the venerable online dictionary. These days, online learner dictionaries, such
as those pictured above, are very complex affairs, dealing with the wide range of crucial elements that
are involved in knowing a word. One very useful element within these dictionaries is the combination of
the phonemic spelling provided with each word, with the sound file. So you can see the phonemic script and
listen to a recording of the pronunciation. Both of these are usually given in both British English and
American English versions.

As usual, there is no doubt that I have inadvertently omitted some quality resources from this list so if
you have a burning desire to have something (a book, an article, an online resource) added to this
collection, please do comment below