SUBJECT PRACTICE ACTIVITIES:

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

Presented by:

PEFPMTFL1906557 William Fredy Andahua Arellan

Group: 2015-06WAndahua_TP

Date: February 28th

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You can find attached excerpts of two books to teach pronunciation.

 Excerpt 1: Underhill, A. (2005). Learning and Teaching Pronunciation.

Oxford: MacMillan. (pp. 14-24).
 Excerpt 2: Hancock, M & Donna, S. (2014) English Pronunciation in Use.
Cambridge: Cambridge University. (pp. 10-19).

Review the two books and answer the following questions.

1. What seems to be the general approach of the books? Segmental or

suprasegmental? Exposure-based or explanation based? Humanistic or
drill-based? Teacher-centred or student centered? Traditional or unusual?
Use what you learnt in Chapter 9 to justify your answer.

In the context of English Language Teaching as a Lingua Franca the main objective of
the books is communicative approach, because these books are based on the idea that
a foreign language is acquired successfully when learners are involved in real
communication, in real contexts, in these books is perceived natural strategies for
language acquisition through examples in order to allow learners acquire the target
language.

Both segmental and suprasegmental are the design of these books. First I must say that
the two books focused on segmental aspects, due to the fact that they both contain
vowels, diphthongs and consonant sounds, also known as phonemes, meaning
consonants and vowels. Syllables and one-syllable word are considered as segmental
aspects of accent and pronunciation, as well.

On the other hand, suprasegmental is the design of aforementioned books as well.

Some suprasegmental features can be found, in particular pitch, stress, and duration,
from my point of view teaching suprasegmental features is strongly recommended
because it improves English accent and pronunciation as a key to improve the speaking
skill as well as improving speech and to make understandable is pivotal that the learners
practice and learn about both individual sounds and the overall musical pattern of the
language.

Moreover, the books are on exposure-based. This allows students understand and
connect the knowledge that is making by a stimulation during the learning process like
responses and make students capable at the target language (L2) also this kind of
approach is focus on student’s reinforcement that are connected with relevant activities.
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Exposed-based relates to reinforcement and let students develop all their skills in a
meaningful and active learning process for understanding the language. The books
give a set of exercises for practicing with sounds of English, the vowels sound in order
to improve pronunciation as connected speech.

In addition, the books are drill-based because it promotes the acquisition of a target
language through repetition. It refers to small tasks such as the memorization of
spelling or vocabulary words, and may also be found in more meaningful learning
tasks.

Tice (2004) stated “for drills to be meaningful, learners need to understand what they
are being asked to say. Monotonous chanting of decontextualized language is not
useful to anyone”. The task of the teacher when drilling is to provide with a model of a
certain structure or just to repeat a word they have already seen and get them
pronouncing in unison.

Drill-and-practice, like memorization, involves repetition of specific skills, such as

addition and subtraction, or spelling. To be meaningful to learners, the skills built
through drill-and-practice should become the building blocks for more meaningful
learning.

Traditional teaching for a long time was a teacher-centered style and was dominant in
higher education. In those classrooms the learners were passive or just recipients of
teachers’ knowledge and wisdom. They have no control over their own process of
learning. Churchill (2003) stated that an engaging activity with activity-based teaching
helps learners to construct mental models that allow for higher-order performance,
such as applied problem solving and the transfer of information and skills. This means
that students take responsibility of their own learning and are directly involved in the
learning process.
It gives light that the main role of the teacher is to guide, monitor, support and
encourage students to set and reach high standards. Students’ progress from
controlled production of selected features. The studied features are put to
communicative use in partially planned and unplanned activities.

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2. Does it cover all aspects we have seen in the materials? Articulation,

vowel/consonantal system, phonemic chart, connected speech, stress,
intonation, foreign influence? Etc.? Refer back to the materials if any of
those aspects needs definition.

Both Sound Foundations and English Pronunciation in Use Intermediate do cover most
of the aspects observed in the materials. Due to these books help learners understand
about pronunciation with enjoyment and confidence. Both books convey aspects in
different ways. Sound Foundations give us descriptions and diagrams, examples, and
classroom activities, but is more theoretical.
On the other hand, English Pronunciation in Use Intermediate is more practical,
learners can practice some of the dialogues and other exercises in pairs, and they can
be directed with particular pronunciation difficulties.
Learners can practice from both: Vowel sounds, consonant sounds, phonemes, larynx,
intonation, tone and pitch, spelling and transcription and The phonetic symbols are
presented not exactly on a chart but there is a variety of examples in words, sentences
and dialogues.

3. Does any of them consider integrated skills? Do they teach vocabulary, as

well? If they don’t, could you make a brief proposal for them to include
vocabulary?

I do believe that both books are developed on cultural context that introduces the
variety of the language in an independent learner and both consider productive and
receptive skills. Practicing segmental and suprasegmental features requires a lot on
listening and oral practice, and the studied materials cover the sounds of English, their
main spellings and highlights sound-spelling regularities in English.

4. Which contexts of use are they intended for? Are there significant
differences among the three of them?

The context of use makes reference to teaching vocabulary students of intermediate

level. They have some differences. Some teachers are good on grammar, some are
good pronunciation or others have a strong knowledge of English word parts, it is
known that every person has some vocabulary knowledge that is relevant to English,

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even if it derives from his or her own native language. The objective is to increase the
learner´s strengths and also various weaknesses.

5. Which one would you prefer to use as a teacher? Why? Relate you answer
to Brinton’s variables.

I believe that the handbooks are written to enhance skills and confidence, develop
students‘ theory as well as practice through practical techniques for classroom
activities. For reasons aforementioned I would like to use the two of them because
students acquire English knowledge differently.

References:
 Dalton, C and Seidlhofer, B (2001) Pronunciation. Oxford University Press.

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 Julie, T. (2004). Making Drilling Meaningful. Available in:

http://www.englishonline.org.cn/en/teachers/workshops/drilling/teachingtips/drill-
articles//tabs-212580-1. Retrieved on: February 28/2019
 Jonassen, D. and Churchill, D. (2003). Where is the learning in learning
objects? To appear in the International Journal of E-learning.
 Underhill, A. (2005). Learning and Teaching Pronunciation. Oxford: MacMillan.
(pp. 14-24).