172 Part III: Teaching Skills Classes
Spelling in English is so irregular that if students don’t sort out the right pro-
nunciation first they’re likely to come up with a letter-by-letter version of how
the word sounds. So get them speaking before they read and write.
Whenever students are speaking, pay attention to their pronunciation. You
don’t have to stop them every time they say something incorrectly, but you
can make notes and include repetition of problem words in your feedback
sessions. You can also collect data for a whole lesson on pronunciation in
which you can address recurring errors.
For example, you may notice that words with ‘th’ are routinely pronounced
with ‘d’ instead and this may lead to a lesson on analysing the sound, how it’s
made and a collection of tongue twisters to practise it.
Repeating as a class and individually
The easiest way to get repetition is to ask for it. Just say ‘Repeat!’ and use
gestures to add emphasis. Use your arms like a conductor in front of an
orchestra or use your hand to cup behind your ear, indicating that you’re lis-
tening to them. Students soon get the hang of it and come to expect it.
All together now
When the whole class repeats together this is called choral drilling. Students
feel more at ease when they work as a team because embarrassment is
reduced. However, just as in a musical ensemble, you need to listen very
carefully for anyone who’s ‘out of tune’.
If you hear one poor speaker on the left of the room, ask the students on
the right to take a break for a few seconds. Those on the left now work a bit
harder because they think that you’re starting to home in on them.
Going solo
Individual drilling is another option. This means that one student repeats
alone. You can run through the students one after the other and diplomatically
ask better speakers to correct the errors of weaker ones by modelling the
right pronunciation.
Teacher gestures: Weak! Repeat please, weak!
Whole class: Weak!
Teacher: Rashid, weak!
Rashid: Weak!
Teacher (gestures to the next student): Weak!
