Understanding and Teaching the Pronunciation of English.pdf

covers. File folders, binder dividers, plastic envelopes, or
report covers are sometimes also made of a suitable plastic.

Brainstorm words: Ask students to list adjectives and
nouns that !t a particular sound pattern, for example,
adjectives that end with a consonant sound and nouns that
start with a vowel sound. Working in pairs, students choose
adjectives and nouns that make sense together and write
phrases, adding articles where appropriate. Then they
practice saying the phrases with appropriate linking. If
students choose the words that they’ll practice, the activity
can be more interesting and meaningful than if they simply
read phrases from a textbook. (Hewings 2004)

Adjectives ending with

consonant sounds

big

difficult

intelligent

orange

expensive

bright

Nouns beginning with

vowel sounds

apples

umbrella

anteater

idea

elephant

eyes

Phrases with linking

Expensive apples An intelligent anteater

Bright eyes A big elephant

A broken umbrella The Big Apple

Phrases with linking

Expensive apples An intelligent anteater

Bright eyes A big elephant

A broken umbrella The Big Apple

Using authentic materials to practice

suprasegmentals

Written or spoken materials from real life, such as stories,

jokes, proverbs, songs, and movies, can provide useful

material for practicing suprasegmental features. However,

since these authentic materials were not created with the

needs of language learners in mind, they need to be chosen

and presented carefully so that they won’t overwhelm

students. Even materials that have great interest in

themselves will lead to frustration and boredom if they’re far

beyond the understanding of a particular group of students.

Still, if we choose and use them wisely, they can be a great

addition to pronunciation lessons.

Jokes and riddles can provide good practice material, as

long as students “get” the humor. In addition to practicing

thought groups, as mentioned earlier in this chapter,

humorous materials are also good for practicing intonation,

prominence, and linking. Have students practice reading

jokes aloud and telling them to each other, emphasizing

pausing and intonation to make the jokes e"ective. The

biggest challenge here is !nding jokes that students will

understand and consider funny. Humor in a new language is

often hard to understand, so choose carefully.

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