Understanding and Teaching the Pronunciation of English.pdf

helps prepare students to pay attention to the rhythm of
language and to imitate it well.

Practicing rhythm

Walk the rhythm: Have students walk around the room as
they read or recite sentences or a dialog, taking bigger steps
on stressed syllables and shorter ones on unstressed syllables.
As an alternative, have them take a step only on stressed
syllables and stand still on the others. (Miller 2007 p. 82)

Using a metronome: A metronome is
a device that makes clicking sounds at
regular intervals. Metronomes are
usually used by musicians to help them
keep the rhythm of music, but they can
also be used to help students feel the
rhythm of language. If you set the speed
rather slow, it’s possible to speak so that
the stressed syllables coincide with the
clicks of the metronome. If you don’t
have a metronome, you can !nd an online
version at http://www.metronomeonline.com/.

Use a metronome thoughtfully, however. Not all language is
regular enough to speak along with such a perfectly regular
beat. You’ll need to choose the sentences you say carefully so

that they will sound right when spoken with the metronome’s

beat. (Simple poems and chants are good.) Also, don’t set the

metronome too fast, or students (and even teachers) won’t be

able to keep up. Start out slowly and build up a bit more

speed after practicing.

Poems and children’s rhymes: Reading or reciting simple

poems or limericks can help students practice rhythm,

especially if they clap their hands along with the beat.

A limerick is a kind of humorous poem with a particular

pattern of rhymes and beats. In this example, the main beats

are in italics:

There once was a fat old judge

Exceedingly fond of fudge.

He grew so enormous

Our sources inform us

He now is not able to budge.

Nursery rhymes and other children’s rhymes are simple ways

to help students practice rhythm. Jump rope rhymes can be

especially e"ective because they are meant to be chanted

along with the rhythm of jumping rope. If it’s not practical to

jump rope in class, children can clap their hands while they

say the rhymes. Here is a popular jump rope rhyme. You can

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Metronome:

Touch to listen