andrea taylor and sean cavicchi pronunciation …pronunciation – the big picture andrea taylor and...
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PRONUNCIATION – THE BIG PICTURE
Andrea Taylor and Sean Cavicchi
Why do we believe this is important for our students?
• Immigrants wanting to settle and integrate in
Nova Scotia
• Immigrants working in Nova Scotia
• Realities of listening and speaking in day to
day life
The goal of speaking naturally and fluently: realistic for learners?
• Like learning a new language (again)
• Overcoming the stigma of “bad English”
• Motivation
• Patterns can be reassuring
Setting our learners up for success
• Individual sounds (specific to student)
• Knowledge is empowering
• Communication breakdowns
• Strategies
• Improving listening comprehension
What are suprasegmentals?
(Source: dailycartoonist.com)
What are suprasegmentals?
• A speech feature such as stress, tone or word juncture that accompanies or is added over consonants and vowels
• Not limited to single sounds but often extend over syllables, words, or phrases
(Source: www.britannica.com)
Why should we teach suprasegmentals in our classrooms?
• Realities of spoken English
• Coping with conversation breakdowns
• Confidence
• Fun
What is prosody?
(Source: itre.cis.upenn.edu)
What is prosody?
• The rhythmic and intonational aspect of
language
• Musical signals
• Rhythm and melody, including intonation
(Gilbert, 2008)
• Aural “road signs” to help listeners
Win a new toy Yoda versus a new Toyota
Why should we teach prosody in our classrooms?
• Realities of spoken English
• Revisiting learned vocabulary
• Understanding
• Confidence
• Fun
Promoting learner autonomy
• Listening in real life
• Accessing materials easily
Emphasis/content words
• Please click the link below
http://youtu.be/xcUYuGdaC_k
Activity for teaching focus/content words: lower level
• Using pictures to illustrate how stress changes meaning: “John loves me.”
Activities for teaching focus/content words: upper level
• Finding patterns
Finding patterns
Identify the emphasis patterns. Below are two different conversations that illustrate a common rule. Why does person A highlight different information in her second sentence? A: Liljana lost her key. B: Who lost her key? A: Liljana lost her key. A: The manager’s position was given to Ulrike. B: What position was given to Ulrike? A: The manager’s position.
Finding patterns
Below are two more conversations that illustrate another common rule. Why does person B highlight different information in the second sentence?
A: I think the boss is away on holidays next week.
B: No. I heard the boss was on holidays this week.
A: Don’t forget that we have a meeting at twelve o’clock.
B: I thought our meeting was at one o’clock.
Finding patterns
Below are two more conversations that illustrate another common rule. Why does person B highlight different information in the second sentence?
A: That was a marvelous presentation.
B: That was a marvelous presentation.
A: That sounds like a great idea!
B: That does sound like a great idea!
Finding patterns
Below is a conversation that illustrates another common rule. Why do both people highlight different information in the second sentence?
A: I need to borrow some pens.
B: How many pens?
A: Well, not too many pens.
B: I have ten you can have.
A: Well, I only need eight. Thanks.
Read each sentence aloud and give strong emphasis to the word in italics. Match each sentence with its meaning.
1. I said she might consider a new
haircut. 2. I said she might consider a new
haircut. 3. I said she might consider a new
haircut. 4. I said she might consider a new
haircut. 5. I said she might consider a new
haircut. 6. I said she might consider a new
haircut. 7. I said she might consider a new
haircut. 8. I said she might consider a new
haircut.
a. Not just a haircut. b. It's a possibility. c. It was my idea. d. Not something else. e. Don't you understand me? f. Not another person. g. She should think about it. It’s a good
idea.
Clear Speaking online: Emphasis
Clear Speaking online: Emphasis
Thought groups (take a breath!)
• Please click on the link below
http://youtu.be/IqfO_1KM2NE
Activities for teaching thought groups: lower level
• Use music with repetitive lyrics: “Happy Together” by The Turtles
• Read a simple text aloud and have students mark thought groups
• Use simple, common number combinations to emphasize the importance of thought groups and how they sound (phone numbers, credit card numbers etc.)
Thought groups: lower level activity
Read the sequences of numbers naturally.
1. 902-555-6178
2. 1-800-555-6178
3. 4519 01 00618820 02
4. 02/17
5. 134 376 629
Activities for teaching thought groups: upper level
• Use song lyrics and music
• Use authentic conversations, mark thought groups and discuss meaning
• Use number/letter combinations to emphasize the importance of thought groups (especially over the phone!)
Activities for teaching thought groups: upper level
• Use common number/letter combinations to emphasize the importance of thought groups and how they sound (phone numbers, credit card numbers etc.)
1. PURCH010188005
2. 134 376 629
3. 0008 944 268
4. 7 11302779
5. February 6, 2011
Clear Speaking online: Thought groups
Clear Speaking online: Thought groups
Using authentic materials: real-life conversations
• Writing dialogues
• Transcribing dialogues
• Radio programs
• Television shows
• Commercials
Accessing samples of real life conversations:
• English in the Workplace dialogues at ISIS (lower
& upper levels)
• “Whaddaya Say” dialogues
• Using a digital recorder
• Rachel’s English: Imitation exercises,
“Contractversation” and “Real Life”
Rachel’s English: www.rachelsenglish.com
• Melody podcast: “Musical Language”
www.rachelsenglish.com/videos/podcast-
musical-language
Rachel’s Imitation
• Natural speech patterns
• Targeted repetition
• Imitating sounds vs. listening for words and
meaning
• Focus on pitch, melody and rhythm
Rachel’s Contractversations
• Writing vs. speaking: how to sound natural
and fluent
• Contractions and reductions in workplace and
everyday conversations
Rachel’s Real Life
• Accessing samples of authentic language
• Supported listening practice
• Thematic
How can we imitate on an online course?
• Recorded feedback • Web chats
Schwa/vowel reduction
• Please click on the link below
http://youtu.be/8Cw5WD38SGg
Schwa
• Most common vowel sound in spoken English
• Difficult to isolate and produce
• Exaggeration activities
• Lots of examples:
The letter a: about, banana, was
The letter e: the, open, travel, item The letter i: animal, family The letter o: above, gallon, dinosaur, another The letter u: particular
Clear Speaking online: Vowel reduction
Reduced speech
• Please click on the link below
http://youtu.be/DvRrv8Cy_TQ
Reduced speech
• Individual words sound like one word and
sounds are changed
• Frustrating for students
• Stigma of “bad English”
• Contractions
Teaching reduced speech
• Finding patterns
• Exploration activities
• Consonant combination sound patterns
• Comfort with speaking in reduced forms
• Value for listening in daily life
Clear Speaking online: Reduced speech
Linking
• Individual words are joined together
• Similar to reduced speech, but sounds are
usually not changed
• Finding patterns
• Tricks for linking: /w/, /y/
• Contractions
Clear Speaking online: Linking
Clear Speaking online: Linking
Summary
• Suprasegmentals
• Prosody
• Focus-content words
• Thought groups
• Schwa/vowel reduction
• Reduced speech
• Linking
Ya’got’knee questions?
References
• Gilbert, Judy, 2008. Teaching Pronunciation: The Prosody Pyramid. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Hadley, A.O., 2001. Teaching Language in Context. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
• Wong, R. 1987. Teaching Pronunciation: Focus on English Rhythm and Intonation. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Regents.
Thank You Sean Cavicchi: [email protected] Andrea Taylor: [email protected]