Using the WEPP (Web-based English Pronunciation Programme) to Empower Students with Pronunciation

Skills 利用標準英文口語拼音網上課程

加強學生英文拼音能力Terri LeongEnglish Language CentreThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University

ecterri@netvigator.com

Aim of WEPP

Web-based English Pronunciation Programme (WEPP) aims to provide secondary school students with an online learning environment to learn English pronunciation and the International Phonetic Alphabets (IPA) sounds. It also aims to assist teachers to incorporate pronunciation training into their English lessons.

Overview

1. Project overview – Strengths, features, users’ feedback

2. WEPP website - Demo3. Technical and pedagogical implication4. Practical Ideas for teaching and

learning 5. Discussion and feedback

Strengths of the WEPP A fun, easy, and effective English phonics and phonetics

training courseware Unique, innovative and exciting way to learn English

pronunciation Systematic and holistic approach of learning English

pronunciation Practical and interactive tutorials and exercises for

phonemic training The use of tutorial lessons, interactive tasks, charts,

games, and animation to maintain users’ interest Enhancement of satisfaction and joy in teaching and

learning User-friendly interface and flexible release dates

The WEP programme and its corresponding e-books can be used in the classroom, language lab, or in self-access learning.

The core of WEP programme is a web-site which provides students and teachers with a virtual learning platform to access the on-line materials.

Each teacher and student will be given a user name and password to access the site.

Each unit of Weekly work starts with a default tutorial, followed by some practice tasks, and end with the assessment quizzes based on the topics.

Scores will be recorded for each unit of assessment quiz. To motivate students, a top-ten list will also be generated automatically according to individual class results.

Teachers can also access the site for progress checking.

Features of the WEPP

Users’ Feedback Gained the phonemic (IPA) skill that

enhance their confidence in word pronunciation,

Reported that their accents and flat tones could gradually be removed,

Could better appreciate the beauty of sounds and became more willing to speak up,

Could master the skills of sentence chunking and able to read-aloud poems and create their own poems.

WEPP Demo

http://wepp.proj.hkedcity.net/

Website Interfaces For Student

View & access contents View scores

For Teacher View & access contents View students’ progress Additional functions for teachers; i.e. teacher

notes, videos For School Administrator

Same as Teacher’s Interface Additional functions for school administrators /

head teachers

Website Menu Screenshots Student

Teacher

School Administrator

Additional function for School Administrator

One of the additional function for Teacher & School Administrator

My Teaching

Daily Task(All daily task items)

Weekly Task(All 11-week task contents for teaching and tutorials)

e-Books(Hyperlink to contents of the past weeks)

Games(Extra practices for enhancing pronunciation skills)

Teacher’s Notes(Suggested ideas for teaching, classroom activities, and hyperlink resources)

Daily Task

Two sets of Daily Task Pronunciation Exercise

Stressed Syllable Identification (with/out sound recording facility)

IPA Practice Typing Task using the IPA Learning

Device (A Tie to link Spelling Patterns with IPA symbols)

Games

Ways to integrate the WEPP with School Curriculum Two Ways

Offering Pronunciation Training Workshops ( 5 Language Arts Lessons + 100 Daily Web Tasks )

Conducting Pronunciation MMLC Sessions (11 Lessons + 11 Weekly Quizzes and 100 Daily Web Tasks )

Roles for Teacher & Students Material used

Workshops - Phonics Lesson 4, Sets of Handouts, and WEPP Website ( Daily Mode)

Pron. MMLC Sessions (Dynamic Mode) Outcomes

Learn 44 IPA letters, Segmentation, Create and recite own stories/ poems (Phonemic Awareness skills)

Recognise IPA sounds/ pronounce words

Language Arts Lessons- Aim and Objectives

can appreciate the stress placement and rhythm in both word pronunciation and sentence reading

understand how the 44 IPA sounds or letters help to describe the sound system of English language

read and write short poems in right prosody as opposed to jerky, hesitant and poor pronunciation

can produce the alliteration and rhyming effect at the start and end of the words in sentence writing.

MMLC Pron Lab Sessions - Course Objectives

understand the relationship between sound and spelling patterns in words

be able to differentiate the 44 phoneme sounds of English

be able to count the number of syllables in words and phrases

be able to read words and phrases with appropriate stress.

Overall Design of WEPP Website

Skill Training

(Thought Expression – Intonation)

Knowledge Building

(Pronunciation)

Awareness Raising

(Confidence)

Daily Web Release Schedule

Weekly Web Release Schedule

Preparation Work – MMLC Sessions School to subscribe and join the WEPP Schedule the weekly release dates Book MMLC for the 11 sessions Students to register into the groups

corresponding to their school teachers Prepare lessons and meet students

weekly to work through the web-based tutorial lessons and finish the quizzes in the MMLC

Be prepare to reward students who finish the scheduled tasks

Preparation Work – Language-Arts Workshops Subscribe and join the WEPP Schedule the daily release dates Students to register into the groups

corresponding to their school teachers Get copies of the Phonics Lesson Book 4 To copy sets of lesson Worksheets. http://www.hkedcity.net/iworld_eng/feature/view.phtml?iworld_id=174&feature_id=1583

Task

You are going to listen to a short presentation on the vowel sounds. Be ready to learn and memorise the 20 Vowels and its corresponding letters to represent the sounds. Pay special attention to the spelling patterns (phonics) and their corresponding sounds (IPA).

24 Consonants

Rule No. 1: Short Vowel SoundsWords with one vowel usually have short vowel sounds. The short vowel sound words always end in a consonant.

Rule No. 2: Long Vowel SoundsSound of a long vowel is the same as the name of the vowel letter. Words with two vowels usually have long vowel sounds. The first vowel letter usually says its name while the second vowel letter is silent. There are a number of ways to spell these long vowel sounds.

Rule No. 3: R-controlled Vowel SoundsWhen a vowel is followed by an ‘r’ in the same syllable, that vowel is ‘r-controlled’. It is not long nor short. ‘R-controlled ‘er, ir and ur’ often sound the same ( like ‘er’ ). Examples : ‘terms, sir, fur, for, or/der’.

Rule No. 4: Diphthong SoundsDiphthongs are vowels where the tongue and/ or lips change position, so that there are two parts to making the sound. Since the sounds are not making at the near position in the month, they involve a broad gilding movement from one point of articulation to the other.

Task 2

Read the two poems and identify number of syllable sounds by tapping out the sounds you hear. Then identify the stressed syllable-sound, now say it longer, louder, and higher. Feel the rhythm while you read the poem. Keep reading faster and faster. Remember you will be able to recite the poem by remembering both the sounds and meaning of the poem.

Task 3

Read the word list. With your partner make up as many phrases as you can from the list. Verb phrase indicates action and Noun phrase indicates subject. Sentences will be built up with phrases, mainly with noun phrases and verb phrases.

Task 4

Write subject-verb-object sentences. Expand the sentences and increase their complexity. Read-aloud the sentences and make sure that you can differentiate between statements and questions by the rise or fall of the tone at the end of the sentence.

To Join WEPP