TEACHING ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION

Teaching pronunciation is fundamental to the teaching of listening and speaking.

Therefore, it is essential that the teacher of English in India should pay a good deal of
attention to pronunciation. Thus the second language learner should be trained to respond
to a totally new sound system, however, such a training should be set in a context of
genuine language use; for continuous speech is understood by the listener not merely
because of his knowledge of the pronunciation of the individual words but also because
of his ability to understand vocabulary, grammar and context meaning.
Aims of Teaching English Pronunciation
i.
To cultivate audible and intelligible pronunciation
ii.
Production of correct sound with proper stress, intonation, rhythm, fluency
and pause.
iii.
To cultivate the habit of speaking long sentences and speaking for a long
time correctly
iv.
To develop good speech manners with impressive postures and gestures.
Causes of Defective Pronunciation in India
i.
Substituting sounds from mother-tongue
ii.
Lack of knowledge of sounds
iii.
Lack of knowledge of intonation and stress
iv.
Teachers defective pronunciation
v.
Mother-tongue speech habits
vi.
Lack of speaking opportunities
vii.
No firm rules
viii. Lack of attention to English pronunciation
ix.
Physical disability of the child
x.
Paucity of books on pronunciation
Methods of Teaching English Pronunciation
Important methods used to teach English pronunciation are:
i.
Imitation method
ii.
Phonetic method
iii.
Subsidiary method.
2. IMITATION METHOD
The most important technique of teaching pronunciation is imitation. The
teachers pronunciation of the word that is taught should be closely imitated by the
students through the process of repetition and practice. As Leonard Bloomfield rightly
says, The command of a language is not a matter of knowledge it is a matter of
practice.
This method of teaching pronunciation has four important steps.
a. Perception The teacher writes the word or sentence on the black-board and
gives a model pronunciation. Pupils perceive the pronunciation.
b. Imitation The students try to pronounce the word or sentence exactly as the
teacher has pronounced. This is imitation.
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c. Feedback If the student finds that the pupils pronunciation is not correct,
he gives feed-back.
d. Drill The last step is of drill. It is of two types: i. Group drill, and ii.
Individual drill. The drill must start group drill.
However the pronunciation teaching should not stop at drilling of pronunciation
of individual words, it should be extended to the recognition and use of sound features in
normal speech. This is possible only if attention is paid to the supra-segmental aspects of
pronunciation intonation, stress, pause etc.
In the teaching of pronunciation, to give model pronunciation, linguaphone can be
used. Recording can also help.
Recording is of two types:
a)
Formal a model text is recorded by the teacher and is played before
students to imitate.
b)
Informal The imitation by students is recorded and is played before
students to point out their mistakes.
Teaching pronunciation and making the students pronunciation-conscious
constitute a corrective measure. What is to be born in mind is that though pronunciation
is not to be regarded as a separate area of language learning, yet it is necessary that
teacher and students give their attention to it from time to time.
Advantages of Imitation method
i.
It is a natural method as it is based on psychological principles
ii.
It takes less time.
iii.
It lays more emphasis on exercises
iv.
This method can be used for normal as also for a retarded child.
Limitations of Imitation method
i.
Students imitate the teacher who can be incorrect in pronunciation
ii.
In group-drill, it is not possible to point out the mistakes.
iii.
Pronunciation of every English word is not possible by this method
To overcome these limitations following steps may be undertaken:
i.
Teachers be trained in English pronunciation
ii.
Lesser number of students be allotted to classes
iii.
A habit of consulting dictionary be cultivated amongst the students
iv.
Phonetic method be used.
2. PHONETIC METHOD
To teach by this method the teacher tells his students about all the 44 sounds of 26
English letters and also tells them how these sounds are produced by different speech
sounds. He explains rules of producing sounds.
The five steps of this method as given by Daniel Jones in his book An Outline of
English Phonetics are as follows:
i.
Recognition of various speech sounds
ii.
Making these sounds by the pupils
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iii.
iv.

Using these sounds in their proper places in connected speech

Learning these sounds in the usages of Sound attribute or Prosodies
(especially length, stress and voice pitch)

Practice
In the phonetic method, practice of producing correcting sound is very essential.
Material Aid
Charts of speech organs
Position of speech organs during producing different sounds
Linguaphone and gramophone for the demonstration of sounds
Advantages of Phonetic method
i.
It is based on scientific principles. Therefore, there are no chances of
distorted pronunciation
ii.
This method develops a feeling of self-dependency in students
iii.
The learner can himself evaluate the correctness of his pronunciation
Limits of Phonetic method
i.
It is based on unpsychological rules
ii.
It is not proper for mentally retarded students, because it is logical
iii.
It compels student to cram because for many students it becomes hard to
understand the sound system and phonetic transcription
iv.
Generally students do not take interest in learning pronunciation if taught
by phonetic method
v.
Teachers find this method tedious
vi.
It has been found that even after understanding the sound system in
English, many persons are unable to pronounce properly
vii.
Since there is no place of practice in this method, students forget
pronunciation of many words after some lapse of time.
viii. This method is not appropriate for little children. It can only by used
successfully with adult students.
ix.
It is much time consuming
x.
For teaching pronunciation through this method; the teacher must be well
trained
xi.
Audio-visual aids are needed, e.g. charts of speech organs, linguaphone
etc.
Overcoming the limits
i.
Auditory memory should be cultivated. Auditory memory means to
discriminate sounds, to recognize sounds and to remember sounds.
ii.
Jones suggests that dictation of isolated sounds can help a lot.
iii.
Sounds or mother-tongue and English should be compared.
iv.
Those sounds should be noted and practiced which are pronounced
incorrectly by most of the students.
v.
Tongue Twisters should be used to pronounce difficult sounds. Tongue
twisters are the groups of words of difficult sounds.
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3. SUBSIDIARY METHODS
The following methods can also be used to teach English pronunciation:
i.
Singing songs
ii.
Reciting poems
iii.
Analysis of long and difficult words and sentences
iv.
Loud reading
Teaching Pronunciation at Junior and Senior Stages
At junior stage imitation method is best because at this stage, students are
children. Imitation is simple and interesting for them. During this stage, technical terms
must be avoided. At the most, he can distinguish sounds, and compare sounds. Singing
songs, reciting poems and loud reading can be used, but phonetic method should be
avoided. At senior level, phonetic method should be used along with other methods.
Some Suggestions for Good Pronunciation Teaching
i.
Teachers should improve their own pronunciation
ii.
Audio-visual aids should be used
iii.
Much practice should be emphasized
iv.
Individual attention should be paid to weak students
v.
The teacher should not forget the psychological fact of individual
differences
vi.
The teacher should proceed from known to unknown
vii.
Some breathing exercises should be given because it helps good speech
viii. Speaking opportunities should be given to students
ix.
Different methods should be used. It will remove monotony and create
interest among students
x.
Sets of gramophone records are now available. Schools should have these
and should be played before students.

TEACHING THE FOUR SKILLS

Introduction
The speech is the language. Speech precedes reading. In learning the mothertongue the child has ample practice in speech before he starts reading. He has already
learnt certain sounds and structures unconsciously. To learn a foreign language, it is not
necessary to read it. Listening and speaking lay the very foundation of foreign language
learning. Learning to speak a language is always the shortest road to learning to read it
and to write it.
Listening and speaking are intimately related to each other, though listening is
recognition skill and speaking is production skill. Both skills depend almost entirely on
the learners knowledge of the pronunciation of words and the articulation of sounds in
the language. In teaching of English due emphasis be laid on the development of skills of
listening and speaking.