How to Teach English Pronunciation Using Phonemes and Games By:Shelley Vernon
Proper pronunciation is often overlooked in the language teaching field. English textbooks and instruction manuals barely touch on the subject.
Yet proper pronunciation is a major part of learning the English language! The number of words with similar sounds but utterly different meanings can cause much confusion if correct pronunciation is not taught.
Can pronunciation be taught at all? Yes! Just realize that textbooks may not always cover all approaches to teaching this important language skill.
Wrong ways to teach pronunciation Teaching pronunciation alongside the introduction of vocabulary is a common mistake. Auditory learners and EFL students who speak a related language may be able to pick up pronunciation readily with this method, but those with a markedly different mother tongue will struggle.
Learning pronunciation by drill is another popular method, and can be effective for some – particularly when combined with the study of the inconsistent patterns of English spelling. Handicaps, however, still apply to some learners.
Can we effectively teach these students for whom traditional textbook suggestions fall short? Again, yes! There is a starting point that can benefit all students, and that is the study of phonemes.
Step one – Introducing phonemes The phoneme is the one sound which makes the distinct difference between similar words. For example, in the ‘at’ family of words (cat, fat, mat, sat) the phoneme is the beginning letter (/c/, /f/, /m/, /s/). Using phonemes to teach pronunciation focuses on these distinct units of sound. The best way to begin is by having students listen for and identify these differential sounds.
Introduce phonemes in pairs for the best results, like /t/ and /d/. Have the students repeat the sound, then simple words: ‘tip’, ‘dip’, ‘tuck’, ‘duck’. Drawn diagrams of how to hold the lips and tongue can also be helpful. Visual learners may also benefit from the symbols of the phonetic language to help differentiate between phonemes that are written the same but sound different; the ‘th’ in the two words ‘thanks’ and ‘there’, for example.
