Teaching Pronunciation Skills Course Outline
Class website: http://teachingpronunciation.weebly.com
Very important homework assignment: As you read each assignment listed below, write a
short reflection journal in response to what you’ve read. This could include a question about
something you don’t understand or something it makes you wonder about, or a comment
about how it relates to your own experience or how you might use it in your future teaching.
Length: About ¼ - ½ page.
You may type or write neatly by hand. You will hand in your journal each week on the due date
for that reading assignment. It will count as part of your homework grade (10 points each time).
Note about the reading assignments: If you’re reading the paper or pdf version of the book,
you can see the chapter tutorials with written and spoken explanations of the main ideas on
our class website: http://teachingpronunciation.weebly.com).
Class #1
4/10
Homework Due Today
None (It’s the first day!)
Class #2
4/17
Read Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4
Write a short reflection journal
Class #3
4/24
Read Chapters 5 and 6
Write a short reflection journal
Class #4
5/1
Class #5
5/8
Class #6
5/15
Class #7
5/22
Class #8
5/29
Read Chapter 7
Write a short reflection journal
Read Chapters 8 and 9
Write a short reflection journal
Read Chapters 10 and 11
Write a short reflection journal
Read Chapters 12 and 13
Write a short reflection journal
Read Chapters 14 and 15
Write a short reflection journal
Class #9
6/5
Class #10
6/12
Read Chapter 16
Write a short reflection journal
Prepare for presentation
Work on take-home final
Topics
Introduction to teaching pronunciation
The articulatory system
Overview of phonology, phonemes, and IPA
Consonants of English
Effects of environment on some consonant
sounds
Vowels of English
Reduced vowels in unstressed syllables
Vowel length in English (It’s not what you think!)
Pronunciation of –s and –ed endings
Ways of teaching consonants and vowels
Quiz #1: Consonants and vowels
Syllables and word stress
The rhythm of English
Thought groups and prominence
Intonation
Connected speech
Teaching the Musical Aspects of pronunciation
Teaching pronunciation in various teaching
situations
Spelling, sounds, and phonics
Teaching pronunciation as a NNEST
Presentations
Take-home final is due
1. No HW
2. Welcome, introduction, basic concepts of phonology, articulatory system, consonants
3. Vowels, word endings
4. Teaching consonants and vowels
5. Syllables and word stress, rhythm,
6. Thought groups & prominence, intonation,
7. Connected speech, Teaching musical aspects of pronunciation
8. Different places, different learners. Spelling, sounds, and phonics
9. How can I improve my own pronunciation? NNESTs teaching pronunciation
10. Presentations