Jungsok Kwon (1242368)
Sookmyung women’s university
Graduate school of TESOL
Dr. Stephen van Vlack
English pronunciation
2
Table of contents
1. Introduction
1
1.1 Backgrounds of the project
1
1.2 Overview
2
2. Participants
2.1 Participant profiles
4
4
2.1.1
Tutee A
4
2.1.2
Tutee B
5
2.1.3
Tutor profile
5
2.2 Needs Interview Questions
6
2.3 Needs analysis survey
8
2.3.1
Needs analysis for Tutee A
8
2.3.2
Needs analysis for Tutee B
10
2.4 Reflection on the first meetings
3. Diagnostic test
12
13
3.1 Overview
13
3.2 Discussion of diagnostic test
13
3.3 Diagnostic test
15
3.4 Rubrics for diagnostic test
17
4. Analysis for diagnostic results
19
4.1 Tutee A
19
4.2 Tutee B
22
4.3 Reflection on diagnostic test
25
5. Goals and objectives
26
5.1 Theoretical backgrounds
26
5.2 Goals
27
5.3 Objectives
27
3
6. The action plan
28
6.1Theoretical backgrounds
28
6.1.1Task-based approach
28
6.1.2Strategy-based approach
28
6.2 Class 1
30
6.2.1 Lesson plan
30
6.2.2 Materials
32
6.2.3 Reflection
37
6.3 Class 2
40
6.3.1Lesson plan
40
6.3.2Materials
42
6.3.3 Reflection
48
6.4 Class 3
51
6.4.1 Lesson plan
51
6.4.2 Materials
53
6.4.3 Reflection
58
6.5 Class 4
60
6.5.1 Lesson plan
61
6.5.2 Materials
62
6.5.3 Reflection
65
6.6 Class 5
66
6.6.1 Lesson plan
66
6.6.2 Materials
68
6.6.3 Reflection
77
7. Achievement test
79
7.1 overview
79
7.2 Discussion of the achievement test
79
7.3 Achievement test
81
7.4 Achievement test results
83
7.4.1
Tutee A
83
7.4.2
Tutee B
85
7.5 Analysis of achievement test results
7.5.1
Tutee A
87
87
4
7.5.2
Tutee B
7.6 Reflection on the achievement test
8. Survey
9.
88
89
90
8.1 Overview
90
8.2 Survey questionnaire
90
8.3 The results of survey
91
8.3.1
Tutee A
91
8.3.2
Tutee B
92
8.4 Analysis of the survey results
93
Conclusions
94
9.1 Writing up the project
94
9.2 Reflection on the project
95
10. Acknowledgement
96
11. References
97
1
1. Introduction
1.1 Backgrounds of the project
In the globalization of the world, English has become a Lingua Franca (Jenkins, 2000),
owned by speakers with different language backgrounds to communicate with each other.
Theoretically, pronunciation research and pedagogy have long been influenced by two
contradictory principles, the nativeness principle and the intelligibility principle (Levis,
2005). The nativeness principle holds that it is both possible and desirable to achive nativelike pronunciation in a foreign language. The nativeness principle was the dominant
paradigm in pronunciation teaching before the 1960s, but its influence was rapidly
diminished by the logical conclusion that aiming for nativeness was an unrealistic burden
for both teacher and learner. On the other hand, Jenkins’s (2000) lingua franca core (LFC),
focuses on the aspects that are most important for intelligibility in international contexts,
instead of the huge workload that traditional English of English as Foreign Language (EFL)
syllabuses include.
Now the Korean government has tried to construct the curriculum, considering the
context of the majority of Korean students who would interact with other people in Korea
and outside Korea, whether using online or offline. Therefore, beyond the lingua franca
approach, students should focus on the multicultural basis and keep alerting they would
interact with others of other different countries using English.
From this perspective, I think it is very important to start English pronunciation tutor
project for the tutees to go beyond the core and intelligibility in communication. While
both tutees are fluent and their English are intelligible, their pronunciation should be
refined in the aspect of suprasegmental features such as word stress, intonation, and voice
quality as well as segmental features. Once their needs and weaknesses of pronunciation
are to be analyzed based on the interviews and the diagnostic test, they are to engage in
five sessions of project and the achievement test would verify if the project sessions
worked well.
2
1.2 overview
The plan for this project includes six stages. Table 1.1 shows a timeline and descriptions
of each stage of the project in detail. First, the subjects of the project will be chosen with
the help. Next, in the initial meeting, an interview will be conducted to find out the
educational backgrounds, the needs in the aspect of pronunciation, and the future goal.
Then, a diagnostic test will be given to them to identify their segmental and suprasegmental
features of pronunciation. During a five sessions of the project, the tutees will meet the
tutor for two hours once a week and practice developing their weaknesses regarding
English pronunciation with materials created based on their test results. After each session,
the tutees are supposed to monitor themselves with self-reflection questions and the tutor
will give feedback which will help them enhance their needed skills. After all five sessions,
they are supposed to take an achievement test, which could tell how much they improved
compared to the results of the diagnostic test.
Table 1.1 Timeline of the project stage
Stage
Descriptions
(Timeline)
Stage
1
Find
/ select subjects
(March 23)
To conduct the pronunciation tutor project, at least one subject is
needed. When choosing the subjects, their proficiency does not have
to be the same.
Stage
2
Have
a brief interview
(March 30)
To gather information on the subjects, contact them and interview
them with the following questions. First, what is the educational
background of the tutee, especially regarding pronunciation
instruction? Second, how is the attitude toward the English speaking
countries or people? Third, what is the needs of them regarding
pronunciation?
(April 3)
The
diagnostic test
The diagnostic test is consisted of four parts:
1) word stress, sentence stress test
3
2) read-aloud test (This will be recorded.)
3) finish a story with pictures (This will be recorded.)
4) give their personal opinion (This will be recorded.)
Stage 3 (April
Analyze
17)
the results of test
Devise
a plan
Based on the analysis of the test results, coupled with the results of
the needs analysis, a specific plan will be created for how they
propose to help the participants develop/enhance those needed
skills.
Stage 4 ( May 1)

Create set of materials to meet goals
Meet
and teach materials
This stage comprises several weeks of meetings and devised
practice with the participants. Based on the plan created in stage 3,
the students with put together specific materials to help their
participants develop/enhance their pronunciation skills. The tutor
is also expected to keep a journal on the progress of the sessions.
Stage 5 ( June, 5)
Create
achievement test
Assess
progress
In this stage the tutor is to devise another measurement that can be
used to assess the progress of the participants after the
implementation of the plan and the practice sessions. In essence
this is an achievement test. Having devised the test, tutor will use
it to assess the results of the plan and sessions with the participants.
Stage 6 ( June 12)
Write
up report
In this the final stage students will write up the entire project from
stage 1 to stage 5. This write up comprises the final project for
this course. Mostly, tutor will be working to revise and combine
the different parts to create a solid cohesive report of the entire
project.
2. Participants
4
Two Korean tutees are involved in this project. Both are very passionate use
English and toward English culture, so they have enjoyed speaking and listening in
English for their own. In relation to the previous experience in learning
pronunciation, both had no certain types of instruction. However, in the aspect of
pronunciation, both tutees are aiming to be more native-like pronunciation with more
natural accents and intonations.
2.1 Participant profiles
I interviewed both tutees on the different days. The interview survey questions will
be followed by the participants profile which aimed at finding out the language
background including general information and the needs in learning pronunciation.
2.1.1 Tutee A
Name:
Jimin, Lee
Age/Grade:
24 years old, senior in Sookmyung Women’s
Universtiy
Major:
a double major in TESL and business administration
Language
experience: She can speak English and Chinese to
communicate. The first time she was taught English was six
years old with private home-school materials. In addition, she
had been enjoying watching American dramas. Also, Chinese
is one of her favorite foreign languages. She had a chance of being an exchangestudent with a Chinese university, and spent one year there. Her future dream is to
work for trading companies in which she could make the best use of her English.
 Pronunciation: She wants to refine her English like a north-American native
speaker. She recognized that she was not happy with her pronunciation. She had
no experience in learning English pronuncaiton.
5
2.1.2 Tutee B
Name:
Heemin, Park
Age/Grade:
24 years old, senior in Sookmyung Women’s
Universtiy
Major:
English literature as a first major and TESL as her
second major.
Language
experience: She also had been much in favor of
learning English. When she was taught English, she enjoyed the sound of English.
In her middle ages, she used to spend two hours a days in reading the passage of
the text aloud, imitating English tapes for her own. Her future goal is to join a
publishing company so that she could help students to learn English with more
creative and authentic materials.
 Pronunciation: She also wants to sound like a north-American native speaker. She
had no explicit instruction on English pronunciation except for self-training.
2.1.3 Tutor profile
Name:
Jungsok, Kwon
Age/Grade:
graduate student
Language experience:
The first time I learned English was
in my middle school almost 20 years ago. At that time, I
enjoyed the English classes and liked the sounds of
English as the tutees did. Unfortunately, I didn’t have specific instructions in
English pronunciation. The only way I used to adapt myself to the sounds of English
was to listen to the tape as a student. I have a Bachelor’s degree in English pedagogy
in university in Korea, and I have been studying the MA TESOL in Sookmyoung
Women’s University. During the MA TESOL, I’ve been focused on practical
courses such as teaching writing, teaching reading and teaching pronunciation. In
addition, I’ve registered the computer-assisted language learning. I mainly use
English for my job, reading books, watching movies and discussing some issues in
class.
Teaching
experience: I’ve been teaching students for 7 years as a teacher of the
secondary school in Korea. The first 6 years I taught high school male students, and
the recent two years I’ve been teaching middle school male students. In my class,
6
I’ve been trying to integrate four skills of language with communicative practices.
However, I had little chance on teaching pronunciation. That’s why I took the
English pronunciation in spring semester in 2014.
Opinions
toward pronunciation: Although the importance of suprasegmentals for
communication in English as an Lingua Franca (ELF), except for the primary stress,
is uncertain ( Jenkins, 2000; Levis, 1999), recent researches have shown the
importance of supresegmental features to convey the meaning. Some carefully
designed studies have shown some support for the superiority of suprasegmental
instruction in ESL contexts (Derwing & Rossiter, 2003). Also, wider availability of
software that makes suprasegmentals’ discourse functions more accessible to
teachers and learners will encourage work with suprasegmentals. (Chun, 2005;
Pickering, 2005). Therefore it is also by no means clear that all suprasegmentals are
equally learnable.
2.2 Needs Interview Questions
These questions were to identify the needs of pronunciation and the general
backgrounds of the participants. In addition, all the answers were recorded during
interviews. Based on the four parts of interviews of both tutees, I intended to find out
their general background information. First, I asked them their general backgrounds
such as siblings, their hobbies, or the school life. Second, I asked them of their
background of learning English such as how they learned English and what is the goal
of learning English. Third, I asked them the tendency toward speakers of English and
English culture. Last, I interviewed them for the needs and purpose of learning
English, especially in relation to pronunciation instructions. Specific interview
questions will be followed.
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Needs Analysis Survey
Part 1. General Background
1. What is your name?
2. What is your native language?
3. Is there any foreign language you speak except for English?
4. Have you ever studied English abroad?
5. How much of time you speak English each day ?
6. In what type of setting are you currently speaking English?
Part2. English Study Background
7. Please describe your experience in learning English.
8. Have any of your previous English teachers taught you about English pronunciation?
.
Part3. Goal of English Pronunciation
9. What is the goal of English pronunciation?
Part4. Goal of learning English
10. What’s your goal for learning English in the future?
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2.3 Needs analysis survey
2.3.1 Needs analysis for Tutee A
Tutee A is very passionate to be more native-like accent. Even though she sounds
quite good and fluent in her English, the only thing she concerns about her English is
her pronunciation. She wanted to deal with intonation and stress and to be more
rhythmical. She told that when she was shadowing while watching movies or dramas,
it was similar to be native-accent like, but when she started to talk in English, it was
difficult to keep those accent and sound monotonous. Therefore she wanted to deal
with more suprasegmental features like stress and intonation.
Table 2.1 Needs interview results for tutee A
Part 1. General background
1. What is your name?
Jeemin, Lee
2.What is your native Korean
language?
Part 2. English study background
3.Have you ever studied Yes. I went to China as an exchange student for one year.
English abroad?
I think it was the most memorable and remarkable point in
my university life. In China, I was fascinated to see so
kind and friendly colleagues and I have been keeping in
touch with them through Facebook or Email. I learned
how to communicate with other people with different
language and cultural differences. It was very worthy
experiences. Though it was first time for me to stay with
others and I was a little bit difficult at first, but as time
went by, it was becoming more enjoyable and later when
I should come back to Korea, I wanted to stay longer.
4.Is there any foreign I can communicate in Chinese. I have learned Chinese at
language
you
speak the private academy with games and fun activities
except for English?
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5.How much of time I use English in my class to express my thoughts and
you speak English each opinions. Except then, I don’t have much time to speak
day?
English
6.In what type of setting I use English in my class to express my thoughts and
are
you
currently opinions. Except then, I don’t have much time to speak
speaking English?
English except for classes.
7.In what type of setting I use English in my classes at school. All of my classes are
are
you
currently based on English. I like to express my opinion and feelings
speaking English?
on the spot during classes.
8.Please describe your Since I was first introduced with English with home-school
learning materials in my kindergarten age, six-year-old girl, I have
English
loved using English. I love myself using English to express
experience
my thoughts and feelings. In addition, I have enjoyed
watching American dramas. While watching, I loved
repeating the dialogues or lines of the characters. I feel happy
when I’m using English.
Part 3. English pronunciation learning
9.Have
any
previous
of
your No, I’ve never been taught English pronunciation explicitly.
English
teachers taught you about
English pronunciation?
10. What’s your goal for I want to be more native-like accents when I use English. I
learning
pronunciation?
English think I’m good at almost consonants and vowels, but I feel
uncomfortable about intonation and stress. So I want to
practice more about these.
As I said before, I’m doing double majors, TESL and business
administrations, I want to use English for my future career. I
hope to attend trading company in which English would be
one of main languages. I think my langauge ability to use
English and Chinese could help my future career. Therefore I
think I should speak and use English more sophisticatedly and
professionally. For this, more native-like accents and
pronunciation would be a good component
10
.
2.3.2 Needs analysis for Tutee B
The need of Tutee B is refining her pronunciation in the aspect of accent and
intonation. Even though she had not taught English pronunciation in school of her
secondary school days, she had practiced pronouncing English sounds with audio files
for her own. She thought it was the most difficult to pronounce more naturally and
sound native-like.
Table 2.2 Needs interview results for Tutee B
Part 1. General background
1. What is your name?
Heemin Park
2.What is your native Korean
language?
Part 2. English study background
3.Have you ever studied No.
English abroad?
4.Is there any foreign No.
language
you
speak
except for English?
5.How much of time Most of time I speak English is in class in which English is
you speak English each the main medium. Also, outside of school, I use English for
private tutoring as a part-time job.
day?
6.In what type of setting I use English in my class to express my thoughts and
are
you
currently opinions. Except then, I don’t have much time to speak
speaking English?
English except for classes.
7.In what type of setting I use English in my classes at school. All of my classes are
are
you
currently based on English. I like to express my opinion and feelings
speaking English?
on the spot during classes.
8.Please describe your I have been studies since I was in elementary school. I was
English
learning much favored to learn English, because of the sounds of
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English. I mostly studies in school and practiced
experience
pronunciation using my audio at home. I had been taught by
Korean teachers, but mainly focused on teaching written
English with grammar, vocabulary, and reading. I’ve been
much exposed to American English since I started to learn
English.
Part 3. English pronunciation learning
9.Have
any
previous
of
your No, I’ve never been taught English pronunciation explicitly.
English
teachers taught you about
English pronunciation?
10. What’s your goal for I want to be more native-like accents when I use English. I
learning
pronunciation?
English think I’m good at almost consonants and vowels, but I feel
uncomfortable about intonation and stress. So I want to
practice more about these. In addition, I want to help students
to learn English interesting with more user-friendly and
authentic materials. Looking back on my experience, what I
used to listen was somewhat old-fashioned and looked boring
to dig into. My personal goal for the future career is to attend
the publishing company and make more helpful materials for
the Korean students to enjoy English better and more exciting.
.
2.4 Reflection on the first meetings
The first meeting with Jimin, Lee was on 24th, March. We had a first meeting
in the Saehim buildingin Sookmyung univerity she usually studies and did her
assignment. She told me that her family background, education experience in China,
and her future goal. The first impression of her was that she was a very cheerful
12
person and even she was passionate to use English for her life. It was so interesting
that her older brother was majoring in film and theatre. I thought this cheerful
disposition would run in her family, which helps her easier to talk freely. She liked
talking in English and had good relationship with the professors of TESL.
Three days after, I met the other tutee, Heemin Park on 27th, March at the garden
of the university. It was so warm and sweet day under the cherry blossoms. She
told me that her family background, education experience, and her future goal. She
mentioned about her characteristics that she was a very hardworking person and
liked learning English. She, also, told me about her younger sister, attending the
college of Fine Arts of other universities. She told that her sister was not similar
with herself in the way of thinking and talking. She was more in an atmosphere of
freedom. Furthermore, she told me that she was preparing for applying the publish
company in April.
3.Diagnostic test
3.1 Overview
Diagnostic test was conducted to find out their needs in relation to
pronunciation and the weak points they have. There are mainly four parts of the
13
diagnostic test in which I can get speech samples from both tutees. The first part
of it is asking of the knowledge of word stress. They will mark the stress of the
word, and then it will show how well they understand the word stress rules. Second
part is about reading the text out loud. It is intended to test all the segmental and
suprasegmental features as well. However, it sounds a little fixed or unnatural so
I move them to talk naturally with the following two sections. The third section is
about making story based on the pictures and the last section is about free talking
on the issue. It was helpful for me to get speech samples and diagnose what strong
points and weak points they have.
3.2 Discussion of diagnostic test
.
In this section, there will be discussions on the diagnostic test: Why I put each
part of the diagnostic test, and how I used it for generating the speech samples of
the tutees. Also, where they had come from will be presented.
The most important reason the researcher develop the diagnostic test is to
identify specific areas of pronunciation of the test takers to be treated to sound
better. In order to identify the knowledge of the tutees about the pronunciation and
generate many samples as possible, the diagnostic test had four sections. In Part
1, I intended to identify how well they understand the stress rules in English. They
had to figure out a word stress and a sentence stress. Even though knowing well
about the pronunciation rules doesn’t always mean they can make it, how do they
produce if they are not aware of the rule? From the next following sections, they
actually started to produce their English.
In Part 2, they were supposed to read aloud the passage. This was meant to
identify all the elements of English pronunciation from segmental levels to
suprasegmental levels. However, this section could not fully draw natural samples
of the tutees.
So in Part 3 and Part 4, I intended to get more natural English samples of
their own. In the third section, they were supposed to finish a story based on the
14
series of pictures. In Part 4, they were to talk with each other on the most
memorable event of their university life. In those two parts, they were freely talked
to each other and share their ideas and experiences with feelings. As a result, I
could get more authentic and natural speech samples from them.
As for the sources of test questions, I used book of Cook (2007) for Part 1,
Part 2, and Part3. In addition to them, the questions of Part 4 were made by myself.
3.3 Diagnostic test
. Mark the stress
Underline a letter/ word/ words to be stressed when speaking.
1. Ph.D.
2. USA
15
3. The White House
4. A white house
5. Convenience store
6. Convenient store
7. He drove it.
8. He drove the car
9. He drove the car he bought yesterday.
10. He drove the car that he bought from his friend
. Read out loud
Read the paragraphs below. Read them in mind for a while so that you can
be more comfortable to them. Then, read them as naturally as possible.
Hello, my name is
. Now I’m taking the pronunciation tutor
project. There’s a lot to learn, but I hope to make it as enjoyable as possible. I
should pick up on the American intonation pattern pretty easily, although the
only way to get it is to practice all of the time. I use the up and down, or peaks
and valleys, intonation more than I used to. I’ve been paying attention to pitch,
too. It’s like walking down a staircase. I’ve been talking to a lot of Americans
lately, and they tell me that I’m easier to understand. Anyway, I could go on
and on, but the important thing is to listen well and sound good.
. Finish a picture story
Look at the picture story below. Read the first two parts of the story, and then finish it in
your own words.
Picture 1.
Picture 2.
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Richard and Sara work for a software company.
At the theater, Richard suggested they see the
Last Friday, they finished a big project. They
vampire movie. Sara said, ”I don’t want vampire
decided to celebrate by going to a movie.
movies. I can’t the stand the sight of blood.”
Richard told her not to worry. He said, “You can
hold my hand.”
Now use the pictures to finish the story.
Picture 3.
Picture 4.
. Give opinions
Answer the following questions. You can have three minutes to ponder before
answering. If necessary, you can take notes.
1. Looking back on your campus life, what is the most memorable event? And how
does it affect your personality or attitude?
2. What would you advice for a freshman to have a perfect university life?
3.4 Rubrics for the diagnostic test
According to Gerhiser and Wrenn (2007), the diagnostic provides opportunities for
the teacher to check areas of my students’ pronunciation. It is a guide to help me diagnose
my students’ difficulties. They suggested that I do not have to make comments about
every feature. Rather, it would be best if I make comments only about the items which
seem to be giving the student the most difficulty, or that interfere most with the student’s
17
intelligibility.
The following rubric is for identifying their weaknesses in relation to pronunciation. It
is useful to figure out suprasegmenal features as well as segmental features. Here is
explantion on how to use the rubric for my tutees’ speech samples. First, Part 2 (Read it
out loud) asks my tutees to read the passage out loud as controlled activity and their
speech sample will be identified to be more focused on the segmental features such as
consonants, syllable/grammatical endings and vowels. Second, Part 3 and Part 4 are less
controlled and they will generate freer speeches, so these samples are more useful to be
analyzed to figure out their suprasegmental features such as the word stress, rhythm,
prominence, intonation, linking, and delivery. The examples of showing their weaknesses
which hinders communicaition and intelligibility will be identified in each section.
Table 3.1 Rubrics
Current ability
Elements of
Speech
1
2
3
4
5
Consonants
Vowels
Syllables
and/or
grammatic
al endings
Examples
Difficulties
Does the speaker have repeated problems
with any consonants or clusters?
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Do vowel sounds negatively affect
intelligibility?
-s endings
-d endings
1
2
3
4
5
Word stress
Does stress fall on the appropriate
syllable?
1
2
3
4
5
Rhythm in
sentences
Focus and 1
special
emphasis
Does the speaker speak in a natural
rhythm? Is every word given the same
stress?
2
3
4
5
Does the speaker use emphatic stress to
indicate key words or contrasts?
18
(Prominence
)
Intonation/
Pitch
1
2
3
4
5
Thought
1 2
3
4
5
groups and
linking
Delivery
1 2
3
4
5
(rate
of
speech,
loudness)
Does the tone rise and fall in the
appropriate places?
Does the speaker pause at commas and
other appropriate places?
Does the speaker speak too loudly or
quietly, too fast, or too slow?
4.Analysis of the diagnostic results
4.1 Tutee A
Based on the results of the speech sample, I found out the weakest point of Subject A is
that her speech in English doesn’t’ show proper word stress within her speech in the spoken
discourse. Second, in the conversation, she sounded more flap and monotonous because she
19
lacks in showing prominence in her sentence and proper intonation, even though her speech
sounded rhythmical. Third, she was more needed to link the sound in the connected speech.
Fourth, on the segment levels, most consonants are intelligible, except for the /l/ and /r/ sounds.
Also, vowel sounds are intelligible, but she tends to pronounce the / æ/ sound like the /ɛ/ sound.
Sometimes, she substituted the /ɛ/ sound for the / æ/ sound, because it is easier to pronounce.
Last, she sometimes stops at the improper place, which makes thought groups in her speech
improperly.
Table 4.1 Test results of Tutee A
Elements of Current ability
Speech
Example
Substitute
Consonants 1 2 3 4 5
Difficulties
/r/ Almost
for /l/
every
intelligible
and
consonant
sounded
were
natural
except for the /l/ and /r/ sounds. These
sounds should be more intelligible.
Vowels
1 2 3 4 5
Syllables
and/or
grammatic
al endings
1 2 3 4 5
Word
stress
Same
pronunciation
with / æ/ and /ɛ/
Eg. said vs sad
She sounded good in almost every
vowels, but she tended to produce the
Schwa vowel sounds more than
necessary. In addition, she tends to
pronounce / æ/ sound same as the /ɛ/
sound.
Ok
She was ok in syllables and
grammatical endings. She pronounces
them in a reduced form in her spoken
discourse.
Improperly put Based on the results of written test for
word stress
word stress and sentence stress, she
Eg.
might know some rules and instinct
Hello for Hello
1 2 3 4 5
for the stress and intonation of
English pronunciation. However, she
parking lot for
parking lot
might not know exactly word stress in
the aspect of two phase words. In
addition, through reading aloud the
paragraph, she showed an improper
20
stress saying Hello, my name is
Heemin Park, not Hello, my name is
Heemin Park.
This is the most beautiful skill for her
English. She sounded musical and
rhythmical. When she speaks, she
tends to pay attention to rhythm of her
English
and
it
looks
rather
automatized. I think it’s because she
Rhythm in 1 2 3 4 5
sentences
spent much time to practice listening
and speaking during her middle
school period. I heard that she spend
two hours every day to practice
listening and speaking with audio aids
after school.
little
Focus and
special
1 2 3 4 5
emphasis
(Prominenc
e)
She showed little prominence in her
prominence in script reading and conversation. I
her free speech
how to place emphasis on the most
important part of the sentence.
Same
Intonation/
Pitch
1 2 3 4 5
think she might need to know more on
and She
showed
proper
intonation
similar
patterns in her script reading with
intonation
falling
except
intonation
and
rising
for intonation, but she showed less
questions
intonation in conversation than in her
script reading. So she sounded more
flap and monotonous in her speech.
Sometimes
Thought
groups and 1 2 3 4 5
linking
short
She was good at pronouncing the
thought message units and pronounced them
groups and fail well during script reading. Also, she
to make linking knew
sounds
how
to
link
the
words
appropriately. However, when she
21
was pondering and making more
pauses in her speech in answering to
the question; what was the most
memorable event in your university
life? She sometimes stopped at
improper places, which didn’t give
clear information.
Delivery
(rate
of 1 2 3 4 5
speech,
loudness)
Her voice quality and delivery rate is
good to hear
4.2 Tutee B
Based on the results of the speech sample, I found out the weakest point of Tutee B
is that she sounds flap and monotonous. Second, just as many Koreans tend to stress the
first syllable of a word, she also tends to stress the first word of each sentence. For
example, she said “I agree.” not “I agree.” She might know the rule of stress and
intonation in English, but failed to put stress on the right word. Third, she was more
needed to link the sound in the connected speech same as the other tutee. Fourth, on the
segment levels, some consonants like the dental sound /θ/, /t/, /r/, and /l/ sound need to
22
be more intelligible. Last, the vowel sound such as / æ/ should be pronounced more
clearly. She tends to pronounce it as /ɛ/.
Table 4.2 Test results of Tutee B
Elements of Current ability
Speech
Example
Difficulties
Substitute
Most consonants were intelligible, but
/r/
some didn’t sound natural as much as
for /l/
,
other consonant features. First, she
Unnatural
seemed to focus too much on dental sound
sound for /θ/, so every word including /θ/ sounds too
stressed with a high pitch. In addition,
/θ/
even though she seemed to know
Consonants 1 2 3 4 5
allophones of /t/, one of alveolar sounds,
she did not pronounce it well every time.
Third, when the final consonants should
be reduced, she tended to pronounce them
rather
accurately.
Finally,
when
pronouncing / r /, she tended to make it
flap.
Vowels
Syllables
and/or
grammatic
al endings
1 2 3 4 5
1
2 3 4 5
Same
pronunciat
ion with
/æ/ and /ɛ/
Eg. guess
vs gas
Eg.
used to,
tasks
She sounded good in most every vowel. In
addition, she centralized vowels when
speaking fast. However, she tended to
pronounce vowels, not much using her lips
wide when speaking slowly so in some
cases,
mispronouncing
caused
misunderstanding. For example, when
speaking a word “guess”, it sounded like
/g æ s/ rather than /g e s/.
She looked uncomfortable to sound word
ending such as consonant clusters.
23
Improperl
Looking through the results of written test
y put word for word stress and sentence stress, she
Word
stress
1 2 3 4 5
stress
much seemed to know the rules and
Eg.
instinct
pick up for
pick up
for
stress
of
English
pronunciation. However, during reading
the script aloud, and in the spoken
discourse, she seemed to put no clear
stress in her speech in the authentic
conversation.
Needs
I think she is much affected by her L1
more
when using English.
rhythm
rhythm and sounds more musical with her
She needs more
English. She speaks fluently, but she
Rhythm in 1 2 3 4 5
sentences
showed no definite rhythm in her speech.
Because she tended to pronounce almost
every word with same pitch, her speech
sounded isolated, not rhythmical.
She showed little prominence in her script
Focus and
special
1 2 3 4 5
emphasis
(Prominenc
e)
reading and conversation. I think she
might need to know more on how to place
emphasis on the most important part of the
sentence.
Same and She showed proper intonation patterns in
Intonation/
Pitch
1 2 3 4 5
similar
her script reading with falling intonation
intonation
and rising intonation, but she showed less
except for intonation in conversation than in her
questions
script reading. So she sounded more flap
and monotonous in her speech.
Thought
groups and 1 2 3 4 5
linking
both things
She was good at pronouncing the message
used to
units and pronounced them well during
script reading. However, she needs more
24
about how to link and pronounce the
words appropriately in the thought groups
Delivery
(rate
of 1 2 3 4 5
speech,
loudness)
Her voice quality and delivery rate is
good to hear
4.3 Reflection on the diagnostic test
After the first meeting with the tutees, we had a second meeting for the diagnostics. We
had a meeting on a lounge in the Sookmyoung Students’ Building. Right after finishing their
pronunciation class, we’ve been together in a rather free and talkative atmosphere. Before
giving them the diagnostic paper, we had free conversation on the upcoming midterm or the
lives of the tutor as a working mom.
25
Then, they were given the diagnostic paper for each and took turns to record their speech.
They looked a little nervous at first, but they felt more comfortable as the section went. For
example, especially in the last section, they had long arguments on learning second language.
Heemin gave her opinion that it is important to have perfect and better English text and other
materials, because she didn’t have good books or materials to learn English in her middle
school. In response to Heemin’s opinion, Jimin proposed that it is not always necessary to learn
second language. She added her experiences of learning Chinese in her middle school age. She
told that she learned thought communication activities with Chosun Race, Chinese ethnic
Koreans living in China, and it was more effective than just preparing for the exam. I thought
it seemed important to Heemin to see her improved every day, and she liked learning English.
Compared with Heemin, Jimin really liked using and communicating English for the real
purpose.
I think the diagnostic test worked well to generate their speech samples as I need to
analyze their weaknesses in relation to pronunciation. The components of their speeches were
ranged from segments of consonants and vowels to free speeches which showed how well they
dictate the suprasegmental features of word stress, rhythm, intonation, linking and prominence.
5. Goals and objectives
5.1 Theoretical backgrounds
This project needs to go beyond the core and it is supported by the following theoretical
evidence which emphasized the significant role of stress. Empirical evidence strengthens
pedagogical claims about the importance of teaching suprasegmentals. For example,
26
Jenkins (2002) includes primary stress in her Lingua Franca Core—a set of phonological
features that “seem to be crucial as safeguards of mutual intelligibility in interlanguage talk”
(p. 96), indicating that primary stress, prominence is an important feature for nonnative
speakers (NNS) who interact with other NNSs as well as with NSs. Fortunately,
prominence can be learned. Pennington and Ellis (2000) found that learners who received
explicit instruction significantly improved prominece production, reinforcing Dalton and
Seidlhofer’s (1994) argument that prominence is both teachable and valuable for
communicating. Furthermore, Derwing, Munro, and Wiebe (1998) found that ESL students
who received 20 minutes per day of instruction in suprasegmentals (including prominence)
significantly improved comprehension and fluency in a narrative speaking task.
In addition, in examining the role of stress, or “the degree of force used in producing a
syllable,” (Crystal, 2003, p. 435) in intelligibility, Field (2005) asked trained listeners to
transcribe recorded material when the variables of word stress and vowel quality were
manipulated. He determined that when word stress is erroneously shifted to an unstressed
syllable, without a change in vowel quality, utterances are significantly less intelligible
than when vowel quality is manipulated. Both native and nonnative English-speaking
listeners responded similarly when judging the intelligibility of words with misplaced word
stress.
5.2 Goals
The goal of this pronunciation tutor project is to raise their awareness toward word stress
and refine the tutees’ pronunciation to be more musical and rhythmical with strategic
approach through aural self-refelctions from tutees. Based on the analysis of the diagnostic
results and the discussion with the tutees, I found out that even though their overall
proficiency level of spoken English is very high, both tutees have common problems in two
areas. One weakness is that they pronounce same the /æ/ and /ɛ/ sounds. The other is the
27
word stress. The specific objectives for this goal will be followed by.
5.3 Objectives
Because of the short meeting sessions of tutor projects, I set up only three objectives.
First, tutees will be able to pronounce the vowel /æ/ and /ɛ/ sound distinctively. Second,
subjects will be able to raise awareness on the word stress and produce it appropriately in the
word phrases. Second, subjects will be able to put the right word stress in word phrases and the
sentence. Last, but not least, tutees will improve their strategies on pronunciation. As Ingells
(2011) pointed out, the participants will improve their autonomy by self-monitoring, selfevaluation, and self-correction (correct transcript and rehearse corrections aloud). In every session,
the tutee will monitor their speech and reflect on the process and send me through Kakao group
chatting room..
6. The action plan
6.1 Theoretical backgrounds
6.1.1Task-based approach
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a task is a piece of work imposed, exacted,
28
or undertaken as a duty or the like,’ or ‘a portion of study imposed by a teacher’. Williams
and Burden (1997: 168) defines a task as ‘any activity that learners engage into further the
process of learning a language’. Barren(1997, p. 23)defines task as a range of learning
activities ‘ from the simple and brief exercise type to more complex and lengthy activities
such as group problem-solving or stimulations and decision making’. Again Estaire and
Zanon(1994: 13-20) distinguish two main categories of task- firstly ‘communication task’
in which the learners’ attention is focused on meaning rather than form’ and secondly
‘enabling tasks’ in which the main focus is on linguistic aspects( grammar, vocabulary,
pronunciation, functions and discourse)’. R.Ellis uses the term ‘exercise’ for any activity
in which the learners have no communicative purpose. Here we observe that Ellis’
‘exercise’ corresponds to Estaire and Zanon’s ‘enabling task’ (in contrast to
communication task).According to Willis (1996:23), ‘tasks are always activities where
target language is used by the learner for a communicative purpose (goal) in order to
achieve an outcome’(p. 23) Willis (1996) suggests the speaking of the target language
freely without being anxious of making errors as the basic need for a language is to
communicate meaningfully. She firmly believes that learners will reach an acceptable level
of competence gradually. Therefore, the TBL framework aims at giving the learners ample
scope to experiment with the learners spoken and written language.
6.1.2 Strategy-based approach
I utilize the strategy-based approach for the tutees to develop their autonomy in
monitoring and reflecting their pronunciation. During the session, they’ll be asked to raise
their awareness to the pronunciation and monitor their pronunciation. In addition, they’ll be
given self-reflection questions at the end of every session. Theoretically, the outcome of
Ingells (2011) intensive and long-term study has been the identification and categorization
of the strategies typically used by learners for the four primary language skills: speaking
(i.e., general oral skills, pronunciation), listening, writing, and reading, and less frequently,
test-taking skills (McDonough, 1995).Language learning strategy (LLS)
research results
suggest a positive relationship between LLS use (quantity, frequency, and quality of strategy
use) and proficiency (Breun, 2001b; Chamot & Kupper, 1989; Chesterfield & Chesterfield,
1985; Lai, 2009; Oxford & Nyikos, 1989). The question of the effectiveness of strategybased instruction (SBI) still needs further investigation, though evidence from strategy-
29
based instruction (SBI) research of the past two to three decades indicate that SBI typically
is effective (Chamot & Kupper, 1989; Y. M. Chen 2008; Cohen, Weaver, & Li, 1995;
Hassan et al. 2005). Though a substantial body of research and scholarly discussion exists
regarding strategies for improving general L2 skills and to a lesser extent, L2 speaking, until
recently little attention has been focused on specific strategies and techniques that learners
can use to improve L2 pronunciation (Eckstein, 2007; Haslam, 2010; Sardegna, 2009). In
the research, Ingells (2011) has observed the value of training adult L2 learners to use selfmonitoring strategies such as critical listening and transcription to monitor their output and
self-correct their pronunciation.
6.2 Action plan for Class 1
6.2.1 Lesson plan
Class 1. Who’s who?
Day
May, 1
Time allotment
60 minutes.
Place
2nd of Executive building
30
Obejctives
Tutees can distinguish the /æ/ and /ɛ/ sound.
Tutees can articulate the /æ/ and /ɛ/ sound in the acivity.
Materials
Tongue twister acitivity
Minimal pair handout
Family tree activity
Audio files
Procedures
1. Warm-up activity using /æ/ and /ɛ/ sound :tongue 5 mins.
twisters.
2. Encourage tutees to think of the differences of two 5 mins.
vowels after the warm-up activity.
3. Introduce the objectives.
4. Listen and shadow the audio files on the minimal 10mins.
pairs in sentences.
5. Practice individually for a while.
6. Read the practice sentences to each other and get
feedback from others including tutors and tutee.
7. Introduce “who’s who?” activity.
5 mins
5 mins.
3 mins.
8. First, they should go over those names of cards
which include /æ/ and /ɛ/ sound in them.
2 mins.
9. Then, they’ll have one minute to read those names
in advance to the activity.
10. Complete the family tree based on the cue cards.
For this, both tutees should cooperate and
communicate with each other.
Home assignment
Send their own self-reflections through Kakao group
service.
Self-reflection question 1. How well did you
distinguish the targeted sound?
Self-reflection question 2. How comfortable did you
pronounce the targeted sound?
25 mins
31
Self-reflection question 3. What parts of the targeted
sound was most difficult to you?
6.2.2 Materials for Class 1
1. Mary Mac's mother's making Mary Mac marry me.
My mother's making me marry Mary Mac.
Will I always be so Merry when Mary's taking care of me?
Will I always be so merry when I marry Mary Mac?
32
2. Mary Mac's mother's making Mary Mac marry me.
My mother's making me marry Mary Mac.
Will I always be so Merry when Mary's taking care of me?
Will I always be so merry when I marry Mary Mac?
3. How many berries could a bare berry carry,
if a bare berry could carry berries?
Well they can't carry berries
(which could make you very wary)
but a bare berry carried is more scary!
4. A bad black man sat on a bran bread.
A big bad black man sat on the back of a big black bear.
A big black bug bit a black bear and the black bear bled blood
A big black bug bit a black bear, made the big black bear bled blood.
Remember that for the /æ/ sound the jaw is more open, and the tongue is down at
the floor of your mouth. For the and /ε/ sound, the jaw is just slightly down.
A. Sentence pairs for practice.
1. Don’t think about the pest.
Don’t think about the past.
2. He gave me a letter.
He gave me a ladder.
3. Send it carefully.
Sand it carefully.
4. The men helped me.
The man helped me.
5. I need a new pen.
I need a new pan.
6. Do you need to beg?
Do you need a bag?
B. Word pairs in Sentences.
33
1. This bed is bad.
I guess I need gas.
2. Dan is in the den.
They laughed after he left.
3. She said that she was sad.
I bet that’s a bat.
c. Practice paragraph
A trip to France
Next January I’m planning to visit my friends in France. Last time I went there.
I was only ten or eleven. I would love to go back again. I am taking a class called
“French for travelers.” We are memorizing vocabulary and learning the present and
past tenses. I want my French to get better and I am practicing every chance I get. I
rented a French film and I felt so bad because I didn’t understand a word they said.
I guess I will have to make extra effort. I want to learn the language and have a better
accent so that people can understand me when I am asking for directions and
ordering in restaurants.
Edna and Patrick were just married. Their families had not met until
the wedding ceremony. At the reception following the wedding, the
relatives of the bride and groom introduced themselves to each other.
Use the clues on the cards to fill out the chart of some of the relatives who
attended the nuptials.
34
Now you shouldn’t show your information,
but share it by asking and answering. While
you ask or answer the names of the relatives,
please focus on the /æ/ and /ε/ sounds.
35
Now you shouldn’t show your information,
but share it by asking and answering. While
you ask or answer the names of the relatives,
please focus on the /æ/ and /ε/ sounds.
36
6.2.3 Reflection on Class 1
The first class was on May, 1. The class will be on every Thursday, 4 p.m. We met in the
second floor of executive building in Sookmyoung University. I explained the general schedule
of 5 sessions, and introduced that the sessions will be based on task-based approach and selfreflection as a strategy.
The objective of the first class was that the tutees are to distinguish the vowel sounds /æ/
and /ε/ and articulate rightly while engaging in the task. In the first part, they were asked to do
tongue twister that are mainly focused to the vowel sounds /æ/ and /ε/. At first they were not
aware of the difference between those two vowels. So what I had asked for them was to focus
on the height of tongue and jaw when listening to audio files. One tutee had told me that she
had never focused on the tongue or jaw when speaking English, so she felt uncomfortable and
difficult. So I suggested both tutees to listen and practice more. After two times of practice,
they were getting more comfortable to pronounce, so I let them and read out the sentence pairs
and word pairs including the vowel sounds /æ/ and /ε/. They read the sentences to each other
and made guesses which sound they said in the sentence practices. At first, it seemed to be
difficult for them to guess the right sound, but as the pronunciation was getting comfortable,
they were a little better than the first.
In the second part, they practiced the vowel sounds in completing task. They were given
name cards which included /æ/ or /ε/ sounds in them. They were encouraged to complete the
family tree based on the information each one has. Therefore they could practice these sounds
more in finishing the task. They were doing better for pronouncing the names when sharing
their information and focusing the pronunciation of the names. In addition, they were giving
feedbacks on their pronunciation of these two sounds. They told that they might focus on /æ/
or /ε/ sounds outside the tutoring class.
After they finished the task, they were given self-reflection questions. With these
questions, they were supposed to record their answers through Kakao talk group chatting room.
The following are self-reflections from tutees. They can respond freely or they can respond
based on the guided questions: 1) How well did you distinguish the targeted feature? 2) How
comfortable did you pronounce the targeted feature? 3) What parts of the targeted feature was
37
most difficult to you?
Aural Self-reflection from Tutee A.
Q : How well did you distinguish the targeted feature?
Actually I didn’t much pay attention to the vowel sound, so I couldn’t make any
distinction between those two vowel sounds when I speak in English. However, I
came to know there should be distinction between them to be more intelligible and
understandable.
Q : How comfortable did you pronounce the targeted feature?
Now I feel more comfortable in distinguishing the vowel sounds after practicing
with my partner. After we practiced pronouncing /æ/ or /ε/ sounds, I came to realize
that poor distinction of those vowels could cause misunderstanding in the
communication.
Q : What parts of the targeted feature was most difficult to you?
It was a little bit hard to move my jaw lower and wider. Yesterday I realized that
I pronounced the /æ/ sound in the word of “back.” That means I came to focus on
the vowel sound that before, and I think my pronunciation could be more improved .
Aural Self-reflection from Tutee B.
Q : How well did you distinguish the targeted feature?
I didn’t much care about these two sounds before this class. I just ignored these
two sounds and I used to pronounce them equally, but now I could figure out the
difference between two sounds clearly.
Q : How comfortable did you pronounce the targeted feature?
I don’t think I’m comfortable to pronounce or listen to these sounds, if I didn’t
pay consciously attention to two different sounds.
Q : What parts of the targeted feature was most difficult to you?
38
. Even though I raised my awareness that I move my jaw lower and make the sound
longer to sound /æ/, I feel a little difficult to pronounce or listen to two different
sounds. That’s because I got used to pronouncing them as same. So I think I need
more practice to pronounce these two vowels.
6.3 Action plan for Class 2
39
6.3.1 Lesson plan
Class 2. Recitation of a sonnet from Shakespeare
2nd of Executive building
Day
May, 8
Time allotment
60 minutes.
Obejctives
Tutees can raise their awareness to the word stress.
Place
Tutees can recite the poetry with the proper word stress.
Materials
PPT
Word stress rule handout
Sonnet handout
video files
Procedures
1. For warm-up, word bubbles.
-
7 mins.
read out loud five sentences with marked word
stress on them.
-
One tutee reads and the other marks on the
sentences.
-
.
Take turns and read their sentences for the other
to mark the sentences.
2. Introduce the objectives.
5 mins
3. Think about the word stress rule.
4. Listen and shadow PPT slides to raise awareness for
word stress
7 mins.
40
5. Watch video without sounds.
5 mins
6. Figure out the moods of the video and share with 3 mins
each other.
7. Get the poetry and figure out unknown words.
5 mins.
8. Guess the word stress of the poetry.
9. Watch the video and listen to check
10. Practice recitating with the word stress marked.
11. Present their recitation and videotape it.
Get feedbacks.
Home assignment
Send their own self-reflections through Kakao group
service.
Self-reflection question 1. How well did you
distinguish the targeted sound?
Self-reflection question 2. How comfortable did you
pronounce the targeted sound?
Self-reflection question 3. What parts of the targeted
sound was most difficult to you?
3 mins.
15 mins.
5 mins.
5 mins.
41
6.3.2 Materials for Class 2
1. What is word stress?
‘Stress’ has more than one meaning. When we talk about
stress and exams, we usually mean feelings of worry or anxiety.
However, it also has a different meaning. This other meaning is
important for success in the spoken discourse. When we say a
word which has 2 or more syllables, we usually emphasize (or
stress) one of the syllables more than the others. This stressed
syllable will be a little louder, longer and stronger than the
other syllables in the word.
Ex. Choose the word stress of the bold letters.
(1) Anton is a wildlife photographer.
(2) He has been interested in photography
since he was a child.
(3) Today he is famous for his photographic
skills.
(4) His photographs have appeared in many
wildlife magazines.
42
The main and simple rules for word stress in English is following: One word has only one
stress. In addition, only vowels are stressed, not consonants.The rest of rules are sophisticated,
but it’s helpful for you to recognize.
1. Stress on first syllable
Rule
example
Most 2-syllable nouns
PRESent, EXport, CHIna, TAble
Most 2-syllable
adjectives
PRESent, SLENder, CLEVer, HAPpy
2. Stress on last syllable
Rule
example
Most 2-syllable verbs
to preSENT, to exPORT, to deCIDE, to beGIN
Tip. There are many two-syllable words in English whose meaning and class change with a
change in stress. The word present, for example is a two-syllable word. If we stress the first
syllable, it is a noun (gift) or an adjective (opposite of absent). But if we stress the second
syllable, it becomes a verb (to offer). More examples: the words export, import, contract
and object can all be nouns or verbs depending on whether the stress is on the first or second
syllable.
43
3. Stress on penultimate syllable (penultimate = second from end)
rule
example
Words ending in -ic
GRAPHic, geoGRAPHic, geoLOGic
Words ending in -sion and -tion
teleVIsion, reveLAtion
Tip. For a few words, native English speakers don't always "agree" on where to put the
stress. For example, some people say teleVIsion and others say TELevision. Another
example is: CONtroversy and conTROversy.
4. Stress on ante-penultimate syllable (ante-penultimate = third from end)
rule
example
Words ending in -cy, -ty, -phy
and -gy
deMOcracy, dependaBIlity, phoTOgraphy, geOLogy
Words ending in -al
CRItical, geoLOGical
5 Compound words (words with two parts)
Rule
example
For compound nouns, the stress is on the first part
BLACKbird, GREENhouse
For compound adjectives, the stress is on the second part
bad-TEMpered,
old-FASHioned
For compound verbs, the stress is on the second part
to underSTAND, to overFLOW
44
http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/video-recitation-series
1. You’ll watch the recitation video without sound and at the same time, you are to
focus on how she recites or what mood she conveys.
2. After watching, share your opinions with your partners.
3. You’ll get the poetry she recited. Look through the poetry and get to understand it
through constructing meaning in pairs.
4. Then, decide the word stress of each sentence.
5. Watch and listen to her and compare the word stress you decided with her.
6. Now it’s your turn to recite. Listen and practice as she does. Don’t forget poetry is
full of emotion and stress.
45
William Shakespeare - Sonnet CXXX
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
46
Vocabulary
Match the word to the definition.
dun (adj)
∙
damasked (adj)
∙
belie (v)
∙
reek (v)
∙
∙ of a pinkish colour
∙ dull (grey) colour
∙ to tell lies about
∙ to smell awful
1. Which words rhyme?
2.How many syllables are there in each line?
3. In simple words, what do you think the poet is saying? Discuss with your partner.
Tip. Sonnet guideline
1. The sonnet must have 14lines :
Uses three quatrains (groups of 4lines)+one couplet (group of two lines)
Uses Iambic Pentameter:
*Each line has 10 syllables
*Syllables follow a “beat” where an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed
syllable
(e.g. daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM)
The Shakespearean sonnet form is encouraged:
Follows the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
The sonnet’s “turn” usually occurs in the final couplet.
6.3.3 Reflection on class 2.
47
The class was on 8th of May in the second floor of the executive building. The objective
of the class was to raise awareness of the tutees to word stress and practice it by reciting a
poetry. Both tutees were lack of rhythms in their speeches in English. In addition, word stress
could be basic elements which make their English more rhythmical and musical. The class
was divided into three parts. In the warm-up stage, they were to raise their awareness to the
word stress. In the practice with PPT slides, they were to recognize more specific rules of
word stress. In the last stage, they were to practice recitation of a poetry in pairs.
First, in the warm-up stage the subjects were to read five sentences to each other. Those
five
sentences
are
different
from
each
other
and
those
sentences
were marked circles describing primary and secondary stress. One tutee read according to the
marked stress and the other had to mark on the sentences that were not marked. Then, they
took turns and read their sentences for the other to mark the sentences. After this warm-up
activity, I let them think about what patterns were found as for the word stress rule.
They found out that content words are usually stressed ad function words are not. In addition,
I asked them to think how a stressed word works. As for stressed words, they were to be more
louder and longer and the tutees seemed to recognize the general concept of the word stress.
For more information on the word stress rules, I showed slides to introduce more rules for
word stress such as word stress patterns in compound nouns, pharasal verbs,
and abbrebiation words. In addition, the way to stress on the number or proper nouns. Before
the class, I was a little anxious about making them go through word stress rules with example
sentences, because it looked boring. However, they had little knowledge about the word stress
rules, so I wanted to support them to raise their awareness toward the word stress. To my
surprise, they expressed excitement when going through different word stress patterns.
After making them raise awareness of word stress, the poetry activity followed. The first
stage of the activity was that they were to watch video of a girl reciting a poetry of William
Shakespeare without sounds. They were to figure out how she conveyed and what moods she
might express. In the second stage, they were to share their ideas on the video. Then, they were
given the poetry and they had to figure out what the poetry intended to convey and construct
meaning in pairs. In the third stage, they were to guess how she put stress on each sentence in
pairs. In the fourth stage, they were to watch the video and listen to check if they made a good
48
guess on the word stress. In the last stage, they practice recitating with the word stress marked.
While they were listening and checking the marks on each line, they were to understand how
she changed her voice tone and word stress to be more expressive. They mentioned that the
girl seemed to play musical notes with cresendo and decrescendo. They were to practice several
times and both were videotaped. The video files were sent through Kakao Talk and they were
to send self-reflections based on these video files through Kakao group chatting room. The
following are self-reflections from tutees. They can respond freely or they can respond based
on the guided questions: 1) How well did you distinguish the targeted feature? 2) How
comfortable did you pronounce the targeted feature? 3) What parts of the targeted feature was
most difficult to you?
Aural reflection on class 2 from Tutee A.
Q : How well did you distinguish the targeted sound?
I think I didn’t know much about the word stress in the past, because I had no specific
instructions about intonation or word stress in the formal lesson. However I found out that
I’ve already know came to know some rules of the word stress unconsciously through many
years of learning English. In addition, I become more confident in word stress pattern
during reading the poetry .
Q : How comfortable did you pronounce the targeted sound?
It’s hard to say I’m comfortable to say word stress naturally, but I learned how to read
the poetry with exaggeration and focusing on the stress. It was very good for me to focus
on word stress. I think if I keep practicing reading poetry with expressions, I will be more
comfortable to speak the word stress.
Q : What parts of the targeted sound was most difficult to you?
I think EFL learners are not used to the pattern of word stress and most of stress patterns
are difficult. Especially, the Korean learners are having difficulties in stressing words in
their speech, because Korean has different stress pattern.
Aural reflection on class 2 from Tutee B
During session of the tutoring, I can feel the beauty of English while reciting the poetry
of Shakespeare. I think recitation of a poetry was good to practice word stress. While
49
watching the video, I came to know the word stress is the beauty of English and it can
make sounds more native-like. Therefore, I need to recognize this word stress in the spoken
discourse and practice more with more authentic materials. While reading out loud, I
couldn’t immediately find the right place of word stress. I think I need more practice word
stress to improve my pronunciation. The authentic material like video clip I watched today
was very helpful.
6.4 Action plan for Class 3
50
6.4.1 Lesson plan
Class 3. Word stress in compound nouns
2nd of Blueberry Cafe
Day
May, 15
Time allotment
60 minutes.
Obejctives
Tutees can raise their awareness to the word stress in compound
Place
nouns.
Tutees can produce word stress properly in compound nouns.
Materials
Word stress bingo game
Word stress in compound nouns
Role-play activity handout
Audio files
Procedures
1. For warm-up, word stress bingo game.
-
5 mins.
Each has to exaggerate word stress to identify the
words.
2. Review the previous session
-
Ask the rule of word stress in the compound nouns
5mins
.
3. Introduce the objectives.
4 mins
4. Listen and fill in the blanks
4mins
5. Guess the word stress of the underlined compound 3mins
nouns.
6. Listen to check if it is right.
5 mins
51
7. Role-play activity
-
One is a traveler who lost her bag.
-
The other is an airport agent who makes a report
25mins
about the missing luggage.
-
The agent asks several questions and focus on the
right word stress in the compound nouns.
-
The traveler answers items of compound nouns with
correct word stress
8. Get feedbacks
Home assignment
Send their own self-reflections through Kakao group
service.
Self-reflection question 1. How well did you distinguish
the word stress in compound nouns?
Self-reflection question 2. How comfortable did you
pronounce word stress in compound nouns?
Self-reflection question 3. What parts of the word stress in
compound nouns was most difficult to you?
5 mins
52
6.4.2 Materials
53
54
Now you will listen to CD records, and please fill in the blanks while listening.
And then,. mark the stress of the words you wrote. While listening to CD, check if you
marked it right.
Trip to LA
I am planning to visit the
. I will take United
flight 307. It leaves
at
9:00 am and arrives at LAX at 12:15. I found out that there’s a three hour time difference
between
and New York. I hope I
my
I
at the hotel, I will call a taxicab to
Studios. Who knows, I might even see some famous
pretty quickly. After
to take me to Uiversal
like Tom Cruise and
Brad Pitt. Oh, I hope I don’t pass out! I also plan to visit Palm Springs and San Diego. On my
way back, I’m planning a
nice
in Las Vegas. I really think its’ going to be a
.
When pronouncing a name – whether of a person or place- always stress
the
word.
Vocabulary
Match the definitions with the vocabulary.
55
Get over
a short holiday somewhere
Pass out
to overcome
Layover
s stopover in a journey
getaway
to become unconscious
Role-play. Pair practice for compound nouns
Direction for A
Imagine you are an airplane passenger. You are in an airport in
New York. You left Los at 9 A.M., stopped over in St.Pouis, changed
planes, and then arrived in New York at 6 p.m., two hours ago.
You realized that one of your suitcases was lost on the flight between St.Lous and New York.
You’re upset about it because some toilet articles and clothes for your trip are in the lost suitcase.
You got angry and you threw away you baggage claim ticket for the missing suitcase in a nearby
trash can. You took you remining suitcase and checked in at the Grand Hotel on Fifth Avenus
in New York. After opening your bag, you believe the missing item in the lost suitcase are:
a hairbrush, a toothbrush, toothpaste, underclothes, a bathrobe, sunglasses
two pairs of blue jeans, a sweatshirt, a raincoat, two newpapers, a small notebook
56
You are now back at the airport to try to find your lost suitcase. Your partner is the claim agent.
Use the infromation above to answer your
partners’ questions. Stress compound nouns
and phasal verbs correctly.
Direction for B
Imagine you are an airport employee.
You are in an airport in New York. You are the claim
agent, and your job is to make reports on lost baggage.
Your parter is a passenger who lost something in flight.
The passenger has come to your to file a claim. Ask your
partner the following questions. Stress compound nouns
and phrasal verbs correctly.
baggage cliam at the airport
(First open your conversation with the passenger.)
Hello. I’m the claim agent for the New York airport. I’d like to ask you a few
questions.
1. What citiy were you flying from?
2. What time did your flight take off?
3. Did you stop over?
4. When did you flight to New York get in?
5. What kind of baggage did you lose?
6. Did you lose it after you stopped over?
7. Please describe the contents of your lost suitcase so that I can fill out a
checklist.
8. Did you lose any identification papers, such as a passport?
9. Did you lose any money or a billfold, coin purse, checkbook, credit cards,
or traveler’s checks?
10. May I see your claim ticket from the missing suitcase?
57
11. What hotel did you check into?
(Now close your conversation with the passenger.)
Please don’t worry about it. We’re sure your suitcase will turn up. I’ll look
into it personally. A claim agent will call you when your bag turn up. We’re
sorry. We hope you can get by without it for a day or two. Enjoy your stay
in New York.
6.4.3 Reflection on Class 3
On the day of 15th, May we had class 3 and 4 at the blueberry café on the same day, because
the next Thursday is the foundation day of Sookmyung Womens’ University in which the tutees
will not come to the school. The objective of class 3 was to distinguish word stress in the
compound nouns and practice word stress in the compound nouns during communicative
practice. In addition, the objective of class 4 was to distinguish the word stress in phrasal verbs
and practice through information gap acitivity.
As a warm-up activity for class 3, they were doing word stress bingo game. While doing this
game, I found out that they had little knowledge of word stress in the compound nouns. So I
prepared for the compound worksheet for them to recognize the word stress in compound nouns,
proper names of place or person, numbers and abbreviations.
They came to understand the basic rules through shadowing with audio files, but still they
looked difficult and unnatural to stress the word. The following activity was communicative
practice in which they had to ask and answer each other in more authentic context. One was
assigned a traveler who lost her suitcase at the airport. The other was assigned an airport agent
who made a report about the missing luggage. The agent asked about several questions to report
and while asking the questions, she had to focus on the right word stress in the compound nouns.
While answering, the traveler had to answer items of compound nouns with correct word stress.
During this activity, they looked focused on the compound nouns intentionally and made efforts
to pronounce the stressed word longer and larger. Even though they kept saying it was so
difficult to put word stress whenever speaking in English, I told them they are getting used to
it and they were a little more musical and rhythmical with the right word stress. They were
becoming more confident with my encouragement. In addition, out of this project, they were
58
consciously paying attention to their word stress in using English. They were correcting each
other and even made a joke in Korean as if they were using word stress in English. I recorded
their activity and made them respond their self-reflection through Kakao group talk.
Aural self-reflection on Class 3 from Tutee A.
It was not that easy for me to guess the right pattern of word stress in compound nouns
and phrasal verbs at first. However, as times goes during the activity with my partner, I
could understand how’s going on the word stress a little more. It was helpful for me to
practice the compound nouns with the role-play. I was trying to focus on word stress when
pronouncing and it was a little uncomfortable because I should exaggerate a little more
than I used to speak. However, I think it worked well when I was focused on word stress
and now I think I would be more comfortable as time goes.
In addition, it was interesting to do information-gap activity for practicing phrasal verbs.
I could figure out how I should stress on the prepositions. It was a little awkward for me to
exaggerate, but I think I raised my consciousness toward word stress in phrasal verbs.
Aural self-reflection on class 3 from Tutee B.
Q : How well did you distinguish the word stress in compound nouns and phrasal verbs?
Before class, I didn’t know any rule of word stress in compounds nouns. Now I can
distinguish those words such as blue bird and bluebird. It was very interesting that I can
change the meaning of words by making different word stress. It was very helpful and
practical.
Q : How comfortable did you pronounce the targeted sound?
I was not comfortable to word stress, because I’m not used to it. But I hope, as times
goes on, I could be more comfortable and get used to word stress.
Q : What parts of the targeted sound was most difficult to you?
Among the compounds nouns, it was a little bit difficult to pronounce the proper nouns
59
such as Las Vegas or San Diego. In addition to this, it was hard for me to pronounce
“jetlag or layover” with correct word stress. It may be because I haven’t paid much
attention to word stress when I learn new vocabulary items.
6.5 Action plan for Class 4
6.5.1 Lesson plan
Class 4. Word stress in phrasal verbs
2nd of Blueberry Cafe
Day
May, 15
Time allotment
60 minutes.
Obejctives
Tutees can raise their awareness to the word stress in phrasal verbs
Place
Tutees can produce word stress properly in phrasal verbs.
Materials
Word stress bingo game
Word stress in phrasal verbs
Information-gap activity handout
Audio files
Procedures
1. For warm-up, word stress bingo game.
-
5 mins.
Each has to exaggerate word stress to identify the
words.
2. Review the previous session
5mins
-
.
Ask the rule of word stress in the phrasal verbs
3. Introduce the objectives.
4 mins
4. Listen and fill in the blanks
4mins
5. Guess the word stress of the underlined compound 3mins
nouns.
6. Listen to check if it is right.
5 mins
60
7. Information-gap activity
-
Tutees have different agenda of Matthew.
-
Ask each other to find out the agenda.
-
When asking each other, they have to pronounce
25mins
correct word stress in phrasal verbs.
8. Get feedbacks
5 mins
Home assignment
Send their own self-reflections through Kakao group
service.
Self-reflection question 1. How well did you distinguish
the word stress in phrasal verbs?
Self-reflection question 2. How comfortable did you
pronounce word stress in phrasal verbs?
Self-reflection question 3. What parts of the word stress in
phrasal verbs was most difficult to you?
61
6.5.2 Materials for Class 4
Warm-up activity
Before you listen to the following sentences, read through and decide the
stress of the underlined words.
1. The car was tuned up.
1. My car needed a tune-up.
2. I worked out yesterday.
2. I had a great workout.
3. The papers were handed out.
3. We got some interesting handouts.
4. They covered it up well.
4. I heard about the cover-up.
5. A lot of food was left over.
5. We ate leftovers for lunch.
6. That really turns me off!
6. That’s such a turnoff!
7. They let me down.
7. It was a big letdown.
8. The order was mixed up.
8. We’re sorry about the mix-up.
9. He dropped out.
9. He ‘s high school dropout.
10. I need to sign up for the class.
10. Where is the sign-up sheet?
Sometimes the phrasal verb has a noun equivalent, or a
phrasal noun. In that case, the stress is on the
word.
62
.
The following agenda is Matthew’s schedule of June. He works for high school in Yangpyung
in Koungki province as a foreign teacher. For each day with
your partner about the days with
, Matthew will be busy. Ask
. Take turns asking and answering questions.
Matthew’s agenda of JUNE
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
9
10
Try out
a new car
4
5
6
7
8
Drop
Work out
Figure
in
at
out taxes
on
Mary
the
gym
11
12
Add
13
14
15
16
up
Get
expenses
the
away
17
to
Mt.Yangpyung
18
19
Look
20
21
22
into
Go out with
night school
25
26
23
Mary
27
28
29
30
Stop
Pick Mary up
by the
at the airport
library
24
63
.
The following agenda is Matthew’s schedule of June. He works for high school in Yangpyung
in Koungki province as a foreign teacher. For each day with , Matthew will be busy. Ask
your partner about the days with
. Take turns asking and answering questions.
Matthew’s agenda of JUNE
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
1
Sat
2
3
Find
out
flights
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
14
15
16
17
21
22
23
24
Drop off
Pay
clthes at
back
the
a
cleaners
11
loan
12
13
Call up
Make
parents
up a
rubric
18
19
Come
back
from the
Pick up some
Pick
groceries
out
in
Emart
mountain
good
essays
25
*
20
26
Drop off
Mary
at
theairport
27
Turn in
students’
essay
28
29
30
64
6.5.3 Reflection on Class 4.
The objective of Class 4 was for the tutees to distinguish word stress in phrasal verbs and
practice with information gap activity. Before they were to listen to the audio files for phrasal
verbs, they were to figure out the word stress of phrasal verbs and its equivalent noun phrases.
At first they looked hard to find the rule, but as they went through the example sentences, they
came to understand the rule of word stress in the phrasal verbs. After listening to the audio files
and listen to check if they did mark the right stress, they were shadowing. While shadowing,
each tutee had to listen to each other and made a feedback to each other. Even though they
recognized that they needed more practices, they also observed that they were getting improved
a little in word stress and they could feel they were more musical and rhythmical, focusing on
the word stress.
In the information-gap activity, they were to fill in the schedule in the calendar. During the
activity, they were to ask and answer questions using phrasal verbs, and they had to stress the
right word stress on the phrasal verbs to find out the whole agenda of the calendar. I could
observe they were getting a little comfortable to pronouncing word stress in the phrasal verbs
as they were doing this activity. Same as in the other classes, they were to send self-reflection
according to the following questions. 1) How well did you distinguish the targeted feature? 2)
How comfortable did you pronounce the targeted feature? 3) What parts of the targeted feature
was most difficult to you?
As for the next class, they are supposed to present puppet play, Little Red Riding Hood
(Grimm, 1812), at Backsong Daycare Center, located near Sookmyung Womens’ University.
The main purpose of this play is for the tutees to get beyond their own tone and accent, so I
implement a part of drama technique in which the tutees should be more musical and
rhythmical than ever. The reason I chose this drama technique is that even though my tutees
are getting better in pronouncing word stress during tasks or acitivity, but when they recorded
their self-reflection through KaKao talk, they didn’t put the word stress as much as they did in
the activity. Therefore I planned to present their acting voices in front of real audience who are
3 to 5 years old. To make them pay attention to the play, the voice actors should be different
from what they used to in the spoken discourse. In addition, my tutees expected it would work
well.
65
6.6 Action plan for Class 5
6.6.1 Lesson plan
Class 5. Puppet play at a daycare center
2nd of the Executive building
Day
May, 29
Time allotment
90 minutes (including the travel time, 15 minutes, to the nursery)
Obejctives
Tutees can produce word stress properly, acting in puppet show.
Materials
Script
Place
Puppets
Backgrounds of show
Audience to watch the puppet show
Spot the difference pictures
Audio files
Procedures
1. Warm-up activity
5 mins
Tongue twisters
2. Introduce the objective
5mins
Make them sure they will act it out in front of little
children.
3. Bring their background knowledge on “Little Red 10 mins
Riding Hood”
-
Match the unordered pictures.
-
Make their own story based on the pictures.
-
Spot the difference activity
-Each tutee has to describe their own picture to
the other
-Find out five differences between those pictures
66
4. Act it out
-
Read through the script
-
Guess how the word stress goes.
-
Watch the video and mark word stress
-
Practice with expressions
5. Visit a nursery near the University
6. Videotape the puppet show
7. Get feedback based on the videotaped file.
Home assignment
Send their own self-reflections through Kakao group
service.
Self-reflection question 1. How well did you do in the
puppet play?
Self-reflection question 2. How comfortable did you
pronounce word stress in the sentence ?
Self-reflection question 3. What parts of the word stress in
the puppet play was most difficult to you?
35mins
20 mins
67
6.6.2 Materials for Class 5
68
69
70
Partner A. Describe your picture to your partner to spot the five
differences.
Partner B. Describe your picture to your partner to spot the five
differences.
71
Now
you will listen to the script. While
you listen, please focus on the stress
and rhythm.
Marking can be helpful for you to recognize the stress.
Then practice the script with expressions and emotions.
Don’t forget you will show a puppet play in front of children who are easily
distracted by anything and lose their interests if it looks boring.
So, be full of emotions and live with stress and actions.
72
The little red riding hood
The Brothers Grimm
1812
Characters:
Narrator
Little Red Riding Hood
Mother
Wolf
Grandmother
Woodsman
SCRIPT:
Narrator: Once upon a time there was a very beautiful blond girl who lived
in a village near the forest with her mother. One day her grandmother gave
her a very nice red riding cloak, that is why everybody in the village called
her Little Red Riding Hood. One day…
Little Red Riding Hood: Did you call me, mother?
Mother: Yes, Little Red Riding Hood. Your grandmother is very sick. I want
you to go to her house and take her this little basket with some bread and
honey.
Little Red Riding Hood: Yes, mother.
Mother: But don´t stop in the forest, and don´t talk to stranger. Do as I
say, and get soon to your grandmother´s house.
Little Red Riding Hood: Yes, mother.
Narrador: And Little Red Riding Hood went through the forest with the little
basket for her grandmother who lived in a nearby village. Along the way, she
saw many beautiful flowers in the forest.
73
Little Red Riding Hood: Oh, what a beautiful flowers! I will take some to my
grandmother.
Narrator: She left the little basket in the ground to pick up some flowers,
when suddenly…
Wolf: Good morning Little Red Riding Hood! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Little Red Riding Hood: Good morning, Mr. Wolf.
Wolf: Where are you going so early?
Little Red Riding Hood: I am going to my grandmother´s house to take her
this little basket with some bread and honey.
Wolf: Ha,ha, ha, ha, ha… and does your grandmother live far from here,
Little Red Riding Hood?
Little Red Riding Hood: Oh no, Mr. Wolf, she lives just across the forest in
the first little house in the village… the one with the white door.
Wolf: Good-bye, Little Red Riding Hood. I hope she gets better. And look,
do you see that road?
Little Red Riding Hood: Yes, I do.
Wolf: Just follow that road and you will get soon to your grandmother´s
house.
Little Red Riding Hood: Oh, yes I will, thank you!
Wolf: Good-bye, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
Narrator: Little Red Riding Hood kept looking for flowers disobeying her
mother who told her not to stop in the forest and to get soon to her
grandmother´s house. Meanwhile, the wolf knocked at Little Red Riding Hood
grandmother´house.
Grandmother: Who´s there?
74
Wolf: It´s me grandmother, Little Red Riding Hood, and I brought you a
basket with some bread and honey.
Grandmother: Come in my little daughter, push the door.
Narrator: As soon as the wolf entered he gobbled up Little Red Riding Hood´s
grandmother. Then he put on a nightgown, jumped into bed and waited for
the little girl. A few minutes later Little Red Riding Hood arrived at her
grandmother´s house. She knocked at the door.
Wolf: Who´s there?
Little Red Riding Hood: Grandmother, it´s me, your granddaughter, Little
Red Riding Hood. I came to bring me a little basket with some bread and
honey.
Wolf: Come in my little daughter, push the door.
Narrator: Little Red Riding Hood entered the little house. She went straight
to her grandmother´s room, and in the bed there was the Wolf dressed with
her grandmother´s clothes.
Wolf: Come in, my little girl. Rest for a while
Narrator: Little Red Riding Hood sat in a chair, and looked at her
grandmother.
Little Red Riding Hood: Oh, grandmother how large arms you have!
Wolf: They are to hug you better, darling.
Little Red Riding Hood: Oh, grandmother, how big legs you have!
Wolf: They are to run faster, sweety.
Little Red Riding Hood: Oh, how big ears you have, grandmother!
Wolf:They are to hear you better, honey.
Little Red Riding Hood: And how big eyes you have!
Wolf: To see you better, Little Red Riding Hood.
75
Little Red Riding Hood: Oh, grandmother, and why do you have those big
teeth and that big mouth?
Wolf: They are to eat you better! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
Narrator: And the Wolf gobbled up Little Red Riding Hood. Then the wolf
fell asleep. Meanwhile a woodsman was passing by the little house, when he
saw the door opened. He entered, looked for the old lady, and then he saw
the wolf.
Woodsman: Oh! The wolf is sleeping! And he´s so fat! I hope I am on time!
Narrator: Then he took the wolf by the neck and made him spit out the poor
Grandmother and Little Red Riding Hood who were still in one piece.
Little Red Riding Hood: Oh, thank you, good woodsman.
Grandmother: This will be a lesson for you, Little Red Riding Hood. Now you
will never disobey your mother again.
The End
76
6.6.3 Reflection on Class 5
As planned in the previous class, the last class, the 29th day of May, was conducted
in Backsong Kindergarten near Sookmyung Women’s University. The puppet play was
planned at 5 p.m. when around 20 members of 5 to 7 year-old children would be there.
Before I conducted this puppet play, I got a permission from the principle of the
kindergarten.
Especially, a drama technique was necessary for my tutees to focus more on their
word stress, change their voice quality and tones in English. I wanted them to go
beyond their original speech and speak feelingly and rhythmically than they used to.
Before they were to come to the class, they were given a script by email to read
once or twice individually. They already knew which part would match with their
voices. So I let them choose their characters. Actually, there were six characters in the
story, so we should play a double role as following: Jimin was assigned to little red
riding hood and the hunter. Heemin was assigned to the wolf and the mother, and I (the
tutor) was acting grandmother and the narrator.
When we started practicing, each time we were videotaped to monitor ourselves
acting feelingly and check the whole flow of the story. The tutees were giving
feedbacks to their voice actions and encouraged each other. Jimin seemed to act like a
real expert, and her voice went well with little red riding hood. Maybe that’s because
her voice pitch is high enough to act a little girl and she has got a talent for acting as
her brother, majoring in dramatics, does. In adddition, Heemin seemed to feel difficult
and uncomfortable to tell a lower and louder voice like a wolf. Though Heemin tried
her best to act like a hungry and cunning wolf, she sounded more like a cute pig.
Anyway both tutees were so cute to act. On the way to Backsong Kindergarten, Jimin
and Heemin picked some real roses that would be used during the play and looked
forward to playing in front of young audiences.
When we arrived at Backsong Kindergarten at 4:50, we were a little nervous and
encouraged each other. In general, most children left after the regular schedule ended
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and about 20 children were waiting for the puppet play. They were aged from 5 to 7
years old, and they were curious about our team. Before play, we made some greetings
and when we started the puppet play, little red riding hood (Jimin) made them predict
and expect what will happened to her. Both tutees were trying to act feelingly with
louder voices and more stresses to make the children interested. While playing, some
children were repeating some words such as ‘Yes, mommy.’ as the little red riding hood
said, ‘Yes, mommy.’The play was videotaped and we could see ourselves how well we
did at puppet play and the children were amused by that play.
Scene1. Little red riding hood and her
Scene2. The little red riding hood picking
Mommy. .
flowers on the way to her Grandma’s.
Scene 3. The little red riding hood and the
Scene 4. The wolf and the hunter who
wolf who ate her grandma.
killed it.
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7. Achievement Test
7.1Overview
Achievemnet test was conducted to find out how much they improved in the
aspect of two objectives of word stress and / æ/ and /ɛ/. In addition, achievement
test was intentionally made up four parts as in the diagnostic test to compare two
results. The first part of it is asking of the knowledge of word stress. They will mark
the stress of the word, and then it will show how well they learned the word stress
rules. Second part is about reading the text out loud. It is intended to test word stress
and two vowel sounds. i.e./ æ/ and /ɛ /sounds. However, it sounds a little fixed or
unnatural so I move them to talk naturally with the following two sections. The
third section is about making story based on the pictures and the last section is taskbased activity they can do more free talking during the task.
7.2 Discussion of the achievement test
.
In this section, there will be discussions on the achievement : Why I put each
part of the achievement test, and how I used it for comparing the results. Also,
how I devised this test will be presented.
The most important reason the researcher develop the achievement test is to
identify what the tutees made during the project sessions. In order to determine
what knowledge and ability of the tutees have about the pronunciation, I divided
the achievement test into four parts. In Part 1, I intended to identify how well they
understand the word stress rules in English. From the next following parts, they
actually started to produce their English.
In Part 2, they were supposed to read aloud two passages. One passage was
meant to determine how well they put word stress and the other was to identify
how well they pronounce ./ æ/ and /ɛ / sounds. However, Part 2 was controlled
activity, so in Part 3 and Part 4, I intended for the tutees to generate natural speech
79
samples.
So in Part 3 and Part 4, I intended to get more natural English samples of their
own. In the third part, they were supposed to make a story based on the series of
pictures. In Part 4, they were to talk with each other on the plan of traveling. In
those two parts, they were freely talked to each other and share their ideas and
experiences with feelings. As a result, I could test more authentic and natural
speech samples to see how well they acquired the word stress and ./ æ/ and /ɛ /
sounds.
As for the source of the achievement test, Part 1 and Part 2 were from Cook
(2007). In addition, Part 3twas from the TEPS speaking and writing. As for Part
4, it was supported by Dr.Stephen van Vlack (2014).
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7.3 Achievement Test
.
Mark the word stress
Mark the word stress of the underlined words or phrases.
1. I heard about the cover-up.
2. We’re sorry about the mix-up
3. He dropped out.
4. I need to sign up for the class.
5. The car was tuned up.
6. parking lot
7. credit card
8. He has a PhD from UCLA
9. We arrived in USA in 2008.
10. I met Julia Roberts in Las Vegas.
Read it out loud
Text 1.
I am planning to visit the West Coast. I will take United Airlines flight 307. It
leaves JFK at 9:00 am and arrives at LAX at 12:15. I found out that there’s a three
hour time difference between LA and New York. I hope I get over my jetlag pretty
quickly. After I check in at the hotel, I will call a taxicab to pick me up to take me
to Universal Studios. Who knows, I might even see some famous movie starts like
Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Oh, I hope I don’t pass out! I also plan to visit Palm
Springs and San Diego. On my way back, I’m planning a layover in Las Vegas. I
really think it’s going to be a nice getaway.
Text 2.
You have reached Ellen Edwards. I am sorry I can’t answer right now. I am away
from my desk. Please leave a message and I will get back you as soon as I can.
.
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Tell a story
Look at the picture story below. You are going to tell about the day of Suzy’s history exam.
Task-based discussion
You and your partner wrote a joint thesis on teaching pronunciation and it was
chosen for the graduation. Now you and your partner will receive 50,000,000 won as
a support fund from Stephen’s scholarship fund. What would you do with this
money? Discuss with your partner, and present your plan.
82
7.4Achievement test results
7.4.1 Tutee A
WORD STRESS
Distinction of / æ/ and /ɛ/
You have reached Ellen Edwards. I am sorry I can’t answer right now.
I am away from my desk. Please leave a message and I will get back you
as soon as I can . (blue-colored: distinctive red-colored: indistinctive .
Result (%)
10 20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Comparison in results from the diagnostic test and the achievement test (TuteeA)
83
84
7.4.2TuteeB
Word stress
Distinction of / æ/ and /ɛ/
You have reached Ellen Edwards. I am sorry I can’t answer right now. I am away
from my desk. Please leave a message and I will get back you as soon as I can.
. (blue-colored: distinctive red-colored: indistinctive)
Result (%)
10 20
30 40
50
60
70
80
90
100
85
Comparison in results from the diagnostic test and the achievement test(TuteeB)
86
7.5 Analysis of achievement test results
7.5.1Tutee A
Tutee A had much focused on her pronunciation before this project, and she felt unhappy
with her pronunciation. However, her result in the achievement test tells that she had been
improved in reading the text in just five classes, and she could do better with more practices
and confidences.
As for / æ/ and /ɛ/, she expressed her uncomfortable feelings about practicing those two
sounds. However, she sounded better than her diagnostic test. In addition, she made good
distinctions between those sounds when she read it out loud. She made correct sounds of
the text including / æ/ and /ɛ/. Sounds. She got 70 % right in her reading. But as for freer
and more communicative speech, she tends to eliminate this distinction and rather sounded
more similar. That means, when she consciously focuses on her speech as for these two
sounds, she could make a clear and good distinction. However, this whole process is not
automatized, so unconsciously she tends to pronounce these vowels same. So it is not
conclusive that the class for / æ/ and /ɛ/ was effective for her to produce distinctive sounds
consistently.
As for words stress, she learned very well during the sessions and knew the rules of word
stress. She got 100% perfect on Part 1. It means that she has learned and memorized the
rules in her mind. In addition, when she read the text out loud in Part 2, she almost put
right word stress. She got 90% perfect in Part 2 in the achievement test. In the diagnostic
test, she got around 60% perfect in Part2. That means she could control the word stress if
she got more focused and became more conscious on her word stress. However, when she
was involved in more communicative task, she showed less word stress and rhythm in her
speech. Therefore it couldn’t be said that she has mastered the word stress during the
project. To put it simply, she has just begun to be more sensitive and raising awareness
toward word stress. I think this is first step to be more native-like accent for her and with
this consideration, the English pronunciation project worked well enough for her to be
happier with her own accent.
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7.5.2Tutee B
As for / æ/ and /ɛ/, she also sounded better than her diagnostic test. In addition, she made
some distinctions between those sounds when she read it out loud. She got 80% perfect in
Part 2. When she pronounces, she tries to be distinctive by lowering her jaw. However, like
Tutee A, this process of pronouncing those vowel sounds should be more practiced and need
time to be more comfortable, because she also tends to pronounce same with / æ/ and /ɛ/ in
her free speech. So it couldn’t be specifically said that she acquired the ability to produce
/æ/ and /ɛ/ sounds distinctively, rather the English tutor project encouraged her to be more
sensitive and raise awareness toward the distinction of those vowels.
As for words stress, she had good memories and hard worked the rules of word stress,
so she got 100% in Part 1 as Tutee A. In addition, when she read the text out loud in Part
2, she made more almost put right word stress by speaking louder and slower. She got 80%
perfect in the word stress. Actually she got only 30 % perfect in the diagnostic test. The
direct comparison tells that when she was more focused on the word stress in her text
reading, she could know how to control the word stress better from the classes of the project.
However, as she was actively communicating with Tutee A in Part4, she got less word
stress and not much rhythmical as in her reading the text out in Part2. Even though she
learned very well and practiced well during the class for the word stress, it surely takes
time to apply these rules to her own speech and only practice is the way it happens.
Therefore it couldn’t be conclusive that she could be much improved in the word stress,
but she has started to focus on the word stress and become more sensitive to the word stress.
I think making her raise awareness to the word stress could be inspiring results, considering
the short period of dealing with it.
7.6 Reflection on the achievement test
88
On 5th of June, we met on the second floor of administration building. It took 30 minutes
for both tutees to finish the achievement test. Through Part 1 to Part 3, both tutees were
separately sitting and taking the test. Especially they were to record their answers of Part 2
and Part 3 using voice recordings of their phones and their voice recording files were to be
sent to my email address. Then, both tutees came back to their original seat and took part
in the task for Part 4.
After finishing the achievement test, I let them know the test results on the spot. First,
they had to check their own word stress on the result paper by listening to their voice
recordings. One of tutees told herself, ” wow how monotonus!” while listening to her
diagnostic test answer, and the other tutee also agreed with her. Then, they had to compare
their word stress with the answer files. They also had to mark the word stress with different
colors to see how well they did on the word stress. Last, they counted the right placement
of word stress based on the answer files. They looked exciting and happy when they
showed much improvement in the word stress, compared to their diagnostic test.
Even though it still seemed difficult to pronounce their speech with right word stress,
they expressed that they raised awareness toward word stress. As a result, they told that
they tended to word stress when listening to others. Of course, it needs time and practice
to be more comfortable, but they expressed they could do it anyway.
I think this achievement test worked very well, because it could identify their
knowledge of word stress and succeed in generating samples of their word stress patterns
in both controlled and communicative activity.
In addition, the results of the achievement
test were assuring that they had raised their awareness for word stress and verified their
potential improvement for sure.
8 Survey
89
8.1Overview
The survey was conducted by writing the questionnaire. The survey had three
purposes. First, it was to identify how they recognize their improvement in their
speech. Second, it was to figure out how enjoyable they in the session. Last, the
questionnaire was asking the whole pronunciation project.
8.2 Survey questionnaire
1. How much do you feel your pronunciation improved after the tutor project?
1
2
3
4
5
2. How much did you enjoy the tutor project sessions?
1
2
3
4
5
3. How comfortable were you in the tutor project sessions?
1
2
3
4
4. What was the difficult part of the tutor project sessions?
5. What was the interesting part of the tutor project sessions?
8.3 The results of survey questionnaires
5
90
8.3.1 Tutee A
8.3.2Tutee B
91
8.4Analysis of the survey questionnaire
92
Based on the survey questionnaire, I found out how their feelings were and how
enjoyable they were. First, they were enjoyable and comfortable during the project
sessions. Beyond sessions, we were getting to know each other in their daily lives such
as applying jobs and families. Sharing their common lives can be facilitative and make
the anxiety lower.
Second, one tutee didn’t recognize she felt much improved, while the other tutee
answered she felt a little more improved. However, the achievement test results were
telling both tutees were improved enough to put word stress rightly. I think they have
learned the word stress and pronounced them in the class, but it would be necessary for
them to acquire it to be more automatized. That’s why one tutee answered that she didn’t
feel much improved.
Third, as for the entire project sessions, the survey questions were asking the difficult
part and the interesting part. One tutee answered the distinction of the / æ/ and /ɛ/ sounds.
She even answered that she could never master those sounds, but in Part 2 of the
achievement test, she almost 70% perfect in her speech. I think it’s because she had
devaluated her English pronuncation.
Last, as for the interesting part of the project, one tutee answered that she has enjoyed
various activities and materials, and the other tutee answered that she has enjoyed little
red riding hood activity.
9 Conclusions
93
9.1 Writing up the project
This part is for writing up the project from the beginning to the achievement test.
Then, I will discuss how well it went and what it meant for my future class.
The main purpose of this English pronunciation tutor project is to get the tutees
beyond the core and sound more natural and refined in the aspect of word stress as well
as distinctive vowel sounds / æ/ and /ɛ/. The tutees are undergraduate students of
Sookmyung Womens’ University and their needs and weakenesses were identified
through interviews and the diagnostic test. Based on the results of the diagnostic test, I
set the common weaknesses of both tutees as a goal.
Specifically, there are two objectives. First, they are to distinguish the sounds / æ/
and /ɛ/ and pronounce them more distinctively. Second, they are to put word stress
more in compound nouns and phrasal verbs.. Based on these objectives, there were
five classes with various activities fromcontrolled activities to task-based activity
including real-world performance. In addition to these classes, they had to send their
aural self-reflections on classes. The whole six staged were conducted in Sookmyung
Womens’ University, and especially as for the last class, it was conducted at Backsong
Kindergarten.
After the five classes, they were to take an achievement test as a pro-test with
survey questionnaire. Both tutees showed their awareness toward the word stress and
distinctive sounds / æ/ and /ɛ /. However, it is not conclusive that this project was
effective enough for them to be much improved in relation to word stress, and one
tutee didn’t feel that she was improved a lot, while the other tutee felt she improved a
lot more.
Then, what implications I could get form this English pronunciation tutor project?
It verifies me with the followings. First, the only way to get suprasegmental features
is practice for longer period. Second, raising awareness can be a good starting point to
get suprasegmental features. For instance, once a student is to focus on word stress as
94
input when (s)he listens to others or searching the word to check the word stress, word
stress could be naturally acquired through these inputs. Third, monitoring their
awareness through self-reflections can be helpful for them to raise their awareness and
go beyond the current pronunciation ability.
9.2 Reflection on the project
First, I think this project worked well enough for my tutees to raise awareness
toward the word stress and the distinction of / æ/ and /ɛ / and my tutees were
comfortable in my class. However, some classes of the project were more interesting
than others, and some aren’t. Actually, they liked most the real-world performance, the
last class. If I recognized they liked drama technique, I could utilize this technique
more often than this.
.
In addition, the responses from the tutees had changed the original objectives and
the action plan. Actually, there were more than two objectives, however, I decided not
to handle them all. Because the tutees were having troubles in identifying the word
stress in phrases on Class 2 of recitation of the poem, I thought for the rest of the
classes, it would better to focus more on specific word stress patterns such as
compound nouns, proper nouns, and phrasal verbs.
Also, the action plan has been changed based on how well they did during the
activities. For example, both tutees were good at the tasks during the classes, but they
weren’t good in their freer speech as they did in the tasks. So I thought more
meaningful tasks should be needed for them to get involved. That’s why I planned for
the real-world performance, and it worked very well and they liked it most.
Generally, I think this project worked well enough for them to alert and raise their
awareness to the word stress and the vowel sound / æ/ and /ɛ/
for the future learning
of English. However, I think the action plan and the materials should be more carefully
implemented based on the considerations of the tutees’ learning styles and their
interests.
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10 Acknowledgement
This project was short-period and was limited to two tutees with two objectives.
I think this suprasegmental feature such as word stress should be introduced and
instructed with longer period to see the improvement. Therefore the future project for
pronunciation for suprasegmetal features would be better for long and consistent
contexts.
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