Pronunciation: teaching and learning

 We were given an assignment to write about pronunciation, in this case answer two questions:

1. Do you thing pronunciation is difficult to teach and learn and, if so, why?

          2. What model of pronunciation (e.g., RP (British), American, or something else) would you use in teaching pronunciation and why?

1. From personal experience, pronunciation is the most difficult part of learning a new language. In English, there are certain sounds that we don’t have in the Norwegian language that sometimes make you work to pronounce a word correctly. There are certain letters in the alphabet that we rarely use in Norwegian speech like /z/ or /w/ and when it is used we say it the same way as /s/ and /v/. I think it is difficult to both learn and teach pronunciation because of the way we’re used to say the sounds. Learning to pronounce words in a different language means learning to use your speech organs in a different way than what you are used to. I have figured out both while learning English and teaching English that repetition and sounding out words is a good way of learning pronunciation. If one of your pupils is having troubles with pronouncing a sound and they use a word with that sound, the best way to correct them is to repeat the word in a sentence so they can catch on to the right pronunciation. I think that if you find the right assignments and tasks for your pupils, learning pronunciation will be fun and educational for everyone involved.

2. I would probably use the American pronunciation model because that is what I’m most comfortable with, and most of the sounds are closer to my Norwegian accent which makes it easier to use than RP what includes sounds that we don’t normally use here. Also because a huge part of the movies, TV-shows and games are in American English making it more accessible for both pupils and teachers to use actively in class. I think it’s important that pupils learn that there is a difference between RP, American, and let’s say Australian English because it gives them a bigger view on the English speaking world. In my teaching, I would probably focus on the American English because it’s easier to both teach and learn, unless . The only problem with using an American model is that all of our textbooks and CD’s are in British English, however, that would give me a chance to use texts and sounds/CD’s that are not from any school textbooks. 

By Ann Karoline Jessen