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

Pronunciation.

In this blogpost i will write about pronunciation and whether or no I think it is a difficult subject to teach and learn. Further on I will also discuss what model of pronunciation I would use in my teaching of pronunciation.

In my opinion, whether or not English pronunciation is difficult or not, depends on a lot of things. First and foremost I believe that if your mother tongue has a lot more similarities to the English language, you would more easily learn the correct pronunciation. I.e. the Norwegian language has a lot of similarities with the English language, but someone from Asia would have more difficulties because their pronunciation is so different from the English.  Another aspect that helps Norwegians is that we watch all of our foreign movies with subtitles, so we get to hear the English language a lot.

But I think that to learn English you have to practice it, and so it is most important that the pupils talk mostly English during the lessons at school. In my lessons I prefer to correct the students pronunciation not by saying: “That is wrong. It is pronounced….” By instead I just repeat the sentence that they said out loud. “Yes! It is snowing outside.” This way I hope to not make the pupils afraid of talking English in the classroom. So in my opinion teaching and learning English pronunciation is not very difficult, as long as get to practice it as much as possible.

In my experience I don’t have a lot of choice when deciding which model of pronunciation I can choose to teach my pupils. This is because the school that I will be working in most certainly will have chosen their English textbooks beforehand. Most of the textbooks used in Norwegian schools, are based upon the British model of pronunciation. Because of this I will be mostly trying to teach pronunciation by the British model. But I feel it is important to make the pupils aware that there exist other models of pronunciation when it comes to the English language. At the same time, I think that the easiest way for the pupils to learn pronunciation is to have consistency. I think that exposing the pupils to a lot of different models of pronunciation, at least in the beginning of their learning experience, could lead to a lot of confusion. But if could choose my own textbooks I would use the American pronunciation model. This is the model that is most used in movies and on TV, and the most pronunciation that the pupils are most used to hearing I their daily lives.

Pronunciation

For this assignment I was asked to answer two different questions about pronunciation.

Do you think pronunciation is difficult to teach and learn and, if so, why?

      

      I think that some part of pronunciation can be difficult to teach. For instant the difference between /s/ and /z/ sound and /w/ and /v/ sound. This is something that many Norwegian pupils struggle with, and I believe it might be difficult for the teacher to teach it.

I know from my own experience that a lot of teachers, including me, use repeating as a way of teaching pronunciation. I believe this method could be both a good and a bad way for the pupils to learn. They get to hear the words from others, but it might be good for the pupils to learn in different ways. For instants I believe the pupils might learn pronunciation easier is by using “tongue twisters”. I tried it myself the other day, and I learned how to pronounce the /v/ sound correctly. I know that my teachers didn’t use tongue twisters when I went to school, and I think I might have learned better if they had used it. I think this will be easier because it is a fun, interesting and effective way to learn pronunciation.

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

      

      I believe, from my own experience, that American English is easier to learn than British. I remember when I was learning British pronunciation, and what I remember the most is how difficult it was to say the words correctly.  Later I was introduced to American/Canadian English when I went to Canada, and suddenly I was one of the best in my class back home. I thought it was a lot easier to make myself understood. I believe it could be the same for my pupils, but I also believe that it is up to each pupil to decide for them self which model they want to use. I will tell my pupils that it’s is up to them to decide which model they want to use, and that they are allowed to try speaking both before deciding.  

      

      I know that using American English might be difficult for both me and the pupils, because of the workbooks and CD’s in school where everything is in British English. This might be a problem, but I also look at it as a possibility to find some new material to show the pupils. 

Reflections on teaching pronunciation

In this assignment I will look at what I believe can be the reason behind the difficulties with teaching pronunciation. I will also say something about why I choose to use British English in teaching pronunciation.

I think pronunciation can be hard to teach, because it has shown to be hard for the pupils to learn. Especially are mistakes concerning individual phonemes, stress, rhythm and intonation typically made by the Norwegian learners of English (Nilsen & Rugesæter, 2015:157). Nilsen and Rugsæter (2015:157) mention that for the teacher to be a good guide for the pupils, one must have both practical and theoretical skills. This means that the teacher must know how the speech organs work, and have knowledge about what it takes to articulate a sound both in English and the pupil’s native language.

Pupils begin to learn pronunciation in their first year in school, but then it is mostly by repeating what the teacher says, which can be a good way to learn. Some experts also present evidence that the younger the learner is, the more likely it is for the learner to hear the difference between sounds and reproduce them correctly.  My observation out in schools is that the pupils in their early years only learn separate words. And this is in contrast of what Nilsen and Rugsæter (2015:159) focus on. They suggest that you don’t practise a difficult sound in isolation, and rather involve it in a sentence, spoken with an appropriate intonation. One reason for the pupils to find it difficult to learn pronunciation might be because we as teachers are not teaching it in the most beneficial way.  

I can remember from when I went to school that my teachers were using British English in our classes. But as we got older we had to choose for our selves. I choose to use British English, and I think I did back in school because my teacher did. I have also noticed that most of the pupil’s workbooks and the CD´s are in British English. Therefore, I think it will feel most natural to use the British English not to confuse the pupils more. As they get older they will have to get the chance to choose for them self.

References:

Nilsen, T. S. and Rugsæter, K. (2015) Basic English Phonetics for Teachers. (3. edition) Bergen: Fagbokforlaget

Teaching pronunciation in the Norwegian classroom

by Torun Sørbøen

Can it be difficult to teach Norwegian students pronunciation of English?
When learning a new language, pronunciation of sounds and words in the target language can be difficult. Norwegian learners of English might have a difficulty with distinguishing between the sounds /s/ and /z/, for example, or /w/ and /v/ and since the distinction between these sounds do not change meaning in the Norwegian language.



Would I teach the students a specific version of English pronunciation, such as standard American or RP (Received Pronunciation, the standard form) British?
In Norway, your dialect or accent is often seen as a big part of your personality. Many Norwegians might feel like they are taking on another identity if they try to speak in another dialect.

In my experience, many English teachers in Norwegian classrooms use RP as their standard both in writing and in speaking. Many teachers might choose the British English as a standard because of its accessibility, meaning that many of the available classroom sets are more lenient towards a British English, both concerning grammar in text books, as well as a dominant use of British pronunciation on CD’s available for use alongside the textbooks.

When working with oral skills in English, one of the biggest challenges might be to make the students comfortable with speaking English in front of their classmates or teacher. In my opinion, it is more important to achieve this than insisting that the pupils use a specific pronunciation method. I would perhaps focus more on making sure that they communicate clearly and pronounce the words in a comprehensible way. Many may be influenced by American culture, and as a result have a preference towards an American accent. The American accent might be closer to their Norwegian accents as well, when it comes to some things like the pronunciation of /r/. If a student were more comfortable with using RP than an American accent, I would encourage that student to speak the way with which that they are most comfortable.


In conclusion, I think I might choose RP as a pronunciation method in the classroom, because I have always used the British spelling as my standard in writing. Furthermore, I will find it easier to combine this with the resources that most Norwegian schools have. I would, however, encourage pupils to play with the different accents, and speak in an accent that they are comfortable with. Rather than focusing on how ”native” they sound, I would focus on working differentiating between the phonemes of the language, focusing on those that are known to be difficult for Norwegian students (or minority languages among the pupils).

Communication skills and beyond 

Since we were small babies, we have copied the people who surrounds. I do not believe this is just a phase, but throughout our lives. For instance, in the very beginning of our language journey we copy our surroundings sounds, words, and then syntax. If you have read the biography I am Zlatan, you would know that Zlatan spends hours upon hours in front of youtube, trying to copy old football legends. It is the very same with learning pronunciation. As humans we have a basic need of communicate with one another, subsequently we copy our surrounding environments, in order to reach that goal. Firstly, we copy our parents, then our schoolmates and later one famous profiles.

Vivan Cook claims that teacher talk makes up around 70 percent of classroom language (Philstrøm, 2013). She argues that we should encourage students to take a more active part in developing their own speaking skills. From my point of view, is the first few years at school may be the key to lay a foundation of motivation. From my experience, 5-7 graders tend to be less motivated to communicate English. Why is this? I think it is key to teach English in an implicit way. I believe in activating the children through authentic communication situations. In order to activate the children, a good learning environment is a premise. (Philstrøm, 2013) largely agrees upon my point of view. She identifies several key factors in teaching language communication; create a friendly classroom environment, identify specific challenges related to pronunciation and intonation and implement measures in the classroom, teach the pupils language learning strategies, and finally focus on activities that encourage pupils to take an active part in developing their communication skills (Philstrøm, 2013).

Furthermore, I think it is necessary to teach correct pronunciation. Why should not the children try to copy famous people accent and pronunciation? I believe this could be fun and challenging at the same time. In order not to confuse the children, I would emphasise RP (received communication) (Nilsen & Rugesæter, 2008). Do not all national variants ultimately derive from RP? Therefore, I believe it is best to teach the original variant of English, and present other variations later.  

 In my opinion, English and Norwegian pronunciation can be tough alongside. In both languages, there are allophones, which can be challenging for the pupils. For instance, phonemes like /t/ and /l/ can be articulated in different ways depending on where they occur in the morphemes. Moreover, I think the pupils should do various exercises to practice their pronunciation and their awareness of the difference between a lower and an upper articulator (Nilsen & Rugesæter, 2008). This will increase the chance of the pupils succeeding in communication situations, and result in higher self-confident.

Litterature

Nilsen, T. S., & Rugesæter, K. N. (2008). Basic English Phonetics for Teachers. Bergen: Fagbokforlaget.

Philstrøm, R. (2013). Teaching English in Norway. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget.