Helping students know how to solve pronuciation part in tests, exams

Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- PART I: INTRODUCTION I Reason for the study Pronouncing words correctly is very important in learning languages It not only helps us speak accurately, hear one’s speech sound easily but also helps us to understand what people say So “Pronunciation part” can’t help appearing in national examinations, English test and examinations for gifted students (there are normally from to questions) However, many students are confused and choose wrong answers because they don’t understand what phonemic transcription is They don’t know when letter A is pronounced as sound / ei /, / æ /, / a: /, / eə / Eg: / ei / Late / æ /Glad / a: / Park / eə / care [Every speech sound must be identified as one of the phonemes and written with the appropriate symbol.]1 Understanding how one letter is transcripted in a specific word is to help students to pronunciation exercises easily In reality, I notice that the textbooks of English 10, 11, 12 don’t introduce some rules how a word is transcripted according to phonemic transcription even at lower secondary education level doesn’t too So there is little chance for the students to understand the phonemic transcription In practice, there are not a lot of useful references for teachers about this kind of exercise so the students cannot understand the phonemic transcription deeply From the reasons mentioned above, I have decided to write my own experience initiative on the topic: HELPING STUDENTS KNOW HOW TO SOLVE “PRONUCIATION PART” IN TESTS, EXAMS II Aim of the study With this experience initiative, I wish to help my students understand more about the phonemic transcription Besides, I would like to provide the students some rules how a letter is written according to phonemic transcription in specific word Furthermore, through this experience initiative, I hope to contribute some ideas on issues related to phonology to the teaching experience sources for my colleagues to use as a reference in their teaching English In this page: - Section I [1] – I consult from English phonetics and Phonology – A practical course, by Peter Roach, Second edition, Cambridge University Press, word for word; I myself write the rest Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- - I myself write contents in Section II III Objective and Scope of the study In this experience initiative, I give a basic chart of phonemic symbols, giving some exercise systems to help students get fimiliar with The topic was studied in the English programme at high school level (The basic English textbooks 10, 11, 12) and in tests, exam preparation tests, entrance exams into university or college designed by the Ministry of Education and Training, English exams for gifted students in Thanh Hoa and other provinces It is applied to the high school students at Mai Anh Tuan High School in the school-year 2016-2017 to prepare for the national high – school examination IV Bases of the study: The experience inititative has been studied based on my own practical teaching experiences, referring to documents related to the research topic, observing other teachers’lessons, and consulting my colleagues PART II: PROBLEM SOLVING *The important point to solve this kind of exercise is students have to know the phonemic transcription in specific word Below are some rules to write and pronounce phonemes in words A The way to pronounce a vowel in stressed syllable Closed Letters Open syllable Syllable with r Syllable with re syllable / ei / Late / æ /Glad / a: / Park / eə / care a Take /teik/ Fat /fæt/ Large /la:dʒ/ Stare /steə(r)/ / i: / She / e / Desk /ə:/, /ɜː/ Term / iə / Here Or /eə/ where e These /ði:z/ Well /wel/ Serve /sɜːv/ /weə/ / əʊ / Home / ɒ / Shop / ɔː / Short / ɔː / More Smoke o Long /lɒŋ/ Sport /spɔːt/ Store /stɔː/ /sməʊk/ _ In this page: - I myself write contents in Section III, IV - The contents in Part II, I consult from An English encyclopaedia for students, by the publisher of the Ha Noi Culture – Information, 2001 The phonemic transcriptions are copied from Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th Edition, Cambridge University Press by me I myself give some examples Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- Letters Open syllable Closed syllable / ʌ / Must / juː / Tune / ʊ / Full u Full /fʊl/ Use /juːz/ buck /bʌk/ / /Like / ɪ / Sit i (y) Why /wai/ Wish /wɪʃ/ Syllable with r Syllable with re / jʊə / Pure / ə: / Hurt Or /ʊə/ Sure Cure / kjʊə/ Nurse /nə:s/ Poor /pʊə(r)/ / ɜː/ First / / Fire Shirt /ʃɜːt/ Hire /’haiə(r)/ B The way to pronounce a vowel in unstressed syllable Letters a e i (y) o u Examples Pronunciation /ə/ Again / əˊgein/ Vacation /vəˊkeiʃn/ /i/ Palace /'pælis/ Village /'vilidʒ/ / ei / Celebrate /'selibretid/ Separate /'seprət/ /i/ Exam /ig'zæm/ Careless /'keəlis/ /ə/ Silent /'sailənt/ Student /'stju:dənt/ /i/ Office /'ɔfis/ Important / im'pɔ:tənt/ / / Exercise /'eksəsaiz/ Satisfy /'sætisfai/ /ə/ Polite /pə'lait/ Second / 'sekənd/ / ou / , / əʊ / Piano / 'piænou/ Tomato /tə'mɑ:tou/ /ə/ Autumn /'ɔ:təm/ Support / sə'pɔ:t/ /i/ Busy /'bizi/ Minute /'minit/ / ju / Communist /'kɔmjunist/ Particular / pə'tikjulə(r)/ / ju: / Attitude /'ætitju:d/ Institute /'institju:t/ In this page: - The contents in the chart, I consult from An English encyclopaedia for students, by the publisher of the Ha Noi Culture – Information, 2001 The phonemic transcriptions are copied from Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th Edition, Cambridge University Press by me I myself give some examples Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- C The way to pronounce a vowel cluster Vowel cluster / ay Position in syllable Examples Pronunciation / ei / / ɔː / / ɔː l / / a: / Train /trein/ Talk /tɔːk/ Also /'ɔ:lsou/ Half / hɑ:f/ / ɔː / August /ɔ:'gʌst/ Daughter /'dɔ:tə/ / eə / / a: / / i: / /e/ / ei / / ju: / / u: / Chair /t∫eə/ Grass /gra:s/ Sea /si:/ Head /hed/ Great /greit/ New /nju:/ Flew /flu:/ Care /keə/ Pass /pa:s/ Easy /'i:zi/ Bread /bred/ Break /breik/ Few /fju:/ Grew /gru:/ / i: / Field /fi:ld/ Believe /bi'li:v/ / / Die /dai/ Lie /lai/ igh oa / / / əu / oi/ oy / ɔi / High /hai/ Boat /bəu/ Join /dʒɔin/ Boy /bɔi/ School /sku:l/ Book /bʊk/ House /haus/ How /hau/ Four /fɔː(r)/ Fruit /fru:t/ Build /bild/ Suit /sju:t/ Right /rait/ Road /rəud/ Noise /nɔiz/ Enjoy /in'dʒɔi/ Soon /su:n/ Look /lʊk/ About /ə'baut/ Know /nəu/ Hour /hauə/ Juice /dʒu:s/ Guilty /'gilti/ al Before most consonats Before f, m au(gh) aw air / are as ea ew ie Common Before: d Special way Common After: l, r, j Before consonats At the end of word / u: / /ʊ/ ou / au / ow /au /, / əu/ our /ɔː/, /auə / After: j, r / u: / ui After: b, g / i/ Special way / ju: / _ oo Common Before: k Wait /weit/ Small /smɔːl/ Always /'ɔ:lweiz/ Calm /kɑ:m In this page: - The contents in the chart, I consult from An English encyclopaedia for students, by the publisher of the Ha Noi Culture – Information, 2001 The phonemic transcriptions are copied from Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th Edition, Cambridge University Press by me I myself give some examples D The way to pronounce a consonat and consonat cluster Letters Position in syllable b Pronunciation Examples /b/ Break /breik/ Book /bʊk/ Experience Initiative 2017 c cc School-year: 2016- After: m Before vowels: a, o, u Before consonats and at the end of syllable Before vowels: e, i (y) Unpronounced Tomb /tu:m/ /k/ Clean /kli:n/ Picnic /'piknik/ Crowd /kraud/ Cat /kæt/ /s/ Nice /nais/ City /'siti/ Before: ia, ie, io /ʃ/ Before: e, i / ks / After: a, o, u or before another consonant /k/ Social /'sou∫l/ Precious /'pre∫ə s/ Success /sək'ses/ According /ə'kɔ:diη]/ / tʃ / ch (tch) ck d dge f At the end of word Special way Climb /kaim/ Sufficient /sə'fi∫nt/ Accident /'æksi dənt Acclaim /ə'kleim/ Church /t∫ə:t∫/ Christmas /'kris /k/ məs/ Machine /ʃ/ /mə'∫i:n/ /k/ Neck /nek/ /d/ Decide /di'said/ Handsome /'hæ Unpronounced nsəm/ / dʒ / Bridge /bridʒ/ /f/ Five /faiv/ /v/ Of /əv/ Reach /ri:t∫/ School /sku:l/ Black /blæk/ Desk /desk/ Wednesday /'w enzdi/ Judge /'dʒʌdʒ/ Leaf /li:f/ _ In this page: - The contents in the chart, I consult from An English encyclopaedia for students, by the publisher of the Ha Noi Culture – Information, 2001 The phonemic transcriptions are copied from Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th Edition, Cambridge University Press by me I myself give some examples Letters g Position in syllable Before: a, o, u Before Pronunciation /g/ Examples Game /geim/ Group /gru:p/ Experience Initiative 2017 ge consonats and at the end of syllable Before e, i, (y) At the end of word School-year: 2016- / dʒ / Gem /dʒem/ Gypsy /'dʒipsi/ / dʒ / Change /t∫eindʒ/ Large /lɑ:dʒ/ Cough /kɔf/ Laugh /lɑ:f/ /f/ gh gu(e) In: igh, ough, augh Beginning or end of word In front of word h j k kn Unpronounced High /hai/ /g/ Dialogue /'daiəlɔg/ Language /'læηg widʒ/ /h/ Harm /hɑ:m/ Unpronounced Hour /'auə/ / dʒ / Joke /dʒouk/ /k/ Cake /keit/ /l/ Unpronounced /m/ /m/ /n/ /ŋ/ / ŋg / m mn n ng Guide /gaid/ / gw / /n/ l Bought /bɔ:t/ Knee /ni:/ Land /lænd/ Head /hed/ Honour /'ɔnə/ Joy /dʒɔi/ Kite /kait/ Knowledge /'nɔlid ʒ/ School /sku:l/ Walk /wɔ:k/ Moon /mu:n/ Autumn /'ɔ:təm/ Nine /nain/ King /kiη/ English /'iηgli∫/ Calm /kɑ:m/ Lamp /læmp/ Solemn /'sɔləm/ Fan /fæn/ Among /ə'mʌη/ Angry /'æηgri/ In this page: - The contents in the chart, I consult from An English encyclopaedia for students, by the publisher of the Ha Noi Culture – Information, 2001 The phonemic transcriptions are copied from Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th Edition, Cambridge University Press by me I myself give some examples Letters nk(nc) p Position in syllable Pronunciation / ŋk / /p/ Examples Bank /bæηk/ Plan /plæn/ Uncle /'ʌηkl/ Supper /'sʌpə/ Experience Initiative 2017 ph School-year: 2016- /f/ Photo /'foutou/ /k/ Iraq /i'ra:k / qu / kw / Quick /kwik/ r /r/ /s/ Read /ri:d/ Sister /'sistə/ Easy /'i:zi/ q s Rarely appearing alone Between two vowels Before: u, io, ia sc sh t Before: ia, ie, io th v w /z/ /ʃ/ Sure /∫uə/ Pleasure /'pleʒə /ʒ/ / Unpronounced Island /'ailənd/ /s/ Scene /si:n/ /ʃ/ Fresh /fre∫/ /t/ Tell /tel/ Unpronounced Often /'ɔfn/ /ʃ/ Patient /'pei∫nt/ /θ/ Birth /bə:θ/ /ð/ This /ðis/ /v/ Voice /vɔis/ /w/ Wait /weit/ Unpronounced Sword /sɔ:d/ Elephant /'elifənt/ Question / 'kwest∫ən/ Around /ə'raund/ Smile /smail/ Music /'mju:zik/ Russia /'rʌ∫n/ Usually /'ju:ʒəli/ Isle /ail/ Science /'saiəns/ Wash /wɔ∫/ Meet /mi:t/ Listen /'lisn/ Nation /'nei∫n/ Method /'meθəd/ Than /ðæn/ Love /lʌv/ Sweet /swi:t/ Answer /'ɑ:nsə/ _ In this page: - The contents in the chart, I consult from An English encyclopaedia for students, by the publisher of the Ha Noi Culture – Information, 2001 The phonemic transcriptions are copied from Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th Edition, Cambridge University Press by me I myself give some examples Letters wh wr x Position in syllable Before: a, e, i, (y) Before: o In stressed syllable Pronunciation Examples /w/ What /wɔt/ When /wen/ /h/ /r/ / ks / Who /hu:/ Write /rait/ Box /bɔks/ Whole /houl/ Wrong /rɔη/ Exercise /'eksəsai z/ Experience Initiative 2017 In stressed syllable following with vowel xc y At the beginning of word School-year: 2016- / gz / Exam /ig'zæm/ Exist /ig'zist/ Exhaust /ig'zɔ:st/ Exact /ig'zækt/ / ks / Excellent /'eksəl ənt/ Except /ik'sept/ Yellow /'jelou/ Yes /jes/ /j/ z /z/ Zoo /zu:/ Citizen /'sitizn/ * From above rules, it is easy for us to teach students how s/ es and ed are pronounced The way of pronouncing -s/- es ending: There are ways to pronounce –s/ -es: /s/, /z/, /iz/ - /iz/: when -s/-es after phonemes: /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/ E.g: watches, boxes, bridges, buses, crashes, buzzes,… - /s/: when -s/-es after phonemes: /p/, /f/, /t/, /k/, /ө/ E.g: cups, cats, books, beliefs, cloths,… - /z/: when -s/-es after phonemes: /b/, /v/, /ð/, /d/, /g/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /r/, /u/,… E.g: toys, answers, lessons, legs, trees, knives, ends, dreams, hills, songs,… The way of pronouncing -ed ending: There are ways to pronounce –ed: /t/, /id/, /d/ - /id/: when -ed after phonemes: /t/, /d/ _ In this page: - The contents in the chart, I consult from An English encyclopaedia for students, by the publisher of the Ha Noi Culture – Information, 2001 The phonemic transcriptions are copied from Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th Edition, Cambridge University Press by me I myself give some examples - I myself write the way of pronouncing -s/- es ending and the way of pronouncing -ed ending: Eg: - wanted /ˈwɑːntɪd/ - Added /ædɪd/ - /t/: when -ed after phonemes: /s/, /f/, /p/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/, /k/ Eg: - Hoped /hoʊpt/ - Coughed : /kɔːft/ - Fixed : /fɪkst/ - Washed : /wɔːʃt/ Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- - Catched : /kætʃt/ - Asked : /æskt/ - /d/: when -ed after phonemes: the rest - Cried : /kraɪd/ - Smiled : /smaɪld/ - Played : /pleɪd/ Note: some special adjectives Eg: naked /'neikid/, wicked /'wikid/… E Some examples in tests, exams Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions Question 1: A eleven B elephant C examine D exact Question 2: A work B form C stork D force (University Entrance Examination by Ministry of Education and Training, in 2013) Key A /i'levn/ B /'elifənt/ C /ig'zæmin/ D /ig'zækt/ A /wə:k/ B /fɔ:m/ C /stɔ:k/ D /fɔ:s/ Question 3: A deal B teach C break D clean Question 4: A supported B approached C noticed D finished (University Entrance Examination by Ministry of Education and Training, in 2014) Key A /di:l/ B ti:t∫ C /breik/ D /kli:n/ A /sə'pɔ:tid/ B /ə'prout∫t/ C 'noutist/ D /'fini∫t/ _ In this page: - I myself give some examples - I myself write the way of pronouncing -s/- es ending and the way of pronouncing -ed ending: - I consult the questions from University Entrance Examination by Ministry of Education and Training, in 2013, 2014 Question 5: A laughs B drops C maintains D imports Question 6: A justice B campus C culture D brush (University Entrance Examination by Ministry of Education and Training, in 2015) Key A /lɑ:fs/ B /drɔps/ C /mein'teinz/ D /'impɔ:ts/ A /'dʒʌstis/ B./'kæmpəs/ C /'kʌlt∫ə/ D /brʌ∫/ Question 7: A lose B chose C close D rose Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- (Examination for gifted students in Thanh Hoa province, 2012 – 2013) Key A /lu:z/ B /tʃəʊz/ C /klous/ D /rəʊz/ Question 8: A suggestion B devotion C congestion D digestion (Examination for gifted students in Thanh Hoa province, 2013 – 2014) Key /sə'dʒest∫ən/ B /di'vou∫n/ C /kən'dʒest∫n/ D /di'dʒest∫n/ Question 9: A famous B nervous C favourite D mountain Question 10: A through B enough C rough D tough (Examination for gifted students in Thanh Hoa province, 2015 – 2016) Key A /'feiməs/ B /'nə:vəs/ C /'feivərit/ D /'mauntən/ 10 A /θru:/ B /i'nʌf/ C /rʌf/ D /tʌf/ F Exercises: Find the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others of the same group A candy B sandy C many D handy A earning B learning C searching D clearing A pays B stays C says D plays A given B risen C ridden D whiten A cough B tough C rough D enough A accident B jazz C stamp D watch A this B thick C maths D thin A gas B gain C germ D good _ In this page: - I myself give some examples - I myself write the way of pronouncing -s/- es ending and the way of pronouncing -ed ending: - I consult the questions from University Entrance Examination by Ministry of Education and Training, in 2013, 2015; from Examination for gifted students in Thanh Hoa province, 2012 – 2013, 2015 – 2016 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 A bought A spear A forks A handed A car A within A has A drunkard B naught B gear B tables B booked B coach B without B bag B postcard C plough C fear C beds C translated C century C clothing C dad C remark D thought D pear D windows D visited D cooperate D strengthen D made D discard 10 Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- 17 A kites B catches 18 A student B stupid 19 A wealth B cloth 20 A brilliant B trip 21 A flouride B hidden 22 A surgeon B agent 23 A feather B leather 24 A geology B psychology 25 A idiom B ideal 26 A children B child 27 A both B myth 28 A helped B booked 29 A name B natural 30 A blood B food 31 A deaf B of 32 A comb B plumb 33 A thick B though 34 A flour B hour 35 A dictation B repetition 36 A dew B knew 37 A asked B helped 38 A smells B cuts 39 A chooses B pauses 40 A decided B hatred 41 A head B break _ C oranges C study C with C tripe C arid C engine C feature C classify C item C mild C with C hoped C native C moon C leaf C climb C thank C pour C station C sew C kissed C opens C rises C sacred C bread D buzzes D studio D marathon D tip D lid D regard D measure D photography D identical D wild D sixth D waited D nation D pool D wife D disturb D think D sour D question D few D played D plays D horses D warned D breath In this page: - I myself give some exercises 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 C A blood A height A through A fought A moon A any A height A book A pan D B tool B fine B them B country B pool B apple B like B blood B woman C D C moon C tidy C threaten C bought C door C hat C buy C look C sad Key A D A D spool D cliff D thunder D ought D cool D cat D hair D foot D man C C 10 D 11 Experience Initiative 2017 11 A 21 A 31 B 41 B 12 B 22 D 32 D 42 A 13 C 23 C 33 B 43 D School-year: 2016- 14 D 24 C 34 B 44 B 15 D 25 A 35 D 45 B 16 A 26 A 36 C 46 C 17 A 27 C 37 D 47 A 18 C 28 D 38 B 48 D 19 C 29 B 39 D 49 B 20 C 30 A 40 D 50 B PART III: CONCLUSION I Study results: After I provided the students some rules of phonemic transcription of English language, they have known the way how to resolve “pronunciation part” Below are the results of the study before and after being applied to teach some rules of phonemic transcription of English language in the classes 10C and 10D at Mai Anh Tuan High School in the school-year 2016-2017 + Before applying Number Number of students Number of students give Lớp of give incorrect answers correct answers Total % Total % students 10 C 45 32 71 13 29 10 D 44 34 77 10 23 _ In this page: - I consult some exercises from the website violet.vn; The keys are mine - I myself write the Part III – Conclusion + After applying Number Number of students Lớp of give incorrect answers Total % students 10 C 45 18 10 D 44 11 25 Number of students give correct answers Total % 37 82 33 75 The results mentioned above have indicated that a number of students who have had more correct answers to PRONUNCIATION PART in examinations has been gradually increasing and a number of students who have had a few correct answers has been declining This result also makes my students confindent to pronounce English words It also helps my students to develop many Englsish skills II Suggestions: 12 Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- This experience initiative is the result of my private experience collected during teaching period, hence it has some limitations I am grateful to get as many constructive ideas or suggestions as possible from my colleagues, managers to better the study and to help it become more productive in the English teaching and learning process at high schools in the future I would like to express my sincere thanks! THE CONFIRMATION OF THE HEADMASTER …………………………………………………… …………………………………………………… …………………………………………………… …………………………………………………… …………………………………………………… …………………………………………………… Nga Son, May 27th 2017 I hereby declare that this is my innovative experience and that no parts of the initiative have been copied and reproduced by me from any other’s work without acknowledgement The writer Bui Van Dien _ In this page: - I myself write these contents TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: INTRODUCTION I Reason for the study II Aim of the study III Objective and Scope of the study IV Bases of the study PART II: PROBLEM SOLVING A The way to pronounce a vowel in stressed syllable B The way to pronounce a vowel in unstressed syllable C The way to pronounce a vowel cluster D The way to pronounce a consonat and consonat cluster Page 01 01 01 01 02 02 02 03 04 05 13 Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- The way of pronouncing -s/- es ending: The way of pronouncing -ed ending: E Some examples in tests, exams F Exercises: PART III: CONCLUSION I Study results II Suggestions 08 08 09 10 12 12 13 REFERENCES [1] English 10, by Hoang Van Van, the publisher of Vietnam Education [2] English 11, by Hoang Van Van, the publisher of Vietnam Education [3] English 12, by Hoang Van Van, the publisher of Vietnam Education [4] English phonetics and Phonology – A practical course, by Peter Roach, Second edition, Cambridge University Press [5] An English encyclopaedia for students, by the publisher of the Ha Noi Culture – Information, 2001 14 Experience Initiative 2017 School-year: 2016- [6] Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th Edition, Cambridge University Press [7] Examination for gifted students in Thanh Hoa province, 2012 – 2014) [8] The website violet.vn 15 ... entrance exams into university or college designed by the Ministry of Education and Training, English exams for gifted students in Thanh Hoa and other provinces It is applied to the high school students. .. experiences, referring to documents related to the research topic, observing other teachers’lessons, and consulting my colleagues PART II: PROBLEM SOLVING *The important point to solve this kind of exercise... examples in tests, exams Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions