How to teach pronunciation effectively

A Đặt vấn đề Hiện đất nước ta mở cửa hội nhập với nước giới Vì tiếng anh cơng cụ giao tiếp thiếu.Một kĩ ảnh hưởng trực tiếp đến q trình giao tiếp kĩ nói.Mà để nói tiếng anh chuẩn, thành thạo lưu lốt tất nhiên phải có kiến thức ngữ âm tốt Phát âm tốt khơng ảnh hưởng đển kĩ nói mà liên quan đến kĩ khác như: đọc,nghe,… Chúng ta phủ nhận phát âm khơng tốt khơng thể đọc tốt khơng thể nghe hiệu Nắm bắt vai trò quan trọng phần ngữ âm, cần phải có giải pháp phù hợp để dạy phần chương trình dạy tiếng anh phổ thơng Đối với học sinh nói chung học sinh THPT nói riêng, kĩ kĩ khó trọng tới Bởi lẽ học sinh khơng có kiến thức cách phát âm chưa mạnh dạn phát âm trước đám đơng… Còn riêng giáo viên, việc dạy phần ngữ âm chưa trọng nhiều Đa số giáo viên dạy phần này, họ lướt nhanh để dạy sang phần ngữ pháp Bên cạnh số giáo viên chưa biết xác cách phát âm số âm khó Phần ngữ âm phần rộng ngữ pháp tiếng anh Nó bao gồm phần sau: sounds, word stress and intonation Ở nghiên cứu đề cập đến phần ‘sounds’, mà chủ yếu âm tiếng anh 10 Trăn trở với vấn đề trên, lựa chọn đề tài : “How to teach pronunciation effectively” ( in English 10 textbook) B Giải vấn đề Mỗi giáo viên có phương pháp khác dạy phần ‘pronunciation’ sách giáo khoa tiếng anh 10 Mỗi phương pháp có ưu điểm định, bên cạnh tồn số nhược điểm Trong mạnh dạn đưa phương pháp dạy pronunciation để bạn bè đồng nghiệp em học sinh tham khảo Để thực đề tài này, tiến hành nội dung sau: Part I: Some difficulties in learning sounds Part II: Steps for teaching sounds Part III: How to pronounce some sounds ( in English 10 textbook ) Part IV: Activities for teaching sounds Part V: Model plans for teaching sounds Part I: Some difficulties in learning sounds The teaching and learning of sounds are very important but very difficult.While learning sounds, Ss have some difficulties as follows: Ss have difficulty in pronouncing consonant clusters They tend to delete one or more consonants from a consonant cluster For example: First /fə:rst/ There are some of similar sounds which often cause confusion to Ss such as /dʒ/ and /ʒ/, /s/ and /z/… There are also some difficulties in differentiating between vowels For example: /e/ and /æ/, /ʌ/ and /ɑ:/,… Ss are difficult to pronouce voiceless For example: /∫/ , /θ/ ,… There are some mistakes in differentiating between voiced and voiceless which stop in word- final position: /d/ in ‘played’, /t/ in ‘hoped’ Ss omit word final consonants such as /f/ , /v/, /s/,… Some sounds in English not exist in the Ss’ mother tongue Therefore, Ss encounter difficulties in pronouncing them such as /'t∫/, /dʒ/,… Another difficulty is that one letter may represent two different sounds For instance: /ð/ in ‘the’ but /θ/ in ‘think’ On the contrary, the same sound may be represented by different letters For example: /f/ in fun, phone, laugh Consequently,Ss are easy to pronounce the words wrongly There is a substition of word initial /p/ for /f/ or /b/ For example: pen >> fen These difficulties can make pronunciation confusing for Ss To avoid this confusion, between the sounds and letters of English, the teachers can first teach the sounds to Ss before concentrating on different letters The different sounds can be introduced in the early days of learning the new language and then the entire alphabet can be taught soon And certainly teachers must have good knowledge of pronunciation Part II: Steps for teaching sounds Teachers often spend a little time on teaching pronunciation Accordingly, steps or stages for teaching sounds are not taught systematically In this part, I refer to stages for teaching sounds as follows: I Presentation *Teacher gives the context and asks Ss to find out what sounds they are *Teacher says the sounds in isolation clearly two or three times so that Ss can observe his mouth shape * Teacher writes the sounds on the board * Teacher shows Ss a picture of the tongue, lips and mouth shape to explain how the sounds are made II Practice • T gets Ss to listen and repeat some words containing the sounds in chorus and individually • T contrasts the sounds in minimal pairs • Ss listen and repeat the minimal pairs • Ss practise the sounds in the sentences or in tongue twister I Production • Ss some recognition exercises by listening carefully to and picking out the sounds in words said in disorder by teachers • Besides, Ss can also play some games like tree game or bingo To sum up, while teaching pronunciation, it is nessecary to show the Ss how to pronounce sounds by showing a picture or both explaining and pointing at the mouth Some steps in ‘practice’ can be variable Part III: How to pronouce some sounds ( in English 10 textbook ) In English 10 textbook, there appears 34 sounds which include vowels and consonants In my research, I only refer to the typical sounds which Ss have difficulties in pronoucing them Infact, it is more difficult to pronounce consonants than to pronounce vowels Accordingly, I only mention pairs of vowels, viz: /ʌ/ and / ɑ:/, /e/ and /æ/; /au/ and /əu/ and all of the consonants will be introduced in my research, including /b/ and /p/; /d/ and /t/ ; /s/ and /z/; /f/ and /v/; /g/ and /k/; /θ/ and /ð/; /ʒ/ and /∫/ /e/ and /æ/ /e/ Half open your mouth and put your tongue down Use your voice to make the sound /e/./e/ is a short sound /æ/ First practise the sound /e/ Then open your mouth a little more /æ/ is a long sound 2./ ʌ/ and / ɑ:/ /ʌ/: First practise the sound /æ/ Then put your tongue back a little /ʌ/ is a very short sound / ɑ:/ First practise / æ/.Then put your tongue down anb back / ɑ:/ is a long sound /au/ and /əu/ /au/ has two sounds: /æ/ and /u/ First practise the sound /æ/, then add /u/ this is very short /əu/ has two sounds: /ə/ and /u/.First say ə Now make it longer əəə Then add /u/.This is very short əəəu /b/ and /p/ /b/ and /p/ are biabial sounds, that is, when pronoucing them ,two lips combine together But /b/ is voiced and /p/ is voiceless /b/ close your lips Use your voice to make /b/ /p/ close your lips hard.Put air forward in your mouth Then open your lips quickly /d/ and /t/ /d/ and /t/ are alveolar sounds It means that the top of the tongue touches the alveolar when pronoucing them./t/ is voiceless and /d/ is voiced /d/ Put the top of your tongue behind your upper teeth Use your voice to make /d/ /t/ Put the top of your tongue behind the upper teeth Push air forward in your mouth.Then move your tongue away 6./s/ and /z/ /s/ The tongue nearly touches the alveolar Push air forward./s/ is voiceless /z/ First practise /s/ Use your voice to make /z/ /z/ is voiced 7./f/ and /v/ /f/ and /v/ are labio dental It means the lower lip touches the upper teeth when pronoucing them /f/ is voiceless and /v/ is voiced /f/ Touch your upper teeth with the lower lip.Blow out air between your lip and your teeth /v/ Touch your upper teeth with the lower lip.Use your voice to make /v/ /g/ and /k/ /g/ and /k/ are velar or solf palate sounds It means the back of the tongue touches the velar when pronoucing them./k/ is voiceless and /g/ is voiced /g/ touch the back of the tongue with the velar Use your voice to make /g/ /k/ hard touch the back of the tongue with the velar.push air forward /θ/ and /ð/ /θ/ and /ð/ are dental /θ/ is voiceless and /ð/ is a voiced /θ/: Put the tongue between your teeth Blow out air between your tongue and your top teeth /ð/ First practise /θ/ Use your voice to make /ð/ 10 /ʒ/ and /∫/ /∫/ First practise /s/.Then put your tongue up and back a little to make /∫/ /∫/ is voiceless /ʒ/ First practise /∫/.Use your voive to make /ʒ/ Part IV: Activities for teaching sounds To make our lesson teaching more active, we can apply one of the following activities: Same or different * Steps: - write the symbol for a sound on the board - Repeat another sound which is similar to the sound on the board - Have Ss say whether the sound is the same as or different from the sound on the board • Illustration: Unit 1: A day in the life of ….(English 10) - Write the sound /I/ on the board - T repeats the sound /I:/ or /I/ and asks Ss whether the sound is the same or different from /I/ One or two * Steps: - Write two symbols for sounds on the board - Read a list of words to Ss and have them say ‘one’ or ‘two’ to identify which sounds they hear * Illustration: Unit 3: People’s background (English 10) /e/ and /æ/ Men man Pen pan Send sand T reads the words above and asks ss to identify number or For example: T reads: send; Ss say ‘one’ Correct or incorrect *Steps: - write a list of words on the board and pronounce some of them correctly and other incorrectly - have ss say correct or incorrect after each one * Illustration: Unit 4: Special education /ɔ/ /ɔ:/ top sport talk 1.T reads /tɔp/, Ss say ‘correct’ T reads /spɔ:rt/, Ss say ‘correct’ T reads /tɔlk/, Ss say ‘incorrect’ Sound position * Steps: write the symbol of a word on the board and ask Ss to name words where the sound is in the middle of the word and words which begin with the sound or words with end with the sound * Illustration : Unit 11: National parks /t/ /d/ Hoped invader Toxic played Contain document Call two Ss to go to the board and write down the answers on the following table At the toxic document beginning In the middle At the end contain hoped invader played Minimal pairs * Steps: - Write the phonetic symbol for a word on the board and ask Ss to say as many sets of minimal pairs as they can think of * Illustration: unit 5: Technology and you /u/ /u:/ Pull pool Full fool Look luke T writes the column containing /u/ and Ss write down their minimal word Missing words * Steps: T writes short sentences or phrases in which one sound is missing The Ss guess the word which contains the sound they are learning * Illustration: Unit 6: An Excursion /ə:/ /ə/ A a boy and a ( girl) B A pigeon is a kind of - (bird) C There are members in my family: my mother, my - and me (father) T writes down the sentences on the board Ask Ss to read the word needing to be filled and write down on the board Sentence construction T gives a list of words which use the sound(s) Ss are studying and asks Ss to make the sentences *Illustration: Unit 3: People’s background /e/ /æ/ a man/send/pen (A man sends me a pen) b she/get/bad/mark (she gets a bad mark) - Ask Ss to put the verbs in present simple - Ask Ss to give the answer and read all the sentences Picture identification * Hang on the poster containing some pictures and ask Ss what they are in English *Illustration: Unit 15: Cities /θ/ /ð/ mouth clothe Steps: show the pictures and ask Ss what they are Ss read the words and write down them on the board 9 Tongue twister Write the sentences on the board and ask Ss to practise For example: Let’s go west to rest She sells seashelves on the seashore 10.Tree game * Steps: Draw a tree like the following picture When T reads this sound, Ss turn left and the other, Ss turn right Ss who find out the correct place will be the winner HCM Hanoi Hue Vinh Danang N.Trang Q.Ninh T.hoa Start • Illustration: unit 12: Music /s/ /z/ /s/ turn right /z/ turn left Steps: T reads: sad, please, zoo Call on Ss to give the answer Give feedback Suggested answer: DaNang 10 Part IV: Models for teaching sounds Model 1: unit 11: National parks /t/ /d/ I presentation * Hang on some pictures of some animals and ask Ss what they are Dog /dɔg/ Cat /kæt/ => what sounds are you going to learn? /t/ and /d/ * T reads the sounds clearly and Ss listen and observe the teacher’smouth shape * Hang on a picture of the tongue, lips and mouth shape to explain how the sounds are made • show the way how to pronounce them /t/: put the top of your tongue behind your upper teeth Push air forward in your mouth Then move your tongue away /t/ is voiceless /d/: First practise /t/.Then use your voice to make /d/ II Practice • Ask Ss to listen and repeat the sounds in chorus and individually • Ask Ss to practise the minimal pairs Tore door Cart card Try dry Write ride • Call on Ss to read the minimal pairs • Give feedback III> Production T reads the words above by chance and ask Ss if they are number one or two For example: T reads: cart, Ss say: number Model 2: Unit 10: Conservation /b/ /p/ I presentation * T gives two objects and ask Ss what they are Pen /pen/ box/bɔks/ 11  what sounds are you going to learn? /b/ and /p/ * T reads the sounds clearly and asks Ss to listen * Hang on a picture of the tongue, lips and mouth shape * Show the way to pronounce the sounds /p/: Close your lips hard.Push air forward in your mouth Then open your lips quickly /p/ is voiceless /t/: First practise /p/ Use your voice to make /b/ /b/ is voiced II Practice * Ask Ss to listen and repeat the sounds in chorus and individually * Ask Ss to practise the minimal pairs Pin/bin; pen/ben; pear/bear;cap/cab * Ask Ss to listen and repeat the minimal pairs * Call on Ss to read and give feedback III Production Play a game: Tree game T reads the words containing /b/ and /p/ and asks Ss to define which direction it is Turn left when T reads the word containing the sound /b/ and turn right when T reads the sound HCM Hanoi Hue Vinh Danang N.Trang Q.Ninh T.hoa Start 12 For example: T reads: pen – cab – bear Ss say: Danang Một số ưu điểm: - Giờ học sôi nổi, đặc biệt tham gia vào trò chơi - Học sinh biết cách phát âm nhận biết âm - Học sinh mạnh dạn phát âm - Bài dạy kết hợp kĩ năng: nghe, phát âm, nói - Học sinh hứng thú thấy hình ảnh minh hoạ cho cách phát âm em cố gắng phát âm Nhược điểm: Thời gian phân bố cho phần khoảng 10 đến 15 phút nên số lượng hóc sinh tham gia phát âm khơng nhiều giáo viên sửa lỗi cho số em mà 13 C Kết luận Qua thực tế giảng dạy, thấy phần ngữ âm quan trọng chưa trọng nhiều Hiện tại, phần language focus phân phối tiết theo phân phối chương trình sở Điều có nghĩa thời gian phân bố cho phần khoảng 10 đến 15 phút Như phần ngữ âm thách thức lớn thầy trò Nó đòi hỏi tính tự tìm tòi, tự học hỏi học sinh em phát âm tốt Qua việc áp dụng đề tài này, vào giảng dạy học sinh lớp 10 năm qua, thu số kết khả quan Khả phát âm em tiến rõ rệt hẳn so với đầu năm học Kết cụ thể sau: Số học sinh (%)đạt yêu cầu phát âm khối 10 Đầu năm học 2009-2010 40% Cuối năm học 2009-2010 70% Để thực đề tài , cố gắng tìm tòi, nghiên cứu tài liệu với trải nghiệm thực tế năm dạy khối 10 Tơi mạnh dạn trình bày đề tài trước tổ chuyên môn nhận nhiều nhận xét, đóng góp từ đồng nghiệp Trên số ý kiến mà mạnh dạn đưa để đồng nghiệp tham khảo Do hạn chế thời gian kinh nghiệm giảng dạy chưa nhiều,bài viết khơng thể tránh khỏi thiếu sót Rất mong nhận ý kiến phản hồi từ quý thầy cô, học sinh bạn đọc D Một số kiến nghị đề xuất * Thực trạng: - Đối tượng học sinh: Kiến thức nền, chưa nắm - Cơ sở trang thiết bị dạy học thiếu thốn, chưa có phòng học chức cho mơn ngoại ngữ - Số lương học sinh đông cho lớp học ngoại ngữ -Chương trình sách giáo khoa nặng - Giáo viên chạy đua với thời gian dạy tiết language focus * Kiến nghị đề xuất: - Đầu tư trang thiết bị cho học sinh giáo viên Đặc biệt phải có phòng học chức dành cho mơn ngoại ngữ - Giảm bớt số lượng học sinh lớp học, đặc biệt lớp chọn - Tiết language focus nên phân phối thành tiết Để giáo viên học sinh có hội đào sâu tìm tòi kiến thứcvề ngữ âm lẫn ngữ pháp 14 ... also play some games like tree game or bingo To sum up, while teaching pronunciation, it is nessecary to show the Ss how to pronounce sounds by showing a picture or both explaining and pointing... mouth shape * Teacher writes the sounds on the board * Teacher shows Ss a picture of the tongue, lips and mouth shape to explain how the sounds are made II Practice • T gets Ss to listen and... certainly teachers must have good knowledge of pronunciation Part II: Steps for teaching sounds Teachers often spend a little time on teaching pronunciation Accordingly, steps or stages for teaching