Limitations and suggestions for further study- 123docz.net

Although this study has found out the answers to the questions relating to common mistakes in pronunciation of grade 10 Me Linh high school students, it still has some limitations.

First, the study only focuses on common mistakes made by grade ten students at Me Linh high school in producing English vowel and consonant sounds. There are still some problems relating to pronunciation such as stress, pitch, intonation, etc. Second, the findings of the research and suggested solutions are based only on the opinions of the teachers and students at Me Linh high school.

For further study, a thorough experimental study should be done to confirm the findings.

It is a good idea to do research on how Me Linh students use intonation or other aspects of connected speech when speaking English.

Due to the limited time and knowledge, mistakes are inevitable so all the comments and suggestions are highly appreciated so that the quality of the study can be improved.

REFERENCES English

1. Avery, P & Susan, E. Teaching American English Pronunciation. OPU-1992

2. Celce-Murcia, M, Brinton, D. and Goodwin,J.(1996).Teaching pronunciation. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. ( p.p 7-10, 20-22, 37-50)

3. Gimson, A.C. An introduction to the pronunciation of English. Edward Arnold. London.1962 (p.p 32-56)

4. Hewings, M,(2004) Pronunciation Practice Activities. A resource book for teaching English pronunciation. Cambridge University Press.( p.p10-23, 73-77)

5. Jenkins, J. The phonology of English as an International Language. OPU-2000 (p.p. 156-235) 6. Kelly G. ( 2000). How to Teach Pronunciation, Longman, Malaysia (p.p. 11-29, 47-66, 73- 77)

7. Kenworthy, J. (1987). Teaching English pronuciation. Longman. London and New York (p.p. 4-11)

8. Nunan. D.,(1992). Research Methods in Language Learning. Cambridge U.P 9. Skandera, P.& Burleigh, P.(2005) A Mannual of English Phonetics and Phonology.

Vietnamese

1.Đoàn, Thiện Thuật(1999) Ngữ âm tiếng Việt. Hà Nội: NXB Đại học Quốc gia, Hà Nội.

2. Hà, Cẩm Tâm(2005) Common pronunciation problems of Vietnamese learners of English -Journal of Science - Foreign Languages

Retrieved from: http://news.vnu.edu.vn/Bai2.pdf

3.―Teaching English to speakers of Vietnamese. Refugee Education Guide: General Information‖

Retrieved from: www.Eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Search/detailmini.jsp_nfpb=true&-

&ERICEExtSearch_SearchValue_O=ED2008681&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_O=no&accno=

ED208681

4.Trần, Thị Lan,―9 Essential English Pronunciation in the Vietnamese Context”.

Retrieved from:

www.britishcouncil.org/9_essential_english_pronunciation_in_the_vietnamese_context

5.Vừ, Đại Quang & Hà, Cẩm Tõm. Lectures on English Phonetics and Phonology- 2004. CFL- VNUH (For internal distribution).

APPENDICES Appendix 1:

Class observation 1

Unit 3: People’s Background (20/9/2010 (10A1) From 7.00 to 7.45 a.m) I. Pronunciation: /e/ - / ổ /

7.00. T: Good morning

Ss: Good morning, teacher.

T: Now open your book to see what we are going to learn today. Today we learn how to pronounce two sounds /e/ and / ổ / and how to use Wh- questions and gerunds and to infinitive.Ok, now keep silent and look at the two columns in the textbook and listen to the tape twice.

Ss: Listen

7.02’ T: The sound /e/ , listen to me please (T pronounced /e/ twice) - For example: (T pronounced: men, said, met, bed, pen, send)

- Để phỏt õm õm / ổ /, cỏc em đặt lưỡi ở vị trớ hàm dưới thấp, phỏt õm với độ miệng mở hẹp và núi / ổ/. (T pronounced / ổ /)Chỳng ta cựng nghe cỏc từ cú õm/ ổ/ này nhộ: man, sad, mat, bad, pan, and sand

- Nào, cả lớp hãy đọc theo tôi:

Ss: (Ss read in chorus twice /e/ and / ổ/) T: Now, practice reading aloud individually?

Ss: (Ss practiced reading aloud the words)

T:.(called on three students to pronounce two sounds in turn)

T: - listen and have to check all the three students with the sound/ / ổ/

T: Được rồi, hầu hết cỏc em đều phỏt õm chưa chớnh xỏc õm // ổ/. Nào cả lớp, giờ cỏc em hóy nghe lai đài và đọc lại theo đĩa nhé:

7.7’ Ss: listen again to the tape and read in chorus

T: Về nhà cỏc em nhớ thực hành lại 2 õm này và đọc cỏc cõu trong SGK nhộ . Nhất là õm / ổ/

trong các từ man, sad, mat, bad, pan, and sand. Giờ sau tôi sẽ kiểm tra bằng cách đọc lại các âm và các từ có chứa âm này.

Ss: Vâng a.

7. 10’ T: Giờ chúng ta chuyển sang phần 2 nào: Phần Grammar Appendix 2: Class Observation 2

Unit 12: Music (01/04/2011 – 10A4- From 9.05 to 9.50 a.m) I. Pronunciation: /s/ - /z/

T: (T showed a picture of a girl named Sue and asked students) Ok, the whole class, look at this picture and answer my question: What is her name?

Ss: Sue

T: (T wrote the word on the board and showed another picture of a zoo and asked Ss) very good.

What about this? What is this?

Ss: It’s a zoo

T: (T wrote the word on the board and continued with the third picture showing the price) Now, come on. What do we call this?

S: (only one voice) Price

T: I heard one of you said price. Yes, we call this price (T wrote on the board) What next?

(T showed a picture of a girl holding her prize and pointed at the object in her hand) S: Gift

T: No, this is the thing we get when we win in a competition. (no answer) … đây là thứ mà chúng ta nhận được khi trung ta thắng trong một cuộc thi. what’s this?

S: Prize

T: That’s it. Very good. (T wrote the word on the board and underlined the letter s, z in the word on the board) Today we learn how to pronounce two sounds /s/ and /z/ (T wrote on the board) Now open your book and listen to me.

Ss: (Ss opened their books)

T: Để phát âm âm /s/ các em nâng lưỡi hơi chạm nhẹ vào vòm miệng và đẩy hơi ra. Khi phát âm /s/ âm thanh phát ra giống như tiếng gió rít. Âm /s/ là âm vô thanh, thanh quản không rung. Hãy nhìn xem cô phát âm nhé

Ss: (Ss tried pronouncing the sound /s/)

T: Để phát âm âm /z/ các em phát âm âm /s/ sau đó giữ nguyên vị trí của lưỡi và lấy hơi từ trong thanh quản đẩy ra từ từ. âm thanh phát ra giống như tiếng ong vò vẽ …zzzzzzzz.

Ss: (Ss tried pronouncing the sound /z/)

T: Ok, now look at the word in your book and read after me. (T read aloud the words and Ss repeated in chorus.)

(T called on two students to read aloud the sentences and corrected any mistakes)

Appendix 3: Class Observation 3

Unit 15: Cities (23/04/2011 – 10A8 – From 9.5 to 9.50 a.m)- numbers of students: 47

I. Pronunciation: / θ /, /ð / (T wrote on the board)

T: (open your books at page 164. Today, we are going to pronounce two sounds/ θ /, /ð / ) 9.05’

T : Để phát âm âm / θ / chúng ta đặt lữơi giữa 2 hàm răng. Đây là âm vô thanh, tức là khi ta phát âm ta để tay vào cổ cảm nhận thấy dây thanh quản không rung. Hãy nhin theo tôi và làm theo nhé (T pronounced the sound / θ / )

T: Âm / θ / trong các từ sau: Lísten ( T pronounced: think, thought, mouth, thin, something, birthday.- T pronounced these words twice)

T: - Để phát âm âm /ð / chúng ta dặt lưỡi chạm 2 hàm răng và phát âm /ð / có âm thanh ( tức là chúng ta cảm nhận được dây thanh rung lên)

T: Listen to me,( T pronounced the sound: /ð / twice. Then T pronounced thse words: they, those, clothes, then, another, brother)

T: - the whole class,look at the textbook and read after me!

Ss: Listen and repeat in chorus three times with words which have two sounds in the textbook.

9.10’ Ss: Read in chorus

T: Now you have 1 minute to practice by reading aloud individually Ss: practice

T: Hoa, read aloud . Hoa: read aloud the words

T: thanks, Hoa phát âm vẫn chưa chính xác âm/ θ / trong các từ Thank, mouth, birthday và âm/ð / trong từ they, clothes. Nào, em hãy phát âm lại các từ này theo cô

Hoa: (Pronounced the words) T: Huyen, read aloud the words.

T: Ok, Huyen, you should pronounce the sound / θ / again: for example, listen to me and repeat:

think, something, thin

Huyen: (Pronounced the words think, something, thin ) T: Hoang, can you read again

T: thank you. Em nên phát âm lai âm , /ð / trong từ another, brother. Nhớ không phải là âm /z/

đâu nhé.

T: Nhìn chung chúng ta vẫn chưa phát âm tôt được 2 âm này. Chúng ta nhìn lại cô phát âm lại 1 lõn nữa, cụ sẽ đọc thật chõm để cỏc em theo dừi nhộ. (T pronounced the sound/ θ /, /ð / again )

T: Bây giờ chúng ta chuyển sang phần Practice the sentences T: (Read aloud 5 sentences in the textbook. Ss listened) T: - you have 2 minutes to practice with these sentences Ss: (practiced individually)

T: Cuong, Read aloud sentence 1

Cuong: Read aloud: ―I thought Mr. Smith was thirty- three”.

T: Cuong, you make mistakes with the sounds / θ / in the words: thought, three, Smith. So, Listen to me and repeat: thought, three, Smith.

T: (Called 4 students to read sentences 2,3,4,5 and had to correct their pronunciation with 2 sounds/ θ /, /ð / )

9.30

T: Chỳng ta đó rừ cỏch phỏt õm của 2 õm này chưa nhỉ? Chỳng ta phải về nhà luyện tập thờm nhé. Giờ chúng ta chuyển sang phần 2 ngữ pháp

Appendix 4: QUESTIONNAIRE

This questionnaire is designed for tenth grade students at Me Linh high school in Hanoi to investigate their common mistakes in producing English sounds and the causes of these mistakes Decide your answers by choosing one of the options or fill in your own opinion.

name………. class:………

1. When did you start learning English?

A. in primary school B. from grade 6 to grade 9 C. at grade 10

2. Did you study in an English specialized secondary school?

A. yes B. no

3. What kind of pronunciation would you like to have when you speak English?

A. native-like B. near native-like C. intelligible

4. How important is English pronunciation?

A. very important b. important C. not important at all 5. How difficult do you think of English pronunciation?

A. very difficult B. difficult

C. not very difficult D. not difficult at all

6. Which minimal vowel pair is the most difficult for you?( put number 1 for the most difficult, number 2 for difficult, number 3 for least difficult, number 4 for not difficult at all)

Vowel pairs

A. /I/ -/i:/ hit- heat

B. //ʌ/ / - /a:/ subject -father C. / e / - //ổ/ / men –man D. // ɒ/ / - / ɔ:/ top – sport E. / ʊ/ / - /u: / put – food F. / ə / - // ɜ:/ / teacher - bird

7. Which minimal consonant pair is the most difficult for you?( put number 1 for the most difficult, number 2 for difficult, number 3 for least difficult, number 4 for not difficult at all)

Consonant pairs

A. /b/ -/p/ bee- pea B. /t/ - /d/ topic- difficult C. /s/ -/z/ said –zoo D. /f/ -/v/ fan – van E. /g/ - /k/ group – club F. / θ/ -/ ð/ / think – they G. / ʒ / / - / ʃ / / Asia - English

8. Which of the following is the cause of your mistakes in pronunciation (put a tick in the right column?)

Causes of mistakes agree disagree

1 there are sounds that do not exist in Vietnamese 2 I haven’t been familiarized with the sounds in English 3 I think that English sounds and Vietnamese are the

same

4 I do not practice the sounds taught 5 nobody corrects my pronunciation

6 I do not dare to ask my teachers or friends for help

9. What should you do to produce English sounds correctly?

methods agree disagree

1 record for self- correcting

2 practice as much as possible

3 ask teachers and friends for help

4 attend English extra pronunciation courses

5 learning pronunciation on Internet

10. What has your teachers done in teaching pronunciation?

methods yes no 1 Listen and imitate

2 Minimal pair drills 3 Visual aids

4 Tongue twister 5 Reading aloud 6 Playing games 7 Listening activities

11. What are your expectations from your teachers in teaching pronunciation?

methods agree disagree

1 Listen and imitate 3 Minimal pair drills 4 Visual aids

5 Tongue twister 6 Reading aloud 7 Playing games 8 Listening activites

Appendix 5: VCD: MASTER SPOKEN ENGLISH CONNECTED SPEECH (TAPE 2,TAPE 5)

Appendix 6: Picture “The organs of speech”

(http://www.google.com.vn/imgres?q=Picture+%E2%80%9CThe+organs+of+speech%E2%80%9D&um=1&hl=vi

&sa=N&biw=1440&bih=744&tbm=isch&tbnid=WjkjhVD5J_8PuM:&imgrefurl=http://sp.englishbaby.com/lesson s/3201/member_submitted/vocal_organ)s_of_speech&docid=nTU1JxrbbVjekM&w=309&h=323&ei=NHCDTpKP NYjprQfckc2YDg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=493&page=1&tbnh=133&tbnw=127&start=0&ndsp=40&ved=1t:429,r:

26,s:0&tx=67&ty=71)

Appendix 7: Handout Unit 3 - /ổ/ - /e/

(http://lopngoaingu.com/english-GT/phatam/index.php?view=23-951-955)

To make /ổ/, put your tongue low and pushed forward a little. Spread your lips slightly, and keep your jaw open. For /e/, close your jaw while saying /ổ/, and you will hear the change to /e/.

(http://lopngoaingu.com/english-GT/phatam/index.php?view=23-951-954)

Appendix 8: Students’ handout – UNIT 3 1. Exercise One: Word Repetition

Listen to the following words and repeat.

ad bet ham ten mass meddle ladder step Sally Dennis than blend man led clam net sandwich dress Andy Fred Than then bat bet mat met bland blend and end

2. Exercise Two: Minimal Pair Distinction

You will hear the sentences below, but only one of the italicized words will be spoken. Circle the word which you hear.

2. The boys set/sat their bottoms down on the curb.

2. They bought a lot of gems/jams from the specialty shop.

3. All my friends saw me and left/laughed.

4. He was sending/sanding some furniture when I called.

(http://international.ouc.bc.ca/pronunciation/eslp025unit08.pdf)

Appendix 9: Students’ handout – UNIT 3

Read each of the following sentences aloud, paying attention to the sounds from this lesson.

1. Lassie headed back to Peg and Allen for ten apples.

2. Hedley sadly said sending Sally a man was extra bad.

3. Matt never had less capital than several checks ago.

4. Rather than settling Al and Ellie's debts, Fran just laughed and left.

5. Dennis and Kent can't dance because they're dense dancers.

6. Dan's den is a sad shed back of Beck's badly built bed and breakfast.

7. Clem's clams went up Betty's back and tampered with her temper.

8. Ed's ad said track treks led lads into mass messes.

9. Ted tampered a tad in Brad's bread and jam.

10. Stan stemmed his temper tantrum and lent Landry a bank check.

Appendix 10: Students’ handout – UNIT 3

PAIRED DISTINCTION A DIRECTIONS

You and your partner have different sheets, either A or B

Read your words from the list below to your partner, and he or she will mark down which word was different (either the first, second, or third). Then, your partner will read, and you will mark down on your worksheet either the first, second, or third (whichever is different).

Example: You hear "then—than—then"; you write 2 in the space provided, as the second (than) was different from the first and third (then).

1. then than then ……….

2. end end and ……….

3. sat set set ………

4. guessed gassed gassed………

5. led led lad ………

6. rap rep rep ………..

7. brad bread brad ………..

8. met mat mat ………

PAIRED DISTINCTION B DIRECTIONS

You and your partner have different sheets, either A or B

Example: You hear "met—mat—mat"; you write 1 in the space provided, as the first (me) was different from the second and third (mat).

1. met mat mat ……… 2. led led lad ………

3. sat set set ……… 4. brad bread brad ………

5. rap rep rep ……… 6. then than then ………

7. end end and ……… . 8. guessed gassed gassed……..

(http://international.ouc.bc.ca/pronunciation/eslp025unit08.pdf)

Appendix 11: Students’ handout – UNIT 3

Information Gap exercise A

In this exercise, sit opposite your partner. Your partner will ask you which word goes into the empty boxes. You will pronounce the word in your box, and your partner will write down what you said. Then you ask your partner to pronounce the words in your missing boxes

Possible questions:

― Can you tell me the word which is in D-2?

― Could you repeat that, please?‖

Bradon’s ladder

B1 C1

Brad’s jam

A2 B2

Bread and jam

C2 D2

It’s rather sad

The guest was gassed

B3 C3

End now that

A4 B4

Wrap the present

C4 D4

Jen kept laughing

Information Gap exercise B

Possible questions:

― Can you tell me the word which is in D-2?

― Could you repeat that, please?‖

A1 B1

Brendon’s letter C1 D1

Brad’s gem

Matt guessed it was gas

B2 C2

And that’s the end D2

A3 B3

My pajamas are wrecked

C3 D3

Whether it’s said

The president rapped

B4 C4

Jan kept refereeing D4

Jen kept laughing

(http://international.ouc.bc.ca/pronunciation/eslp025unit08.pdf)

Appendix 12: Students’ handout – UNIT 3 Vowel Bingo

dance dense bed and back

mass jam ted apple tad

Stan Landry lent track lad

clam temper sent left than

settle had help capital extra

Vowel Bingo

left dense bed and settle

track jam Landry apple had

Stan capital mass lent than

clam temper sent lad dance

tad back help ted extra

(Adapted from http://www.soundsofenglish.org/activities/printable/FinalConsonantBingo.pdf)

Appendix 13: Teacher’s handout – UNIT 15

(http://lopngoaingu.com/english-GT/phatam/index.php?view=23-951-989)

Place the tip of your tongue between your upper and lower teeth. Don't put it between your lips.

Make the sound by forcing air through the opening between your teeth and tongue. Don't vibrate your vocal cords.

Place the tip of your tongue between your upper and lower teeth. Don't put it between your lips.

Make the sound by forcing air through the opening between your teeth and your tongue.Vibrate your vocal cords to make//. The difference between // and // is that the first is voiced and second, voiceless.

(http://lopngoaingu.com/english-GT/phatam/index.php?view=23-951-990)

Appendix 14: Students’ handout – UNIT 15 1.Exercise One: Word Repetition

Listen to the following words and repeat Thursday than

think those third there throw them Thelma thy without although bathroom mother nothing father breathless northern mythology whether teeth sheathe path loathe method teethe booth soothe wrath seethe

2.Exercise Two: Minimal Pair Distinction

You will hear the sentences below, but only one of the italicized words will be spoken.Circle the one word which you hear.

1. Geoffrey saw the pass/path and took it.

2. Thora and Thelma read all about the trees/threes.

3. After the rain, his booths/boots were covered with mud.

4. All the students saw the free/three men and applauded.

5. The new manager really liked his new theme/team.

6. They were breathing/breeding like rabbits.

7. I don't enjoy getting ether/either at all.

8. When exactly will they/day come?

9. My neighbours soothe/sued me often.

10. I don't think that essay is worthy/wordy.

(http://international.ouc.bc.ca/pronunciation/pron025Unit01.pdf)

Appendix 15: Students’ handout – UNIT 15- Tongue Twisters

Exercise 1: Say these tongue twisters out loud to practice the sound.

1.Thor is the god of Thunder.

2.Thelma and Theo have bad breath.

3.Three free thrilling frills fought on Ruth's roof.

4.Thieves are thankless thugs who deserve our wrath.

5.Nothing is worth thousands of deaths.

6.Mr. Smith's teeth are thin and lethal.

7.Thursdays are thirsty days for lethargic Ruth and Thelma.

8.It seems themes are sought by thousands of mythical misses.

9.Thick ticks on three trees brought broth to ten thin tin men.

10.Sick thickets thwarted seven thin sinners from passing through.

(http://international.ouc.bc.ca/pronunciation/pron025Unit01.pdf) Exercise 2: Say these tongue twisters out loud to practice the sound.

1.Those of the southern and northern areas are still writhing and seething.

2. Breathe the breeze, loathe the lows, and soothe the Sues.

3. Rather than loathing their mothers, soothe their fathers.

4. Bathing in the bays is soothing to those teething brothers.

5. Dan would rather scythe in wetter weather.

6. Their dare was to Dan rather than those dozing northerners.

7. Ether either makes Thor writhe or seethe.

8. Though dough is worthy, it is worthier with their father's tithe.

9. That thatch there on their thighs, although sheathed, is weathered.

10. Breeding breathing southern otters in the north is worth thousands to them. (http://international.ouc.bc.ca/pronunciation/eslp025unit02.pdf)