Phonetic Chart

English pronunciation and phonetics play a crucial role in effective communication and language learning. As a TESOL teacher, specializing in these areas can greatly benefit your students. By focusing on pronunciation and phonetics, you can help learners improve their spoken English skills, increase their confidence in using the language, and enhance their overall communication abilities. To specialize in teaching English pronunciation and phonetics, TESOL teachers can pursue additional training and professional development opportunities. This may include taking courses specifically focused on pronunciation instruction, attending workshops and conferences, or seeking mentorship from experienced educators in the field. By honing their own pronunciation skills and deepening their...  [Read more]

  http://www.teflcourse.net This video covers the structure and usage of the past continuous tense. This structure of this tense is: Positive: Subject + was/were + present participle. She was working last night. Negative: Subject + was/were + not + present participle. He was not teaching yesterday. Question: Was/were + subject + present participle Was she driving yesterday? The past continuous is used to talk about actions that were in progress at a time in the past. For example: I was watching television last night. One option that may not occur to most TEFL graduates is that of Teaching English Online. Not only can you earn your certificate online, but you can also earn your wages by Teaching English Online. ITTT has many different courses available suited to your...  [Read more]

Pronunciation and intonation are crucial aspects of language learning, as they directly impact communication effectiveness and comprehension. In TESOL classes, focusing on pronunciation helps students be understood by others, while intonation conveys meaning, emotions, and attitudes in speech. When learners have good pronunciation and intonation skills, they can engage in more meaningful interactions and build confidence in using the language. To help students improve their pronunciation, teachers can employ various strategies. Firstly, modeling correct pronunciation is essential. Teachers should articulate sounds clearly and provide ample opportunities for students to listen and repeat. Incorporating phonetic exercises can also be beneficial, as they help students grasp the nuances of...  [Read more]

  There are two issues that need to be stressed when working with the international phonemic alphabet. First is the fact that we are no longer concerned with how a word is traditionally spelled. Additionally we need to stress that we are only concerned with the sounds needed to correctly produce a word. So rather than numerous spellings, which can often be pronounced in different ways, we have one symbol representing one sound. Once we can isolate a sound, rather than juggling various spellings, we can work with our students on how to say that sound. Doing that successfully is related to manner and place of articulation, which will be covered shortly. To get a better understanding of the phonemic alphabet, let's take a look at our chart. In the bottom half of our chart we have our...  [Read more]

  In Chantelle’s thirteenth video diary entry she talks about unit 13 of her 120-hour online TEFL course. Unit 13 covers pronunciation and phonology. As Chantelle notes there is a lot of information presented in this unit including phonology, stress, articulation and the phonemic alphabet. The unit also looks at how to teach individual sounds and when we should teach pronunciation to our students. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. The...  [Read more]

Teaching pronunciation is a crucial aspect of TESOL as it directly impacts learners' communicative competence. Poor pronunciation can lead to misunderstandings and hinder effective communication. By focusing on pronunciation, students can improve their listening and speaking skills, leading to increased confidence in using English in real-life situations. There are various strategies that TESOL teachers can employ to help students improve their pronunciation. One effective approach is the use of minimal pairs, where students practice distinguishing between similar sounds that may cause confusion, such as /l/ and /r/ in English. Another strategy is to incorporate pronunciation drills and repetition exercises to help students master difficult sounds and intonation patterns. Incorporating...  [Read more]

Teaching pronunciation in TESOL is crucial as it enhances learners' communication skills, fluency, and overall comprehension. Pronunciation impacts how well learners are understood and how confident they feel when speaking English. Poor pronunciation can lead to miscommunication and hinder learners from effectively expressing themselves. Therefore, focusing on pronunciation helps students become more proficient speakers and listeners in English. There are several effective strategies for teaching pronunciation in TESOL. One common approach is the use of minimal pairs, where students practice distinguishing between similar sounds that may cause confusion, such as /l/ and /r/ for Japanese learners. Another strategy is teaching connected speech, emphasizing how sounds change when spoken in...  [Read more]

Teaching pronunciation in a TESOL classroom is crucial for effective communication. Clear pronunciation helps students be understood by others and boosts their confidence in using the language. It also aids in comprehension, as correct pronunciation can make it easier for learners to understand native speakers and vice versa. Moreover, teaching pronunciation early on can prevent students from developing bad habits that are harder to correct later. 1. Phonemic Awareness: Start by teaching students the individual sounds (phonemes) of the language. Use phonemic charts and activities to help students recognize and produce these sounds accurately. 2. Word and Sentence Stress: Teach students about word and sentence stress patterns in English. Practice stress through activities like reading...  [Read more]

English pronunciation plays a crucial role in effective communication and language learning. As a TESOL-certified teacher, it is essential to emphasize pronunciation to help students improve their overall language skills. Clear pronunciation enhances comprehension, reduces communication barriers, and boosts students' confidence when speaking English. Moreover, accurate pronunciation is vital for successful interactions in academic, professional, and social settings. By focusing on pronunciation, TESOL teachers can help students become more proficient and fluent speakers of English. There are several effective strategies that TESOL teachers can utilize to teach English pronunciation. One approach is to incorporate activities that focus on individual sounds, stress patterns, intonation, and...  [Read more]

Should Students Be Allowed to Use Their Native Language in the Classroom When I first began teaching lessons during the TESOL Course I found myself almost automatically saying to the students, “English please,” after all it is an English class. However, I began to question myself about whether or not this was “correct” practice or if the students should in fact use their native language to assist them in the learning process. After doing some research I found the TESOL Law Code of Ethics. The Law of Ethics provided many vague and open-ended ideas. It suggested things along the lines of, “The foreign language teacher shall direct her whole professional effort to assist the students to develop his/her second language speaking ability.” It also mentions that TESOL teachers are to...  [Read more]